Tua Tagovailoa led Miami Dolphins to victory against Washington Commanders 13-6 in their preseason opener with an 11-play, 61-yard scoring drive that he finished by going 5 for 5. On fourth down he connected with River Cracraft for 13-yard touchdown pass on fourth and one.
Jayden Daniels continued his strong play after impressing during joint practices with the Miami Dolphins this week, showing an exceptional ability to read defenses and make plays.
| Player | Team | Position | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa | Miami Dolphins | QB | 18/24 passes, 280 yards, 2 touchdowns |
| Tyreek Hill | Miami Dolphins | WR | 5 receptions, 157 yards, 2 touchdowns (78-yard and 60-yard) |
| De’Von Achane | Miami Dolphins | RB | 17 carries, 73 yards, 2 touchdowns; 3 receptions, 30 yards |
| Raheem Mostert | Miami Dolphins | RB | 11 carries, 43 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 reception, 8 yards |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | Miami Dolphins | LB | 1 interception returned 33 yards for a touchdown |
| Sam Howell | Washington Commanders | QB | 12/23 passes, 127 yards, 1 interception; 4 carries, 21 yards, 2 rushing touchdowns |
| Brian Robinson Jr. | Washington Commanders | RB | 7 carries, 53 yards (left second half due to a hamstring injury) |
| Antonio Gibson | Washington Commanders | RB | 10 carries, 35 yards; 4 receptions, 37 yards |
| Curtis Samuel | Washington Commanders | WR | 4 receptions, 65 yards |
| Jahan Dotson | Washington Commanders | WR | 2 receptions, 23 yards |
Key players
The Commanders vs Dolphins game was an exciting affair, with both sides showing moments of brilliance. However, it was ultimately the Dolphins who capitalized on key situations to prevail 13-6. Let’s look at who played key roles in this matchup.
Mike White and Trace McSorley, the Dolphins quarterbacks, played a significant role in their offense. Both played admirably despite not scoring any touchdowns; White especially made an impactful move that propelled his team into scoring position for their win.
On the Commanders side, quarterback Jeff Driskel had an outstanding outing, completing 11 out of 15 passes while throwing one interception and amassing a 45 yard rushing total on four attempts – key components for team success.
Defense was also a strength of the Commanders, led by defensive tackle Frankie Luvu and linebacker Mike Sainristil. Both players were active tacklers; Luvu particularly making big-play plays; for example stalling Raheem Mostert on fourth down on play one of third quarter. Sainristil served as an effective counterbalance to Luvu, flying to the ball and making several impressive tackles himself.
Special teams were an uneven experience for the Commanders, as they struggled to flip the field and set up good field positions with their punting. Their kick returners did well though and set up good field positions when needed. By contrast, the Dolphins boasted a powerful special teams unit which enabled them to control play more easily than their counterparts.
The Commanders are hopeful that rookie linebacker Jamin Davis can build upon his impressive preseason. While he has looked solid so far, Jamin must improve his pass-rush skills to become a significant contributor. On the other hand, rookie cornerback Storm Duck has shown great promise as an underrated part of their secondary.
Quarterbacks
Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins made his preseason debut against Washington Commanders with an impressive 5-for-5 performance, capping off his opening drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to River Cracraft on fourth down – while Miami Dolphins special teams made an impactful statement by keeping Commanders out of good field position and limiting scoring opportunities. In a 13-6 win for Miami against Washington Commanders on Saturday afternoon, Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed all five passes while tossing an opening drive-winning drive from start to finish! Special teams were key contributors as well, keeping Commanders out of good field position and limiting scoring opportunities – an important statement about Miami.
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led two potential scoring drives during the first half. He connected with wide receiver Dyami Brown on several deep passes and broke several long runs to keep the chains moving – however, these drives stalled at 31 yards out due to kicker Riley Patterson missing a 49-yard field goal attempt.
