Most dominant elements of the 2022/23 NFL playoffs: What to look out for in the postseason

#8. Dolphins’ deadly speed blowing past the NFL's best defenders

NFL Regular Season - Cleveland Browns v Miami Dolphins

There’s a bigger topic at hand, considering Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion history, but I would expect Tua to be back under center for this Miami team. That is if they can just take care of business against the New York Jets in their final NFL regular season contest.

He may not have the arm-strength to fully maximize the skill-sets of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and company (in terms of attacking over the top of coverages). However, he is capable of punishing defenses for leaving those guys isolated down the field and can certainly take advantage of the gravity they hold. They create windows with the threat they present to opponents.

Having him under center during a potential NFL playoff run (which they would need to beat the Jets and have the Bills beat the Patriots to qualify) will be key.

More than that, it’s the way they can utilize them in similar roles and how they can both affect the structure of coverages. In their favorite RPO concept (where they typically have somebody wheeling up the sideline, along with some kind of glance or skinny post off that), having either of them already at full speed off motion routinely forces the corner to play over the top with outside leverage and creates a lot of space to the safety inside. Tua can then attack with his quick trigger and ability to make decisions.

Thanks to how they put DBs on their heels and how their coached to approach coverage, that can lead to plenty of separation as they break off on deep curls (and digs) after threatening vertically.

NFL Regular Season - Miami Dolphins v New England Patriots

Along with the damage Hill and Waddle can do individually, it creates matchup advantages and just space to work with for the rest of that receiving corp. While Cedrick Wilson has been largely limited to a few flash plays and Mike Gesicki’s numbers have seen major regression, Trent Sherfield has really carved out a role for himself. He has taken advantage of those favorable looks, easily becoming the WR3 in terms of snap count (57.4%) and putting up at least 25 receiving yards in nine games.

Miami’s backs have racked up 541 yards through the air on 7.8 yards per grab, thanks to the room they’re provided with on checkdowns. In terms of the run game, those RPO elements they’ve incorporated can certainly benefit those backs. But with defenses game-planning to take away those passing lanes with flooding zones, they’ve gone to more two-tight sets and traditional I-formations out of 21 personnel.

Out of those, they go with straight hand-offs or tosses, reading out of the shotgun. Yet, even then, Mostert and Wilson can quickly rip off big gains if you give them a lane.

Just throwing either of those two speedy receivers (who are just one yard shy of the 3000-mark as a duo right now) a simple bubble screen or one of those shallow cross set-ups with blockers in front creates problems. They have that extra burst to take it up the sidelines or punish guys for overrunning the play.

Having these play-makers gives this team a shot at beating just about anybody in the NFL if they can simply grab a spot in the tournament.