Week 3: Dolphins vs. Raiders Positional Grades

The Miami Dolphins lost to the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime on Sunday. Here are Miami’s positional grades from the Week 3 game:

Quarterback: C

Second-year starter Tua Tagovailoa was placed on the Injured Reserve list for a minimum of three weeks, so the Dolphins entered the contest with Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback. Brissett completed just over 65% of his passes while throwing for 215 yards and rushing for a last-second touchdown. Although the former Indianapolis Colt did not manage to complete a touchdown pass, he did not tally an interception. Despite being thrust into the starting position unexpectedly, Brissett managed to keep the Dolphins offense afloat with his critical decision-making and mobility outside of the pocket. Brissett demonstrates great prowess in his ability to either scramble or quickly get rid of the ball when he senses that the pocket is collapsing.

Running Back: B

“Mr. Five Yards A Carry”, Myles Gaskin, had his usual, serviceable performance, rushing for 65 yards on 13 attempts. The University of Washington product also snagged three receptions, adding to his total of 12 for the 2021 season. Gaskin excelled especially when cutting to the back-side of designed inside runs, often trailing behind second-year left tackle Austin Jackson. Meanwhile, Malcolm Brown rushed for 31 yards on seven attempts, an average of 4.4 yards per carry. Brown continues to shine in short-yardage situations. The former Los Angeles Ram is averaging six carries per game thus far.

Wide Receiver/Tight End: C+

After a quiet performance in Week 1, tight end Mike Gesicki has showcased vast improvements each week. Gesicki served as the Dolphins leading receiver on Sunday, hauling in 13 receptions for 127 yards. Although Gesicki didn’t attack the Raiders with his skills as an end-zone threat, he served as a reliable check-down target for Brissett. Rookie Jaylen Waddle continues to serve as an integral piece on the Miami offense, catching 12 out of 13 targets. Waddle often found himself with limited space after making a reception, totaling just 58 yards. However, it is encouraging that the University of Alabama product is comfortable operating out of the slot and is catching the ball at an efficient rate. Veteran Devante Parker’s stat-line consisted of four receptions for 42 yards, nearly the exact numbers that he posted in Week 2. While Parker’s production has been modest up to this point, he has served as a reliable target in late-game situations.

Offensive Line: C-

Miami’s offensive line demonstrated progress from last week’s massacre against the Buffalo Bills. Miami’s rushers totaled 146 yards on the ground, an average of 5.2 yards per carry. Unlike last week, Brissett was granted enough time to make a sensible decision in the pocket. Brissett was sacked only twice on Sunday, showing why Miami’s offensive line is capable of improving. Second-year offensive tackle Austin Jackson continues to show improvement as a downfield run-blocker, but is still working to improve his pass-blocking footwork. Rookie Liam Eichenberg performed well in place of guard Solomon Kindley. Despite an early holding call, Eichenberg handled his assignments adequately.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: C+

Miami’s front-seven gave up 140 rushing yards on 35 attempts, an average of four yards per carry. The Dolphins totaled three sacks, but two of them were a product of safety blitzes by Brandon Jones. Christian Wilkins bounced back from a quiet performance with seven tackles, including a timely tackle for a loss late in the fourth quarter. Defensive tackle Zack Sieler beat out Miami’s usual leading tackler, Jerome Baker, with nine stops. Miami’s linebackers showed improvement in zone coverage, leaving the middle of the field protected compared to previous weeks. Linebacker Elandon Roberts had an 86-yard pick-six.

Defensive Backs: B

Star defensive back Xavien Howard spent most of the game shadowing speedster Henry Ruggs, regardless of his positioning on the field. Quarterback David Carr completed 60% of his passes for a total of 386 yards. Nickel-back Nik Needham is continuing to establish himself as one of the game’s most refined slot-corners. The UTEP product totaled five tackles and gave up his body for a key pass deflection late in the fourth quarter. Hunter Renfrow was able to add his name to the short list of receivers that have escaped Xavien Howard’s man-to-man coverage for a touchdown. The Clemson product fooled Howard with a double-move route on the goal-line.