The Miami Dolphins got embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills — again.
But Sunday’s 35-0 blowout loss wasn’t the first, and won’t be the last time Miami gets dismantled by an opponent.
It’s just one bad loss in a long season that has 15 games left — if Brian Flores and his staff can get the team to avoid the hangover and get refocused for what’s ahead.
Problem is, that’s tougher to do than it seems, especially if Miami has to play a stretch of games without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered a rib injury against the Bills.
But it’s not impossible, and getting teams to move past hardships and embarrassments to overcome adversity is what good coaches do. We’ll soon learn if Flores and his staff can do just that.
Here is the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s report card, evaluating how the Dolphins performed in the season’s second game:
Passing Game: F
Jacoby Brissett replaced an injured Tagovailoa for all but two drives and struggled for most of the game, finishing with 169 passing yards. He completed 24-of-40 passes and threw one interception, but plenty of the passing game’s issues came from the pressure he was under (four sacks). It didn’t help that Miami was plagued by half a dozen drops from the team’s receivers, tight ends and tailbacks. Miami needs a more reliable passing game when trailing, no matter who is starting at quarterback.
Running Game: F
It’s the same old story from Flores’ Dolphins, who have consistently abandon the running game when trailing. Miami gained 71 rushing yards on 20 carries, and part of what limited the tailbacks was their inability to pass protect, which forced Malcolm Brown to play more snaps than Miami initially intended. Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed need to brush up on their pass protection in order to stay on the field more moving forward. But the Dolphins can’t survive with a running game that averages 3.4 yards per carry, which is the team average after two games.
Defending the Pass: C
Josh Allen has regularly shredded the Dolphins in the four seasons he’s faced Miami (6-1 record), but Sunday’s performance (75.2 passer rating) wasn’t one of his better outings. Allen completed 17-of-33 passes for 179 yards, throwing two touchdown passes and one interception. The Dolphins contained Stefon Diggs, limiting him to four receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown, which he scored on a scramble-ball play after Allen evaded a sack and bought the receiver time to get open in the end zone. It’s clear that Miami’s secondary remains the backbone of this defense.
Defending the Run: F
For the second straight week the Dolphins’ defense opened the game by allowing a big run in the first series. Devin “Motor” Singletary’s 46-yard touchdown run exposed Jerome Baker’s struggles filling gaps, so when Elandon Roberts isn’t on the field, opposing offenses know that’s the best route to attack the Dolphins. The Bills finished the game with 143 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 30 attempts (4.8 per carry). Miami’s defensive front must tighten up, cutting back on the 4.5 yards per carry they are allowing, if they intend to survive the season.
Special Teams: D
Michael Palardy averaged 37.8 net yards per punt against the Bills, which is slightly below what’s expected. And Jaylen Waddle, who replaced an injured Jakeem Grant, fumbled away the lone punt he was asked to field. The Dolphins need to work on the rookie’s ball security if he’s going to be handling returns while Grant nurses his sprained ankle. Miami should have kicked field goals in a couple of the team’s red-zone opportunities, which would have prevented the shutout.
Coaching: F
The game plan was lackluster, and the execution was flawed. Hard to say who was more at fault for the disastrous performance Sunday. The players, who dropped numerous passes and committed three turnovers, and failed to properly protect the quarterback (allowing six sacks). Or coaching staff, who got out coached and struggled to make the necessary adjustments. More is expected from Flores and his staff. Many believe they’ve overachieved the past two years. Well, now it’s time they prove they can win with a roster that has some talent and a team that has expectations.
Stock up
Cornerback Xavien Howard has been the Dolphins’ lone shining star in the first two games. He delivered his first interception on an acrobatic play, stealing what appeared to be a Diggs reception from the Pro Bowl receiver he spent most of the game shadowing. It was the second turnover Howard has created this season, which means he’s got nine more to go to match last year’s 11 turnovers.
Stock down
Tackle Austin Jackson, who struggled most of training camp and the preseason, was terrible in his return after missing the Patriots game due to COVID-19. The 2020 first-round pick allowed a handful of pressures and contributed to at least two sacks. There were times he didn’t get a hand on the defender he was supposed to block. At this point, Jackson shouldn’t be viewed as the clear-cut starting left tackle, because there’s a possibility that Liam Eichenberg, the rookie who replaced him in last week’s win over New England, might be a better option. Problem is, Eichenberg might be needed to start at right tackle as Jesse Davis’ replacement, because of the knee injury the unit’s captain has been nursing for months.
