Browns vs Dolphins: Beyond big names, Miami has impact talent on roster

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to those who celebrate. The Cleveland Browns have two regular season games remaining, and they will start with their home finale against the Miami Dolphins.

Similar to the Browns, the Dolphins had playoff aspirations (some would say Super Bowl aspirations as well) to start the season. The season got off to a rocky start when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed half of the season due to another concussion. Once Tagovailoa went out, the team struggled but as of late it has started to find its footing and is fighting for one of the remaining playoff spots in the AFC.

Offensively, it’s a unit that has changed in terms of its approach. Miami is known for their big explosive plays with their speedy wide receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle but that approach has changed. It has gone from big, explosive plays to longer-consuming drives to wear down the defense. It’s a unit that is predicated on getting the ball to their fast playmakers on the perimeter.

Regarding the offensive line, it hasn’t been great all season and their run blocking has been atrocious.

Defensively, the unit is top 10. In terms of points allowed, the unit itself has some stars in that group. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a top 15 cornerback in the league, safety Jevon Holland is one of the more underrated safeties in the league and linebacker Jordyn Brooks is quietly emerging as one of the better linebackers in the league.

Here are the three Dolphins players to watch for in Week 17

QB Tua Tagovailoa

Going back as far as when Tagovailoa was in college at Alabama, he wasn’t someone that I was bought into completely. Fast forward to now, my opinion has changed but not much. When the Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel as their head coach, it felt like a breath of fresh air. Tagovailoa needed someone to get the most out of him, but more importantly, someone who believed and respected him.

As far as the on-the-field product goes, it’s a different story. When you watch Tagovailoa, he doesn’t have the strongest arm but he gets the ball out quickly and his processing is top-tier.

For Cleveland, it’s simple how to limit Tua. Pressure him, make life uncomfortable for him. The last time the Browns played the Dolphins, back in 2022, Tagovailoa had all the time in the world to make the necessary throws and pick Cleveland’s defense apart. Things have changed since then but for the home team to have a chance to win the game, they must make life miserable for the left-handed signal caller.

LB Jordyn Brooks

Coming from someone who is a current Seattle Seahawks fan, linebacker Jordyn Brooks was underappreciated during his time in Seattle. When the Dolphins signed Brooks this offseason, he was also an underrated pickup. Similar to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Brooks is one of the underrated linebackers in the league. His sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage skills have improved year after year.

For Cleveland, the best bet is to try put Brooks in unfavorable situations or try to avoid him completely. His coverage skills are good enough to cause some problems and he is a good enough run defender to cause issues in that department. Brooks is someone who you can’t ignore if you are the Browns offense.

TE Jonnu Smith

If there is one surprising contributor that has emerged from Miami’s offense this season, it’s tight end Jonnu Smith. Smith came over from the Atlanta Falcons and has since found himself as a player. The offense that the Dolphins runs fits Smith’s skillset. He’s someone who has good size, can run after the catch and his speed can’t be denied as well.

Miami’s offense has had their issues this season, whether it’s Tyreek Hill’s struggles or offensive inconsistency but Smith has been one of the bright spots.

For the Browns, containing Smith will be key. Smith is someone who can generate explosive plays with his YAC ability and he is a safety valve for Tagovailoa to look for. Safety Grant Delpit has the ability to match up with Smith, he was able to keep Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in check but Smith is another test he has to pass.