The Dolphins’ biggest defensive play on Sunday came on a Saints two-point conversion attempt, when Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted a pass and took it all the way down the field to the opposite end zone for a defensive two-point conversion.

Those two points proved to be incredibly important: They gave the Dolphins a four-point lead, and Miami ended up winning 21-17 with New Orleans getting stopped on fourth down in field goal range. If not for those two points by the Dolphins’ defense, the Saints could have kicked a game-winning field goal at the end of the game.

So that makes the Dolphins particularly pleased with linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who called that play because the Dolphins’ communications system went out and Dodson couldn’t hear the coaches in the speakers in his helmet. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that he knew the defensive coaches were having trouble getting the plays in but didn’t know until after the fact that Dodson called that play himself.

“I was aware of the issue. I was not aware that T-Dod called his own defense, but realistically, like we’ve said from the beginning, it’s less about the play call, it’s more about the conviction of the entire group on how you’re playing it. That’s a mike linebacker that’s prepared and a defense that believes in him,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said that he almost called timeout before the two-point conversion to get the proper play in, but the defensive coaches told them Dodson had it under control.

“The interception, I was about to call a timeout, and then at the last second a couple coaches on the headset said no,” McDaniel said.

That proved to be a good call.