MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mike McDaniel downplayed the Dolphins’ struggles versus challenging opposition before in the time, when Miami had a lot of time to reverse that craze.
On Sunday, following the Buffalo Bills beat Miami 21-14 and knocked the Dolphins down to the sixth seed in the AFC, McDaniel did not reduce his team’s frustrations.
“Hindsight is 20/20,” he said, “and there are a large amount of various issues we will examine mainly because that is incredibly disappointing. But I feel that is part of the Nationwide Football League, is if you give up an inch, you are going to be punished for it. We didn’t just take care of the online games we actually wanted to and which is what occurs.”
A thirty day period ago, the Dolphins were being in posture for the AFC’s leading seed and experienced a 2 1/2-recreation cushion about Buffalo in the AFC East. But miscues and deficiencies on offense have been evident and alarming, and rather of starting up the postseason at home, the Dolphins will head to Kansas Town to experience the third-seeded Chiefs in what is predicted to be a frigid wild-card video game Saturday night.
The Dolphins’ reduction to the Charges was a microcosm of their time: They’ve dominated negative teams by scoring at a historic tempo, but have seemed like a shell of them selves versus successful foes. They completed the period 1-5 in opposition to playoff groups, finding their lone victory in 7 days 16 from the Dallas Cowboys.
Against playoff opponents, the Dolphins averaged 17.7 factors, even though placing up 35.5 factors in their other 11 game titles. They ended up outgained 964 yards to 650 in losses to Baltimore and Buffalo to near the year.
“When we check out the movie the pursuing working day following playing these teams, there is however accomplishment being experienced within just the scheme,” restricted finish Durham Smythe mentioned. “There’s just a compact point right here, a little issue there that stalls the drives, which stops us from getting points. It’s genuinely about cleaning almost everything up, modest items, due to the fact it is not like when we engage in these groups that we’re not scoring as significantly. They’re just totally overpowering us.”
The Dolphins have been devoid of 1,000-garden receiver Jaylen Waddle and 1,000-yard rusher Raheem Mostert in these two video games, but Miami’s other playmakers shoulder part of the blame.
Tua Tagovailoa threw two interceptions in Miami’s last two game titles with a 60.5% completion price. Tyreek Hill, who completed as the NFL’s main receiver with 1,799 yards, had some very important drops. He dropped a huge-open up probable touchdown towards Baltimore and couldn’t haul in many catches on Sunday.
“When you’re a player of his caliber that our team depends on so a great deal, that can be a small misleading in conditions of he receives a ton of targets,” McDaniel claimed. “When we go to him in significant-stakes circumstances, it is not like he’s just gliding in the open area. They are pretty contested. He’s tested time and time yet again why we keep on to go to him. There’s zero men and women, together with myself, that are anxious about a pattern.”
Hill has been dealing with an ankle damage and took a difficult strike late in Sunday’s sport. He was not in on the closing engage in when Tagovailoa threw an interception to Charges security Taylor Rapp that was intended for Chase Claypool.
What’s Doing the job
The Dolphins have been in placement to earn entering the fourth quarter many thanks to 3 takeaways by their defense. The unit that was criticized early in the period experienced progressed to a prime-nine defense entering the match and constrained Buffalo’s offense to 14 factors. Miami enters the postseason with a takeaway in 11 straight online games, which is the longest lively streak in the NFL.
WHAT Requires Aid
After putting up 14 factors and 218 yards in the 1st 50 percent — buoyed by 101 yards rushing — the Dolphins recorded 57 yards the rest of the way. Miami did not score right after halftime, and only ran the ball 3 situations for 7 yards throughout that span.
Stock UP
De’Von Achane has remained productive. The rookie functioning back had 163 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ closing two games. His ordinary of 7.8 yards for each carry was the most effective in NFL historical past by a running back again with at the very least 100 carries.
Inventory DOWN
Tagovailoa finished 65.1% of his passes in 6 online games from playoff groups with 7 touchdowns and six interceptions. He experienced just one various-landing outing in those people games.
Injuries
McDaniel explained he’s optimistic about the achievable return of Waddle (significant ankle sprain) and Mostert (knee/ankle) on Saturday. … LB Jerome Baker experienced wrist surgical procedures adhering to Sunday’s decline, and LB Andrew Van Ginkel experienced a foot personal injury. Each will skip the wild-card video game and are not anticipated to return if Miami advances in the postseason. … McDaniel reported the staff is not expecting to have CB Xavien Howard (foot) back Saturday.
Key Amount
— The anticipated temperature in degrees Fahrenheit when Saturday’s game kicks off at Arrowhead Stadium.
Next Ways
The previous group to win 3 street game titles and attain the Super Bowl was the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2000. As the AFC’s No. 6 seed, the Dolphins will engage in on the highway with the exception of an unbelievable AFC championship meeting with seventh-seeded Pittsburgh.
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