The Los Angeles Rams spent time this summer spotlighted on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ series, but it was the Miami Dolphins who endured a valuable, but rewarding lesson from the school of hard knocks during the NFL’s Week 8 action. The Dolphins leave the week victorious, adding a 28-17 win over the Rams to their resume as the team moves to 4-3 on the season and has secured their first winning record since the Miami Miracle in December of 2018.
But Miami’s win, which came during the first career start of rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, was anything but the multi-score win you’d guess by just looking at the final line. This was a tough earned, hard fought team victory that required all 53 players plus the coaching staff to get the job done.
Miami’s offense, under the watch of Tagovailoa, was largely non-existent. Miami logged 8 total first downs, 145 yards of offense and possessed the ball for just 23 minutes throughout the contest. But the defense? Oh, the defense.
The Dolphins terrorized Rams QB Jared Goff in the first half, sacking him twice, hitting him eight more times and forcing two interceptions (with two or three more near misses for the Dolphins), one of which was a glorious effort from defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who buzzed underneath a crossing route to snatch the ball away and help the Dolphins claim some momentum in the first half.
Goff was also stripped twice; one of which was a critical return for a score by LB Andrew Van Ginkel with the Rams knocking on the door in the red zone after a fumble from RB Myles Gaskin put Los Angeles in position to break a 7-7 tie. Instead, Van Ginkel rumbled nearly the full length of the field the other way to score a defensive touchdown.
Even the special teams units were at hand to contribute to the win. WR Jakeem Grant scored on an 88-yard punt return to help Miami push their lead to 21-7, the longest score on a punt return in franchise history. Offense? Two scores. Defense? One score. Special teams? A score of their own. This was, to the fullest extent, a team victory that the Dolphins should cherish.
But there’s much work to be done. The Dolphins’ offense wasn’t done a lot of favors by the game script and flow against the Rams, but Miami must be better amid their quarterback change. Tagovailoa’s first drop back was a strip-sack that put the Rams on the doorstep to score on a run from WR Robert Woods on the Dolphins’ opening possession. He missed several short throws but also saw WR Preston Williams drop two passes and Gaskin dropped another for what would have been a 3rd-down conversion late in the game.
But for now, Miami can cherish the win. By Tuesday morning? It’s back to work to correct the mistakes before the team’s next clash with the Cardinals.