Problems outweigh solutions in skid

MIAMI GARDENS — When fans did their preseason glance over the Miami Dolphins’ schedule, labeling wins, losses or “that one could go either way,” any chance of a Week 7 loss at home against the Atlanta Falcons would’ve been an afterthought.

This Dolphins team, coming off a 10-6 season and hungry to take the next step into the playoffs, couldn’t possibly have a tough time against the Falcons, who were 4-12 the previous season and are in their first year under new coach Arthur Smith. Right?

But things that were thought to be guaranteed for the Dolphins this fall have proven to be far from it.

There was no greater example than just last week against the previous winless Jacksonville Jaguars. A tailor-made opportunity to get positive momentum going against an opponent that had lost its previous 20 games was squandered. Jacksonville’s Urban Meyer outcoached Miami’s Brian Flores for his first NFL win, even as Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned from his rib injury and the Jaguars’ “home” game was played in London.

As if the downward spiral of five consecutive losses wasn’t enough to overcome, now there are more challenges hitting the Dolphins (1-5) ahead of their 1 p.m. kickoff against the Falcons (2-3) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. And Miami is considered a home underdog against Atlanta.

After Tagovailoa’s solid performance coming back from three weeks on injured reserve for fractured ribs, he immediately has found himself in the thick of the Deshaun Watson trade rumors again.

The Dolphins have been linked to the troubled star Houston Texans quarterback going back to the offseason and preseason, but with the NFL’s Nov. 2 trade deadline looming, reports resurfaced on Wednesday that Miami and Houston are closer to striking a deal. Flores praised Tagovailoa on Friday, but did not distance the team from the trade rumors.

“I don’t really get into rumors,” Flores said. “Tua is our quarterback. We’re happy with our quarterback situation and I’ll leave it at