There are lots of groups within the NFL which might be already out of the playoff race this season and going through lengthy roads again to rivalry. There may not be a single franchise that’s going through a grimmer, bleaker state of affairs than the Miami Dolphins.
The franchise has not received a playoff sport in 26 years, the longest ongoing drought within the NFL, and it’ll proceed this season. They’ve largely been mediocre in recent times solely certified for the playoffs simply 4 instances previously 23 years.
They’ve had no latest success, are having no present success, and don’t appear prone to have success anytime quickly sooner or later.
No matter momentum and shine they could have had from final week’s large win over the Atlanta Falcons was utterly erased on Thursday evening in an embarrassing efficiency towards the Baltimore Ravens in a 28-6 defeat.
There have been zero positives to remove from it, and it’s arduous to see the place a fast repair comes from.
The Ravens beat the Dolphins, and the Dolphins beat themselves
Popping out of halftime on Thursday evening, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel stated they have been taking part in towards two groups within the first half, referencing the very fact that they had a number of self-inflicted errors that helped price them factors, stall drives and provides factors to Baltimore.
That they had lengthy drives on offense get slowed down by penalties, forcing them to accept discipline objective makes an attempt. They fumbled deep in their very own territory to set the Ravens up for his or her first landing of the sport, after which turned the ball over two different instances later within the sport.
That may be a dropping recipe towards nearly any staff in soccer, and particularly towards a staff that’s quarterbacked by Lamar Jackson.
However that is solely a part of the issue for Miami, and it is largely solely associated to this sport. The large image downside is way extra regarding.
Tua Tagovailoa will not be the reply
Tagovailoa is way from the one downside in Miami proper now. It is simply not a superb roster total. However he additionally doesn’t appear to be a part of the answer, particularly with a $53M wage cap quantity. The Dolphins are paying him like one of many NFL’s elite quarterbacks — and one among its elite gamers — and they aren’t getting something near that stage of play.
He threw his league-leading eleventh interception of the season on Thursday, and simply regarded like a quarterback that had no solutions for something.
He lacks elite arm power, and all the things concerning the Dolphins offense is constructed round timing, their skill for the primary learn of their offense to get open, and his skill to hit it. When issues don’t work completely, the offense has zero probability to perform.
It has not labored.
Tagovailoa’s regression as a quarterback, mixed with a big contract that may shortly turning into one of many NFL’s largest albatross offers, is a giant purpose why this case feels so grim. It’s one factor to not have a quarterback. It’s one other factor totally to spend money on the fallacious quarterback and be caught with them and have nearly no approach out from it.
Ultimately head coach Mike McDaniel and doubtless common supervisor Chris Grier are going to be dismissed, and it’ll not be unfair given the roster and staff they’ve constructed. Whoever is available in to exchange them goes to have a largely naked cabinet to restock with one of many NFL’s worst contracts at its most necessary place.
At the least in case you are the New York Jets or New Orleans Saints you can begin over this offseason with a brand new quarterback. It appears nearly unattainable for the Dolphins to try this.
