MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Raheem Mostert (hip) should be fine for the Miami Dolphins’ Week 12 game against the New England Patriots.
Mostert briefly left Sunday’s Week 11 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders for evaluation, but even before his minor injury, the 2023 Pro Bowler again took a backseat to clear Dolphins RB1 De’Von Achane in terms of usage.
Is that the new normal in Miami? Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel shed light on the paradigm shift.
De’Von Achane Surpasses Raheem Mostert
Since his second costly fumble in the span of three weeks, Mostert has been largely phased out of the Dolphins’ plans on offense. His three combined carries (for -2 yards) the last two weeks is his fewest in a two-game stretch since 2018.
The Dolphins have run 117 plays the last two weeks. Mostert has been on the field for 18 of them, touching the ball just six times total.
Achane, meanwhile, has 38 touches for 158 yards and a touchdown since Week 10. And not coincidentally, the Dolphins are 2-0 in those two games after starting the season 2-6.
So what’s going on?
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel explained Monday:
“We have the creative challenge of having a fully tooled backfield. You go into a game with an outline of how you think the ball will be spread out amongst them, but then also leave room for adjustment as we communicate, directly myself and Eric Studesville, and adjust for in-game play.
“I think De’Von was really at the top of his game yesterday. … He was really playing well, so in those situations, we kind of lean on the hot hand, so to speak, and I think he’s really made it difficult in in-game situations, the last two in particular, to take him off the field. We try to leave that room for guys to decide for us during the game on how much play time.”
Achane has been the Dolphins’ most consistent player in 2024.
He is by far the team leader in yards from scrimmage (879) and has twice as many touchdowns (6) as any other Dolphins player.
De’Von Achane has scored 20+ fantasy points in 3 of the last 4 weeks 😳 pic.twitter.com/3IXcdXA5N5
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) November 17, 2024
Slumping Miami Dolphins Ground Game
It should be said that the Dolphins’ run game is in a slump the last couple of weeks. After averaging 3.0 yards per carry in their win over the Rams, the Dolphins averaged 3.2 in the Raiders game.
If you remove Achane’s carries, the Dolphins have 39 yards total on their last 19 attempts.
Certainly, injuries on the offensive line and to fullback Alec Ingold have played a part.
But McDaniel has also adjusted his play-calling to take advantage of a torrid stretch by Tua Tagovailoa.
“If you’re efficient enough with [the short-passing game], you can kind of deliver on what the run game gives you in pass versions,” McDaniel said. “… When you don’t get as many opportunities at running the ball because of play calls, you limit those opportunities but you open up other opportunities.
“You’re doing low-cost, low-risk pass plays based upon your player’s execution because they’re not turning the ball over,” McDaniel continued. “It’s not a bunch of incompletions. You’re not forcing your hand. You’re kind of attacking the defense in the ways that they’re telling you to attack them.
“I would say the biggest reason for the disparity in numbers is I really haven’t called as many run plays. It’s not because we can’t. It’s because of what I’m watching, and how they’re trying to stop us.”