Scooter & Hum: Day 607, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Texans Game 9 Review

Look, the kindest thing to say here is that the Dolphins ended a seven-game losing streak. In a game that featured nine turnovers and neither team cracking 300 yards offensively, you take the victory and you keep it moving.

Perhaps the brightest spot for Miami was the lack of penalties -- just two for 13 yards -- but you obviously have to work hard if that's the best thing you can come up with.

On to the relieved recap ...

Offense

The bad news? Somehow the offensive line got even worse trying to protect for Brissett, forcing him to run for his life on seemingly every throw. The team managed just 47 rushing yards on 25 carries (1.9 yards per rush) and overall averaged just 3.6 yards per play. The good news? Miami converted nine of 16 third downs and converted both red zone appearances into touchdowns, which was the difference in the game.
Under incessant pressure, Brissett hit 26 of 43 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown, adding a seven-yard run for a first down as well. He was sacked four times, lost a fumble on a blindside hit, and threw two interceptions (one on a batted pass), but he was also let down by a number of painful drops.
Myles Gaskin was ... persistent? He carried 20 times for 34 yards and a touchdown and added six grabs for 23 yards, giving him 26 touches for a hard-earned 57 yards. He fumbled once and missed the hole on a couple of rushing attempts, showing his limitations as a lead back. Salvon Ahmed added four carries for six yards, with a long of ... 2. The Dolphins are in dire need of a back who can make a dismal offensive line look slightly better, but is instead pressing forward with fringe NFL players.
Minus DeVante Parker and Will Fuller yet again, the receiving corps was led by Jaylen Waddle, who reeled in eight of 10 targets for 83 yards, with a long of 17. He converted some crucial third downs and had a solid rapport with Brissett. Mack Hollins was targeted six times, catching three for 22 yards and a score while dropping a couple. Kirk Merritt was a surprise activation, and he posted a grab for 13 yards, though he misplayed a deep ball and flat-out dropped another pass. Albert Wilson contributed an 11-yard catch for a depleted unit.
At tight end, Mike Gesicki did Mike Gesicki things, pulling in four of eight targets for 54 yards, including a pair of miraculous one-handed catches. He still can't get an interference call to save his life for some reason, but G-Sick continues to emerge as one of the league's top tight ends. He got help in the form of Durham Smythe (two catches, 27 yards) and Adam Shaheen (one reception for 11 yards). Surprisingly (or not), rookie Hunter Long continues to be a stalwart on the inactive list.
My god on the offensive line. Featuring arguably the league's worst two starting tackles, the front was turnstiled all game long. Left tackle Liam Eichenberg continued his regression, allowing a staggering pressure rate of 16.7%, while bookend Jesse Davis checked in at 10.4%. Center Austin Reiter had a tough game, allowing a 9.3% pressure rate, and guard Austin Jackson continues to offer little in the way of, like, resistance. Robert Hunt has been OK at right guard, but increasingly, observers are calling for him to move to right tackle. Whether that's the move or not, it's beyond time to shake up this line, with tackle Greg Little and guard Solomon Kindley the most likely candidates for additional looks.

Defense

With relentless pressure (one outlet had Miami blitzing on 53.2% of the Texans' passing snaps), the Dolphins harassed Tyrod Taylor all game long. Houston managed conversions on only six of 17 third downs, and the 'Fins held the visitors without a touchdown on four red zone trips.
Emmanuel Ogbah was a wrecking ball in this one, notching four tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass breakup (I had him with two), three quarterback hits and five pressures. On the other side, Andrew Van Ginkel had four solo tackles, one sack (forced by Zach Seiler), and two quarterback hits, while Jaelan Phillips contributed two tackles, half a sack, and one quarterback hit.
On the interior, Adam Butler had one of his best games, recording two solo tackles and two pass breakups, including one that led to an interception. Seiler had a pair of tackles and set up a sack that was credited to Van Ginkel (Seiler should have been awarded half a sack), while Raekwon Davis had a single tackle, though he did get pressure in a goal-to-go situation. Christian Wilkins had a quiet game with one solo stop.
The return of Jerome Baker energized the linebacking corps, and he came back with seven tackles, a pass breakup, and an interception. Elandon Roberts had seven tackles and Brennan Scarlett added a single stop as Miami played a lot of DB-heavy alignments in this one.
At cornerback, Xavien Howard had three solo tackles and was involved in pressure a couple of times, while Byron Jones overcame a rocky start to finish with six stops and a pass breakup. In the nickel, Eric Rowe had six tackles and a forced fumble, while Justin Coleman registered a pass breakup and an interception in limited snaps. Nik Needham struggled in coverage again, but he did contribute four solo tackles, a sack, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hit.
Brandon Jones was active as a blitzer, coming up with seven tackles and a quarterback hit while recovering a fumble. Fellow safety Javon Holland was active with two stops, a pass breakup, a quarterback hit, and a huge end zone interception for his first career pick.

Special teams

Jason Sanders didn't get a ton of action, but converted a 42-yard field goal and both extra points. His kickoffs have been lacking the customary depth, but that looks to be part of a strategic move in kickoff coverage.
Michael Palardy punted five times for an average of 41.4 yards, placing three of his boots inside the 20-yard line.
Waddle returned a pair of kickoffs for 47 yards, finally showing some of his burst on a 25-yarder.
Holland continues to be an adventure on punt returns, bringing three back for 31 yards, but coughing up a fumble on one.

