Day 1,300, Quasi-Quarantine: Dolphins-Broncos Game 3 Review

Every once in a while you get treated to a historic game in your team's favor. Not that often when you're a fan of the Miami Dolphins, but hey, the third week of the NFL campaign cooperated. The 'Fins scored the most points in a league game since 1966 (Miami's first year as a franchise) and put up 726 yards, the most by an NFL team in 72 years. In all the squad set 13 team and individual records.

I'm not even going to complain about the six penalties Miami committed. And I'm just going to assume every player received a perfect grade from Pro Football Focus in this one.

On to the is-this-real recap ...

Offense

• The Dolphins averaged a ridiculous 10.2 yards per play, scored touchdowns on all six red-zone visits, had four plays of 50+ yards, averaged 8.1 yards per carry on the way to 350 yards and five scores on the ground, and didn't commit a turnover. It's simply difficult to play offensive football much better than Miami did on this day. Sure, the unit only converted five of nine third-down attempts and went one of three on fourth-down conversions. Let's work on that.
• Tua Tagovailoa connected on 23 of 26 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns without a sack or turnover in 58 snaps, earning an 87.8 PFF grade. Mike White even saw action, hitting on both of his passes for 67 yards and a score in 15 snaps.
• De'Von Achane stole the show at running back, tallying 233 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in just 30 snaps. He carried 18 times for 203 yards and two scores with a long of 67 and caught all four targets for 30 yards and two more touchdowns for a 94.4 PFF grade. Raheem Mostert was tremendously effective as well, rushing 13 times for 82 yards and three touchdowns and reeling in all seven targets for 60 yards and another score for a 92.7 overall grade in 37 snaps. Undrafted rookie free agent Chris Brooks saw his first action, uncorking a 52-yard run as part of a nine-carry, 66-yard performance in 13 snaps. Alec Ingold didn't gain a single yard on two ill-advised carries in his 25 snaps, though he did contribute to a dominant rushing effort with strong blocking.
• At wideout, the embarrassment of riches continued, with Tyreek Hill earning a 95.0 PFF grade (highest offensive rating in the league) on the strength of nine grabs for 157 yards and a score with a long of 54 on 11 targets in 39 snaps.  With Jaylen Waddle out injured, Braxton Berrios got 37 snaps, catching two passes for 33 yards. River Cracraft had a 13-yard catch in his 25 snaps, but appeared to hurt his shoulder on the play. Cedrick Wilson somehow was shut out in his 34 snaps in a scorefest, but Robbie Chosen led the way in snaps (42) and reeled in his lone target for a 68-yard touchdown. To score 70 points without Waddle says a lot about the depth of the Miami receiving corps, and it is always good to have the luxury to give reps to players who don't normally see a lot of action.
• It was a quiet day at tight end, with Durham Smythe contributing a 15-yard grab in his 26 snaps. Undrafted rookie Julian Hill got 57 snaps, but looked overwhelmed generally, failing to catch his lone target.
• On the offensive line, the team put together an 89.0 pass-blocking grade from PFF, led by Terron Armstead not allowing a pressure in 26 pass-blocking reps among his 56 snaps. Isaiah Wynn and Austin Jackson played 73 snaps, while Robert Hunt contributed 61 and Connor Williams added 43, though he did get whistled for two holding calls. The Dolphins got a great opportunity to get reps for reserve offensive linemen, with Liam Eichenberg (30 snaps and one illegal peelback penalty), Kendall Lamm (17), and Lester Cotton (12) all seeing time.

Defense

• With an absence of game pressure, Miami limited Denver to 16 first downs, forced three turnovers, and stopped the Broncos on nine of 12 third downs as well as a fourth-down try. Scapegoat quarterback Russell Wilson actually played very well, but the visitors scored touchdowns on only one of four red-zone trips.
• The 'Fins were able to give stalwarts Christian Wilkins (three tackles and a pass breakup in 33 snaps) and Zach Sieler (an assisted tackle and a quarterback hit in 36 snaps) a bit of a break, rotating in other players at a higher rate due to the score. Da'Shawn Hand had an assisted tackle and a pass breakup in his 18 snaps, while Brandon Pili added two tackles in his 14 snaps. Raekwon Davis had a quarterback hit in 30 snaps.
• At outside linebacker, Bradley Chubb had a solo stop and a quarterback hit in 42 snaps, while Jaelan Phillips had an assisted tackle in 29 snaps. Emmanuel Ogbah was active in his 23 snaps, collecting three tackles, a sack, a stop for loss, a pass breakup, a quarterback hit, and an interception. Cameron Goode saw action on 14 snaps.
• Jerome Baker led inside linebackers with 46 snaps, notching three tackles and two quarterback hits, while David Long tallied eight tackles, including five solo stops, in his 36 snaps. In 30 snaps playing inside and outside 'backer, Andrew Van Ginkel totaled three tackles, two solos, a stop for loss, a quarterback hit, and a fumble recovery. Reserves Duke Riley (two solo stops in 16 snaps) and Channing Tindall (two assisted tackles in nine snaps) also saw rare action from scrimmage.
• At cornerback, Justin Bethel led the entire defense in snaps with 51, recording three solo tackles and two stops for losses while taking over slot duties from Eli Apple (four snaps). Xavien Howard registered three solos and a quarterback hit in 47 snaps, while Kader Kohou had three tackles, two pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 46 snaps primarily on the boundary. Parry Nickerson picked up an illegal contact flag in his 19 snaps and Kelvin Joseph had a solo stop in his 15 snaps as Miami welcomed reserve action at a position that has been hit hard by injury.
• Starting safeties Jevon Holland and DeShon Elliott played 46 snaps each, with Holland earning the highest defensive grade in the NFL (96.5) after notching eight tackles, seven solo stops, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble. Elliott added five tackles, three solo stops, and two pass breakups. In 16 snaps each, Brandon Jones collected three tackles and Elijah Campbell had an assisted tackle. 

Special teams

• Jason Sanders did not try a field goal, but he set an NFL record by hitting all 10 of his extra-point attempts.
• Jake Bailey punted once for 48 yards.
• Braxton Berrios had three punt returns for 30 yards, with a long of 15. In a rare lowlight, the 'Fins did surrender a 99-yard kickoff return for a score by Marvin Mims, Jr. 
• Among offensive players, Brooks led the way with 18 special-teams plays. Riley and Joseph paced defensive players with 26 snaps, with Bethel adding 23 reps in the third phase. Tindall was whistled for holding on a return.

Momentum plays

• All of them.
• None of them.

2023 Schedule

Miami 36, Los Angeles 34 (1-0)

Miami 24, New England 17 (2-0)

Miami 70, Denver 20 (3-0)