Recipe for rebound?
Dolphins’ defense looks to regroup after Colts collapse by targeting Bills rookie quarterback
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins defensive end Andre Branch plans to add a new move to his repertoire.
“It’s time for me to pull it out — Vlade Divac,” Branch said with a laugh Wednesday, saying he is going to resort to flopping in order to draw penalty flags in his favor.
Branch was as jovial as one could be despite feeling like referees missed a clear holding call that kept him from reaching Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck on a pivotal third-and-9 play that effectively sealed the Dolphins’ fate.
Miami held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before being tied at 24 when Luck stepped into the pocket to evade pressure from Branch and the Dolphins defensive line to complete a 34-yard pass downfield to receiver Chester Rogers.
The play set up Adam Vinatieri for a game-winning, 32-yard field goal in Miami’s 27-24 loss last Sunday.
“No question, that one hurt,” Branch said. “When you see it on film, it’s like how do you miss that call? But at the end of the day, it’s a bang, bang play. It’s a huge play for both sides. They didn’t call it so we just have to go with what they called.”
While a penalty call in Branch’s favor would have helped the Dolphins, their defensive performance in the final stretch of the Colts game cannot be overlooked.
After running back Kenyan Drake scored on a 14-yard run to give Miami a 24-14 lead with 13:36 remaining, the Dolphins defense was on the field for 24 plays, giving up 180 yards and 13 points to the Colts en route to a debilitating loss.
The Dolphins (5-6) will attempt to make a push for the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills (4-7) at Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday, and could get back on track against a rookie quarterback.
“It’s tough. The offense scored enough points for us to win the game,” Dolphins defensive tackle Davon Godchaux said.
“They gave us a chance to win the game, but we didn’t finish the job on defense. They gave us a 10-point lead, and we have to close that out.”
Bills rookie Josh Allen played his first game since suffering an elbow injury in Week 6, leading Buffalo to a 24-21 win at home over the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday.
Allen completed only eight passes, including a 75-yard touchdown in the first quarter. But his 14-yard touchdown run at the beginning of the fourth quarter put his team in position to win.
Dolphins coach Adam Gase remembers one distinct aspect of Allen’s game, amid his 6-foot-5, 237-pound frame, when evaluating him before the 2018 NFL draft.
“Besides his size and arm strength, his athletic ability was surprising to me when I first started to watch him,” Gase said of Allen on Wednesday.
“Now seeing him play in the NFL, he had a run on a draw where he stiff armed a defensive end, makes one of the [defensive backs] miss, and runs through one of the linebackers all in 14 yards. That athletic ability just surprises people because of his size.”
Allen has thrown only three touchdowns, and has completed 52.5 percent of his passes with a 65.2 rating in seven games this season. The Bills are 3-4 when he starts.
The Dolphins got six of their 17 interceptions this season against New York Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold, and hope throwing different looks at Allen could yield the same results.
More importantly, the Dolphins hope their performance on defense can result in a victory to keep their AFC playoff hopes alive for another week.
“Buffalo is playing good football. They won their last two games,” Godchaux said. “They’re going to come in here and try to be hungry and be physical, so we have to come out and be more physical than them.”