The beat goes on for the Miami Dolphins.
They are winning football games this season against the teams under .500.
Tyreek Hill had two touchdowns among his five catches for 157 yards, and he and the Miami Dolphins dominated the Washington Commanders 45-15 Sunday to pad their lead atop the AFC East and get to 9-3 for the first time since 2001.
Dolphins had command of the game in the first half with a 31-7 lead. Miami was so convincingly ahead that head coach Mike McDaniel pulled quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Hill, and many offensive skill players early in the fourth quarter. Backup Mike White led a touchdown drive in garbage time.
The Dolphins appear ready to make a deep playoff run.
“I came into the stadium worried about how I feel because I didn’t practice this week,” Hill said. “It was like one of those that I was worried about just how I would be able to perform because every team is good in the NFL. I’m not saying it’s easy like our job is hard. It may look easy. Those guys do a great job on the other side of the ball.”
Hill currently leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,481) and touchdown receptions (12). His 1,481 receiving yards this season are the most by a player in his team’s first 12 games since 1961.
After Hill’s first TD catch, he and several Dolphins players celebrated by sitting in the end zone and pretending they were on a roller coaster. The pantomiming even included offensive lineman Robert Hunt strapping his teammates in and ensuring their seatbelts were fastened correctly.
Hill credited Hunt, Jaylen Waddle, and River Cracraft for coming up with the idea Friday.
Hill now has eight games with 100+ receiving yards and 1+ touchdown this season, which leads the NFL. No other NFL players entered Week 13 with more than three.
Miami has assured itself of a winning season for the fourth consecutive year (2020-23). The last time the Dolphins posted winning records in four straight seasons was from 1997-2003 when they had seven straight winning years.
The Dolphins are now 4-3 in road games this season. It marks the fourth time in the past decade the Dolphins have won at least four road games in a season (2014, 2016, 2020).
Tagovailoa was also turnover-free after giving the ball away four times over the past two games.
“I think everyone is locked in. I think everyone has started to handle their job. Not more seriously, but everyone’s starting to do a little more,” Tagovailoa said. “You see guys staying a little longer, watching film together. Meetings, you know there are no meetings after practices on third down days; you see a lot of position groups meeting and staying back a little longer. We’re starting to see a lot of guys staying out on the field a little longer as well.”
Tagovailoa was 18 of 24 for 280 yards and the TD passes 78 and 60 yards to Hill.
Miami held the Commanders to just 245 total yards today on 54 snaps, an average of 4.5 yards per play. The Dolphins have held their opponent to under 300 yards in five straight games and seven of the last eight.
“They are independently awesome, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. “But together, they are even better.”
Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell entered Week 13 as the NFL’s leader in passing yards (3,339) but was held to a career-low 120 passing yards. Miami’s defense also held him to career lows in yards per attempt (5.52) and completion percentage (52.2).
Howell, who ran for two touchdowns while going 12 of 23 for 127 yards, is on pace for the most sacks taken in a season. He’s up to 58. David Carr set the record with 76 in 2002. He leads the league in interceptions with 14 and has had one returned for a TD in three consecutive games.
“We put together some really good performances, but the consistency just hasn’t been there,” Howell said. “We’ve got to find a better way to be better and execute at a higher level and at a more consistent rate. We definitely have the pieces. Definitely have the coaches. Definitely have the game plan each and every week. It’s just a matter of going out there and doing all the things we need to do to get the results.”
The Commanders lost a fourth game in a row and have been outscored 90-25 over the past two. They’ve lost nine of 11 since opening the season with back-to-back victories.
As long as Hill can stay healthy, Tagovailoa can stay healthy, and the offensive line continues to perform. Hill has been unstoppable. It is the best season we have ever witnessed a wide receiver in the history of the NFL up to this point. With five games remaining, you must believe he will do what has never been done before. The combination of Hill’s outstanding play and durability, Tua playing well, and head coach McDaniel’s brilliant play calling. Hill is making a solid argument to win the MVP award.
Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker injured his left knee early in the second quarter when teammate Brandon Jones took his legs out from under him while trying to tackle Washington’s Curtis Samuel.
Baker has been an iron man in his fantastic career with the Dolphins, especially with his durability. The Dolphins will wait for the MRI on Monday. Coach McDaniel shared the doctors don’t feel it is season-ending. The x-rays were clean. Baker is the quarterback for the defense; the Dolphins depend on him with the hopes he is back for the remainder of the season.
The AFC is wide open. Dolphins have as good a chance to go to the Super Bowl as any team in the conference. It has been a remarkable season. They have a weak opponent on Monday night football in the Tennessee Titans, and they expect the beat to go on as they increase their chances of playing a playoff game at home.
3 thoughts