The Miami Dolphins suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday by a score 56-26. The Dolphins came into Buffalo on Sunday with a record of 10-5 and a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Bills came into Sunday with a record of 12-3, and a chance to clinch the #2 seed. Although the Bills won the first matchup against the Dolphins back in Week 2 by a score of 31-28, many Miami fans were hopeful that the Dolphins could pull off the upset.
Recap
The Dolphins came into Sunday shorthanded with a few injured players. Perhaps the biggest inactive for the Dolphins was wide receiver Jakeem Grant. Wide receiver Devante Parker was able to play in Sunday’s key matchup, which was big news for the Dolphins, as he had been listed as questionable coming into the game. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was also listed as inactive, as he tested positive for coronavirus a few days before the game.
Although Fitzpatrick did not see much playing time during the last few weeks of the season, he was still a decent alternative at times to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. This is mainly due to Fitzpatrick being a veteran quarterback. Tagovailoa’s inexperience proved to be fatal for the Dolphins, as he put on a very poor showing. Although Tagovailoa managed to throw for over 350 yards, he threw 3 interceptions and only 1 touchdown. He finished the day 35 for 58 on pass attempts and had a 60.3 completion percentage. Although this should not ruin Tagovailoa’s future career, it will leave a bad taste in his team’s mouth during this offseason. Miami fans can only wonder if the outcome would have been any different with Fitzpatrick under center.
Although the Bills had already clinched the AFC East prior to the game on Sunday, head coach Sean McDermott decided to not rest his starters. Josh Allen, who is the starting quarterback for the Bills and an MVP candidate, threw for 3 touchdowns, over 220 yards, and had an overall 72.0 completion percentage. Wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie had a breakout performance for the Bills, scoring two receiving touchdowns and one punt return for a touchdown. Overall, the Bills finished the regular season on a high note. They will host the Indianapolis Colts during wildcard weekend on Saturday, Jan. 9 at 1:05 pm.
Even with a crushing defeat at the hands of the Bills, the Dolphins still had a chance at making the playoffs. At 10-5, all the Dolphins needed was a loss from either the Browns, Ravens, or Colts. The 10-5 Browns hosted the 12-3 Steelers, a team that has been struggling as of lately. The Browns won in a close game by a score of 24-22. They will face the Steelers again in a rematch next week in Pittsburgh. The 10-5 Ravens faced a very weak Cincinnati Bengals team on the road. Lamar Jackson had no problem at all leading his team to victory, as the Ravens won 38-3. The Dolphins playoff hopes rested on the shoulders of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the worst team in the entire NFL. Although the Jaguars put up a valiant effort against the 10-5 Colts, they lost by a score of 28-14.
Although the Miami Dolphins will miss out in the NFL playoff picture, they still have much to look forward to in the near future. Tua Tagovailoa has shown promise at the quarterback position and should only continue to develop. The Dolphins also have a top coach in Brian Flores. He has completely turned the Dolphins organization around from a bottom tier NFL team to a playoff contender. The Dolphins defense has changed from one of the worst in the league to arguably being in the top 10. Similarly to quarterback situation, the defense should only continue to improve. Also, the Dolphins will have the 3rd pick in the draft, after acquiring that pick in a trade with the Texans. Overall, Dolphins fans have to keep their heads up. The future is bright down in sunny Miami, Florida.