Dolphins at Rams final score and immediate reactions

The Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams completed their Week 11 contest in a rainy Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The game started a little sloppy for Miami, who could not get a first down on their first two possessions. The offense did not seem to find a rhythm for most of the first half, likely, at least in part, because of the rain coming down through the half.

The second half devolved into more of the same, with neither team looking sharp. The rain did not help, and Miami losing Laremy Tunsil seriously hurt the offense’s rhythm. But, then something changed. Late in the game, the offensive line started blocking, and the offense found their rhythm.

Each week, during the Dolphins’ game, we keep a running log of thoughts and reactions during the game. At the end of the contest, we sum up the results with an Immediate Reactions section. Below, you will find everything broken into the final score, the first half, second half, and immediate reactions for the Dolphins at Rams.

Final Score

Dolphins 14 - Rams 10

First Half

• Rams get the ball first. Jared Goff getting on the field immediately.
• False start to open the game, and Goff will begin with 1st-and-15.
• Throw to no one on first down.
• Dolphins force 3-and-out as the pocket collapses up the middle and Goff rolls to his right, then throws the ball away. Good start defense.
• Nice play design for Miami on first down. Play action, faking the handoff to Jay Ajayi, Ryan Tannehill rolls left and has Dion Sims on the short drag route. Tight end picks up nine yards.
• Tannehill hits Jarvis Landry on a read-option pass for the first down. Offensive pass interference pulls back the play.
• Dolphins 3-and-out. All passes on that first possession. Interesting. Will they continue to be a pass-first team this week?
• Goff to Tavon Austin for three yards. Facemask on Kiko Alonso gives the Rams a free 15 yards and a first down.
• Goff gets rid of the ball immediately after the snap and Kenny Britt picks up 19 yards.
• Touchdown. Rams. 24 yards from Gurley. 7-0 LA.
• Ajayi just runs angry. Stiff arms his way to a four-yard gain.
• Dolphins respond with a 3-and-out. Landry comes up one-yard short on a slant rout.
• Jordan Phillips blows up the line of scrimmage and tackles Gurley for a three-yard loss.
• 3-and-out for the Rams.
• Nothing on first-down.
• 12-yards Tannehill to Parker. First down!
• J-Train! Jay Ajayi picks up 36 yards!
• And the Dolphins start going backwards. Penalty on Ja’Wuan James for holding.
• Ajayi loses one yard on screen pass.
• Landry loses four yards on screen pass.
• Dolphins take the delay of game on 4th-and-24 to give Matt Darr some more space.
• Perfectly covered punt. Darr rolls it to the 2-yard line, where two Dolphins are waiting to down the ball.
• Gurley loses one yard on first down. Now 2nd-and-11 from the Rams’ own 2-yard line.
• Gurley picks up 18 yards. Ouch.
• End of first quarter. Still 7-0 LA.
• 3rd-and-10, Rams pick up 9. Challenge the spot, but it looked short. Refs confirm and LA punting.
• Jarvis Landry pushed back and catches the punt at the 12-yard line. Dances but does not go anywhere.
• Ajayi picks up 2.
• Tannehill to Kenny Stills for 3 yards on the screen. Landry getting into it with a Rams defender. Miami is frustrated and it is starting to show up on the field.
• Sack.
• Dolphins punting (again). Chippy play continues, and offsetting penalties on the return.
• Gurley picks up three yards.
• Austin picks up one yard.
• Goff to Britt for 4 yards. Great play by Spencer Paysinger to immediately stack up the receiver and keep Britt from getting the first down.
• Rams punting (again).
• Ajayi getting going. Picks up 9 yards, then 11 yards.
• Tannehill to Parker for nine yards. Landry is quiet in the receiving portion of the game (blocking and getting under Rams’ skin, he’s winning), but Parker is starting to become a factor.
• Tannehill picks up 9 yards on the run. Did you know he used to be a receiver?
• Ajayi loses one yard.
• Incomplete.
• Tannehill crushed. Incomplete on 3rd down. Punt up coming.
• Darr does his thing and the ball will be at the 8-yard line.
• Goff with the pass to Higbee in the flat. Isa Abdul-Quddus there immediately to prevent any gain.
• Earl Mitchell stuffs the run and forces a 3rd-and-10.
• Cameron Wake collapses the offensive right, but Goff escapes to the left and completes for the first 3rd down conversion by either team today.
• SACK! Cameron Wake cleans up as Goff tries to scramble away from pressure. Wake fell down, got back up, and Goff ran right back into him. Suh gets half-sack for the play.
• Punt.
• Laremy Tunsil is headed to the locker room. Sam Young is in to replace him. The Miami offensive line is just being decimated right now.
• Tannehill to Sims for 7 yards.
• Sack. Robert Quinn runs right past Young in at left tackle, somehow manages to get a hand on Tannehill’s feet just as the quarterback tried to run out of the pocket.
• Ajayi for 8 yards. Miami now just trying to run out the clock.
• Ajayi for 1 yards.
• Darr punt.
• Rams kneel.
• Halftime.

