Biggest Takeaways from Miami Dolphins' Week 13 Win

The Miami Dolphins might not have much hope to make anything of the 2015 season at 5-7, but they can still save some face and put some good tape together.

The Dolphins escaped with a 15-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and although their playoff hopes are already dashed, the win helped the Dolphins build back some confidence.

It's hard to find positives in the 2015 season for the Dolphins, with seemingly so many players either regressing or failing to make the improvements the Dolphins hoped or expected them to make. That being said, there's plenty to be positive about from Sunday's win.

Let's get right to the takeaways. 

Lamar Miller Is Worth a Shot

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The Dolphins offense has struggled mightily all season behind a pass-heavy approach that currently has the offense with 472 pass plays (attempts plus sacks) against 243 rush attempts. The Dolphins scored only 15 points against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, but leaning on the running game was the smartest thing they could have done.

Not only were they in control of the game to the point where running the clock was the smart thing to do, but Lamar Miller got going as well. For the first time in more than two full calendar years, Miller had 20 carries in a game, and he took those 20 carries for 113 yards. Maybe the new offensive coordinator, Zac Taylor, will take the running game more seriously than his predecessor, Bill Lazor.

Interim head coach Dan Campbell has said several times that he wants to be a more balanced offense. Sunday was a visual indication that the Dolphins are capable of sustaining such an attack.

DeVante Parker Can Do Exactly What the Dolphins Want Him to Do

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What a sight to behold. Finally, DeVante Parker unleashed the potential that the Dolphins saw in him when they drafted the wide receiver 14th overall this year.

Parker climbed the ladder over a couple of defenders in the end zone and came down with a spectacular leaping touchdown catch for his second trip to the end zone as an NFL player. Parker has scored in back-to-back games.

The Dolphins were without wide receiver Rishard Matthews on Sunday, as the veteran receiver is dealing with a rib injury. Parker made the most of his opportunity with three catches for 63 yards and the touchdown.

Parker's career got off to a slow start, as the Louisville product hauled in just four catches in his first nine games in the NFL. If he can continue to reward the Dolphins coaches for giving him opportunities, it won't be long before he starts living up to his billing.

Olivier Vernon Is Still a Beast

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Wow, yet another eye-popping performance from the Dolphins' best (healthy) pass-rusher.

On Sunday, Vernon registered 11 total pressures of Ravens quarterback Matt Schaub (five hurries, three hits, three sacks), according to Pro Football Focus. This marks the third straight week in which Vernon has logged at least one sack, and also the fourth straight week in which Vernon has logged at least six combined pressures of the opposing quarterback.

The consistent pressure by Vernon helps explain the Ravens' erratic passing attack from Sunday. Schaub was pressured on 19 of his 49 dropbacks (38.8 percent) and completed just eight of his 16 pass attempts for 89 yards and one touchdown. With 11 pressures, Vernon accounted for more than half of the total pressure applied by his team.  

Vernon is in a contract year, and if he continues to play the way he's been playing down the stretch, he will have no trouble finding the top-dollar contract he probably desires.

The Dolphins Defense Can Still Turn in a Top-Notch Performance

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By now, you've probably heard that the Dolphins lack depth in the secondary, they lack talent at linebacker and they're just plain getting pushed around up front.

Well, none of those problems were prevalent on Sunday against the Ravens. The Dolphins allowed just 94 rushing yards on 26 carries (3.6 YPA), and although they allowed 308 passing yards, it took Ravens quarterback Matt Schaub 46 attempts to get there, and he threw just one touchdown and two interceptions along the way.

The Dolphins also held the Ravens to just five conversions on 14 third downs. The Ravens offense hasn't been very good for most of this season, and has scored 20 points or fewer in five of their past seven games. That being said, the Dolphins should be proud that they were able to show their potential, albeit a little late into the season. 

A Good Game for the Offensive Line

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It's pretty rare for the Dolphins offensive line to earn praise, but Sunday was a worthy performance. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was pressured on eight of his 20 drawbacks, according to Pro Football Focus, which is a staggering 40 percent, but he was only sacked once.

Also, the Dolphins put some trust in their offensive line by running the ball 26 times, and the men up front delivered plenty of holes for the running backs to run through on their way to 137 rushing yards (5.3 YPA), their third-highest total on the season. 

This is exactly what the Dolphins offensive line needed to boost their confidence. If the Dolphins are going to continue running the ball like they did Sunday, they're going to need the offensive line to continue to play to the level that it played in Week 13.