On a day where Miami needed a big performance from the rushing game, they got it from an undrafted rookie. Running back Salvon Ahmed rushed for a career-high 122 yards and became the first Dolphin this season to top the century mark.
The 122 rushing yards from Ahmed was the second-most by a Dolphins rookie in the past 15 seasons. Kalen Ballage rushed for 123 yards in Week 15 of the 2018 season against Minnesota.
"I appreciate the o-line. They keep me going," Ahmed said. "They get push down the field and all I have to do is follow those big dudes. Getting a 'dub' isn't possible without the offensive line so shoutout to those guys.
The team's 250 rushing yards nearly doubled the previous high for the season – set back in the Week 3 win over Jacksonville – of 133 yards on the ground. It was the team's most rushing yards in a game since Dec. 24, 2016 when they had 261 at Buffalo.
"Execution, execution, execution, execution, execution," Dolphins Head Coach Flores said of the keys for the running game. "Chan (Gailey) did a great job throughout the week. Really the entire offensive staff – Chan and Steve Marshall, Eric Studesville, George Godsey – the entire staff, Robby Brown," Flores said. "Salvon ran hard, Matt (Breida) ran hard, Patrick Laird ran hard. We executed. The offensive line blocked well and the receivers blocked well."
With tight end Mike Gesicki and wide receivers DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant inactive for the game, finding success on the ground was imperative; and Ahmed didn't act alone.
Matt Breida added his season-best 86 yards to the total while Lynn Bowden Jr. chipped in with nine yards and Patrick Laird with 20 – including a 12-yard run on third-and-8 from the Patriots' 34-yard-line late in the game. The Dolphins would finish that drive with a Tagovailoa rushing touchdown, one of two on the day for the rookie.
That score proved to be the difference in the game as Miami would tack on one more for good measure in a 22-12 victory over AFC East rival New England.
