Miami plans to rotate DTs, but Godchaux now a favorite
PHILADELPHIA It appears the battle for the starting defensive tackle spot next to Ndamukong Suh became a bit more interesting Thursday night.
Davon Godchaux, the former LSU standout the Miami Dolphins selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft, leapfrogged Jordan Phillips and has started all three preseason games, and has spent the past four weeks paired with Suh in practice.
However, Phillips came into Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles as a reserve and intercepted a first-quarter pass that was tipped into the air by William Hayes, and ran it back to the 2 yard line. That play led to Miami’s second score of the game when Jay Ajayi capped it off with a 2-yard touchdown run.
While head coach Adam Gase has insisted Phillips will play in Miami’s defensive tackle rotation with Godchaux and Suh, he’s also acknowledged that Godchaux has outperformed the Dolphins’ 2015 second-round pick.
Last season, Phillips started 11 games and had 23 tackles and one interception, which also featured an impressive return. But Miami’s coaches are wary of Phillips’ hot and cold nature.
“[He’s] been consistent,” Gase said earlier this week when asked why Godchaux continues to start.
“I don’t want to say that he’s passed him. … I know [defensive line coach] Terrell [Williams] is making that competition live. Godchaux has played well and Jordan has had good days too . ...
“I think everything’s open. I know this, we’re going to play more than two [defensive] tackles,” Gase said. “We’re going to get those guys rotating in there and if we get less plays, that’s great.”
The Dolphins spent the first half rotating the team’s defensive tackles in and out of the game. Suh and Godchaux took the first series, and then Phillips and Godchaux worked together, followed by Phillips and Suh. Then the rotation started all over again and kept going. Adam Gase, Dolphins’ head coach on the competition between Davon Godchaux and Jordan Phillips.
Pouncey had previously been practicing every other day with limited contact while working his way into playing shape.
Pouncey wasn’t the only newcomer to the Dolphins’ starting offensive line this preseason. Ja’Wuan James, who has started at right tackle for the past three seasons, played in his first exhibition game. James had been held out of the previous two games because of a lingering shoulder injury.
Anthony Steen also started his first game at left guard, replacing Jesse Davis, a converted tackle who had started the previous two preseason games.
Steen and Davis are competing to determine who replaces Ted Larsen, who will miss at least first eight games of the regular season because of a biceps injury he suffered during training camp.