How the Dolphins Took Care of the Cleveland Browns

The Dolphins offense was very efficient with Tyler Huntley, while the defense kept Cleveland out of the end zone

Dec 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) throws the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Quarterback Tyler Huntley took over for an injured Tua Tagovailoa and led the Miami Dolphins to a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.

The Dolphins evened their record to 8-8 and are still alive in their quest for a playoff berth. Miami needs to win next week at the New York Jets. They also need the Kansas City Chiefs to defeat the Denver Broncos.

Huntley was very efficient in his game Sunday, He was 22-for-26 for 225 yards and a touchdown.

It should be noted one of Huntley's incompletions was when he spiked the ball to give Jason Sanders a field goal opportunity on the final play of the first half.

Huntley also scored the game-winning touchdown with his legs on a 13-yard jaunt in the third quarter. He would also finish the game as the Dolphins' leading rusher with 52 yards on seven carries.

“I was just trying to get a little more space, man," Huntley said. "It was tough to pick my feet up off the ground with those studs, but I was able to help the team make some plays.”

The start did not come as a total surprise to Huntley. He had a hunch earlier this week he might have been seeing action. With Tagovailoa's hip as sore as it was, the two were alternating snaps in practice.

“I mean, we had a possibility because he was a little sore when he came in one day," Huntley said. Earlier this week he felt a little sore and we were switching off reps.”

Tyreek Hill had a very productive day. He was Huntley's go-to receiver as he had nine targets and made nine receptions. He had 105 yards on the day. Hill was drawing double coverage all afternoon as the Browns did not have Jaylen Waddle in the game to worry about.

Hill said he took extra time this past week to work with Huntley. He credits the additional time which was put in as the key to helping him have success Sunday afternoon.

“Snoop came into a new offense, into a new building, looking at unfamiliar faces," Hill said. "He really wasn’t comfortable with telling guys what to do or truly understanding the offense and knowing where guys were supposed to be. Today’s game showed he can throw the ball on time, he can read defenses, and he can also make plays with his feet. Him being able to do all that, and then also come into the locker room at halftime and then talk to the whole entire offense, telling us to pick it up a notch, shows the growth and just him first getting here and now. I was really impressed by that. A lot of guys started playing in the second half. We were doing a good job, moving the ball up and down the field, we were just shooting ourselves in the foot. That’s all the things, pre-snap penalties, holdings and false starts and all kinds of craziness. He did a good job of leading us.”

The Dolphins were also backed by a defense which caused two turnovers and also created three additional turnovers on downs.

The Dolphins limited the Browns to 170 yards passing and 114 yards on the ground. The defensive line had Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson on his heels the entire game.

The front seven caused Thompson-Robinson to be flagged three times for intentional grounding as he was under extreme pressure from Calais Campbell and Chop Robinson.

“I think that’s why he’s here. Every week you’re just like ‘wow, we’re fortunate to have this guy.’ He almost has that youth football energy towards football," Miami coach Mike McDaniel said about Campbell. "Like just a love for it that he’s never really satisfied. His appetite for the game is real and every time he speaks, the team takes it super serious and it leaves an impression on them. I think he’s one of the absolute reasons we’re still alive for postseason play, and we get an opportunity to play one guaranteed game.

"If we take care of business, we have an opportunity to keep going in the season, which has been the whole motive and point of trying to turn this thing around, because you know if you’re able to, you’re also a weathered, experienced, tough team that has all those components of what it takes in December and January football.”

Tyrel Dodson led the defense with 15 combined tackles. Jordyn Brooks chimed in with 10 tackles, eight unassisted.