The Miami Dolphins kept it close against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football to the surprise of many. Nevertheless, Miami again fell short in a close game at Buffalo. Let's take a look at the Dolphins' winners and losers from Week 3.
Dolphins' winners against the Bills in Week 3
Ollie Gordon II
After totaling just five touches for the first two weeks, Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II nearly doubled that in Week 3 with nine carries and earned the first touchdown of his young career. Gordon was still only on the field for 25% of Miami's offensive snaps, but he solidified himself as Miami's No. 2 running back -- if it wasn't obvious already.
Gordon's 4.2 yards per carry in the game won't jump out on the page, but it's clear that he is what Miami has needed for several years now, and that's a running back who will lower his head and pick up the tough yardage. That's exactly what he did against Buffalo, converting on the short-yardage situations that have plagued this Dolphins team.
Jaylen Wright was active against Buffalo, but it didn't matter. Gordon is Miami's clear RB2 from this point forward.
Dolphins offensive line
As a team, the Dolphins rushed for 130 yards at 5.2 yards per clip against the Bills. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was sacked zero times. Case in point, the Dolphins' offensive line did its job.
It wasn't the prettiest performance. After all, Tua did have to scramble on several occasions. But quarterbacks aren't meant to sit back there and bake cookies until a receiver gets open. The bottom line is that Miami's offensive line gave him just enough time to throw and was exceptional in the run game. Despite a couple of ineligible player down the field penalties, this was about as good a job as you could ask from the OL -- making this loss even more frustrating.
Dolphins wide receivers
Yes, at the end of the day, most of Miami's offensive players played well, and it should've been enough to come out with an upset win. Mental mistakes down the stretch prevented that from happening, but there were moments where we felt like we saw flashes of the 2022 and 2023 teams.
Neither Tyreek Hill nor Jaylen Waddle eclipsed 50 yards in this outing, but they both came up big when it counted, picking up critical first downs and ending drives with scores. Meanwhile, Malik Washington continued to prove that he is Miami's WR3, getting work in the passing game and running the ball.
In the end, Tagovailoa only had 146 yards passing, but part of that is because the running game was working well. Miami moved the ball most of the game and depended on its veteran receivers to do so, and they delivered.
Dolphins losers vs. Bills on TNF
Zach Sieler
You can almost never put a loss on one guy, especially in football. However, you can sometimes point to one moment, and that was the case with veteran defensive tackle Zach Sieler.
Call me pessimistic, but with the game tied 21-21 in the fourth quarter, my mind began to wonder how the Dolphins would lose this one. Nevertheless, I didn't have a roughing the punter call as a potential option.
After stopping Buffalo for the third straight possession, the Dolphins had all of the momentum. Yet, Sieler's roughing the punter infraction changed all of that. Sure, the defense could've stopped the Bills again, but we knew it wouldn't be the case. Josh Allen is too good to give him extra chances.
Fans and others were pounding the table this offseason for Sieler to receive the extension that he rightfully deserved. Unfortunately, though, he's been non-existent to start the season, and just stood out in this one in the worst way imaginable.
Tua Tagovailoa
Miami had a chance to bail Sieler out. Despite being down by a touchdown, the Dolphins had plenty of time to respond -- and it looked like they would. With just under four minutes to go, Washington had set Miami up with a 1st-and-10 just outside the red zone. The Dolphins looked like they were going to punch it in for the fourth time on the night, and there's little doubt in my mind they would've gone for the potential game-winner with a two-point conversion.
It was all for not, though, as Tua threw his fourth interception of the season into the waiting hands of linebacker Terrel Bernard. It was the second week in a row that Tagovailoa threw a pick with the Dolphins trying to come from behind.
Prior to that pass, Tua had looked all right (not great, but nothing egregious either). But just like against New England, he didn't get it done. Tua couldn't put his team on his back and lead them to a victory, which is what distinguishes the greats from the nots.
Miami gave Tagovailoa his extension last offseason, but he's shown that he doesn't have what it takes to match up with Josh Allen and the Bills. Tua said as much ahead of the game, and in crunch time, it showed.
At 0-3 and looking to be picking high in the draft, the Dolphins should be looking at potential replacements.
Dolphins fans
Of course, fans don't have a literal impact on what happens in games, so lumping us in with the losers could be considered harsh. Yet, it's the same song and dance with this team, with Dolphins fans feeling more deflated than a Tom Brady football.
At 0-3, the playoffs seem like a pipe dream. Miami hasn't won a playoff game since December 2000, and with a new regime and another rebuild foreshadowing, who knows when that streak will end. Logically, it won't include Tua, Hill, head coach Mike McDaniel, or general manager Chris Grier, as most (if not all) will be out the door by the end of this season.
Thursday night was another close battle in Buffalo, with Miami either leading or tied in the fourth quarter against the AFC powerhouse, to yet again find a way to fall short. The Bills have now won 12 of the last 13 against the Dolphins. They have their eyes set on home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, while the Dolphins are in the driver's seat for the No. 1 pick next April.
And although it hurts to lose, particularly in close games, that's probably best-case scenario for Miami's long-term outlook. Fans will again ask to be patient, even though that patience is worn out.