Miami Dolphins could easily be 9-6 or 4-11 as the season winds down
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are hoping to make it to .500 this weekend and close out the season without a losing record, just a losing season.
In the NFL it is said that one play doesn’t win or lose you a game and while that is true, it is also a bit misleading. For the Miami Dolphins, a couple of plays could have made the entire 2018 season look a lot different.
I’ll give credit on this topic to “Big E” on Twitter for posting a comment about this subject. It got me thinking about just sharp the NFL season can be and how one play can turn it around or sink the ship.
The Dolphins are 7-8 and this weekend will either put them at .500 or drop them into a losing season but they could have very easily been looking at a 9-6 record with one game remaining or even 10-6 had it not been for three games or a couple of plays in those games.
Miami vs. Cincinnati
You have to go back quite a ways but when the Dolphins visited the Bengals they had a 17-3 lead heading towards the 4th quarter but Ryan Tannehill fumbled after hit that was run back for a touchdown and threw a pick-6 that shouldn’t have been thrown at all. If Tannehill would have simply taken the sacks like he typically does, the Bengals would have had to fight to win that game. Instead, the Dolphins gave up 24 points in the 4th quarter and 14 of those came as a result of Tannehill.
Two plays could have made all the difference.
Miami vs. Indianapolis
More than a few things went wrong in this game but the Dolphins held a 24-14 lead entering the 4th quarter. The Colts scored early in the 4th with a field goal to start the 4th quarter and a touchdown on their next drive. An unnessary roughness call on Xavien Howard on that score allowed the Colts to kick from the 50 but Miami had a penalty on that kick-off as well and started their next drive from their six yard line. That drive went nowhere as Adam Gase played conservative, however had the Dolphins been able to start the drive from the 25 yard line, they would not have been so conservative and perhaps been able to move the ball.
That last drive for the Dolphins did little to reduce the time of the game and after punting, the Colts were able to get into field goal range and kick the winning field goal as time expired.
Miami vs. Jacksonville
This game should have been an easy one for the Dolphins but they didn’t bother to show up. I’m including this in this round-up simply because the effort for the entire game was not there but one play really took the game from Miami.
Ryan Tannehill was in the grasp of a Jaguar defender when he flipped the ball outside for a pick-6. The Dolphins were down by three at the time and only needed to get in field goal range to tie the game, instead, they went down by 10 and without a lot of time remaining could not move the ball.
More from Phin Phanatic
- Tua Tagovailoa practicing with teammates is everything a leader does
- 4 offensive tackles Miami Dolphins could draft at 51
- Miami Dolphins don’t need CB help but these 5 could be available at 51
- 4 players that could replace Wilkins if Miami Dolphins don’t re-sign him
- Miami Dolphins have a starting point with Wilkins after Simmons deal
Of course winning games that were close is always hindsight and hindsight is always 20/20. When you know what not to do it is very easy to change the outcome but what about plays that go the other way? At 7-8 right now, the Dolphins very easily could have been 4-11 and looking at a top five draft pick.
Miami vs. Chicago
The Bears were surprised by how hard Brock Osweiler and the Dolphins offense played and the amazing last-minute finish to the game was crazy exciting. Miami kicked the winning field goal as time expired in overtime. They could have won the game on the first possession of the extra quarter but Kenyan Drake fumbled at the goal line.
It was however a missed field goal by former Dolphins kicker Codey Parkey that made the difference and gave the Dolphins the chance for the game winning kick. Parkey’s kick from 53 yards out was wide right.
Miami vs. Buffalo
In the waning minutes of a too close for comfort game the Dolphins held a slim lead with time winding down. Josh Allen had torn the Dolphins up all game with his legs but it was the final play of the game that gave Miami a victory.
With the time expiring and one play left, Allen found an opening and avoided the Dolphins pass rush as he threw the ball downfield he under-threw just a bit but it was tight-end Charles Clay who came up short in his attempt to catch the ball in the end-zone. Clay was wide-open with no one around. He literally could have caught the ball and rolled in for the touchdown. Instead the ball fell incomplete and the Dolphins won.
Miami vs. New England
The Dolphins put up a big fight against the Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami opted to punt the ball to the Patriots late in the game with the score 30-28. New England drove the field and kicked a game clinching field goal with only seconds left. After the kick-off Miami would have seven seconds left.
In one play the Dolphins shocked the Patriots and the NFL with the “Miami Miracle”.
While there are key moments in every football game, a fumbled snap, a hold or pass interference, an interception or a sack, rarely can a few plays be identified as critical moments that would have changed the outcome specifically for the good or bad. For Miami these plays could have easily meant a completely different outcome to the season.