Wait, what? Did the Miami Dolphins respond to arguably their worst loss of the season with their first win? On the road?
You bet your sweet bippy they did. And against the Jets too – if you tell me the Dolphins go 2-15 this season but sweep the Jets, I’d say, “You know, not so bad.” Here are five more things I think I think following the Dolphins’ first win.
They Did the One Thing Winning Teams Do
If there’s one ultimate flex in professional football, it’s this: Running the ball to drain the clock and close out a close game. Everybody in the stadium
knows exactly what’s coming: The defense knows, the crowd knows, the broadcast team knows, everybody knows. And it doesn’t matter – the winning team lines up and closes the game anyway.
On Sunday, that’s unexpectedly what the Dolphins were able to do against the Jets.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Jets scored a touchdown (Mason Taylor?! Again?!) to pull within three points. They then kicked off, hoping to force a stop and get the ball back to tie or win it. The old Dolphins would have played conservative, forcing the Jets to burn their timeouts but giving Gang Green the ball and a chance to win. But what did the new Dolphins do?
- 3:17 left, 1st down, 14-yard run from Ollie Gordon. Jets timeout.
- 3:10 left, 1st down, 7-yard run from Ollie Gordon. Jets timeout.
- 3:04 left, 2nd down, 1-yard run from Ollie Gordon.
- 2:21 left, 3rd down, 1-yard run from Ollie Gordon. Two-minute warning.
- 2:00 left, 4th down, 2-yard run from Malik Willis.
- First down. Victory formation.
I mean, it wasn’t pure dominance: They needed a two-yard pickup on fourth down to secure the win, whereas ideally you’d lock that in on second or third down. Still, if you want to talk about the growth of a young team, this is Exhibit A with a gold star.
Malik Willis Showed Tangible Growth
What a difference a bye week makes, eh? Let’s revel in the stat line:
- 14-of-21 passing
- 228 passing yards
- 2 passing touchdowns
- 0 interceptions, 0 fumbles
- 37 rushing yards
- 1 rushing touchdown
- QB rating of 130.7!
So what caused the change? A good night’s sleep? Frank Thomas’ testosterone supplements?*
Yes and yes. But also, maybe better decision-making and resource utilization. Instead of going for deep shot after deep shot, against the Jets Willis threw more passes that were short of the sticks, completing a season-high 67% of his passes and keeping the offense on schedule. He also involved his tight ends more, with TE Greg Dulcich leading the team in targets and a season-high 86 yards, and he clearly benefited from having No. 1 receiver Caleb Douglas back. Willis still has more questions than answers right now, of course. But after opening the season with just two touchdown passes against seven turnovers, Sunday felt like the first game that provided a legitimate reason for optimism. I’m eager to see how he performs against the Patriots.
*And she’ll like it too!
Caleb Douglas Continues To Change the Offense
I’m old enough to remember when Jon-Eric Sullivan and Co. caught a lot of flak for selecting Caleb Douglas in the third round and 75th overall. And who knows, maybe time will prove the doubters right. But man, the Dolphins look like a different team with Douglas on the field.
It’s not just the traits and production – it’s the game-day savvy that you might not expect from a rookie playing his third game. His biggest play was a long catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter. Douglas recognized a blitz, adjusted his route, caught Willis’ pass, broke a tackle attempt from Minkah Fitzpatrick and raced to the end zone. He also refused to be intimidated when Fitzpatrick got in his face, which is exactly what you want to see from a young receiver.
OK, fine, Douglas only has 9 receptions on the season. But when averaging more than 20 yards per catch, it’s fair to say he’s giving this offense a much-needed jolt.
The Offensive Line and Running Game Deserve Real Credit
When was the last time we had a truly physical offensive line and running game? The Ricky Williams era? I’m not discounting De’Von Achane’s remarkable season last year, but that felt due more to his own speed and elusiveness than a dominant offensive line. Sunday’s performance wasn’t just productive. It was physical.
For years, Dolphins fans have begged for an offense that could impose its will rather than relying solely on speed and scheme. Against the Jets, we finally saw a glimpse of that blueprint. Consider:
- Ollie Gordon rushed 25 times for 103 yards and a touchdown
- Maybe more importantly, the Dolphins as a team ran the ball almost twice as much as they threw the ball
Gordon ran with toughness and attitude, but let’s not forget the offensive line really brought their lunch pails and got to work. The closing sequence mentioned above doesn’t happen without a tough, committed offensive line. Proctor’s injury might be a setback, but if the o-line is starting to gel, it’s not unreasonable to think we may have more games like this in store this season.
The Defense Delivered When It Mattered Most
OK, it wasn’t perfect. You don’t give up two touchdowns to Mason Taylor and 100 yards and a touchdown to Omar Cooper (side note: Does anyone else think Cooper might be a thorn in our side for years to come?) and claim the defense was exactly on point.
That said, when the game hung in the balance, the defense came through. We’re talking:
- Michael Taaffe’s interception
- Jordyn Brooks’ 9 tackles, including 2 tackles for loss
- Chop Robinson’s red-zone sack
- A goal-line stand that forced a field goal rather than allowing a game-tying touchdown
There’s a lot to clean up, and the team definitely needs more talent in the defense as a whole, but they showed up when it counted. It’s a start.
So it’s worth appreciating the moment for what it is:
- The first win of the Hafley era, on a Dolphins takeover of MetLife stadium, no less
- The first time the Dolphins led at halftime
- The first time the Dolphins led, period
So: Have the Dolphins arrived? Ha! No.
The team still had busted coverages, dumb mistakes and an offense that mysteriously disappeared for much of the second half. But for the first time all season, the Dolphins started fast, protected the football, produced explosive plays, responded to adversity, controlled the line of scrimmage and closed out a close game. You know, the things winning teams do. In other words, they spent an afternoon looking a lot like the kind of team they’re trying to become. It’s worth celebrating.
