Dolphins-Patriots 2024 Week 12 Instant Takeaways

Tua, Waddle, and Jonnu are on fire as the Miami Dolphins make it three wins in a row.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) runs with the ball after a catch against the New England Patriots during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

What stood out in the Miami Dolphins Week 12 game against the New England Patriots?

We'll start with the inactive list, which featured cornerback Kendall Fuller (concussion) as the only player to miss the game because of an injury. The good news was the return of fullback Alec Ingold after he had missed the previous two games because of a calf injury.

The Dolphins did not have an emergency third quarterback for a fifth consecutive game.

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GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

We have to start with the offense, which continues to roll.

• So the Dolphins have to punt after their first drive of each half...we'll excuse that because they were unstoppable on offense all game.
• We wrote last week that Tua Tagovailoa is playing the best football of his career, and nothing that happened in this game would change that idea. He's simply on fire with his decision-making and accuracy.
• Jonnu Smith had another huge performance. He continues to deliver and gives the Dolphins the kind of weapon lacking at tight end.
• Seeing Jaylen Waddle break out after many weeks with low numbers is great.

New England rookie Drake Maye absolutely looks like a keeper at quarterback, but he will only be able to do a little as long as that offensive line continues to be this bad. The Dolphins abused that offensive line for a second game this season.

Chop Robinson's surge continues, which may be the biggest reason for optimism on defense the rest of the way.

It's a shame linebacker Anthony Walker, Jr. left the game with a hamstring injury in the first half. He's been a really solid defender for the team. Tyrel Dodson did well in his place.

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FIRST QUARTER

• From the start, the New England offense set the tone with a false start on third-and-3, which turned it into third-and-8.
• Could not understand why a team that's 3-8 and a heavy underdog would not go for the first down on fourth-and-1 from the 39 on the first series of the game, but the Patriots punted, showing first-year coach Jerod Mayo's overly conservative nature.
• De'Von Achane, again, was the workhorse for the running game, and he showed great toughness during his first carry when he ran through some tackles.
• Robinson had a great sequence on New England's second drive with pressure to force an incompletion and another pressure that induced a holding penalty. That led to New England's ultra-conservative decision (again) to run a draw play on third-and-16 to set up a 45-yard field goal attempt that Joey Slye missed.
• The Dolphins then drove for a touchdown, and the rout was on.
• This game saw the return of some completions in the middle of the field in the intermediate range, which we had not seen for a while. The first was a 24-yard hook-up with Jaylen Waddle.
• For the second consecutive week, the Dolphins gained a free first down at the end of a quarter by getting the opponent to jump offside.

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SECOND QUARTER

• Great play design on De'Von Achane's first touchdown when he caught a quick pass at the line with three blockers in front of him.
• Tight end Julian Hill is a very good blocker, but he struggles as a receiver. We got another example when he dropped a pass that initially was called a fumble.
• Very cool play design and ball handling by Tua on an end-around to Jaylen Wright that began with a fake handoff to Achane.
• Beyond Waddle's numbers, he made perhaps his best catch of the season when he got down low for a 19-yard completion.

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THIRD QUARTER

• Everybody got in on the fun when it came to rushing Maye, and Zach Sieler knocked the ball loose and created a turnover to set up the touchdown that made it 31-0.
• It's interesting to see Waddle celebrate his touchdown pass with a dance, but not the penguin waddle that has become his trademark.

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FOURTH QUARTER

• Jalen Ramsey was successful with his blitzing. The first notable time was when he got a sack to force a fourth-and-15.
• But Maye's mobility and ability to make plays out of the pocket showed up on that fourth-and-15 from the Miami 38 when the defense lost track of tight end Austin Hooper while Maye was moving around for a touchdown that spoiled the shutout bid.
• Mike McDaniel absolutely made the right call to pull Tua after a fourth-down stop. Still, on his second play, Skylar Thompson had an issue with the handoff to Jaylen Wright, and the Patriots returned the fumble 62 yards for a touchdown that made it 31-15 after the two-point conversion. Replays didn't show a bad handoff, per se, but it seems the Dolphins' backup quarterbacks can't do anything right this season.
• Tua returned for the next series, though Terron Armstead stayed out after coming out along with Tua on the previous possession. The Dolphins got only one first down, giving New England the ball down two possessions with about seven minutes left.
• New England's desperation comeback ended thanks to another well-timed Ramsey blitz, who forced an errant soft throw by Maye, and Dodson made a nice one-handed catch for the interception.
• The game was over by then, but Jason Sanders slammed the door shut with a 51-yard field goal, succeeding where Slye failed for New England.
• The win puts the Dolphins at 5-6, and they're on a three-game winning streak as they head into the big Thanksgiving night showdown at Green Bay.