Here are a few of the high takeaways from the Miami Dolphins’ playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday:
Skylar Thompson does effectively
Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson performed a reasonably effectively and stored the Dolphins within the sport and gave them an opportunity to win. Thompson’s third quarter interception by rookie cornerback Kaiir Elam, who attended Benjamin High School, arrange Buffalo on the Dolphins 33-yard line. Thompson, who was 18 of 45 for 220 yards, one landing and two interceptions, had quite a few passes dropped. Thompson had a deep go dropped by vast receiver Jaylen Waddle within the first quarter. That offensive mistake wasn’t Thompson’s fault. But Thompson threw an interception to security Dean Marlowe on second-and-8 from the Bills 27-yard line on a go meant for Tyreek Hill that was thrown about 4 yards in entrance of Hill. Still, Thompson performed a very good sport and made good selections, simply as he did final week within the victory over the New York Jets that acquired the Dolphins into the playoffs for the primary time for the reason that 2016 season. — Chris Perkins
What a sport!
Sunday’s sport didn’t disappoint when it got here to motion. It was simply the Dolphins’ greatest sport of the season contemplating what was at stake, and contemplating it was a street playoff sport as a two-touchdown underdog. Coming in, the Dolphins and Bills performed two shut video games this season with the Dolphins successful, 21-19, in September in South Florida, and Buffalo successful, 32-29, final month in western New York. Sunday’s wild-card sport featured the Dolphins trailing, 17-0, slicing their deficit to 20-17 at halftime, taking a 24-20 lead, falling behind, 34-24, after which slicing their deficit to 34-31 to arrange a dramatic fourth-quarter drive that resulted in a fourth-down incomplete go to tight finish Mike Gesicki from the Buffalo 43-yard line. Still, what an unbelievable sport.
Dolphins’ miscues
Just as Bills quarterback Josh Allen made a number of errors, so, too, did the Dolphins, who gained the turnover battle, 3-2. The greatest miscues got here on clock administration, the place the Dolphins used their closing timeout as a result of the play clock was working down and acquired hit with a delay of sport on fourth-and-1 on their closing possession. Aside from that, Thompson opened the sport with a deep go to Waddle who had the ball undergo his palms regardless of being vast open, previous All Pro security Jordan Poyer. If Waddle might have stored his toes (he was close to Buffalo’s 30-yard line) it may need been a landing. Late within the first quarter Tyreek Hill additionally dropped a go close to Buffalo’s 30-yard line. In the second quarter working again Jeff Wilson Jr. dropped a go on third-and-16 that most likely wouldn’t have resulted in a primary down, nevertheless it was a drop nonetheless. In the third quarter tight finish Mike Gesicki was behind the protection when he had a tipped go go previous his palms. The ball was tipped by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds on the 45-yard line and Gesicki missed it on the 47, which means the ball might have modified trajectory making it a harder play for Gesick.
Xavien Howard vs. Stefon Diggs, half II
Allen went at Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard, who was shadowing All Pro vast receiver Stefon Diggs, with blended outcomes. Allen focused Diggs (seven receptions, 114 yards) 4 occasions amongst his first seven passes. Diggs rewarded the Bills with 4 receptions for 88 yards, together with a 52-yard reception to the Bills’ 4-yard line on third-and-15. But Howard acquired an interception within the second quarter when Allen threw a nasty go for vast receiver John Brown. Diggs, nevertheless, gained the battle towards Howard.
Dolphins’ offensive line struggles
Credit the Dolphins’ makeshift offensive line for giving one other sturdy effort, nevertheless it wasn’t adequate for a victory. The Dolphins began middle Connor Williams, left guard Lester Cotton, left deal with Terron Armstead, proper guard Robert Jones and proper deal with Robert Hunt. Thompson was sacked 4 occasions and took 11 hits, which isn’t very best, however the Dolphins have been down two starters.
