Dolphins Week 5 Snap Count Observations

Diving into the playing time and its implications for Alec Ingold, Odell Beckham, Jr., Tyus Bowser, David Long, Jr., and other Miami Dolphins players.

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) is sacked by linebacker Jordyn Brooks (20), linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah (91), and linebacker Tyus Bowser (51) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

What stood out regarding play counts in the Miami Dolphins' 15-10 victory against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday?

We'll start with the inactive list, highlighted for the fourth time in five games by a group of recent draft picks and young players — CB Ethan Bonner, OL Andrew Meyer, LB Channing Tindall, and rookie sixth-round pick Mohamed Kamara. Also inactive were veteran running back Jeff Wilson, Jr., quarterback Skylar Thompson, and veteran safety Jordan Poyer, who's out with a shin injury.

Quarterback Tim Boyle was the only active player for the Dolphins who did not play.

Five players saw action only on special teams: Siran Neal, Kendall Lamm, Lester Cotton, Patrick Paul, and Tanner Conner.

DOLPHINS OFFENSE OBSERVATIONS

• With the Dolphins running game controlling most of the game, Miami had a big advantage in offensive plays, 78-60.
• We'll start with wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. making his Dolphins debut, and it was a very limited appearance, as we probably should have expected. Beckham played only 11 snaps, the lowest total among the five wide receivers.
• There was a huge gap between Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and the other wide receivers in terms of snaps, with rookie Malik Washington coming in third with 20 offensive snaps.
• This resulted from most snaps for both the tight ends and fullback Alec Ingold, a byproduct of the emphasis on the running game.
• This time, Jonnu Smith led the tight end snaps with 40, while Durham Smythe came in last with 27. This continues a pattern of little usage for Smythe, who hasn't topped 43 percent of the offensive snaps once this season after playing 76 percent last season.
• Ingold's 42 snaps tied his career high, matching his total from the 2022 game against the Cleveland Browns, which the Dolphins won 39-17.
• Raheem Mostert led the way at running back with 44 snaps after missing the previous three games with a chest injury. With De'Von Achane leaving after 11 snaps because of a concussion, rookie fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright was able to get 25 snaps, only three less than in Week 4, when the Dolphins were without Mostert.

DOLPHINS DEFENSE OBSERVATIONS

• Three players were on the field for all of the Dolphins' 60 defensive snaps: linebacker Jordyn Brooks, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and safety Marcus Maye, who started in place of Poyer.
• Linebacker David Long, Jr., who played every snap the first two games before he sustained a hamstring injury, was back in the lineup but split reps with Anthony Walker, Jr., with each getting 30 snaps apiece. This could have resulted from easing Long back into things or the Dolphins liking Walker's performance.
• With Poyer out and because they were facing a team that figured to focus its offense more on the run, the Dolphins didn't use their three-safety look in this game. Elijah Campbell did get 16 snaps at the position after Jevon Holland left the game with a hand injury.
• Cornerback Kendall Fuller missed only five snaps after leaving the game for a few plays with an apparent shoulder injury.
• With Jaelan Phillips on IR, newcomer Tyus Bowser started as an outside linebacker opposite Emmanuel Ogbah and played 33 snaps — a pretty impressive feat considering he joined the team Thursday.
• Rookie first-round pick Chop Robinson didn't start but played a career-high 40 snaps, 11 more than his previous high.
• On the defensive line, veteran Calais Campbell handled his usual workload with 34 snaps. He's been between 29 and 36 snaps every game, except for the Week 2 Thursday night loss against the Buffalo Bills when he played only 23 snaps.
• We close with special teams, where Duke Riley, Siran Neal, and Quinton Bell tied for the lead in snaps for the fifth time in four games, this time with 21 apiece. Elijah Campbell was next with 18. Tanner Conner and Julian Hill tied for most special teams snaps among offensive players with 14 apiece.