While this award normally goes to a single Dolphins player, the performances of both Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright stood out enough to deserve the honor.
Miami suffered a huge blow to their offense when De’Von Achane was ruled out with a concussion late in the first quarter. With Jeff Wilson Jr also out of action due to injury, it was up to the veteran Mostert and rookie Wright to pick up the running game for a Dolphins offense that desperately needed it.
Mostert returned to the Dolphins lineup after missing the last three games with a chest injury. He didn’t look limited at all as he carried the ball 19 times in his return for 80 yards. He also caught two passes for 18 yards.
Wright carried the ball 13 times and totaled 86 yards (6.6 yards per carry). It was his first chance to earn double digit carries in his young NFL career, and he impressed with the opportunity. Wright produced runs of 12, 16, and 17 yards in this game (a 33-yard gain was negated by a penalty).
Mostert and Wright were key on the Dolphins only touchdown drive of the game. The long drive began at the Miami 20-yard line with exactly 12 minutes left. By the time Alec Ingold finished the drive off with his first touchdown of the season that put the Dolphins up 15-10, there was only 4:27 left in the game.
During the drive, a pass interference penalty on New England afforded the Dolphins a fresh set of downs and Miami took advantage by running the ball six straight plays for 49 yards with a combination of Mostert and Wright. That streak of rushing calls took the Dolphins from their own 48-yard line to New England’s 3. That’s when Ingold punched it in on the Dolphins’ seventh consecutive run.
Miami decisively won the time of possession battle, controlling the ball on offense almost 10 minutes longer than the Patriots. The Dolphins also ran 75 plays to the Patriots’ 55. Neither team’s passing attack was going to take over the game, so it was up to the ground games to control the momentum.
The Dolphins running game needed to get going if they wanted a chance of winning. Without their starting quarterback, the duo of Mostert and Wright got the job done Sunday.
