ORCHARD PARK, NY — One of many greatest checks for the Dolphins’ season and the coach Mike McDaniel period befell Thursday evening at Highmark Stadium when Miami visited Buffalo. And the Dolphins, who often play Buffalo shut at Highmark Stadium, stepped as much as the duty however misplaced, 31-21.
The Dolphins (0-3) entered Thursday’s sport with a 1-6 file vs. Buffalo within the McDaniel period and driving a six-game shedding streak. However though they had been 0-4 at Buffalo within the McDaniel period, three of these losses had been three-point affairs — 34-31, 32-29 and 30-27. And among the operational errors that plagued them within the first two video games — delay of sport, 12 males within the huddle, late getting offensive performs within the huddle — didn’t floor Thursday.
Right here’s what we discovered:
Dolphins go to third-team RG and it hurts
Proper guard Kion Smith, the substitute for proper guard James Daniels, obtained changed by Daniel Brunksill within the third quarter, which means the Dolphins had been right down to their third-team proper guard. It turned out to be pricey as Brunkill missed a block on Payments defensive sort out Deone Walker within the fourth quarter. Walker was in Tagovailoa’s face when he threw a game-deciding interception to linebacker Terrel Bernard with 3:00 left.
Smith, who is perhaps higher at left sort out than proper guard, struggled by means of the New England sport and apparently the primary half in opposition to Buffalo. Smith missed final season with a knee damage. He ditched the knee brace final week, saying it was restrictive and made him take into consideration his ailment. Smith performed principally left sort out in the course of the latter a part of coaching camp. — Chris Perkins
Sieler has pricey roughing the punter penalty
The Dolphins’ protection made what gave the impression to be its third consecutive third down cease within the fourth quarter when defensive sort out Zach Sieler, after plowing over lengthy snapper Reid Ferguson, the brother of ex-Dolphins lengthy snapper Blake Ferguson, obtained known as for roughing the kicker. The Payments scored 5 performs in a while a 15-yard landing cross from Josh Allen to vast receiver Khalil Shakir to take a 28-21 lead.
It’s the second time the Dolphins have been known as for that penalty twice this season. The primary time was in opposition to linebacker Matthew Judon within the Indianapolis sport. That penaly prolonged what became a 17-play drive that resulted in a subject purpose and a 20-0 halftime lead for the Colts.
Tua runs . . . and slides
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had an eight-yard run within the second quarter that confirmed some soccer smarts. Vast receiver Tyreek Hill was coated to Tagovailoa’s proper so he pulled the ball down and ran it, sliding simply after he crossed the primary down line to achieve. It was sensible of Tagovailoa to not drive the ball to Hill and even smarter of him to slip.
Final yr Tagovailoa obtained concussed when he bumped into Buffalo security Bamar Hamlin whereas making an attempt to run for a primary down.
Ollie will get early motion
Rookie operating again Ollie Gordon (9 carries, 38 yards) obtained motion on the sport’s first drive, getting an eight-yard acquire and a 2-yard loss amongst his performs earlier than his 2-yard landing run. That represented an enormous change from the primary two video games.
Gordon’s landing adopted a 54-yard kickoff return by Dee Eskridge and capped a well-executed 10-play, 54-yard drive that took 6:29. Gordon had bother getting snaps within the first two video games due to the Dolphins’ deficits and since coach Mike McDaniel stated he didn’t play effectively with out the ball (blocking, cross safety, and so on…).
Dolphins take early, uncommon lead
The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead in opposition to Buffalo and held it for 4 minutes, 27 seconds, which meant for the season they’ve held the lead for simply 11:16 by means of three video games. The Dolphins held the lead for six:49 in opposition to New England and by no means had the lead in opposition to Indianapolis.
QB distinction early and late is big
By means of their first eight passes Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was 7 of 8 for 64 yards with two touchdowns and a 139.6 passer score. Tagovailoa was 5 of 8 for 30 yards and a 69.8 passer score. Allen ended 22 of 28 for 213 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 134.1 passer score. He additionally had 4 carries for 25 yards. Tagovailoa ended 22 of 34 for 146 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 83.2 passer score. He had two carries for 10 yards.
Chubb racking up sacks in low-key vogue
Edge rusher Bradley Chubb had a second-quarter sack, bringing his season complete to three.0 sacks in three video games. Chubb, who missed all of final season, had 11.0 sacks in 16 video games in 2023 earlier than sustaining his season-ending knee damage, and a pair of.5 sacks in eight video games for the Dolphins in 2022 after being traded from Denver.
So, Chubb has a good 16.5 sacks in 27 video games for the Dolphins.
Dolphins enhance first-half efficiency on scoreboard
The Dolphins and Payments had been tied at 14 at halftime, which signalled progress for the Dolphins contemplating they trailed at halftime in every of their first two video games. The Dolphins trailed Indianapolis, 20-0 at halftime and trailed New England, 15-14.
