After the Dolphins were embarrassed 31-6 in Cleveland on Oct. 19, coach Mike McDaniel suggested there would be personnel changes.
The changes began with Daniel Brunskill’s insertion as a sixth offensive lineman and running back Ollie Gordon’s increase in playing time in the following week’s win against Atlanta. The changes continued with the insertion of reciver Tahj Washington and tight end Greg Dulcich, among other changes, in the 28-6 loss to Baltimore.
And they continued with multiple changes in Sunday’s 30-13 victory against Buffalo. Among them:
▪ Juju Brents, who had played just 10 snaps before Sunday, started at cornerback in Rasul Douglas’ absence and logged 52 snaps. (He might have played all 68, like Jack Jones did, if not for an injury that briefly sidelined him in the second half before returning.)
Brents allowed two just of five targets to be caught for 12 yards. He also recovered a fumble.
When Brents left briefly, Ethan Bonner (five snaps) and Jason Marshall Jr. (18) filled in. Bonner allowed the only pass in his coverage area to be caught, by Keon Coleman, for a 35-yard touchdown.
Marshall, who also played some nickel corner, permitted five completions in seven targets (mostly in the fourth quarter), for 73 yards and a touchdown.
▪ After being a healthy scratch three of the previous four weeks, Jaylen Wright logged 10 snaps (more than Gordon’s three snaps) and ran five times for 17 yards, with one of those runs gaining 18 yards. Gordon was working his way back from an ankle injury. De’Von Achane played 47 of Miami’s 53 offensive plays.
▪ Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who had an important catch on a third down, played by far his fewest snaps (25) since his snap count increased after Tyreek Hill’s season-ending injury in Week 4.
Aside from Jaylen Waddle (44 snaps), no Dolphins receiver played more than 25 of the team’s 53 offensive snaps.
Instead, Miami used more “heavy” packages with extra blockers. Brunskill played 18 snaps – all as a sixth offensive lineman/tight end.
Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Daniel Brunskill (64) and Miami Dolphins guard Aaron Brewer (55) walk off the field after the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Dolphins 33-8 in an NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday, September 7, 2025, in Indianapolis. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com
Hayden Rucci, the second-year tight end who was promoted to the 53-man roster on Saturday, logged a career-high 22 offensive snaps, and Dulcich played 31.
Those “big” packages again paid dividends; overall, Miami ran for 197 yards on 6.2 yards per carry (with Achane rushing for 174 yards).
▪ In the aftermath of the Jaelan Phillips trade with Philadelphia, the Dolphins gave 44 defensive snaps to Matthew Judon, 24 to Quinton Bell (who was elevated from the practice squad for the third and final time) and 10 to Cameron Goode.
Pro Football Focus gave high marks to Bell, who has made a case to be moved to the 53-man roster in advance of Sunday’s game against Washington in Spain (9:30 a.m., NFL Network, CBS 4).
Outside linebacker Andre Carter II, plucked off the Lions’ practice squad last week, was inactive as he learns the Dolphins’ system.
▪ Rookie seventh-round pick Zeek Biggers played a season-high 19 snaps after logging just six in the first nine games.
Zach Sieler played 47 of the Dolphins’ 68 defensive snaps, but the five other defensive linemen had similar snap counts: 28 for rookie Kenneth Grant, 26 for rookie Jordan Phillips, 25 for Benito Jones, 19 for Biggers and 17 for Butler.
The Dolphins defense limited Buffalo to 87 yards on 22 carries — the first time the Bills haven’t rushed for 100 yards in a game this season. Buffalo entered averaging a league-high 161.5 rushing yards per game.
▪ Rookie safety Dante Trader Jr. played 66 defensive snaps, easily a career high, reinforcing what secondary coach Brian Duker said last week: The Dolphins view Trader as a starter as they craft their future. Trader was targeted only once, and that pass was incomplete.
Miami Dolphins safety Dante Trader Jr. (11) makes his way on the field before playing against the Buffalo Bills in their NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
▪ Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. played 10 defensive snaps, his second most of the season, and had his first sack as a Dolphin.
This and that
▪ Linebacker Bradley Chubb was exceptional Sunday with 10 quarterback pressures and a sack in 33 pass rushing chances.
▪ PFF rated Achane, Waddle, left tackle Patrick Paul, center Aaron Brewer and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as Miami’s top five players on offense.
▪ Cornerback Jack Jones played very well, producing two tackles ffor loss, forcing a fumble and allowing only two completions for 12 yards.
▪ Achane’s 225 yards from scrimmage were the second most in his career (he had 233 in 2023 against Denver) and the seventh most in a game in Dolphins history. Receiver Brian Hartline holds the record with 253 in a 2012 game at Arizona.
Achane is now sixth and seventh on that all-time list, trailing games by Hartline, Troy Stradford, Chris Chambers, Lamar Miller and Ricky Williams.
▪ Achane became the third player in NFL history to produce five rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons, joining Adner Hayes and Roger Craig.
Achane entered Monday ranked fourth in the league in rushing yards (780) and third in yards per carry (5.5).
▪ Brooks surpassed the 100-tackle mark for the fifth consecutive season; he’s one of seven active players to achieve that. He leads the league with 105 tackles.
▪ The Dolphins didn’t allow a sack for the third time this season. Rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea allowed four pressures on 23 pass-blocking chances; Brewer, Paul and right guard Cole Strange permitted one apiece and right tackle Larry Borom didn’t allow any.
PFF graded Paul and Brewer as Miami’s top run blockers on Sunday.
▪ Waddle’s 485 receiving yards since Week 5 (Miami’s first game since losing Tyreek Hill to a season-ending injury) are third most in the league over that span, trailing only Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Seattle’s Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
Here are my 10 thoughts and notes on the game.