Dolphins beat Washington, a Review: The Tape Don't Lie | Joe Schad

LANDOVER, Maryland — The Dolphins are tearing through this more mundane part of their schedule. Miami is 9-3 and seems on track for a remarkable 11-3 start.

On Sunday in Maryland, it was Miami 45, Washington 15.

Tua Tagovailoa hit Tyreek Hill for two deep touchdowns.

Andrew Van Ginkel intercepted a pass and scored a touchdown.

Miami is a dominant team and the AFC Super Bowl favorite.

Many coaches believe "The Tape Don't Lie," and that list includes Mike McDaniel.

"The game tape survives time," McDaniel says.

Here are some things we noticed in Miam's defeat of Washington:

The impact of speed

There have been years where we've watched back film of a Dolphins game and thought, "Well, OK, where do we expect the quarterback to go with the ball? There is literally nobody with separation."

Yeah, OK, well in 2023, it's quite the opposite problem.

On Tua Tagovailoa's first long touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill, he literally could have chosen a similarly wide-open De'Von Achane to his right.

Hill and Achane are two of the fastest players in the NFL.

It's borderline unfair to have them on the field at the same time. And, yes, along with fellow speedsters Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert, as well.

Mike McDaniel is an absolute mastermind when it comes to scheming mismatches. The fact that Achane was picked up by a linebacker on this play was no surprise to McDaniel or Tagovailoa.

It went exactly as planned.

As for Hill, who is on pace to set an NFL record with more than 2,000 receiving yards, his ability to "Willie Mays" a long TD catch in the second quarter amazed teammates and coaches.

Hill may be the only receiver in the game who could look over his left shoulder, then relocate the pass, while continuing stride, and then look back over his right shoulder before smoothly hauling in the pass.

Hill is the most dangerous weapon in the NFL and it's why so many are now calling for him to be the leading candidate for league MVP.

Xavien Howard performing well

It's gone largely under the radar, but veteran cornerback Xavien Howard has had a bounce back season.

This was not difficult to see coming.

Howard worked extremely hard to prepare his body throughout the spring and summer to have a better chance to stay healthy and perform at his level of expectation.

In 2022, Howard had a 101.2 passer rating allowed, 4 TD, 15.6 yards per completion and 359 yards after catch.

In 2023, Howard has a 78.8 passer rating allowed, 1 TD, 8.5 yards per completion and 83 yards after catch.

Yes, having Jalen Ramsey back makes Howard even more dangerous.

But he's been good this season with or without Ramsey.

X has strong coverage on a deep pass attempt into the end zone at the start of the second quarter. He is in good form and he is healthy.

Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson

Right tackle Austin Jackson has made a giant leap forward in his final Dolphins season before free agency.

And guard Liam Eichenberg has made a giant leap forward over the last three games.

No longer perceived as draft busts, they are instead valuable assets.

Over the last three games, Eichenberg has 201 snaps, 0 sacks, 0 QB hits and 2 pressures.

Last week, Jackson was the NFL's highest-graded tackle, according to PFF.

Miami may have a hard time re-signing Jackson. But he likes South Florida, is clearly getting well-coached and is clearly a great fit for Mike McDaniel's system.

After he figured things out, it's in everyone's best interest to figure out a long-term deal.

As for Eichenberg, he's under contract for next season and can be a quality fifth or sixth lineman, capable of filling in at center or guard.

Andrew Van Ginkel breakthrough

Andrew Van Ginkel is now the #6 ranked pass-rushing edge in the NFL via PFF.

AVG is ranked behind Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Aidan Hutchinson and Trey Hendrickson.

AVG is ranked just ahead of T.J. Watt and Maxx Crosby.

What a break-through season for AVG, who had one of the most memorable plays of the season on Sunday, a Pick 6 interception return.

The most interesting thing Van Ginkel said after the game is that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the wily veteran, basically gave him the exact tell for that play.

Van Ginkel expected it and he capitalized on the intel.

De'Von Achane and the rushing attack

The top two rushing teams in the AFC and NFL, Baltimore (158.6 yards per game) and Miami (143.3 yards per game) are 1-2 atop the AFC standings.

So - perhaps the NFL is a rushing league, after all?

OK, OK, so we know it's not.

But those teams having the capability of going against the grain of today's league trends is actually a huge advantage. And yes, it is in December and will be when these teams clash in a potentially monumental game on Dec. 31.

What if we told you that the running backs with the first and third highest grades via PFF are now De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert?

Well, we would tell you that it's an indication of how strong the Dolphins' run game is.

And we'd tell you that if they're both healthy down the stretch and in the playoffs, that gives Miami a balanced attack that many contenders cannot also claim.

Another thing to think about with Achane. A lot has been made about if Braxton Berrios or Cedrick Wilson or River Cracraft should be WR3.

What if it's Achane? He's a very smooth and dynamic running back - and receiver.

This & That

Safety Brandon Jones is a very good blitzer and so it was good to see him rush Sam Howell, and hit him, on an opening-drive, third down that forced Washington to punt... Fullback Alec Ingold is not only Miami's nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year, but he make an enormous impact in a successful team run game in his role as a relentless hammer... Is Zach Sieler a good fit for Vic Fangio's scheme? Well, what if we told you he already has 6.5 sacks, surpassing a previous career high of 3.5?... Jaylen Waddle had a drop in the first quarter. Tyreek Hill is credited with nine this season and Waddle four... Duke Riley's snaps have been way down this season, with the addition of David Long, but he has the physical capability to do some of the same things injured Jerome Baker can do. The coaches believe he can handle communication leadership until Baker returns.

Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and Twitter @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and Twitter @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

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