Injuries and rookie mistakes are the top storylines for the Dolphins in their 33 to 27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Although the Dolphins were defeated in this game, there are still many positives to take away from it.
Tua looked good for most of the game. He threw the ball an impressively high 48 times, completing 28 of them for 316 yards, two touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, and an interception. His first interception as an NFL quarterback. With no Devante Parker, Preston Williams, or Myles Gaskin at his disposal, Tua got into a shootout with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill, and almost won.
It used to be that the Dolphins had all these offensive weapons and no quarterback, now we have a quarterback but no offensive weapons. Receiver Lynn Bowden Jr, who the coaches hope can become a legitimate offensive weapon, contributed significantly to this game. With 7 receptions for 82 yards, the rookie receiver led the team in receiving yards and targets and helping the Dolphins’ offense remain productive without their top targets in the game. Fans got a stimulating glimpse of what Bowden could be with the Dolphins’ offense, and I’m excited to see what that might look like.
?NEW? @DolphinsTalk.com POST GAME WRAP UP SHOW: Dolphins Come up Short vs Chiefs. We talk Playoff landscape, Tua, All the Injuries, and recap today's game #FinsUP https://t.co/qsqZyMOCQM
— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) December 14, 2020
Defensively the Dolphins gave up 448 total yards, but true to form, created 4 turnovers and 3 sacks to help slow down the Chiefs’ potent offense, and allowed Miami’s to build an early lead in the game. Miami’s defense was able to cause enough havoc that Patrick Mahomes uncharacteristically threw three interceptions. Eric Rowe, Byron Jones, and Xavien Howard all had one a piece. Xavien Howard continues to dominate the NFL with his ability to snatch interceptions, bringing his total to nine this season, which he still leads the league in. The Dolphins are also the only team in the league to have a turnover in every game this season.
Yes, I know you don’t win games by just turning the ball over, but against the best offense in the league, Miami’s defense did things that no other NFL team could. This entire season the Chief’s offense has not had a game with more than one turnover, and the Dolphins created four. This should get dolphins fans excited and confident that this team is headed in the right direction. Dolphin fans are understandably down after losing to the Chiefs. Defeating the super bowl champions would have been a nice feather in our caps; however, this season isn’t over yet, and there are still meaningful games left to be played.
The Dolphins will have one week to get healthy and correct as many issues as they can. Hopefully, one of them is Jakeem Grant’s ability to catch a football or establishing a viable running attack to keep opposing defenses honest. From here on out, there are no more mulligans—every game matters. If the Dolphins can win out, they’ll secure themselves a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Dolphins showed they could compete with the best of them. Now they’ll have to prove they belong with the best of them.
