TEAM NOTES DOLPHINS AIM FOR BEST 12-GAME START SINCE 2003 DOLPHINS REMAIN DISCIPLINED UNDER FLORES The Dolphins will take a 7-4 record into this week’s With Head Coach Brian Flores’ emphasis on game vs. Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. playing disciplined football, the Dolphins saw a big With a win, Miami will move to 8-4 for the first reduction in penalties since his arrival in 2019. The time since 2003. Dolphins finished fourth in the NFL last year by committing just 92 accepted penalties. Their 769 Miami is 17-7 all-time against Cincinnati, including penalty yards last season were also the fourth- one playoff game. The previous two times the best mark in the NFL. teams met in Miami, the Dolphins won both Miami has continued its success in reducing penalties games in overtime. Miami won 2019’s game with an in 2020. Through 10 games, the team is third in the overtime field goal and won the 2013 meeting with a NFL in penalties (49) and second in penalty yards walk-off sack-safety by DE Cameron Wake. (410). DOLPHINS ARE RED HOT IN FIRST HALVES MIAMI IS ONE OF THE NFL’S YOUNGEST TEAMS Miami is one of the NFL’s fastest-starting teams The Dolphins entered the 2020 season with two this season. In the first half of games, the Dolphins of the three youngest players in the NFL on their have outscored opponents 186-105. The +81 point roster, and both were first-round picks in the 2020 differential at halftime is the second-best in the NFL draft. CB Noah Igbinoghene (DOB: 11/27/99) NFL. is the youngest player in the NFL. He was drafted 30th overall and became the youngest player in The Dolphins are getting it done in all three phases of Dolphins history to appear in a game when he the game in the first half. On defense, Miami is tied was 20 years and 291 days old in Week 1 at New for third in the NFL with 10 first-half takeaways England. T Austin Jackson (8/11/99) is the third and is third in points allowed at just 9.5 per game. youngest player in the league, just two days younger than Baltimore LB Patrick Queen. Jackson was the On the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins are 18th pick of the draft. fourth in the NFL in first-half scoring, averaging 16.9 points per game. From Weeks 6-10, Miami The Dolphins enter Week 13 with the third- scored 17+ points in the first half for a franchise youngest average age per player in the NFL (as record five consecutive games. of Nov. 30, 2020). The Dolphins have also thrived on special teams YOUNGEST TEAMS IN THE NFL early in contests. LB Andrew Van Ginkel blocked TEAM AVG. AGE a punt in the first quarter of the Week 10 win vs. the 1. Jacksonville 25.42 L.A. Chargers. WR Jakeem Grant had an 88-yard 2. L.A. Rams 25.69 punt return for a touchdown, the longest in team 3. MIAMI 25.82 history, in the second quarter of the Week 8 win vs. 4. L.A. Chargers 26.09 5. Minnesota 26.14 the L.A. Rams. K Jason Sanders kicked a 56-yard field goal, the fifth-longest in team history, on the final play of the first half in Week 9 at Arizona. BREAKING DOWN THE DOLPHINS ROSTER: BY DRAFT ROUND BY EXPERIENCE Here is how the Dolphins’ current 51-man roster ROUND NO. YEARS NO. breaks down (as of Nov. 30, 2020): 1st 8 players Rookie-1 12 players There are 25 offensive players, 23 defensive 2nd or 3rd 12 players 2-3 16 players • 4th or 5th 9 players 4-5 16 players players and three specialists. 6th or 7th 12 players 6-9 6 players • Of the 51 players on Miami’s roster, 22 of them Undrafted 10 players 10+ 1 player (43.1 pct.) were drafted by the Dolphins. • Miami also has three undrafted college free BY AGE agents on the roster that began their NFL AGE NO. careers with the Dolphins, bringing the total to 21-24 19 players 25 of the 51 players (49.0 pct.) that began 25-28 29 players their NFL careers with the Dolphins. 