Dolphins coach Adam Gase says, “The tape don’t lie.”

So each week, I’ll give the game tape a closer look.

Here are some things I noticed after watching Miami’s exhilarating, theatrical, come-from-behind overtime defeat of the Chicago Bears at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon:

1. Albert Wilson is the best run-after-catch player in the NFL.

﻿We didn’t just make that up, either. Wilson statistically is the best yards-after-catch-per-reception player in the league, at 14.8, according to NFL Next Gen statistics. He also leads the league in average yards after catch above expectation, nearly twice as effective as the next closest receiver.

This makes perfect sense, as Wilson is dramatically outperforming expectations after he signed as a free agent. Wilson is earning nearly half of what Jarvis Landry is this season, and he’s out-performing him. Yes, at times Wilson shows glimpses of Landry’s receiver-turned-running back approach in the open field. But Wilson is faster. So he’s sort of a hybrid between Landry and Tyreek Hill, which make him sort of a remarkable gem uncovered by coach Adam Gase, executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum and general manager Chris Grier and pro scouts.

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Against the Bears, Wilson lamented getting off to a slow start. He had a drop. He lost yardage after a catch. But in the fourth quarter, of course, Wilson showed the world why Gase asks his quarterbacks to throw all those screens to him at or behind the line of scrimmage. He made the Bears pay. He showed the world what he was capable of doing.

With Miami trailing Chicago 21-13, quarterback Brock Osweiler got things going by showing toughness in the pocket and delivering a short pass to Wilson that would go for 28 yards as the signal-caller was about to get crunched. Four plays later, Wilson took a pass behind the line of scrimmage on third-and-6 for a 43-yard touchdown, capitalizing on a crease aided by right tackle Ja’Wuan James.

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Wilson makes Gase look really smart. Wilson made Osweiler’s statistics look really good. Wilson has an inherent toughness and also the juice to inspire teammates, which Landry often did on-the-field, during games.

ALBERT WILSON AGAIN!



75 yards to the house and we're tied in Miami! #CHIvsMIA #FinsUp



📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/dYSNqbdHs5

— NFL (@NFL) October 14, 2018

In this game, of course, Wilson waited until just 3:17 remained on the clock to pull off his most electric maneuvers. Osweiler threw it underneath to Wilson at Miami’s 29. He started to run right, as three Bears chased. He cut in between them and a fourth defender, picked up a good block on a linebacker from Palm Beacher Nick O’Leary. He nearly lost his balance, regained footing, cut back to the left, exploded into the open field, and took it home with he guidance of Kenny Stills and Kenyan Drake.

The definition of dynamic. It all elicited a hilarious shrug from Osweiler. But there can be no shrugging off the importance of this shrewd acquisition. Wilson has more receiving yards and more touchdowns than any Dolphin. And he’s got more swagger and bravado than any Dolphin, too.

Albert Wilson is one of the NFL’s most exciting players.

Bill Ingram/Palm Beach Post

2. Ja’Wuan James, Laremy Tunsil and Miami’s offensive line dominated Khalil Mack and the vaunted Bears front.

﻿The Tape Don’t Lie looked closely at all 44 of Brock Osweiler’s passing plays and noticed that not only was he not sacked on any of them, he was arguably under pressure once. The Tape Don’t Lie noticed that Miami tackles Ja’Wuan James and Laremy Tunsil absolutely smothered one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers.

Mack appeared to get his ankle taped at one point in the game, but regardless, he was thoroughly dominated by the Dolphins’ offensive line. After taking crap for weeks, Tunsil-Ted Larsen-Travis Swanson-Jesse Davis-James deserve to be celebrated for a fantastic effort. It was as if Osweiler was nestled behind a fancy VIP rope and James and Tunsil were body-guarding him from paparazzi.

We counted 8 Miami passing plays in which Mack was out of the game. We counted 3 passing plays in which Mack dropped into coverage, including once on tight end Durham Smythe and once on tight end Mike Gesicki. We counted 3 passing plays in which the ball came out so quickly Mack didn’t need to be blocked. That leaves 30 passing plays on which Mack was held off by one or two Dolphins blockers.

Here is how many times we want to credit Dolphins for being involved in successful blocks against Mack: Ja’Wuan James (11), Laremy Tunsil (10), Nick O’Leary (5), Mike Gesicki (3), Danny Amendola (2), Ted Larsen (2), Travis Swanson (1), Jesse Davis (2), Kenyan Drake (1), Frank Gore (1), Kenny Stills (1).

Mack began by attacking James. But James brought it on this Sunday. He anchored with balance, power, aggressiveness and strong hands.

In the second half, Mack took his shot at Tunsil, which isn’t very smart. Tunsil stone-walled him, shadowed him and dominated him. Tunsil showed off awesome footwork and at times drove Mack out of the pocket.

Impressive stuff. Tunsil has the ability to be one of the best left tackles in the NFL. Tunsil has been so much better this season. And credit Gase and Dowell Loggains and offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn for a great plan to slow Mack.

.@MiamiDolphins @KingTunsil78 with flawless technique shutting down #MackAttack. Bravo Bravo. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/9mUlMz3f6K

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 15, 2018

One time the Dolphins ran O’Leary and Amendola at him. Another time it was Gesicki and James. Another time it was Amendola and Gesicki. The Dolphins’ rookie tight end, Gesicki, did a very good job the three times he was asked to block (once) or help block (twice) Mack.

