The Miami Dolphins managed to get a win on Sunday that they desperately needed, coming from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat the New England Patriots 15-10 on Sunday at Gillette Stadium on Foxboro, Massachusetts.
While all wins look good in the end, the process to get there for Miami was downright gross at times. A blocked punt, a terrible snap on a field goal attempt, multiple pre-snap procedure penalties, and plenty of misfires on the offensive side of the ball – including another bad snap on a play that took Miami out of field goal range – hamstrung the Dolphins for much of the day.
That being said, one area where the Dolphins got their groove back to a degree was on the ground. Miami rolled up 193 yards on 41 carries (4.7 ypc), far and away the most of the season. That’s also noteworthy because De’Von Achane left the game in the first quarter after suffering a concussion when he hit his head on the ground during a tackle.
However, one particular Dolphin stood out on Sunday, and it was rookie running back Jaylen Wright, who totaled 86 yards on 13 carries.
Wright looked particularly swift through the hole while also being patient for his blocks to develop.
He was key to the Dolphins’ final scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Over the Dolphins’ 80-yard drive, Wright churned out runs of 7, 4, 3, 16, and 8 yards to get Miami inside the three-yard line, which Alec Ingold took the rest of the way for go ahead touchdown on first and goal with 4:24 left in the game. Wright also had a 35-yard run called back for a hold on TE Julian Hill on that same drive.
It was an encouraging sign for Miami’s struggling offense. Raheem Mostert also ran well, totaling 80 yards on 19 carries. The holes were there for both of Miami’s runners on Sunday.
The Dolphins’ decision to take Wright in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft drew concerns from some that the team passed up greater needs. But on Sunday, his hard and productive running helped deliver a very much needed win for Miami early in this 2024 season.
