MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins might have figured out what works for them defensively. That's not particularly good news for the New Orleans Saints.
They meet on Sunday afternoon in South Florida, and the matchup might be best summarized like this:
— The Dolphins aren't allowing many points.
— The Saints aren't scoring many points.
That isn't a great formula for the Saints, who have been held under 20 points in each of their last six games. That is the NFL's longest active streak of offensive struggle; Cleveland went six games without 20 points earlier this season. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have allowed exactly 13 points in each of their last two games — and probably not coincidentally, they went 2-0 in those matchups to breathe a bit of hope into a season that was going seriously awry.
“They’ve been playing really well on defense,” Saints quarterback Tyler Shough said. “We have to be up for the challenge and go out there and attack.”
And Miami will expect exactly that, especially since the Saints haven't been able to run the ball. New Orleans has an NFL-worst three rushing touchdowns this season — 45 different players across the league entered Friday with at least that many — and none of the Saints' last 120 carries has reached the end zone. New Orleans' last rushing TD was a 1-yarder from Taysom Hill on Oct. 12, and with top running back Alvin Kamara banged up it doesn't seem like the ground game will be anywhere near its best form on Sunday.
There seem to be good signs for Miami. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel isn't buying any of them. Just because his team has won two straight doesn't mean it's time for a false sense of security to settle in, he said.
“Football, if you haven’t noticed, the ball is oblong. I don’t know where that is bouncing,” McDaniel said. "The NFL will teach you the hardest lessons that will have you lose sleep at night if you make the mistake of taking anybody lightly. Whether people have taken our team lightly, not really important debate to me. However, I think it makes our team a little more aware of the negative effects of thinking that your nameplate or your team logo earns a win — because it does not.”
The Dolphins are playing their best football in November, which checks out given quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's history. He's 15-4 as a starter in November, compared with 15-16 when he starts games in September and October.
In an up-and-down season — including injuries to key players including Tyreek Hill, the departure of general manager Chris Grier and Tagovailoa himself taking plenty of heat for openly discussing team issues that are typically kept private — he said this past week's bye allowed time to reflect.
“Great rest and recovery as well throughout that time and just glad we get to get back at it and hopefully we can continue our win streak and sort of the mantra that we’ve had these past couple of weeks,” Tagovailoa said.
Irish kicker Charlie Smyth had a chance to compete for New Orleans’ starting kicking job this week after the club’s decision to cut Blake Grupe.
Grupe missed two kicks inside of 50 yards last Sunday in New Orleans' loss to Atlanta, bringing his total of misses up to eight this season. Smyth has spent this week competing against former LSU kicker Cade York, who was signed on Tuesday and has previously played in the NFL for Cincinnati, Washington and Cleveland.
Smyth, who grew up playing Gaelic football, is part of the NFL’s International Pathways Program, meaning the Saints are granted an extra offseason roster spot and in-season practice squad spot for keeping him around.
So, Smyth was unlikely to be cut if he didn’t win the job, but said he didn’t view this week’s opportunity that way.
“If you feel like that, then you get comfortable. And there are other people that would love my spot,” Smyth said.
Taysom Hill’s role in the Saints' offense continues to evolve as he rounds back into form from a major knee injury last season — the recovery from which also sidelined him for the first four games this season.
The versatile 35-year-old took on more running back duties last week after Alvin Kamara went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. He added that to his intermittent role as a wildcat QB and sometimes tight end.
“He’s always ready to rock and roll,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “He provides an insurance role."
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AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.
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