Drake and Gore are really sound blockers and can do their part. Even Kenny Stills got in a nice chip in the fourth quarter. Miami’s offensive line rose to the challenge on Sunday. The challenge is to repeat that type of performance next Sunday.

Dolphins quarterback Brock Osweiler received incredible protection from his offensive line.

Allen Eyeston/Palm Beach Post

3. Miami’s young defensive players showed their stripes a few times against the Bears on Sunday.

After Sunday’s victory, Dolphins coach Gase conceded: “We’ve got some young players that are learning and learning the hard way.”

We wrote last week about how impressive first-year Dolphins like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker had been playing. And despite a few strong plays on Sunday, there were also some missteps.

In the first quarter, Miami caught a break when Mitchell Trubisky missed an open receiver who had run by Fitzpatrick and Kiko Alonso.

In the third quarter, on first down of a Bears touchdown drive, Fitzpatrick was flagged for pass interference on a pass intended for Allen Robinson, when the rookie didn't get head fully turned around.

In the fourth quarter, on a third down of a Bears touchdown drive, Fitzpatrick was called for pass interference when he reached around a receiver with his arm. He did bounce back nicely to break up pass down left sideline on the next play.

Later in the fourth quarter, Fitzpatrick was one of seven Dolphins players to blitz on a third-and-9 that ended up going the other way for a Trubisky-to-Anthony Miller touchdown in which the receiver ran wide open.

Fitzpatrick and safety Reshad Jones each blitzed from opposite sides, but did not get to Trubisky. Fitzpatrick had begun the play lined up opposite Miller. That pass play went over the head of rookie linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who did run down a few plays with an improved sideline-to-sideline consistency.

Stills, at times McMillan and Baker seemed to show rookie hesitation.

On a 50-yard catch-and-run from Trubisky to shifty Chicago running back Tarik Cohen at the start of the fourth quarter, it looked like Baker had the running back in coverage, but then he just couldn’t line him up. It’s a tough matchup for any linebacker, but Cohen is so explosive and shifty has has the ability to make even an athletic linebacker look bad.

Minkah Fitzpatrick has had a great start to his career, but he’s still a rookie.

Bill Ingram/Palm Beach Post

﻿4. Extra Points.

• Nick O’Leary of Dwyer High School is a beast and deserves all the playing time he received on Sunday. O’Leary proved a valuable, trusted target for Osweiler out of the backfield, including catching a touchdown after lining up at the fullback position. And O’Leary attempts to bring the hammer on each and every block.

O’Leary effectively opened holes for Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake. And he helped block Khalil Mack. Where did this guy come from? Oh, that’s right - Palm Beach, via Tallahassee and upstate New York. O’Leary even - like Gesicki - managed to jump over a dude on Sunday.

Brock finds Nick O'Leary for the 5-yard TD!



📺 » @NFLonFOX#CHIvsMIA #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/SRBlF2qOll

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) October 14, 2018

One play he’s blocking for Drake. The next he’s catching a 19-yard pass. How did the Bills let him go? O’Leary blocks defensive ends and linebackers and defensive backs. He’d block your grandfather, if you asked him to. O’Leary doesn’t say much. But this guy is a keeper. What a find.

• Cordrea Tankersley did all right in relief of benched Torry McTyer, but there’s a reason Bobby McCain won the starting outside cornerback position this summer. And Miami will be glad to likely have him back Sunday.

• Cam Wake once told me that not enough players in the NFL have heart, toughness and a dog mentality that, “I’m going to win, no matter what. You’ll have to kill me first before I don’t do my job.”

You know who personifies everything Wake wants in a teammate? Reshad Jones.

On a fourth-and-1 at the Dolphins’ 42, Trubisky pitched a toss sweep left to the rocket-ship Tarik Cohen. Cohen caught the ball at the 50. Reshad Jones was at his own 34, 16 yard away. Jones exploded from the backfield, met Cohen at the line of scrimmage and upended him by the ankle. It was a tremendous individual effort. He beat one of the fastest players Miami will face this season.

Reshad Jones? Yes, he is the truth.

Allen Eyestone/Palm Beach Post

• In the second quarter, Vincent Taylor ran around the right guard, showed surprising mobility and tripped up Trubisky by the ankles. Taylor brings size, strength and motor, a nice combination.

• Near the start of the third quarter, Osweiler threw and interception intended for Albert Wilson that was nearly returned for a Bears defensive touchdown. On that play, rookie tight end Gesicki should be credited for chasing Kyle Fuller down with outstanding speed and hustle, after having blocked Khalil Mack at the start of the play.

• T.J. McDonald has an uncanny ability to exploit young quarterback. On Sunday, he intercepted Mitch Trubisky in Miami’s end zone, reading the young quarterbacks’ eyes and stepping in front of a receiver. And it was yet another excellent example of Miami’s lights-out red zone defense.

Frank Gore is ageless. From ‘Cane to ‘Fin and still truckin’.

Allen Eyestone/Palm Beach Post

• Frank Gore, 35, is seemingly getting stronger as the season progresses. Gore’s outstanding vision allows him to choose the right holes, regardless of how small they are. Gore has way more burst and explosiveness than should reasonably be expected at this time in his career. In retrospect, pairing Gore with Kenyan Drake — who still has time to show off his explosiveness with game-breaking plays this season — was a perfect move for both running backs, and the club.

• For at least one week, Brock Osweiler deserves kudos, praise and our finest meats and cheeses.

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