This can be every week of debate on what the Miami Dolphins’ ceiling is now after getting back from a three-touchdown deficit twice, together with early within the fourth quarter, to an excellent Ravens workforce for a 42-38 win in Baltimore.
The Dolphins have been already anticipated to be in competition for a playoff berth. Can they compete within the convention? Are they now up there with the highest canine within the AFC after the beautiful street win?
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a sport in contrast to something that has ever been seen from him professionally. His 469 passing yards bested his earlier profession excessive by greater than 100 yards. His six touchdowns have been two greater than his earlier greatest and tied Bob Griese and Dan Marino for franchise data. Four landing passes within the fourth quarter tied an NFL mark.
The Dolphins confirmed outstanding resiliency because the 21-point comeback was the franchise’s largest on the street and second-largest total. Miami was the primary workforce in 12 years to return again from down 21 within the fourth quarter, with the final 711 groups to face such deficits dropping, in accordance with ESPN Stats & Info.
We have now seen Tagovailoa, throwing to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, pull off a comeback of such proportions, granting confidence this workforce can win a shootout if vital. Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ extra standard fashion of profitable can be to lean on the protection whereas relying on the run sport and brief passing sport plus an occasional deep shot. Maybe they’ll do each.
It doesn’t get simpler subsequent Sunday because the Dolphins host the Super Bowl-favorite and AFC East-rival Bills. In the following huge problem, Miami can both show it belongs with Buffalo or get humbled again to the place it was earlier than Sunday’s thriller.
Passing sport: A
What else is there to grade the passing sport in a historic efficiency? Tagovailoa was 36 of fifty, and he discovered Hill and Waddle for 11 receptions and two touchdowns every. Hill had 190 receiving yards and Waddle 171 within the case and level of how harmful Miami’s offense is with the 2 complementing one another. Opponents merely can’t defend both 1-on-1 – or 1-on-0 for that matter, like on Hill’s tying landing the place the Ravens watched him streak free deep.
Coach Mike McDaniel wished to get Waddle extra seems to be, and Tagovailoa focused him a whopping 19 instances. Tight finish Mike Gesicki bought again within the combine with 4 catches on his 4 targets, together with the 14-yard landing at the back of the top zone. And practice-squad elevation River Cracraft scored a landing!
The two first-half interceptions, albeit poor selections and throws by Tagovailoa, can simply be missed when he nonetheless completed with a 3-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. If it was a two-interception sport with some padded stats late as a comeback try fell brief, this can be within the C vary. But an all-time epic rebound? A. Enough stated.
Running sport: B
Playing from behind from the beginning performed a component within the Dolphins’ solely attending to run the ball 18 instances, however the run sport was efficient for 86 yards, a 4.8 common. This matchup towards Baltimore, Raheem Mostert was the featured again after Chase Edmonds bought the majority of the workload within the Week 1 win towards the New England Patriots. Mostert went for 51 yards on 11 carries, and Edmonds had 33 on 5 makes an attempt, totally on the important thing 28-yard scamper on the ultimate drive that set Miami up for the profitable Tagovailoa-to-Waddle landing connection. Tagovailoa and fullback Alec Ingold every transformed fourth-and-1 run performs on Sunday.
Defending the move: D-
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had an ideal passer score by means of the early portion of the fourth quarter. The Dolphins began off with the blitz-heavy strategy that pissed off Jackson when the 2 groups met final 12 months, however this time, he was prepared for it. When Xavien Howard blitzed from his cornerback spot on the boundary, Jackson caught it instantly, on high of varied different examples as Jackson completed 21 of 29 for 318 yards and three passing touchdowns. The blitzes didn’t work to strain Jackson, and Miami by no means sacked the elusive passer. Howard, who was burned on the 75-yard landing by Rashod Bateman, and Melvin Ingram have been the one defenders to deflect a move. The solely factor saving the Dolphins from an F is back-to-back incompletions on second and third down late when trailing by 7 to power a Baltimore punt.
Defending the run: C+
The remaining numbers of 6.2 yards per carry are largely inflated by Jackson’s 79-yard landing run. Of course, one can’t merely ignore that the Dolphins allowed it to occur, however they held sturdy in run protection for a lot of the afternoon. Kenyan Drake, Mike Davis and Justice Hill mixed for 28 yards on 14 makes an attempt. Miami clamped down for fourth-down stops as soon as on the objective line when Jackson fumbled the first-half sneak try after which when Elandon Roberts and Trey Flowers stuffed Jackson on a fourth-quarter fourth-and-1 cease that preceded the primary Hill landing.
Special groups: F
Can’t let an All-Pro return specialist like Devin Duvernay beat you on the opening kickoff for a 103-yard landing. The Dolphins discovered their lesson and kicker Jason Sanders booted the next three kickoffs for touchbacks. The grade is actually solely a mirrored image of that blunder. Sanders didn’t get to aim a discipline objective whereas Baltimore’s Justin Tucker nailed his one 51-yard try late. Punter Thomas Morstead was wonderful with one in all his two punts contained in the 20 as he averaged 41 yards on these makes an attempt.
Coaching: B
McDaniel introduced his workforce collectively to return from behind with a easy message of not worrying concerning the rating and simply enjoying sound soccer. Sticking with the identical defensive scheme as final time towards Jackson labored to the Dolphins’ detriment for a lot of Sunday. They did make second-half changes to get the required stops for the comeback.
Stock up: Tua Tagovailoa
You thought he was closely mentioned nationally earlier than? Tagovailoa’s actually going to be the subject of each sports activities speak present all through the week after his career-best efficiency. Whatever you considered him earlier than, your opinion as we speak of the the third-year quarterback needs to be that he’s higher than beforehand believed. Even if many of the key huge performs have been extensive open, he made these throws.
Stock down: Xavien Howard
Howard bought burned on the lengthy landing to Bateman. This will not be too huge of an indictment on him as he’s solely “stock down” coming from a spot the place his inventory may be very excessive on this workforce. In order for the Cover-0 blitz — or any defensive name with out security assist excessive to work — the cornerback has to lock down his man. He nearly made one in all his patented game-changing performs late, however drop the interception that would’ve been returned for a landing.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com