Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
‘Need to be better’
Tannehill takes blame, eager to make it right
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill wasn’t the only reason the team fell on the road to the New England Patriots, but his performance wasn’t nearly good enough for the Dolphins to challenge their AFC East rivals.
“Need to be better,” Tannehill said Wednesday. “As the leader of this offense, we go as I go. So, got to be better.”
Tannehill finished Sunday’s blowout 38-7 loss in Foxborough with 11 completions for 100 yards on 20 attempts, no touchdowns and one interception. Coach Adam Gase said Monday that Tannehill missed open receivers.
“Sometimes it’s just [a] play call of where my read starts on a certain play,” Tannehill said. “But when you have guys open, you have to find a way to find them.”
Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler led the Dolphins’ only scoring drive. He went 4 for 5 for 35 yards and threw a touchdown pass after entering the game in the fourth quarter.
Next up for Tannehill and the Dolphins are the Cincinnati Bengals, who rank fifth in passing yards allowed per game.
“They play fast,” Tannehill said. “They have some good players up front. Geno Atkins, obviously, a guy who has been a great player for a long time. Getting [linebacker Vontaze] Burfict back this week, so I think that’s going to be a big lift for them. A veteran secondary, guys that have played.
“So they have a lot of talent. They can show you a lot of different looks. That’s going to be a challenge for us, but we’ve got to be ready.”
Tannehill said the team has put Sunday’s loss to the Patriots behind them. Both he and Gase said Wednesday was a good day of practice, and now the team is focusing on the Bengals as they enter the second quarter of the season.
“It was a good first quarter,” Tannehill said. “Obviously, bad taste in our mouth after Sunday. But you have to take a step back from that and say, ‘OK, we’re in a good spot. We just have to keep pressing. First quarter is done. We’re 0-0 starting the second quarter, and we’ve got to find a way to finish this week 1-0.’ ”
Jordan Phillips might have an opportunity get revenge on the Dolphins later this season.
Phillips, the defensive tackle Miami waived on Tuesday, was claimed by the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday, and if he’s still a member of Miami’s AFC East divisional rival in December he’ll have two shots at beating his former team. The Dolphins host the Bills on Dec. 2, and close out the regular season at Buffalo on Dec. 30.
Phillips, a 2015 secondround pick who contributed five tackles and one sack in the four games he played this season, celebrated his release from the Dolphins, stating that he was, “Free at last,” on Instagram.
The Bills inherit the $1,030,000 salary he’s slated to earn this season.