The Miami Dolphins, led by new head coach Mike McDaniel, defeated the New England Patriots on Sunday 20-7 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
In the season opener, Miami had some impressive performances from veterans and some surprising ones from some of their young up-and-comers.
McDaniel’s team forced the Patriots to commit three turnovers, two fumbles and an interception, that led to either a score or the end of the game completely. Offensively, while there were a couple of mistakes that were close to turnovers, they were able to keep from giving the ball up.
Here were the five highest-graded Dolphins in their first win of 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.
5. WR Jaylen Waddle - 75.4
Waddle was one of the most impactful players on Miami’s offense last season, and that continued again on Sunday. The former Crimson Tide wideout recorded four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown, including the 42-yard catch-and-run.
With a lot of the attention going to Hill, Waddle should still be able to make his presence known.
4. DE Emmanuel Ogbah - 76.5
Like Waddle, Ogbah picked up right where he left off last season, as he recorded four tackles, two quarterbacks hits and a sack. He’s going to benefit greatly from a jump from Jaelan Phillips and the arrival of Melvin Ingram, allowing him to get to the quarterback easier.
3. LB Melvin Ingram - 76.8
Speaking of Ingram, he clocks in at No. 3. The Dolphins may have held him back in the preseason and training camp, but they’re allowing him to play, and he’s rewarding them with his ability. The veteran recorded two tackles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. This is a great start to his tenure with Miami.
2. OL Connor Williams - 82.3
There was a bit of concern after the first offensive snap when Tagovailoa had to corral a high snap, but Williams seemed to settle down from there. While he’s learning a new position, he looked fairly smooth on Sunday, and the biggest thing was that there were no penalties called on him, which was his biggest problem with Dallas.
1. CB Kader Kohou - 91.2
The undrafted rookie from Texas A&M-Commerce continues to impress after a strong offseason and preseason. With Byron Jones still on PUP, Kohou got the nod over former first-round selection Noah Igbinoghene, and the rookie shined in his opportunities.
Kohou played 18 of the 57 defensive snaps, recording three tackles, one for a loss, and a forced fumble to essentially seal the game for the Dolphins. More performances like this will make him hard to keep off of the field.
