The Miami Dolphins had a tough loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 33-27. A lot of people say the Dolphins and fans should be encouraged by the fact that the team played hard and almost came back down 30-10 in the 4th quarter. While I am happy the team played hard, I’m not taking a moral. I get it the Dolphins are in year two of their rebuilding phase and aren’t in the same class as the Chiefs, but the bottom line is the Dolphins could have won this game if they took advantage of their opportunities in the first half. The Dolphins missed a field goal on their second position, and then with the team up 7-0 and in the red zone, rookie Tua Tagovailoa threw a pass to DeVante Parker that would have been a touchdown, but Parker dropped it, and they settled for a field goal. That’s seven points they left on the field that could have made a big difference in the end. It’s a familiar theme when the Dolphins have played playoff-caliber teams.

This year the Dolphins played the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks tough, but only to lose in the end because they didn’t take advantage of their opportunities. Against the Bills, the Dolphins dropped a touchdown pass and dropped passes that could have been game-changing interceptions, but instead fell short 31-28. Against the Seahawks, the Dolphins moved the ball on offense but failed to score touchdowns and kicked field goals to lose 31-23.

I get the Dolphins are a young football team and are talent deficient, especially on offense, but I don’t want to hear those excuses. At some point, the team has to win games against some of the elite teams. The Dolphins have beaten bad teams and average teams, but it’s time to show some growth and beat some of the league’s elite teams. The Dolphins are improving as a team, and I’m excited about the direction of this team. It’s the most excited I’ve been in a long time, and I want to see this team succeed badly. That means I want to see them beat teams like the Chiefs, Bills, and Seahawks to show they are ready to become a legitimate contender. That’s what fans should start to expect now to take the next step instead of these tough losses where plays are there to be made and let the game slip away from us.