Chris Perkins: Dolphins keep finding a way, and that’s an impressive trait

CLEVELAND — The Miami Dolphins are still alive. But what a bizarre day and what a strange game.

It was a weird combination of quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, kicker Jason Sanders, linebacker Tyrel Dodson (team-best 15 tackles, one interception), edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah (five tackles including a strip-sack) and others that came up big to deliver this 20-3 victory at the Cleveland Browns.

Where were the superstars?

That’s kind of the point of Sunday’s win. It wasn’t necessarily the superstars who delivered one of the biggest wins of the season. It was the depth and the team’s fighting spirit.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn’t play due to a hip injury.

Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle didn’t play due to a knee injury.

Left tackle Terron Armstead missed the second half due to a right knee injury.

Running back De’Von Achane and tight end Jonnu Smith, the biggest performers offensively this season, had quiet games. Achane had 38 yards from scrimmage and Smith had 26 yards receiving and a late touchdown.

Hill (nine receptions, 105 yards) sprung to life in a big way.

And cornerback Jalen Ramsey made one of the plays of the game when he swatted away a fourth-down, fourth-quarter pass in the end zone.

But that was about it from the big-name, big-money guys.

So how did the Dolphins (8-8) do it?

Well, for one thing they were playing the hapless Browns (3-13). Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (24 of 47, 170 yards) was awful. Defensive end Myles Garrett (four tackles, 2.0 sacks) was a beast, as usual, but he wasn’t good enough to deliver a victory by himself.

But in reality the Dolphins won this game with their fighting spirit, which is something I frequently reference, and their depth.

These guys knew they had to win tonight. Heck, a lot of them knew what had to happen over the weekend, meaning either the Los Angeles Chargers or Denver had to lose. Denver lost Saturday. And earlier Sunday, Indianapolis lost.

The postseason door was still open.

The fighting spirit had reason to live on.

“I knew the scenarios,” Smith said. “I think we all knew the scenarios. It’s kind of like the elephant in the room.”

Rookie left tackle Patrick Paul did an admirable job in relief of Armstead, who could only play one half before his troublesome right knee forced him out of the game.

Paul was ready.

“To be honest, I dream of stuff like that,” Paul said. “I love competition and I knew it was going to be a battle.”

Still, losing Armstead was huge on and off the field. Teammates have seen him battle all season. His fight has been an inspiration.

“I can’t understate the mental component to it,” coach Mike McDaniel said of Armstead’s struggle. “He’s really testing the boundaries of what will can do, and it’s very important to him. This team’s important to him.”

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Veteran Calais Campbell (three tackles, one quarterback hit) was out there doing his thing on the field and on the sideline, firing up players and sharing his 38-year-old youthful vigor.

“His appetite for the games is real,” McDaniel said. 

Right tackle Kendall Lamm, the 32-year-old, did a nice job against Garrett.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks (eight tackles) had yet another strong game despite battling a knee injury.

On and on it goes.

Sanders made two field goals — a 54-yard kick and a 39-yard kick at the halftime buzzer — and he now has made a team-record 24 consecutive field goals, including nine consecutive from 50 or more yards.

It’s been low-key amazing to watch this team do its thing.

It seemed as though they could have, or should have, been left for dead several times, starting at when they were 1-1 and Tua missed four games with a concussion, and moving on to when they were 2-6.

They kept fighting.

Almost any game during the past few weeks, for the Dolphins, Colts, Broncos, Chargers or a host of other teams, could have turned Miami’s playoff battle into a futile skirmish against likelihood, logic and reason.

But they kept fighting.

McDaniel said he respects this team because it kept fighting, and because it started 2-6 and now it’s gone 6-2 and put itself in position to earn a third consecutive wild-card playoff berth.

No, it hasn’t been a tidy season. 

In fact, it’s been an ugly season.

Few things have gone as planned.

And yes, during this stretch in which the Dolphins have won six of their past eight games they’ve beaten a bunch of bad teams and lost two two good teams (Green Bay and Houston).

Whatever.

They won the game they really needed to win in that stretch, the Monday night game at the Los Angeles Rams.

That was the one that jump-started the run the Dolphins are on right now.

Give this team credit for doing things that go beyond the tangibles of talent and game plan. 

Give this team credit for being a team and finding a way to stay in the fight when few thought they would or could.

They keep finding a way to get it done.

“Some of the best things in team sports occur when you have to galvanize together,” McDaniel said.