Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders: Full Report Card Grades for Miami
The best medicine for all of your ills in sports is winning, which is exactly what the Miami Dolphins did, defeating the Oakland Raiders by the final score of 38-14 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicated.
Miami is now 2-2 going into its bye week, which precedes a tough stretch in their schedule, but a stretch where they will in due time get back Mike Pouncey, Reshad Jones and Dion Jordan.
Miami needed a victory this week due to having a turbulent week filled with rumors of infighting, a coach's refusal to name a starting quarterback and bickering among the fanbase.
Sometimes it looks the darkest right before the dawn. This game could very well be the light needed in Miami. The Dolphins are at 2-2, and by the end of the week, they could find themselves tied for first in the AFC East.
They definitely feel a bit better about themselves going into the bye, and the hope is that this momentum can carry over through the final 12 games of the season.
We will see how much this game will really tell us as the season goes on (keep in mind, they did just beat the worst team in the NFL). As for right now, here's a look at the Dolphins' grades for their game against the Oakland Raiders.
Quarterback
1 of 10
The Dolphins benched Ryan Tannehill this week, just like most people expected them to do.
The situation wasn't the expectation, as Tannehill came out with Miami up 38-14 in the fourth quarter following a game where he earned an A.
Tannehill's decision-making was one of the best this week, partly because of the trust he was able to have in his wide receivers and offensive line, and partly because he was more assertive than he has been throughout his career.
He wasn't afraid to run the ball when necessary, gaining 35 yards on five rushes.
He's not paid to run though, he's paid to throw the ball. Sunday afternoon he went 23-of-31 for 278 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
He should have three touchdowns and no interceptions, but unfortunately Dion Sims had made two bad mistakes on that drive, starting with a holding penalty that negated a touchdown pass to Daniel Thomas, then by failing to catch a short pass from Tannehill.
That was the lone dark spot on an otherwise excellent day. Tannehill finished with a passer rating of 109.3, his best of the season.
Grade: A
Running Back
2 of 10
This guy, No. 30 on the Dolphins, didn't perform like a player plucked from the scrap heap two weeks into the season, but instead like a player worthy of trading up for in the second round.
Daniel Thomas had a great day; even though he only ran the ball five times, he gained 35 yards. He also had a 25-yard reception, and he had a touchdown reception negated by a stupid penalty.
Thomas isn't Miami's only running back, as Lamar Miller only ran the ball 12 times. He'd gain 64 yards and score two touchdowns.
As we got into garbage time, the Dolphins trotted out Damien Williams and Orleans Darkwa. Darkwa was a non-factor, but Williams gained 23 yards on six carries, at times looking like his first name was Ricky.
As a whole, Miami's run game gained 157 yards, which includes 35 yards from Ryan Tannehill. The only real issue was a fumble by Lamar Miller that cost the Dolphins a touchdown early in the third quarter.
Grade: A-
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
3 of 10
You will be surprised at the fact that Brian Hartline didn't score a touchdown against Oakland.
The reason you will be shocked is how integral he was to Miami's passing game, being targeted seven times and catching six passes for 74 yards.
It was a reception party for the Dolphins, as only one Dolphins receiver/tight end had fewer than two catches (Dion Sims, whose one reception was a touchdown).
The ball was spread around well, as Sims and Mike Wallace both scored touchdowns, while Brandon Gibson, Jarvis Landry and Charles Clay were all worked into the offense.
There weren't too many bad drops, and the worst one came courtesy of Sims, who dropped the ball into the arms of T.J. Carrie. The throw was behind Sims, though (one of the few really off-target throws), and it's important to note that the play shouldn't have happened, as earlier in the drive, a bad penalty negated a touchdown.
That penalty was caused by Dion Sims, though, as that sequence cost the receivers an A.
Grade: B+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Miami's offensive line shone brightly in London.
The run blocking, which has been great all season, looked a lot better, while the pass protection was, as they would call it in London, top-flight.
Miami didn't allow any sacks, and any time Ryan Tannehill got hit, it was well past the line of scrimmage.
Tannehill had more time in the backfield than he's had in a long time, which is why he was so effective.
Yes, it is only the Raiders; however, the one thing you can say Oakland does well is rush the passer, and on Sunday, they were stonewalled.