Cotton, the third-year participant from Alabama, spent his first two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and was making his first begin with the Dolphins. The Dolphins usually would have Jones at left guard (or Liam Eichenberg, who was inactive attributable to a hand harm sustained final week), Hunt at proper guard and Brandon Shell at proper deal with, however Shell was inactive attributable to knee and ankle accidents sustained final week. On a second-quarter play the offensive line gave up a sack for a nine-yard loss. But they have been good for probably the most half. Left deal with Greg Little performed for Armstead (hip) late within the second quarter, however Armstead returned to begin the third quarter.
One of the offensive line highlights was Armstead jogging on the sideline both to get free or keep heat late within the second quarter, after which waving his palms whereas having fun with the Otis Day track, “Shout” that was taking part in within the stadium (by the best way, that track is a Bills staple however clearly Armstead didn’t care).
Josh Allen and his suspect ball safety
Allen, who’s susceptible to turnovers, had two interceptions and two fumbles. That wasn’t a shocker. Allen entered the sport with 15 interceptions, which was tied for No. 2 within the league, and 5 misplaced fumbles, additionally tied for No. 2 within the league. Allen threw a horrible interception within the second quarter. Howard’s interception turned a 48-yard discipline aim by kicker Jason Sanders that minimize the Dolphins’ deficit to 17-6 earlier than security Jevon Holland had an interception within the second quarter that the Dolphins became a landing that tied the sport at 17. Allen additionally misplaced a third-down fumble out of the bounds within the first quarter on a scramble.
Upon overview, three Bills would-be receptions are disallowed
Replay opinions went the Dolphins’ approach within the first half as two passes that would have been touchdowns have been disallowed in addition to one other deep go. A would-be 13-yard landing go to tight finish Dawson Knox was overturned within the first quarter. That play would have given the Bills a 21-0 lead, however they ended up kicking a 33-yard discipline aim for a 17-0 lead.
A deep go to vast receiver Khalil Shakir on third-and-8 from the Bills 30-yard line late within the second quarter was worn out after an official overview confirmed the ball hit the bottom.
The go, which was 54 yards, would have set the Bills up on the Dolphins 16-yard line. Buffalo, which had a 17-6 lead, ended up punting.
A would-be 21-yard second-quarter landing reception by Diggs, which was by no means dominated a accomplished go, was reviewed and replays confirmed Diggs by no means had management of the ball. The Bills ended up kicking a 39-yard discipline aim for a 20-17 halftime lead.
Another Mike Gesicki sighting
Gesicki had a 7-yard landing reception from Thompson with 33 seconds remaining within the second quarter and an 8-yard reception for a primary down within the first quarter. On the latter, Thompson pulled it down after taking a look at Hill and threw to Gesicki for a primary down. Gesicki was the main receiver for final week’s Jets sport with 4 receptions for 46 yards and ended Sunday’s sport with two receptions for 15 yards and a landing. By the best way, Gesicki, who had enjoyable after being mocked for his “Griddy” dance earlier within the season, faked a Griddy after his landing reception, after which did the web dance transfer, which appeared to mildly delight the Buffalo followers.
Dolphins’ run sport
The Dolphins rushed for simply 42 yards on 20 makes an attempt, going towards typical knowledge that mentioned the Dolphins should run the ball and management the clock to win, resembling they did final week towards the Jets. Running again Raheem Mostert, who missed Sunday’s sport with a damaged proper thumb, rushed for 136 yards within the Dolphins’ 32-29 loss at Buffalo final month. The Dolphins completed the common season second-to-last within the league in dashing makes an attempt.
Return sport offers a spark
Wide receiver/punt returner Cedrick Wilson Jr. put a cost within the Dolphins along with his 50-yard punt return within the second quarter that led to discipline aim that allowed the Dolphins to chop their deficit to 17-6. The Dolphins used kickoff returners Jaylen Waddle and River Cracraft on Sunday. Mostert, who missed the sport attributable to a thumb harm, is the same old kickoff returner. Cracraft had one kickoff return for 23 yards.
