Getty New England Patriots DBs seem concerned about checking the Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill in Week 1.
The New England Patriots secondary will get an early test in Week 1 vs. the Miami Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa will have the option of throwing to Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Cedrick Wilson, tight end Mike Gesicki and even running back Chase Edmonds.
That’s a set of offensive weapons that most quarterbacks in the NFL would envy. The unenviable task of slowing down Hill and Co. falls on the shoulders of the Patriots this Sunday. More specifically, the Patriots’ secondary will have to do their best to cover the talented and speedy group of Fins receivers.
Patriots veteran cornerback Jonathon Jones has already acknowledged there is some additional pressure this week on what the Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian called a “mega mismatch.”
When asked about playing against the Dolphins’ high-powered and speedy wide receivers, Jones downplayed the “big names” that he said can often be the main driving point for people during their evaluations of a matchup.
Jones instead chose to focus on his team’s recent poor history playing on the road in Miami. “We haven’t played well in Miami historically as a team,” Jones said. “That adds extra pressure on us. There’s a lot that we’re going against. We just have to go out there and compete.”
During Jones’ career, which began in 2016 after the Patriots signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn, New England is 2-4 against the Dolphins in Miami. Jones and the rest of the Patriots would love to change that this season and the secondary play will have a lot to do with the results.
Which Patriots DB Will Draw the Tyreek Hill Assignment Week1 V.s The Dolphins?
Hill might be the best combination of pure speed and run-after-the-catch strength you’ll find amongst NFL receivers today. His defense-busting quickness can be used as a primary weapon or as a decoy.
Which cornerback will get the primary assignment of trying to slow down the Cheetah? It’s probably going to be Jones who has been playing the boundary during training camp and the preseason.
That said, the Patriots corner who draws Waddle isn’t getting much of a break when it comes to dealing with speed. Jalen Mills could get Waddle, while slot options like Wilson could be matched up with Myles Bryant or rookie corner Marcus Jones.
Also, keep an eye out for rookie corner Jack Jones. He can potentially become the Patriots’ No. 1 corner, ala JC Jackson and Stephon Gilmore. However, Sunday’s game will be his first in the NFL, so he will need some time to continue to develop.
Which New England Patriots Defender Will Spy Tua Tagovailoa?
One of the other potentially dangerous aspects of the Dolphins’ offense is Tagaovailoa’s ability to scramble for yardage or to buy himself time to throw the ball. The last thing the Patriots’ defense wants to contend with is staying with Hill and Waddle while Tagovailoa is in a sand box situation.
The Patriots may have to deploy a spy to keep Tagovailoa in the pocket. Look for Raekwon McMillan or Mack Wilson to potentially get some QB spy duties. Both men are quick and would likely be good options in this role.