Miami steals win on the road, improve to 3-2

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In all respect, the Atlanta Falcons(3-2) won their game against the Miami Dolphins(3-2) in the first half of Sunday’s non-conference match up. The only problem was that no one told the Dolphins that. The Falcons were in command of a 17-0 lead by halftime at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. As a Dolphins fan myself, I began to wave the white flag as I continued to tune in for moral fan support going into the half.


Matt Ryan was looking like the “Matty Ice” of old and renown. Tevin Coleman and Devante Parker were looking like the bruising but swift backfield combination of Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett. The 3rd ranked Falcons defense gave no ground in the first half holding the Dolphins to only 135 yards of offense through all four of their drives in the half. Linebacker Deion Jones finished the last Dolphins drive with an interception, at the Dolphins 11 yard line, eliminating any chance of a offensive score. The Falcons offense dropped 235 yards in comparison.


The second half proved to be all Miami Dolphins football. Jay Cutler and company built off the momentum of two much needed catches by wide receiver Kenny Stills. From then, after 15 plays and 75 hard fought yards, Miami was in the endzone for the first time all game. Kenny Stills, who has emerged as one the Dolphins premiere receivers, ended the scoring drought as he caught a pass in the back of the endzone from a scrambling Jay Cutler.

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Miami’s second drive of the half could have ended in disaster as Deion Jones, initially, recorded his second interception of the game as Cutler targeted Jarvis Landry streaking across the middle. But thanks to a roughing the passer call on Atlanta’s Grady Jarrett, the Dolphin offense was back in business with a fresh pair of downs. Two plays later, Cutler had connected with Jarvis Landry for a 7 yard score. Cutler finished the game with 151 yards through the air, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Joseph Ajayi was a work horse on the ground. Though he didnt see the endzone, Ajayi served up a brutal 136 yards on the ground, opening up the pass game for Jay Cutler.

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Kicker Cody Parkey, who was newly added in September, closed the game with two solid field goals (38, 49). The first tied the game and the second one took the lead for the Dolphins with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter. “Seventeen-point lead at the half, and to come away without a win is disappointing. Just a pretty inconsistent game for us.”, said Matt Ryan after the game. Inconsistency was a theme for both teams but the Dolphins were the ones who were able to capitalize.

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The Dolphins defense, now ranked fourth in the league, also made the most of Atlanta's "inconsistent" second half play. Lead by veterans Reshad Jones, Ndamukong Suh, and Lawrence Timmons, the defense forced two punts, a turnover on downs, and an interception to end any chance of a Falcons scoring drive and to end the game.

The Dolphins are back home this week facing off against AFC east rivals, the New York Jets, in Miami. It will be interesting to see how Gase and his team will respond after a tough road win in Atlanta. Especially because the Jets beat Miami in New Jersey a couple of weeks back. And with the Jets losing to the Patriots last week, the Dolphins can potentially jump to second place in the AFC east with a win on Sunday.

Jets @ Dolphins: Sunday October 22, 2017 1:00 p.m.