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First-round draft pick DeVante Parker, coming back from foot surgery, played only one snap and will likely see more action at Jacksonville.
"They say you make a lot of improvements from Week 1 to Week 2," defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said. "We've got our share to make, and we will."
"They both contributed to the overall success of the defense," Philbin said. "It didn't seem too big for Zach, and he did a nice job. They both performed pretty well."
Better run defense will be a priority. The Redskins netted 161 yards on the ground, higher than the average of 121 the Dolphins allowed last year, when they ranked 24th in the NFL and didn't have $114 million tackle Ndamukong Suh.
"I feel like a Mac truck hit me — not just my knee,Brian Poole Falcons Jersey, my body,Wholesale Nike Air Max 97," Albert said. "It's the life of a football player."
That includes Suh,Cheap NFL Jerseys, who had only one tackle.
In Week 2, the Dolphins will hope for a better performance from Ryan Tannehill and the rest of the offense. Tannehill lost a fumble, threw two passes that should have been intercepted, and twice missed an open target in the end zone.
The Dolphins fell behind 10-0 and were dominated most of the first half. Tackling was shaky, run defense was soft and the red-zone offense sputtered — all familiar problems in recent seasons.
One bright spot was the performance of undrafted free agent middle linebacker Zach Vigil, a pleasant surprise in training camp. He played 19 snaps, the same number as starter Kelvin Sheppard, and helped Miami shut out Washington in the second half.
Tannehill also led the two-minute offense to perfect, resulting in the Dolphins' only touchdown, and threw for 196 yards in the final 32 minutes.
This is the third year in a row coach Joe Philbin's Dolphins have started 1-0. And most fans in South Florida over the age of 7 know it has been a long time since Miami made the playoffs — seven years, to be exact.
Still, road wins are tough to come by, so Miami will take the 17-10 victory.
"He can play better. He knows that," Coyle said. "He was amped up and wanting to really do well, and it took him a little bit to get settled down."
"He expects better," offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said.
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — For the Miami Dolphins, inflated egos in the wake of a season-opening win are unlikely to be a problem.
The win left Miami tied for first place in the AFC East, the NFL's only unbeaten division,Nike Air Force One Shoes Women, where all four teams are 1-0. But only the Dolphins' win came on the road.
So the Dolphins are well aware Sunday's victory at Washington doesn't guarantee future success, especially considering their spotty performance.
Left tackle Branden Albert received favorable reviews following his first game since returning from reconstructive knee surgery, and said he was sore all over Monday.
"Let's face it, the game didn't start out exactly how we'd like,Cheap Jerseys From China," Philbin said Monday. "Yet I felt our guys kept their poise and kept playing,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys China, and at the end of the day we outscored them 17-0, and ended up making more plays in the second half than they did."
They'll head up the coast again Sunday, this time to face Jacksonville (0-1), and will have a chance to start 2-0 for only the third time since 2002.
"He's moving better each time he goes out on the field," Philbin said. |
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