The Miami Dolphins earned perhaps their most complete victory of the 2022 season on Sunday when they dominated the Cleveland Browns 39-17.
In a game that had the most people in Hard Rock Stadium since the building was modernized and refurbished in 2015, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was nearly flawless, while being serenaded with MVP chants.
Tagovailoa started and completed his seventh game of the season, and improved to 7-0 in those contests.
On Sunday, he completed 25 of his 32 for 285 yards and three touchdowns for a 135.0 passer rating. He’s now on a three-game streak unseen in the NFL since 1999.
Tagovailoa has a trio of consecutive games in which he threw for at least 275 yards, three touchdowns, with zero interceptions and a passer rating of 135+. Kurt Warner accomplished this in his MVP year – the year he won the Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams.
Not only was Miami’s quarterback not sacked at all, but the Dolphins also didn’t need to call on punter Thomas Morstead once to punt on Sunday. Both Morstead and Tagovailoa had clean jerseys, which was even noticed by Miami personnel post-game.
“I had a clean pocket,” Tagovailoa said after the game. “When I took my shoulder pads off, Anne made a comment. She said, ‘Wow, your jersey is so clean.’ Well, it’s because of our guys up front.”
As for Tagovailoa’s thoughts on the atmosphere, the white towels waving, as well as the tickets distributed being the most since 2015 at Hard Rock he said, “It just shows you the belief that our fans have in our team and kind of the resurrection of the organization for us.”
The Dolphins are now heading into a bye week, sitting atop the AFC East in first place following a Buffalo Bills meltdown against the Minnesota Vikings in overtime in Week 10.
Miami will get much-needed rest, then they’re back at home at Hard Rock for a Week 12 game against the Houston Texans.
Then the playoff push will get serious with a three-game road stretch, two out west against the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers, followed by a massively important game in Buffalo.
More news and notes from Miami’s win.
Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr ran wild
Wilson made his Miami home debut and scored his second touchdown in as many weeks as a Dolphin. He led the way on Sunday, rushing 17 times for 119 yards and that score. Wilson averaged 7.0 yards per carry, and his backfield mate, Mostert, added 65 yards and a score of his own on eight attempts.
Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins sang the praises of Wilson when speaking with Miami media post-game.
“It’s fun to watch him rush. I don’t know who pisses him off before every game, but damn,” Wilkins said.
This was the fifth 100-yard rushing game of Wilson’s career and his third-most rushing yards in a game in his five NFL seasons.
Tua Tagovailoa putting up MVP numbers
The three highest-rated games of Tagovailoa’s career have all come in the last three weeks. His passer rating was 138.7 in Week 8 at Detroit, 135.7 in Week 9 at Chicago and 135.0 against the Browns.
His passer rating this season is 118.4, which is the best in the NFL by at least 10 points. If the season ended today, this would be the third-highest single-season passer rating in the past decade. Aaron Rodgers had a passer rating of 121.5 in 2020 and Nick Foles 119.2 in 2013.
Tagovailoa hasn’t thrown an interception in his past 138 pass attempts, which is the fourth-longest streak in team history. He hasn’t thrown an interception in his last five home starts.
On third downs on Sunday against the Browns, Tagovailoa completed all seven of his attempts for 80 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for a 153.9 rating. He has a 150+ passer rating on third down in each of the past three games, and his 149.8 third-down passer rating this season is the best in the NFL since at least 1991 when the league began tracking stats by down.
Dolphins defense gets to Jacoby Brissett
Miami’s defense recorded three sacks and 14 quarterback hits against the former Dolphins’ backup and spot starter. New addition Bradley Chubb played his first home game as a Dolphin and recorded a half sack, as well as three quarterback hits.
Another recently added Dolphin, in offseason signing Melvin Ingram, recorded two half sacks and got to Brissett on a hit three times as well. Jaelan Phillips added a pair of hits on Brissett and got a half-sack of his own.
Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler are a potent pair on the line
Wilkins is solidifying himself as a premier interior defensive lineman in the league, and he got a pair of half sacks on Sunday against the Browns as well as three quarterback hits. He’s also among the league leaders this season in tackles for a defensive lineman (50).
Zach Sieler was able to force a fumble on Nick Chubb, which was his first lost fumble this season, and his first in nearly a year. Sieler’s forced fumble was the third of his career, and Xavien Howard’s recovery was the fourth of his.
Kader Kohou continues a terrific rookie season.
The undrafted rookie free agent, thrust into a starting role due to injuries, has been outstanding. He totaled three passes defended against the Browns – the most by an undrafted rookie in an NFL game since fellow Dolphins cornerback Nik Needham.
