Dolphins dominate Falcons in 34-10 victory

C. Isaiah Smalls II, Miami Herald on Oct 26, 2025

Published in Football

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At the start of the fourth quarter, a cheer broke out throughout Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“Let’s go Dolphins,” fans sang, followed by a syncopated five claps. “Let’s go Dolphins.”

The irony: this was the first time all month that Miami Dolphins supporters truly had a reason to be happy. That’s because the Dolphins came into Atlanta and whopped the Falcons 34-10, effectively ending a three-game skid.

And while Tua Tagovailoa and the offense certainly deserve credit for a dominant performance, especially considering his swollen eye, what’s more intriguing is how the defense locked down the Falcons.

Defense clamps up Bijan Robinson

Anytime Bijan Robinson steps on the field, odds are he’s the best player.

That meant the Dolphins defense, the worst in the NFL against the run, had to focus on the third-year tailback.

Luckily, they shut Robinson down, limiting him to just 48 total yards, 25 of which came on the ground. Robinson even coughed up a fumble in the red zone.

Defense overall excels

Two.

That’s how many third-down conversions that the Dolphins defense allowed. In total, the Dolphins limited the Falcons to 2/11 on third downs, a staggering 18% conversion rate.

The Dolphins’ dominance didn’t stop there: the Falcons only rushed for 45 yards. Backup quarterback Kirk Cousins only threw for 173 yards. And the Falcons’ sole touchdown came during garbage time late in the fourth quarter.

Dolphins running backs dominate

Despite the hype surrounding Robinson, it was the Dolphins’ tailbacks who balled out.

De’Von Achane rushed 18 times for 67 yards while the rookie Ollie Gordon II had 10 carries for 46 yards. Both also contributed in the pass game with Achane catching five balls for 24 yards and a touchdown while Gordon took his sole catch 20 yards to the house.

Even Jaylen Wright, who hadn’t played all season, got a few carries. He finished with nine carries for 28 yards.

Tagovailoa takes care of the ball

Following his disastrous performance against the Cleveland Browns, Tagovailoa admitted that he hadn’t played up to his standard in 2025.

That couldn’t be further from the truth as the sixth-year veteran had tossed a league-high 10 picks heading into Week 8.

Still, swollen eye and all, Tagovailoa put on a masterful performance against the Falcons, completing 77% of his passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns. The best part: the former Alabama standout escaped without a turnover.

Tagovailoa reignites connection with Waddle

Good things happen when Tagovailoa and Waddle connect.

After a one-catch-performance last week against the Cleveland Browns, Waddle was bound to bounce back.

He did just that against the Falcons, securing five catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. The highlight – and dagger – came towards the end of the third quarter when Tagovailoa found Waddle for a 43-yard catch-and-run.

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