Cutler-led offense sputters for Miami

FLOWERYBRANCH— The Dolphins hitched their wagon to Jay Cutler.

And just look at them now.

The Dolphins bring the NFL’s lowest-ranked offense to Atlanta when they face the Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

After starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered a season-ending knee injury in August, the Dolphins signed the enigmatic Cutler to a $10 million contract despite a losing record (68-71) after stints with the Broncos and Bears and an announced retirement for a job in the broadcast booth. The Dolphins not ably passed on free agent Colin Kaepernick in a favor of a reunion between coach Adam Gase and Cutler.

Cutler has been in effective, and Miami fans and some in the national media have called for him to be replaced. However, Gase remains supportive of Cutler, who he coached as offensive coordinator with the Bears in 2015.

With Cutler at the controls, the Dolphins rank last in the NFL (32nd) in seven key offensive categories: yards per game (231.3), yards per play (3.9), passing net yards per game (156.5), passing net yards per play (4.35), fifirst downs per game (15), third down efficiency (25 percent) and points per game (10.3).

The Dolphins, who went to the playoffs last season, opened with a win over the Chargers before losing to the Jets and Saints. Cutler outdueled the Titans’ Matt Cassel for a 16- 10 win last week. He directed the Dolphins on only their third offensive touchdown drive of the season to pull out the win.

Cutler has completed 82 of 131 passes (62.9 percent) with three TDs and three interceptions. He has a careerlow passer rating of 74.8.

The Falcons don’t want Cutler, a former Vanderbilt star, to suddenly flash back to 2008 form, when he made the Pro Bowl.

“The quarterback has a real strongarm,” Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant said, and Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry “can make big plays. He can turn nothing into something.”

Gase has attributed Culter’s woes to a porous offensive line that has now lost its coach, Chris Foerster, who resigned this week after a video of him snorting awhite powdery substance was released on social media.

Falcons safety Ricardo Allen is not too concerned about Cutler. “If we can go out there and do what we do, click the way we click, it’s nobody who can stop us,” Allen said. “That’s all we have to worry about.”

The Dolphins’ defense is a different story. It ranks No. 8 overall, allowing 309.5 yards per game. That includes a run defense ranked No. 4 in the league, allowing just 75.5 yards per game.

Safety Reshad Jones, a former Washington High and University of Georgia player, is a ballhawk. He plays alongside Nate Allen.

The defensive line, led by Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake and Andre Branch, is stout. “They have a really active front,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “All the way through to the tackles with the defensive ends. They really do a good job of setting the edge.”

“The safeties can come downhill and play,” Quinn said. “I think they have a good pressure package. I’m not surprised that statistically they’re playing well.”