Momentum plays

Miami went three-and-out immediately, and the Texans went on a drive immediately, moving into the red zone before Holland picked off a pass in the end zone after Brandon Jones forced Taylor to throw early.
A tough third-down conversions by Gaskin jumpstarted the following drive, and a 17-yard dart from Brissett to Waddle got the 'Fins moving in earnest. A one-hander by G-Sick got the crowd involved, and a shovel pass to Gaskin converted a crucial 3rd & 2 in the red zone. On the next play, Gaskin took a Wildcat snap and followed a Smythe block for a relatively easy touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Houston went three-and-out right away, and Brissett escaped pressure to locate Waddle deep on the next drive, but his pass was late and picked off.
A Needham sack (which saw him celebrating instead of trying to recover the fumble) led to a turnover, but it was overturned on replay. Houston converted a 3rd & 11 when Chris Conley beat Byron Jones easily, but Conley dropped one over the middle, allowing Miami to force another punt.
Headed into the second quarter, Gaskin fought hard to convert a 3rd & 6, but fumbled two plays later, giving the Texans great field position at Miami's 34-yard line.
After Byron Jones surrendered a third-down conversion, Needham was burned badly on another third-down play, but Taylor missed a wide-open Danny Amendola, forcing a 31-yard field goal to trim the lead to 7-3.
On the first play of the ensuing possession, Brissett lofted a deep ball to Merritt, who made a poor adjustment to the ball and was unable to come up with it. Then Hollins dropped a third-down pass, forcing a quick punt.
On the Texans' next drive, Needham was beaten and missed a tackle on a 3rd & 7 conversion, but Ogbah swatted away a third-down pass at the line. However, Holland promptly fumbled the ensuing punt, once more gift-wrapping a Houston possession deep in Dolphins territory.
Houston immediately tried a trick play, with Amendola throwing the ball on a flanker option, but Needham dropped what should have been an easy interception. Taylor then missed an open Brandin Cooks in the end zone (Byron Jones was trailing in coverage), allowing the 'Fins to hold the Texans to another field goal to make it 7-6.
Brissett started the next drive with back-to-back first-down strikes to Waddle, then Miami got a third-down holding penalty on Houston to keep the possession going. Davis gave up a big sack that featured an egregious uncalled facemask penalty on the Texans, but Brissett responded with an 18-yard pass to G-Sick, who pulled off another slick one-handed grab. The tight end nearly pulled off another while being interfered with without a call, but couldn't reel it in, forcing the 'Fins to settle for a 42-yard field goal from Sanders and a 10-6 advantage.
After an Ogbah sack on the next possession, Taylor inexplicably threw the ball directly to Baker along the sideline as he was attempting to intentionally throw it out of bounds, giving Miami the ball at Houston's 26-yard line with 53 seconds left in the half.
Brissett immediately found Smythe for a nifty 21-yard pass, then made a crazy good throw under pressure on third & goal to find Hollins in the back of the end zone, staking the Dolphins to a 17-6 lead headed into the half.
The comedy of errors didn't relent after the break. Pressure by Holland led to a Taylor pass that was tipped by Butler before landing in the hands of Coleman to give the Dolphins a pick and more good field position.
Starting from Houston's 49-yard line, a Brissett pass was deflected at the line, and the Texans pulled it in for an unlucky interception.
Taking over at their own 44-yard line, the Texans had a shot at an easy touchdown when Amendola was left uncovered after going in motion, but Taylor misfired. An offensive pass interference nullified a huge catch and run by Rex Burkhead, then Byron Jones knocked the ball out of Amendola's hands on a 3rd & 12 play. Holland's solid punt return was erased by penalties on both Elijah Campbell and Clayton Fejedelem.
Strong Brissett throws to Hollins and Gesicki got the next drive rolling, and a third-down scramble by Brissett and a 3rd & 8 pass to Shaheen kept the possession alive. However, Davis was beaten again for an easy sack, pushing the Dolphins out of field goal range and forcing a punt when a 3rd & 18 play netted exactly three yards.
Taking over at their own 7-yard line after a nice Palardy punt, Houston immediately surrendered a sack by Ogbah and Phillips. However, Miami allowed an easy catch and run over the middle by the tight end to convert a 3rd & 13. Then the fourth quarter started with the Dolphins again forgetting to cover Amendola, who raced 39 yards thanks to the refs picking up a flag that they said would have been for offensive pass interference. Cooks was largely uncovered on a 3rd & 6 play, then Taylor escaped sacks by Howard and Wilkins (who got brutally stiff-armed by the QB) and hit the tight end for a couple of yards, which was inexplicably challenged by Flores, who easily lost and cost Miami a crucial timeout. Fortunately, early pressure from Davis forced Taylor to throw incomplete on third & goal, and Houston kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 17-9.
Back-to-back drops by Merritt and Hollins were a poor way to start the next Miami drive, but Brissett shook it off to find Waddle to convert a 3rd & 10. After Gaskin managed to lose five yards on a run, Eichenberg got beaten easily for a blindside sack that forced a Brissett fumble that was recovered by the Texans at their own 40-yard line.
After Taylor fell down on his own for an easy Ogbah sack, he was hit hard by a blitzing Holland and threw incomplete on 3rd & 12, leading to yet another Houston punt.
A third-down catch by Hollins kept the next drive alive, but a deep shot to Hollins on the next third down fell incomplete, forcing yet another Palardy punt.
On the second play of the following possession, Rowe poked the ball free from the receiver, and after initially being ruled incomplete, Flo finally got a challenge right and was awarded the fumble (Brandon Jones had pounced on it).
Three straight Gaskin runs netted exactly a yard, but Palardy's punt was down at the 2-yard line by Hollins, making the Texans face a 98-yard drive with 30 seconds left.
An open-field tackle by Baker kept the clock running, and on 4th & 6 with three seconds remaining, Baker made the final tackle after a lateral by Cook, finishing off a 17-9 'Fins victory.