Dolphins play dumb, disorganized at the end in loss to Patriots

MIAMI GARDENS — This was a bad loss, anywhere, against any team. It just felt worse Sunday, because the Miami Dolphins looked like a youth team that couldn’t line up and run plays properly with their home opener on the line.

Or they couldn’t run the plays without a dumb penalty.

Or, when all that fundamental stuff actually worked, the quarterback they put in the $50 million club threw an interception to end one chance and was sacked when he couldn’t move out of harm’s way for the final chance.

“Anyone knows football and anyone who doesn’t know football knows that was not right, what we were doing,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said after losing to the New England Patriots, 33-27.

This is a loss as bad as the one the Dolphins had to open the season last week, when they were run off the field in Indianapolis. They just lost another way Sunday, a dumber way, a way that looked like coach Mike McDaniel doesn’t have the offense fully installed four years in.

Forget all the drama that made it a fun game to watch: The four lead changes, the back-to-back kick returns for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the manner this game was fitting into this weird series with New England that involves those Miracle in Miami laterals and Doug Flutie drop-kicking an extra point.

The Dolphins are 0-2, and this regime teetering, because of the final few, revealing minutes where everything went kaput on offense. Two delay-of-game penalties. Two other pre-snap penalties. The quarterback not taking the offered opportunity.

“Basically, coaches and player did not execute communication in a very dire part of the game with the game on the line,” McDaniel said of the penalties. “Our communication and substitution was not up to par and that is ultimately my — you know, I hold all responsibility for all things.”

The trouble started on first-and-10 at their 47-yard line with 3:18 left and — tweet! — there’s a delay-of-game penalty. Not the end of the world, but a repeating issue after having to call time-out in Indianapolis as time ran out on a two-point conversion.

After an incompletion, running back Ollie Gordon was penalized for a false start. It was second-and-20 now. You see how dumb was piled on top of dumb?

Tua then threw 13 yards to Tyreek Hill, showing that combination was working Sunday. The passing offense, really, was back in good form against a suspect Patriots secondary.

The Dolphins averaged 6.9 yards a play compared to 5.1 last year. They averaged 6.5 yards a play when they led the league in offense in 2023.

But on fourth-and-7 with the season asking him to be a hero for the first time Tua threw a pass over the middle directly to Patriots linebacker Marte Matu. He returned the interception 20 yards to the Dolphins 38 with 2:12 left.

Over? Hardly. The Dolphins defense made a rare stand after being scored on the first three Patriots possessions Sunday. That meant opposing offenses scored 10 consecutive possessions to start the season.

But they held New England to a field goal, and Tua’s offense had another chance. Or maybe it’s McDaniel’s offense. It’s not clear who wants to take full ownership right now.

It took three plays to go from their 40 to the Patriots 26-yard line. Again, this offense was moving the ball. Scoring was the problem.

On first-and-10, center Aaron Brewer didn’t snap the ball as everyone else moved. Another penalty.

On first-and-15, they got another delay of game penalty. If I’m repeating myself, it’s only because they kept doing so.

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Things are very shaky’ as Miami falls to 0-2 | VIDEO

The Dolphins had three delay-of-game penalties all last season, and had two in the final 3:18 on Sunday?

This was at home, too, so it’s not like some opposing crowd was causing communication problems.

“I’m gonna have a conversation with Mike, I’m gonna have a conversation with (assistant coach) Darrell Bevell, with our offensive guys, and talk about it,” Tagovailoa said. “Because what we put out there, that was unsettling.”

He could have a heart-to-heart with himself, too. He’s being paid to be a star quarterback, and he couldn’t keep the offense going.

On third down, he was run out of bounds. On fourth, he stayed in the pocket and was sacked. A week ago, former Dolphin and current Indianapolis cornerback Xavien Howard said when Tua can’t hit his first read and has to hold the ball he’s in “panic mode.”

He didn’t create a play Sunday when the drawn-up play fell apart. On the other side, Drake Maye ran for 31 yards, including 13 for a first down, a tush-push for another first down and a 6-yard touchdown. Daniel Jones ran for 2 touchdowns for Indy the week before.

No one wants to see Tua run with his concussion history. But create a play, make a play — be a hero when the end beckoned? That’s why he’s in the $50 million club, isn’t it?

The second loss looked better for the Dolphins because it was close. But it was just as bad as the opener, because it was a disaster or disorganization at the finish and the quarterback everyone needs to win games in this league not winning this one.

Now they play Thursday in Buffalo, where they haven’t won since 2016. It’s not the place you want everything to be on the line. But that’s where this season looks to be after two bad losses.

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