Daniels was even more impressive during his second series against Miami Dolphins. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 123 yards, as well as scoring on one rushing attempt – notching six yards while outwitting Miami’s Kendall Fuller!
The Commanders’ secondary also held strong, with cornerback Mykal Walker and safety Frankie Luvu making several tackles each. Luvu was particularly effective on the opening play of the second quarter, breaking through the line-of-scrimmage to stop Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert from making gains on fourth and 1.
Due to a shoulder injury, Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman wasn’t available, leaving Jeff Driskel to lead their offense throughout most of the game. Former LSU QB Driskel had several strong moments including connecting early on with wide receiver Terry McLaurin; but also struggled to capitalize on red zone opportunities and missed several short passes in the endzone.
Red zone efficiency
Red zone efficiency is an invaluable aspect of football games. It determines how many scoring chances a team receives and whether or not they capitalize on them; great teams typically score highly, while poor ones typically fall below. A closer examination of data illustrates just how crucial red zone execution can be and just how much teams can improve by working to enhance it.
The Commanders got off to an excellent start, as Daniels completed all four of his initial passes successfully. Daniels demonstrated a keen understanding of their offense by throwing players into positions where they could make plays after catch – for instance finding Terry McLaurin on a comeback route which resulted in a 20-yard gain.
However, the Commanders struggled in the red zone, allowing the Dolphins to control much of the final portion of the first half. Furthermore, their second quarter performance was even worse: two touchdowns and a field goal were given up by them!
However, the Commanders were able to regain some ground in the third quarter thanks to Skylar Thompson and Mike White each scoring a rushing touchdown for Miami Dolphins. Matt Sanders also contributed with an outstanding 33-yard field goal before cornerback Curtis Bolton made an interception that forced a three-and-out by Miami Commanders.
The Commanders struggled to contain the Dolphins’ explosive running backs, while their secondary did a great job at limiting big play threats and providing kickoff support to set up their offense. Additionally, their kickoff unit proved invaluable in setting up their offensive strategy.
Although they experienced defeat last time out, the Commanders have plenty to build upon this game despite their setback, including how their special teams are improving. Their punter and kick returner have both shown promise; now the kickoff team is starting to provide more assistance as well. Special teams can make a crucial difference in close games; therefore it’s imperative they continue developing their abilities. Furthermore, red zone execution should remain a top priority. Hartman showed promise during preseason play but his shoulder injury may limit his playing time going forward.
Time of possession
Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins held an intense contest, both sides showing moments of brilliance. But Miami proved more adept at capitalizing on their opportunities – particularly red zone efficiency and defense – which helped lead them to a 13-6 win against Washington Commanders. Here are some key player stats from this game.
The Washington Commanders held onto the ball for 31:34, which is an acceptable amount of time. Unfortunately, their offense found itself forced into numerous 3rd and long situations that did not allow for effective punting and kick returns from special teams to change field position quickly enough.
Tua Tagovailoa made an early statement by connecting on an opening drive touchdown pass for the Dolphins, prompting some pressure from Commanders defense that resulted in a forced fumble which was later recovered by Jamin Davis – setting an excellent tone early.
Following this turnover, the Dolphins drove all the way down to the Commanders’ 29-yard line but were unable to score – this would mark their last opportunity in scoring position during the first half.
On the other side of things, Washington Commanders’ offense began strong with a three-yard run from Rashad Riggins and two receptions from Roy Jefferson; one of these receptions set a career high distance of 23 yards for Jefferson.
Once the Dolphins’ fourth drive concluded in a punt, the Commanders drove all the way down to Miami 43-yard line before an interference penalty against safety Lyle Blackwood pushed it back to Miami 28.
The Dolphins managed to advance into the red zone on their next drive, but an unfortunate miscue resulted in an interception by Washington defense. Tied at 6-6, Commanders attempted a 39-yard field goal but Patterson failed to convert his kick, sending the game into overtime where they ultimately fell 13-6 to Dolphins. It marked their third straight preseason defeat for Washington.
