The Miami Dolphins offense stored cooking. The particular groups stepped up. The protection? Well …
Their 35-32 win at Chicago means they’re 6-3 now. They’re alive for the AFC East title with Buffalo shedding Sunday.
Here are 10 ideas on the win:
1. Play of the Game: This was a recreation of who blinked and Chicago receiver Equanimeous St. Brown dropped an ideal strike from Justin Fields on fourth down that may’ve given the Bears a primary down with 1:25 left and nonetheless going for the win. It was that sort of offensive day because the rating confirmed. The Dolphins received the ball and the win.
2. Stat of the sport: Six red-zone journeys by the Dolphins. They have been 4 of 6 on these (Chicago was 3 of 4), however the reality they’d six journeys tells how dominant the Dolphins offense was a lot of the day. There was just one quick one, because the drives into the crimson zone have been: 75, 75, 64, 75, 20 and 68 yards. Tua accomplished 21-of-30 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Up till the ultimate two drives, his offense was unstoppable.
3. There was just one approach for Chicago to win and it was Justin Fields going one-on-11 in opposition to the Dolphins protection and successful. He virtually did, too. He may not be a dynamic passer, finishing 17-of-28 passes for 123 yards. But he ran for 178 yards on 15 carries, together with a 61-yard landing. His offense annoyed the Dolphins protection, too, and since this can be a Dolphins weblog we’ll skip Fields proper now and speak of this protection. Every week in the past in Detroit, it couldn’t cease the Lions within the first half earlier than shutting them out the second half. There was a repeat of the primary half in opposition to Chicago, however not the second half. The Bears stored scoring. And scoring. And even a giant commerce …
4. Sunday appeared an ideal setting for Bradley Chubb to make his debut after Tuesday’s commerce to the Dolphins. Chicago, in any case, entered Sunday ranked final within the league in sacks surrendered. They gave up 31 sacks within the first eight video games. New England and Dallas received 4 every the earlier two weeks. So … the place was Chubb many of the day? Or this Dolphins cross rush? Melvin Ingram had a sack within the fourth quarter and Chubb flushed Fields out of the pocket on third-and-18 earlier within the fourth quarter for an incompletion. But there wasn’t a lot strain. Former Dolphins nice Kim Bokamper stated on the WQAM radio broadcast the Dolphins flashed the “53 Defense” early, evidently getting on board to the fiftieth Anniversary of the Perfect Season (cue my e book on that season, “Still Perfect.”) It’s extra probably defensive coordinator Josh Boyer is figuring how one can use his latest toy in edge rusher Bradley Chubb. Chubb and Jaelan Phillips at reverse ends at instances (Phillips appeared to line up on the extensive aspect). Emmanuel Ogbah and Melvin Ingram line up on one aspect collectively. Out of the assorted appears right here was the fixed issue: Little strain. Chubb completed with one sort out.
5. The commerce final week paid on the spot dividends on Sunday? The one for Jeff Wilson Jr. The former San Francisco working again match proper into this offense run by his former offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel to the purpose he was the first again by the second half. Wilson outran a Chicago linebacker into the flat to show in a 10-yard landing cross. He was the Dolphins main rusher with seven carries for 47 yards (lengthy of 23 yards) by three quarters and two catches for 23 yards. He had extra impression in his opening recreation than the person he changed, Chase Edmonds, had all season. If that is who he’s, it’s a well-used fifth-round choose within the commerce.
6. It was a 39-yard reception within the second quarter that put Tyreek Hill over 1,000 yards for the season, however even that quantity doesn’t measure his full impression. On Sunday’s first collection, Hill blew by Chicago’s secondary into the tip zone and solely a defensive cross interference prevented a landing. It resulted in a 32-yard achieve on the penalty. Wouldn’t Rule No. 1 in enjoying the Dolphins be to not let Hill and Jaylen Waddle get behind you? Evidently that’s more durable than even the defenses suppose. Waddle received deep within the fourth quarter and created a 47-yard cross interference play. Just these two performs agained 79 yards in penalties. For the sport, Hill had seven catches for 143 yards and Hill had eight catches for 85 yards.
7. How about that, the particular groups made a game-pivoting play. Pick a class and the Dolphins particular groups hasn’t excelled. Kickoff returns? Thirty-first. Punt returns? thirty first. Detroit even pulled a faux punt final week in what appeared the most recent of special-teams performs in opposition to them. So it meant one thing Sunday when Jaelan Phillips put in a robust rush and received a textbook blocked punt within the second quarter. Andrew Van Ginkel picked it up on the Chicago 25 and returned it for a landing. Blocked punts are uncommon – it was solely the fourth one of many NFL season. Van Ginkel’s return was additionally the longest in crew historical past, surpassing Mark Higgs (Mark Higgs?) return of 19 yards in 1990. But …
8. With the possibility to go up 24-17 simply earlier than half, Jason Sanders missed a 29-yard subject aim. Sanders entered the sport ranked twenty fifth with a 78.6 share. For context, Sanders was 11-for-11 on kicks contained in the 50 earlier than Sunday and 0-for-3 on 50 yards or extra. So this was his first miss contained in the 50 on the season, and it was an unpleasant miss from the 29. Put this within the bin of performs the Dolphins have gotten away with out costing them. Tua’s 4 dropped interceptions in opposition to Pittsurgh are in there. McDaniel’s going for it on fourth down slightly than kick the two-score subject aim in opposition to Pittsburgh are, too. Maybe fortune is smiling on this crew?
9. Quick hits:
* Fields’ 61-yard TD run was the longest ever by a Chicago quarterback. Yes, that features Sid Luckman and Bobby Douglas;
* The Patriots have been successful, 16-3, on the 5-yard line and the New England crowd was booing. Tee-hee;
* Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions contained in the Detroit 5-yard line in opposition to the protection Tua ripped aside final week. To be truthful, each quarterback has ripped aside the Detroit protection till Green Bay;
* The New York Jets beating Buffalo isn’t just a giant upset however retains the AFC East race open.
10. Cleveland at Dolphins. Cleveland is in 3-5 limbo ready for Deshaun Watson to return from his suspension. Let’s all thank Roger Goodell, for lots of causes, that Watson doesn’t return till the week after enjoying the Dolphins (in opposition to Houston). That means final 12 months’s Dolphins back-up, Jacoby Brissett, begins for the Browns. Brissett is placing up back-up numbers: Seven touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 86.8 score.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com