Tua and Dolphins keep playoff hopes alive in win against Rams

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — If the Miami Dolphins are to salvage their 2-6 start to the season, their Week 10 win over the Los Angeles Rams could be the spark.

The Dolphins won at SoFi Stadium for the second straight year, this time 23-15 over the Rams in a game where they never trailed. Miami ended a three-game losing streak, two of which came on last-second field goals.

More importantly, the Dolphins opened the door to a potential playoff berth as the win puts them 1.5 games back of the Denver Broncos for the AFC’s seventh seed. Only three teams in NFL history have bounced back from a 2-6 start to the playoffs, but with home games against the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots over the next two weeks, Miami could go 5-6 when the team travels to the Green Bay on Thanksgiving to play the Packers.

Entering Week 10, the Dolphins had an 8.1% chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN’s FPI, but they will play the league’s 10th-easiest remaining schedule. With their chances of winning the AFC East virtually non-existent, the Dolphins will need to capture one of three wild-card spots to keep their two-year playoff streak alive.

QB breakdown: Tua Tagovailoa overcame a potentially disastrous second quarter in which he threw an interception and lost a fumble on consecutive drives. He finished with 207 yards and a touchdown, but converted five third-down attempts. He took a pair of untimely sacks that coach Mike McDaniel said were the result of him trying to do too much, something Tagovailoa continues to work on in his fifth season.

Describe the game in two words: Constant pressure. Miami’s defense made life miserable for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was pressured 13 times and sacked four times – a season high for the Dolphins.

Promising trend: No Dolphins player has had more quarterback pressure since Week 5 than Chop Robinson, who was thrust into a more prominent role following the injury to Jaelan Phillips. He continued that trend with five pressures Monday night and recorded his second sack of the season in as many games. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Next game: vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

The Rams entered the game with an 18.4% chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN Analytics, but they couldn’t keep pace in the NFC West with the loss.

After the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers won on Sunday, ESPN Analytics had the Rams’ chances to win the division at 11.5%.

But on Monday, their offense struggled, despite having wide receiver Cooper Kupp, wide receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson all back from injury for the first time since the season opener.

According to ESPN Research, this is the 50th game for the Rams that Matthew Stafford has started at quarterback. It is only the second time in the 50 games that Los Angeles did not score a touchdown.

The Rams’ offensive problems showed on third down. The offense entered the game converting 36% of third downs, which ranks 23rd in the NFL. On Monday night, the Rams were 1-of-10 (10%).

Los Angeles fell to 4-5, its first loss since the Week 6 bye.

Quarterback breakdown: After throwing six touchdown passes in the Rams’ previous two games, Stafford didn’t throw one against a Dolphins defense that entered the game ranked 26th in pass defense DVOA. Stafford completed 32 of 46 passes for 293 yards and an interception. He has thrown an interception in six straight games, tied for the longest streak of his career, according to ESPN Research.

Most Surprising Performance: The offensive line. In the Rams’ previous three games, Stafford had been sacked once. But on Monday night, he was sacked four times despite getting Avila (MCL sprain) and Jackson (shoulder) back from injured reserve. The Rams were without right tackle Rob Havenstein, who was out with an ankle injury. The Dolphins’ defense did this despite entering the game with 10 sacks, the second fewest in the NFL.

Promising trend: First round draft pick Jared Verse continued to impress. He had a sack for the third straight game and two tackles for a loss. According to the Rams, Verse’s 11 tackles for a loss through his first nine career games is tied with Von Miller and Micah Parsons since it became an official stat in 1999. — Sarah Barshop

Next game: at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)