Second Half

• Dolphins get the ball to start the second half. Offense has to find some rhythm and offensive line needs to come together quickly.
• Ajayi stuffed by Aaron Donald for -2 yards.
• Tannehill to MarQueis Gray for 5 yards.
• Tannehill deep to no one. Should have been picked off, but Stills makes a hit to break up the play. Not sure if the ball slipped in the rain, communication was off, or if Tannehill just threw a horrible pass.
• Punt (again).
• Goff finds Kendricks for 10 yards. Kiko Alonso punches the ball free for the forced fumble, then scrambles on top of it for the recovery! Miami ball!
• Tannehill deep for Parker, overthrown. Picked by Maurice Alexander in the endzone.
• Gurley for 9 yards. 15 more on a facemask by Alonso.
• Paysinger stuffs Gurley for -2 yards, but offsides on Wake negates the play and gives another 5 free yards.
• Great pass breakup by Byron Maxwell! What the hell? Defensive pass interference? Where? He did not even touch Kenny Britt. How was that a penalty?
• Defense steps up and ends the possession, forcing a punt.
• Still do not understand the DPI penalty. Thanks to John Bauman for the scree shot. Maxwell is not even touching Britt and makes a perfect pass breakup. Just a crap call.

• Tannehill runs for 10 yards. Designed run and picks up a first down.
• Ajayi loses 2 yards.
• Incomplete.
• Incomplete. Dolphins challenge on long pass to Parker, who appeared to catch it, but ball apparently hit the turf and bounced back into his chest. Challenge confirms incomplete.
• Darr punts (again).
• Gurley getting started now. 3 yards, 8 yards, 3 yards.
• 21 yard pass Goff to Austin, who was gobbled up but somehow escaped two Tony Lippett tackles and worked his way down the sideline.
• Field goal. Rams. 46-yards. 10-0 LA.
• Dolphins 3-and-out. Tannehill sacked on second down on a ball he has to throw away.
• Dolphins force a 3-and-out. Rams punting.
• Dolphins 3-and-out.
• Rams moving the ball again. Little gains each time, but still moving.
• 4th-and-1 at the Dolphins’ 30-yard line. Looks like they are going for it.
• Nope. Kicking a field goal.
• DOINK! They missed it off the upright. But there’s a flag. It’s on Miami, but after the play. Dolphins ball.
• Tannehill to Stills for 7 on the screen pass.
• Incomplete.
• 3rd-and-3. And the Dolphins convert! Tannehill to Landry for 5 yards. First 3rd down conversion of the day for Miami.
• Tannehill to Landry for 12. Late hit on the Rams for 15 more.
• Tannehill to Parker for 15. Suddenly, the offensive line is blocking and the offense has shown up.
• Tannehill to Parker for 12.
• Tannehill to Ajayi for 1.
• TOUCHDOWN! TANNEHILL TO LANDRY FOR 10 YARDS! 10-7 LA.
• That touchdown was a pass to the five-yard line, but seemingly the entire Miami offense shoved the pile the final five yards into the endzone.

• Time for the defense to show up.
• Gurley for 5 yards.
• False start. Backing up the Rams.
• Gurley no gain.
• Goff to Quick for 6 yards. Punt coming!
• Here we go. Will the Dolphins continue their rhythm?
• Tannehill to Landry for 15 yards. 15 more for roughing the passer.
• Ajayi for -2 yards.
• Tannehill to Parker for 12 yards.
• Tannehill to Parker for 9 yards. Parker has clearly gotten healthy and is becoming the receiver Miami needs.
• Ajayi for 9 yards.
• Tannehill to Ajayi for 8 yards.
• TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!!!!! TANNEHILL TO PARKER FOR 9 YARDS!!!! 14-10 MIA!!!!!!!!

• Dolphins defense holds on and Miami wins!!!!! 5-in-a-row!

Immediate Reactions

This game was painful to watch, almost from the opening kickoff. The offense was anemic, with two offensive line starters unable to play, a third offensive line starter being injured during the game, rain, missed throws, dropped passes, and no where for anyone to run. It was simply a bad, bad performance. Part of that, of course, is the speed and talent on the Rams defense, which is clearly their strength. At the end of the day, however, Miami has to find a way to play better.

Then, they figured out how to play better. The offensive line started blocking, Tannehill got into rhythm, especially with Parker, and they put up two touchdowns at the end of the game to find a way to win. That’s five in a row and, somehow, Miami is continuing this streak.