3 Takeaways from Dolphins’ Week 17 Loss vs. Patriots | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

The Miami Dolphins had their playoff hopes dashed in Week 17 following a loss to the rival New England Patriots.

Miami entered Sunday needing a win and a New York Jets loss to clinch a playoff berth. A tie and losses by the Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers would also have sent the Dolphins to the postseason. Instead, the Dolphins flopped in a must-win game and dropped their fifth straight.

Playing without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion), the Dolphins simply made too many mistakes against a Patriots team looking to keep its own playoff hopes alive. Two interceptions and nine penalties gave Miami too many obstacles to overcome.

Sitting at 8-3 and looking like a playoff lock just over a month ago, Miami now needs help to get into the playoffs. Here are our three biggest takeaways from Miami’s Week 17 loss to the Patriots.

Dolphins QB Teddy BridgewaterBillie Weiss/Getty Images

The Dolphins were forced to play without Tagovailoa, who is in concussion protocol for the second time this season. There’s no guarantee that he’ll return for Week 18, and Miami may be down to third-stringer Skylar Thompson.

Teddy Bridgewater started in place of Tagovailoa but exited with a finger injury. According to ProFootballTalk’s Josh Alper, it could be a serious injury.

“PFT has learned, via a league source, that Bridgewater is believed to have a broken finger,” Alper wrote.

While Bridgewater operated the offense well against New England—he was 12-of-19 for 161 yards and a touchdown—his third-quarter interception was returned for a touchdown and shifted the momentum in the Patriots’ favor.

Thompson (12-of-21 for 104 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) made some nice throws in relief duty but also turned the ball over. Both quarterbacks struggled to get Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle going the way that Tagovailoa typically has this season—the two combined for just 107 yards.

Thompson played the bulk of the game the last time Miami play the Jets. He threw for just 166 yards with an interception, as the Dolphins were blown out 40-17.

The Dolphins need to beat the Jets next week and get a Patriots loss to make the postseason. Completing that task will be much harder if Thompson is forced to start.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Earlier in the season, when the Dolphins were sitting at 8-3, it seemed like a “sure thing” that Miami had found its long-term head coach in Mike McDaniel.

The former San Francisco 49ers coordinator had Tagovailoa playing like a Pro Bowler, was putting a very difficult-to-contain offense on the field and had Miami barrelling toward a playoff berth.

The Dolphins even led the AFC East for a time.

However, opposing defenses seem to have caught onto what Miami’s offense is doing. Yes, Tagovailoa’s injury impacted this week, but he was on the field for Miami’s last four losses, and Miami has failed to top 21 points in four of its last five games.

Miami’s slide now has the Dolphins on the brink of elimination.

“I definitely didn’t expect this. Pretty frustrating,” McDaniel said, per Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post.

This isn’t to say that McDaniel is a bad head coach, or the wrong one for the Dolphins long-term. However, it’s no longer a certainty that Miami upgraded by firing Brian Flores and hiring McDaniel.

In Flores’ last two seasons, the Dolphins won 10 and nine games but missed the playoffs. If Miami loses to the Jets next week, it will finish below .500 and again miss the postseason.

Dolphins QB Skylar ThompsonBillie Weiss/Getty Images

Here’s the truly frustrating part if you’re a Dolphins fan: Despite the injuries at quarterback and despite the offense’s struggles against New England, Miami could already be playoff bound.

Miami’s defense did its part, holding New England to 249 yards, 17 offensive points and five third-down conversions on 13 attempts. The Jets did their part too, losing to the Seattle Seahawks later in the afternoon.

However, mistakes doomed Miami in its game. The two interceptions were big, and Kyle Dugger’s pick-six proved to be the difference for the Patriots. The Dolphins didn’t do themselves any favors with sloppy and undisciplined play.

New England’s opening touchdown drive was twice extended on third down by defensive penalties. The Patriots’ last touchdown drive was also extended on third down by a 22-yard pass-interference call.

In all, Miami was flagged nine times for 71 yards.

It’s hard to win in the NFL when a team plays the brand of football Miami did on Sunday. The Dolphins didn’t, and there’s a chance that their campaign ends next week because of it.