Miami Dolphins playing like they need to tank for Tua, they don’t
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are hosting the Buffalo Bills today and so far, they are playing like they need to tank for Tua Tagovailoa.
As the Miami Dolphins head to the locker room at half-time, they are getting smacked in the mouth by the Bills offense and punched in the face by their defense. It is that ugly.
The scoreboard through the first quarter wasn’t bad with the Bills only holding a 6-0 lead but Miami’s offense has been pathetic and the defense is showing their youth and inexperience.
Despite the fact that the Dolphins defense is getting beat, they are still holding the Bills to field goals instead of touchdowns. The Bills scored a touchdown on a blown coverage play by Nik Needham who thought he had help deep. Three other drives the defense held the end zone and the Bills settled for three.
That wouldn’t last.
Midway through the second quarter, the Dolphins had 38 yards passing and negative three yards rushing before mounting a touchdown drive with less than five minutes in the half.
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After receiving an extension this week, Allen Hurns stepped up and started making his presence known. Ryan Fitzpatrick had little time to throw as the offensive line was more like a colander than an actual line.
Ballage scored Miami’s touchdown on a three yard run but that drive was the exception to the Dolphins game thus far. The fact that Miami is only down by nine points at the half is a testament to the Brian Flores defensive scheme.
Miami successfully completed an on-side kick after their score and looked to close the gap but a deep pass to Allen Hurns ended with Hurns fumbling the ball after trying to secure it in his hands. He had taken three steps and clearly lost the ball giving it back to the Bills.
With less than two minutes left, the Bills turned the Hurns fumble into a touchdown to increase their lead 23-7.
Miami however wasn’t ready to phone it in just yet. Despite getting beat on both sides of the ball, the special teams once again stepped up. Jakeem Grant took the ensuing kick-off 101 yards for a touchdown and cut that lead back to nine. It was only the 5th kick-off return for a touchdown this year in the NFL.
After a flurry of scoring and highlights in the final 5:00 minutes of the half, the Dolphins go to half-time down by nine but will get the ball back to open the second half.