The Miami Dolphins ventured to Carolina contemporary off their first victory however taking part in their first of many video games with out beginning broad receiver Tyreek Hill (knee). It didn’t go properly because the Dolphins misplaced, 27-24, blowing a 17-0 lead within the course of, to fall to 1-4 on the season.
Coach Mike McDaniel, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, broad receiver Jaylen Waddle and the defensive entrance seven had been all beneath strain to ship a profitable efficiency and none got here by means of.
This recreation began properly for the Dolphins, however they hit a plateau within the second quarter and by no means recovered. They made a play or two within the fourth quarter however they gave up extra performs within the closing interval. Oh, they usually allowed 239 yards speeding
Right here’s what we realized from Sunday’s beautiful collapse:
Tua is so-so however comes by means of late
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (27 of 36, 256 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, 122.0 passer ranking) had a clutch 46-yard fourth-quarter landing move to broad receiver Jaylen Waddle with 4:42 remaining to provide Miami a 24-20 lead. Waddle ran previous cornerback Mike Jackson on the play. However the magic didn’t final lengthy. Tagovailoa overthrew Waddle on a vital second-and-10 within the fourth quarter with lower than two minutes remaining. He was sacked on third down earlier than the Dolphins punted.
Tagovailoa didn’t present a lot magic in his first recreation with out Hill since late in 2023, a 30-0 victory towards the New York Jets. Tagovailoa was pressured an increasing number of as the sport wore on, and the Panthers appeared to focus extra on defending tight finish Darren Waller within the second half. Waller wasn’t focused within the second half.
Tagovailoa was 17 for 21 for 151 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions within the first half for a robust 128.4 passer ranking. He was sacked twice, although. — Chris Perkins
Waddle surfaces as receiving menace (sort of)
Waddle had six receptions for 110 yards, together with that 46-yard landing within the fourth quarter that gave the Dolphins a 24-20 lead with 4:42 left. Nevertheless, Waddle, who entered the sport with 17 receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns, was largely contained. He had a decent 4 receptions for 47 yards within the first half.
Third-down struggles
The Dolphins, who entered Sunday’s recreation No. 2 within the NFL on third downs offensively, changing 48.9 % of the time, had 5 consecutive failed third downs. They began out properly, changing 5 of their first 7 third-down makes an attempt. The Dolphins ended 5 of 13 on third downs.
Entrance seven nonetheless struggling, particularly vs. the run
The Dolphins’ entrance seven, which stays the largest disappointment on the staff as a bunch, had blended outcomes towards Carolina however the run protection was abysmal, permitting Panthers working again Rico Dowdle 206 yards on 23 carries and runs of 53 and 43 yards. Dowdle, who rushed for 1,079 yards with Dallas final yr, entered the sport with 83 yards on 28 carries.
Edge rusher Bradley Chubb had a fumble restoration and fellow edge rusher Jaelan Phillips had a sack whereas having some success as a move rusher, however for essentially the most half the entrance seven was gashed towards the run and didn’t strain quarterback Bryce Younger (19 of 30, 198 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 90.7 passer ranking) constantly.
Defensive sort out Zach Sieler continues to be a non-factor, which can be the case for fellow defensive sort out Kenneth Grant, the rookie. Linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson proceed to make tackles downfield, yards previous the road of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator Anthony Waever have to be higher, which is the case for the gamers on the entrance seven.
Waller begins sizzling however cools in second half
Waller, who had three receptions for 27 yards and two touchdowns in his debut final week towards the New York Jets, ended with 5 receptions for 78 yards, all coming within the first half. He wasn’t focused within the second half for some purpose. Nonetheless, Waller supplied a much-needed first-half spark.
One other recreation, one other early lead
The Dolphins scored on the sport’s first possession for the third consecutive week, taking a 3-0 lead. The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead at Buffalo three video games in the past in a 31-21 loss and took a 3-0 lead towards the New York Jets final week in the past in a 27-21 victory.
Indianapolis scored a landing on the sport’s first possession within the Colts’ 33-8 victory over the Dolphins within the opener and New England scored a landing on the sport’s first possession within the Patriots’ 33-27 win. It didn’t matter this time, although. The Dolphins blew a 17-0 lead.
4 edge rushers at identical time
The Dolphins used their prime 4 edge rushers — Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips. Matthew Judon and Chop Robinson — on a third-and-8 play within the first quarter. Defensive sort out Zach Sieler was within the center. Younger hit rookie broad receiver Tetairoa McMillan for a 29-yard achieve and a primary down on the play as Phillips looped inside on a stunt.
The Dolphins haven’t used all 4 edge rushers many occasions this season, preferring as an alternative to make use of three of the 4 at sure occasions.
Dolphins Deep Dive: Breaking down Miami’s surprising collapse vs. Panthers | VIDEO
Dolphins’ run protection struggles regardless of eight-man fronts
The Dolphins protection, which was struggling towards the run (it entered thirtieth at 158.0 yards allowed per recreation), confirmed frequent eight-man fronts towards Carolina in an effort to cease the run. Security Minkah Fitzpatrick was the eighth man within the field, usually leaving rookie security Dante Dealer Jr. as the one deep man.
Carolina was with out beginning working again Chuba Hubbard (calf) and began Dowdle as an alternative. However the Panthers nonetheless rushed for 83 yards within the first half. Each opponent has rushed for not less than 100 yards towards the Dolphins, who had been No. 9 towards the run final yr and No. 7 in 2023.
