2. Miami Dolphins
You’re not going to go very far in the NFL if you can’t run the football and you can’t stop the run – even in this pass happy era where quarterbacks are putting up eye-popping numbers. The basics of the game remain the same.
While the Miami Dolphins were a 5-4 football team after a disturbing 0-7 start a year ago, Brian Flores’ club still has some severe weaknesses when it comes to the defensive side of the football.
No team allowed more points (494) or touchdown passes (39) a year ago. All told, the club gave up at least 30 points in 10 of their 16 outings. Meanwhile, the ‘Fins surrendered the third-most totals yards in the league and a whopping 54 offensive TDs. Meanwhile, Flores’ team managed only 16 takeaways and sacked opposing passers only 23 times – the fewest in the NFL in 2019.
Yes, the club invested a first-round pick last April in Clemson University defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. He teamed inside with Devon Godchaux, a fifth-round pick in 2017. Via Pro Football Focus (subscription required), both performers finished with the identical grade of 64.4. And that was good enough to co-rank them as the 68th-best interior defender(s) in the league.
Next: No. 1