Tua Tagovailoa's durability is a legitimate question. But when healthy, he is one of the league's prettiest and most accurate passers. (USA Today)
Cleveland Browns scouting report: Miami Dolphins
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Miami Dolphins
Sunday, 1 p.m., in Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Record: 6-3.
Last game: Defeated Chicago Bears, 35-32, Nov. 6, in Chicago.
Coach: Mike McDaniel, 6-3, first year.
Series record: Dolphins lead, 11-9 (counting postseason).
Last meeting: Browns won, 41-24, Nov. 24, 2019, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is fifth overall (29th rushing, second passing), defense is 22nd overall (15th rushing, 23rd passing) and turnover differential is minus-3.
Things to watch
1. The Dolphins were driven by defense under former coach Brian Flores. When Kyle Shanahan-protégé Mike McDaniel replaced Flores, he kept the defensive staff intact to preserve the system’s impact on the team. But now McDaniel’s offense is the identity of the team and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer has struggled to keep pace. The Dolphins have scored 30 or more points three times and have given up 30 or more three times.
2. The marriage of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill has been a stunning success. Tagovailoa leads the league in passer rating (115.9) and yards per attempt (9.2), is third in completion percentage (69.9) and fourth with 15 touchdowns. Hill leads the league in receptions (76) and receiving yards (1,104) and is on pace to shatter Calvin Johnson’s NFL season record of 1,964 receiving yards.
3. Jaylen Waddle is fifth in receiving yards with 812 and second with six touchdowns. The Dolphins are the only team with two receivers in the top 10 in yards.
4. While McDaniel seeks to emulate Shanahan’s run-oriented offensive system, the Dolphins have struggled to run the ball. They run just 37.4 percent of the time and average 3.9 yards per rush.
5. The Dolphins traded a first-round pick in 2023 to the Broncos prior to the NFL deadline for defensive end Bradley Chubb, and then signed him to a five-year extension for $119 million, including $63.2 million guaranteed. That pick was acquired from the 49ers. (The Dolphins’ own first-round pick in 2023 was forfeited for tampering with Sean Payton and Tom Brady and for intentionally losing games in 2019.) The trade for Chubb signifies the Dolphins view their Super Bowl window open and also ends any indecision about Tagovailoa as the team’s franchise quarterback.
Did you know … ?
1. Tagovailoa on third downs has completed 42 of 61 passes (73.7 percent) for 601 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions, for a passer rating of 147.0. It is the highest third-down passer rating since the NFL began tracking the statistic in 1991.
2. The Dolphins have won nine of their past 10 games in Hard Rock Stadium.
3. The Dolphins are 6-0 in games Tagovailoa has started and completed. With Tagovailoa out with a concussion, Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson were the quarterbacks in losses to the Bengals, Jets and Vikings.
4. Hill has had receiving yardage games of 190 (v. the Ravens), 160 (Bengals), 177 (Vikings), 188 (Lions) and 143 (Bears).
5. The Dolphins blocked a punt against the Bears and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
Small world: Mike McDaniel was Browns receivers coach in 2014 … Assistant head coach and tight ends coach Jon Embree was a Browns assistant coach in 2013 … Senior defensive assistant Ryan Slowik was Browns outside linebackers coach in 2016 … Running back Raheem Mostert played for the Browns in 2015 … Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah was a Browns second-round draft pick in 2016 and played for them through 2018 … Linebacker Jerome Baker is a Cleveland native who attended Benedictine High School.
