Sigh.
The Miami Dolphins were rolled by the Cleveland Browns in Week 7, losing by a score of 6-31. The scoreline flattered the Dolphins, who put forth arguably their worst performance of the season. The loss marks Miami’s third consecutive loss, and counting.
Here are three reasons why the Dolphins lost in Week 7.
1. Tua’s Worst Game…Ever?
There’s no sugarcoating it. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had one of the worst games of his NFL career against the Browns.
He completed just 12 of 23 passes for 100 yards, threw three interceptions, and posted a 24.1 passer rating, per ESPN. He was finally benched in the fourth quarter after his third pick, arguably the worst of the lot.
Not only does it feel like defenses have figured out how to force Tua off-script, but these days, Tua can’t even play on-script. If his first read isn’t there, he panics, and doesn’t have the legs to bail himself out of trouble. All season long, he’s overthrown receivers, missed on timing routes, and is seemingly unable to see the field anymore. Throwing with anticipation was once his greatest strength, but it’s now his biggest weakness.
And as all know, when Tua can’t get it going, Miami’s offense stalls.
2. Too Many Penalties, I’m Seeing Yellow
If a team gets blown out by 25 points, it’s somewhat of a reach to suggest that penalties played a huge role in the loss. However, Sunday felt like one of those rare cases in which a team not only shot themselves in the foot, but handed the gun over to the opposing team.
Miami was flagged 11 times for 103 yards on Sunday, consistently killing their own drives and bailing out the Browns’ offense. Early on, when the Dolphins were still in the game, holding calls wiped away chunk plays on offense, and a pair of defensive penalties extended two Cleveland drives that ended in points.
After the game, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said “We did everything we could to lose the game.”
Yes Mike, you did.
3. Can’t Stop the Run (Again)
Every Sunday, I sit down on my couch at 1:00 PM, grab a soda, switch on my local CBS station, and watch the Miami Dolphins take the field.
And every single week, without failure, at exactly 4:01 PM, I am sat here writing the same thing—the Miami Dolphins can’t stop the run.
As we’ve seen all season, Miami’s defense couldn’t stop the run against the Browns. The Browns “only” ran for 104 yards on 33 carries, but the stats don’t tell the full story.
Had the Dolphins held their own in the trenches, rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel would’ve had to beat the Dolphins with his arm. I don’t know about you, but I much prefer Miami’s chances to win the game in that scenario.
Of course, that didn’t happen. Instead, rookie running back Quinshon Judkins bulldozed his way to three rushing touchdowns, running over any Dolphins defender in his path, and propelling the Browns to victory.
What else is there to say? You know, I know, everyone knows. The Dolphins can’t stop the run.
Next Week
Next week, the 1-6 Dolphins will face the 3-3 Atlanta Falcons, who are coming off a 10-20 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons are 2-1 at home this season, and have allowed just 265 total yards of offense per game this season, second best in the NFL.
What did you think of the Dolphins loss to the Browns? Should drastic changes be made? Let us know down below!
This article was written by Sumeet Jena, who can found on X at @flameosumeet.
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