The Miami Dolphins made a deadline trade to acquire Bradley Chubb believing the edge rusher could push the defense to new heights for a playoff push.
In six games in Miami, Chubb has generated 2.5 sacks and 12 tackles with 21 total pressures. The 26-year-old, who inked a big new contract with the Dolphins after the trade, knows he can do more.
"I want to be more dominant," Chubb said Thursday, per the team's transcript. "I want to be taking over games more, and that's kind of the reason they brought me here is to do that -- to help this defense take it to the next level. I feel like yeah, we took it up a notch, but there's a whole 'nother level we could take it to, and I want to be the catalyst for that."
Since Chubb joined the Dolphins, Miami has allowed 30-plus points three times (Chicago, San Francisco, Buffalo), including twice during their three-game road losing skid.
Miami has leaned on an explosive offense to generate its 8-6 record heading into Sunday's matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The Fins D currently ranks 23rd in yards allowed, T-26th in points allowed, 10th against the run, 27th against the pass and T-13th in sacks. It's a defense that has struggled to find turnovers this season despite playmakers upfront and in the secondary. Miami ranks T-29th in turnovers forced in 2022.
Chubb finding splash plays down the stretch would go a long way toward the Dolphins' effort to crash the postseason.
Miami currently sits in the No. 7 spot despite its three-game losing streak and controls its path to the postseason. Win out versus the Packers, Patriots and Jets, and the Dolphins make the dance.
To make noise in the postseason, the Dolphins need Chubb and the D to match the explosive plays Tyreek Hill and the offense provide. The opportunity for Chubb to shine down the stretch starts Christmas Day against Aaron Rodgers and a Packers offense that has been playing better of late.
