For a fourth consecutive week, the Miami Dolphins had a beginning quarterback make an exit.
And for a 3rd consecutive sport, the Dolphins misplaced.
Rookie third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson by no means returned after he was escorted into the locker room by a coach within the second quarter towards the Minnesota Vikings, and a sport that was offensively challenged for a lot of Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, almost noticed fireworks late.
But the Dolphins fell in need of their shot at a comeback behind backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and Miami Central High alum Dalvin Cook delivered the ultimate blow, a 53-yard landing run, to sink his hometown crew, 24-16.
“It’s disappointing,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned. “Guys put a lot into this game.”
Miami (3-3) has misplaced three consecutive video games after beginning the season 3-0. Minnesota (5-1) continues to roll because the chief within the NFC North.
Cook’s 53-yard scamper with 3:15 remaining basically put the rating out of attain, placing the Vikings up, 24-10. It got here two performs after a expensive Jaylen Waddle fumble for Miami with the offense driving whereas the Dolphins have been inside 6.
“Playing in my hometown is always important, but at this point in my career, I just want to win,” mentioned Cook of a landing that was harking back to his successful rating as a freshman with Florida State in the identical constructing towards the Miami Hurricanes in 2014. “I want to bring something bigger to Minnesota than it’s ever seen before.”
The Dolphins acquired to inside a rating on tight finish Mike Gesicki’s second landing with 1:24 left, however they couldn’t recuperate the following onside kick.
Bridgewater, taking part in towards the crew that drafted him within the first spherical in 2014, went 23 of 34 for 329 yards — 237 of which got here within the fourth quarter — with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Tyreek Hill had 177 yards on 12 receptions, and Waddle went for 129 yards on six catches — however with the important thing fumble misplaced that preceded Cook’s landing, halting Miami’s probabilities at a comeback.
“I tried to make a play. Ball came out. They recovered it,” Waddle mentioned. “I wish I had that one back, but it comes with the game.”
The Dolphins protection held the Vikings to 11 three-and-outs. Outside of Minnesota’s 4 scoring drives and the ultimate kneel-downs, each collection was a three-and out. The Vikings have been held to 234 complete yards.
Minnesota, although, received the turnover battle, 3-0.
“The No. 1 indicator in wins and losses has been — and forever, always will be — turnovers,” McDaniel mentioned. “When you’re minus-3, you got to be pretty epic in other ways to try to come out on top. We just didn’t have that, really.”
Cousins was 20 of 30 for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Jefferson had six catches for 107 yards, and most of Cook’s 77 dashing yards got here on the 53-yard landing.
Thompson’s exit was brought on by successful from Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks on a third-down go. He injured the thumb on his proper, throwing hand. Bridgewater entered for Thompson, who was initially questionable to return however by no means did as he was seen again on the sideline throughout the second half.
“He wasn’t physically capable of coming back in,” coach Mike McDaniel mentioned. “The biggest issue is that he didn’t have the strength holding the ball, which is an issue when you’re trying to throw it.”
Bridgewater and Dolphins No. 1 quarterback Tua Tagovailoa needed to clear concussion protocol this previous week, and each have been cleared on Saturday.
With Tagovailoa coming back from a critical concussion sustained on Sept. 29 within the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, McDaniel determined to maintain him inactive Sunday. Bridgewater, who needed to clear protocol with out ever being identified with a concussion as a result of he was dominated out of final week’s loss on the New York Jets on account of a stumble, was saved out there by McDaniel for backup duties. McDaniel attributed beginning Thompson over Bridgewater to having the complete week of observe.
Before Bridgewater’s exit on Oct. 9 on the Jets and Tagovailoa on the Thursday night time sport towards the Bengals, Tagovailoa additionally left the Sept. 25 dwelling win over the Buffalo Bills momentarily. His controversial clearance to return within the second half was what sparked enhanced protocols by the NFL and Players Association that resulted in Bridgewater’s disqualification after one offensive play at New York.
Down, 16-10, deep within the fourth quarter Sunday, Miami squandered a chance to get nearer when Waddle fumbled, with Vikings security Camryn Bynum recovering with 4:15 left. It got here two performs earlier than Cook’s sealing landing run.
Thompson was 7 of 13 for 89 yards on the time of his departure. With Bridgewater at quarterback, Miami broke a scoreless tie with Minnesota in the midst of the second interval. A 44-yard area purpose from Jason Sanders put the Dolphins forward, 3-0.
Minnesota scored with 2:32 remaining within the first half when quarterback Kirk Cousins discovered tight finish Irv Smith Jr. for a 1-yard landing. A 24-yard catch and run by star receiver Justin Jefferson set the Vikings up for the brief rating.
The Vikings added a Greg Joseph area purpose on the ultimate play of the primary half after Bridgewater was intercepted by security Harrison Smith on a go that acquired to Waddle however was dropped. Jefferson drew a go interference on cornerback Noah Igbinoghene to get Minnesota in vary for the sphere purpose.
The Vikings prolonged the lead once more early within the fourth, with Cousins discovering Adam Thielen at the back of the top zone towards cornerback Xavien Howard for a 2-yard rating. They solely elevated the benefit, nonetheless, to 16-3 due to a missed further level.
It regarded like Miami might make Minnesota pay when it inched nearer to make it a one-possession sport on a 4-yard landing go from Bridgewater to Gesicki earlier than the Waddle fumble on the following drive following a defensive cease.
Gesicki, after his first landing Sunday, took one other shot on the “Griddy” dance that he obtained flak for in Miami’s Week 2 win on the Baltimore Ravens. An improved model, it nonetheless wasn’t fairly as much as commonplace.
“I promise I’m done,” Gesicki tweeted postgame. “I’ll leave it up to the professionals for sure. Only around the house from here on out.”
Thompson had spectacular moments early, however the Dolphins couldn’t provide you with factors on their first two drives. First, a sack knocked them out of field-goal vary. On the second possession, a number of large performs have been wiped away by penalties. Two holding calls, an ineligible man downfield, an offensive go interference and a false begin accounted for 5 penalties for 36 yards on the collection.
“It was a flag fest,” mentioned McDaniel because the Dolphins completed with 10 penalties for 97 yards. “When I watch the film, I’m anticipating players potentially doing too much, which is a very common thing. When you lose a couple of games in a row, you start to press.”
Miami got here near scoring defensively within the first quarter. Edge defender Trey Flowers hit Cousins in the long run zone, however Cousins simply acquired an incomplete go off together with his physique almost horizontal.
While the protection had one other sport the place it didn’t pressure a turnover, Elandon Roberts had 1 1/2 sacks, splitting one with Jaelan Phillips, and Raekwon Davis had the primary full sack of his profession. The Vikings had six sacks towards a Miami offensive line with backups at each deal with spots in Greg Little and Brandon Shell.
The Dolphins keep at dwelling subsequent week for a Sunday night time assembly with the Steelers the place former coach Brian Flores returns to Hard Rock Stadium as Pittsburgh defensive analyst and the undefeated 1972 crew will probably be honored.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com