Dolphins’ Fangio reflects on epic collapse and decisions made. And center update

Only two teams have more sacks than the Dolphins this season. But only three teams have blitzed less than the Dolphins this season. So rushing only four has generally worked for Miami.

But when the Dolphins consistently rushed only four players on Tennessee’s two late touchdown drives, Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis carved them up, leading the Titans to a stunning comeback win. Miami had only one sack all night, none in the fourth quarter.

So does defensive coordinator Vic Fangio regret not blitzing more? No, he said Thursday.

“They were unusual drives,” Fangio said. “They got some early big plays and kind of turned into red zone [possessions]. You always wish something different had happened.

“We gave up some early plays that got some big yardage for them [on those two late possessions] and that kick started the job for them. I don’t think communication was the issue. I needed to call it better and we needed to play better. We all just needed to be a little bit better.”

The Dolphins blitzed Levis just six times in his 39 drop backs. When not blitzed, he completed 21 of 32 passes for 276 yards, one touchdown and the pick-six to defensive lineman Zach Sieler, which equals a 90.1 passer rating.

When the Dolphins blitzed Levis, he was 2 for 6 for 51 yards, a 65.3 passer rating.

The Dolphins have blitzed only 19.9 percent of the time this season, down from 33.3 percent last season, which ranked third-most in the league.

But former coordinator Josh Boyer’s defense last season had only 40 sacks, a figure that the Dolphins already have surpassed with four games remaining. Miami’s 42 sacks are tied for third most in the league.

The question is whether Miami needs to blitz more after losing arguably its best pass rusher in Jaelan Phillips to a season-ending Achilles injury. Fangio has never blitzed as much as Boyer and former Dolphins coach Brian Flores tended to do.

The next two quarterbacks that the Dolphins will face have performed about the same when blitzed or not blitzed. The Jets’ Zach Wilson, coming off his best game of the season, has been below average this season when blitzed (77.6 passer rating) and when not blitzed (78.5).

Dallas’ Dak Prescott, an MVP candidate who visits the Dolphins for a Dec. 24 game, has a 107.2 passer rating when blitzed, 107.6 when not blitzed.

In speaking generally about the defense’s epic collapse against Tennessee, Fangio said: “Disappointed the way that it ended. We had been pretty good all year in two minute situations. We just didn’t get it done this time.

It’s unclear if Jevon Holland (knees), DeShon Elliott (concussion protocol) or Xavien Howard (hip) will be able to play Sunday against the visiting Jets (1 p.m., CBS). Elliott would have been unable to practice Thursday if the team had done more than a walk-through. Howard and Holland would have been limited participants.

Asked about cornerback/safety Nik Needham, Fangio said: “He is the sixth defensive back when we go to six. With those guys out, it’s a possibility he could be playing more.”

For the season, the Dolphins are ninth in yards allowed per game (308.1), 14th in passing yards permitted per game (212.5), seventh in rushing yards relinquished per game (95.5) and fifth-best in yards per carry allowed (3.8).

CENTER UPDATE

Liam Eichenberg was wearing a walking boot after Monday’s game and continues to deal with a calf injury that sidelined him from practice Thursday. The Dolphins need him at center in the wake of Connor Williams’ season-ending knee injury.

If Eichenberg cannot play on Sunday, the Dolphins’ center options would be guard Lester Cotton (who has never played center in an NFL game); new addition Jonotthan Harrison (who last appeared in an NFL game in 2019); veteran center Matt Skura, who’s on the practice squad; or practice squad center/guard Chasen Hines.

Harrison said he began taking center reps in practice immediately after arriving this week.

With Robert Hunt (hamstring) still out, the Dolphins would need Cotton and Robert Jones at guard.

Harrison said: “I was sitting on my couch about to watch Netflix with my wife” when the Dolphins called him Tuesday and asked him to work out for them.

Harrison lives 1 1/2 hours northeast of Atlanta and “was supposed to fly down” to South Florida for a baby shower. He was preparing for his next career: training offensive and defensive lineman.

He was born in Plantation and was a Dolphins fan early in his life before moving to Lake County late in elementary school.

MOSTERT CANDID

The Dolphins lead the league in yards per carry at 5.3 but are 13th in rushing attempts at 27.5 per game.

“It’s apparent: we have to have the running game going,” said Raheem Mostert, whose 924 rushing yards are second in the league. “And we’ve had it going from the start of the season to now. I have to do a little better job of chirping in [McDaniel’s] ear,.. to get the ball a little more.”

Mostert said McDaniel “knew I was frustrated and upset” when the Dolphins failed to score a touchdown after passing on three plays inside the Titans’ 10-yard line in the third quarter Monday.

The Dolphins relied on Mostert on their next two possessions inside the Titans’ 10 and he scored both times, on three- and five-yard runs.

That second touchdown gave him 18 for the season, equaling Mark Clayton’s single season franchise record.

Getting the record to himself would be “pretty meaningful,” Mostert said. “The whole magnitude to have the most touchdowns in a season would be pretty cool.”