The Miami Dolphins pulled off the upset of the opening week of the NFL season, beating the New England Patriots 33-20 and handing Tom Brady and company their first opening day loss in more than a decade.
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A big reason why the Dolphins were able to take the win was because of the efforts of running back Knowshon Moreno, who ran for 134 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. ESPN’s James Walker believes Moreno changes the culture of Miami’s offense.
"“If Moreno isn’t starting next week’s game against the Buffalo Bills, something is wrong in Miami. Moreno gives the Dolphins’ offense a new dimension and toughness between the tackles that they haven’t seen since Ricky Williams.”"
Signed to a one-year, $3 million deal this offseason, Moreno didn’t receive much interest in free agency despite coming off his first 1,000-yard rushing season. The Dolphins were the only team to offer him, and they may have struck gold. His intensity gave the Dolphins a major lift when they were down 17-7.
"“When somebody got that type of energy and got that type of intensity, that puts it on everybody else to keep pushing,” Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert said. “That pushes us even more.”"
He shed tackles and fought hard on every carry. It was contagious, as Lamar Miller started running harder after noticing Moreno’s performance. It created a two-headed rushing attack that the Patriots couldn’t defend. The Dolphins racked up 191 rushing yards compared to just 89 for New England. It made things easier for Ryan Tannehill, too, who had an efficient second half.
Moreno could prove to be the steal of the offseason in the NFL, and his intensity paired with new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor’s creativity gives Miami a refreshing identity.