Right now, as a Dolphins executive, you have to be thinking why did this happen? Why did the Dolphins lose this seemingly winnable game?
The game began with the Ravens spotting the Dolphins 10 points until eight seconds before the half where cool, calm, and collected Joe Flacco found Steve Smith Sr.
In reality, the Dolphins were spotted a golden opportunity to run the ball at will with Lamar Miller to knock the Ravens back in the standings after Haloti Ngata was graced with an NFL 4 game suspension for addaral. Miller finished with 12 carries for 53 yards. The Dolphins ran three run plays in the second half after seemingly having their way on the ground in the first half.
What resulted from the Dolphins 10-7 half time lead was the Ravens answering to the tune of 21 points in the second half.
The Dolphins came into Sunday’s game with a league high 79 points in the third quarter, but left with a whimper and three points in the third quarter after yet another red zone failure from the 4 yard line.
Some key issues continued to be the case for the Dolphins-namely surrendering 183 yards on the ground to Justin Forsett, Joe Flacco, and Bernard Pierce, and Lorenzo Taliaferro.
Another issue, was allowing Elvis Dumervill 3.5 sacks, 6 total for the Ravens. The Dolphins offensive line faltered once again and left Ryan Tannehill little time to get comfortable. The Ravens owned the line of scrimmage.
Said Joe Philbin on the outcome of the game: “They coached better and played better than we did.”
As the Dolphins pinned the Ravens back, they found ways to get on a roll in the shadow of their own endzone. The 97 yard half-ending drive was humiliating for the Dolphins fans who pride themselves on wearing their Cam Wake #91 jerseys or even Brent Grimes #21 jerseys.
The #Dolphins' D has allowed 661 rushing yards in the past three games.
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerNFL) December 7, 2014
Sadly, the biggest statement the Dolphins defense made came in the form of Jared Odrick yelling at Joe Philbin: “Every week, every week!” Odrick later apologized, but it makes you wonder if the players have lost confidence in their head coach.
What can best be summed up by this game is that the Dolphins identity of having an elite defense and explosive offense has pretty much gone away.
Where’s Mike Wallace been the past few weeks? His one chance seemed out of reach in the 3rd quarter:
Wallace on end zone play: "It doesn't matter how far I would have dived, how high I would have jumped. I would have never touched the ball"
— Andrew Abramson (@AbramsonFL) December 7, 2014
The Dolphins have New England next week. Next week they face a team that makes plays on both sides of the ball. The Patriots have a quarterback that makes things happen in Tom Brady. The Dolphins shut him down week one.
Will Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins rise to the occasion or will they lose on the road and go out in 2014 with barely a whimper?
For Dolphins fans, they are hot, they are angry, and they are devastated that the Dolphins have done nothing but repeat the vicious cycle of mediocrity.
At stake is the Dolphins season next week is the Dolphins season.
The season as we know it hangs by a thin thread. Time for the Dolphins to make a statement and sweep the Pats!
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