The Miami Dolphins didn’t get the result they wanted against the Detroit Lions, but the defense gave them just about everything else. In a 19-9 loss, Miami spent most of the afternoon making life miserable for one of the league’s most dangerous offenses, and Jeff Hafley came away impressed.
"The communication was really good this week," Hafley said after the game. "I think they played their best all year."
The numbers back him up. For much of the game, Detroit looked stuck in neutral, and the Dolphins forced the Lions to work for nearly every inch. The scoreboard eventually tilted away from Miami, but the defensive performance was strong enough to stand on its own.
Jared Goff never really found a rhythm. He finished with a season-low 170 passing yards, completed 17 of 24 throws, and posted a 70.42 rating.
He also took three sacks and did not throw a touchdown. For a team built around explosive offense, Detroit settling for field goals for most of the day was a major win for Miami’s defense.
Amon-Ra St. Brown was productive, but not dominant.
He caught eight of 10 targets for 86 yards, with a long gain of 17, and the Dolphins kept him from breaking the game open. He stayed in front of the secondary and never got loose for the kind of downfield damage he usually brings.
Jahmyr Gibbs also had to fight for everything. He carried the ball 20 times for 74 yards and scored Detroit’s only touchdown, but his longest run went for just 16 yards.
As a team, the Lions managed only 102 rushing yards, a sign Miami handled the ground game far better than expected. Jameson Williams was kept in check too, finishing with one catch for 31 yards.
Sam LaPorta was another part of the Lions’ attack Miami managed to bottle up. The tight end caught only four passes for 32 yards on five targets, a notable result for a defense that has struggled to contain tight ends.
Detroit also came away with just three third-down conversions on 12 tries, while Miami converted all four of its fourth-down attempts. That kind of gap mattered in a game where the Dolphins were already doing enough defensively to keep the Lions uncomfortable for most of the afternoon.
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Dolphins Veterans Suddenly Face A Deadline Reality Fans Feared
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Austin Jackson and Josh Uche have both acknowledged the uncertainty hanging over the team, even as they keep their focus on the next game. For players trying to balance the day-to-day work of a lost season with the business side of the league, this is the part where every practice and every phone call can feel a little heavier than usual. [Read more 🡒]