Studs and duds from Dolphins' 19-9 loss to the Lions in Week 9

The Miami Dolphins met the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium, and Dan Campbell's team handed Jeff Hafley's team a 19-9 loss, dropping them to a 1-7 record halfway through their 2026 campaign. Miami's offense was rough to watch on Sunday, but the defense did their job for most of the game, especially considering the opponent. As we continue to work our way through this result, let's hand out some credit and criticism to some players or groups on Miami's side of things. STUD: LB Jacob Rodriguez Rodriguez, Miami's nominee for the 2026 Salute to Service Award, finished Sunday's game with 10 tackles (second to Jordyn Brooks, who had 12) and a sack, the first of his young career. He's been so reliable for the Dolphins this season, and he seems to be trending toward an impressive career. DUD: O-line Aaron Brewer was called for holding twice, and Austin Jackson was flagged once for holding and once for a false start. The offensive line also allowed Malik Willis to be under pressure all game, forcing several throwaways, errant passes and three sacks. The running game also suffered partially because of the big men up front, as Ollie Gordon II and Kaytron Allen ran for just 54 yards on 3.2 yards per attempt. STUD: WR Caleb Douglas Douglas was Miami's top weapon on Sunday, as he hauled in six of his eight targets for 70 yards. He had an incredible 20-yard reception that he had to leap for, but he also dropped a fourth-down conversion late in the game that could've given the Dolphins a chance to come back. DUD: Special teams The third phase of the game continues to be an issue for the Dolphins. This week started with Bradley Pinion kicking the ball short of the landing zone, giving Detroit the ball at the 40-yard line and setting up a 28-yard field goal. Pinion also shanked a punt for just 25 yards later in the game, which led to another easy field goal. Kicker Zane Gonzalez may have made three field goals today, but he also missed one from just 38 yards out. That would've made it a one-score game going into Miami's final possession. STUD: LB Joshua Uche Uche has really come on in recent weeks, and on Sunday, he recorded five tackles and a sack. He also hit Jared Goff's arm on another pass attempt that resulted in an interception for rookie cornerback Chris Johnson. His recent performance might net the Dolphins a strong return in a trade, or he could continue impressing with Miami and set himself up for a nice payday in the offseason.