MIAMI -- Statistically speaking, where has the Miami Dolphins' defense gone wrong in 2021?
During last season's 10-win campaign, Miami wasn't necessarily spectacular on paper. It ranked 20th in yards allowed per game (367.9) including 16th against the run (116.4) and 23rd against the pass (251.5).
The Dolphins bent plenty of times throughout the season, but ranked among the league's elite in critical situations. They owned the best third-down defense (31.2%), the seventh-best red zone defense (57.5%) and tied for the fifth-best scoring defense (21.1 points per game) in the NFL in 2020. Perhaps most importantly, they led the league in takeaways, with 29.