Failing fortunes
In quick reversal, offense sluggish, defense pummeled
MIAMI GARDENS — What a difference a week can make for the Miami Dolphins.
After backup quarterback Brock Osweiler and the Dolphins offense exploded for 541 yards, the most Miami gained in a game in 30 years — they barely eclipse 300 yards before the final minutes one week later.
On a week when the Dolphins started to become relatively healthy — outside of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, of course — they lost their most explosive playmaker.
And with a chance to improve to 5-2 on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, the Dolphins could very well be in danger of falling to 4-4 when this week is over.
The Dolphins suffered a 32-21 loss in front of an announced crowd of 65,265 fans at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday — just their fifth loss in the last 19 home games.
And it is likely the Dolphins (4-3) will be without Tannehill and maybe leading receiver Albert Wilson in their Week 8 game in Houston against the Texans on Thursday night.
“We couldn’t stop them — that’s just what it was,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said after the game. “They were executing better than us and we just didn’t do enough to affect the quarterback.”
Wilson suffered a right leg injury after catching a 25-yard reception from Osweiler early in the second quarter. After being examined in the injury tent, Wilson gingerly limped from the Dolphins sideline into the locker room, biting onto a towel in pain.
The Dolphins offense was clearly not the same without Wilson, who gained 150 yards with two touchdowns in last week’s 31-28 overtime win over the Chicago Bears.
But Miami was able to stay in contention for most of the second half despite the Lions’ lethal offensive attack, which exposed the Dolphins run defense throughout the day.
Osweiler’s 25-yard touchdown
pass to receiver Danny Amendola narrowed the lead to, 29-21, with six minutes left in the game.
But it was a pass interference call on Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, who was defending Lions receiver Kenny Golladay on 3rd-and-7 with slightly more than 3 minutes remaining that sealed the Dolphins’ fate.
Matt Prater kicked a 50-yard field goal with 2 minutes left, his fourth of the day, to put the game out of reach.
The Lions — the second of two consecutive Dolphins opponents playing after a bye week — got the best of the Dolphins defense, which has prided itself on forcing turnovers and playing well in the red zone this season.
Detroit gained 457 yards of total offense, with 248 yards coming on the ground, against the Dolphins, who saw defensive end Cameron Wake and cornerback Bobby McCain return from knee injuries.
“I didn’t realize [it was] that much but a lot has to go wrong for that to happen,” Wake said. “[It was] a very odd situation because, when something like that happens, you want to sit down and pick apart the whole game play by play but … we have a game coming up very quickly. We have to move on.”
Lions rookie running back Kerryon Johnson finished with 158 yards rushing, while quarterback Matt Stafford completed 18-of-22 passes for 217 yards with two touchdowns to tight end Michael Roberts.
Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake broke free for a 54-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter, to help Miami
keep the game close after the Lions took a 20-7 lead midway through the third quarter.
Stafford found Roberts for the second of two touchdowns, a 4-yard connection, to help the Lions take a 26-19 advantage. Prater followed with his third field goal of the game to make it, 29-19, with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Osweiler completed 22-of-31 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, the first to receiver Kenny Stills, who crashed into a stadium security guard that left them both injured during the second quarter.
Stills continued to play despite injuring his shoulder, while the woman — who crashed head and shoulder first into the sideline wall — received medical treatment and was sent to a hospital as a precaution.
The Dolphins entered the game having won 14 of their past 19 home games, tied for the second-best mark in the NFL in the span.
Now, they will play their second game in four days with injuries likely to plague them against the Texans on Thursday.
“I know this coaching staff and these players, we’ve got resilient guys in this locker room,” safety Reshad Jones said. “I know these guys will be ready Thursday night.”