When the cards were on the table, the Dolphins decided to fold and let the master across the table collect the winnings. In the first battle of the season in Foxboro, the Miami Dolphins lead quickly 14-0 before allowing the Patriots to win 27-17. While the score board might not indicate truly how close the game was, in typical fashion, the Patriots slowly, like a thief in a night, came back as a result of forcing the Dolphins to punt after the Dolphins lead 17-3 at halftime.
However, today, the Dolphins showed that they were fully capable of starting fast and making the other team sweat trying to make a comeback. Everything about this loss looked like a win, but only in the first half. After 21 unanswered points, the Dolphins players left the field dejected despite executing and actually playing much better than last week.
On the stat sheet, the Dolphins lead in first downs: 23-15, (total yards) 301-252, (rush yards)156-152 (season high for Miami), and time of possession 34:59 to 25:01.
Inevitably, it seemed like the Dolphins on paper had this game won. Consequently, the Dolphins gave up 6 sacks that not only did them in, but put them out of reach of winning the game in the 4th quarter and finishing the Patriots and sending them eight years back.
For the Dolphins today, what needed to happen was a win, and losing by 10 after being up at the half by 14, was just same old Miami, and the same old mediocre effort that the Dolphins. Dolphins now have lost four in a row, and that will not bode well for the winning starved fans and a locker room that has their players and coaches searching for answers with the Bengals days away from landing in South Florida looking to pounce on Miami.
Notable performances:
Passing: Ryan Tannehill: 22-42, 2TD, 2 INT, and 1 Fumble. 60.8 Rating
Rushing: Lamar Miller: 18 carries for 89 yards (season high), 0TD
Receiving: Brandon Gibson 1 TD, 1 REC, 4 Yds., Daniel Thomas 1TD, 5 Yds.
Defense: Jared Odrick 2 sacks, Olivier Vernon 1 sack Dimitri Patterson: 1 INT
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