Dolphins vs. Titans: Miami Grades, Notes and Quotes

The Miami Dolphins planned on being a tough, physical football team going into their Week 6 matchup with the Tennessee Titans. 

Sticking to that plan led to Miami's best overall performance of the season, a 38-10 victory that puts them at 2-3 and reignites some hope for the 2015 season. 

Just about every player called upon to perform did just that. Billy Turner was impressive in his first NFL start at guard, while the defensive line was dominant, leading to six sacks, eight tackles for a loss, two Marcus Mariota fumbles and allowing the secondary to pick off two passes, including one returned by Reshad Jones for a touchdown. 

Miami's victory was an impressive one, and it will be fun to look back on it in this article, at least for this week. 

Positional Grades for the Dolphins

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Position Unit	Grade
Quarterback	B-
Running Backs	A
Wide Receivers	A
Tight Ends	B
Offensive Line	B
Defensive Line	A+
Linebackers	A-
Defensive Backs	A-
Special Teams	A
Coaching	B+

These are the best grades I've given the Dolphins since around November of last season. 

Miami's performance was a complete one, and it all started with the running game. As a team, Miami ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns on 32 attempts for an average of 5.6 yards per carry. This set the table early, and it wasn't all Lamar Miller, even though his 113 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries was phenomenal. 

Miller was able to run due to the blocking up front. A lot of this had to do with the insertion of Billy Turner into the lineup at right guard, in relief of embattled rookie Jamil Douglas. Turner's play was good enough to make anyone wonder why it took so long for the Dolphins to insert him into the lineup, and why Douglas wound up winning the job in training camp. 

The simple answer to that is the fact that Miami seems to be leaving their former finesse ways in the past, moving to a more physical style of blocking up front. Mike Pouncey seemed to be effective this way as well, playing one of his best games in a long time. The only lineman that I didn't see much of an improvement out of was Dallas Thomas, who continued to be a sieve at left guard. 

The good news with Thomas and his issues is with Branden Albert next to him as well as Pouncey's great performance, it didn't matter much, although one of Ryan Tannehill's two sacks was squarely on a missed block by Thomas. 

As for Tannehill, his performance was too up and down for my liking this week, and his B- came from how well he played in the fourth quarter on Miami's final two scoring drives. Prior to said drives, Tannehill had thrown two interceptions. While one of those interceptions was the result of bad luck, I have no idea what happened with his interception at the end of the first half. 

On defense, the defensive line set the tone with eight tackles for a loss and six sacks. Two of those sacks led to Titans fumbles, both by quarterback Marcus Mariota. The pressure also led to Mariota's two interceptions, one of them by Reshad Jones that was returned for a touchdown. 

The linebackers played their best in a long while, with Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins active all over the field. The secondary played even better, with Bobby McCain really impressing me as the slot cornerback filling in for Brice McCain, who got hurt early and wouldn't return (per Alain Poupart of MiamiDolphins.com). 

As for the coaching, at times it looked like the offensive game plan regressed in the third quarter, which led to two three-and-outs that gave Tennessee some hope. Once they returned to what had worked, the rout was officially on. 

Lamar Miller Breaks out

James Kenney/Associated Press

This game should have you feeling two ways. 

The first way is elation. Miami ran the ball frequently and well. It was the run that set up the offense, kept Ryan Tannehill upright for most of the game, and in general set up the tone for the game. 

It was physical and bruising, but most importantly it was productive. Lamar Miller became the focal point of the offense and flourished from there. 

For the first time all season, Miller had more than 15 carries. The 19 carries Miller had led to 113 yards and a touchdown, a 5.9 yards-per-carry average. Miller has always averaged plenty of yards per carry, making his exclusion from the offensive game plan in the first four games that much more frustrating. 

Frustrated, by the way, is the second way to feel about Sunday's performance. Frustrated that the Dolphins could run like this but didn't try it in the first four games en route to a 1-3 record. 

Miller's play also made the whole offense better. Ryan Tannehill wasn't great, but he was efficient, save for the two interceptions. He seemed to have plenty of time to throw as well, and he was effective when using play action. 

Next up, the Dolphins have to keep this game plan going, for it presents them with their best chance to win from week to week. 

The Defensive Line Fans Have Expected Since March Shows Up in Mid-October

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When Miami signed Ndamukong Suh last March, performances like Sunday's against the Titans were expected. 

