What We Saw: Week 12

The What We Saw team recaps everything you missed from Week 12

Ben Brown
What We Saw 2 Years Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Bills @ Lions
Giants @ Cowboys
Patriots @ Vikings
Broncos @ Panthers
Buccaneers @ Browns
Ravens @ Jaguars
Texans @ Dolphins
Bears @ Jets
Bengals @ Titans
Falcons @ Commanders
Chargers @ Cardinals
Raiders @ Seahawks
Rams @ Chiefs
Saints @ 49ers
Packers @ Eagles
Steelers @ Colts

Texans @ Dolphins 

Final Score: Dolphins 30, Texans 15

Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)

 

It was a comprehensive 30-15 victory for this impressive Miami Dolphins football team over the forgettable Houston Texans in Miami, a game which was over by the half. Stretching out to a 30-0 lead at the break, Mike McDaniel chose to take his foot off the gas and send in the backups early for the Fins. Lovie Smith will be staring down the media gun after choosing to bench Davis Mills in favor of Kyle Allen, who was nothing short of horrendous from the off.

This was an important win for the Dolphins, who saw the Bills and Jets win to make the AFC East the most competitive division going into the business end of the season. The only worry for the Fins was the health of star wideout Tyreek Hill, who left the game with cramping. It is highly likely that this was only precautionary, but still worth mentioning.

 

Houston Texans

 

Quarterback

 

Kyle Allen: 26/39, 215 Yards, TD, 2 INT, 5 Sacks | 4 Carries, 12 Yards

 

Do not let the stat line fool you, this was as bad as it gets in terms of a performance from a quarterback in the NFL. Kyle Allen is nowhere near the level required to lead a team in professional football and it was apparent very early on. Allen had already failed to muster more that 18 yards on the first three drives, taking a big sack down 10 points before to whatever this throw was…

 

Yikes! Allen failed to recognize pressure all game and spent far too much time back-pedalling and holding onto the ball waiting for things to become clearer. The Dolphins defense had a fun day!

 

This sad throw late in the fourth quarter under pressure providing the final nail in the coffin for Allen, who is likely never to be seen again on the football field.

 

Running Back

 

Dare Ogunbowale: 4 Carries, 14 Yards, TD | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 6 Yards

Dameon Pierce: 5 Carries, 8 Yards | 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 8 Yards

Rex Burkhead: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 5 Yards

 

For the second straight week promising young running back Dameon Pierce drew a blank thanks to low volume and a negative game script early. Pierce saw only five carries and six targets out of the backfield, numbers you would have thought unthinkable just a couple of weeks ago. It is a tough break for the rookie but it is a glaring reminder of where his team is right now.

To make matters worse, the Texans came out in the second half with Dare Ogunbowale at running back, and it was he who got the opportunity to run the ball in from the goal line for a 3-yard score. He was also stopped short on the two-point conversion attempt. Grim fantasy times in Houston.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Jordan Akins: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 61 Yards, TD, 1 Fumble (Lost)

Brandin Cooks: 1 Carry, 2 Yards | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 59 Yards

Nico Collins: 9 Targets, 6 Receptions, 44 Yards

Teagan Quitoriano: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 20 Yards

Chris Moore: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 7 Yards

Phillip Dorsett: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 5 Yards

O.J. Howard: 2 Targets

 

It was a Jekyll and Hyde day for tight end Jordan Akins, who was once a promising fantasy tight end until…well, the Texans happened. Akins was responsible for coughing up a fumble prior to the half that allowed the Dolphins to essentially ice the game so early.

 

Give credit to the former UCF tight end, who kept popping up to make plays and ended up leading the team in yards. He made a statement with a determined catch-and-run in the fourth quarter to bring the Texans back to respectability.

 

Brandin Cooks made the Texans’ biggest play of the day, a 39-yard grab down the sideline off one of Allen’s rare decent throws of the day. Big plays like this have been few and far between for Cooks, however, who remains well off the fantasy radar despite being the best option in this offense.

