HARD ROCK STADIUM
NOV. 1, 2020 | 1 PM
POSTGAME NOTES
DOLPHINS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT, BEAT RAMS
• The Dolphins have now won three games in a row for the first time since 2018.
o It’s the first time the Dolphins have won three games in a row by 10+ points since 2014.
• Miami has won four of its past five and nine of its last 16 games.
• Today marked the first time since Nov. 1, 2009 (at N.Y. Jets) that the Dolphins scored touchdowns on offense, defense and a special teams return in the same game – and the Dolphins had all three in the first half today.
o It’s the first time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 the Dolphins have done all three in the first half of a game.
• According to FOX, the Dolphins are the first team since Indianapolis in 2004 to lead by 18+ points at halftime in three consecutive games.
• This is the Dolphins’ fifth win in their past eight home games.
• Miami is now 12-2 all-time against the Rams, including a 6-1 mark at home.
• This is Miami’s 22nd win in its past 36 games at Hard Rock Stadium, dating back to 2016.
DOLPHINS NOW LEAD NFL IN SCORING DEFENSE
• After limiting the Rams to just 17 points today, the Dolphins now lead the NFL (at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games) in scoring defense, allowing 18.6 points per game.
• The Dolphins posted their 18th and 19th sacks of the season today. Miami’s 19 sacks are tied for eighth in the NFL (at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games).
• Miami’s four takeaways today give them 13 on the season, which is tied for third in the NFL (at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games). Both teams with more takeaways than the Dolphins have played one more game (Kansas City and
Cleveland).
• The Dolphins’ 33.3 pct. third-down defense is tied for second in the NFL (at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games).
DOLPHINS DEFENSE FORCES FOUR TURNOVERS IN FIRST HALF
• The Dolphins defense forced four turnovers in the first half of today’s game. It was the most turnovers forced in a half by the Dolphins since forcing four in the first half vs. Arizona on Dec. 11, 2016.
o It marked the first time the Rams have turned the ball over four times in a half since Nov. 23, 2008 vs, Chicago.
• The first takeaway came at the 2:55 mark of the first quarter when DT Christian Wilkins intercepted Rams QB Jared Goff. It was the first interception of Wilkins’ career.
• At the 10:01 mark of the second quarter, DE Emmnauel Ogbah strip-sacked Goff and LB Andrew Van Ginkel picked the ball up and raced 78 yards for the score.
o It was the second-longest fumble return for a touchdown in Dolphins history after DE/LB Jason Taylor had an 85-yard return for a score on Sept. 11, 2005 vs. Denver.
o It was the first touchdown of Van Ginkel’s career.
POSTGAME NOTES
• Goff was intercepted again, this time by S Eric Rowe at the 3:48 mark of the second quarter. It was Rowe’s first interception of the season and first since his pick-six of Patriots QB Tom Brady in Week 17 of the 2019 season.
• The Dolphins forced another fumble of Goff, this time by DE Shaq Lawson, at the 2:47 mark of the second quarter.
LB Kyle Van Noy returned the fumble 28 yards to the Rams’ 1-yard line, where RB Myles Gaskin plunged in for a score to make it a 28-7 Dolphins lead.
GRANT SETS DOLPHINS RECORDS IN RETURN GAME
• WR Jakeem Grant returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown with 8:44 remaining in the second quarter. It was the third punt return touchdown of his career and the first punt return touchdown in the NFL this season.
• The touchdown gives him sole possession of first place in the Dolphins’ all-time record book. He had previously been tied with Freddie Solomon, Tom Vigorito and O.J. McDuffie with two.
• The 88-yard punt return was the longest punt return touchdown in Dolphins history. The previous record was 87 yards by Vigorito (Sept. 10, 1981 vs. Pittsburgh) and Ted Ginn Jr. (Nov. 18, 2007 at Philadelphia).
• Grant now has 816 punt return yards for his career. That moves him into sixth place in Dolphins history. He surpassed Scott Schwedes (732 yards), Jarvis Landry (804) and Solomon (810) today to climb up the all-time charts.
• Grant also posted 45 kickoff return yards today, giving him 2,145 in his career, which also moved him into sixth place in the team’s all-time record book. He surpassed McDuffie (2,103).
