Starting the second half with possession, the Dolphins quickly found themselves stuck in Seattle territory due to a holding penalty against Pharaoh Brown and false start offense by Anthony Bradford – both penalties helped end their drive.
Dee Eskridge and Jaylen Wright gave Miami some momentum before going four-and-out. Tim Boyle then had some nice throws that left them nearing goal line but turned it over on downs.
| Team | Player | Completions | Attempts | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Carries | Rushing Yards | Longest | Rushing Touchdowns | Receptions | Receiving Yards | Longest Reception | Receiving Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | Skylar Thompson | 13 | 19 | 107 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Tim Boyle | 7 | 13 | 79 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Devon Achane | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 11 | 30 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 22 | 0 | |
| Jaylen Wright | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2 | 17 | 9 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Jeff Wilson Jr. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3 | 14 | 10 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Alec Ingold | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | -2 | -2 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 6 | 0 | |
| Tyreek Hill | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 3 | 40 | 17 | 0 | |
| D’Wayne Eskridge | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | 30 | 30 | 0 | |
| Jaylen Waddle | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4 | 26 | 10 | 0 | |
| Jonnu Smith | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2 | 18 | 13 | 0 | |
| Durham Smythe | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| Tanner Conner | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Seattle Seahawks | Geno Smith | 26 | 34 | 289 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -2 | -1 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Zach Charbonnet | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 18 | 91 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 0 | |
| Kenny McIntosh | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N |
Lamar Smith
After their disappointing outing against the Bills, Miami traveled cross-country to take on Seattle Seahawks. Much of this game’s attention focused on how Miami would fare without Tua Tagovailoa (concussion against Bills; out for this game). Unfortunately for them, results weren’t positive; Tagovailoa wasn’t good enough.
Defense was inconsistent throughout, yet some standout performances stood out. Defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand recorded his first sack as a Dolphin while defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Zach Sieler each recorded one as well. Additionally, Ogbah pressured Geno Smith in the end zone before tipping a pass off to cornerback Kader Kohou for an interception in the third quarter.
Miami could only convert one third down on this drive and settled for a 23-yard field goal as they attempted to take advantage of their favorable field position.
On their next possession, the Dolphins made good progress thanks to runs by Wright and Achane but were unable to score as fourth-and-goal was called at two yards from goal.
With their loss, Miami fell to 0-2. They will return home for their matchup against Tennessee Titans on Monday at Hard Rock Stadium at 7:30 pm ET on ESPN and need to improve on both sides of the ball to compete with teams like Nashville (who currently rank second in the league).
De’Von Achane
De’Von Achane remains Miami’s primary rushing option, though Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Wright will see some touches as backup options. Achane took full advantage of San Francisco’s weak rush defense on Sunday to record his first 100+ yard rushing performance as a Dolphin, in addition to leading his team with six receptions and one touchdown catch in the passing game.
Last week against the Browns, Achane was an impressive fantasy performer; however, his final rushing line illustrated just how difficult it was for him to find space on the field. Still, he managed two touchdowns and remains one of the premier second-half fantasy options in the league.
The Dolphins are expected to employ a similar game plan against New England Patriots this weekend, which may limit Achane’s opportunity as a runner; however, he should still make an impactful contribution as receiver and remains an excellent fantasy option.
After suffering an initial setback in Week 11, Achane has shown great signs of improvement as of late. He posted double-digit rushing yards in consecutive games, and his pass-catching role has grown as well. Achane has become an excellent weekly starter, making sure every starting lineup contains him when facing off against New York Jets this week. Dolphins opponents tend to struggle in red zone matches; Achane should still see enough opportunities to help boost fantasy scoring once again.
Jaylen Wright
Since Raheem Mostert was let go from Miami Dolphins, 2024 draft pick Jaylen Wright may see an increased role as Miami’s starting running back. With 249 yards rushed so far in his NFL career, Wright could help strengthen their run game while showing he can shoulder an NFL starter’s workload.
Wright cannot shoulder all the blame; their offensive line plays a significant role in their inability to create effective runs. Last season, 28 percent of Dolphins rushing attempts resulted in no gain or loss; therefore Wright must work harder at avoiding negative plays and becoming an efficient runner overall.
