Miami took down Las Vegas 34-19 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Week 11 AFC action. Tua Tagovailoa completed 28 of 36 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns while tight end Jonnu Smith posted a career-high 101 receiving yards with two scores. Despite the loss, Raiders rookie Brock Bowers continued his spectacular season with 13 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown, though Gardner Minshew’s late interception ended any comeback hopes for Las Vegas.
Table of Contents
Raiders vs Dolphins Game Leaders and Top Performers
| Category | Raiders Stats | Dolphins Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | Gardner Minshew 30/43, 282 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT |
Tua Tagovailoa 28/36, 288 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Jakobi Meyers 1 carry, 20 yards |
De’Von Achane 17 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Brock Bowers 13 rec, 126 yards, 1 TD |
Jonnu Smith 6 rec, 101 yards, 2 TD |
| Tackles | Robert Spillane 11 total (5 solo) |
Jordyn Brooks 13 total (8 solo) |
| Sacks | Adam Butler, Tyree Wilson 1.0 each |
Zach Sieler, Calais Campbell, Emmanuel Ogbah 1.0 each |
Tagovailoa vs Minshew: QB Performance Breakdown
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | QBR | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) | 28/36 | 288 | 3 | 0 | 2-17 | 89.9 | 127.8 |
| Gardner Minshew (LVR) | 30/43 | 282 | 2 | 1 | 3-14 | 49.8 | 93.4 |
Tagovailoa posted a 127.8 passer rating, his best performance since last December against Washington. The Miami quarterback completed 77.8 percent of his passes, his 13th career game with at least 75 percent completion. He orchestrated three scoring drives that each consumed over seven minutes, controlling possession and limiting what the Raiders offense could accomplish.
Minshew showed efficiency on third downs, converting eight of 14 attempts, but couldn’t finish drives once Vegas reached Miami territory. Minshew’s interception to cornerback Jalen Ramsey with 3:19 left sealed the outcome. Scott Turner called plays for the first time as interim offensive coordinator after the Raiders fired Luke Getsy during their bye week, bringing a more aggressive approach that heavily featured tight end Brock Bowers.
Rushing Stats: Achane Powers Miami Ground Attack
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De’Von Achane | MIA | 17 | 73 | 4.3 | 1 | 30 |
| Jakobi Meyers | LVR | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 |
| Alexander Mattison | LVR | 5 | 19 | 3.8 | 0 | 8 |
| Zamir White | LVR | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 0 | 3 |
| Malik Washington | MIA | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 |
| Jaylen Wright | MIA | 5 | 4 | 0.8 | 0 | 5 |
Achane punched in a two-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, extending Miami’s lead to 24-12. His 30-yard burst earlier on that drive set up the scoring opportunity. Miami outgained Vegas on the ground, 82 yards to 60 with 10 additional carries. Receiver Meyers produced the Raiders’ longest run on an apparent misdirection play designed to catch the Dolphins off guard.
Receiving Leaders: Bowers and Smith Dominate
| Player | Team | Targets | Receptions | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Bowers | LVR | 16 | 13 | 126 | 9.7 | 1 | 23 |
| Jonnu Smith | MIA | 8 | 6 | 101 | 16.8 | 2 | 57 |
| Tyreek Hill | MIA | 8 | 7 | 61 | 8.7 | 1 | 18 |
| Alexander Mattison | LVR | 3 | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 0 | 31 |
| Jaylen Waddle | MIA | 3 | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 0 | 24 |
| De’Von Achane | MIA | 4 | 4 | 32 | 8.0 | 0 | 17 |
| DJ Turner | LVR | 3 | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 0 | 12 |
| Tre Tucker | LVR | 4 | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 0 | 22 |
| Jakobi Meyers | LVR | 6 | 4 | 28 | 7.0 | 0 | 11 |
| Julian Hill | MIA | 3 | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 0 | 17 |
Bowers reached 70 receptions through 10 games, becoming just the ninth rookie tight end in NFL history to surpass 60 catches in a season per Pro Football Reference records. The Georgia product has totaled 706 receiving yards, building a strong Offensive Rookie of the Year case with each performance.
