FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

Tyreek 2K: Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who has a season goal of an NFL-record 2,000 receiving yards, is The Man. He ended with five receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

Hill had a 78-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, Dolphins’ longest offensive touchdown of the season (its longest touchdown was Holland’s 99-yard interception return touchdown last week against the Jets).

In the second quarter Hill had a 60-yard touchdown reception.

On both plays he simply outran the defense and got behind his defenders.

Hill ended the first half with four receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

Hill played sparingly in the second half ending with one reception for five yards.

Tua does it again: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was special Sunday, ending 18 of 24 for 280 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 141.0 passer rating. He had a perfect 158.2 passer rating in the first half after going 12 of 15 for 215 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Tagovailoa began play Sunday fifth in passing yards (3,177), fourth in passer rating (103.7), and third in touchdowns (22) and completion percent (69.8%),

Both of his touchdown passes to Hill in the first half were on the mark, allowing Hill to complete the plays for touchdowns.

Backup quarterback Mike White ended the game as Tagovailoa got a rest.

McDaniel makes early challenge, loses, now 2-for-10:

Coach Mike McDaniel threw a challenge flag on Washington’s first possession on a play that was ruled a 12-yard completion to wide receiver Jahan Dotson on third-and-8 from the Commanders’ 27-yard line.

Officials ruled in favor of Washington.

That’s no surprise. McDaniel entered Sunday’s game 2-for-9 on challenges.

Will the Dolphins set their franchise record for sacks before Christmas Eve?

After hunting down Sam Howell behind the line three times on Sunday, the Dolphins, at 41 sacks, are only eight sacks short of tying the team record for a season (49). With the next two games upcoming against Titans rookie Will Levis and the Jets, against whom they piled up seven sacks on Black Friday, the Dolphins could hit 50 sacks by Christmas Eve. They also came into Landover on pace for 392 yards on their sacks. The club mark is 380, set in 2021.

TuaTagovailoa huge Mike McDaniel/Tyreek Hill-era passer-rating games keep rolling on:

Heading into 2022, the Dolphins’ quarterback’s high mark for passer rating had been 122.3 (vs. Arizona in 2020 in his first road start). Sunday’s 141.0 against the Commanders became his eighth game of his past 24 where he was at at least 123.8.