Dolphins-Panthers Week 6 Complete Observations

Here's what caught our eye before and during the Miami Dolphins' 42-21 Week 6 victory against the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

-- We'll start with the inactive list, which was led by starting center Connor Williams, missing a second game because of a groin injury, and newcomer Chase Claypool, acquired nine days ago in a trade with the Chicago Bears.

-- Also inactive were CB Kelvin Joseph, TE Tyler Kroft and DT Brandon Pili, with Skylar Thompson once again serving as emergency third quarterback in the event of injuries to both Tua Tagovailoa and Mike White.

-- Back in the lineup for this game was Jaelan Phillips, who missed the previous two games and three of the first five because of injuries.

-- With Williams out, Liam Eichenberg was in line to make his second start at center, the first coming in the Week 4 loss at Buffalo.

FIRST QUARTER

-- The Dolphins won the toss and, as they always do, deferred to get the second-half kickoff.

-- Worth noting that Andrew Van Ginkel, who played so well during Phillips' absence, got the start at outside linebacker opposite Bradley Chubb.

-- Speaking of Chubb, he owerpowered the left tackle to sack Bryce Young on second down, leading to a three-and-out for the Dolphins defense.

-- The Dolphins offense also went three-and-out on its first drive after Raheem Mostert was dropped for a 2-yard loss on second-and-8 when the Panthers sealed the edge on a toss outside and Mostert lost his footing.

-- Tua checked down to Mostert on third-and-10 and he could gain only 6 yards to force the punt.

-- Carolina's next drive began with a 27-yard pass from Young to Adam Thielen running across the middle.

-- Though David Long Jr. and Andrew Van Ginkel both had nice plays to stop runs, there was some leaking again in the run defense.

-- Chuba Hubbard gained 19 yards to the Miami 6-yard after tight end Hayden Hurst got AVG on the ground with a block and he scored right up the middle on the next play to give Carolina a 7-0 lead.

-- The Dolphins' second possession also produced a three-and-out and that was because the team's short-yardage deficiencies showed up again.

-- On third-and-1 (maybe less than a yard), the Dolphins had Tua take a QB sneak before pulling back and throwing a lateral to Raheem Mostert to the outside. Only problem was that Tua's throw was off the mark and when Mostert retrieve the loose ball — it was a fumble by then as a lateral — he got pushed out of bounds for a 9-yard loss. Ugh.

-- Carolina was back at it again on its next drive, going 74 yards for another touchdown.

-- The first play of the drive was a simple pass to tight end Tommy Tremble, but he turned it into a 21-yard gain after hurdling over Xavien Howard.

-- Carolina then had six consecutive running plays to get to a third-and-3 from the Miami 13 before the Dolphins were flagged for having too many men on the field. Another ugh.

-- On second-and-goal, Young threw a pass in the back middle of the end zone just over the outstretched arms of Howard and hit Thielen with an 8-yard touchdown that made it 14-0 for Carolina.

-- At least the quarter ended on a good note, with Tua hitting Tyreek Hill with a 27-yard completion on a deep square-in to give Miami the ball at the Carolina 48 to start the second quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

-- The Dolphins offense looked more like it has all season on that drive, which ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Tua to Raheem Mostert.

-- Mike McDaniel used some misidrection on a couple of running plays, with Mostert gaining 7 yards on an end-around and Hill gaining 11 on a jet sweep.

-- The scoring play was set up by a 14-yard hook-up between Tua and Jaylen Waddle after a Carolina defender fell. With the extra point, the Dolphins were now within 14-7.

-- The Dolphins defense gave up two first downs on the next possession, but forced a punting situation after two incompletions from the Panthers 49-yard line.

-- The Panthers went for the fake on fourth-and-8, with punter Johnny Hekker throwing a short pass to Laviska Shenault in the flat. Duke Riley and Elijah Campbell were able to get to Shenault and force him out of bounds 1 yard shy of the first down, allowing the Dolphins to take over on downs at their 44.

-- It took all of one play for the Dolphins to be back in scoring position, with Mostert breaking three tackles on his way to a 48-yard run to the 8-yard line.

