Here are a number of the prime takeaways from the Miami Dolphins’ 39-17 win over the Cleveland Browns at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday:
Tua retains it going — and will get ‘M-V-P!’ chant
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa obtained an “MVP” chant within the third quarter from the crown at Hard Rock Stadium. Tagovailoa was 25 of 32 for 285 yards, three touchdowns and with no interceptions for a 135.0 passer score. Tagovailoa entered the sport with a league-best 115.9 passer score. Tagovailoa might have had a landing to Jaylen Waddle however Grant Delpit made a shoestring sort out to carry it to a 29-yard completion. Tagovailoa continued making good choices, too. There weren’t any near-interceptions such because the Pittsburgh sport, and he positioned the ball virtually completely on each throw. It’s a pleasant strategy to cap a robust three-game efficiency heading into the bye week. — Chris Perkins
Dolphins can run the ball
The Dolphins rushed for a season-best 195 yards. Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed for a head-banging 119 yards, offering the offense the bodily presence it wanted within the backfield. It was the second time the Dolphins had a 100-yard rusher this season, becoming a member of Raheem Mostert’s 117-yard effort towards the New York Jets. Mostert and Wilson had it going all sport. They mixed for 48 speeding yards on six carries within the first quarter and 87 yards on 13 carries within the first half (tight finish Durham Smythe had one carry for no yards). Yeah, Wilson was stopped on a fourth-and-1 from the Cleveland 14-yard line within the second quarter however the operating sport, behind good blocking up entrance, obtained a jolt of vitality from Wilson, the commerce deadline acquisition, and Mostert, his former San Francisco teammate, ran with function towards Cleveland. That’s what was wanted from a operating sport that began the day twenty ninth within the NFL at 86.9 yards per sport.
Defense could make performs
The protection had its miscues, particularly on the 33-yard landing run by operating again Nick Chubb (11 carries, 63 yards). But it got here to play. Chubb entered the sport with 841 yards speeding, second within the league. The protection recorded three sacks, stored stress on quarterback Jacoby Brissett, and on the again finish the secondary featured cornerback Xavien Howard shadowing extensive receiver Amari Cooper (three receptions, 32 yards). The first quarter sack by Christian Wilkins and Bradley Chubb, after which the induced fumble by defensive sort out Zach Sieler and restoration by linebacker Jaelan Phillips had been begin, particularly after permitting the game-opening landing drive that included a 38-yard completion on the primary play from scrimmage. But the protection additionally completed. That’s the important thing.
Penalties surfaced once more, after which disappeared
The Dolphins ended with 5 penalties for 43 yards. There was the impartial zone infraction after which the cross interference. At that time you had been pondering the Dolphins may fall again into unhealthy habits. The Dolphins entered the sport sixth for many penalty yards (454) and sixth for many penalties (58). Christian Wilkins was referred to as for a debatable roughing-the-passer penalty within the third quarter. And extensive receiver Trent Sherfield was referred to as for taunting after a 21-yard completion within the fourth quarter. Neither was an enormous deal. And for probably the most half the Dolphins did properly at preserving the penalties in test.
Dolphins’ entrance seven comes alive
Within the sturdy play of the protection the entrance seven led the best way, one thing that’s wanted with an injury-depleted secondary that misplaced cornerback Keion Crossen (shoulder) within the third quarter. Chubb, Phillips and Wilkins had been all sturdy within the first half. One one second quarter cross try, each Chubb and Phillips attracted penalties. Chubb had a holding and Phillips had a tripping. The subsequent play Phillips attracted a holding name. Wilkins was a beast towards the run and cross. And Sieler induced a fumble that was recovered by Phillips. The sturdy play stored going within the second half regardless of the lack of defensive finish Emmanuel Ogbah (elbow).
Dolphins present offensive range
Touchdowns by fullback Alec Ingold, Sherfield and Mostert present this offense has scoring choices other than extensive receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Ingold stretched and dove into the top zone in the identical trend Wilson did per week in the past in Chicago for a 13-yard landing reception. Sherfield obtained each toes down at the back of the top zone after bringing in a pinpoint-accurate cross by Tagovailoa. Mostert used his pace to dart into the top zone to cap a 24-yard scoring run. By the best way, Hill had 5 touches (5 receptions, 44 yards) and Waddle had 4 (4 receptions, 66 yards). And the Dolphins received.
Fourth down exhibits blended outcomes
The Dolphins had been 1 for two within the first half on fourth downs, and maybe there’s room to query coach Mike McDaniel’s choice to run it up the center on a fourth-down try. They didn’t convert on that run up the center by Wilson He was stuffed by Delpit and linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk. It was the third consecutive run up the center following runs by Smythe (direct snap) and Mostert. But Wilson transformed a fourth-and-1 from the Dolphins’ 36-yard line within the first quarter when he went off proper sort out for 4 yards. The Dolphins scored 4 performs later when Tagovailoa hit Ingold for the 13-yard landing. The Dolphins at the moment are 6 of 13 on fourth downs this season.
Special groups woes
Kicker Jason Sanders missed an additional level extensive proper late within the third quarter and one other extensive proper within the fourth quarter. Add to that Cleveland’s game-opening 48-yard kickoff return and you’ve got extra causes for concern about particular groups. And, sure, accidents to gamers comparable to tight finish Hunter Long (concussion protocol) and cornerback Keion Crossen (shoulder) will additional reduce into particular groups play. But these accidents — Long was injured final week at Chicago and didn’t play towards Cleveland; Crossen was injured within the third quarter vs. Cleveland — didn’t have something to do with the kickoff return or the missed further level. Sanders, who made two discipline objectives Sunday, has now missed three further factors this season (27-30) and is 13 of 17 on discipline objectives with three misses from 50 or extra yards, together with one which was blocked.
