The Dolphins won at SoFi Stadium for the second straight year, this time 23-15 over the Rams in a game in which they never trailed. Miami snapped a three-game losing streak, two of which came on last-second field goals.
More importantly, the Dolphins opened the door for a potential playoff run, as the win puts them within 1.5 games of the Denver Broncos for seventh place in the AFC. Only three teams in NFL history have recovered from a 2-6 start to make the playoffs, but with home games against the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots over the next two weeks, Miami could be 5-6 when the team travels to Green. Bay on Thanksgiving Day to play the Packers.
Entering Week 10, the Dolphins had an 8.1% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN’s FPI, but they will play the 10th-easiest remaining schedule in the league. With their chances of winning the AFC East virtually non-existent, the Dolphins will need to capture one of the three wild card spots to keep their two-year playoff streak alive.
QB Breakdown: Tua Tagovailoa overcame a potentially disastrous second quarter during which he threw an interception and lost a fumble on consecutive drives. He finished with 207 yards and a touchdown, but converted five third-down attempts. He suffered a couple of ill-timed sacks, which coach Mike McDaniel said were the result of trying to do too much, something Tagovailoa continues to work on in his fifth season.
Describe the game in two words: Constant pressure. Miami’s defense made life terrible for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was pressured 13 times and sacked four times, a season-high for the Dolphins.
Promising trend: No Dolphins player has had more pressure on the quarterback since Week 5 than Chop Robinson, who took on a more prominent role after Jaelan Phillips’ injury. He continued that trend with five pressures Monday night and recorded his second sack of the season in as many games. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Next match: vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
The Rams entered the game with an 18.4% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN Analytics, but were unable to keep pace in the NFC West with the loss.
After the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers won on Sunday, ESPN Analytics had the Rams’ chances of winning the division at 11.5%.
But on Monday, their offense struggled, even though wide receiver Cooper Kupp, wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson returned from injury for the first time since the season opener.
According to ESPN Research, this is the 50th game for the Rams in which Matthew Stafford starts at quarterback. This is only the second time in those 50 games that Los Angeles failed to score a touchdown.
The Rams’ offensive problems appeared on third down. The offense entered the game converting 36% of third downs, which ranks 23rd in the NFL. On Monday night, the Rams were 1 for 10 (10%).
Los Angeles fell to 4-5, its first loss since the Week 6 bye.
Quarterback Breakdown: After throwing six touchdown passes in the Rams’ previous two games, Stafford threw none against a Dolphins defense that entered the game ranked 26th in pass defense DVOA. Stafford completed 32 of 46 passes for 293 yards and one interception. He has thrown an interception in six consecutive games, tying the longest streak of his career, according to ESPN Research.
Most surprising performance: The offensive line. In the Rams’ previous three games, Stafford had been sacked once. But on Monday night, he was sacked four times, despite recovering Avila (MCL sprain) and Jackson (shoulder) from injured reserve. The Rams were without right tackle Rob Havenstein, who was out with an ankle injury. The Dolphins defense did this despite entering the game with 10 sacks, the second fewest in the NFL.
Promising trend: First-round draft pick Jared Verse continued to impress. He had a sack for the third straight game and two tackles for loss. According to the Rams, Verse’s 11 tackles for loss in the first nine games of his career are tied for second with Von Miller and Micah Parsons since it became an official statistic in 1999. -Sarah Barshop
Next match: on Patriots (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)
