Here are some takeaways from the Miami Dolphins’ astonishing comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens:
Tua leads comeback
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa acquired off to a tough begin however rallied his crew within the second half and ended up tying a franchise file with six landing passes (tied with Bob Griese and Dan Marino). Tagovailoa was 12 of 20 for 150 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions within the first half for a 60.4 passer ranking. He completed 36 for 50 for 469 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions for a 124.1 passer ranking. Tagovailoa didn’t drive any passes within the second half and his decision-making and accuracy had been robust. Amazing efficiency. — Chris Perkins
Wide receivers come alive
Dolphins extensive receivers Tyreek Hill (11 receptions, 190 yards, two touchdowns) and Jaylen Waddle (9 receptions 161 yards, two touchdowns) mixed for 22 receptions for 351 yards and 4 touchdowns, exhibiting their worth. Hill acquired behind the protection twice for deep landing receptions of 48 and 60 yards within the fourth quarter. The passing recreation is beginning to take focus with Hill and Waddle main the way in which however with gamers reminiscent of tight finish Mike Gesicki (4 receptions, 41 yards, one landing) and operating backs Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold contributing.
Tyreek is human … and wonderful
Hill, the six-time Pro Bowl choice and human cheat code, missed a part of the second half with leg cramps however got here again to be a distinction maker with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Hill, who got here again to attain deep touchdowns of 48 and 60 yards, needed to go to the locker room for a part of the third quarter. But the dude was cash when he returned.
Dolphins rediscover tight finish Mike Gesicki
Gesicki, the topic of commerce rumors sine the offseason, discovered a spot within the offense Sunday along with his 4 receptions for 41 yards and a landing. Gesicki had one reception for 1 yard final week and solely performed 42% of the offensive snaps. But his function within the offense was notably elevated in opposition to Baltimore. Gesicki went up excessive for his rousing 14-yard landing reception within the third quarter.
Tua’s first interception was a poor determination, second was even worse
Tagovailoa, on a foul determination, however not such a foul throw, when he tried to squeeze a go to Hill within the first quarter and security Marcus Williams tipped it, rolled over on his again, after which caught the ball within the air about an inch off the grass. Spectacular. The determination was most likely worse than the throw, which didn’t lack zip or accuracy. It was a very good defensive play. Normally such a play leads to an incomplete go, not a dramatic interception. Williams’ second interception, coming within the second quarter, was a pleasant toe-drag on a deep go meant for Waddle, a ball that was a poor determination and overthrown.
Defense’s objective line stand was large …
Credit Miami’s protection for that objective line stand after enduring an energy-draining 18-play, 74-yard drive that consumed 10:53. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbled a snap on fourth-and-goal from the 1-foot line early within the second quarter to finish the drive. Jackson, not accustomed to taking snaps beneath middle, might need been too frightened about defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and linebacker Elandon Roberts, who might need been in place to make a cease. Nice defensive exhibiting. Unfortunately, it didn’t final.
… But Dolphins’ protection was inadequate general
The Dolphins’ protection, the power of the crew, in accordance with coach Mike McDaniel, struggled at Baltimore regardless of the early encouraging objective line stand. Even All Pro cornerback Xavien Howard, the protection’s finest participant, was substandard, permitting a 75-yard landing reception by Ravens extensive receiver Rashod Bateman. And Jackson had the 79-yard landing run. The protection made a giant fourth-and-one cease within the fourth quarter, nevertheless, to open the door for the comeback try. But Howard did not safe a possible interception that would have tied the sport at 35 (though the Dolphins later tied it at 35). Below common efficiency in a rousing victory.
Speed kills, opponent’s model
You know the Dolphins particularly added velocity within the offseason, and it surfaced with Hill’s two touchdowns as he acquired behind the protection. But Baltimore’s velocity surfaced Sunday. Kickoff returner Devin Duvernay, a Pro Bowl choice final season, was the quickest ball provider velocity of the season at 21.6 mph when he scored on his 103-yard kickoff return landing to open the sport, in accordance with NFL NextGen Stats. And Bateman was the season’s second quickest ball provider velocity at 21.48 mph on his 75-yard landing reception. Miami appeared gradual at instances in opposition to Baltimore, largely due to project busts/confusion. Waddle now ranks eighth within the league with final week’s 42-yard landing reception (20.8 mph). Hill (20.33 mph final week) is sixteenth. By the way in which, these rankings may change as extra video games are performed this week.
