Dolphins Cash Out Raiders In Onslaught of Offense

Miami Gardens, FL – In a war of attrition between both offenses, the Miami Dolphins offense came out on top, taking down the Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 34-19, cashing in their first winning streak of 2024.

This game was fast—the fastest football game I’ve seen in a while. The first half took a little over an hour, and we finished this contest well before the 4 p.m. games kicked off. The reason was an extensive use of the run game and abnormally long drives for both offenses. Call it boring if you want, but if you’re a fan of efficient offense, this game was for you.

Bent, But Never Broken

That’s not to say the Dolphins defense necessarily played bad. While they had a tough time containing tight-end Brock Bowers who collected 126 yards, they did stop Las Vegas in the Red Zone, forcing a pair of field goals. But when they needed to make a play to ice the game, Jalen Ramsey called the game with an interception.

Was able to ask DT Calais Campbell about his thoughts on Gardner Minshew and how the defense adjusted against him.

Take a listen! 🐬#GoFins pic.twitter.com/odexFjfscI

— Jake Gibson (@JakeTheEmcee) November 17, 2024

Gardner Minshew played well. The Raiders’ ability to gain chunk plays on screen passes was solid, and they never backed down. Still, they never led this game. The majority of their drives were lengthy and took minutes off the clock. But when they ran out of time, they had to change up their offensive playstyle. And it failed pretty hard.

Rolling 7s On Offense

Plain and simple, Miami’s offense was near-unstoppable. There was only one drive that the Dolphins didn’t score points – the final drive right before halftime. That means that the Dolphins’ punter, Jake Bailey, was not needed AT ALL in this game.

The scariest part about the Raiders’ defense was Maxx Crosby, a certified game-changer. However, Tua was able to get the ball out quick enough that he couldn’t disrupt plays…usually. Otherwise, they passed away from him and double-teamed him. When all was said and done, Crosby was left with only five total tackles in this game; no sacks or deflections.

Was able to ask QB Tua Tagovailoa about the offensive gameplan for Maxx Crosby and how they limited him to 5 tackles.

Take a listen! 🐬#GoFins pic.twitter.com/b5hfpQ028y

— Jake Gibson (@JakeTheEmcee) November 17, 2024

What happens when you take Crosby out of the game? You get a terrible defense that couldn’t stop Tua from marching the ball down the field. He had one of his best games in a while, completing 28 passes for 288 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. When he needed to make a play with minutes to go, he found Jonnu Smith wide-open for an easy touchdown.

When Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were limited in targets, Smith stepped up to the plate and perhaps his best game in the NFL – six receptions for 101 yards and two scores. While Miami’s rushing game was limited to 82 yards, (thanks in part to 10 tackles for a loss) Tua put the offense in his back and made plays happen.

They Should’ve Stayed In Vegas

Overall, this was a massive game to win for Miami to continue their chance at a playoff run. It was a winnable game from the start, and they proved they were the better team in the end. Vegas never faltered, but they didn’t have enough firepower on defense to stop a red-hot Dolphins offense.

Miami will remain in South Florida and look to continue their winning streak as they take on the New England Patriots on Sunday, November 24th at 1 pm.