MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins had an opportunity to erase the bitter style of final week’s Houston loss out of their mouths with Sunday’s recreation towards San Francisco at Arduous Rock Stadium.
And the Dolphins did put style of their mouths with their 29-17 victory over the 49ers of their house finale for the 2024 season.
The win retains the Dolphins (7-8) alive within the AFC wild-card playoff image.
The Dolphins have video games remaining at Cleveland (Dec. 29) and on the New York Jets (Jan. 5). The hopes of a 3rd consecutive playoff berth are slim, however nonetheless alive.
Listed here are some extra takeaways from Sunday:
Tua vs. playoff groups … and non-playoff groups
We will nearly shut the e book on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s efficiency vs. playoff groups in 2024.
Coming into Sunday’s recreation, Tagovailoa was 1-4 towards groups that may be within the playoffs if the season ended Sunday morning. Tagovailoa has a victory over the Los Angeles Rams and losses to Houston, Inexperienced Bay and Buffalo (twice).
In these 5 video games towards playoff groups, Tagovailoa is 128 of 167 (76.6 p.c) for 1,144 yards, seven touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 91.0 passer score.
Tagovailoa was 4-1 towards groups that may not be within the playoffs if the season ended Sunday morning. Tagovailoa has victories over the New York Jets, New England, Las Vegas, and Jacksonville and a loss to Arizona.
In these 5 video games Tagovailoa is 163 of 232 (70.3 p.c) for 1,723 yards, 12 touchdowns, no interceptions and a 108.8 passer score.
The Dolphins don’t have any playoff opponents remaining. However these numbers change a bit if Seattle makes the playoffs and the Rams don’t make the playoffs. Tagovailoa, in fact, didn’t play within the Seattle recreation.
By the best way, Tagovailoa reached 100 landing passes within the second quarter, changing into the fourth Dolphins quarterback to achieve that mark becoming a member of Dan Marino, Bob Griese and Ryan Tannehill.
Tagovailoa ended Sunday 22 of 34 for 215 yards, one landing, no interceptions and a 92.2 passer score. — Chris Perkins
McDaniel loses yet one more problem … sheesh
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel misplaced yet one more problem within the first quarter Sunday, falling to 4 for 16 (.250) for his profession and 1 for 3 this season.
McDaniel challenged a play through which he thought defensive deal with Benito Jones got here up with an interception.
The ball was bobbled into the air by 49ers working again Isaac Yiadom. Jones appeared to seize it however the tip of the ball hit the bottom.
Smith establishes information, and could be on solution to Professional Bowl
Tight finish Jonnu Smith (six receptions, 62 yards) established single-season franchise information for receiving yards by a decent finish and receptions by a decent finish Sunday.
Smith entered the sport with 740 yards receiving, needing 52 yards to determine a single-season franchise document in receiving yards (792) by a decent finish.
Smith reached 798 receiving yards within the third quarter.
Smith’s 75 receptions on the season eclipsed the earlier mark of 73 established by Mike Gesicki and Randy McMichael.
Smith additionally entered Sunday’s recreation with six receiving touchdowns, needing two touchdowns to determine a single-season franchise document (eight) for landing receptions by a decent finish.
Smith’s principal competitors for his first profession AFC Professional Bowl are Las Vegas rookie tight finish Brock Bowers and Kansas Metropolis tight finish Travis Kelce.
Raheem’s big-run abilities reappear briefly
Operating again Raheem Mostert had a 21-yard run within the second quarter. It was his longest run of the season. Mostert ended Sunday with 31 yards on eight carries.
Sadly, the period of the large run by Mostert, the Dolphins’ speedy, 32-year-old working again, ended final season.
Mostert, one of many classiest guys on the group, entered Sunday’s recreation with solely two runs of 15 or extra yards this season.
Mostert, who has battled rib and again accidents this yr, received his first run of 20 or extra yards this season.
Mostert feasted on huge runs final season whereas speeding for a career-best 1,012 yards for the Dolphins:
– Final season Mostert had seven runs of 20 or extra yards, together with three runs of 30 or extra yards, and two runs of 40 or extra yards;
– Final season Mostert additionally had seven runs of between 15 to 19 yards;
– All advised, Mostert’s 14 runs of 15 or extra yards totaled 329 yards, or 33 p.c of his speeding yards for the 2023 season.