The run blocking was even better, as many of the holes were large enough to drive one of those London double-decker buses through.
Grade: A+
Defensive Line
5 of 10
How dominant could this defensive line have been if the statistics don't bear it out?
Only two sacks were produced by the Dolphins, but there were a lot of hurries. Both Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon were practically silent, and in the beginning, it looked like Randy Starks was sorely missed.
Starks was missed, but the line was able to pick up the slack, with good play by Jared Odrick, Earl Mitchell and Derrick Shelby on the interior.
The Raiders were held to a measly 53 yards on the ground, and whether it was Derek Carr or Matt McGloin, Oakland's quarterback did not have an easy day.
Grade: A+
Linebackers
6 of 10
Miami's linebackers played their best game of the season (a recurring theme with this game), as they minimized the damage done by Oakland's plan to dink and dunk down the field.
Due to the defensive line's dominance, Oakland really didn't have much of a chance to do that, so it's not like the linebackers had to be too active; however, when called into action, they delivered.
Philip Wheeler was productive this afternoon with five tackles, while Jelani Jenkins had three. Jason Trusnik was picked on early by Oakland's offense, but he performed well with five tackles.
Koa Misi will be back soon, which should strengthen this unit, but on Sunday, they looked plenty strong.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
The very first play the secondary faced saw James Jones burn Brent Grimes to make a one-handed leaping 30-yard pass, setting up an Oakland touchdown.
After that, Miami's secondary feasted on Oakland mistakes and miscues, producing all of Miami's turnovers.
Grimes would pick off a pass in the third quarter, which eventually led to a touchdown. Cortland Finnegan blitzing would lead to him recovering a botched shotgun snap, which he ran into the end zone.
Jimmy Wilson would grab an interception in the third quarter, then in the fourth quarter, Walt Aikens would get his first interception of his career.
Prior to the game, the secondary had not produced a single turnover.
As impressive as that was, their coverage could use some work, but with Reshad Jones coming back, that should improve as well, as the safeties won't leave the corners on an island like they have in the past.
Grade: A
Special Teams
8 of 10
That's the only position you want to see Brandon Fields in: holding the ball, preferably for an extra point.
Fields wouldn't be used until the fourth quarter, but by then the game was already out of hand.
The Dolphins improved on their special teams tackling this week, as the Raiders usually found themselves pinned behind their own 20 on kickoffs. Caleb Sturgis was perfect Sunday as well, while Jarvis Landry was competent as a kick return man, but not really spectacular.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
This was the best-coached game the Dolphins have had since hiring Joe Philbin in 2012.
Everything seemed to fall into place, as the Dolphins were fairly well disciplined.
Bill Lazor had a tremendous game calling the Dolphins offense. He did what Dolphins fans have begged the team to do by accentuating Ryan Tannehill's strengths, as well as the strengths of the team.
Guys were given opportunities to succeed with the right plays, and succeed they did. This has been a problem with this team.
I didn't like some of Kevin Coyle's play-calling because he played his secondary too soft, which is something that should change with Reshad Jones coming back.
Overall, it was a good game for the coaching staff, and I give Joe Philbin credit for the game. However, I won't say he "lit a fire under Tannehill," as he still handled the entire situation terribly, and what I wrote last week about how Philbin should be fired and how the Dolphins must clean house still stands.
I can't allow one game to change my mind; I need this to be a consistent thing from this coaching staff.
Grade: A
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Grade |
| Quarterback | A |
| Running Backs | A- |
| Wide Receivers/Tight Ends | B+ |
| Offensive Line | A+ |
| Defensive Line | A+ |
| Linebackers | A |
| Secondary | A |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | A |
| Cumulative Grade | A |
This is the grade Miami deserves after a victory that was well earned.
There wasn't a single facet of the game where the Dolphins were outplayed or outcoached. Nothing but dominance was seen on Sunday.
Ryan Tannehill played his best game, Joe Philbin coached his best game, and the defense was aggressive.
Can this performance be replicated? Keep in mind, this is the worst team in the NFL they just beat, but that doesn't mean Miami can't get their act together on a consistent basis this season and perform well against good teams.
A close win would've been hollow, and a loss would've been back-breaking.
A win like this gives hope, albeit with the reminder that their opponent was the Raiders.
Statistics provided by NFL.com.
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