The Dolphins Show How Random Football Can Be

Going into yesterday’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, most people believed that the Dolphins had little chance of winning. Atlanta had one of the best defenses on paper, and specifically, the best passing defense in the league.

Last week against the Cleveland Browns, the offense looked as bad as it ever has, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa being benched after tossing his third interception in a 31-6 loss. The prevailing wisdom told viewers that Sunday’s matchup could end up being an equally ugly and lopsided contest.

This idea would prove true, but not in the way many expected, as Miami went down to Georgia and came away with a 34-10 victory. 

The Dolphins caught several breaks before the game kicked off. The Falcons were dealing with injuries to key players, chief among them quarterback Michael Penix and wide receiver Drake London. 

This forced Kirk Cousins into action. Cousins is 37 years old and has not looked like his best self since tearing his Achilles tendon in October of 2023. In this gam, he looked uncomfortable and put up only 173 yards. The absence of London was severely felt as it allowed the Dolphins to focus on shutting down the run. Atlanta only managed 45 total rushing yard,s with standout Bijan Robinson contributing 25 of those yards on nine carries for a 2.8 ypc average. 

For Miami’s part, this was one of the most balanced offensive games we’ve seen this season. Miami ended the day with 338 total yards, 197 passing, and 141 rushing. The trio of De’Von Achane, Ollie Gordon II, and Jaylen Wright helped the Dolphins dictate the pace of the game and construct long scoring drives.

All told, the Dolphins won the time of possession battle with 37:58 to Atlanta’s 22:02. 

I’ve been a rather harsh critic of Tua so far this season, so I think it’s only right that I give him credit when it is due. Coming into this match, the lefty was playing some of the worst football of his professional career, with six interceptions in the past two contests. He woke up with an eye swollen shut, and that did little to convince me that today would be much different from his most recent games.

Fortunately, Tua proved me wrong by lighting up the Falcons’ top-rated defense. He went 20-26 for 205 yards and a season high 4 touchdowns, perhaps most importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over. Truly, it was a return to form, the type of day that had become routine in previous seasons but was absent for most of 2025. 

I don’t know if I’m ready to start believing in the Dolphins again. At 2-6, they face a tough uphill battle to regain relevance.

Fortunately, we don’t have to wait long to see if Miami has truly turned a corner or if this was a flash in the pan. On Thursday, they play the Baltimore Ravens, with quarterback Lamar Jackson likely to return from injury.

Then on November 9th, they face off against the Buffalo Bills. If Miami wins both games, we can start talking about their season truly turning around. For now, I’m going to enjoy the victory on Monday and the good feelings that come along with it.