OGBAH FORCES GAME – CHANGING FUMBLE
• DE Emmanuel Ogbah strip-sacked Rams QB Jared Goff in the second quarter of a tied game, allowing LB Andrew Van Ginkel to scoop the ball and race 78 yards down the field for a go-ahead touchdown.
• Ogbah has now recorded a full sack in each of his past four games and at least a half sack in each of his past six games.
o His streak of four consecutive games with a full sack is the longest by a Dolphins player since DE Cameron Wake recorded full sacks in five straight games in 2016.
• Since Week 4 when Ogbah’s streak began, his five sacks are third in the NFL at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games, even though Miami had a bye in that span.
• Ogbah also had a pass defensed in the game.
ROWE HAS CAREER DAY
• S Eric Rowe played a big role in Miami’s pass defense disruption with a career-high five passes defensed and an interception.
• Rowe intercepted Rams QB Jared Goff at the 3:48 mark of the second quarter. It was Rowe’s first interception of the season and first since his pick-six of Patriots QB Tom Brady in Week 17 of the 2019 season.
• Rowe’s five passes defensed were tied for the most by a Dolphins player since at least 2000. The last Dolphins player to have five passes defensed in a game was CB Xavien Howard on Dec. 3, 2017 vs. Denver.
POSTGAME NOTES
• The five passes defensed were the most by an NFL player this season. The last time an NFL player had at least five passes defensed in a game was Dec. 22, 2019 when Indianapolis’ Pierre Desir had five vs. Carolina.
DOLPHINS OFFENSE HAS PAIR OF SCORES
• QB Tua Tagovailoa made his first NFL start today and recorded his first NFL touchdown. Facing a third-and-goal from the 3-yard line on the final play of the first quarter, Tagovailoa found WR DeVante Parker in the end zone for the score.
• For Parker, it was his 10th touchdown reception in his past 18 games. Since Week 7 of the 2019 season, his 10 receiving touchdowns are tied for seventh in the NFL.
• RB Myles Gaskin scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 2:47 left in the first half following a fumble recovery by LB Kyle Van Noy.
• For Gaskin, it was his second touchdown in the past three games. He led the Dolphins once again in rushing with 47 yards today.
• In Gaskin’s last nine games, he’s totaled 125 carries for 485 yards and three touchdowns, and 33 receptions for 230 yards.
• The Dolphins offense allowed just one sack today. They have now allowed just 11 sacks this season through seven games, which is tied for the ninth-fewest in the NFL at the end of today’s 1 p.m. games.
• The 11 sacks allowed are Miami’s fewest through its first seven games of the season since 2010, when they allowed just 10 sacks in the first seven contests.
• The Dolphins have scored at least 21 points in six consecutive games. It is the longest such streak since a six-game stretch in 2005.
INJURIES REPORTED IN THE PRESS BOX
MIAMI DOLPHINS
• LB Elandon Roberts, second quarter – elbow – questionable (returned)
• RB Patrick Laird, third quarter – ankle – questionable (returned)
LOS ANGELES RAMS
• CB Jalen Ramsey, first quarter – illness – questionable downgraded to out
• RB Darrell Henderson Jr., third quarter – thigh – questionable
CAPTAINS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
• LB Kyle Van Noy
QUICK HITS
• There were 12,397 tickets distributed to today’s game.
• Miami has now outscored its opposition by 57 points in the first half of games this season. It’s the second-best mark in the NFL after Baltimore, who is +66 in the first half of games.
• LB Jerome Baker topped 250 career tackles today. He becomes the first Dolphins player since LB Channing Crowder (2005-07) to record at least 250 tackles in the first three seasons of his NFL career.
• LB Kyle Van Noy recorded the 300th tackle of his career today.
• P Matt Haack pinned five punts inside the 20 today. It’s his sixth career game with at least five punts inside the 20, which is a Dolphins record.
• RB Matt Breida and S Kavon Frazier played in their 50th NFL games today.
• RB/WR Malcolm Perry started in his NFL debut today.
• QB Tua Tagovailoa made his first NFL start. He becomes the seventh rookie in Dolphins history to start a game at quarterback, joining QB Ryan Tannehill (2012), QB John Beck (2007), QB Dan Marino (1983), QB David Woodley (1980), QB Bob Griese (1967) and QB Rick Norton (1966).
-DOLPHINS
