Wilkins, Sieler add new feather to their caps. Dolphins need big game from both Sunday

The transformation is now complete.

Dolphins veterans Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler are no longer merely reliable, durable and productive defensive tackles.

They have been transformed into very good pass rushers, both ranking in the top 10 for sacks among defensive tackles.

They will need to be at their best in Sunday’s critical game against visiting Buffalo (8:20 p.m., NBC). Miami will be the AFC East champions and the second seed with a win, but would be the sixth seed and open postseason at Kansas City with a loss Sunday night.

So how does Sieler go from having 10 combined sacks in his first five NFL seasons (and 59 games) to 9.5 this season?

How does Wilkins go from having 11.5 combined sacks in his first four NFL seasons (and 64 games) to 8.0 this season?

“It’s a little bit of everything,” said Sieler, who has 56 tackles and 11 for loss. “It’s [coaches] Austin Clark, Vic Fangio and his scheme. Also... you’ve got Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard, Jevon Holland, DeShon Elliot behind us. What those guys are doing allows us to get to the quarterback more.

“And it’s us having more time together, rushing next to guys like [now injured] Bradley Chubb for a full year now. Christian, myself, Raekwon [Davis], everyone working together has kind of led to all that.”

Defensive coordinator Fangio’s scheme has maximized their pass rush skills. But this is also a case of self-improvement.

“Definitely, their pass rush has improved,” said Dolphins offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg, who competes with them in practice. “A lot of guys take some plays off occasionally. But those two... are going the whole play. They have a crazy good work ethic.”

With Sieler, the improved pass rush numbers are partly a byproduct of having a better feel for what moves will work against which lineman. That knowledge comes from poring over tape.

“Each O-lineman you’re rushing against is going to have different sets, different this and that,” said Sieler, who in August agreed to a three-year contract extension that could be worth as much as $38.6 million.

“You say, ‘hey, this is going to be a better option on this guy,’ and that’s what we focus on. Every year you get better on picking up tendencies.”

Sieler’s 9.5 sacks are tied with Buffalo’s Ed Oliver and Kansas City’s Chris Jones for second most among all defensive tackles, behind Baltimore’s Justin Madubuike’s 13 sacks.

Wilkins’ 8.0 sacks are tied with the Rams’ Aaron Donald for seventh among defensive tackles.

During training camp, Davis mentioned how Fangio’s system accentuates pass rush skills of defensive tackles. How so?

“A lot of it is he does a great job of getting us ready for the games,” Sieler said. “The scouting, the tape [study], the adjustments we do week to week.”

Veteran defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand said Fangio maximizes defensive tackles as pass rushers because he “is great at putting people in position to make plays.”

Wilkins, who led the Dolphins in tackles last season with 98, is on pace to finish well below that this season. His 60 tackles rank fourth among NFL defensive tackles. Though his sacks are up (3.5 to 8), his tackles for loss are down from 16 to 10.

And he didn’t have his usual impact with a three-tackle performance in Sunday’s 56-19 loss at Baltimore. (Sieler had Miami’s only sack in the game.)

“Me, as a leader, on this defense, I’m one of the guys everyone looks to to take full responsibility,” Wilkins said. “I’ve got to be better throughout the week in getting guys ready. I’ve got to be better on game day, so I take full responsibility for everything that went on out there” against the Ravens.

The Dolphins and Wilkins were unable to come to terms on a multiyear contract last offseason, and one of the big reasons was reportedly Wilkins’ low sack numbers and tackles for losses.

The veteran defensive tackles who earned $90 million-plus extensions — the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence (four-year, $90 million extension last May) and the Jets’ Quinnen Williams (four years, $96 million last in July) — had more production in both of those areas entering this season.

But Wilkins has more sacks and tackles for loss than both of those players this season. Lawrence has 4.5 sacks, Williams’ 3.5.

“I put his preparation up against anybody’s,” defensive line coach Clark said of Wilkins. “He’s always played with a high motor. He’s letting plays come to him.”

Wilkins has politely declined this season to explain why his sack numbers are up, or his reasons for bypassing a contract extension.

“I’m not surprised by” Wilkins’ higher sack totals, Fangio said. “I liked him coming out of the draft that year [2019]. I think he’s always had the ability to be more productive in the pass rush. This year is proving to be evidence of that.”

Even more important than the sack numbers, both Wilkins and Sieler have been stout against the run.

The Dolphins are permitting just 3.8 yards per carry, eighth best in the league. Among 130 qualifying interior defensive linemen, Pro Football Focus rates Wilkins 18th and Sieler 38th against the run this season.

And on a team that has been riddled with injuries, Wilkins and Sieler have played every game and rank seventh and 11th among all NFL defensive tackles in snaps.

“It’s a testament to how they work in the offseason, how they get their bodies in shape, how they practice,” Clark said. “We’re blessed to have both of them.”

Now both need big games against one of the NFL’s most difficult quarterbacks to corral (Josh Allen) and a Bills team that’s averaging 4.4 yards per carry, which is ninth best in the league.

Here’s a Friday update on injuries to Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, Jerome Baker and more from Mike McDaniel’s Friday news conference.