The Miami Dolphins beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday 20-13, as the Dolphins defense shut out the Raiders in the second half.
While Vic Fangio’s unit continued to shine after their game against the Kansas City Chiefs before the bye week, the offense struggled and only managed six points in the second half against the Raiders.
Miami is now 7-3 and is headed to MetLife to play the New York Jets next.
But, before the quick turnaround, we took time to grade every position group from the Dolphins’ win, from quarterback to special teams.
Quarterbacks: B+
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was nearly perfect in the first half, as he led the offense to two touchdowns with 325 yards passing. However, he threw an interception and lost a fumble on a third-down scramble.
Tagovailoa’s biggest play came on a pass that he connected with his favorite wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, for a 38-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Running Backs: B-
The Dolphins had trouble finding success on the ground throughout this game.
Raheem Mostert rushed 22 times for 86 yards, and unfortunately, De’Von Achane got injured after just two touches in the first half.
Salvon Ahmed provided a spark in his absence, recording three catches for 25 yards and a touchdown.
Fullback Alec Ingold also brought in three catches for 16 yards.
Wide Receivers: A-
Tyreek Hill returned from the bye with 10 catches on 11 targets for 146 yards and a touchdown. He also went to the locker room during the first half due to a wrist injury, but he was able to return.
Jaylen Waddle did most of his work during the drive when Hill was injured, as he finished with four catches for 55 yards.
Robbie Chosen had two catches for 39 yards, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. had three for 23 yards.
Tight Ends: Incomplete
Julian Hill was the only tight end to record a catch, which went for 10 yards. However, he also fumbled on that lone attempt.
Offensive Line: B+
The offensive line had a hard time giving the Dolphins a positive rushing game, as they averaged 3.5 yards per carry on 28 total rush attempts.
The group up front had a solid day in pass protection, especially considering they played against star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. On the day, they only gave up one sack for a loss of two yards.
Defensive Line: A-
The defensive line excelled in the run game, as the group made their presence felt early with the Raiders averaging just 2.8 yards per carry throughout the day.
Jaelan Phillips led the pass rush, recording both of Miami’s sacks on the day. He also recorded his first career interception.
Christian Wilkins had a tackle for loss while Zach Sieler and Raekwon Davis were relatively quiet.
Linebackers: A-
The linebackers helped the Dolphins’ defense shut out the Raiders in the second half.
Jerome Baker was tied for the team lead with seven tackles.
Bradley Chubb was around the action all day and finished with five total tackles while David Long Jr. had four tackles.
Andrew Van Ginkel had five tackles and two passes defended.
Cornerbacks: A+
Jalen Ramsey was the best player on the field for the Dolphins on Sunday, as he recorded two massive interceptions to ensure the Dolphins got the win.
Xavien Howard had several key tackles on Davante Adams including one for a loss. In total, he logged seven tackles and a pass defensed.
The group had one coverage breakdown when Adams got past the secondary for a deep touchdown.
Kader Kohou also flashed in spots with a big pass breakup.
Safeties: B+
Jevon Holland had a solid day, as he was able to make important tackles in space, including one for a loss.
DeShon Elliott only recorded one tackle on the day.
The safety group was not the most impressive unit on the defense, but they helped limit big plays.
Special Teams: C+
Punter Jake Bailey is having an underwhelming season. He had three punts for 143 yards, landing two inside the 20-yard line on Sunday. He also had one brutal shank to give the Raiders good field position.
Kicker Jason Sanders went two for three in field goals, as he missed a field goal from beyond 50 yards. However, he made up for it by making his next two attempts.
