Scooter & Hum: Day 964, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Lions Game 8 Review

Despite a litany of penalties, an awful first half defensively, and another game without forcing a turnover, the Dolphins secured a crucial road win at Detroit. The second victory in a row pushed Miami to 5-3, but starting a pair of undrafted free agents in the secondary and continued pass-rush struggles set the stage for what would turn out to be a momentous trade deadline.

On to the that-feels-like-a-long-time-ago recap ...

Offense

Miami was a model of efficiency on this side of the ball, turning all three red zone trips into touchdowns and converting 8 of 12 third downs and both fourth-down attempts. The 'Fins racked up 476 yards and controlled the time of possession (34:22-25:38), salting the game away with an impressive final possession.
Tua Tagovailoa was on fire, posting a 96.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus -- the best of any quarterback this season. He connected on 29 of 36 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He was sacked twice, but offset those by running five times for 19 yards -- and actually sliding! Tua was at his best on play-action and RPO snaps, and even though two illegal shits and an illegal motion can be cleaned up, this was one of his finest performances as a Dolphin.
At running back, Raheem Mostert led the way once again, rushing 14 times for 64 yards and adding one catch for three yards. In 16 snaps, Chase Edmonds ran four times for 14 yards and didn't catch a pass. Salvon Ahmed saw his first action of the season, with a two-yard run among his three snaps. In 27 snaps, Alec Ingold had one-yard TD run and caught a pass for five yards.
Tyreek Hill was targeted 14 times, catching 12 for 188 yards and adding a seven-yard run to go with an illegal motion penalty in 49 snaps. Waddle saw 52 snaps, reeling in eight balls for 106 yards and two scores. Trent Sherfield had two key third-down catches for 25 yards among his 40 snaps, while Cedrick Wilson (no targets) and Braylon Sanders (two catches for 17 yards and a costly red-zone fumble) each received 14 snaps. Perhaps the most surprising development of this season for me has been witnessing Hill's ability to make contested catches and win with the ball in the air.
Both Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe got 31 snaps at tight end, with Gesicki hauling in three balls for 38 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Long had an offensive pass interference in his 17 snaps, while Tanner Conner got a pair of snaps.
Up front, Tua was pressured just four times on 42 dropbacks (9.5% pressure rate), according to PFF. Connor Williams (No. 2 center), Robert Hunt (No. 9 right guard), and Terron Armstead (No. 10 left tackle) are currently ranked in the top 10 at their respective positions by Pro Football Focus, though penalties remain an issue. Left guard Liam Eichenberg and Armstead were both call for holding, while right tackle Brandon Shell was whistled for ineligible man downfield. Eichenberg was hurt in the game -- Robert Jones played 15 snaps for him -- and his placement on injured reserve will be a major setback to a unit that appeared to be starting to jell.

Defense

Let's start with the good news: the "D" pitched a shutout in the second half. The initial 30 minutes was flat-out ugly, and Miami allowed 393 total yards and 22 first downs overall. Detroit only ran the ball 19 times, but that was mostly due to a lack of pressure that allowed them to throw 37 times with very little stress. The Dolphins failed to force a turnover and allowed three touchdowns on four red-zone trips, but did limit the Lions to 4 of 9 on third downs and 1 of 2 on fourth downs. The final two quarters marked an impressive response for an injury-wracked unit on the road.
Zach Sieler led the way at defensive end, collecting four tackles, a sack, a stop for loss, two pass breakups, and a quarterback hit in 50 snaps. Christian Wilkins had a solo tackle and a stop for loss in his 51 snaps, to go with a staggering three offsides calls. Emmanuel Ogbah was back in action for 32 snaps, but was credited only with a single hit on the signal-caller.
At nose tackle, Raekwon Davis (three tackles in 33 snaps) and John Jenkins (two stops in nine snaps) were part of a relatively quiet afternoon for the defensive front.
Andrew Van Ginkel saw 25 snaps at weakside linebacker, but failed to record a statistic after a big performance last week. Melvin Ingram contributed one tackle and one offsides call in his 16 snaps. Suffice it to say that the 'Fins were smart to bolster this position via trade following this contest.
On the strong side, Jaelan Phillips was active, being credited with two solo stops, two quarterback hits, and seven quarterback pressures (according to PFF) in his 49 snaps. He was also called for an illegal block above the waist.
Elandon Roberts led the way in the middle with eight tackles in 35 snaps, but he was whistled for a damaging taunting penalty on the game's first play. Jerome Baker played all 60 snaps and chipped in with five solo stops, but his effectiveness as a blitzer has been nowhere to be found this year. Duke Riley had three tackles in his 27 snaps, including a memorable play where he blew up a screen play that was destined for a big gain after he slipped a block. Reserve Sam Eguavoen saw a single snap from scrimmage.
At corner, Xavien Howard continues to try to find his form, playing all 60 snaps but recording just two solo stops while being beaten a few times and being called for offsides. Kader Kohou returned from injury to play 57 snaps, notching six tackles and a stop for loss. A week after a heroic effort against Pittsburgh, Noah Ighbinoghene got just 19 snaps, with one solo tackle. Keion Crossen got 14 snaps, posting three stops.
Almost inexplicably, Eric Rowe was rendered inactive in the wake of Brandon Jones's season-ending injury at strong safety. Instead, Miami turned to undrafted rookie Verone McKinley III, who played 48 snaps and had a single tackle. Clayton Fejedelem -- another hero a week ago -- got three snaps from scrimmage. This position feels like another one where a move must be coming that may eventually make the Rowe decision make sense.
As is his custom, Jevon Holland played all 60 snaps at free safety, recording a dozen tackles and a pass breakup, punching out a ball on what would have been a significant gain. Justin Bethel got 11 snaps in reserve and had a tackle while also being called for illegal contact.

