As expected, Sunday afternoon in Cleveland was a low-scoring, sloppy football game. There were 12 total punts and only two touchdowns. The weather was gloomy, but there wasn't too much rain; it didn't affect either team's ability to throw the ball.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson attempted 47 passes but only completed 24 for a measly 170 yards. Jerry Jeudy caught 12 of those passes for 94 yards. The Browns couldn't generate enough offense or stop the Dolphins when it mattered to win this game.
The Dolphins improve to 8-8 heading into the final week, while the Browns drop to 3-13 and are firmly in the mix for the #1 pick in April's draft.
Huntley Replaced Tua Well
Tyler Huntley, take a bow. Huntley played one of the best games of his NFL career on Sunday. He only misplaced four passes and found the end zone twice in total. It wasn't just designed runs and short passes either; Huntley was throwing downfield quite a bit.
It was another game in which the Dolphins could not establish the run, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort. The running backs had 19 carries between them but only 33 yards. Still, Mike McDaniel utilized many play-action and run-pass options (RPOs), and Huntley executed them effectively.
Huntley was able to connect with Tyreek Hill nine times for 105 yards. Jaylen Waddle was expected to play but was a surprise omission, so Malik Washington played the WR2 role and finished with four catches for 41 yards. Jonnu Smith also tied a Dolphins franchise record for touchdowns in a season by a tight end, with his late score to make the game 20-3.
Staying in Control
The Dolphins stayed in control of this game in multiple ways. They led for most of the game, albeit that lead was only three points. A big part of that was Jason Sanders, who went 2/2 on field goals and has made 25 in a row overall; he's ironed out the consistency issues he had last season.
The Dolphins also won the turnover battle; they didn't commit any turnovers, while DTR threw an interception and fumbled once. They also stopped Cleveland in the red zone. The Browns reached the red zone three times but only managed three points from those trips, and the Dolphins reached the red zone twice and scored touchdowns both times.
Most of the team stats were about even. Total yards, time of possession, and first downs were all very close, but the Dolphins' winning in key areas allowed them to pull off the victory.
One More Week
If you had told Dolphins fans before the season that they would be 8-8 heading into the last week, most of them would have been disappointed. However, the Dolphins should be proud they've pushed it this far. Between Tua's concussion and doubts over his future, Tyreek putting off wrist surgery, the injuries to the defense and offensive line, and cycling through quarterbacks while Tua was out, it's been a tough season.
The team still has issues, mainly the offensive line and not getting over the hump against the elite teams, but the vision should be more evident after this season. They still have a chance to make the playoffs, but it's unlikely. The Chiefs look like they're starting their practice squad quarterback against the Broncos, and they need to win for the Dolphins to get in.
Factor in that the game is in Denver, and the Dolphins still have to win themselves, and it's a tough ask. As many fans said, the Houston game was the deciding factor, and the Dolphins played sloppily when they had the chance to win that game. Still, you can bet that the Dolphins will play to win against their rivals, the Jets.
Bet Recap from Preview
The loss was on Browns +3.5, but the Dolphins won, as I expected. The weather did not play as significant a role as I thought, but the point total still comfortably went under 32.5.
Up Next: New York Jets
The Dolphins face the Jets for the second time in five weeks. The Jets have had a nightmare season and want to close strong.
Final Score: Dolphins 20, Browns 3
Souza's Three Stars
1st Star- Tyler Huntley (22/26, 225 yards, 1 TD, 52 rushing yards, 1 TD)
2nd Star- Tyreek Hill (9 receptions, 105 yards)
3rd Star- Tyrell Dodson (15 tackles, 1 INT, 84.6 PFF Grade)
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