Smith became the first Miami tight end since the 1970 merger to record 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the same game. His 57-yard scoring catch happened when the Raiders secondary completely broke down in coverage. “The red seas parted,” Smith said after the game. “It was a busted coverage. Tua, me and him locked eyes and made the rest happen.”
Hill hauled in seven passes and scored for the second straight week. His eight-yard touchdown reception capped a marathon 14-play, 97-yard drive that ate 7:47 off the clock, exemplifying Miami’s ball control approach throughout the afternoon.
Defensive Stats: Brooks and Spillane Lead Tackles
| Player | Team | Total Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordyn Brooks | MIA | 13 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Spillane | LVR | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Walker | MIA | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Jones | LVR | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darnay Holmes | LVR | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Poyer | MIA | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | MIA | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Maxx Crosby | LVR | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sack Distribution:
- Miami: Zach Sieler (1.0), Calais Campbell (1.0), Emmanuel Ogbah (1.0)
- Las Vegas: Adam Butler (1.0), Tyree Wilson (1.0)
Brooks finished with a game-high 13 tackles, bringing his season total to 85 through 10 games. Ramsey recorded his third interception in consecutive matchups against the Raiders, dating back to last season when he had two picks against Vegas.
Campbell, at age 38, notched his fourth sack of 2024. Campbell became the eighth player that age or older to register sacks in back-to-back games since the 1970 merger, according to ESPN box score data.
The most notable defensive stat might be what didn’t happen. Crosby entered Sunday with 6.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits but Miami’s offensive line kept him off the stat sheet completely. PFF credited him with just three pressures, tying his lowest output this season. Left tackle Terron Armstead and the offensive front neutralized the three-time All-Pro through quick passing concepts and solid protection.
Raiders vs Dolphins Team Stats Comparison
| Category | Raiders | Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 328 | 353 |
| First Downs | 22 | 25 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 8/14 (57.1%) | 8/12 (66.7%) |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 2/2 (100%) | 2/2 (100%) |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1/3 (33.3%) | 3/4 (75%) |
| Time of Possession | 26:48 | 33:12 |
| Penalties | 7-49 | 4-23 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
Miami controlled possession for 33:12 compared to Las Vegas’s 26:48, winning the time battle by over six minutes through three marathon scoring drives. The Dolphins converted three of four red zone trips into touchdowns while the Raiders managed just one touchdown on three red zone opportunities, settling for field goals twice.
Red zone execution defined Sunday’s outcome. Miami scored touchdowns on 75 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line while Vegas converted just 33.3 percent. Those field goals instead of touchdowns left the Raiders chasing the game throughout.
Early penalties hurt Las Vegas. An unnecessary roughness call on Crosby and a defensive holding penalty on K’Lavon Chaisson extended Miami’s opening touchdown drive. Those infractions helped the Dolphins convert a third-and-20 situation and eventually score on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line.
Special Teams Stats and Kicking Performance
| Category | Raiders | Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 2/2 (Daniel Carlson) | 2/2 (Jason Sanders) |
| Extra Points | 1/1 | 4/4 |
| Punts | 1 for 54 yards | 0 |
| Kick Returns | 1 for 31 yards | 2 for 52 yards |
Both kickers had perfect afternoons. Carlson connected from 27 and 22 yards while Sanders hit from 31 and 46 yards. Sanders also converted all four extra point attempts. Miami never punted, scoring on six of seven possessions with their only non-scoring drive occurring at the end of the first half when they took over with 41 seconds remaining.
AJ Cole’s lone punt traveled 54 yards but a running-into-the-kicker penalty on Calais Campbell negated the kick and extended the Raiders’ opening drive instead.
Game Flow and Key Moments
Miami scored on their opening possession after a 14-play, 70-yard drive taking 8:13 off the clock. Tagovailoa found Smith for a one-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal, staking the Dolphins to an early 7-0 lead.
Las Vegas responded with a 12-play drive reaching Miami’s nine-yard line, but a Sieler sack on second down forced them to settle for a 27-yard Carlson field goal. That pattern repeated in the second quarter when another promising Vegas drive stalled in the red zone, resulting in a 22-yard field goal to make it 10-6 at halftime.
The Dolphins extended their advantage after intermission. Tagovailoa engineered a 14-play, 97-yard drive consuming 7:47, capping it with an eight-yard touchdown toss to Hill for a 17-6 lead. The Raiders answered with their best drive, covering 70 yards in eight plays. Bowers caught a 23-yard touchdown from Minshew, though a failed two-point conversion left them trailing 17-12.