29-32 2 players • Of Miami’s 51 players, 10 of them (19.6 pct.) 33+ 1 player were not selected in the NFL draft. • A total of 48 of the 51 players (94.1 pct.) are 28 years old or younger. Miami Dolphins Weekly Release: Week 13 vs. Cincinnati • 17 OFFENSE NOTES TAGOVAILOA IS 3-1 AS STARTING QB PARKER IS FIFTH IN THE NFL IN RECEIVING YARDS SINCE Miami selected QB Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall in MID-2019 the 2020 NFL draft. He became the highest drafted WR DeVante Parker has quarterback the Dolphins have selected since been one of the NFL’s top choosing Hall of Fame QB Bob Griese with the receivers the past two years. fourth overall pick in 1967. In Parker’s last 18 games Tagovailoa made his first NFL start in Week 8 vs. (since Week 7, 2019), Parker the L.A. Rams. He became the seventh rookie to is fifth in the NFL with start a game at quarterback in Dolphins history, 1,375 receiving yards in joining Ryan Tannehill (2012), John Beck (2007), Dan that span. His nine receiving Marino (1983), David Woodley (1980), Bob Griese touchdowns since then are (1967) and Rick Norton (1966). tied for 12th in the NFL. Tagovailoa followed it up with a 34-31 win in Week 9 at Arizona, in which he led the Dolphins to a NFL RECEIVING YARDS LEADERS (SINCE WEEK 11, 2019) PLAYER TM REC YDS TDs fourth-quarter come-from-behind win. He’s the 1. DeAndre Hopkins Hou./Ari. 113 1,467 7 first Dolphins rookie to lead a fourth-quarter 2. Travis Kelce KC 115 1,466 9 comeback in one of his first two career starts 3. D.J. Moore Car. 83 1,415 7 since QB Chad Henne did so in his second NFL 4. Terry McLaurin Was. 95 1,385 5 start in 2009. 5. DeVANTE PARKER MIA. 91 1,375 9 6. Davante Adams GB 118 1,368 16 Following another win in Week 10 vs. the L.A. 7. Allen Robinson Chi. 116 1,358 9 Chargers, Tagovailoa became the first rookie QB 8. Keenan Allen LAC 127 1,349 10 in Dolphins history to win each of his first three In Week 4 vs. Seattle this year, Parker had a career starts. He’s just the second NFL QB in the Super high 10 receptions and posted the ninth 100-yard Bowl era (Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz) to not throw receiving game in his career. He had a season-high an interception and win each of his first three starts. 119 receiving yards in Week 12 at the N.Y. Jets for the 10th 100-yard game of his career. Tagovailoa has not thrown an interception in his first four starts. He’s one of just three rookie QBs in the Parker now ranks in the top 10 in Dolphins history Super Bowl era to not throw an interception in his in both career receptions and career receiving first four career starts, joining Gardner Minshew yards. His 287 receptions rank 10th in team history (2019) and Dak Prescott (2016). He’s one game while his 4,061 receiving yards are eighth: shy of the team record for most consecutive starts without an interception (Jay Fiedler in 2000). DOLPHINS ALL-TIME RECEIVING YARDS LEADERS PLAYER YRS REC YDS TDs FITZPATRICK IN 16TH NFL SEASON AND NEARING 1. Mark Duper 1982-92 511 8,869 59 2. Mark Clayton 1983-92 550 8,643 81 SEVERAL CAREER MARKS 3. Nat Moore 1974-86 510 7,546 74 QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is in his 16th NFL season with 4. Chris Chambers 2001-07 405 5,688 43 his eighth different franchise. Fitzpatrick is currently: 5. O.J. McDuffie 1993-2001 415 5,074 29 • 4 starts shy of 150 in his career. 6. Duriel Harris 1976-83, ‘85 269 4,534 18 • 3 passing TDs shy of becoming the 33rd player 7. Brian Hartline 2009-14 298 4,243 12 in NFL history with 225 passing TDs. 8. DeVANTE PARKER 2015-20 287 4,061 22 205 passing yards shy of becoming the 30th 9. Jarvis Landry 2014-17 400 4,038 22 • 10. Tony Nathan 1979-87 383 3,592 16 player in NFL history with 35,000 passing yards. Parker had a career year in 2019, his fifth season in the Fitzpatrick is already the first player in NFL history NFL. Parker set new career highs in every major to have a 300-yard passing game for seven different receiving category with 72 receptions for 1,202 yards franchises. He’s the first QB to win a start with (16.7 avg.) and nine touchdowns. His 1,202 receiving seven different franchises, to throw a touchdown yards were fifth in the NFL that season and the pass with eight different teams and to start a game sixth-most in a single season in Dolphins history. for eight different organizations. Fitzpatrick is the first QB to have a four-TD game with six different teams. 18 • Miami Dolphins Weekly Release: Week 13 vs. Cincinnati OFFENSE NOTES GESICKI IS FIFTH IN AFC IN TIGHT END RECEIVING THE DOLPHINS MOVE THE CHAINS Twelve games into the 2020 season, TE Mike Miami’s offense has been successful in moving the Gesicki ranks fifth among AFC tight ends with chains this year, totaling 224 first downs.It’s the 449 receiving yards.