Throw out the statistics for this game. They’re meaningless. The Miami Dolphins were thoroughly outplayed for the second consecutive week for the first three quarters.  The game was not going well anyway, and then it pretty much ended early. With four minutes and change left in the third quarter and down 31-10 to the Buffalo Bills, Miami Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa scrambled for a first down but chose to dive head-first into Bills safety Damar Hamlin rather than slide.  His head slammed into Hamlin’s chest and then hit his head hard on the turf, leaving his arms and body frozen in an all-too-familiar scene to Dolphins fans.

Tua left the field wobbly and concussed and was quickly ruled out for the game.  The rest of the game was an exercise in running the clock, and the Bills prevailed by that same 31-10 score. That makes it 4-1 for Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott and Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel.  McDaniel’s squad got whipped in every conceivable manner.  This was about a bad a game as a team can play. If not for a super-human effort by Running Back De’Von Achane, our Good list would be totally empty.  In last week’s article, I put out some warning signs despite the win, and those signs came back to haunt this week. Let’s review this week’s GBU in depth.

THE GOOD

  • De’Von Achane was outstanding in an otherwise forgettable game. Achane, who was questionable all week to play, was the team’s leading rusher and pass receiver. He ran the ball 22 times for 96 yards for a 4.4 average and caught seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown. Outstanding effort, young man.


THE BAD

  • Tua Tagovailoa. He has struggled against the bills, and this game was no exception. His accuracy was off, his decision-making was not sharp, and he threw three devastating interceptions.  It could easily be argued that two of those picks were not his fault.  One of them came off the hands of tight end Grant DuBose, and the other was thrown to a spot that Wide Receiver Robby Chosen never got to.  For the game, Tua completed 17 of 25 passes for only 145 yards for a 57 passer rating.
  • The offensive line. There is not much this group did right. Tua was under the gun all game, and holding calls was once again an issue.
  • The defensive line. This unit showed zero pass rush and an inability once again to stop the run. Bills running backs ran 22 times for 108 yards for a 4.9 average. Thus far, Chop Robinson has been completely invisible in his two games played.
  • Tight End play (second consecutive week). Sure, Jonnu Smith caught six balls for 53 yards, but he was mostly used as an outlet and not the downfield threat we hoped for upon signing him. Grant DuBose and Julian Hill looked like they had hands of stone with several catchable balls bouncing harmlessly off their hands.  Durham Smythe has become a has-been.  This group has not taken any pressure off the defense, which is not making the wide receivers’ jobs any easier.

THE UGLY

  • Mike McDaniel. I alluded to game preparation, game management, and play calling last week.  There was zero improvement this week. The team was once again unprepared to play and got down 17 points in the first half.  The game management and play calling were on full display during an ill-fated two-minute drill in which the Fins had three time-outs plus the two-minute warning to score a touchdown in the first half yet ran out of time due to numerous running calls and short passes in the middle of the field. Predictably, McDaniel went for a fourth down and two from the Buffalo 45 down 17-7 in the first half.  A sack gave the Bills the ball on Miami’s 48, which they converted into a touchdown in one play on James Cook’s 49-yard TD run. For some reason, there were a lot of plays called for late free-agent signings Grant DuBose and Robby Chosen. Two guys who were signed on August 28th and 29th.  Two passes intended for each resulted in interceptions that, as previously mentioned, could easily be blamed on them rather than on Tua.
  • Season outlook. It’s nothing but doom and gloom if Tua is unable to play. For some reason, the head coach has “the utmost confidence” in backup Skylar Thompson. Have we seen any evidence in the past three years to have such confidence? Although the upcoming games are not difficult on paper (at Seattle, Tennessee at home, and at New England), each will be a huge challenge.
  • Offseason improvements. Chris Grier did not improve the holes in last year’s team, most notably at backup Quarterback, Offensive Line, and Tight End, all of which were on full display tonight. Perhaps a Ryan Tannehill signing is in the offing.

This game was a monumental failure by all accounts. The season hangs in the balance, with little to look forward to in the next few weeks.

Post Game Wrap Up Show: Dolphins Lose to Bills…Again