If you thought this 12 months’s Miami Dolphins crew was exempt from the franchise’s patented December collapse — suppose once more.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw three fourth-quarter interceptions, and the Dolphins misplaced their Christmas Day sport in opposition to the Green Bay Packers, 26-20, after main, 20-10, deep within the first half on a cold, 46-degree Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Dolphins (8-7) dropped a fourth consecutive sport and completed December winless at 0-4. It’s their first winless December since 1993 after they began 9-2 and ended on a five-game shedding streak to overlook the playoffs.
Miami’s playoff odds, which have been held up by different groups’ losses regardless of the Dolphins’ personal shedding streak, decreased from 83 p.c to 67 p.c, in accordance with FiveThirtyEight.
The Dolphins nonetheless management their very own postseason destiny in the event that they defeat the Patriots (7-8) in New England and win a regular-season residence finale in opposition to the Jets (7-8), however they’ll need assistance elsewhere in the event that they break up the final two. Miami continues to be in a position to clinch earlier than Week 18 if it wins in opposition to the Patriots and the Jets lose in Seattle subsequent Sunday.
“Human nature is what you have to fight,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned as he’ll attempt to rally his gamers to not let this streak hold Miami out of the postseason, one thing that appeared like a foregone conclusion when the Dolphins completed November 8-3 and atop the AFC East.
“It’s going to take a team that’s really tight and close to not allow anyone to press and really have these situations manifest anything but improvement.”
Said left deal with Terron Armstead: “The important thing is to continue to improve. You want to get hot going into the playoffs. We’re on a bit of a skid right now, but we have a chance to get this next one and keep our playoff hopes alive.”
Tagovailoa completed 16 of 25 for 310 yards, a landing and people three essential interceptions.
“It was just terrible how everything ended,” Tagovailoa mentioned. “Like I told the guys, ‘That’s on me.’ I will definitely get better from that.”
Excelling early within the sport with massive performs, his star receiving mixture of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle each surpassed 100 yards. Waddle had 5 receptions for 143 yards and a landing, and Hill made 4 catches for 103 yards.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was 24 of 38 for 238 yards, a landing and an interception. He made a number of spectacular throws onlookers have come to anticipate since he first turned Green Bay’s beginning quarterback in 2008 and sustained key drives within the second half.
With the rating tied at 20 early within the fourth quarter, the Dolphins and Packers exchanged interceptions and it netted Green Bay a go-ahead area purpose with 11:45 remaining.
Miami cornerback Kader Kohou got here down with an interception of Rodgers for the primary one among his profession as he probably acquired away with a shove of Packers receiver Allen Lazard on the move to the tip zone.
On the very subsequent play, Tagovailoa threw excessive into site visitors making an attempt to get a move to Hill. The errant throw was intercepted by Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander. Following a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty referred to as on Jaelan Phillips, Miami acquired a red-zone cease to maintain the Packers to a 28-yard Mason Crosby area purpose for the lead, 23-20.
Miami was driving with an opportunity to tie or take the lead on the Green Bay 30-yard line, however Tagovailoa threw a second fourth-quarter interception, picked off by linebacker De’Vondre Campbell as he focused working again Raheem Mostert over the center.
After the Packers consumed 4 minutes driving, Crosby nailed a 26-yard area purpose to place Green Bay forward, 26-20, with 2:02 to play.
Miami’s destiny was sealed when Tagovailoa tossed it to the flawed crew one remaining time as cornerback Rasul Douglas got here down with the ball that Tagovailoa acknowledged postgame was only a dangerous throw.
Tagovailoa mentioned the primary interception was only a excessive move to Hill as he tried to get it over an beneath defender, and there was a miscommunication between he and Mostert on the one to Campbell.
“The route was supposed to be different,” Mostert mentioned. “That was definitely on my fault. That’s not Tua’s fault at all.”
Added Tagovailoa: “I might’ve said the wrong play. I’m not too sure, but there was just some communication error on that.”
Green Bay began the second half with an impressive Rodgers-led drive that went 78 yards in 11 performs and took the primary 7:07 off the third-quarter clock. Rodgers threw a sidearm 31-yard completion to tight finish Marcedes Lewis that put the Packers in scoring place earlier than A.J. Dillon scored on the bottom from a yard out two performs later. Green Bay additionally transformed a fourth-and-1 in its personal territory early within the collection.
The Dolphins squandered a possibility to retake the lead later within the third quarter when kicker Jason Sanders missed a 48-yard try late within the third interval, snapping his 12-kick streak of made area objectives.
With two massive performs within the passing sport within the first half, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins scored one lengthy landing and arrange one other 1-yard rating.
Waddle broke free on the primary play of Miami’s second drive, crossing over the center to then dash down the best sideline for an 84-yard landing that was assisted by advantageous downfield blocking by Hill. It marked Miami’s longest play of the season.
“They just called my number,” Waddle mentioned. “Tua gave me a ball. You have to credit [Hill]. He had some good downfield blocking to really spring me.”
After Green Bay answered with a Rodgers landing to Lewis on fourth-and-goal on the 1, Tagovailoa threw deep over the center about 57 air yards to Hill because the speedster ended up down on the Packers’ 1-yard line. Running again Jeff Wilson, after lacking a sport with a hip damage, did the remaining with a brief plunge into the tip zone.
The Dolphins, after scoring a area purpose on their opening drive, allowed a 93-yard kick return by the Packers’ Keisean Nixon set them up in a goal-to-go scenario to begin their first offensive collection. An Elandon Roberts sack of Rodgers set Green Bay again earlier than settling for the tying area purpose.
A Mostert fumble late within the first half that was compelled and recovered by Packers defensive lineman Jarran Reed allowed Green Bay to get the ball earlier than the tip of the half, with Crosby’s second area purpose getting the Packers inside one possession earlier than halftime. It began a run of 16 unanswered factors that led to the Packers victory.
The 46-degree kickoff temperature was the second-coldest for a sport the Dolphins hosted in franchise historical past.
After taking part in on Christmas Day, the Dolphins now play the Patriots on the street on New Year’s Day, subsequent Sunday, earlier than a house finale in opposition to the Jets.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com