The Miami Dolphins were embarrassed at home for the second time this season. Week 4 saw Miami fall by 10 points to the winless Indianapolis Colts, 27-17.
The Dolphins are now 0-2 at home in 2021, 1-3 overall, and have been outscored 62-17 at home through two games. In week two, Miami was shutout by the Buffalo Bills 35-0.
“Everyone is frustrated at ourselves because we know we’re a better team,” safety Eric Rowe said. “We’re making mistakes that you can’t make to win a game in this league.”
Dolphins Run Defense Continues to be a Problem
The game wasn’t pretty for the Dolphins, who at one point, were down 20-3. Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor also had more yards than all of the Dolphins’ offense did at one point. Taylor finished with 103 rushing yards (114 total) in the game, marking another disappointing effort from Miami’s run defense, who again gave up another 100-yard rusher.
“As a defensive line, we have to do a better job of stopping that run. The run killed us today. We just got to play better complementary football, all phases,” defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah said. “We just have to go back and watch film, see what we messed up on, and just bring it all out next week.”
Miami Allows Two TDs to Tight End Cox
Additionally, Indianapolis tight end Mo Alie-Cox had two touchdowns on three catches. In a defensive area usually bottled up by Rowe, Rowe allowed two critical scores. Cox finished the day with 42 yards.
Those were the only two TDs on the day for Colts quarterback Carson Wentz, but he still finished with 228 yards on 24-for-32 passing.
Wentz Uses WRs Efficiently, Taylor Gains Most Indy Yards
No. 1 wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was a good contributor to Wentz’s day, hauling in six catches (eight targets) for 59 yards to finish as Indianapolis’ leading receiver. WR Zach Pascal was Wentz’s only other receiver with more than 40 yards, getting 44 from four receptions.
Meanwhile, Taylor was responsible for a large portion of the Colts’ yards as well. Indianapolis finished with 331, with 114 coming from the back. Taylor was also credited a rushing TD, which was the only score from either team in the first half.
A Show of Bad Teams Showed in the First Half
With the exception of the Colts’ 80-yard scoring drive, it was a very uneventful first half from both teams.
The Colts had a miserable first half with three punts, including a muffed punt, and the Dolphins had an even more pitiful first half, with four punts and their only three points coming off the muffed punt by the Colts’ special teams unit.
Too Little, Too Late
The Dolphins also found their life a little too late in this one, getting their first passing TD in more than 11 quarters of play since QB Tua Tagovailoa went down with a rib injury in week two.
“It for sure is frustrating, and it’s all on us, and we’re putting our defense in bad situations and things of that nature,” Miami QB Jacoby Brissett said.
Up 20-10, the Colts made good use of the clock, eating almost four and a half minutes on an eight play, 60-yard scoring drive to take a 27-10 with just over six minutes left in the game.
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The Dolphins responded with another touchdown of their own in just under two minutes, going 75 yards in six plays. The problem for Miami came after, though, because you can’t score again if you don’t get the ball. And the Colts held the ball the last four minutes and 24 seconds of the game, going home with the win.
Parker, Gesicki Find Life in Game
Though the effort came late, it wasn’t a bad performance for Miami through the air.
Brissett had himself 199 yards on 20 completions with two scores. WR DeVante Parker and TE Mike Gesicki hauled in the TDs, both getting into the end zone for the first time this season.
“We just got to find a way to really zero in on our task, and it starts from play one of the game. We can’t wait until those minutes at the end of the game to really start going,” Brissett said.
Parker emerged as the No. 1 receiver, collecting 77 yards on four catches, while Gesicki brought in five for 57 yards. WR Jaylen Waddle was the only other Dolphin with more than 30 yards, securing 33 yards on three receptions.
Flores at a Loss for Answers as Super Bowl Champs Loom
“I think we have to take a look at everything. We will take a look at everything, but I would say it’s really across the board. Offense, defense, special teams starts with me, coaching. I got to do a better job,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said. “I know I say that every week. I don’t want to come up here and say that every week, but I got to do a better job of figuring out a way to help us play better than that, but we also got to play better, and we’re out there taking turns making mistakes in all three phases, and it’s not enough. It’s not good enough.”
If the Dolphins hope to come back from this game, they need to make use of the field earlier than they did Sunday. If not, it could be a culture shock when they travel up the interstate to Tampa Bay to take on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a nationally broadcasted 1 p.m. game on CBS.
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– Christian Chappell is a Sports Contributor for Full Press Coverage Miami Dolphins. Like and follow on Follow @cmoneypc Follow @FPC_Dolphins and Facebook.