Dolphins’ protection has gotten Josh Allen to spit out turnover-worthy performs
When Eric Rowe sacked Allen and dislodged the ball en path to the Dolphins’ third-quarter go-ahead landing, it marked the tenth time this season Josh Allen has misplaced the deal with on the ball towards Miami. In the fourth quarter, Bradley Chubb pressured the star quarterback’s eleventh fumble within the three video games. He additionally threw three dropped interceptions within the groups’ first assembly to go along with his two precise interceptions within the playoff sport. — Steve Svekis
Mike McDaniel’s gameplans: Excellent; His second-half administration: Awful
Three second-half timeouts to purely keep away from delays of sport? While trailing in a playoff sport? Come on.
Jaylen Waddle’s drops concern reared its head on the worst time
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has battled drops by means of his profession and after the Houston Texans sport in November had an unpleasant 15 bungled passes in his first 27 profession video games. Then? He acquired right into a regular-season-ending (and career-long) six-game stretch of video games the place he held onto all the 19 passes that hit his palms. And then all of it got here crashing down on Miami’s opening possession on the Bills 31 when he muffed an attractive lengthy ball by Skylar Thompson that will have been a 40-yard achieve and put Miami in place to open the scoring within the sport. Then, in a key third-quarter deep throw, he once more couldn’t hold on.
Christian Wilkins, culminating his enormous 12 months, lastly acquired loss-of-yardage tackles towards the Bills
With his two half-sacks Sunday, the tour-de-force season of Christian Wilkins concluded in model with not less than one play of zero yards allowed or a lack of yards in 16 of his 18 video games. Awesome. His solely such shutouts on the stats sheet had been within the two regular-season video games towards Buffalo.
Mike Gesicki logged an extremely uncommon — if not unprecedented — accomplishment
The Dolphins tight finish by some means scored a half-dozen touchdowns in what many have termed a disappointing and even misplaced season. Amid all that tumult, he needs to be on a really brief checklist — and perhaps an inventory of 1 — as a good finish who has caught a number of landing passes every from as many as three quarterbacks, with two caught from Tua Tagovailoa (Ravens and Lions), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings) and now Skylar Thompson (Patriots and Bills)
Xavien Howard has a postseason decide streak going, a half-dozen years aside
In Pittsburgh in January of 2017, Howard intercepted Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 11 yards after which he snagged an Allen go and took that again a nifty 49 yards.
That was the most effective playoff efficiency in Buffalo in Dolphins historical past
Thirty-two years in the past, Dan Marino and co., trailed the Jim Kelly juggernaut Bills 30-27 with 10:29 left within the sport, earlier than the Bills pulled away. Incredible efficiency, clearly.
If solely there have been a approach for Terron Armstead to make it by means of a full season
Obviously, as a Pro Bowl choice, the expectation is that the offensive line would carry out higher with Armstead within the lineup. However, the pass-pressure splits are actually staggering. According to pro-football-reference.com, the Dolphins offense took 1,133 snaps through the common season. In the 764 the place Armstead performed, Miami allowed solely 16 sacks and 46 quarterback hits (QBH). In the 369 with out Armstead, these numbers exploded to 19 sacks and 52 QBHs.
A sobering Dolphins milestone associated to Don Shula
The Dolphins simply accomplished their twenty seventh season for the reason that departure of the NFL’s winningest coach, Don Shula. That stands as one season longer than Shula spent in Miami. By the numbers: Shula gained 274 video games. Since he left, Miami has gained 216 video games. Shula gained two Super Bowls. None have been gained from 1996-2021. The 1970-95 Dolphins performed in 31 postseason video games and gained 17 of them. The post-Shula Dolphins simply performed of their eleventh playoff contest, having gained three of them. Shula’s NFL profession led to 1995 in a 37-22 wild-card loss to Buffalo in Orchard Park.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com