The Miami Dolphins lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 16-10, on Sunday.
The Dolphins are 2-4 and went 1-3 without Tua Tagovailoa, who is slated to return for the next game.
Fumbles by Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold and a missed field goal by Jason Sanders were all costly.
Many coaches believe “The Tape Don’t Lie,” and that list includes coach Mike McDaniel.
“The game tape survives time,” McDaniel says.
Here are some things we noticed from Monday’s film:
Jaylen Wright is a stock on the rise
Wright was third on the Dolphins with five rushing attempts, but made the most of those rushes.
Wright posted 33 yards and averaged a team-high 6.6 yards per carry.
What Wright does is bully defenders and break tackles. He’s fast and he’s strong.
The Dolphins have topped 40 rushing attempts in consecutive games. And while they don’t figure to continue to rush as often with the return of Tua Tagovailoa, Wright is a potential workhorse.
Will Dolphins continue to run following Tua Tagovailoa return?
At times, Wright’s determined approach to running can remind us of former Dolphin Jay Ajayi, though Wright is faster.
Here’s a look at the yards after contact statistics of Miami’s running backs, as per Pro Football Focus:
Jaylen Wright – 3.6
Jeff Wilson – 3.3
Raheem Mostert – 2.9
De’Von Achane – 2.3
Jalen Ramsey is once again fulfilling expectations
It’s too easy to take for granted how good Jalen Ramsey is.
He’s hardly ever targeted, and with good reason.
Newcomer Kendall Fuller has been solid for Miami.
But Ramsey, at 29, continues to be dominant.
According to PFF: Ramsey has allowed only 10 catches for 84 yards in 6 games.
That’s 14 yards per game allowed.
According to NFL research, Ramsey was also an effective blitzer on Sunday.
Ramsey recorded 4 pressures on 5 pass rushes on Sunday against the Colts, tied for the most pressures by a defensive back in a game this season. They were both also career highs.
Calais Campbell is an ageless wonder
It’s truly remarkable how impactful Campbell has been at at the age of 38.
Campbell, like Ramsey, had some amazing years with the Jaguars. But that seems like a century ago.
Campbell is the No. 4 graded defensive interior by PFF.
Once again on Sunday, he’s was Miami’s highest-graded defensive player.
And Campbell has 16 pressures this season, trailing only high-motor teammate Zach Sieler, who has 18.
Miami’s offensive line not atrocious
It’s en vogue to suggest Miami’s offensive line is trash.
But the truth is, under the guidance of offensive line coach Butch Barry, it really hasn’t been – entirely.
Consider that left tackle Terron Armstead is Pro Football Focus’ No. 1-ranked NFL offensive tackle.
Consider that center Aaron Brewer has been good, ranked 8th-best center in the NFL.
It is true that Austin Jackson (58th tackle), Liam Eichenberg (56th guard) and Robert Jones (54th guard) have not been as good. According to PFF, Jackson has allowed 13 pressures and Eichenberg 10.
That’s not great pass blocking. However, those two have been better in the run game.
In overall pass blocking, PFF ranks Miami 22nd.
But they also rank Miami’s run-blocking 7th in the NFL.
There is the potential to make a big impact on the run game in Miami’s last 11 games.
This & That
It will be interesting to see if Tua Tagovailoa can establish a connection with tight end Jonnu Smith, who has come on in recent weeks… Kader Kohou has improved week-to-week in the early part of this season… Da’Shawn Hand did some solid things for Miami on the defensive line on Sunday… Chop Robinson, with 95 pass rush snaps thus far as a rookie, is seeking his first NFL sack. On Sunday, Robinson notably could not complete a tackle for loss on a run play in the fourth quarter… There were absolutely a few instances where Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle chose a conservative path when they could have tried to fire a reasonable medium-depth or deep pass attempt to Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle. It’s hard to say if they just didn’t want to make a mistake or if they have been specifically instructed to play things safe.