Dolphins cut LaMichael James, activate Jake Stoneburner

The Washington Redskins discovered some positives in a disappointing opener that had a well-known ring to it.

Miami decided to try something different to break a late-game tie with Washington.

Jeff Darlington of NFL.com reports that after losing his job as the Redskins’ starting quarterback in the preseason and then opening the regular season as the third-string quarterback, Griffin is so far down the Redskins’ depth chart that he was being used as a safety on the Washington’s scout team last week.

Gruden named Cousins the starter two days later and, on Wednesday, pointed to the performance in Baltimore, in which Cousins responded positively after his first-half interception, as an example of his maturation.

Stoneburner runs very good routes but has had some concentration drops in the past. He clutched the back of his leg after the pass fell incomplete. If the pass protection can be solid, Cousins and the Redskins’ offense could get into a nice rhythm. Sadly, that is nothing new.

“I thought he really had good composure and made some throws on that two-minute drive,” he said. “We’ve done that too many times”. So ultimately the tables want to show. The tide needs to be turned.

One area that was not so positive was the penalty department, which will provide us with today’s Stat of the Week.

Even with a heavy workload at receiver, Jarvis Landry was in as punt returner in the fourth quarter Sunday and reponded with a game-winning 69-yard touchdown return. On the ground, Alfred Morris rushed for 121 yards in 25 attempts.

James, a second-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2012, won the kick return and punt return duties for the Dolphins in training camp. Landry took the ball in the center of the field and darted up the middle, dodging would-be tacklers along the way. “Yet I felt our guys kept their poise and kept playing, and at the end of the day we outscored them 17-0, and ended up making more plays in the second half than they did”.

Miami Dolphins defensive back Brice McCain (24) intercepts a pass… McCain came in and earned the second starting cornerback role opposite of Brent Grimes and his interception at the end of the game prevented Washington from tying the game and helped the Dolphins hold their lead for a week one win. SS Duke Ihenacho borke his left wrist tackling Dolphins RB Lamar Miller during the first quarter.

But WUSA9’s game ball for Sunday’s tilt goes to TE Jordan Reed who finished the game with seven receptions for 63 yards and one touchdown.

Tannehill answered with a frenzied 80-yard drive that took lower than a minute and a half, ending with a Three-yard TD move to Rishard Matthews.

“They certainly controlled the tempo in the first half”, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said.