Going for it twice on fourth down in first half
McDaniel received’t catch individuals unexpectedly by going for it on fourth down for the rest of the season. He went twice within the first half in opposition to Baltimore after going for it as soon as in opposition to New England. Ingold acquired a 1-yard acquire on fourth-and-1 from the Dolphins’ 34-yard line, and later Tagovailoa gained 1 yard on fourth-and-1 from the Dolphins’ 45-yard line. The possessions resulted in a punt and an interception, respectively. But the pattern is there. McDaniel is a little bit of a gambler.
Blitz not working
At the two-minute warning of the primary half the Dolphins had blitzed Jackson on 10 of his 11 dropbacks however had not gotten to him, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Information. Jackson, by the way in which, ended the primary half 11-of-13 passing for 210 yards, three touchdowns and an ideal 158.3 passer ranking. The relentless blitzes, after all, had been key to the Dolphins’ 22-10 victory over Baltimore final season. The Dolphins, nevertheless, had no sacks Sunday even with the blitzes.
Jevon Holland’s humongous 14-point play
The Dolphins seemed cooked. The Ravens, forward 7-0, had, on the primary play of the second quarter, a third-and-goal from the Dolphins’ 1. Jackson, who has had extra runs for positive factors of no less than 1 yard than could be simply counted, took the snap. He seemed to squeeze into the tip zone between his middle and proper guard. However, the Dolphins’ rising-star security Jevon Holland, all 209 kilos of him, stood up 338-pound proper guard Ben Powers. Jackson collided with Powers, blunting his ahead momentum, and inflicting him — upon evaluate — to be in need of the objective line. On the following play, the Ravens botched a snap on fourth down. The Dolphins took over and went 94 yards to tie the rating, 7-7. Amazing play that wasn’t talked about. — Steve Svekis
Dolphins are on the verge of a membership high-water mark with the frequency of their defensive scoring
When Howard noticed a certain pick-six slip by his arms within the fourth quarter, it prevented the protection from logging its sixth defensive landing prior to now 10 video games. It would have crushed the crew file for the fewest video games to register a half-dozen defensive six-pointers. With Brandon Ingram’s fumble-return landing final week in opposition to the Patriots, the Dolphins scored their fifth defensive landing prior to now 9 video games.
In franchise historical past, the one time Miami had scored 5 defensive touchdowns in a shorter time span was from Dec. 16, 1983 until Oct. 7, 1984, seven video games. However, the fewest variety of Dolphins video games performed the place Miami has scored six defensive TDs has been 16 (1983-84, 2001, 2021-22). So, if one other defensive home name is registered within the subsequent 5 video games, that may set a brand new normal there. Amazingly, the Dolphins, beginning with the penultimate recreation of their second NFL championship season (1973) and ranging right through the 1978 season opener had a 59-game regular-season streak the place they didn’t have a defensive landing (in addition they didn’t have one of their 4 playoff video games in that stretch). Conversely, in 2004, throughout a 12-game span, opposing defenses broke the aircraft an unimaginable eight instances, and 9 general for that season which noticed 5 pick-sixes tossed by A.J. Feeley.
Yeah, may as nicely begin the Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle co-watch
The Dolphins’ shiny new Ferrari receiver Hill and their fleet second-year riser Waddle are off to the form of begin that, particularly within the period of the 17-game season, leads the pure at-this-pace dialogue because it pertains to the Dolphins’ season file for catches (112) and yards (1,389). After Game 2 in opposition to the Ravens, Hill has 19 grabs for 284 yards and Waddle has 15 for 240. That tempo would extrapolate to 161 catches and a couple of,414 yards for Hill and 127 and a couple of,040 for Waddle. And, Waddle’s three touchdowns would extrapolate to 25 scores. The Dolphins’ information in these classes are Jarvis Landy’s 112 catches in 2017, and Mark Clayton’s 1,389 yards and 18 touchdowns in 1984. All folly at this level. But, wow.
On deck: Buffalo Bills, Hard Rock Stadium, Sunday, 1 p.m.
As dominant as Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been in opposition to the Dolphins for his profession (7-1 with a profession 106.8 passer ranking in opposition to Miami together with 430 speeding yards and 4 touchdowns on the bottom), Miami really held him down for lengthy stretches final 12 months as he trudged to an 89.2 passer ranking, whereas nonetheless gouging the aqua-and-orange on the bottom for 90 yards and a landing).
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Source: www.bostonherald.com