Here are a few of the high takeaways from the Miami Dolphins’ 30-15 win over the Houston Texans at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday:
Tua stays scorching, in a means
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (22 of 36, 299 yards, one landing) didn’t have a sterling sport Sunday corresponding to he had within the earlier three, when he had a passer ranking of at the very least 135 in every sport. Tagovailoa had a so-so 96.9 passer ranking towards Houston. But he did different issues properly. Tagovailoa threw a 4-yard landing move to tight finish Durham Smythe that confirmed off Tagovailoa’s improved decision-making (it additionally drew “MVP!” chants from the group). With no receiver open initially, Tagovailoa used his toes to maneuver round within the pocket and purchase himself time and a passing lane. Then he gathered himself, acquired his toes settled, and threw a dart to Smythe. In one other instance of excellent decision-making Tagovailoa well winged a 3rd and 10 move out of bounds early within the second quarter. He did the identical factor later within the second quarter on first and 10 from the Dolphins’ 12-yard line after evading two move rushers. Tagovailoa continues to point out development. — Chris Perkins
Right sort out Austin Jackson off to a very good begin, however…
Austin Jackson, who left the sport with an ankle damage within the fourth quarter, made his first begin at proper sort out for the reason that opener, when he went down with an ankle damage, and acquired off to a very good begin in move and run blocking. He had a little bit of bother dealing with Houston defensive finish Jerry Hughes on a 3rd down move play within the first quarter, Hughes was a step away from Tagovailoa earlier than the quarterback delivered the move. Overall, nonetheless, Jackson appeared to carry out properly after a protracted layoff. We’ll monitor his ankle ailment.
Pass rush trio of Ingram, Chubb and Phillips is productive
The move rush trio of Bradley Chubb, Melvin Ingram and Jaelan Phillips was efficient towards Houston with Phillips and Chubb every recording one sack and Ingram offering good stress. It was often Chubb lining up over the left sort out (on the protection’s proper facet), Ingram outdoors of the appropriate sort out (on the protection’s left facet) and Phillips lined up over the appropriate sort out. In the primary quarter Ingram acquired stress on quarterback Kyle Allen earlier than he went to the bottom and linebacker Duke Riley and Phillips arrived on the scene. On a 3rd and 5 within the first quarter it was Chubb on the appropriate, Ingram on the left and Phillips inside once more. On a 3rd and 11 within the second quarter Phillips and Ingram flushed Allen out of the pocket and Phillips stayed in scorching pursuit as Allen scrambled for a five-yard achieve. On third and 5 within the third quarter Phillips was lined up over the appropriate sort out and sacked Allen. The trio in all probability would have most well-liked higher ends in the second half Sunday, however they’ve a vibrant future collectively.
Waddle establishes a Dolphins document
Dolphins huge receiver Jaylen Waddle’s 22-yard reception within the first quarter gave him 1,926 yards receiving, the brand new franchise document for receiving yards in a participant’s first two seasons with the Dolphins. Waddle entered the sport with 1,893 yards receiving. The earlier mark was held by Jarvis Landry, who compiled 1,915 yards in 2014-15. But it didn’t cease there for Waddle. He additionally had a pleasant block on Tyreek Hill’s 29-yard reception within the first quarter. Yeah, Waddle had a drop within the first quarter however he’s having one other excellent season. Waddle ended with 5 receptions for 85 yards Sunday.
Morstead stays regular
Punter Thomas Morstead booted a 51-yarder that narrowly ended up being a touchback within the second quarter. It was his first punt for the reason that first quarter of the Chicago sport, a span of eight quarters. Morstead, who entered the sport twenty fourth in punting at 45.7 yards per punt, ended with six punts for a mean of 49.3 yards per punt. The Dolphins’ punt return protection wasn’t pretty much as good, permitting a mean of 16.2 yards per return.
Dolphins proceed turning unhealthy numbers into good numbers
The Dolphins improved plus-1 on turnover margin with a fourth-quarter interception by security Verone McKinely, one among two interceptions on the day. The Dolphins acquired even on turnover margin for the season within the second quarter when cornerback Xavien Howard had a scoop-and-score fumble restoration for a landing within the second after Eric Rowe delivered an enormous hit on tight finish Jordan Akins. Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel had an interception within the second quarter that improved the Dolphins to minus-1 in turnover margin, and ready them to flip their closing detrimental quantity. The Dolphins had been the other way up in factors for/factors towards however the 39-17 victory over Cleveland two weeks in the past flipped that quantity to a plus-11.
Dolphins run protection solutions the decision
Houston operating again Dameon Pierce ended with 5 carries for 8 yards, a outstanding defensive feat by the Dolphins contemplating Pierce entered the sport with 780 yards dashing, seventh within the league. The Dolphins’ run protection, led by defensive sort out Christian Wilkins and linebacker Elandon Roberts, shut down all operating lanes. And the Texans needed to move shortly as a result of they fell behind, 10-0, within the first quarter, and 30-0, within the first half. The Dolphins’ run protection entered the sport seventeenth at 116.9 yards per sport.
Cutting down on turnovers
The Dolphins didn’t commit any turnovers Sunday, marking the third consecutive sport with out a turnover. Their final turnover was a misplaced fumble at Detroit. That’s the Dolphins’ solely turnover throughout this present five-game successful streak. The Dolphins started play Sunday with 10 giveaways (seven interceptions, three fumbles), which was tied for fourth-fewest within the NFL.