Move safety reveals leaks
The Dolphins entered Sunday’s recreation surrendering eight sacks, tied for 18th-fewest. They gave up three sacks to Carolina, which had a league-worst two sacks getting into the sport. They registered two sacks within the first half. One sack got here when rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea received juked on the line of scrimmage by defensive finish Derrick Brown.
October, the month actuality hits
The Dolphins, who entered Sunday’s recreation with a 6-6 report in October beneath McDaniel, at the moment are 6-7 in October. That’s a sobering quantity contemplating the Dolphins are 7-4 in September within the McDaniel period. They had been 2-2 in October 2022, 3-2 in October 2023 and 1-2 in October 2024.
“The largest factor that I discuss to the gamers about is the month of October and the way you’re set as much as be distracted,” McDaniel stated final week, later including, “The month of October wants to face by itself and it must be above September otherwise you’re not going to love the last word consequence.”
The Dolphins have October video games remaining towards the Los Angeles Chargers, at Cleveland, at Atlanta and towards Baltimore.
Dolphins are highway weary beneath McDaniel
The Dolphins had been now 10-19 (.343) in regular-season highway video games beneath McDaniel getting into Sunday’s recreation, and 10-21 (.323) together with playoffs. Miami is 0-3 on the highway this season, having misplaced the opener at Indianapolis (33-8) and a Thursday evening recreation at Buffalo (31-21).
Dolphins get first INT, turnovers coming in bunches
The Dolphins secondary, an anticipated weak spot getting into the season, recorded its first interception when Fitzpatrick grabbed an overthrown move by Younger to broad receiver Xavier Leggette within the second quarter.
It was the second turnover of the sport — Chubb recovered a fumble within the first quarter — and the Dolphins’ fifth turnover within the final six quarters. That they had three turnovers towards the New York Jets, two defensive fumble recoveries and a particular groups fumble restoration. The Dolphins at the moment are even in turnover margin after getting into the sport at minus-2.
Jack Jones struggles
The cornerback had a move interference name on third-and-5 with 55 seconds left towards broad receiver Hunter Renfrow, and had a vital holding name within the fourth quarter towards McMillan close to the aim line, a penalty that led to the Panthers’ go-ahead landing at 20-17.
Jones, who gave up a landing reception to Leggette within the second quarter regardless of good protection, had a seeming holding/move interference penalty flag picked up earlier. The Dolphins cornerbacks haven’t been good this season however in addition they haven’t been the weak spot many projected. Nonetheless, these had been hurtful penalties.
Dolphins’ run protection is at report futility ranges
Some Dolphins personnel had been quoted this previous week as seemingly unaware of Carolina backup again Rico Dowdle’s capabilities (he was a 1,300-yard gainer in Dallas final yr). Properly, they actually know who he’s now, after his 20 carries and three catches for 234 yards and a landing on Sunday. Extremely, this Dolphins protection has allowed essentially the most speeding yards in franchise historical past by means of a season’s first 5 video games, at 874, after the Panthers’ 239. The following-worst efficiency got here from the notorious 1-15 2007 squad, getting gashed for 871 yards on the bottom. The third-worst was the decimated roster of the 2019 staff that yielded 848. — Steve Svekis
Alec Ingold has one other butterfingers second
Ingold muffed an in-stride move down the left sideline from Tua Tagovailoa that may have gone for 20-30 yards. Sadly, the Dolphins’ try and combine the fullback into the passing recreation has been a bust. Amongst 49 passes which have hit Ingold’s fingers, that was Ingold’s seventh drop. One drop in each seven prime pass-catch alternatives is terrible. That’s along with an extra two fumbles in 60 touches, additionally a tough quantity.
That was the primary time the Dolphins had worn aqua jerseys on the highway in nearly 3 years
The earlier event the place Miami hadn’t worn white jerseys away from Exhausting Rock Stadium was on Oct. 9, 2022 towards the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., within the Dolphins first recreation after the scary concussion absorbed by Tagovailoa in Cincinnati 10 days earlier — coincidentally additionally whereas carrying aqua tops. The Dolphins misplaced these consecutive video games by a mixed rating of 67-32.
Updating that spectacular 14-plus-play landing stat for Tua
In line with pro-football-reference.com, since 2001, the Dolphins have had 36 landing drives which have concerned not less than 14 snaps within the common season. Within the 310 regular-season Dolphins video games from 2001 by means of Tua’s first begin, in October of 2020, Miami had cashed in for six factors on 20 of these lengthy slogs (15.50 video games per such landing). Sunday’s 14-play methodical march to paydirt was the sixteenth within the Dolphins’ 83 video games since Tagovailoa was named the beginning quarterback. Tua himself has been the starter for 14 of them in his 67 begins (4.79 video games per such landing drive, a large 3.24 occasions the frequency as from 2001-20).
Tua’s immobility and fragility confirmed up early within the third quarter
Hanging on to a 17-13 lead, the Dolphins had a third-and-8 on the Dolphins’ 28. Tagovailoa leaked to the precise and began working … however as an alternative of with the ability to tackle a defensive again close to the sticks, Tua slid 5 yards quick. He has to guard himself, however that’s seemingly a primary down with a sooner, bigger and extra sturdy quarterback.
On deck: Los Angeles Chargers, Exhausting Rock Stadium, Sunday, 1 p.m.
The fourth incarnation of the Tua-Herbert Bowl. The Dolphins are 2-1 in these matchups between the quarterbacks chosen fifth and sixth within the 2020 draft, although each quarterbacks have performed properly. Tagovailoa has a 96.5 passer ranking within the troika, whereas Herbert owns a 97.0.
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