MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.: In the moments after the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins blew a late 14-point result in the Tennessee Titans, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa shook his head on the considered the previous.
Just final 12 months, the Dolphins misplaced 5 straight December video games throughout a stretch that just about knocked them out of the playoffs and was paying homage to collapses of years previous.
Despite Miami’s lackluster offensive efficiency and head-scratching fourth-quarter undoing, Tagovailoa doesn’t consider Monday’s 28-27 dwelling loss to the Titans has any correlation to earlier years.
“I don’t think this is the same Dolphins team that everyone thinks about,” Tagovailoa mentioned. “We’ve got a lot of really good players. We’ve got really good coaches. It’s one home loss this year. It’s not like the world ends because we lost this game.”
Miami had an opportunity to grow to be simply the second AFC group (Baltimore) to achieve 10 wins on the season and pad its lead atop the AFC East, however as a substitute was knocked out of the highest spot within the AFC after permitting Will Levis and the Titans to attain twice within the last three minutes Monday to tug off the upset.
How the Dolphins (9-4) reply to their worst lack of their season can be essential. After they host the New York Jets (5-8) Sunday, the Dolphins’ schedule toughens significantly with a house sport in opposition to Dallas, a visit to Baltimore and a rematch in opposition to the Buffalo Bills — whom they misplaced to in Week 4 — of their regular-season finale.
“If this is what we needed to get into this playoff race and December football then that’s what we need,” mentioned fullback Alec Ingold. “You take this one as a man and look in the mirror and go back and improve. You take this stinging feeling, this gut punch as a learning lesson that you can’t leave plays out there.”
The Dolphins nonetheless largely management their destiny the remainder of the season — they’ll clinch the AFC’s high seed and home-field benefit within the playoffs in the event that they win the remaining 4 video games on their schedule.
They’ll seemingly must get extra wholesome to try this. Looming over Monday’s sport was the well being of star receiver Tyreek Hill, who performed simply 34 snaps due to an ankle damage suffered within the first quarter.
Hill mentioned after the sport that he was making an attempt to handle the ache in his left ankle as he was out and in a lot of the second half, however he couldn’t minimize and alter instructions as he usually would.
As for his standing going ahead, Hill mentioned he all the time expects to be obtainable to play.
“That’s never a question in my head,” Hill mentioned. “That’s never something that I would be thinking about. But if the trainers come to me, if they see something in the scans whenever I get these scans, they say, ‘hey, Reek, you can sit out,’ I do it. But me being me, I don’t want to sit out. I want to be able to help this team any way I can, and that’s just who I am. I just don’t want to miss any games.”
WHAT’S WORKING
With its passing offense faltering, Miami rushed for 158 yards, led by Raheem Mostert, who had 96 yards on 21 carries. Mostert has an NFL-best 16 dashing touchdowns this season.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
The Dolphins had been 2 of 5 within the crimson zone and misplaced a fumble on the Titans 2 on a nasty quarterback-center change on their first possession. Connor Williams, Miami’s beginning middle, went down with a knee damage within the first quarter and didn’t return. His substitute, Liam Eichenberg, was in on the unhealthy snap and in addition had two penalties accepted in opposition to him.
STOCK UP
The working backs. Mostert had dashing scores of three and 5 yards that put the Dolphins forward by two touchdowns within the fourth. Rookie De’Von Achane averaged 6.7 yards on 7 carries for 47 yards.
STOCK DOWN
The protection. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio isn’t identified to blitz lots, however Titans rookie Will Levis was barely pressured as he led two landing drives within the last minutes. Miami additionally had just one sack within the sport after getting no less than two in every of their previous 10 video games.
The Dolphins had been additionally enjoying with a number of backups of their secondary due to accidents to their starters. Safety Jevon Holland missed his second straight sport with a knee damage. Miami’s different beginning security DeShon Elliott missed an enormous chunk of the second half due to an damage. Both backup safeties Brandon Jones and Elijah Campbell had been in on the Titans’ two late scoring drives.
INJURIES
Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned Tuesday that Williams sustained a season-ending ACL damage in opposition to the Titans. … Hill is everyday along with his ankle damage. … Elliott is within the NFL’s concussion protocol after reporting signs.
KEY NUMBER
1,542 — Hill’s 61 yards receiving Monday gave him 1,542 for the season, which nonetheless places him on tempo for the primary ever 2,000-yard receiving season.
NEXT STEPS
The Dolphins beat the New York Jets on the street in Week 12 and can face them once more Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