Run recreation resurfaces however isn’t huge difference-maker
The Dolphins’ run recreation, led by working again De’Von Achane’s 121 yards on 17 carries, got here alive briefly Sunday as they rushed for 168 yards on 29 carries, fueled by Achane’s 50-yard landing run within the fourth quarter. But it surely wasn’t essentially a forceful speeding efficiency.
For instance of how the Dolphins must mannequin their run recreation in 2025 think about these photos:
– The Dolphins speeding for 139 yards of their 31-10 house loss towards Buffalo;
– The Dolphins speeding for 149 yards of their 30-27 highway loss at Buffalo;
– The Dolphins speeding for 193 yards of their 15-10 highway win at New England;
– Ravens working again Derrick Henry rushed for 162 yards in Saturday’s 34-17 house victory towards Pittsburgh.
The Dolphins gained yards Sunday, however they didn’t make a huge impact on the sport.
Nonetheless, the Dolphins at the moment are 2-5 in video games they’ve rushed for greater than 100 yards this season.
Wynn, Eichenberg rotate at RG, and it’s insignificant
Proper guards Isaiah Wynn and Liam Eichenberg rotated Sunday with Wynn, who was taking part in from scrimmage for the primary time this season, received the beginning.
Neither did something noticeable or memorable, which typically is an efficient factor for a proper guard.
Dolphins in December/January video games … and December video games alone
The Dolphins at the moment are 6-11 (.353) in December/January video games, which incorporates playoffs, since 2022.
The Dolphins had been 1-6 in December/January video games in 2022, and 3-4 in December/January video games in 2023.
The Dolphins at the moment are 2-1 in December this season. The Dolphins are 5-7 (.417) in December video games alone since 2022. They had been 0-4 in December 2022, and 3-2 in December 2023.
Tyreek scores after tough begin … and tough center
Extensive receiver Tyreek Hill, whose final goal coming into Sunday was the cross that was intercepted by Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., had a second-quarter landing after getting off to a tough begin.
Hill dropped a third-down reception, after which had a cross from Tagovailoa ultimately zone sail previous his fingers after it was barely tipped. The cross was catchable.
However Hill made up for it within the second quarter with a 3-yard landing reception.
In fact, Hill dropped a possible landing cross late within the third quarter with cornerback Renaldo Inexperienced in tight protection. Hill ended with three receptions for 29 yards and the one landing.
Sanders hits many times and once more …
Kicker Jason Sanders, who had 5 subject targets towards the 49ers, has hit a franchise-record 23 consecutive subject objective makes an attempt, together with eight consecutive from 50 or extra yards. Sanders hit a 54-yard subject objective within the third quarter to offer the Dolphins a 16-10 lead.
Sanders, who entered the sport with 793 profession factors, eclipsed the 800-point mark Sunday. Sanders hit subject targets of 44, 38, 54, 33 and 48 yards.
Dealing with Bosa and Floyd, and defending Tua
Dolphins offensive tackles Terron Armstead (left) and Kendall Lamm (proper) did a pleasant job defending Tagovailoa from San Francisco cross rushers Leonard Floyd and Nick Bosa on Sunday.
Floyd was the group’s chief in sacks with 8.5. He usually lined up throughout from Armstead.
Bosa, the St. Thomas Aquinas highschool alum, entered the sport with 7.0 sacks amid battling hip and indirect illnesses. He usually lined up throughout from Lamm though Bosa had a number of snaps towards Armstead within the third quarter.
The secret’s that Armstead and Lamm did effectively sufficient to permit Tagovailoa and the passing recreation to be efficient.
The Dolphins didn’t enable any sacks.
The Dolphins nonetheless have some powerful cross rushers on the schedule between Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (11.0 sacks) and the New York Jets’ Will McDonald IV (10.0 sacks).
Clearly, the Bengals must beat the Broncos subsequent week, however …
Assuming that, the Payments and Steelers completely additionally should win. That means, the Chiefs must play like they imply it within the season finale at Denver, attempting to clinch the bye week. If Kansas Metropolis has homefield sewn up, they may sit most starters towards the Broncos, in all probability paving the best way for a Denver win. — Steve Svekis
Had Mostert’s utilization falloff been a root reason for the Dolphins’ run-game evaporation
Coming into Week 16, within the 4 video games the place Raheem Mostert had at the very least 10 touches, the Dolphins had rushed for 681 yards on 136 rushes, a spectacular 5.01 yards per carry. The opposite dozen video games, they sputtered to 743 speeding yards on 227 runs for a putrid 3.27 yards per carry as Mostert fell in need of that contact minimal. On Sunday, he had 10 extra touches, and the Dolphins 168 speeding yards on 29 carries (5.79 a carry).