 

It has been more style than substance for rookie Nico Collins, who once again showed off his impressive skillset to lead the Texans in targets. He could only average 7.3 yards per catch, however, and the quarterback play is heavily restricting his progression. Still, Collins has now out-targeted Cooks in three straight games, 26 to 18. That’s significant.

 

Miami Dolphins

 

Quarterback

 

Tua Tagovailoa: 22/36, 299 Yards, TD, 4 Sacks

Skylar Thompson: 1/5, 6 Yards, 1 Sack | 6 Carries, 5 Yards, 1 Fumble (Lost)

 

If Allen’s stat line is complimentary given the performance, then Tua Tagovailoa’s is criminally harsh given his. Tua was brilliant at all levels with the ball in this game before being pulled early with a huge lead. Consistently picking apart the Texans’ dreadful secondary, Tua was let down by a number of drops from his receivers – and uncharacteristic attribute from his wideouts so far this season. When he was called on to make something happen, he did. This excellent scramble to create the space to throw near the goal line giving his receivers the time to get open for the score. It is what he has done so well this season.

 

After a lacklustre start to the second half in which Tua lost star offensive lineman Terron Armstead, he was pulled after taking a number of sacks including a particularly nasty one that bent him over awkwardly. He was stated to be fine after the game and should remain a fantasy star in the run in.

 

Running Back

 

Jeff Wilson Jr.: 13 Carries, 39 Yards, TD | 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 13 Yards

Myles Gaskin: 6 Carries, 17 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards

Alec Ingold: 1 Target, 1 Reception

 

Jeff Wilson Jr. could be the best trade addition at the deadline this season. Reunited with McDaniel, Wilson has been brilliant since coming across from San Francisco for a mere fifth round pick. Wilson was once again the focal point of the run game in only his third game in a Dolphins uniform. He has led the backfield in each game, and scored his second touchdown in as many games with a nice run from the 3-yard line.

 

Wilson left the game briefly with a sore calf in the second half which allowed Myles Gaskin to lead a couple of drives. But Wilson returned in the fourth quarter and should be good to go next week. He’s a nice fantasy value right now in flex positions.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Tyreek Hill: 1 Carry, 5 Yards | 9 Targets, 6 Receptions, 85 Yards

Jaylen Waddle: 10 Targets, 5 Receptions, 85 Yards

River Cracraft: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 55 Yards

Trent Sherfield: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 33 Yards

Cedrick Wilson Jr.: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 26 Yards

Durham Smythe: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards, TD

Mike Gesicki: 1 Target

 

After a couple of disappointing drops in the first half that cost his team a couple of touchdowns in truth, Jaylen Waddle made a terrific contested catch on this scoring drive in the second quarter. His 10 targets led the team and it was his second-most on the season. It is all there for Waddle to put together to propel himself into the elite tier down the stretch.

 

It was an underwhelming day for Tyreek Hill against a Texans secondary who have given up the most fantasy points to receivers this season. Hill was restricted by the Texans playing zone coverage so the deep ball was effectively taken away from him. His longest grab was on a slant that he managed to run for extra yards. He left the game with just six catches for 85 yards and no touchdowns. Not what fantasy managers had hoped for.

Mike Gesicki‘s one target was an abomination for fantasy managers looking for some tight end help. Gesicki’s boom-or-bust season contiunes. Backup Durham Smythe, who spends most of his time blocking, was the lucky touchdown vulture.

Series Navigation
Introduction
Bills @ Lions
Giants @ Cowboys
Patriots @ Vikings
Broncos @ Panthers
Buccaneers @ Browns
Ravens @ Jaguars
Texans @ Dolphins
Bears @ Jets
Bengals @ Titans
Falcons @ Commanders
Chargers @ Cardinals
Raiders @ Seahawks
Rams @ Chiefs
Saints @ 49ers
Packers @ Eagles
Steelers @ Colts

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