Ten tidbits and thoughts on the Dolphins’ big win and several changes that helped
Ten notes and thoughts after the Dolphins’ dominating 34-10 thumping of the Falcons on Sunday in Atlanta:
▪ Where exactly was this team for the first seven weeks of the season?
Many things changed for the better, but in our view, here were the three most important:
1). The league’s worst rushing defense held Falcons star Bijan Robinson to the fourth-lowest rushing total of his career.
2). There was more extensive usage of the backup running backs and a recommitment to the running game, which entered 11th in yards per carry but 28th in rushing attempts (partly a byproduct of Miami trailing so often this year). With a lead most of the game, Miami ran 37 times for 141 yards (3.8 average), while passing 27 times.
3). Tua Tagovailoa eliminated the turnovers and displayed far better touch on intermediate routes. He didn’t throw a pick on Sunday after entering with 10 interceptions (tied with Geno Smith for the league lead), including six in the past two weeks.
But there was one particular area of the field where his play was dramatically improved on a day he finished 20 for 206 for 205 yards, 4 TDs and a 138.6 passer rating:
During his two breakout seasons, Tagovailoa was outstanding on intermediate throws (passes traveling 10 to 19 air yards), with a 101.1 passer rating on 278 such throws in 2022 and 2023.
This season, his play on those intermediate throws was deficient - six touchdowns, six interceptions and a 75.2 rating entering Sunday, numbers that are far worse than most of the better quarterbacks in the league this season. (Jared Goff has six TDs, 0 picks on such throws; Jordan Love has 5 TDs, no picks; Sam Darnold has 8 and 2.)
On Sunday, by my calculation, Tagovailoa was 6 for 7 and a touchdown on those intermediate throws, and all six were important, including a 10-yard pass to Jaylen Waddle, who sprinted 33 yards for a 43-yard touchdown to push the Dolphins’ lead to 24-3.
Tagovailoa said his left eye was swollen shut when he woke up, and the Dolphins gave him antibiotics.
“I had some thoughts about what it could be or might be, but none of those seem to be what it was,” he said. “Maybe a stye or allergic reaction. We’ll be able to figure it out when we get back.”
He wore a visor during the game, the first time he had done that since high school.
▪ As for the rush defense, Miami entered last in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (159) and fourth-worst in rushing yards permitted per carry, at 5.2.
The Falcons couldn’t approach those totals, finishing with 17 carries for 45 yards (2.6).
Robinson, who entered leading the league in yards from scrimmage per game (152.3), was held to only 48 (25 rushing, on nine carries, and 23 receiving, on three catches).
For some perspective on how impressive that was, consider that in the 39 career games which he didn’t leave early because of injury, Robinson was held to that few rushing yards only twice before (24, on 12 carries, in the 2025 season opener against Tampa Bay, and 11 in a 2023 loss at Carolina).
His 2.8 yards per carry average on Sunday was the fifth-lowest in 39 games in which he had more than two carries.
▪ The Dolphins made some subtle personnel changes and they paid dividends.
The most notable: Miami used Daniel Brunskill as a tight end/sixth offensive linemen on at least eight plays, a move that helped the running game and made sense in the absence of injured tight end Julian Hill. McDaniel explained that decision here.
Cornerback Storm Duck also got a package of snaps, in relief of Jack Jones, before leaving with a knee injury.
Ollie Gordon II got his most work of the season and Jaylen Wright also had his first carries of the year.
Besides using more of Brunskill, Gordon, Wright and Cedrick Wilson Jr., McDaniel wisely relied more on the running game and his running back depth.
Two of McDaniel’s intangible changes also worked:
1). He was more blunt than usual and less forgiving in his tone, several players told me last week. “No [expletive]” tolerated, as Cam Goode said.
2). McDaniel said he spent more one-on-one time with individual players, he mentioned earlier this week.
And credit McDaniel for some creative play-calling, including on the Achane touchdown pass.