Terron Armstead does it once more
Did Cleveland All Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett play Sunday? We didn’t hear his identify. That’s as a result of Dolphins left sort out Terron Armstead is a stud. Armstead, taking part in with a toe and calf/Achilles damage, was a brick wall towards Garrett, who entered the sport with 7.5 sacks, sixth within the NFL. Armstead has lately held Chicago linebacker Alex Highsmith, Detroit edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and, now, Garrett to quiet days towards the Dolphins. If Armstead is ready to play and preserve his illnesses in test, the offensive line will doubtless have day.
Dolphins can do large issues with out large days from Hill and Waddle
This is a promising signal for the offense. Hill solely had 5 receptions for 44 yards whereas Waddle had 4 receptions for 66 yards. But Tagovailoa handed for 285 yards and three touchdowns, and Wilson rushed for 119 yards, Mostert rushed for 65 yards, eight gamers had at the very least one reception. Oh, and the offensive line solely allowed one sack, and that was on a trick play by which extensive receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. tried a cross. Nice exhibiting.
Tua Tagovailoa’s interception-less streak retains chugging alongside. How does that stack up?
The Dolphins quarterback set a excessive bar for himself to start out his profession, throwing his first 152 profession passes with out one being picked off, however his private file and the franchise file will likely be in his sights towards Houston. Since an interception Sept. 29 in Cincinnati, Tagovailoa has thrown 138 consecutive passes with out turning the ball over. Unsurprisingly, Dan Marino holds the Dolphins’ file for size of a single-season streak of passes with out an interception, with 156 in 1997. However, the quarterback with the longest streak (it spanned from the top of 1 season to the following yr) is Ryan Tannehill, who threw 160 such passes spanning the top of the 2014 season and starting of the 2015 marketing campaign. So, if Tagovailoa is clear in that space of the stat sheet after his twenty third cross on Nov. 27 towards the Texans, all these marks will fall. — Steve Svekis
Browns blitzed greater than any group had in virtually two months
Through the primary three quarters Sunday, the Browns had blitzed Tua Tagovailoa eight instances in his 28 dropbacks (28.6% of the time), and it ended up at 25.0% (8 of 32). It was probably the most blitzing Tagovailoa had seen since Week 2 in Baltimore. Up to that time of the 48-yard Tyreek Hill landing reception from Tagovailoa towards a Ravens six-man blitz, defenses had blitzed the Dolphins quarterback 29 instances in his first 80 dropbacks (36.3%). But because the Ravens’ game-turning, unsuccessful six-man rush, Tagovailoa has now confronted 28 extra-man rushes in Miami’s 178 dropbacks (15.7%), giving him a cumulative 22.1% blitz charge for his first eight video games.
The Tyreek-o-Meter
With Hill’s 44 receiving yards towards Cleveland placing him at 1,148 receiving yards for the season, he wants solely 242 the remainder of the yr to set the membership file (1,389 by Mark Clayton in 1984) and 817 to interrupt the NFL file (1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012). To break Clayton’s file, Hill should common 34.6 yards a sport the remainder of the best way. To break it in the identical 16-game body as Clayton had, he would wish 40.4 yards per. To break Johnson’s mark, he would require 116.8 yards a sport, and 136.2 to interrupt it on a 16-game body.
On the opening kickoff, Jason Sanders should get touchbacks
The Dolphins have received the coin toss 9 out of 10 instances, which is its personal unbelievable happenstance. That has meant that they’ve kicked off 9 instances. One seven of these events, Jason Sanders has blasted the ball for a touchback. And, the 2 game-opening kickoffs which were returnable? They have been returned a mixed 151 yards, one for a 103-yard TD. On both of these kickoffs towards the Ravens and Browns, a kickoff out of bounds, giving these groups the ball at their 40 would have been higher outcomes.
Dolphins are completely satisfied that their matchups with uber-athletic quarterbacks will begin drying up
The Dolphins protection has had main points when the opposing quarterbacks have introduced a major operating menace. And, luckily, save a Dec. 18 towards Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, Miami will face rather more sedentary passers. Offensive factors allowed per sport by Dolphins since 2018 vs.: Deshaun Watson: 42.0 (42/1); Lamar Jackson: 33.3 (100/3); Justin Fields: 32.0 (32/1); Russell Wilson: 31.0 (31/1); Kyler Murray: 31.0 (31/1); Josh Allen: 30.1 (271/9); Total: 31.7 (507/16)
In Tua’s profession, non-offensive touchdowns have been off the chain
One factor is inarguable when wanting on the three quarterbacks picked within the prime six picks of the 2020 draft: Tua Tagovailoa has had, by far, probably the most scoring assist by way of return touchdowns. In a really beautiful statistic, the Dolphins, within the virtually 28 full video games (27.58) when No. 1 has been taking the snaps, has taken it to the home a whopping 10 instances. That quantities to .363 touchdowns per sport. Among the opposite class of 2020 quarterbacks, it’s a runaway, with the Chargers’ Justin Herbert having loved 4 non-offensive touchdowns in his 40.00 video games (.100 a sport) and the Bengals’ Joe Burrow with 1 in his 33.88 video games (.030). Tom Brady, who has performed 318.70 regular-season video games after his win over Seattle in Germany on Sunday morning, has seen 85 non-offensive TDs on his groups’ behalf throughout his profession, a wholesome .267 himself.
On deck: Houston Texans, Hard Rock Stadium, Sunday 1 p.m.
The Texans are the opponent most tailored for a Dolphins rout. They have a promising younger operating again in ex-Florida Gator Dameon Pierce, and talented-but-long-in-the-tooth edge cross rusher in Jerry Hughes, and never an entire lot else.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com