It was clear this game would be tough for the Dolphins. I even alluded to that in this week’s edition of the Dolphins Dive pointing to the specter of having to battle Bears linebacker Khalil Mack and their defensive front with an offensive line that’s already down two starters.

While a lot of attention was paid to quarterback Brock Osweiler stepping in for an injured Ryan Tannehill, the main story in the 31-28 Dolphins win was Kenyan Drake.

Osweiler did his part as a backup man under center, and the game nearly ended with Drake as the latest villain to Dolphins fans on social media, but that is the sort of thing one sees in a game this crazy.

The thing you won’t see on the stat sheet is the full value of running back Drake in the contest. While posting 57 rushing yards on 13 carries, his presence in protection picking up the blitz was the difference between completion and sack on a few important plays.

As the Dolphins drove 74 yards to open the overtime period, Frank Gore became the first 100-yard rusher the Bears had allowed all season as he set the squad up to score and end the game. However, on the next play, Drake fumbled the ball seeming to steal defeat from the jaws of victory.

But when the Bears missed a field goal attempt from 53-yards out on the next drive, life was renewed as the Dolphins offense took the gridiron. While Drake had surely thought he cost his crew the win, he turned in 22 of the 28 yards that set up the 47-yard field goal attempt. As kicker Jason Sanders booted in the deciding points, Drake was on his knees on the sideline, enjoying redemption in coming out on top.

At day’s end, the difference between the win and defeat was the protection on offense of which Drake was a significant part. While the Dolphins recorded three giveaways, Mack and the Bears recorded zero sacks on the day. None of the three turnovers could be credited to pressure from the Bears. Were that the case against the Bengals, the Dolphins may only have one loss.