Special teams

Jason Sanders connected on a 45-yard field goal and nailed all four extra points. His lone kickoff that didn't result in a touchback was downed at the 15-yard line with good coverage.
Thomas Morstead had an extremely quiet day, punting a single time and pinning a 38-yarder inside the 20-yard line.
Mostert had a 13-yard kickoff return and continues to look uncomfortable in the role.
On punt returns, Wilson looked more at ease in this one, returning a pair for 24 yards.
Among defensive players, Riley and Bethel led the way with 20 special-teams snaps, with Fejedelem and Eguaoven contributing 19 each. Sherfield (14) and Conner (13) led offensive players in the third phase, with Crossen making a strong tackle on a punt return and Elijah Campbell adding a special teams stop.

Momentum plays

After Van Ginkel missed a tackle, Roberts was called for taunting on the game's first play, and Howard was beaten on a 27-yard pass, Detroit got on the board barely 2 minutes into the game when Jamaal Williams went up the middle untouched for an easy score.
Miami overcame a 3rd & 14 when Tua hit Hill for 10 and Waddle for nine on fourth down, but on the next play, Sanders coughed up his first career catch to give the Lions the ball.
Detroit used a 58-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson on 3rd & 2 that saw Holland victimized to set up a third-down arrow route that saw D'Andre Swift beat Baker easily for a 14-0 advantage.
The Dolphins overcame a 3rd & 13 when Hill climbed the ladder to make an incredible 36-yard catch. A 12-yarder to Waddle set up first and goal, and Miami got a break when an illegal contact nullified a third-down incompletion and kept the drive alive. Tua paid it off with a calm toss to Waddle after having all day to throw, cutting the lead in half at 14-7.
The Lions converted a 3rd & 4 with a 21-yard reception by Amon-Ra St. Brown in front of Ighbinoghene to end the first quarter, then Holland was beaten again on a 43-yard pass to Kalif Raymond. Two plays later, Williams punched in another short touchdown to push the advantage back to two touchdowns at 21-7.
Tua underthrew another jump ball that Hill salvaged with a 43-yard grab, then the signal-caller punctuated the drive with a slot fade to Waddle on a perfectly thrown ball. With the game degenerating into a breakneck score fest, Miami trimmed it to 21-14 with 11:30 remaining in the half.
After avoiding an easy sack by Holland on a flea-flicker, Jared Goff found St. Brown -- despite a big hit by "X" -- for 12 on 3rd & 10. Three players later, facing another 3rd & 10, the Lions threw underneath, but Howard made a good tackle to force a 42-yard field goal that made it 24-14, Lions.
On one of his best throws of the contest, Tua drilled a 14-yard strike to Sherfield to convert a 3rd & 13. Three players later, he found Waddle for 13 on 3rd & 6, then hit Hill for 18. A flag and a couple of penalties led to a 3rd & 15 that the 'Fins couldn't convert for a change, forcing a 45-yard Sanders field goal that brought Miami back to within a touchdown, 24-17.
The Lions faked a punt on 4th & 2, gaining 13 yards to sustain their possession. Short passes kept Detroit moving, and the Dolphins faded an end zone pass that Josh Reynolds should have caught for a score. Instead, the home team settled for a 26-yard field goal to push the lead to 27-17 headed into halftime.
Miami started the second half in high style, with Tua hitting Gesicki for 20, then Hill for 17 on another RPO. A 13-yard run by Mostert was followed three plays later by an 11-yard strike to Sherfield on 3rd & 6. Sherfield was clearly in for a touchdown, but was ruled short, with McDaniel choosing not to challenge for unexplained reasons. Ingold went in motion, took the snap, and plunged across for a score that trimmed the margin to 27-24.
A series of penalties and a Sieler swatted pace created a 3rd & 27 and a Lions punt.
Tua rolled out and found Waddle for 16 yards on a great catch to get things going for the 'Fins. The quarterback then kept it on a 3rd & 6 scramble, getting a downfield block from Ingold for an 18-yard burst. On a 3rd & 3, Tua used great protection to make a great read and find G-Sick in the end zone for an 11-yard score and a 31-27 advantage.
Detroit got an initial first down on its next possession to start the fourth quarter, but Sieler made a big sack on 3rd & 9 to force another Lions punt.
Following a Jones block, Mostert started the next drive with a 12-yard run, then Tua hit Waddle for 18 on 2nd & 12. A 3rd & 8 incompletion featured a declined illegal shift, forcing the first Dolphins punt of the game.
The Lions used more short passes to move the ball into Miami territory, then the Dolphins caught a break when St. Brown had a key drop on a 2nd & 12 pass that looked like it might be a significant gain. On 3rd & 12, Hockenson broke a couple of tackles to get 11 yards and set up a 4th & 1. With all day to throw, Goff lofted a deep ball over Kohou to an open Reynolds, who spun the wrong way and couldn't come up with a ball that probably should have been caught.
Taking over on downs, Miami got an initial first down on back-to-back Mostert runs. On a dangerous throw to Hill, Detroit tipped the pass, but Hill still came down with it for a 19-yard gain. Three plays later, Tua again found Hill for exactly eight yards on 3rd & 8. Three straight Tua kneeldowns ran out the clock, cementing an impressive closeout drive that saw the Dolphins milk the final three minutes of the contest to secure the victory.