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Key free agent addition plays big role in Dolphins Week 3 win

kyle crabbs
·2 min read

Miami Dolphins linebacker Kyle Van Noy wasn’t messing around last night in Miami’s big win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3. Van Noy was one of Miami’s prized offseason signings this spring but with the lack of traction from the team in the first few weeks of the season, frustrations were aplenty that Van Noy (and the defense as a whole) wasn’t living up to their expectations. That changed on Thursday. Because Van Noy was an absolute terror as a pressure player and blitzer against Jacksonville.

The stat sheet will show you the strip sack and subsequent fumble recovery from Van Noy as part of a sub-package defense pressure look along with LB Andrew Van Ginkel and DE Emmanuel Ogbah, another free agent addition who seemed to take a big step forward in Week 3. Van Noy’s twist created confusion for Jacksonville in the middle and he was able to poke the ball free of QB Gardner Minshew before frantically scrambling across the turf to secure the ball.

It was a heck of a play. But it wasn’t even Van Noy’s most eye-popping rep of the night. That honor goes to an A-gap blitz in which he blew up the running back in pass protection and forced an errant throw from Minshew. After a slow start to the season, Van Noy (and the defense) very much looked like where expectations were in the summer. And, as Van Noy mentioned in the postgame, the steady improvement is a testament to the unit staying committed and looking to find their identity.

“I think it was just collectively over this entire training camp and last couple of games trying to figure out our identity and tonight was a good testament of how hard we’ve been working as a unit,” said Van Noy.

“And boy, it feels good to win. (Coach Brian Flores) has been kicking our (butts) and we finally showed up and showed out tonight. It’s fun to get turnovers, it’s fun to celebrate with your teammates and get a dub.”

Indeed it is. Van Noy and the rest of the Dolphins now have ten days to regroup, reset and look to do it all over again in Week 4.