INKING A GREAT DEAL
Miami defense stymies Titans in home opener
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami entered Sunday’s home opener against Tennessee needing a victory, and a strong offensive performance. They were 1 for 2 in those matters, earning a 16-10 victory over the Titans while still not finding a cure for their struggling offense.
Fortunately for the Dolphins their defense saved the day. It recorded six sacks, held Tennessee to just 69 yards rushing, and scored a touchdown, courtesy of safety Reshad Jones returning a fumble 38 yards after a strip-sack by linebacker Kiko Alonso.
“It was nice that somebody could score points,” coach Adam Gase cracked.
With the victory the Dolphins (2-2) are officially off the threshold of a bad four-game start and can now transition to looking boldly into the future.
But the offense, which lost wide receiver DeVante Parker to an ankle injury in the first quarter, is still having major issues.
Quarterback Jay Cutler described his unit, which totaled 178 yards, one touchdown and a field goal, as “piss poor.”
And Gase wouldn’t blame Cutler for most of the offensive ineptitude. Gase, who chooses to blame the offensive line for most of the problems, said the offense would improve “if guys would do their job, catch the ball, block the right guys, give the quarterback a chance to do something.
“Jay’s way down on the list of things going wrong.”