Dolphins fail final exam for playoff contention
The 2021 season revealed that the Miami Dolphins are more pretenders than contenders.
Miami (8-8) showed it can beat some of the NFL’s mid-tier teams, but when it comes to playoff contenders — Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Tennessee — the Dolphins displayed they have too many flaws to pull out wins against quality opponents.
The way Miami got dismantled by the Titans, who are closing in on the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, shows that this franchise is far from being a Super Bowl contender.
Here is the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s report card, evaluating how the Dolphins performed on Sunday:
Passing Game: F
Tua Tagovailoa played his worst game of the season when his team needed him to be at his best. The weather conditions didn’t help, but there’s no excuse for his three fumbles, and the one interception. Two other possible interceptions were dropped. Tagovailoa came into the game with the NFL’s highest completion percentage and missed 20 passes. He was also sacked four times and finished the game with just a 53.1 passer rating. Tagovailoa needs to respond with a strong performance against the Patriots to give this franchise some hope for the future.
Running Game: C
The Dolphins gained 51 of their 74 rushing yards in the first half, and only attempted five carries in the second half because of a 14-point deficit that eventually grew to 21 in the third quarter. The third quarter only featured one possession for the Dolphins. Myles Gaskin had two carries (gaining 9 yards) on that drive, which ended with Jason Sanders missing a 53-yard field goal. So it’s hard to argue that Miami should have continued running the ball because of the team’s 4.6 yards-per-carry average because that doesn’t take into account the circumstances of the game.
Defending the pass: D
Ryan Tannehill wasn’t stellar despite his impressive 127.1 passer rating, but he was efficient. He completed 13-of-18 attempts, throwing for 120 yards. But two of those passes were touchdowns. He was only sacked once, and that came late in the game on a drive that had no influence on the game’s outcome. The Dolphins were ineffective applying pressure to Tannehill because of his mobility and the Titans massive offensive line, which stonewalled Miami’s defensive linemen.
Defending the run: F
The Dolphins made D’Onta Foreman look like an All-Pro back because of the 132 rushing yards and one touchdown he recorded on 26 carries. It didn’t help that Dontrell Hillard gained another 45 rushing yards and scored a touchdown on eight carries when the game was already decided. It was clear that Tennessee targeted inside linebacker Elandon Roberts, and once he was blocked, Miami’s run defense crumbled. It’s a good thing there’s only one game left because this could be a blueprint other teams build on to attack the Dolphins.
Special teams: F
Every aspect of the Dolphins’ special teams failed on Sunday. Michael Palardy’s punts were short, low and easy to field. His struggles contributed to the Titans winning the field position battle. Miami’s return game was ineffective again, which has been the case all season. And Sanders missed a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter, which could have helped Miami build some momentum after trailing by 14 points. Danny Crossman’s unit needs a massive makeover this offseason, considering it has struggled all season.
Coaching: F
The offense produced just 256 total yards, which is the third-worst offensive output of the season. The Dolphins have had eight games this season where the offense had gained fewer than 300 yards, which indicates that Miami needs better coaches on that side of the ball. Defensive coordinator Josh Boyer failed to create the type of pressure that makes Ryan Tannehill uncomfortable, and that’s disappointing considering the Titans only had one elite pass catcher on the field. Tannehill had entered the game as the NFL’s second-most sacked quarterback.
Stock up
Duke Johnson started his third straight game and led Miami with 49 yards on seven attempts. He also caught two passes for 16 yards. The former University of Miami standout has stepped to the forefront of Miami’s struggling rushing attack, and is averaging 4.6 yards on 46 carries. In four games, he’s already become second on the team in rushing and has established himself as one of Miami’s most consistent offensive playmakers. The Dolphins need to strongly consider re-signing him this offseason.
Stock down
In a game where Tennessee put all their focus into stopping Jaylen Waddle, it was disappointing to see DeVante Parker not rise to the occasion. Considering Miami threw a season-high 13 passes his way, it was disappointing to watch Miami’s 2020 receptions leader contribute just four receptions for 46 yards. Even though the game conditions were horrible and one critical pass interference call was missed on a play where Parker’s arm was wrapped by a defensive back, good players shine in these moments. The Dolphins need to give serious consideration to whether they want to keep Parker moving forward.