QB: Tua Tagovailoa’s 141.0 passer rating Sunday was the second-highest of his career and the fourth-best by any NFL quarterback in a road game this season. And his 106.0 passer rating this season (third-best in the NFL behind Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott) is a career-best and ranks second in team history (minimum 150 attempts) behind only Dan Marino’s 108.9 rating in his 1984 NFL MVP season. What’s more, Tagovailoa has a completion percentage of 70.0 or higher in eight games this season, which is the most in the NFL. That would be the highest in a season in Dolphins history. And there’s this: Tagovailoa has thrown a touchdown pass in every game this season and 21 consecutive games, the NFL’s longest ongoing streak. ▪ Wide receiver: Tyreek Hill leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,481) and touchdown receptions (12), and that receiving yardage is the most by a player in his team’s first 12 games since 1961. Hill has eight 100-yard receiving games this season, equaling Mark Duper’s single-season team record. He needs only 519 receiving yards over the final five games to become the first NFL receiver with 2000 in a season. With the score lopsided in the second half, Hill played 31 of Miami’s 61 offensive snaps Sunday. Jaylen Waddle played 37, Cedrick Wilson Jr. 33, Braxton Berrios 25 and River Cracraft 24. Chase Claypool played only on special teams. ▪ Tight end: Tanner Conner, who was elevated for the game, played nine snaps and rookie Julian Hill played 20. Durham Smythe played 41. Pro Football Focus rated Hill as Miami’s fifth best player on offense Sunday, behind Hill, Tagovailoa, Robert Hunt and Austin Jackson. ▪ Offensive line: Of the Dolphins’ 61 offense snaps, Hunt played 42 snaps before re-aggravating a hamstring injury and left tackle Terron Armstead played 30 before sustaining an ankle injury. Mike McDaniel said Armstead could have returned to the game if needed. And the coach suggested that Hunt’s injury isn’t as severe as the hamstring issue that sidelined him three games over the past month. Miami’s 37 quarterback hits allowed are fewest in the NFL. The Dolphins allowed no sacks and only four pressures on Sunday. ▪ Linebacker: With Jerome Baker sidelined after 22 snaps by a knee injury, the Dolphins gave 31 snaps to Duke Riley, who tied with David Long Jr. for the team lead in tackles with eight. Baker’s MRI on Monday did not reveal anything that would automatically end his season. It’s an MCL injury and his status is “week to week,” a source said. On Sunday, Long played 45 of Miami’s 55 defensive snaps. Channing Tindall logged three snaps late in the game. At outside linebacker, with Jaelan Phillips out for the season, Andrew Van Ginkel played 46 of 55 defensive snaps and Emmanuel Ogbah 18. Van Ginkel was one of just four NFL players to enter Week 13 with at least four sacks, at least four passes defensed, at least seven tackles for loss and at least 10 quarterback hits this season. His interception return for a touchdown against Washington was his third career touchdown but first pick-six. PFF rated Riley and Van Ginkel as Miami’s best players on defense on Sunday. Jason Pierre-Paul played three snaps late in the game, five days after signing with Miami. The Dolphins will audition veteran linebacker Reuben Foster on Wednesday. The former first-round pick hasn’t played in the NFL since 2018 and recently played in the USFL. He played for the 49ers in 2017 and 2018 and auditioned for the Dolphins in April 2022. ▪ Defensive line: It was another big workload day for Christian Wilkins (played 45 of Miami’s 55 snaps) and Zach Sieler (42). Sieler’s 1.5 sacks gave him a career high 6.5; Wilkins also has a career-high 6.5 sacks. Raekwon Davis played 19 snaps and Da’Shawn Hand 8. ▪ Safety: With Jevon Holland missing the game with knee injuries, replacement starter Brandon Jones was the only Dolphin to play all 55 snaps. Starter DeShon Elliott played 52 and Elijah Campbell 3. ▪ Cornerback: Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard played 52 defensive snaps before coming out late in the game. Kader Kohou played 49 of 55. Nik Needham 9 and Cam Smith 3. Eli Apple was inactive.
