Dolphins @ Commanders
Final Score: Dolphins 45, Commanders 15
Writer: Mike Miklius (@SIRL0INofBEEF on X/Twitter)
The Miami Dolphins are known for beating up on bad teams while struggling against good ones. The Washington Commanders are known for being a bad team. This one went exactly how you’d expect. Miami started quickly with a 78-yard Tyreek Hill touchdown. After a Washington punt, Miami added a field goal. Washington responded with a Sam-Howell pick-six and it was 17-0 by the end of the first quarter. Washington went on a nice, long drive ending with a Sam Howell end zone plunge to make it 17-7. Tua Tagovailoa found Tyreek Hill again for a 60-yard score and Miami went on one more drive before halftime making it 31-7 at the break.
In the first half, I saw Miami moving the ball well, as they found a few things in coverage to take advantage of. Washington ran well enough, and Sam Howell exhibited up-and-down play, flashing at times but making dumb mistakes at others. The second half saw Miami trying to grind the clock, happy to score more if opportunities presented themselves. They did. It was 45-15 at the end, and this one was never in doubt. Here’s what I saw.
Four Up
- Tua Tagovailoa – Did a good job of managing the pocket, avoiding the rush, and keeping his eyes downfield.
- Tyreek Hill – Notched two 60+ scores; Tyreek Hill wears the crown as the best wide receiver in football.
Two Down
- Sam Howell – Made some nice throws, but the interception was bad and he looked like he was constantly on the run.
- Terry McLaurin – Saw three targets, but converted none into catches; Terry McLaurin was a no-show today.
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa: 18/24, 280 yards, 2 TD
Tua Tagovailoa played well today and was pulled before the game ended due to the runaway score. He was accurate early, clearly focusing on Tyreek Hill in the deep game. Tua also impressively dealt with the rush. One throw that stood out in particular was a pass to Jaylen Waddle before halftime. Tua side-stepped a pass rusher but stayed confident and hit his mark. Tua also showed great anticipation; I noticed a few passes were released before his man was open. He looked confident throwing and trusting both his weapons and the system. I did see a couple of off-target passes, but overall I was impressed by Tua today.
Running Back
De’Von Achane: 17 carries, 73 yards, 2 TD | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 30 yards
De’Von Achane saw a small handful of carries in the first half, and aside from one play where he was blown up, ran well. He came alive in the second half, grabbing a 21-yard reception and notching a short touchdown run. On the catch, Achane spun free from the first tackle and gained 21 yards. Achane looked better as the game went on and did a lot of his damage late when things were well in hand and Miami just wanted to run out the clock; the second score came with under two minutes to go. While Achane was efficient with his touches, he was outworked in the first half by Raheem Mostert. This is important to note, given how the final stats look.
Raheem Mostert: 11 carries, 43 yards, TD | 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards
Raheem Mostert looked pretty interchangeable with De’Von Achane today, and he ate well in the first half. Mostert gained positive yards on most of his carries but was blown up in the backfield a couple of times. He had a touchdown plunge of his own. I get the excitement around Achane, but at least in this contest, they looked similar. Since Mostert saw the early work and Achane was the primary beneficiary of an out-of-hand game script, I’d give the former the edge for the time being.
Jeff Wilson Jr: 4 carries, 11 yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Tyreek Hill: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 157 yards, 2 TD
I remember a time earlier this season when people called the wide receiver tandem of Hill and Waddle a “1A and 1B” situation, but that never felt quite right to me. Tyreek Hill is a true game-changer and someone who forces defenses to change their entire game plans. The “Cheetah” wrecks games with his speed and prowess in the open field. On his first touchdown, Hill lined up in the slot, made a quick move, and cut outside towards open space. There was no safety on that side, so he ran free for 78 yards. On Hill’s second score, he again outran the defense and made a wide-open grab for 60 yards. Hill is the type of player you just have to see to believe; he’s a rare talent at wide receiver.