Wright could become an invaluable contributor for the Dolphins this season, yet must first prove himself capable as a starting running back in the NFL. Although Wright believes he can do it, this season will provide his first real opportunity to do just that.
The Dolphins will have their hands full against Seattle, but they can improve their play on offense. They must stop wasting time by mislining up incorrectly, and establish more consistency in their passing game. DK Metcalf is an outstanding receiver who can make an immediate impactful statement. His track record against Dolphins defense speaks for itself.
Dee Eskridge
Dee Eskridge may not be one of the Dolphins’ marquee players, but his contributions on special teams could add some value. A 2021 second-round selection, Eskridge has endured injuries throughout his career but remains effective when healthy; last season alone he caught three out of seven targets and gained 146 yards on kick returns. Unfortunately he’s been limited during practices this week so his status for Sunday’s matchup against Seattle Seahawks must be monitored carefully.
Eskridge had limited playing time on Monday and Tuesday, making his availability for Thursday night of paramount importance for the Dolphins’ offense – with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Odell Beckham all dealing with injuries at wide receiver. Eskridge will likely determine his playing time by how available he is when injury-ridden receivers Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Odell Beckham return.
2024 Rookie Michael Thomas brought speed to the Dolphins receiving corps, but hasn’t quite lived up to his high draft pick status. With only 17 catches for 122 yards in three seasons and no touchdowns scored while injured, his performance hasn’t lived up to his draft slot. Releasing him would cost them $422,000 in dead money but save $1.025,000 in cap space while giving them freedom to sign veteran wide receivers without taking on additional dead money commitments; such an unconventional move might not surprise many fans but could potentially prove rewarding.
Oronde Gadsden
The Seattle Seahawks gave Tua Tagovailoa-less Dolphins team fits all afternoon long, holding them to only 3.7 yards per play. Derick Hall led their front line attack with two career sacks while seven different Seattle defenders registered tackles for loss in an impressive effort by Seattle defense.
The Dolphins could not find their offense during the first half. Jaylen Wright and Tyreek Hill struggled with getting open, while their offensive unit seemed more interested in running through a walk-through than competing against an NFL opponent. If this trend continues next week against the reigning NFC North champion Lions, their odds will become increasingly difficult of winning that division.
Miami’s offensive difficulties were compounded by several penalties in the first half. Linebacker Jaelan Phillips was pulled to the ground during a pass rush early in the first quarter, yet no flag was thrown for it. Meanwhile, running back Jaylen Wright was pulled down in what appeared to be an illegal horse collar tackle without any legal consequences being levied against Miami.
The second quarter was much the same; as penalties plagued both teams, allowing Seattle to gain valuable field position on multiple drives. Although driving within the red zone on several occasions, they were unable to punch it in and eventually gave it back on downs. Geno Smith was under constant scrutiny throughout, completing 75% of his passes while throwing two interceptions due to Calais Campbell and Zach Sieler tipping passes off and interceptions being tipped by Calais Campbell and Zach Sieler respectively.
Tim Boyle
The Dolphins offense struggled early, but their defense stepped up big time to force a key turnover. Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah broke free of double team on a run play while Kader Kohou intercepted Geno Smith’s pass into the end zone and intercepted it himself for an interception in the end zone.
Boyle then completed an 18-yard pass to Tyler Lockett for Seattle, sending them into Dolphins territory where running back Zach Charbonnet scored four yards later to put Seattle up 10-0 early in the second quarter.
Boyle has played in 23 games with five starts for the NFL since 2016, throwing for 934 yards and four touchdowns, but also surrendering 12 interceptions. While he may not be an ideal fantasy option, if his playing time continues he may add some value.
Miami has struggled in the red zone this season and must improve their scoring. They should be able to do this with a healthy roster including rookie running back DK Metcalf; however, offensive guru Mike McDaniel has yet to show signs of improving Miami’s red zone attack. Furthermore, Seattle allows an average of 185 rushing yards per game which should provide plenty of opportunity for Miami. Finally, their defense must step up and create turnovers in order to keep this game close.
