In this weekly column, I outline 3 reasons why the Dolphins won or lost their previous game, and provide a short preview for next week’s game.
Game Summary:
Heartbreak.
The Miami Dolphins season ends here, with a crushing 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the 2022-2023 NFL Playoffs. After a valiant effort and near 20-point comeback, the Dolphins came up just short. Here’s three reasons why the Dolphins couldn’t beat the Bills:
Reason 1: Sloppy Football
Wasted timeouts, false starts, and negative plays.
From top to bottom, the Dolphins played sloppy football on Sunday, and it cost them. Like they’ve done all season, the Dolphins left far too many plays on the field. Against the best teams, you just can’t afford that.
While there were bright sparks at times, it’s clear head coach Mike McDaniel and rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson were grossly underprepared for the game. At the end of the day, a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback showed that they’re ultimately still…a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback.
Reason 2: Couldn’t Move The Chains
As a team, the Dolphins only managed 16 first downs, and continued to give the ball back to Josh Allen and the Bills.
If you don’t move the chains, the best teams will punish you, and Buffalo did exactly that. The Dolphins simply didn’t have an offense potent enough to go toe-to-toe with the Bills, regardless of what the final scoreline may suggest. In fact, were it not for a few key defensive plays, this game could’ve finished in a far more ugly fashion.
Reason 3: Didn’t Get The Ball Into The Right Hands
In big games, big-time players make big-time plays.
While Buffalo had Josh Allen to bail them out in key spots, Miami didn’t. With no Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins couldn’t get the Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle the ball nearly as often as you’d hope, and it proved costly. You need to get the ball into your playmakers’ hands, and Miami struggled to do that all game.
Game Preview:
Unfortunately, the Dolphins season ends here. With no game to look forward to, the team now has their eyes set on the offseason and 2023 NFL Draft.
What did you think of the Dolphins’ performance in the Wild Card round? Overall, has this been a successful season? Let us know in the comments below!
This article was written by Staff Writer Sumeet Jena, who can be found on Twitter @flameosumeet.
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