Tua and the Dolphins hold playoff hopes alive in win vs. Rams

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — If the Miami Dolphins salvage their 2-6 begin to the season, their win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10 might be the spark.

The Dolphins received at SoFi Stadium for the second 12 months in a row, this time 23-15 over the Rams in a recreation wherein they by no means trailed. Miami stopped a three-game dropping streak, two of which got here on last-second subject targets.

Extra importantly, the Dolphins cracked the door open for a possible playoff run because the win places them 1½ video games again of the Denver Broncos for the AFC’s seventh seed. Solely three groups in NFL historical past have rebounded from a 2-6 begin to make the playoffs, however with house video games towards the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots over the following two weeks, Miami might be 5-6 when the group travels to Inexperienced Bay on Thanksgiving to play the Packers.

Getting into Week 10, the Dolphins had an 8.1% probability of constructing the playoffs, in response to ESPN’s FPI, and had the league’s Tenth-easiest remaining schedule. With their possibilities of successful the AFC East just about nonexistent, the Dolphins might want to seize one in every of three wild-card spots to maintain their two-year playoff streak alive.

QB breakdown: Tua Tagovailoa overcame a probably disastrous second quarter throughout which he threw an interception and misplaced a fumble on consecutive drives. He completed with 207 yards and a landing however transformed 5 third-down makes an attempt. He took a few premature sacks, which coach Mike McDaniel mentioned was the results of him attempting to do an excessive amount of, one thing Tagovailoa continues to work on in his fifth season.

Describe recreation in two phrases: Fixed strain. Miami’s protection made life terrible for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was pressured 13 occasions and sacked 4 occasions — a season excessive for the Dolphins.

Promising development: No Dolphins participant has extra quarterback pressures since Week 5 than Chop Robinson, who was thrust right into a extra outstanding function after the harm to Jaelan Phillips. He continued that development with 5 pressures Monday night time and recorded his second sack of the season in as many video games. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Subsequent recreation: vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

The Rams entered the sport with an 18.4% probability to make the playoffs, in response to ESPN Analytics, however they could not hold tempo within the NFC West with the loss.

After the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers received on Sunday, ESPN Analytics had the Rams’ possibilities to win the division at 11.5%.

However on Monday, their offense struggled, regardless of having huge receiver Cooper Kupp, huge receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson all again from harm for the primary time for the reason that season opener.

In response to ESPN Analysis, that is the fiftieth recreation for the Rams that Matthew Stafford began at quarterback. That is solely the second time in these 50 video games that Los Angeles failed to attain a landing.

The Rams’ offensive woes confirmed up on third down. The offense entered the sport changing 36% of third downs, which is ranked twenty third within the NFL. On Monday night time, the Rams had been 3-of-12 (25%).

Los Angeles fell to 4-5, its first loss for the reason that Week 6 bye.

Quarterback breakdown: After throwing six landing passes within the Rams’ earlier two video games, Stafford didn’t throw one towards a Dolphins protection that entered the sport ranked twenty sixth in move protection DVOA. Stafford accomplished 32 of 46 passes for 293 yards and an interception. He has thrown an interception in six straight video games, tied for the longest streak in his profession, in response to ESPN Analysis.

Most shocking efficiency: The offensive line. Within the Rams’ earlier three video games, Stafford had been sacked as soon as. However on Monday night time, he was sacked 4 occasions, regardless of getting Avila (MCL sprain) and Jackson (shoulder) again from injured reserve. The Rams had been with out proper sort out Rob Havenstein, who was out with an ankle harm. The Dolphins’ protection did this regardless of coming into the sport with 10 sacks, the second fewest within the NFL.

Promising development: First-round draft decide Jared Verse continued to impress. He had a sack for the third recreation in a row and two tackles for a loss. In response to the Rams, Verse’s 11 tackles for a loss by his first 9 profession video games are tied for the second most with Von Miller and Micah Parsons because it turned an official stat in 1999. — Sarah Barshop

Subsequent recreation: at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)