The most impressive part of the Dolphins' defensive performance against the Falcons was actually the one thing they didn't do for the first time this season

The Dolphins defense didn't miss tackles on Sunday against the Falcons. In five of the team's first seven contests, Miami missed double digit tackle attempts according to the game charting by Pro Football Focus. They'd missed at least nine tackle opportunities in every game prior to the game against Atlanta.

Not on Sunday. No.

Miami posted just two missed tackle challenges in Week 8 against the Falcons. It's a stunning departure from what has been considered the norm this season for Miami. The players and the coaches deserve credit for their execution on the field and it helped provide the necessary effort to finally limit an opposing team to no explosive plays.

2025 Miami Dolphins defense worst tackling performances this season

• Week 5 - 13 missed tackles
• Weeks 3, 4, 6 - 12 missed tackles
• Week 2 - 10 missed tackles
• Week 1, 7 - 9 missed tackles
• Week 8 - 2 missed tackles

The Dolphins will need a similar effort on Thursday night at home against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has a power presence in the backfield but also rolled out explosive running back Keaton Mitchell at a season-high rate in Week 8 during their 30-16 victory over the Chicago Bears. Add in a pair of capable receiving tight ends and a speedy receiver like Zay Flowers and the Ravens should have the weaponry needed to challenge the Dolphins' angles and form as a tackler.

The presence, or lack thereof, of quarterback Lamar Jackson hangs in the balance as a potential force multiplier. Miami will need a plan there. A familiar face mans the backup quarterback position, as Snoop Huntley took the snaps in Week 8. The good news for the Dolphins is those skill sets have some overlap — so the plan for one should look similar to a plan for the other.

But everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Miami, for the first time this season, truly did the punching on defense.

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