Jaylen Waddle: 8 targets, 5 receptions, 52 yards
Jaylen Waddle was a mixed bag today. He started well, catching a ball on the first drive and then two more on the next. The third drive saw Tua target Waddle while scrambling; he had him with lots of space in the middle of the field. Unfortunately, Waddle dropped it. Tua looked deep to Waddle on the next drive, but there the coverage was excellent and they couldn’t connect. After that, I saw Waddle draw a flag, and make a nice catch for 15 yards, and that was about it. Waddle is the clear WR2, well behind Hill in the pecking order here.
Julian Hill: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 23 yards
River Cracraft: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 16 yards
Alec Ingold: 1 target, 1 reception, -3 yards
Washington Commanders
Quarterback
Sam Howell: 12/23, 127 yards, INT, 3 sacks | 4 carries, 21 yards, 2 TD
Sam Howell is an interesting quarterback: his backers think he is destined for greatness, but his detractors see a mess. I am somewhere in the middle. Howell showed some bad, the early interception was a terrible decision. He also threw a pass in the second half to a pile of players that looked like another pick; it fell harmlessly. I also saw a lot of good from Howell today. On the first drive, he rifled a tight window throw to Jahan Dotson. On the second, Howell was dead to rights but he escaped and turned a busted play into two yards and almost broke free from another sack on third down. I am impressed with Howell’s ability to keep plays alive and stay on his feet. He has a terrible line in front of him and, all things considered, there was definitely some good to build on here.
Running Back
Brian Robinson Jr: 7 carries, 53 yards
Brian Robinson was the clear lead dog early, dominating the touches when things were still close. Robinson runs hard but lacks the explosiveness I love to see in a lead-back. Still, he had a great series today. On one first-half drive, Robinson broke runs of eight, seven, and finally 29. On the 29-yard run, Robinson ran outside to the right, showed good patience, and then cut decisively to the sideline for the long gain. Robinson left the game at halftime with a hamstring injury, but I never saw when the injury happened during the game. It was enough to keep him out, so monitor this carefully moving forward.
Antonio Gibson: 10 carries, 35 yards, fumble | 5 targets, 4 receptions, 37 yards
I counted two touches for Antonio Gibson in the first half before he took over for Robinson in the second half against a Miami defense that was just looking to keep the clock moving. Gibson is the better pass catcher here but also unsurprisingly fumbled. Gibson’s best catch came early in the second half: Sam Howell was scrambling and found Gibson down the sideline for a 32-yard gain. Gibson high-pointed the ball and showed the receiving ability that has always enticed fantasy managers.
Chris Rodriguez: 7 carries, 29 yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Curtis Samuel: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 65 yards
Curtis Samuel was Washington’s most impactful receiver today, making two long catches. His first came on a wheel route out of the backfield. Samuel beat his defender and made a clean grab down the sideline for 33 yards. His next grab was a 25-yard catch on a scramble play. Samuel did a good job of finding space and made himself a dependable target, ending the day as the Commanders’ leading receiver.
Jahan Dotson: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 23 yards
Jahan Dotson dropped one pass but made a pair of tough catches for 23 yards. Those who started Dotson as a FLEX option with a half-dozen NFL teams on bye are undoubtedly pining for a mulligan.
Cole Turner: 1 target, 1 reception, 2 yards
Cole Turner caught the last pass of the game for Washington.
Logan Thomas: 1 target
Logan Thomas was a streaming option for many at the tight end position. Given that Thomas has been an integral part of the Washington offense this season, it’ was hard to foresee that lineup decision backfiring.
Terry McLaurin: 3 targets
This was an absolutely disappointing performance for a player who was drafted by many fantasy managers as an every-week starter. So many teams are jockeying for a playoff berth in their fantasy football leagues, making Week 13 a terrible time for a key player to lay an egg. McLaurin did draw a deep target, but it was broken up by solid coverage.
John Bates: 1 target
Dyami Brown: 1 target