The Dolphins head into week 14, coming off a loss in which the 49ers very much humbled them. San Francisco beat Miami over the head with a 3rd-string quarterback and stingy defense that slowed down one of the most prolific offenses in the league through the first 11 weeks. It was Miami’s first loss since mid-October when they dropped a week six game to the Vikings. Much of the blame for Sunday’s loss was placed on the intensity and playoff atmosphere that existed in this matchup. However, that is not exactly a comforting thought for a team with deep playoff run aspirations. 

Tua was sloppy against the 49ers. It was, without a doubt, his worst performance of the 2022 season, and one can only hope it remains that way. #1 was consistently missing throws he had been making with pinpoint precision all year long, and it caused the offense to sputter and stall out before it could ever get going. The 49ers completely dominated the time of possession which was what ultimately killed the Dolphins as the defense could not hold Brock Purdy or San Francisco’s lethal run game. It was a game to learn from in many ways.

Miami fell to 8-4 following the loss and fumbled an opportunity to hold sole position of the #1 seed in the AFC. Though, the more concerning aspects of this game lie within the reasons for such a poor showing. If Tua and Co. were shaky due to the playoff atmosphere radiating in the Bay, then there are some things that will need to be addressed immediately if the Dolphins are going to be a threat down the stretch. 

Miami’s schedule does not lighten before the playoffs as they are set to match up with the likes of the Chargers, Bills, Packers, Patriots, and Jets to finish out the regular season. None of these will be layup games, and each one will come with additional pressure that will need to be dealt with. Tua cannot be missing Hill & Waddle with throws that they couldn’t reach standing on a step stool. The defense cannot let teams punish them with backup quarterbacks. There is a lot of housekeeping to do before imagining the Dolphins winning their first playoff game since 2000. 

Can this team clean it up and prepare for some of the better teams in the AFC? We will soon learn a lot about what this squad is made up of in the coming weeks. Mike McDaniel is staring down the toughest stretch of his coaching career, starting this week under the lights on Sunday Night Football against Justin Herbert & the 6-6 Chargers. Hopefully, we will once again need a wheelbarrow for Coach McDaniel.

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