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Wow, what a game.
After playing in in what would go down as the longest game in NFL history a week ago, the Dolphins traveled to Met Life Stadium to take on Sam Darnold and the New York Jets.
All week, the national media was all over Sam Darnold after his impressive victory over the Detroit Lions. But we knew things wouldn’t be as easy against the Dolphins and their much improved defense.
After an impressive first half, the Dolphins came out complacent in the second quarter. However, they did enough to defeat the Jets and move on to 2-0 atop the AFC East.
Dolphins 20
Jets 12
Offense
- Ryan Tannehill was impressive as he completed 17/23 passes for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns. Most impressive though, was his 44 yards on the ground. His play wasn’t perfect, as he struggled vs pressure and made some mistakes. Overall, it is nice to have Ryan Tannehill back!
- Frank Gore rushed for 25 yards on 9 carries, surpassing Curtis Martin as 4th all-time in rushing yards with his milestone 14,087 yards. His biggest play of the game came on a crucial 3rd and 21, where he made a spectacular catch and then made defenders miss on his way to the game-sealing first down.
- Kenyan Drake ran the ball efficiently and finished 53 yards on 11 carries. It was very apparent he was the lead back, before an injury sidelined him for much of the third quarter.
- Albert Wilson got into the end zone, and led the team with 3 receptions for 37 yards.
- The offensive line struggled for most of the day, primarily in pass protection. It was clear the team missed left guard Josh Sitton, and will likely look towards free agency to find a suitable replacement.
Defense
- Miami’s defense held the Jets to just 42 yards on the ground. Quite the improvement from years past.
- Kiko Alonso led the Dolphins defense with 13 total tackles.
- William Hayes, Robert Quinn, and Jordan Phillips all recorded a sack.
- Both T.J McDonald and Xavien Howard recorded an interception. With none bigger than Xavien Howard’s in the back of the end zone.
- Overall, the Dolphins’ defense looked good, but struggled to cover Quicney Enunwa, Terrell Pryor and Robby Anderson. The defense shutdown the run game and made things difficult for rookie Quarterback Sam Darnold.
The Dolphins are now 2-0 and in first place, atop the AFC East.
How do you feel about the Dolphins Week 2 performance? Let us know in the comment section below.