Here are the top takeaways and highest-graded players from the Dolphins’ 38-10 win over the Titans.
Miami Dolphins
– DE Cameron Wake (+7.8) finished with his highest overall grade since Week 1 of last season, and what a performance it was. Wake was an absolute force as a pass rusher – his +7.3 pass rush grade is the highest single-game pass rush grade from a 4-3 defensive end so far this season – tallying four sacks (forcing fumbles on two of them) along with two additional pressures.
– While Wake dominated on the outside, DT Ndamukong Suh (+4.3) more than held his own on the interior. He was somewhat quiet against the run (+0.4), but consistently disruptive as a pass rusher (+3.1). Suh had two pressures of his own, opened rushing lanes for his teammates and even deflected two balls at the line of scrimmage.
– On offense, QB Ryan Tannehill (+4.8) easily had his best game of the season. Tannehill had an absolute field day against the Titans’ blitz (+3.5 passing grade when blitzed), completing 10 of 14 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.
Top performers:
DE Cameron Wake (+7.8)
QB Ryan Tannehill (+4.8)
DT Ndamukong Suh (+4.7)
LB Jelani Jenkins (+2.2)
WR Rishard Matthews (+2.0)
Tennessee Titans
– Another game, another strong performance from DE Jurrell Casey (+2.5). Casey was the highest-graded player for the Titans defense on Sunday, and it was his second lowest grade of the season. Casey tied a season-low with just two pressures yesterday, but he consistently beat LG Dallas Thomas (-4.4) off the snap, drawing double-team help for much of the game.
– Da’Norris Searcy (+2.2) is starting to look like a nice free-agent signing since struggling in Tampa Bay on opening day. In three of his last four games since Week 1, Searcy has an overall grade of +1.0 or better. He allowed just three of the six balls targeted for 37 yards including one pass defense. Searcy was right on top of TE Jordan Cameron (+0.4) when the ball deflected off of his fingers for Tannehill’s first interception.
– On offense, it was not a good day for the right tackles. After starting and playing every snap so far this season as a rookie, OT Jeremiah Poutasi (-2.5) was benched after just 21 snaps. At the time he was benched, Poutasi allowed three sacks on 13 pass block attempts. Veteran OT Jamon Meredith (-1.7) replaced Poutasi and became DE Cameron Wake’s rag doll for the rest of the afternoon. Meredith allowed one sack and an additional pressure while his -2.2 pass block grade ended up just +0.1 better than Poutasi’s (-2.3).
Top performers
TE Delanie Walker (+3.3)
DE Jurrell Casey (+2.5)
S Da’Norris Searcy (+2.2)
LG Byron Bell (+1.7)
ILB Zach Brown (+1.5)