Sonny Styles records three tackles, takes on surprising role in first NFL action

3 weeks ago 16

Linebacker Sonny Styles got his archetypal sensation of NFL action, and portion the rookie didn’t present a highlight-filled performance, helium was handed plentifulness of work from the start.

Styles played during the opening series, a 14-play Miami touchdown thrust that instantly tested the young linebacker and the defense. He finished his quality with 3 tackles but wasn’t a large origin successful slowing down the Dolphins’ offense.

Still, the astir noteworthy portion of Styles’ debut mightiness person been what was connected his helmet.

Styles wore the greenish dot, meaning helium was liable for receiving the antiaircraft play calls from the sideline and communicating them to his teammates. Giving that work to a rookie successful his archetypal preseason enactment showed the level of spot the coaching unit already has successful his quality to process accusation and bid the defense.

There were besides predictable increasing pains.

Styles occasionally looked similar precisely what helium was — a rookie playing his archetypal NFL crippled and adjusting to the speed, spacing and responsibilities that travel with playing linebacker astatine the nonrecreational level.

Coaches trusted him with the defense

Miami’s opening possession provided a hard introduction. The Dolphins methodically moved the shot during the 14-play scoring drive, forcing Styles to diagnose formations, pass assignments and marque adjustments portion experiencing NFL crippled velocity for the archetypal time.

The 3 tackles won’t leap disconnected the stat sheet, but preseason shot is often much astir valuation than production, peculiarly for young players.

For Styles, the accidental to deterioration the greenish dot could beryllium much important than his last numbers.

His operation of size, athleticism and versatility gives him intriguing potential, but becoming comfy wrong the antiaircraft strategy volition instrumentality repetitions.

The archetypal outing provided precisely that.

Styles wasn’t dominant, and determination were moments erstwhile his inexperience showed. But helium received invaluable snaps, handled connection duties and experienced the challenges of directing an NFL defense.

Now comes the adjacent step: learning from the movie and becoming much comfy each clip helium takes the field.