Is there a 30-year-old barrier within the NFL?
Sunday was Tyreek Hill’s fifteenth recreation since turning 30 (within the offseason), and the dropoff in his manufacturing, whether or not by pure coincidence or not, has mirrored the same plummet by one-time AFC East dominator Stefon Diggs. In Diggs’ 15 video games earlier than turning 30 final yr, Diggs had roared for 101 receptions for 1,222 yards (12.10 yards a catch) and 9 touchdowns. In his 15 video games since? A completely woodwork 81 receptions for 783 receiving yards (9.67 yards a seize) with solely three touchdowns.
How does Hill examine? The 15 video games to finish his 2023 season, he was filthy dominant with 108 receptions for 1,606 yards (14.87 yards per reception) and 11 scores. His 15 video games since? A decent-but-inferior 70 catches for 834 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Within the offseason, the Dolphins should determine cowl the tight finish
The Dolphins have performed 4 prime notch tight ends within the Cardinals’ Trey McBride, the Raiders’ Brock Bowers, the Packers’ Tucker Kraft and, then on Sunday, the 49ers’ George Kittle. That quartet has mixed for 40 catches for 434 yards.
Underneath-the-radar indictment of the Dolphins’ special-teams teaching
For any Dolphins fan who’s at the very least 40, the phrases Leon Lett conjure emotions of heat and nice thanks, since his downfield touching of a deflected Pete Stoyanovich subject objective try on Thanksgiving 1993. On that play, the 99 p.c of the free world (which included Lett) who didn’t know the rule realized that any kick, even when touched by the receiving group on a block try, shouldn’t be a dwell ball if it goes previous the road of scrimmage until it’s once more touched by the receiving group.
The Dolphins nearly gave a possession to the Tennessee Titans after a punt deflected by Calais Campbell. Duke Riley tried to seize the ball and was solely bailed out when, upon overview, it was revealed a Titan had touched the ball a fraction of a second earlier than Riley’s contact, inoculating the Dolphins.
Then, in an occasion that appeared extra reckless than unknowing of a rule, final week, with 1:45 left and the Dolphins down 20-12 in Houston, a Texans punt was dying on the Miami 22. With the ball surrounded by Houston particular teamers, Dolphins returner Malik Washington made a sudden rush towards the ball. He would have touched it, making a vastly dangerous scenario, had the Texans’ long-snapper, Jon Weeks, not grabbed the ball earlier than Washington might contact it. What’s the messaging from Danny Crossman to the gamers in these conditions?
Why once more did the Dolphins reduce Teair Tart?
When the ex-Titan defensive deal with was picked up by Miami throughout camp, I made notice of his high-impact charge of tackles for loss, with him on the time having grabbed 11 TFLs in his earlier 446 snaps (40.9 snaps per TFL). By comparability, Zach Sieler had 5 TFLs (89.2) and Christian Wilkins (111.5) had 4 in that span. The Dolphins then reduce Tart earlier than the season opener.
Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers, apparently impressed with that manufacturing, snapped him up. Anyway, all that Tart has finished is seize 5 TFLs in his 280 Chargers snaps (56.0 snaps per TFL), draw at the very least two penalties of 10 yards or extra, block a subject objective try, power a fumble, get better a fumble and intercept a cross. Sieler, for his half, has had an incredible yr, with 11 TFLs in 576 snaps (52.4 snaps per TFL), and likewise a compelled fumble, recovered fumble and interception. And Calais Campbell has been a standout, too. However, the third and fourth defensive tackles, Da’Shawn Hand and Benito Jones have COMBINED for eight TFLs in 846 snaps (105.8 snaps per TFL) with one compelled fumble.
On deck: At Cleveland Browns, Huntington Financial institution Subject, Sunday, 4:05 p.m.
The Browns benched mercurial quarterback Jameis Winston for his or her Week 16 recreation towards the Cincinnati Bengals after having thrown a spate of pick-six interceptions. Whereas he had been hurting the group along with his turnovers, his absence ought to enable Miami’s protection to suffocate the road of scrimmage towards Dorian Thompson Robinson.
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