MIAMI GARDENS — The first thing to remember is style points don’t count in the NFL. So let’s not read too much into the final score or final minutes of the Dolphins’ 21-17 victory over the woeful New Orleans Saints.

The Dolphins (5-7) won, and now they’re officially hot having won three consecutive games and four of their last five.

On the other hand, the Dolphins have struggled to defeat Washington (3-9) and New Orleans (2-10) in their last two games, needing late-game defensive heroics to secure the victories. That’s possibly ominous.

Oh, well, at least the Dolphins have running back De’Von Achane and an assortment of defensive players to save the day, which is what happened Sunday against the Saints.

Let’s take a closer look at the game and the grades.

Run game: A-

Achane rushed for 134 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries. It was the Dolphins’ only touchdown. Achane, largely by himself, supplied the scoring threat for the offense as the Dolphins rushed for 164 yards on 32 carries. The offensive line, which saw the return of right tackle Austin Jackson, was effective at run blocking. Yes, there was a big disappointment in running back Ollie Gordon II not being able to convert that late-game fourth-and-one for the second consecutive game. But overall this area was good. 

Pass game: D

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (12 of 23, 157 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, 55.9 passer rating) didn’t have a good game, and he’s having a bad year. In addition to the interception he threw, he had two other potential interceptions against New Orleans. Tagovailoa is tied with Las Vegas’ Geno Smith for the league lead in interceptions with 14. On top of that, Tagovailoa’s lack of mobility continues to be a concern and his accuracy, perhaps his best trait, is spotty. The Saints shut down wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (three receptions, 40 yards) and limited tight end Darren Waller (two receptions, 47 yards), putting the onus on Tagovailoa, who was sacked four times, and he was hard-pressed to deliver. This is becoming a concerning pattern.  

Run defense: B

The key play was edge rusher Chop Robinson and linebacker Tyrel Dodson combining to hold Saints quarterback Tyler Shough to no gain on fourth and one from the Miami 36-yard line with 35 seconds left. But also credit the run defense for holding the Saints to 81 yards on 27 carries (3.0 yards per carry). Granted, running back Alvin Kamara, the best player on the team, was out with a knee injury. But the Dolphins have been burned by little-known running backs already this season. Holding New Orleans running back Devin Neal to 47 yards on 14 carries is good. But keeping Shough to no gain on that crucial play was one of the biggest plays of the game.

Pass defense: C

The big play was safety Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepting the Saints’ two-point conversion pass attempt and returning it 100 yards to give Miami a 21-17 lead late in the game. Aside from that, this was an up and down category. The Dolphins recorded four sacks, led by Robinson’s 1.5 sacks. Shough (26 of 38, 239 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) was so-so. The two touchdown passes to wide receiver Chris Olave (four receptions, 47 yards, one touchdown) and Devaughn Vele (eight receptions, 93 yards, one touchdown) showed the pass defense remains vulnerable despite getting big plays. 

Special teams: B

The Saints recovering that late-game onside kick, which was ruled to have bounced off a Dolphins player, was huge. It gave New Orleans a legitimate chance to win the game. Aside from that, special teams were money. Kicker Riley Patterson was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts and punter Jake Bailey, who now leads the NFL in net punting average, had four punts for an average of 50 yards each, and two were inside the 20-yard line. 

Coaching: B-

Coach Mike McDaniel’s team held on for the victory but they continued springing leaks. Sometimes it’s the run defense (Washington), other times it’s the passing game or special teams (New Orleans). And the run game again struggled to get one yard when necessary. Perhaps McDaniel should have gone for points at the end of the first half instead of running out the clock. Still, the Dolphins won. Offensively, they relied on the run game, defensively they relied on big plays, and on special teams they relied on solid play throughout. Again, yes, they sprung some leaks. But they won.

Stock up: De’Von Achane

Achane, who has three consecutive 100-yard rushing games that coincide with the Dolphins’ three-game winning streak, will be the team MVP. He displayed the reason Sunday with his clutch rushing performance that produced Miami’s only touchdown. Achane is keeping this offense afloat.

Stock down: Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa has been inconsistent this season, and judging by Sunday’s performance the problem is getting worse. Tagovailoa appears robotic and hesitant in the pocket. His trademark accuracy isn’t as sharp as it was previously, and his ability to make timely plays is disappearing. This is becoming a bigger concern as the season progresses.