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

Miami Dolphins: 10 observations from Week 14 loss

4. Xavien Howard ain’t what he used to be

Sad truth: Xavien Howard is cooked.

The player who was recently our undisputed best and most reliable player on either side of the ball, Howard is no longer the shut-down cornerback that he once was. There has been no player on Miami’s defense that has been targeted more than #25 this season, and the results haven’t been pretty.

They weren’t against the Chargers, either, as Howard was the responsible for the coverage on more than a few big plays for the Chargers. He got burned, got Mossed, and didn’t care to touch Mike Williams, who was rolling on the ground with a live ball in his hands after a 40-yard catch. Williams would get up and gain an extra 11 yards, putting the Chargers in field goal range.

5. Terron Armstead had a rough night

Much was made about the return of Terron Armstead to the lineup, and rightfully so, but the most important piece of Miami’s offensive line had his struggles in the game against the Chargers.

Tagovailoa found himself scrambling away from pressure on more than a handful of occasions on Sunday night, and a goof portion of the leakage was coming off of the left side. It is unclear whether or not it was because of lingering effects of his injury, but it seems like the likely culprit for Armstead’s worst game of the season. He and the rest of the Dolphins’ offense will face a big challenge this coming week in Buffalo, though the absence of Von Miller should ease the Bills’ pass rush. We’d hope so, at least.