Yes, both teams are 3-1. But, I was thinking of something else. I believe the Bengals and the Dolphins were both winners of the 2018 draft.
The Bengals got help in the trenches and at LB, whereas the Dolphins got help on defense and at TE. Looking over both depth charts, I centered my attention on Bengals C Billy Price and Dolphins LB Jerome Baker. I was tempted to do Dolphins DB Minkah Fitzpatrick and do a straight up first-round pick comparison, but his role is not as defined as Baker’s is. Besides, I think Baker was the first rookie named a starter for the Dolphins. So, it made more sense to go with him.
Let’s look at the Bengals offensive line. In 2017, the team was 1-3, gave up 14 sacks and ran the ball for 355 yards. In 2018, they have allowed 7 sacks and have rushed the ball for 374 yards through 4 games.
Now, the Dolphins LBs, at the quarter of the season, have 2 pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and one QB hit. And they have enabled 442 yards on the ground. In 2017, Dolphins were 2-2. They gave up 302 rushing yards. They had 5.5 TFLs, 3 QB Hits, one fumble recovery, a sack, and 2 pass deflections.
Time will tell if I am right. You can never really judge a draft class straight out of the gate. But so far, early on, it looks like the Bengals rookie class is having a bigger impact than the Dolphins even though both teams are playing some good football right now. Maybe, when these 2 teams face off this Sunday, Dolphins rookies will be the ones who have a more fruitful endeavor. Let’s go! Fins up!
