As a longtime Kyle Shanahan acolyte, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has a Master’s degree in using a diverse and explosive run game to set up big-time passing plays. It seemed that the Dolphins were slow-rolling the Buffalo Bills with this all the way through the first quarter, when running back Raheem Mostert gained 101 yards on the ground on just eight carries, while quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continued the struggles he had against the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers over the last two weeks.
With 12:48 left in the third quarter, and the Bills up, 21-13, the threat of the run gave Tagovailoa a look that any quarterback with two ridiculous speed receivers (like the Dolphins have in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle) would absolutely love.
The Dolphins had Waddle in the inside slot and Hill in the outside slot against Buffalo’s two-deep look. It was a 3×1 set with receiver Trent Sherfield outside right, and tight end Mike Gesicki attached to the formation on the left side.
Mostert was in the backfield, which added an attendant complication for Buffalo’s defense.
Pre-snap, you can see linebacker Tremaine Edmunds telling safety Jordan Poyer to retain depth in coverage, which tells me that the pre-snap plan was to flip from two-high to single-high, with Poyer crashing down to help with the run.
He was GONE when his feet hit the ground! 🐧 @D1__JW
📺: #MIAvsBUF on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/OppdDaKY2o pic.twitter.com/tdhvjv5Y2i— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022
When Poyer came down, and safety Damar Hamlin staying deep to the other side to monitor Hill, there was nobody to cover Waddle deep… and that, folks, is a big mistake.
Poyer, who’s one of the best safeties in the NFL, did his best to recover. But as they say, speed kills.
Jaylen Waddle reached a top speed of 21.11 mph on his 67-yd TD reception, his fastest speed reached as a ball carrier this season.
🔹 Air Yards: 25
🔹 Target Separation: 6.5 yds
🔹 Completion Probability: 60.1%#MIAvsBUF | #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/V0V5FGBgBh— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 18, 2022