Kickoff returners doing their job
Kickoff returners Dee Eskridge and Malik Washington had been efficient within the first half, totaling 97 yards on three kickoff returns. Eskridge had two for 75 yards, together with a 54-yarder on the sport’s opening kickoff. Washington, who had the 74-yard punt return landing final week, had one for 22 yards. Eskridge ended with three kickoff returns for 104 yards whereas Washington had two returns for 48 yards.
Dolphins run sport will get battered once more
The Dolphins run protection, which was No. 9 final season however entered Thursday’s sport at No. 25 within the league permitting 139 yards per sport, took one other beating. Buffalo rushed for 27 yards on 157 carries. Operating again James Prepare dinner led the best way with 19 yards on 108 carries.
Indianapolis rushed for 156 yards on 40 carries (3.9 ypc) and New England rushed for 122 yards on 29 carries (4.2 ypc).
That is the ninth time a Dolphins group has began a season 0-3
Not one of the earlier eight made the playoffs. So, who has made the playoffs in NFL historical past after beginning 0-3?
There have been six such groups. Curiously, none of these groups have come from earlier 4 seasons, when the schedule was expanded to 17 video games to go together with every convention having expanded to seven playoff groups in 2020. The 0-3 groups to have made the postseason are:
1981 New York Jets: Completed 10-5-1 and made the playoffs as an AFC Wild Card;
1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Completed 5-4 in a strike-shortened season and made the playoffs as an NFC Wild Card;
1992 San Diego Chargers: Completed 11-5 and gained their division, the AFC West;
1995 Detroit Lions: Completed 10-6 and made the playoffs as an NFC Wild Card;
1998 Buffalo Payments: Completed 10-6 and made the playoffs as an AFC Wild Card;
2018 Houston Texans: Completed 11-5 and gained their division, the AFC South.
That is how the Dolphins have completed within the eight earlier 0-3 begins:
2019 (5-11);
2011 (6-10);
2009 (7-9);
2007 (1-15);
2004 (4-12);
1969 (3-10-1);
1968 (5-8-1);
1966 (3-11).
* Notice 1: The 2016 group began 1-4 and made the playoffs; ** Notice 2: A Don Shula-coached group by no means began 0-3. — Steve Svekis
It has been some time since a Dolphin has had least one sack in three straight video games
Earlier than Bradley Chubb grabbed a sack in video games 1-3 this season, Randy Starks, close to the tip of the 2011 season, was the latest Miami participant with The newest Dolphin with a four-game streak? Cameron Wake from Nov. 18-Dec. 12, 2010. Corridor of Famer Jason Taylor owns a membership file with six streaks of at the least three video games with a sack, with a club-record eight-game string in 2002.
It has been greater than a minute for the reason that Dolphins had a TD drive of at the least 16 performs
Professional-football-reference.com supplies drive knowledge courting again to 2001, and in accordance with that web site, the Dolphins’ second landing marked the primary time the aqua-and-orange had scored six factors on a possession of at the least 16 performs in nearly 14 years (a 21-play leviathan on Jan. 1, 2012 vs. the Jets).
It’s uncommon for a number of Dolphins with kickoff and/or punt returns of longer than 50 yards
For the twelfth time in group historical past, the Dolphins have had two gamers with kickoff and/or punt returns of at the least 54 yards, as Dee Eskridge returned the opening Payments kick 54 yards, becoming a member of up with Malik Washington’s 74-yard landing punt return final week in opposition to the Patriots. The one different time the trick was turned within the season’s first three video games was in 1968. The opposite occasions a number of gamers have had such returns: 2016, 2004, 2000, 1989, 1981, 1977, 1976, 1970 and 1966. And, in 1983, three Dolphins hit that size on returns, with Fulton Walker logging a 78-yard kickoff return, Tommy Vigorito logging a 62-yard runback off a punt, and then-rookie Mark Clayton taking a punt return for 60 yards and a rating in opposition to the then-Baltimore Colts.
One other low-pressure sport from the cross rush
Getting into Thursday evening, the Dolphins had been 19 video games into the defensive coordinator time period of Anthony Weaver. In that point, Miami has had an nearly non-existent cross rush and, thus, cross protection. Heading in to Thursday evening, the Dolphins beneath Weaver had 39 sacks in 19 video games. Final yr’s 35 sacks had been the sixth-fewest within the NFL, and this season’s 4 has them forward of eight different groups. Thank heavens for Bradley Chubb.
On deck: New York Jets, Laborious Rock Stadium, Monday, Sept. 29, 8:15 p.m.
If Justin Fields clears his concussion protocol within the subsequent 11 days, the Dolphins’ procession of uber-mobile opposing quarterbacks will proceed subsequent Monday evening. In his one previous sport in opposition to Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins, Fields roasted Miami, main his Bears offense to 32 factors as he threw three landing passes and ran for an additional as a part of his 179 speeding yards on solely 14 non-kneeldown carries (12.8 yards a run).
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