Miami Dolphins: 10 observations from Week 14 loss vs. Chargers

The Miami Dolphins have been a disappointment so far in December. Here are ten observations from their messy game against the Chargers.

The Miami Dolphins entered the current three-game road trip with high hopes of remaining atop the AFC East and firmly cemented in the playoff race. But things went terribly wrong during their two-week visit to California, as they have come out winless against the 49ers and Chargers.

The game in Los Angeles was a complete letdown. The contest was filled with story lines and questions that would finally be answered, and the Dolphins laid an egg. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was severely outplayed by his counterpart Justin Herbert, as he was just 3 for 16 with 25 passing yards at half time.

Miami wound up making a game out of it in the end, and were a dogpile arm wrestling match on an onside kick away from having a chance to score a touchdown to win the game. But there was no moral victory to be had in this one, and they now face an uphill climb if they want to have any shot at a home playoff game (or a playoff game at all).

Here are ten observations from the Miami Dolphins’ crushing defeat against the Los Angeles Chargers:

1. Did the ball get lost in the lights?

What was up with Miami’s two best receivers apparently not seeing the ball on two crucial downfield throws? The first was the most costly, when a perfectly placed ball thrown by Tua fell to the ground directly in front of Tyreek Hill, who would have taken the ball in for six points had he been able to see it. Jaylen Waddle had the same fate as the Dolphins were attempting to mount an improbable comeback late in the 4th quarter, apparently losing the ball in the lights on a ball that may have been catchable.

Was it the stadium lights? We haven’t seen either of them make that mistake so far this season, and we saw it twice in the same game on Sunday.