The Colts sneaked past the Dolphins on Sunday in a hard-fought game. It was a pretty even game on the stat sheet, but mistakes from the Dolphins proved costly. Miami got off to a 10-0 lead, with Jonnu Smith picking up where he left off in the Patriots game. Smith was the only receiving threat in this game, the only player to record more than one catch for the Dolphins.
There were 13 punts in this game, as both offenses were held to several three-and-outs. The lone Colts touchdown came from a Dolphins fumble, which gave them excellent field position. Anthony Richardson played an ugly game, but he made the necessary plays in the right moments to get his team over the line, mostly with his legs. The Colts move to 4-3, only one game behind the Texans for the division lead. The Dolphins go to 2-4, but luckily for them, the Jets keep losing, meaning they stay second in the AFC East.
Waddle and Tyreek's Lack of Involvement
Since Tua went down, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle understandably haven't been the same. Hill has totaled 164 yards and 0 touchdowns in that time, and Waddle has 160 yards with 0 touchdowns. Even with that said, Sunday was still quite eye-opening. Hill and Waddle only had one target between them going into the second half and ended the game with four targets.
This is unacceptable, no matter who is at quarterback. It's excellent that Jonnu Smith has become more involved, but it shouldn't come at the cost of Hill and Waddle. In addition to their poor play, their body language has been awful. Giving up on plays, getting angry on the sidelines, etc., are infectious to the team.
The good news for them and the Dolphins fanbase is that Tua will be back this week against Arizona. He hasn't fully cleared concussion protocol but has been practicing and is designated to return from IR. Let's hope Hill and Waddle's production can return to normal with their starting quarterback healthy.
Healthy and Productive Backfield
While the struggles through the air continued, the Dolphins successfully ran the ball. 40 carries for 188 yards in total, with 31 of those carries and 160 of those yards coming from the running backs. De'Von Achane wore the protective padding over his helmet after he suffered a concussion vs the Patriots, and he rushed for 77 yards on 15 carries.
Raheem Mostert was also heavily involved, rushing for 50 yards on 11 carries, but his crucial fumble set up the Colts touchdown. The only thing the backfield failed to do was get that one big play to open up the Colts' defense, but considering the Colts knew Miami would be running it a lot, the running backs did very well. It is good to see Achane, Mostert, and Jaylen Wright healthy.
Tua's return will open up the run game, allowing the team to make those big plays and have more work in the passing game. This backfield being healthy is massive for the offense.
Usual Issues Rearing Their Head
This season has been highly frustrating for the Dolphins. It seems as if the same mistakes occur in every game, whether it be not capitalizing on red zone drives, turnovers, or problems with the special teams. The Dolphins have scored 15 points or fewer in every game this season, bar Week 1, ranking them dead last in points per game.
The Dolphins lost the turnover battle and went one for three in the red zone. Another constant theme of this season has been injuries. This game was no different, as Tyler Huntley left the game with what seems to be a severe shoulder injury. Tim Boyle replaced him and failed to lead the Dolphins to any points. Boyle will serve as Tua's backup this week, with Huntley unavailable and Skylar Thompson still dealing with a rib issue.
Lastly, Jason Sanders simply isn't consistent enough. He's already missed four field goals this season, and the standard of kicking in the NFL is at an all-time high. He missed a 54-yarder that would have tied the game. A 54-yard field goal is not easy by any means, but it's been a theme with Sanders for a while now. If he keeps this up, I suspect the Dolphins will be in the market for a new kicker.
Bet Recap from Preview
Loss on Dolphins +3. They had a good chance to force a push, but the missed field goal with 5:19 made it so they had to play for a touchdown at the end.
Up Next: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals will head to Miami after a last-second win on Monday Night Football against the Chargers. Luckily for the Dolphins, the Cardinals have yet to win back-to-back games this season. Tua will likely be back, and they're at home.
Final Score: Colts 16, Dolphins 10
Souza's Three Stars
1st Star- Jonnu Smith (7 receptions, 96 yards, 1 TD)
2nd Star- De'Von Achane (15 carries, 77 yards)
3rd Star- Calais Campbell (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 86 PFF Grade)
Main Image via
Comments