-- Two plays later, Tua rolled to his left and threw a 4-yard TD pass to Waddle, and just like that the Dolphins had tied the score 14-14.

-- The Dolphins defense pitched its second three-and-out on the next possession thanks to some good tackling by Jerome Baker and Xavien Howard after first- and third-down completions.

-- After Tua hit Waddle over the middle for a 17-yard gain, Mostert converted a third-and-8 after catching a swing pass in the backfield by making a defender miss.

-- On the first play after the two-minute warning, on third-and-6, Hill sprinted past the Carolina cornerback and Tua hit him for a 41-yard touchdown pass that made it 21-14 for the Dolphins, though Hill was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for grabbing a phone from a photographer and doing a backflip while holding it.

-- And, yes, that's likely to get another fine for Hill.

-- The Dolphins defense had a chance at a three-and-out and to give the offense the ball back before halftime, but watched Bryce Young complete three straight passes to Adam Thielen for 16, 16 and 7 yards.

-- The defense stiffened after Carolina reached the Miami 26, holding the Panthers to a 42-yard field goal attempt by Eddy Pineiro, who was wide right, keeping the Dolphins' lead at 21-14 at the half.

THIRD QUARTER

-- The second half began with a quick three-and-out for the Dolphins following three incompletions.

-- Tua had a pass batted down on first down, short-hopped a throw to Hill, then was forced to throw the ball away after both tackles Austin Jackson and Kendall Lamm allowed some push.

-- Carolina reached its 45 on its first possession of the half, but Christian Wilkins ended the drive when he quickly burst through the line and sacked Young for a 10-yard loss on third-and-6.

-- The Dolphins were backed up at their 9 when they started their next drive, but no problem.

-- A 47-yard completion to Hill on a deep completion over the middle (how often have we seen that one?) put the ball at the Carolina 26. Hill did appear to grab his left hamstring as he ran out of bounds at the end of the play, though, and he headed to the locker room.

-- The drive ended with yet another Miami touchdown, this one on a 4-yard run by Raheem Mostert that made it a 28-14 score.

-- The Dolphins defense did some more bending on Carolina's next possession but again held.

-- After two first downs, including a 24-yard completion from Young to D.J. Chark after he got away from CB Eli Apple, the Panthers were faced with a third-and-2 from the Miami 24 before two incompletions turned the ball over on downs.

-- On fourth down, Young tried to go deep to tight end Hayden Hurst, but Xavien Howard had great coverage on the play.

-- The Dolphins offense was at it on its next series, with Tua hitting a wide open Hill near the sideline for a 24-yard gain to the Carolina 45.

-- The drive continued after Berrios caught a 10-yard pass and the third quarter ended with the Dolphins leading 28-14 and with a first down at the Panthers 22-yard line after Mostert gained 11 yards on a sweep to the right side.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- The Dolphins closed out the drive with their fifth touchdown, this one a 1-yard run by Mostert on third-and-goal, to make it 35-14.

-- It was sack time on the next Carolina series, with Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler each dropping Young for big losses (10 and 11 yards) to force a punt.

-- Mostert reeled off another 13-yard run the next time the Dolphins had the ball, but then they had to punt.

-- Carolina got two first downs on its next possession, but there were four straight incompletions, helped by some pressure from the pass rush, to give the ball at the Panthers 40-yard line.

-- Mike White took over at quarterback, and on third-and-9 he threw a lazy pass to the flat after staring at intended receiver Salvon Ahmed, allowing Troy Hill to step in front and make the easy interception and pick-six of 61 yards to make the score 35-21.

-- Down 14 with 4:26 left, Carolina went for an onside kick, but Duke Riley recovered for Miami (besides, the Panthers were flagged for an illegal formation on the play).

-- Getting some late carries, Brooks reeled off a tremendous 28-yard run to the 9-yard line after he stiff-armed a defender and broke another tackle downfield.

-- Unfortunately, Brooks sustained an ankle injury two plays later on a second-and-goal run that lost 1 yard.

-- On third-and-9 from the 9, Ahmed was able to get outside and made his way into the end zone for a touchdown that made it 42-21.

-- Carolina's final possession again ended on downs before White kneeled three times to close the book on the convincing 42-21 victory.

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