Jalen Ramsey does so many important things at such a high level for the Miami Dolphins that when he has games like he did against the Jets — allowing six catches for 149 yards on eight targets, largely against Garrett Wilson in 1-on-1 coverage — it’s glaring.
No DB in Week 14 surrendered more passing yards than Ramsey did. His +12.3 EPA in coverage was second worst in the league (Dee Alford).
So was this a one-week anomaly? Or a sign of something more serious?
Let’s check the stats.
Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey’s 2024 Overview
In 2024, Ramsey has allowed 37 of 54 passes thrown in his coverage area to be completed for 417 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
So how do those stats compare to the rest of his nine-year career?
Ramsey’s 68.5% catch rate allowed is his worst as a pro. His completion rate over expectation (CROE) (+4%) and his coverage EPA (+6.1) are both worse than 2023.
While Wilson did much of his work against Ramsey on the boundary, that’s actually been a place where the seven-time Pro Bowler has been solid in 2024.
Ramsey’s stats when lining up on the outside — 25 of 39 (64.1% catch rate) for 310 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks (82 rating). His CROE is +2.5% and his coverage EPA is -.4 on the boundary this season.
His stats in the slot? Ramsey has allowed 11 of 14 passes to be completed (78.6%) for 94 yards with 0 TDs and 0 INTs (102.7). His CROE in that split is +10.2% and his COV EPA is -.4.
Garrett Wilson put Jalen Ramsey in the dirt lmao pic.twitter.com/aU51CEwMVP
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) December 9, 2024
Not included in those figures: The five accepted penalties Ramsey has committed, including two DPIs (one for 40 yards) and two defensive holdings. Rookies Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals) both have also had success against him this year.
It should be said that Ramsey has been hugely impactful for the Dolphins overall, both in the run game and as a blitzer.
But the Dolphins might have second thoughts going forward of putting him on an island against the opposing team’s WR1 — who this week is Nico Collins, the Houston Texans’ wideout who tore up Miami’s secondary in joint practices in the summer of 2023.
Collins’ 104 receiving-yards-per-game average leads the league.
Mike McDaniel on Jalen Ramsey
What are the Dolphins’ thoughts on Ramsey’s current form? PFN asked Mike McDaniel Wednesday.
“I think the one thing that can happen when you have an asset such as Jalen Ramsey is you can lean on his talents in very aggressive ways, and sometimes kind of give all help to all others, not just safeties, but body position of underneath coverage.
“And, you know, there’s certain times that I think he believes, and we believe that the defense is best served when he’s on an island. And then within that, you know, I think sometimes with those bold approaches, you know, a play here or there can happen,” McDaniel said.
“Then there can be another play that is affected. Ultimately taking on the responsibility of being the big ask of the defense for that week is not something a lot of people would even sign up for. And based upon our experience, you aren’t totally thinking that he’s going to get targeted that much, but we all know in the game of football that there’s a lot of nuances, a lot of change, and you have to adjust.
“As a head coach, I couldn’t be happier that one of our top competitors on this team was challenged, because I just know how he responds and I thought he had some of his best technique within that game.
“He’s a very prideful dude that you know is one of those guys that takes everything personal on the football field in a good way. I know we’re going to get the best version of Jalen Ramsey versus the Texans, which is mostly what my brain’s on right now.”