MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The excellent news is coach Mike McDaniel noticed no finger-pointing after watching quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense collapse in Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans.
The dangerous information? One of many Dolphins poorest offensive outputs of the season got here once they might least afford it.
“This specific recreation, I don’t suppose was as much as the usual no matter whoever’s in there,” McDaniel stated Monday. “I feel everybody could be very, very conscious after at the moment’s conferences that, that isn’t something that we would like Miami Dolphin soccer to appear to be.”
The Dolphins offense turned the ball over 4 occasions in a recreation they wanted to win to assist their playoff possibilities.
Miami additionally fell to 1-4 this season towards present playoff groups, with losses to Inexperienced Bay and Buffalo (twice). The Dolphins in Week 10 defeated the Rams, who’re tied for the NFC West lead.
That’s the same sample from a yr in the past, when the 11-win Dolphins beat only one staff that entered the matchup with a profitable document.
Defensive sort out Zach Sieler just lately stated the staff has been in “playoff mode” since they dug themselves right into a 2-6 gap to begin the season. They’ve largely taken care of enterprise by going 4-2 since Week 10 to assist their playoff possibilities.
However of their two losses throughout that span, they’ve struggled.
Miami was beat up within the trenches at Inexperienced Bay on Thanksgiving, managing simply 39 yards dashing whereas giving up 114 yards on the bottom. They missed no less than a dozen tackles on protection and have been 4 of 14 on third downs.
The Texans turned a pretend punt right into a 35-yard acquire on Sunday and restricted Miami to simply 224 complete yards.
Tagovailoa had his second-lowest passer ranking (60) of the season. He was underneath fixed strain from Houston’s move rush, enjoying behind an offensive line down three beginning tackles that gave up three sacks.
Tagovailoa had a strip-sack and three interceptions that led to 10 Houston factors, together with a decide on Miami’s last-ditch effort at a comeback on the ultimate drive.
“I’ve acquired to guard the ball. I’ve acquired to play higher ball for our guys,” Tagovailoa stated, “particularly in a scenario the place the staff is relying on me to go and drive our offense right down to doubtlessly tie the sport up, and that’s not what I did. That’s not the way you win video games on this league.
“Very disenchanted with how I performed at the moment and with how I performed myself on the sphere, with our guys, with our staff. I simply should be higher in all features with that.”
What’s working
After giving up greater than 400 yards to Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, Miami’s protection restricted C.J. Stroud to 131 yards passing. And Houston’s dashing assault led by Joe Mixon was held to simply 77 yards.
What wants assist
The Dolphins had the Eleventh-best dashing offense within the NFL with 128.7 yards per recreation by way of the primary eight weeks, however have did not rush for 100 yards in six straight video games. They ran for greater than 80 yards as soon as in that span and are averaging simply 3.9 yards per rush behind an injured offensive line that has struggled to run block all season.
Fill up
DT Zach Sieler. His sack of Stroud within the first quarter gave him 17 for the reason that begin of final season, which is second amongst inside defensive linemen throughout that span. Sieler has 3 1/2 sacks, three tackles for loss and 5 quarterback hits up to now two video games.
Inventory down
The Tagovailoa-Hill connection. It has been inconsistent at finest this season and was not there on Sunday. Hill caught simply two of seven targets for 36 yards. All three of Tagovailoa’s interceptions have been concentrating on Hill, and McDaniel indicated in his halftime interview on CBS that one in every of Tagovailoa’s errant throws was as a result of Hill ran the improper route.
“I noticed the defender. It was extra so trusting that Tyreek was going to cross his face,” Tagovailoa stated of an interception earlier than halftime that he threw proper to security Calen Bullock, “and for those who have a look at a whole lot of the throws that we throw in-breaks, safeties are there. We throw it to the protection, trusting that our guys are going to cross face. However that’s not simply on Tyreek, that’s on me, as effectively.”
Accidents
Receiver Grant DuBose remained within the hospital however had motion in his extremities after a scary hit to the pinnacle. … McDaniel stated WR Jaylen Waddle prevented a critical knee damage when he went out within the second quarter. Waddle won’t want surgical procedure however his standing this week is in query.
Key quantity
3.6 — Miami’s complete variety of yards per play on Sunday.
Subsequent steps
The Dolphins host San Francisco (6-8) of their dwelling finale on Sunday.
Copyright 2024 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials might not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.