The Miami Dolphins leave Detroit with a 31-27 victory over the Lions and get to 5-3. While the game started out with the Dolphins down 14-0, the offense and defense made the necessary adjustments.
Credit to Mike McDaniel and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer, who must’ve had productive halftime speeches, as the defense didn’t give up a single point in the second half and allowed a mere 67 total yards of Lions offense.
Offensively, Tua Tagovailoa had the highest-rated passing game of his career (138.7 passer rating). Additionally, Tagovailoa now has at least a 90 passer rating in each of the five games that he’s started and finished this season.
This is tied for their best eight-game start in the past decade, as Miami started the 2014 and 2020 seasons 5-3 as well. McDaniel’s start is the second-best by a new coach in team history. Only Dave Wannstedt, who started his tenure in 2000 at 6-2, had a better record after eight games.
Here are a few stats, news and notes from the Dolphins’ Week 8 victory:
Tua Tagovailoa shines
- Tagovailoa is 5-0 when starting and finishing a game this season. This week, he ended the game with a pair of throws to ice it, completing 29 of his 36 attempts for 382 yards and three touchdowns. He easily could have had four touchdowns, as Trent Sherfield was arguably robbed of a score, as his reach to the goal line following a catch-and-run was deemed inches short.
- In seven games gainst the NFC in his career, Tagovailoa is 6-1 with 1,686 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and a 111.6 passer rating.
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle solidify their spot as NFL's top receiving duo
- Waddle scored a pair of touchdowns for the third time in his career and gained more than 100 yards for the fifth time.
- He averaged 9.8 yards per catch as a rookie last season and despite a number of games without Tagovailoa. So far this season, with or without the starting quarterback, Waddle is averaging 17.3 yards per reception. He leads the league in that category among those with 20 or more receptions.
- Hill and Waddle were targeted 23 times by Tagovailoa. They finished with 20 combined receptions and 294 yards. Hill gained 15.7 yards per catch and Waddle gained 13.3.
- Waddle has five touchdown receptions this season, which is the most by a Dolphins player in the team’s first eight games since 2014 when Mike Wallace accomplished the same feat.
- Hill and Waddle’s 1,688 combined receiving yards are more than 10 different NFL teams from all of their players combined this year.
Jevon Holland continues to rise to elite status
- Holland had 12 tackles, an exquisite pass defended and a few ferocious hits.
- This was his third straight game with at least five tackles
Miami continues their efficient ways
- The Dolphins were very solid on third down, converting eight of their 12 attempts (66.7%).
- Miami’s 292.5 passing yards per game this season is third-best in the NFL, and their 6.24 yards per play also ranks third.
- They’re averaging 8.01 passing yards per play, which is the second-highest in the league.
Comeback kids
- Sunday was the second time that the Dolphins have won a road game after trailing by 14 points or more this season, which is the first time Miami has done that since 1996.
Mike Gesicki scores again, among NFL leaders in tight end touchdowns
- The franchise-tagged tight end scored his fourth touchdown of the season and third in three weeks.
- Only two tight ends in the NFL have more touchdowns than Mike Gesicki this year so far – Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews. That’s the list.
- Gesicki gained 38 yards against the Lions, moving his career total to 2,490 receiving yards, which moves him into second place on the team’s all-time tight end yardage list, surpassing Bruce Hardy, who had 2,455 yards. The top spot is held by Randy McMichael. Gesicki needs 607 yards to surpass him.
Homecoming for Zach Sieler
- The Michigan native had an impressive homecoming. He received a team game ball following a sack, a tackle for loss, two passes defended and four total tackles.
