Dolphins vs. Eagles: Miami Grades, Notes and Quotes

Checking the pulse of Miami Dolphins fans on Twitter during the game, you'd have no idea their game against the Philadelphia Eagles would end the way it did. 

The Dolphins were down 16-3 after the first quarter against one of the best rushing teams in the NFL. This is important as the Dolphins came into Sunday with the 31st-ranked defense against the run. Instead of folding up like a chair in the old ECW Arena in Philadelphia, the Dolphins instead outscored the Eagles 17-3 in the final three quarters for a 20-19 victory. 

It was a hard-fought win that came despite various defensive lapses among the linebackers and an offense that at times looked stagnant, by the end becoming a game of attrition in which Miami was without two of its best overall defensive players. 

It was a great effort from the boys in aqua, who at 4-5 will begin a race to the end of the season that includes five out of seven games at home with only three games left on the schedule against possible playoff teams. 

In other words, the Dolphins still have life, despite everything possible going against them. 

Here's a look at how the Dolphins resuscitated a potential lost season in Philadelphia against an Eagles team that looked more like pretenders than contenders. 

Game Grades

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

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

These don't look like the grades of a team that pulled off a hard-fought victory against a potential "contender." 

The only units that looked consistently good were the defensive line and wide receivers, and even then it depended on the players in question. 

Among the wide receivers, Rishard Matthews and Jarvis Landry were their usual selves on Sunday, combining for 12 catches, 145 yards and a touchdown. There were three big receptions from Miami's top two receivers, with Landry coming down with a touchdown pass that was originally deflected at the line of scrimmage, as well as a first-down conversion late in the fourth quarter that helped to seal the game. 

Matthews got the Dolphins in the red zone at the end of the third quarter (which set up Landry's touchdown) with a 43-yard catch-and-run that went down to Miami's 8-yard line. 

Kenny Stills, on the other hand, had some brain farts, including a big dropped pass on a deep ball in the first half. 

As for the defensive line, this was Ndamukong Suh's best game as a Miami Dolphin. The Eagles thought it would be a good idea to keep him single-covered, an idea that Suh took advantage of, leading to eight tackles, three for a loss, and a sack. He also freed up gaps for the other defensive linemen and linebackers to run amok and get into Philadelphia's backfield, stifling a run game that looked poised to run roughshod throughout the game. 

On the other end of that defensive line spectrum was Olivier Vernon, whose continuous miscues always find a way to cost the Dolphins. His decision in the first half to pick up a fumble to run it in (while never gaining control of the ball) instead of falling on the football for the recovery deep in Eagles territory cost the Dolphins at least three points. 

The linebackers were atrocious, but part of that had to do with their lack of depth, as Jelani Jenkins got hurt in the first half. The secondary was equally thin without Brent Grimes (who missed the entire game, more on that later), and losing Brice McCain. They did a slightly better job of stepping it up as the game went along, though, as it was Reshad Jones who picked up an interception late in the fourth quarter on a drive where the Eagles looked like they would take back the lead. 

Special teams were all over the place, contributing to Miami's bad field position (with Damien Williams' ill-conceived return pinning Miami at the one and leading to a safety) while also committing bad penalties. On the upside, they did block a punt. 

It was an uneven game from almost everyone involved. You might say the Dolphins didn't deserve to win this game, which I won't argue, but either way they came out victorious. 

Brent Grimes Unavailable for the Dolphins

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Prior to the game, Miami received some bad news. 

Cornerback Brent Grimes was unable to play after coming down with food poisoning on Saturday, per Chris Perkins of the Sun-Sentinel. 

Grimes' absence was felt early as the normally pass-light Eagles were able to throw for 236 yards while Sam Bradford was in the game (Bradford was knocked out late with a concussion, per Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com). But with Mark Sanchez in the game, the secondary played better, which no doubt had to do with the fact that Mark Sanchez was in the game. 

Resting this week might be beneficial for Grimes, who will be needed next week to cover Dez Bryant as the Dolphins take on the Cowboys. 

Jelani Jenkins, Brice McCain Leave Early Due to Injury

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The two positions where the Miami Dolphins absolutely cannot afford to lose good players are linebacker and defensive back. 

Against the Eagles, they lost players in both units, as Jelani Jenkins left the game with an ankle injury and Brice McCain hurt his knee, per Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel. 

Jenkins was replaced by Neville Hewitt, who filled in valiantly, but not spectacularly, with six tackles. McCain was replaced by Bobby McCain, who had a key pass deflection in the fourth quarter. 

Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins expect Jenkins to play next week. 

Dolphins Make Dubious History

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Just because the Dolphins can pull out a win in Philadelphia doesn't mean they can't make some rather dubious history. 

Early in the first half, Ryan Tannehill was sacked in the end zone, resulting in a safety. 

It's the third consecutive game in which the Dolphins have allowed a safety, something that hasn't been done since 1980, per James Walker of ESPN.com. 

"At the End of the Day, You Have to Kill All Quarterbacks!"

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The turning point of the game came in the third quarter with Philadelphia up 16-13 and driving toward a potential score. 

Chris McCain would sack Bradford, forcing a fumble that would be recovered by the Eagles. The hit would not only hurt Bradford's shoulder (X-rays were negative) but also give him a concussion, per Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com. 

Sanchez would come in and fail to guide the Eagles to a win with some awful play down the stretch. 

McCain prides himself on getting to the quarterback, as you would notice by his Twitter profile picture featuring him crushing Tom Brady's head. This hit on Bradford would be one that McCain should be proud of, despite the injury, and from the sound of it he is, per Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. 

"It was nothing personal against Sam but at the end of the day you have to kill all quarterbacks!" said McCain when asked about the sack. And it's a statement that could get him fined, yet also one that any defensive coordinator would want to hear from a pass-rusher. 

"We Play with One Another, for One Another."

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Dan Campbell's speech following Miami's victory over the Eagles was a masterpiece. 

Campbell and his staff didn't have their best game, and neither did the talent on the field. They had injuries going against them and at one point were down by 13. 

They still came back. They still came out victorious. The result: this speech, which was posted by the Miami Dolphins' Twitter feed. 

I shall transcribe some of it:

"

That's how you fight, that's how you do not stop believing. You just keep going, man, you just keep pushing forward. 

We had [expletive deleted] ton of injuries today, and it didn't do [expletive deleted] to us. It did not stop us.

"

Campbell would name the players who contributed on special teams, while also pointing out some of what the team did well and how they were able to overcome their obstacles, ending with this: 

"We play with one another, for one another." 

That's a coach players will fight for. The X's and O's aren't present, and yes, Campbell has made plenty of mistakes. 

Despite that, he can motivate, and it would behoove whomever the Dolphins hire to keep him on the staff. 

Statistics provided by NFL.com.