4th straight loss

Dolphins fall to Buccaneers, 30-20.

MIAMI GARDENS — This should have been the bye week for the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instead, because of Hurricane Irma and their postponed season opener, both teams were on the field at Hard Rock Stadium on a beautiful, sun-splashed Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, things turned dark quickly as they lost to Tampa Bay, 30-20, extending their losing streak to four games.

And in keeping with the season’s theme, the Dolphins, who played the entire second half with backup quarterback Matt Moore relieving starter Jay Cutler (concussion), were again their own worst enemy.

The Dolphins (4-6), who have already matched last year’s loss total, committed 17 penalties for 123 yards, and many of them were pre-snap penalties.

“It’s just ridiculous,” said coach Adam Gase, whose team had 11 penalties for 107 yards in a loss to Oakland three games ago. Miami also had five turnovers. “It’s hard to win games when you have that many penalties, turnovers,” wide receiver Kenny Stills said.

Tampa Bay kicker Patrick Murray hit a 35-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to give the Buccaneers (4-6) the victory. The drive capped a nine-play, 58-yard drive consuming 2:56.

Tampa Bay quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hit wide receiver Chris Godwin on a 24-yard reception with about 1:30 remaining to get to

“It’s just ridiculous.” Adam Gase, Dolphins head coach, on the team’s 17 penalties.

the Dolphins’ 20-yard line.

Both teams were reeling from off-the-field incidents entering this game.

Dolphins middle linebacker Rey Maualuga was waived Saturday afternoon after he was arrested following an incident at a Miami nightclub, and the NFL announced days ago it is investigating Tampa Bay starting quarterback Jameis Winston, sidelined Sunday due to a shoulder injury, for allegedly groping an Uber drive in March 2016.

On top of the Maualuga and Cutler absences, the Dolphins had to go to their backup right guard, which was right tackle Jesse Davis, in the third quarter after starting guard Jermon Bushrod went down with a foot injury.

Moore came in at quarterback in the third quarter after Cutler left due to a concussion, and Moore got the offense moving. Moore, making his first appearance since he started the 40-0 loss at Baltimore, led the Dolphins to a pair of field goals to cut their deficit to 20-13.

Miami tied the game at 20 when Moore hit Stills (seven receptions, 180 yards, one touchdown) on a 61-yard touchdown pass with 3:00 left.

But that was it for the Dolphins, who had a touchdown negated by a penalty, a 48-yard reception negated by a penalty and had an apparent Tampa Bay safety ruled only a sack.

Miami has now matched its longest losing streak since 2013, when it lost four consecutive games after starting 0-3. Miami finished 8-8 that season.

It seems the Dolphins, with six games remaining, including two against New England, would be fortunate to finish that well this season.

“It’s not talent, it’s not effort,” defensive end Cameron Wake said of the losing streak. “It’s a lot of self-inflicted things.”

Tampa Bay had 10 plays of 15 or more yards, totaling 217 yards. That means those 10 plays produced the bulk of their 321 yards of offense.

Miami, which had 448 yards of offense, had seven plays of 15 or more yards, five of those coming in the second half on Moore’s deep passes.

The Bucs added a touchdown on the game’s final play when Miami tried to lateral on the kickoff, ended up fumbling in the end zone and Tampa Bay recovered.

It was the Dolphins’ fifth turnover of the game.

Cutler wasn’t having a good game when he left. He was 6-of-12 passing for 83 yards, three interceptions and one touchdown at halftime. The Dolphins trailed Tampa Bay, 20-7.

But two of the interceptions didn’t seem to be Cutler’s fault.

He had one pass intercepted in the end zone after wide receiver DeVante Parker got his feet tangled with safety Justin Evans.

Cutler’s other interceptions came when he made an errant pass to wide receiver Jarvis Landry that linebacker Kwon Alexander picked off, and when a pass glanced off Parker’s hands and was picked off by cornerback Robert McClain.

“If we can clean up the things we can control, that’s going to give us the best chances,” Gase said. “We’ve hurt ourselves more than anything.”

JIM RASSOL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Robert McClain (36) recovers a fumble in the second quarter of Sunday’s game.

JIM RASSOL/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Tampa Bay quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick gets tackled by Miami defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in the end zone, but the play was not ruled a safety.