HOW DID THIS HAPPEN

The Dolphins lose their fifth game of the year, and we are left wondering, could it get any worse. It probably will before it gets any better. This was a game they could have won but three interceptions and some lacklustre play in the third quarter were their undoing. There aren’t many ways back from 1-5, but it could have been so different. Good teams win the close games and bad ones clearly don’t. Except for week one they had opportunities to win the other three games, but, be it offense or defense they haven’t delivered, and are now imploding with the inevitable rebuild looming on the horizon.

It started on the Dolphins second offensive play this week as Jaylen Waddle caught a Tua pass and bobbled it right into the arms of Tony Jefferson. Fortunately Miami caught a break as Los Angeles had to settle for a field goal, which they converted, but only after the defense had to stop them twice in close succession because of an unnecessary roughness call by Matthew Butler during the first attempt.

Miami went three and out on their next possession but got the ball back quickly when rookie TE Orande Gadsen II fumbled the ball thanks to a well-placed fist by Jordan Brooks. On the very next play De’Von Achane found a crease, turned on the burners and went virtually untouched for a forty-nine-yard score, simple as that. The Chargers responded, but it was another field goal as they were finding it hard to consistently move the ball. The next score was the same again as Herbert still hadn’t worked out a way to get past Dolphins D. It didn’t matter that much though as Tua and company were also struggling to make any headway, having to settle for two field goals of their own before the half was over. It did mean that Miami took a slim 13-9 lead into the locker room.

It didn’t stay that way as LA made some adjustments and put together a thirteen-play drive resulting in a Ladd McConkey score. They were then gifted an interception by Tua who threw the ball into double coverage, the ball was slightly behind Achane and Benjamin St-Juste came away with the pick. Herbert quickly increased the Chargers lead four plays later when he hit Kimani Vidal from seven yards out. Things weren’t going well as the Dolphins were now staring at a ten-point deficit, and it got worse as Cameron Dicker converted yet another field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.

If the Dolphins had any intention of winning this game they needed to wake up and show some life because time was running out. Fortunately, they put the third quarter behind them and pieced together a scoring drive punctuated by a four-yard score by Achane. It almost stalled mid-way through the drive, however St-Juste was flagged for a low block that gave Miami a second chance.

A short possession later LA were punting the ball back to Miami with plenty of time left for them to put together a game winning drive. Tua didn’t squander the opportunity this time and crafted a thirteen-play scoring drive that finished with forty-six ticks left on the clock. Darren Waller found himself wide open in the endzone and it didn’t take much for Tua to hit him for the go-ahead score. The only problem being the lead was precarious, and it didn’t help that the ensuing kick-off was returned forty yards to the LA forty-one.

How was this going to play out as Dicker still needed about fifteen yards to get within makeable range. The first play and Weaver dialled up a blitz, the pocket collapsed and somehow Herbert managed to throw a lame duck pass just before being swallowed up. The next play was another blitz, it seemed to be going to plan as the pocket collapsed and Herbert was in Jaelan Phillips’ grasp, unfathomably he managed to break free and find Ladd McConkey at the LA forty-three, and just like that he was off to the races, taking the ball all the way to the Dolphins seventeen, that was all she wrote as Dicker came out to seal the Dolphins fate with five seconds left.

Can this season be salvaged, they could win out and finish 12-5 but you have more chance of finding a snowball in hell. They could possibly afford to lose two more games and still sneak into the play-offs, but would you want to put money on them doing it. The reality is the 2025 Dolphins are probably going to get one or two people fired, and we all know who they are.

They could really do with getting Austin Jackson and James Daniels back, but reports are that it won’t be this week, and as bad as the Browns are they have a pretty good defensive front, Atlanta are next, the team that just beat the Bills. The problem is it isn’t just the right side of the O line that is causing the problem, the defense is still giving up real estate at an alarming pace.

If you play fantasy then go out and pick up any running back that is due to face the Dolphins irrespective of their pedigree, you can guarantee they will turn into the second coming of Emmitt Smith. Miami is the only team to give up over one thousand yards on the ground thus far. They could be on a historic run, there have only ever been four teams that have allowed over three thousand yards on the ground in a season, the most recent being the 2024 Panthers with 3057 yards with a YPC of 5.2, Miami are currently allowing 5.6, so you can see where they are heading.

If Tua is publicly calling out teammates and pointing fingers, then you don’t want to imagine what is happening behind closed doors. Is Mike McDaniel part of the problem, is it that he is too young and doesn’t have the presence to garner respect. He has gone through a lot in life, but is he a leader of men? He may well end up being a good head coach one day, but at this moment in time offensive co-ordinator would seem to be a better fit, he lives to coach another week.