Achane’s two-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter pushed Miami’s lead to 24-12. Vegas refused to fold. Minshew hit running back Ameer Abdullah on a 10-yard touchdown pass, slicing the deficit to 24-19 with 4:23 remaining and giving the Raiders legitimate hope.
That hope evaporated on Miami’s next possession when the Raiders secondary lost Smith in coverage. He found himself wide open down the middle, and Tagovailoa connected with him for the 57-yard touchdown making it 31-19. Ramsey’s interception on the following possession set up a Sanders 46-yard field goal to produce the final score of 34-19, completing Miami’s dominant performance.
Player Performance Analysis
Pass Protection Excellence
Miami’s offensive line delivered one of their best performances of the season, neutralizing Crosby while giving Tagovailoa time to operate. The quarterback faced pressure on just eight of 38 dropbacks yet completed five of six passes under duress for 101 yards and two touchdowns, according to official NFL statistics. Quick releases and well-executed protection kept one of football’s premier edge rushers quiet all afternoon.
Rookie Sensation Continues
Turner made feeding Bowers a priority in his first game calling plays, targeting the rookie 16 times. Miami’s linebackers and safeties struggled containing the athletic tight end on intermediate routes. His 23-yard touchdown came after he beat man coverage and outran defenders to the end zone. Through 10 games, Bowers has positioned himself as a frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Third Down Success
Both teams converted at impressive rates on third down throughout this game recap. Miami succeeded on 66.7 percent while Vegas hit 57.1 percent. The difference came after moving the chains. Miami turned sustained drives into touchdowns while the Raiders stalled repeatedly in the red zone, settling for field goals that kept them perpetually behind.
Offensive Efficiency Breakdown
Miami scored on six of seven possessions while committing zero turnovers. The Dolphins have converted 60 percent of third downs since Tagovailoa returned from injury in Week 8, the best mark in the NFL over that span according to official team statistics.
Their three scoring drives lasting at least 7:30 tied for the most by any team in a single game during the 2024 season and represented the most for Miami since 2000. Those extended possessions accomplished dual objectives: putting points on the board while keeping the ball away from the Raiders.
Las Vegas showed improvement under Turner’s play calling. Converting eight of 14 third downs and going two-for-two on fourth down attempts demonstrated better situational football. The problem remained in the red zone where they scored just one touchdown on three opportunities inside the 20-yard line.
What This Victory Means for Miami
This win improved the Dolphins to 4-6 with their second consecutive victory, keeping playoff hopes alive entering the second half of the season. The victory marked the franchise’s 500th regular season win, making them the 19th NFL organization to reach that milestone. Since their founding in 1966, Miami became one of five teams to record 500 regular season wins during that span.
Head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the recent stretch after the game: “I don’t know about you guys, but winning feels a lot better than losing. So I think we’re going to keep trying to do that.”
Since Tagovailoa’s return in Week 8, Miami ranks second in points per drive at 3.17 and first in drive success rate at 60 percent. Their third down conversion rate leads the league over that stretch, demonstrating renewed offensive efficiency with their starting quarterback back under center.
For Las Vegas, this loss extended their losing streak to six straight games, dropping them to 2-8. Despite improved offensive execution under Turner, critical mistakes and defensive communication breakdowns cost them another competitive game. The Raiders need to clean up penalties and shore up their secondary coverage assignments moving forward.
Performance Summary
This comprehensive breakdown of the Raiders vs Dolphins player stats shows how Miami controlled Sunday’s matchup through sustained drives and red zone efficiency while Las Vegas couldn’t overcome self-inflicted mistakes despite competitive overall numbers. For more detailed NFL coverage and statistical analysis, visit Newzire.
Tagovailoa’s precision passing and Smith’s career performance led Miami’s offense while Bowers continued his spectacular rookie campaign despite the defeat. The box score reveals contrasting approaches: Miami’s methodical ball control versus Las Vegas’s inability to finish drives when reaching scoring position. Both teams now turn their attention to Week 12 matchups, with the Dolphins hosting New England and the Raiders welcoming Denver.