The Dolphins defensive line was dominant, allowing only 63 yards rushing while sacking Marcus Mariota six times and forcing two fumbles from him. 

The pressure was also responsible for Mariota's two interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown by Reshad Jones. 

Based on the stat sheet, it looks like Suh didn't do much, as he's only credited with one tackle. This is the same total he had against Washington, a game that saw him get major criticism. 

He won't get criticized for this effort, one that also includes two pass deflections. Suh occupied blockers, freeing up a healthier Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon to pin their ears back and get to Mariota. 

Wake and Vernon's performance is the only difference for Suh between this game and his previous four, which should tell you that the Albert Haynesworth comparisons he's received has been unfair. If Miami can keep this up the final 11 games of the season, no one will say anything about Suh being "overpaid."

Reshad Jones Continues His Pro Bowl Campaign

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Reshad Jones has quietly been one of the best safeties in the NFL since 2012. 

Thus far he has no Pro Bowl appearances to show for it, a product of myriad factors including Miami's own ineptitude. 

That trend should end this year, as Jones has consistently been Miami's best player on defense. 

The trend continued on Sunday as Jones compiled eight tackles, a pass deflection and a pick-six against the Titans, with some big hits that made his presence known. 

Outside of the pick-six, it wasn't different than most of Jones' performances over the last four seasons. 

This consistency should be rewarded with a Pro Bowl appearance, assuming it continues through the rest of the year. 

"We Are Not Super Bowl Champs. We Won One Game."

Weston Kenney/Associated Press

One might get excited over Miami's performance on Sunday, and why not? 

Miami dominated on the road, playing well in almost every facet of the game. They looked tougher and much more disciplined, and if you think about it, 2-3 isn't the worst place to be (but it's far from the best) after five games. 

However, Cam Wake isn't going to get too high after Sunday's performance, as he told Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel: "We are not Super Bowl champs. We won one game." 

This is true. There's still 11 games left in the 2015 NFL season, and for the Dolphins to have a realistic shot at the playoffs, they'll have to go 8-3, and that's the worst they can do. 

It's a good attitude for the players to have: Don't get too high. Next week comes a game against a team Miami has had yet to defeat in their history in the Houston Texans. 

"I'm Not a Dirty Player."

James Kenney/Associated Press

What would a Dolphins game be without some controversy? 

In the second quarter, Olivier Vernon hit Marcus Mariota late, resulting in a roughing-the-passer penalty. The play occurred on an incomplete pass on third down, which would've forced the Titans to punt, and injured Mariota's leg. 

Titans coach Ken Wisenhunt wasn't happy with the hit, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, saying: "I think it was done with the idea of trying to hurt our quarterback, and that's (BS) football."

Harsh words, words you'd expect from a head coach after seeing such a play that could've hurt his rookie quarterback a lot worse than it did. 

When Vernon heard these words, his reply, per Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post, was simple denial, saying: "I'm not a dirty player," and claiming that the hit was unintentional. 

Mariota seems to agree with Vernon, as Jason Wolf of the Tennessean reported Mariota's claims: "He came up to me after the game and apologized so I don't think it was malicious at all."

I don't think the hit was intentional or dirty. I do think it was a stupid play from a player that has underperformed this year and has had his fair share of brain farts. It's part of a pattern from Vernon that we have seen all season that still concerns me going forward. 

"You got a coach like that, you'll do anything for him."

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The differences between interim head coach Dan Campbell and his former boss Joe Philbin will be parsed, discussed and dissected all week. 

Many of it is pure bunk, but some of it, such as Miami's increased physicality, is true. 

The players seem to see a difference, exemplified by this quote from Jamar Taylor (per Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post):  "It's just dudes playing for each other. It's just a change of mindset. We've got to compete our butts off."

Campbell has preached competition since Miami promoted him following their Week 4 loss to the Jets. This competition led to Billy Turner replacing Jamil Douglas at guard (one of the best personnel moves of the season), and what seems like a greater sense of camaraderie among the team. 

I was wrong though, as that's not the most telling quote. The most telling quote, via Adam Kuperstein of Miami's NBC affiliate WTVJ NBC 6, came from center Mike Pouncey: "You got a coach like that, you'll do anything for him."

It looks like that's exactly what the Dolphins did on Sunday, and the hope is that Miami can continue this. 

They'll have to, as the schedule only gets tougher from here. 

Statistics provided by NFL.com unless otherwise noted.