ATLANTA — The Miami Dolphins’ stunning, complete, well-rounded effort in a 34-10 win against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, at a time when the team appeared to be at its lowest, was what observers expected when they believed this team could compete for a playoff spot in the AFC.
Of course, starting the season in a 1-6 hole, we should pump the brakes on immediately thinking the Dolphins are now bound for a playoff push at 2-6.
Miami has a big challenge ahead of it on a short week, hosting the similarly hungry Baltimore Ravens (2-5), who are primed for their own midseason turnaround with star quarterback and two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson expected to make his return in prime time Thursday night.
But things the Dolphins took from Sunday’s win can lead them to success in the second half.
They committed to running the football offensively and stopped the run defensively. They didn’t turn the ball over and, instead, got a vintage performance from swollen-eye quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, more like what was seen in 2022 and 2023, with four touchdown passes.
More than anything, amid the constant heat on coach Mike McDaniel over his job security, Sunday’s outcome at Mercedes-Benz Stadium proved he hasn’t lost his locker room. Players could’ve been checked out, but they were energetic, celebrating with one another and showing they still had fight in them after that 31-6 beatdown against the Browns seven days earlier.
“We looked at it like there’s still a lot of ball left,” defensive tackle Benito Jones said Monday in a web conference with reporters. “We believe in the process, for sure. Wins and losses, they happen — we always want to win; that’s why we turn the work in every day, to try to get better.”
Added right tackle Larry Borom: “This is what we can be. Everyone’s excited.”
Miami, entering Sunday with the NFL’s worst run defense, stopped the potent ground game of the Falcons, holding standout running back Bijan Robinson to 25 rushing yards.
With Jakson highly capable with his legs and powerful running back Derrick Henry coming to town, Baltimore presents a new challenge.
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“They’re both great players,” Jones said. “They want to start their run game first, then venture out to passing. If we stop Derrick Henry and limit him to x amount of yards, then I think we can do the same thing.”
It’ll take a similar pack mentality of having multiple defenders swarm to bring down the 252-pound Henry.
“We were all together,” Jones said. “To me, that was probably one of the best defensive games we played fully to stop the run, and it showed.”
The Miami run game, while averaging 3.8 yards per carry, set a tone of physicality with how often McDaniel went to it — 37 attempts to 27 pass attempts — and allowed Tagovailoa to be efficient with his passing opportunities.
The ground game also got a boost from packages with six offensive linemen. Reserve blocker Daniel Brunskill started as a tight end and ended up playing 22 snaps Sunday.
Brunskill said he received a text from Dolphins offensive line coach Butch Barry on Tuesday night that it was possible and the coaches had 15 plays or so in that package. By the following morning, before they began the practice week, the staff had another 15 ready for him.
He was in there to block, though. He wasn’t bound to have the ball thrown to him as a tight end.
“I think the consensus was, ‘you’re not going out for any routes,’” he said, laughing. “You never know, I guess, but yeah, it was just a chance to get on the field, get some play in.
“With the tight end injuries we had and it just kind of being one of those things, they just decided to go with it, and it worked out, had a lot of fun.”
Said Borom: “It’s always good having another big body out there. We always know what Dan’s going to bring to the table. He’s a true professional.”
In order for the Dolphins to keep the momentum going, as much of a cliche as it may be, they simply want to focus on the next task.
“It’s as repeatable as all parties involved (allow it to be),” said McDaniel, noting the Dolphins just need to focus on each week’s opponent. “If we start thinking about the big picture, you start losing control of what that big picture is.”
Added Borom: “Just about being 1-0 this week. That’s really all it’s about, taking it one week at a time. … This is a week we need to just be able to carry everything from (Sunday) and just get it rolling.”
