Miami Dolphins rookie edge rushers make presence known in first NFL game

Posted by Admin August 18, 2024 NFL

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MIAMI GARDENS — Dolphins first-round draft pick Chop Robinson made his NFL debut Saturday, and made sure he was noticed.

The outside linebacker from Penn State contributed the kind of play Miami envisioned when it took him with the 21st overall pick. Robinson used his quickness to burst through the Washington Commanders offensive line and greet ball carrier Michael Wiley a split second after he took the handoff for a 4-yard loss late in the first half of the Dolphins’ 13-6 victory at Hard Rock Stadium.

“I just felt like it was too good to be true,” Robinson said about the hole that parted and allowed him to get into the backfield untouched.

“Once I seen him handing the ball off I just attacked the running back.”

The running back. Not the quarterback. Which is the difference between a tackle for loss and a sack and a difference for Chop when it comes to celebrating the play.

“For a tackle for loss you’ll get a scream,” Chop said. “For a sack you’ll get the Chop Celebration.”

Robinson was among a host of first and second teamers who sat out the preseason opener against Atlanta, including fellow edge rusher Mohamed Kamara, who also made an impact in his debut.

Robinson and Kamara had Miami’s only two tackles for loss in the first half.

Robinson, whose family were big Commanders fans when he was growing up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, was credited with two tackles.

“It was cool to get it in the game,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said about Robinson’s tackle for loss. “His teammates and myself included have seen him do it all camp, so that was a good starting point. We look forward to seeing more of that.”

Robinson started on the kickoff team, which meant he was on the field for the game’s first play. A big help when it came to settling into the game.

“Starting off on kickoff, getting the butterflies out, get the nerves out,” he said. “I was just going at that point. Everything was so good. I was confident.”

Outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips is not surprised the rookie made an impact in his first game.

“Chop has been doing amazing,” Phillips said. “He’s been doing all the right things, I thought he played really well out there. He’s flying around, playing instinctively, so it’s only a matter of time before he really gels in this defense and really gets used to being in this league. Obviously, it’s a lot different than college, but he’s doing a great job already.”

Kamara, a fifth-round pick out of Colorado State, had a key tackle in the final minute of the first half, bringing down quarterback Jeff Driskel for a 6-yard loss at the Dolphins’ 25. The drive ended in a field goal.

Kamara made it clear he is entering his career in the NFL “very, very angry” for lasting until the 158th pick. He was the 14th edge rusher taken.

“It’s a dream come true,” Kamara said about the night. “A lot of us rookies, we’re just trying to make a play. We’ve all be going through the gutter and just trying to find ourselves. To actually go out there and make a play, it meant a lot.”

Kamara was especially proud of how the Dolphins kept the Commanders out of the end zone. Washington had four field goal attempts in the first half, making two.

Dolphins defense has been stingy in first 2 preseason games

Miami has allowed one touchdown in its two preseason games.

“It’s never going to be pretty,” Kamara said. “Our teamwork, allowing them to not get into the end zone, that’s what’s important. Sometimes the offense is going to make plays and that’s what they’re supposed to do.”

McDaniel has taken note of the aggressiveness of his defense.

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“What’s standing out is the overall mentality of the defense,” he said. ” We play fast, physical, with elite technique. And when you do that, play in, play out, you’re able to keep people from the end zone sometimes even when you give up a play or two here or there. I think the overall mindset of the team has been shown through our defense, really.”

Cornerback Cam Smith, the 2023 second-round pick coming off a disappointing rookie season, left the field in the second half holding the back of his leg. Smith was beat early when he allowed a short pass from Jayden Daniels to Terry McLaurin turn into a 20-yard gain.

He atoned in the second quarter, breaking up a long pass in the end zone to Olamide Zaccheaus.

Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.