Achane noted that he and Gordon lined up on the same side of that play “which you don’t see [a lot]” and that confused the Falcons; Tagovailoa did a great job selling that play by briefly focusing his eyes on Gordon, causing some defenders to run toward him.
▪ In another change, offensive coordinator Frank Smith moved from the booth to the field.
“Frank being on the field was really helpful, and I don’t think I would be the only one saying that,” Tagovailoa said.
Achane said Smith “brought the juice” on the sideline.
There was another subtle change in approach “throughout the week,” Tagovailoa said, suggesting that the message was streamlined and simplified:
“Here are three things on offense, here are three things on defense. That’s what we are going to hang our hat on to win the game. That was one of the bigger emphasises this week. It worked.”
▪ One concern was injuries in the secondary: Starting safety Ashtyn Davis left early with a quad injury; Duck was carted off with a knee injury in the fourth quarter; safety Ifeatu Melifonwu left with a hand injury but returned; and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick departed late with a thumb injury.
Elijah Campbell (who was inactive Sunday) and Dante Trader Jr. are the other safeties on the 53-man roster, besides Fitzpatrick and Davis. (Former safety Jordan Colbert was moved to inside linebacker earlier this season.) Miami hosts Baltimore on Thursday (8:20 p.m., Amazon Prime and CBS 4).
▪ The Dolphins have told teams that there will not be a fire sale of players before the No. 4 trade deadline, as NFL Network reported. Network insider Tom Pelissero mentioned edge player Matthew Judon as one player who could be moved.
▪ Kudos to the Dolphins for solving their short-yard issue. Gordon II converted two third or fourth and short situations (needing one or two yards) and is now 8 for 9 on those running attempts this season.
He also ran for a first down on a third and four.
Gordon had a career high 10 carries for 46 yards.
And Wright came out of mothballs, with nine carries for 28 yards. Wright has declined comment the past couple of weeks, but in a conversation before that, he seemed edgy and emotional about not playing and determined to make his case to coaches. He practiced well last week, earning playing time on Sunday.
Achane was again a big factor, with 18 carries for 67 yards (3.7 per carry) and five catches for 24 yards and a TD, giving him 30 touchdowns in 35 career games.
▪ And credit rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea for what seemed to be his best game of the season. He had exceptional blocks on three big plays, including the TD pass to Achane.
▪ There was nobody more impactful defensively than linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who set the tone early by stopping Robinson for a yard, then applying pressure (with Jaelan Phillips) on Kirk Cousins to force a three and out on Miami’s first series.
A bit later, he stopped Tyler Allgeier for a three yard loss that was nearly a safety.
He finished with three of the Dolphins’ four tackles for loss - and a sack - on a 10-tackle day.
Brooks entered leading the NFL in tackles, but more than half had come at least eight yards downfield.
Sunday was Brooks at his impactful best.
▪ The Falcons played without starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and leading receiver Drake London, but that shouldn’t diminish this defensive effort, because Atlanta had the league’s highest paid and arguably most accomplished backup (Kirk Cousins) and multiple dangerous weapons.
Atlanta’s biggest play was a questionable 39-yard pass interference call on Rasul Douglas, against Darnell Mooney, who was limited to one catch to 11 yards.
The Falcons had just 11 first downs and averaged a meager 4.3 per play. Atlanta went three and out and four of its first five possessions.
If the run defense had played this well all year - and if Tagovailoa had played at this level - we could be talking about a 5-3 team instead of a 2-6 team.
The problem is the second-half schedule is considerably tougher than the first two months.
The most difficult (on paper) of their nine remaining games: home games against Baltimore and Buffalo (the next two opponents), Washington in Spain, a Monday night game in Pittsburgh and a difficult final two games (home to Tampa Bay, at New England).
Here’s what McDaniel said after the game.
This story was originally published October 26, 2025 at 5:26 PM.
