The Dolphins improved to 4-6 after defeating the 2-7 Raiders at home, 34-19, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. Here are my five main takeaways from Sunday’s contest:

  • Miami’s Offense has evolved

Under Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins’ offense has reached heights not seen since the Dan Marino era, with plenty of flash and big plays. Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill consistently deliver explosive chunk plays, making Miami a big-play threat that opposing defenses struggled to contain.

However, in year three of this offense, defenses have started to counter. They’re lining up in Cover 2 a majority of the time, which has taken away Tua’s primary strength — throwing over the middle with anticipatory passes. Instead, defenses are forcing him to throw to the outside or check down, areas where he has previously struggled. This is where Miami’s offense has shown evolution. Despite the run game taking a step back in the past two weeks, Tua has adapted by taking what the defense gives him, resulting in the offense not having to punt once in the last six quarters. Tua’s recent improvement in creating plays out of structure has also allowed Miami to generate explosive plays even when the defense is well-prepared for their play calls. The big plays are no longer coming at the rate they used to, but they’ve been successful in driving the ball down the field through meticulous, lengthy drives.

 

  • Defensive struggles

Despite allowing only 19 points against the Raiders, the Dolphins defense forced just one punt and one takeaway, consistently struggling to get off the field in key situations. Brock Bowers had his best game as a pro, and Miami’s defense seemed to have no answers for him. It wasn’t an encouraging game for defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who failed to adjust to the Las Vegas offense — a unit that hasn’t been particularly strong this season.

Blitzing Jalen Ramsey has become a weapon this year, given his versatility as a gifted all-around player. However, relying on your best cover corner as a frequent Blitzer may not have been the best strategy, especially with the absence of #2 cornerback Kendall Fuller. Fortunately, the Raiders’ mistakes allowed Miami to pull away late, but the defensive issues are a significant reason why the game stayed close well into the second half and something that will need to improve if Miami plans on turning the season around.

Miami’s first-round pick, Chop Robinson, has experienced an up-and-down rookie season, as expected from any newcomer. With Jaelan Phillips injured and Bradley Chubb not yet back from last season’s injury, Robinson has been thrust into action. While he has struggled against the run, his pass-rushing skills have developed quickly. He recorded sacks in back-to-back games before this one, and despite not getting a sack this week, he may have delivered his best performance yet. According to Seth Walder of ESPN Analytics, Robinson posted a 50% pass rush win rate, an elite figure (for comparison, Myles Garrett is at 26% for the season). If this trend continues, Miami might have a high-end pass-rushing weapon who could reach double-digit sacks in his sophomore season.

The Dolphins’ first offseason acquisition was tight end, Jonnu Smith, even before free agency officially began. It was clear that Mike McDaniel had a specific role in mind for the veteran, and now we see how integral Smith has become to Miami’s offense. He has already surpassed Jaylen Waddle in receiving yards this season and is just 135 yards away from setting a new career high.

Last season, Miami struggled when teams focused on Hill and Waddle, lacking a reliable third option to capitalize on the extra attention they drew. Although the Dolphins brought in Odell Beckham Jr. to potentially fill that role, it’s now clear that Smith has taken on the mantle. He’s a weapon after the catch and is on track to provide Miami’s best season at the tight end position since Charles Clay (Mike Gesicki doesn’t count since he primarily played as a slot receiver in Miami).

Earlier this season, even during a three-game losing streak, the Dolphins showed positive signs by consistently running the ball effectively. Now, they’ve lost Austin Jackson for the season, and Alec Ingold has missed the past two games. As a result, Miami has averaged just 3.1 yards per carry over the last two games, a figure that would rank last in the league.

While Kendall Lamm is a solid backup option at tackle, he doesn’t bring the same level of run blocking as Jackson, meaning Miami’s run game won’t be at full strength for the remainder of the season. Hopefully Ingold returns this week and is able to provide a much-needed boost in the ground game.

 

All-22 Takeaways From Miami Dolphins Week 11 Win vs. Raiders