The jarring data on how the Dolphins do with Phillips and Chubb together. Now add Robinson
Of the 43 games they have been teammates since Chubb's 2022 acquisition from Denver, the two edge rushers have been on the field for only 16 of them.
But here's what's encouraging: Both are now healthy, and when they are chasing opposing quarterbacks simultaneously, the results have been spectacular.
Their cumulative stats in those 16 games are exceptional: 18.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 49 quarterback hits and six forced fumbles.
The Dolphins are 10-6 in those games, compared to 13-14 in the 27 games when one or both hasn't been available.
Phillips has done much of his best work alongside Chubb, producing 10.5 sacks, 26 QB hits and 11 tackles for loss in those 16 games.
Chubb has 7.5 sacks, 23 QB hits and five forced fumbles.
Any Dolphins blueprint for great success this season almost assuredly has Phillips and Chubb staying healthy and producing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level.
They haven't been on the same field since Phillips tore an Achilles tendon in a 30-0 rout of the Jets the day after Thanksgiving in 2023. Chubb sustained three serious knee injuries against Baltimore five weeks later, which sidelined him all of last season.
Phillips had a quiet start to last season (one sack, four pressures), then sustained a season-ending ACL injury.
For Phillips, the joy this summer stems not only from returning to the field, but resuming his partnership with Chubb and re-establishing camaraderie in the locker room, which is something he missed.
'Playing with Bradley has been one of the most fun times of my career,' he said Friday.
They have also generally been the most successful times of his career.
Phillips has very been solid without Chubb, collecting 12.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hits in 30 games without Chubb on the team or in the lineup.
With Chubb playing opposite him, Phillips has been spectacular, with those 10.5 sacks and 26 quarterback hits in 16 games.
'I feel myself smiling,' coach Mike McDaniel said earlier this summer of his two top edge rushers returning to health. 'I think having you know both Bradley and Jaelan back is something [significant]. It's a different presence that I think has been understated and has been gigantic.'
That duo could be even more lethal with second-year edge player Chop Robinson incorporated in the mix. Coordinator Anthony Weaver is believed to be concocting packages to use all of them together at times.
Robinson — who has played four games with Phillips and none with Chubb — had six sacks (all in the final 10 games), eight tackles for loss, and 14 quarterback hits and his 18.8 pass rush win rate was seventh best among all NFL edge players (minimum 100 snaps).
'Adding Chop to that equation, I truly feel like Chop is going to be one of the best players in the league very soon,' Phillips said. 'I think he already is supremely talented. The more comfortable he gets, the more confident he gets. He's a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate. It's going to be exciting for us to all play at the same time.'
Chubb — who said he's 'starving' to return after missing last season - said the potential for the Phillips/Chubb/Robinson lineup is 'through the roof. We've got the names, we got the track record of what we have done on the field; now it's just about putting it all together, staying on the field together.
'We're all close already, but keeping that tight-knit bond, and understanding that we all need each other. Me helping out Chop and Chop helping out J.P. and vice versa; it's not going to do nothing but make us better and no egos in the room.'
As a trio, 'I don't want to put a number on what we're going to do yet,' Chubb said. 'But I feel like if we all stay healthy, all keep our heads on straight, it could be special.'
Phillips will play this season on a $13.2 million fifth-year option and then enter unrestricted free agency, barring a contract extension before. The Dolphins likely want to see if he can stay healthy after playing in 12 of a possible 34 games the past two seasons.
For now, it's about keeping Chubb and Phillips ambulatory. Based on their track record, the results will come if they're healthy.
'Everything is about injury prevention and recovery,' Phillips said. 'I've been incorporating wellness into my routine. That's something I'm hyperfocused on. Even when I'm not 100 percent healthy, I'm still going to be able to get out there.'
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