With Week 1 in the books and the Miami Dolphins having their first victory of the season it is time to grade the performance of the team this week and do our weekly DolphinsTalk.com Miami Dolphins Report Card
Quarterback: B+
When Tua Tagovailoa throws for 338 and has an 80-yard touchdown pass, he gets a high mark. Was it the best game Tua had ever played? NO. But it was an intelligent game and a very good game from Tua. No turnovers and he didn’t try to force anything and get himself into trouble, and he took what the defense gave him. His offensive line was poor for most of the day, and Tua still made enough plays to lead Miami to a win. And in the 4th quarter, Tua was clutch, leading Miami on two field goal drives to tie the game and win the game.
Running Backs: B
Raheem Mostert did not have a good day, with six carries for nine yards and two receptions for ten yards. But Jeff Wilson played well late, and DeVon Achane was outstanding for most of the day. Let’s start with Achane, who had seven receptions (tied for the team-high) for 76 yards. And he ran for a touchdown. Then there is Jeff Wilson, who led the team in rushing (only 26 yards, not impressive), but all of his work came in the second half, and he averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Wilson ran angry and was key in the 4th quarter in Miami winning the game.
Wide Receiver/TE: B+
The good was actually great. Tyreek Hill‘s 80-yard touchdown after the morning he had seven receptions for 130 yards. And Waddle with five receptions for 109. The bad is, well, everyone else. Durham Smythe had a few drops, Braxton Berrios had a rough day, and Jonnu Smith had one catch for seven yards and lined up offsides. But the good is so good that it makes this a B+ grade.
Offensive Line: D-
I probably should give them an “F” grade, but it’s week one, and I have a soft heart. It was bad, really bad. Robert Jones had two penalties, and Liam Eichenberg gave up a sack. Miami only had 81 rushing yards and averaged only 3.2 yards per carry. Tua was sacked three times. This offense wasn’t sharp today, and it’s mainly because this unit was really bad. Even on many other passing plays, Jacksonville was in the backfield, forcing Tua to throw it quicker than he wanted to. Frank Smith and Butch Barry have a lot of work to do here moving forward.
Defensive Line: B
Calais Campbell had a sack early in the game; D’Shawn Hand, I thought, also played really well. Zach Sieler is Zach Sieler and did his part. The first half was a little shakey for Miami’s run defense, but they didn’t allow Jacksonville to score in the second half, and a big part of that was the play of the defensive line.
Linebacker: B+
I don’t know how many snaps Jaelan Phillips played, but I was also happy to see him get that sack late in the game as a reward for the long journey he has been on to get back on the field. David Long was outstanding as well, leading the team with eight tackles and seven solo, and Emmanual Ogbah also had himself a day with a sack.
Secondary B+
I probably could give the entire secondary an “A” based on Jevon Holland‘s one play to force the fumble when Jacksonville was going in for the knockout punch to put the game away. That play was so big and so important; I can’t stress it enough. But overall, the secondary gets a “B+.” Ramsey looked less than 100% for sure and was beat on a few plays, and had a pass interference in the endzone to give Jacksonville a 1st and goal at the one-yard line.
Special Teams: B+
Yes, Jason Sanders missed a field goal, but he hit the two that mattered late in the game, and Jake Bailey was great. Jake Bailey landed three punts inside the 20, and he averaged 49.5 yards per punt.
Coaching: C
Not Mike McDaniel’s finest hour. Yes, they won, but there are still some head-scratching decisions. He went for it twice on 4th down in the first half with the ball essentially at midfield, but he failed to execute on both plays, one of which gave Jacksonville a touchdown. The playcalling was also odd at times, with a lot of screen passes and throws behind the line of scrimmage on critical and crucial plays.
Post Game Wrap Up Show: Dolphins Have Big Comeback Win in Opener
