South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Season featuring booms and busts
season’s success can usually be judged based on whether a team or a player is meeting expectations. So far, the Miami Dolphins (5-5) remain in the hunt for an AFC playoff bid with six games left, but so much has gone wrong for the injurydecimated Dolphins, who are struggling with an inconsistent offense that’s led by a backup quarterback and a defense that can’t stop the run. There’s still enough time to get the season on track, but for that to happen Miami needs more players to step up and start meeting the expectations placed on them before the season. Here’s a look at five Dolphins who have exceeded expectations in 2018 and five who have fallen short of expectations.
Exceeding expectations
Outside linebacker Kiko Alonso: His 89 tackles not only lead the Dolphins but rank him second in the NFL behind Colts rookie linebacker Darius Leonard, who has recorded 97 tackles in eight games. More impressive than Alonso’s tackle totals has been the impact plays (three interceptions, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovered) he’s produced this season. The only problem is the Dolphins rank last in the NFL in stopping the run, allowing 142 rushing yards per game, and Alonso’s struggles in that area have contributed to those problems.
Left tackle Laremy Tunsil: He has settled into the starting left tackle spot and is beginning to play like the type of talent a franchise builds its offense around. He’s handled every team’s top pass rusher extremely well, usually with solo blocks, allowing only one sack this season. The Dolphins have struggled protecting the quarterback in the three games he’s been limited by an injury (Cincinnati, the N.Y. Jets and Green Bay), which hints at just how valuable Tunsil is on Miami’s roster.
Cornerback Xavien Howard: His play has gotten to the point that he’s trusted to shadow every team’s best receiver, which is the highest level of recognition a defensive player can get. Each week Howard defends the DeAndre Hopkinses, Davante Adamses and A.J. Greens wherever they go, and that’s not easy to do. Howard, who has contributed 26 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups this season, doesn’t always lock his receiver down, but he wins more than he loses, which is all we can ask from a third-year veteran.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick: The Dolphins’ 2018 first-round pick has played far beyond his years as a rookie, contributing 52 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups in the 10 games he’s played. Fitzpatrick has started five games and played at three different spots – boundary cornerback, nickel cornerback and free safety – proving he has a versatility few players possess. Fitzpatrick goes into the bye week with the NFL’s lowest passer rating in coverage (48.5) for a cornerback, which has encouraged Miami’s coaches to put more on his plate.
Outside linebacker Jerome Baker: The former Ohio State standout the Dolphins selected in the third-round of the 2018 draft has had an up-and-down rookie season. At times Baker has been a playmaking linebacker who can be relied on to make tackles (52) and impact plays (two sacks and an interception he scored on). But there have been instances in which he’s been blocked out of big runs and caught with his pants down in coverage. Growing pains will come as a rookie, but Baker has proved that a starting role isn’t too big for this 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker to fill.
Falling short
Wide receiver DeVante Parker: At this point, Parker, the Dolphins’ 2015 firstround pick, can’t even argue against his reputation as a soft NFL player because his progression has been slowed by one injury after another the past four seasons. Parker, who has contributed 225 yards off 14 receptions, has played sparingly because of a broken finger, a quadriceps strain and now a sprained shoulder he suffered in Miami’ 31-12 loss to Green Bay.
Linebacker Raekwon McMillan: The Dolphins began this season hoping that McMillan’s presence would enhance the team’s ability to stop the run, but there have been too many instances this season when the former Ohio State standout was spotted shooting the wrong gap, creating a large rushing lane for Miami’s opponents. McMillan, who has contributed 58 tackles and one forced fumble, has also lost his job as one of the Dolphins’ two three-down linebacker because of his struggles in coverage.
Defensive end Robert Quinn: The Dolphins traded the 111th pick in the 2018 draft to the Los Angeles Rams to acquire Quinn, a two-time Pro Bowl selection they thought would be the perfect complement to Cameron Wake. So far, this 28-year-old looks like he’s lost a step, which is the only way to justify the fact he has only contributed 25 tackles, 2.5 sacks and forced one fumble in 10 games. The burst off the line and rare bend he once used to escape blocks are missing, and his edge-setting in the run game has been mediocre. Miami’s decision-makers have to debate whether Quinn is worth the $12.9 million in cap space releasing him in 2019 would create.
Tight end Mike Gesicki: The Dolphins had big plans for this athletic rookie from Penn State, whom they intended to make their top weapon in the red zone. But none of those plans materialized because of Gesicki’s inability to create separation from defenders and his limitations as a blocker, which prevent him from being on the field more. He’s contributed 17 receptions for 151 yards but isn’t a factor in an offense that’s starving on third downs and in the red zone.
Wide receiver Kenny Stills: Although Stills trails Kenyan Drake for the team lead in touchdowns by one, the 19 receptions for 326 yards and four scores fall short of what this stagnant offense needs from a veteran starting receiver with Stills’ talent level. In fairness to Stills, the only time he’s ever targeted these days if when Miami’s in the red zone, and he’s usually not the quarterback’s first option on those throws. With Brock Osweiler behind center, the Dolphins have stopped throwing the ball deep, so it’s understandable why Stills has been relatively invisible. Benjamin is the 4A state runner-up in girls volleyball for the third straight year after falling to Shorecrest Prep. The Panthers’ Jared McCann moves in against the Rangers on Saturday during the first period in New York. For more coverage, go to
Charles Howell III had a 2-under 68 for a one-shot lead after three rounds of the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga. Howell was at 16-under 194 as he tries to end 332 starts on the PGA Tour without winning. PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and Jason Gore both shot 66 and were tied for second . ... Patrick Reed and Danny Willett, both former Masters champions, were at 14-under 202 and entered the final day as co-leaders of the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Willett shot a 4-under 68 and Reed a 67 to move one stroke ahead of Jordan Smith . ... Abraham Ancer shot a 65 for a three-round total of 13-under 203 and a five-stroke lead at the Australian Open in Sydney. Keegan Bradley was tied for third, six shots back . ... Lexi Thompson’s 68 pushed her to 16 under after three rounds of the LPGA’s season-ending event as she moved three shots clear of Nelly Korda at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla. Korda shot a 67.
GOLF:
Ravens QB Joe Flacco is doubtful to play Sunday against the Bengals, opening the door for rookie Lamar Jackson to make his first career start. ... The Bears activated TE Adam Shaheen from IR . ... Rams DT Aaron Donald was fined $23,395 for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct in a win over the Seahawks. Two other Rams were also fined: Ndamukong Suh for a late
NFL:
hit and Dante Fowler for unnecessary roughness. Among others fined were the Raiders’ Johnathan Hankins (late hit), the Panthers’ Eric Reid (unnecessary roughness) and the Seahawks’ Justin Britt (unnecessary roughness).
Portugal drew with Italy 0-0 to pick up the point it needed to qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals and confirm it as host of the first Final Four in June . ... Barcelona said midfielder Ivan Rakitic injured his right hamstring with Croatia in the UEFA Nations League and would not face England on Sunday for Croatia.
SOCCER:
Alexander Zverev denied Roger Federer a shot at his 100th career title with a 7-5, 7-6
(5) victory to advance to the championship match against Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals in London. Zverev, 21, is the youngest player to reach the final of the season-ending event since 2009. Five-time champion Djokovic defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2,
6-2.
TENNIS:
Two-time overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin built on her first-run lead to comfortably win the season-opening women’s World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland . ... The Astros acquired INF Aledmys Diaz from the Blue Jays for minor-league RHP Trent Thornton. Diaz, 28, hit .263 with 26 doubles and a career-high 18 home runs in 130 games with the Jays.
ALSO: — Edited from news services