What We Discovered from Sunday’s 13 video games

FULL BOX SCORE

Jeremy Bergman’s takeaways:

1. Dolphins hold slim playoff hopes alive heading into bye. Sunday’s slog in Spain was not Miami’s finest, a serious letdown after its assured victory over the perennial AFC East champion Bills in Week 10. But the Dolphins’ time beyond regulation defeat of the Commanders, crammed with missed alternatives and inefficient offense, was sufficient to maintain their season alive. De’Von Achane served as Miami’s motor on offense once more, averaging 5.7 yards per stick with it 20 totes (165 whole yards), whereas Ollie Gordon II served as a pounding change of tempo (9 carries, 45 yards). Both had been stuffed on the 1-yard line on a crucial Commanders goal-line stand within the fourth quarter but additionally acquired theirs; Gordon picked up a game-tying TD, and Achane salted away the win in time beyond regulation with 22 yards on three carries, organising Riley Patterson‘s game-winning kick. Miami’s protection stepped up when it wanted to, as properly. Jack Jones‘ decide of Marcus Mariota on the primary play of time beyond regulation (the primary such interception within the NFL since Week 5, 2021) primarily sealed the sport for the Fins, and the DB’s large play was preceded by an NFL season-high 20 mixed tackles (10 solo) by Jordyn Brooks. At 4-7, Miami is technically not out of it in a top-heavy AFC playoff image. After the Week 12 bye, the Dolphins play 4 groups with a mixed report of 12-26 (vs. Saints, at Jets, at Steelers, vs. Bengals) earlier than taking up two groups who presently have snug leads of their divisions (vs. Bucs, at Pats). So you are saying there’s an opportunity …
2. Washington D stands up in Quinn’s first sport as play-caller. After a run of defensive no-shows amid a five-game dropping streak, Dan Quinn took over play-calling duties from coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. this week. The outcome? Washington allowed simply 16 factors and 311 yards, its fewest since a season-opening win over the lowly Giants. The Commanders bent however hardly ever broke, stopping 4 of 5 Dolphins drives contained in the 30-yard line earlier than time beyond regulation, together with two goal-line stands on the 1-yard line. Down the suspended Daron Payne, Washington discovered impressed inside stress from Eddie Goldman and Javon Kinlaw and saved the possibility at a win alive. A disciplined cross rush resulted in three sacks from Jonathan Jones, Jacob Martin and Von Miller, and Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu had been sturdy in the midst of the sector. The marked one-game enchancment was nonetheless too little, too late, because the offense did not maintain its personal and Matt Gay missed two area objectives. With the loss, Washington dropped to 3-8, far nearer to the highest decide within the draft than a wild-card berth.
3. Teams with little to lose play to win — and nearly draw. With each Washington and Miami’s seasons near misplaced, after accidents to stars and underwhelming stretches, each golf equipment got here into Sunday’s historic tie in Madrid trying to take possibilities. They delivered on the efforts, at the very least. As each groups struggled on third down (9 of twenty-two mixed for the sport), the Commanders and Dolphins weren’t afraid to go for it on fourth. In the second half, Miami and Washington traded turnovers on downs from inside their opponent’s 2-yard strains. Despite being down no multiple rating at any time, Miami went for a tie within the third quarter after which the kill within the fourth on fourth-and-goal makes an attempt. Both had been stuffed, one by Bobby Wagner on a cross try to Jaylen Waddle and the opposite a gang sort out on Ollie Gordon. Washington was responsible of attempting to go forward with a TD as an alternative of a area objective in between Miami’s two makes an attempt, however Marcus Mariota missed Zach Ertz, who slipped on the Bernabeu turf. The Commanders’ No. 2 purple zone proportion failed them with their season on the road, however with little to lose for either side, the makes an attempt had been definitely worth the threat.

Next Gen Stats Insight for Commander-Dolphins (by way of NFL Pro): Dolphins RB De’Von Achane ran exterior the tackles on 17 of his 21 carries towards the Commanders, gaining 109 yards (47.1% success charge) on exterior runs in comparison with simply 11 yards on 4 inside carries (25.0% success charge). Achane recorded a career-high six explosive runs on exterior carries, together with 76 yards after contact, essentially the most allowed to a working again by the Commanders this season.

NFL Research: Jordyn Brooks led the Dolphins with 20 tackles of their win over the Commanders. Sunday was Brooks’ second sport this season with at the very least 16 tackles (Week 4 vs. Jets), making him the primary Miami participant with at the very least two video games of 16-plus tackles since Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 2006.