These guys can rating shortly
The Dolphins’ 30-0 halftime lead over the Texans marked the second time the Dolphins have scored 30 or extra factors in a half this season, becoming a member of the 35-point second-half outburst in that 42-38 victory at Baltimore. The Dolphins started play Sunday seventh in scoring at 25.2 factors per sport.
An excellent Dolphins season can have wide-ranging results
There had been two halftime marriage proposals on the Texans sport. Both proposals had been proven on the massive screens contained in the stadium. For the document, the ladies stated “yes” in each instances. By the way in which, tennis professional Coco Gauf, who hails from Palm Beach County, acquired the group going earlier than the sport with a quick, “Let’s go Dolphins!” cheer.
Focus is a troublesome factor to maintain
The crowd at Hard Rock Stadium let loose just a few short-lived boos within the second half as Houston managed to attain just a few factors and keep within the sport. The Dolphins appeared to lose focus for some time as they constructed their 30-0 lead. Houston was by no means a menace to win the sport however the Dolphins appeared to get a bit sloppy. It’s powerful guilty them as a result of it’s onerous to remain centered with such an enormous lead. It’s noteworthy, however there was nothing to see right here. No blood, no foul.
Tua Tagovailoa has dominated the groups Miami has been favored towards
With his 22-of-36 efficiency for 299 yards, one landing move and no interceptions, Tua Tagovailoa has an distinctive 106.0 passer ranking (365 of 513 for 3,950 yards, 28 touchdowns and 7 interceptions) in his 15-plus profession video games towards groups who completed with a shedding document within the seasons he performed towards them, or, amongst this season’s opponents, presently are underneath .500. — Steve Svekis
The Texans had been putrid, however there was one space they had been higher than any Dolphins opponent since Tua’s return
Even earlier than Terron Armstead exited with a pectoral damage, the Texans had been getting a lot better push with their entrance 4 than the Steelers, Lions, Bears or Browns had. Right earlier than halftime, Tua Tagovailoa acquired folded up awkwardly. In the second half, for the primary time I can bear in mind (definitely in conditions the place the Dolphins didn’t path within the sport) since Dan Marino’s first three snaps of a 1995 Monday Night Football sport in Miami Gardens towards the 49ers, a Dolphins quarterback was sacked on three consecutive performs. The move safety was greater than slightly porous.
Tua’s passes-without-an-interception streak has left all different Miami QBs in his mud
The Dolphins quarterback set a excessive bar for himself to begin his profession, throwing his first 152 profession passes with out one being picked off, however his private document, and all others within the Dolphins document e-book had been handed on Sunday. Since an interception Sept. 29 in Cincinnati, Tagovailoa has thrown 174 consecutive passes with out turning the ball over. That streak broke Dan Marino’s single-season membership mark of 156 in 1997. However, the Miami quarterback who had had the longest general streak (it spanned from the tip of 1 season to the following 12 months) was Ryan Tannehill, who threw 160 such passes spanning the tip of the 2014 season and starting of the 2015 marketing campaign.
Will Terron Armstead snap an odd streak that dates again to the Obama administration?
The final time the Dolphins star sort out was energetic for Game 12 of his group’s season was nearly seven years in the past, on Dec. 6, 2015, when his New Orleans Saints had been edged within the Superdome by the Carolina Panthers. He limped off towards Houston, but when he performs on Sunday in San Francisco, that run is historical past.
The Tyreek-o-Meter
With Hill’s 85 receiving yards towards Houston put him at 1,233 for the season, one yard forward of the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson atop the NFL leaderboard. He wants solely 157 the remainder of the 12 months to set the membership document (1,389 by Mark Clayton in 1984) and 732 to interrupt the NFL document (1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012). To break Clayton’s document, Hill should common 26.2 yards a sport the remainder of the way in which. To break it in the identical 16-game body as Clayton had, he would wish 31.4 yards per. To break Johnson’s mark, he would require 122.0 yards a sport, and 146.4 to interrupt it on a 16-game body.
With two-thirds of the season full, a take a look at the potential 2023 Dolphins opponents
A primary-place Dolphins would play the champions of the AFC South, NFC South and AFC North subsequent 12 months. After Sunday’s motion, these variable groups could be residence video games towards the Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a highway journey once more to play the Baltimore Ravens. The remaining docket would have, after the home-and-home video games towards the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and New England Patriots, Hard Rock Stadium video games towards the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders and highway journeys to the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.
On Deck: At San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:05 p.m., Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
The Dolphins start their difficult closing half-dozen video games by going through the red-hot 49ers on the West Coast in what quantities to fairly a reunion amongst Dolphins personnel who had been paid by the 49ers final 12 months. The checklist contains coach Mike McDaniel, operating backs Jeff Wilson Jr., and Raheem Mostert, receiver Trent Sherfield, together with just a few assistant coaches and different personnel. … San Francisco, heading into its Week 12 matchup towards the Saints, had gotten its move rush going, with a mixed six sacks, 12 quarterback knockdowns and 21 pressures within the earlier video games towards the Cardinals and Chargers. … Miami, who ripped the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in 2020 behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, will probably be seeking to take a lead within the all-time collection of video games performed in The Bay Area (San Francisco, Palo Alto and Santa Clara). That collection is at 4-4 out West, with the Dolphins main 4-2 in South Florida matchups.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com