Tyreek Hill is widely considered one of the NFL’s elite wide receivers. His blazing speed is unmatched. Thus, it’s hard to believe defenses go into games thinking it’s ideal to defend Hill one-on-one. The Washington Commanders joined teams who foolishly kept touching the oven fire, only to get burnt.
Tyreek Hill scorched the Commanders’ secondary for 157 yards and two touchdowns on five catches en route to the Miami Dolphins pummeling Washington 45-15 on Sunday.
Hill said he wasn’t surprised that the Commanders and other defenses continued to try to defend him with man coverage.
“Because those guys are great at that they do, and they also get paid,” Hill said, per Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post. “But at some point, it’s like, man, I don’t know, man, I just appreciate it. Thanks for not respecting me, I guess.”
Hill made his mark on Miami’s opening offensive possession. Hill was matched up with Washington’s rookie nickel Quan Martin on the drive’s third play. Martin proved to be no match for Hill’s lightning speed.
Hill blew past Martin at the line of scrimmage to get free down the seam. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa “noticed it immediately,” according to Hill, delivering a strike in stride for a 78-yard touchdown.
In the second quarter, facing a third-and-seven, Tagovailoa stepped up against an overload blitz before delivering another deep pass to Hill for a 60-yard touchdown.
Hill matched up against Commanders cornerback Kendal Fuller. Tagovailoa threw the pass to Hill’s opposite shoulder.
The Commanders fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio last week, as the team’s defensive struggles were insurmountable. Washington’s head coach, Ron Rivera, took over the play-calling.
Sunday’s game against the Dolphins was Rivera’s first calling defensive plays since 2019, his final year as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
The change didn’t prove any more fruitful for Washington. It’s hard to improve when giving the league’s leading receiver with one-on-one coverage.
Hill’s big performance against the Commanders leaves him 544 yards from reaching 2,000 receiving yards with five games remaining in the regular season. Maybe the defensive coordinators left on the Dolphins’ schedule will finally learn from Rivera and the Commanders’ mistake by doubling Hill.
