When you are struggling to win football games, you elevate the way you attack opposing teams. Against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, it was another special teams mistake that cost the Miami Dolphins a victory.
In Week 2, Dolphins fans believed the punt return by Malik Washington for a touchdown was enough to seal the win against the New England Patriots. In week three, it was ironically a punt attempt that may have sealed their fate.
Zach Sieler was looking to make a play, but instead, it cost the Dolphins points and may have put them too far behind the rest of the league to climb into a late-season playoff chase.
Miami Dolphins can't overcome mistakes to get a win over the Buffalo Bills that was much closer than expected
The Dolphins finally looked like an NFL football team. At least for most of the game. Miami showed up to play and wasn't about to lie down and play dead. They battled the Bills back and forth for three quarters until one mistake proved too much to overcome.
After stopping the Bills for a third time, Buffalo lined up to punt when Sieler hit the punter's plant leg. 15 yards, automatic first down. The Bills scored with the extra opportunity.
Miami was rolling offensively at that point and had managed to tie the game at 21 before the mistake, but it got worse. With the Bills now ahead by seven once again, Tua Tagovailoa felt the pressure.
Miami was able to move the ball, but like last week, Tagovailoa threw a late-game interception that put the game away and dropped Miami to 0-3.
Sieler's attempt to block the punt was understandable, and he didn't bull the punter over, but that play gave the Bills life, put Tagovailoa on his heels, where he doesn't make good decisions. It was the domino effect Miami couldn't afford, and the price they paid may cost them the 2025 season.
It was one unfortunate play in an otherwise hard-fought game, but it was just enough to put Miami in a position they couldn't pull out of.