Miami Dolphins offensive recap Vs Bills week 7

Go Jay go! Remember “run Ricky run”? Well history repeated itself with back to back over 200 yard rushing games from Ajayi, not seen here going back to the great former Dolphins running back Ricky Williams in 2002. This feat was the foundation to a Miami Dolphins win over the Bills, a rival foe that has had its way for a long time.

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This Miami Dolphins win came despite poor play from special teams and too many penalties that made it easier for the Bills to score and have an eleven point lead in the second half. To Adam Gase’s credit he did not panic but kept at it with the running game to make it easier on the passing game. The Dolphins would rattle off 22 unanswered points to seal a victory.

Things looked bleak starting that scoring run with the Dolphins backed up near their own goal line. Then Jay Ajayi gained 53-yards on a physical run from the 1-yard line. When the offensive line was not up to par providing protection before the starting front five came back last game, setting up the pass with the run was in order. Now that the line is established and an identity is being formed this should be the foundation moving forward.

Ja’Wuan James had stated during the week leading up to the game that he needed to work on picking up the new techniques installed this season from yet another coaching change. It seemed that every offensive lineman had a miscues except for him. This was odd that veterans and the rest of the O-line would now falter while James who had many miscues coming into this game would have a clean game. However this is the Miami dolphins after all so what else is new?

Team Stats

Bills

First Downs 16
Rush-Yds-TDs 22-67-2
Cmp-Att-Yd-TD-INT 14-28-221-1-0
Sacked-Yards 4-21
Net Pass Yards 200
Total Yards 267
Fumbles-Lost 0-0
Turnovers 0
Penalties-Yards 6-45
Third Down Conv. 3-13
Fourth Down Conv. 0-0
Time of Possession 22:58

Team Stats

Dolphins

First Downs 26
Rush-Yds-TDs 42-256-2
Cmp-Att-Yd-TD-INT 15-25-204-1-0
Sacked-Yards 1-6
Net Pass Yards 98
Total Yards 454
Fumbles-Lost 0-0
Turnovers 0
Penalties-Yards 13-116
Third Down Conv. 5-12
Fourth Down Conv. 0-0
Time of Possession 37:02

Ryan Tannehill showed better feel for the pressure this game and would take off running ahead to gain yardage rather than lose yards and taking potential sacks. He also showed a propensity of excellence for rolling out of the pocket and hitting his targets down field. In the past critics have hammered Tannehill over deep throws, he is now 3rd overall statistically and has made gains in average yards per throw every season with it now being over 8 yards.

Jarvis Landry was penalized for taunting after spinning the ball on the Bills sideline during the first half of play. This appeared to get under his skin and he acted out in a way he hasn’t displayed during prior games. It would persist throughout the rest of the game and later would commit an unnecessary roughness penalty on a crack back blocking play although there were 2 calls on the play and the Bills would choose the other.

There is some concern over Landry being more like his old colleague and friend Odell Beckham. There did seem to be similarities in antics after the spin the ball-taunting call and it should be nipped in the bud by the coaching staff. However the same staff must be instilling a hard nose type of play that should not change and that was on display as well.

Jay Ajayi is just the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to post back-to-back 200-yard rushing games. Those who have done so are former Dolphins running back Ricky Williams in 2002, Earl Campbell (1980) and O.J. Simpson, who did it twice (1976 and 1973) What sets Jay Ajayi apart from the others to have done this feat is he did so in his first full season playing RB, a remarkable accomplishment.

When Jay Ajayi got that run that put him over 200 yards with just under six minutes left in the game, there was a scare as he stayed down on the field prone. However it was just cramps, perhaps some pickle juice is in order like back in his college days. Keep a jar right on the bench for him so he can keep up the phenomenal running play.

The Tannehill / Foster connection is still a work in progress once again using him as a third down back it is not working. This time a third down chance should have been a 7 yard pass reception for first down but he ball hit Foster in the hands and it bounced off. Williams was in for the 3rd down back afterwards. Foster did come in on second and short gaining a first down, baby steps.

Kenny Stills was more involved this game getting targeted the same as Jarvis Landry with eight each. He had 100 yards receiving with a touchdown for 66 of those yards.

Game notes

• DeVante Parker had half the targets as Stills/Landry with just four. His targets are starting to be more intermediate to short routes which is fine, no receiver should just be plugged into one role.

• Jay Ajayi had nine runs of 10+ yards today. Third highest in a game since 1960!

• The Miami Heat’s Pat Riley should endorse Jay Ajayi to get a “three peat” Riley has the trade mark on the slogan.

Final notes

This is the second week with a victory at home Vs a tough opponent and it is starting to weed out the aberration aspect. Bills Tyrod Taylor was not injured this game however LeSean McCoy was late in the game, this had more to do with coaching error as Rex Ryan seemed to be the only person unaware of the risk starting a RB with hamstring issues leading up to the game.