As Dolphins gamers looked for solutions via the frustration and confusion of Sunday’s 33-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, there was one conclusion within the postgame locker room — they have to do higher. All of them.
“We’ve just got to stick together,” cornerback Xavien Howard mentioned. “We’ve simply acquired to maintain it going. There’s no person in charge or something like that. We simply must preserve it going.
“There’s more ball, a lotta more ball left.”
That was the overriding message, that there’s extra soccer left, and for the Dolphins to get to the place they need to get — the playoffs — they have to be higher.
You belief they’ll take the message to coronary heart. This group has been good about studying from its errors all season, and it’s a must to suppose this loss will convey the identical outcome.
The Dolphins (8-4) had their five-game successful streak ended Sunday by the 49ers, and the Dolphins misplaced their likelihood to keep up first place within the AFC East. In their 5 remaining regular-season video games, the Dolphins should discover a method to downplay their weaknesses and play to their strengths.
That was simple in opposition to the likes of Houston, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and Pittsburgh, the opponents within the Dolphins’ five-game successful streak.
It’s more durable in opposition to a group resembling San Francisco, which brings what may be the NFL’s greatest protection. The Dolphins mentioned they’ll use the loss as a studying expertise and plow forward.
“This is December football,” mentioned defensive sort out Christian Wilkins, whose 12 tackles tied with linebacker Jerome Baker for the group lead. “If we want to be the team we can be and want to be, we’ve got to have experiences like this.”
Give the Dolphins credit score for sticking collectively and retaining a superb mentality. That’s been the case all season, and thru the deafening silence of Sunday’s locker room it appeared be the case once more.
There was a quiet resolve to get issues corrected, not finger-pointing or a blame recreation. And the blame might have been aimed in a number of instructions.
The Dolphins’ operating recreation solely accounted for 33 yards on eight carries. It have to be higher.
The Dolphins’ run protection allowed 121 yards. It have to be higher.
The Dolphins have been 0-of-7 on third downs. That have to be higher.
The offense, which had its streak of at the very least 30 factors in 4 consecutive video games come to a halt, is now on a two-game stretch that’s seen uneven and inconsistent play. The offense solely scored two touchdowns within the 30-15 victory over Houston, and one landing got here after the protection set them up on the 3-yard line. Against the 49ers, the offense scored on a 75-yard landing cross from Tua Tagovailoa to broad receiver Trent Sherfield and a 45-yard landing cross from Tagovailoa to broad receiver Tyreek Hill. Aside from these two performs, the offense didn’t do a lot. It have to be higher.
Tagovailoa wasn’t good on today. He completed 18-of-33 for 295 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a 79.7 passer score. He was outplayed by San Francisco third-team quarterback Brock Purdy, the rookie from Iowa State — Mr. Irrelevant, the nickname given the final participant taken within the draft. Purdy, who acquired the nod after starter Jimmy Garoppolo went out within the first quarter with a foot harm with backup Trey Lance already sidelined with a leg harm, threw darts into tight home windows and ended 25-of-37 for 210 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and an 88.8 passer score.
“He won the game for them,” Howard mentioned.
Tagovailoa, alternatively, had overthrows, underthrows and a nasty determination or two we hadn’t seen in the previous couple of video games. He have to be higher.
On and on it goes.
Right sort out Brandon Shell mentioned they have to be higher on the offensive line, despite the fact that their greatest participant, left sort out Terron Armstead, was out with a pectoral harm. The offensive line/cross safety allowed three sacks.
Running again Jeff Wilson Jr., who mentioned he had two errors that led to ugly performs (one was a sack), mentioned the operating backs have to be higher. Wilson solely had one carry for 3 yards. Raheem Mostert had seven carries for 30 yards.
Some of these items, resembling the shortage of a operating recreation, are seasonlong points. The Dolphins should right, or disguise, their shortcomings the remainder of the best way, or the remainder of the best way can be a brief journey.
But you may really feel fairly assured they’ll get to work Monday, discovering methods to cowl up the issues that value them Sunday. It’s what they’ve finished all season, they’ve discovered from their losses.
“It hurts, for sure,” linebacker Jaelan Phillips mentioned. “Losing any game hurts, but we’ll just recoup and move on to the next one. We’ll be good.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com