Dolphins fall short vs. Chiefs in Germany
FRANKFURT, Germany — It started as the Miami Dolphins looking like they were laying an egg in their big opportunity to prove they can beat another contender.
Then, it was an epic comeback, from down three touchdowns, in the works.
Finally, the comeback fell short, with the Dolphins’ final drive stopping cold due to back-to-back miscues on third and fourth down.
The Dolphins lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 21-14, on Sunday at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.
Miami (6-3) now has its three losses all against winning teams. None of its wins are against teams with a winning record.
Kansas City (7-2) took control of the top spot in the AFC with Sunday’s win and would own a potential head-to-head tiebreaker for playoff seeding later, should it come down to it between the two teams.
Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, playing against his former team, had eight receptions for 62 yards and a pair of crucial drops, along with a crucial fumble that was then returned back the other way for a touchdown — 7 points that essentially marked the final differential.
The two defenses held the opposing passing games in check. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was 21 of 34 for 193 yards and a touchdown. Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes went 20 of 30 for 185 yards and two touchdowns.
The Dolphins were at the Chiefs’ 31-yard line, and squandered their final chance when Tagovailoa appeared to have a miscommunication with wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. running a different route than Tagovailoa threw, although Wilson would’ve been wide open for a touchdown as he streaked to the end zone. On fourth down, center Connor Williams’ snap was errant to the right but off Tagovailoa’s hands for the turnover on downs.
The Dolphins began mounting a comeback from three touchdowns down when Tagovailoa threw deep to wide receiver Wilson in single coverage against Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, with Wilson snagging the jump ball for a 31-yard touchdown. Earlier in the series, Miami converted on a third down for the first time after starting 0 for 6, with Tagovailoa throwing over the middle to tight end Durham Smythe.
Miami then turned Kansas City over in Chiefs territory with Bradley Chubb strip-sacking Mahomes and Zach Sieler recovering the fumble.
The momentum swing appeared to be for naught when the Dolphins got backed into a third-and-20 — as they did several times earlier to back them up. But, this time, the drive continued on an unnecessary roughness penalty from Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, hitting Tagovailoa late on a checkdown throw well short of the first down.
Miami capitalized with running back Raheem Mostert scampering into the end from 13 yards out, fiercely firing the football into the back wall beyond the end zone after the score.
Mostert finished with 85 yards on 12 carries and had runs of 25 and 19 yards on the final series before a pair of incompletions from Tagovailoa set up the third-and-10 that went awry between him and Wilson.
The Dolphins found themselves down, 21-0, at halftime as the Chiefs managed back-to-back touchdowns in short order on both sides of the ball late in the first half.
Miami, after allowing an opening-drive touchdown, had its defense settling in until Kansas City went up two scores with Mahomes throwing to running back Jerick McKinnon wide open over the middle. He had a 17-yard catch and run for the touchdown.
The Dolphins were driving before halftime, but a screen pass out wide to Hill was fumbled, as forced by McDuffie, recovered by Mike Edwards and lateraled to Bryan Cook for a 59-yard touchdown.
With much made about potential jetlag for the Chiefs, after their Friday morning arrival compared to the Dolphins getting into Frankfurt on Tuesday, it didn’t appear to affect them on the opening drive. They rolled 75 yards in seven plays that took 2:57. Mahomes hit Rashee Rice for the 11-yard touchdown.
Miami punted on its first four drives and six of its first seven — the Hill fumble being the other. On the third series, Tagovailoa threw a deep corner route on the money to Hill, but the former Chiefs wideout dropped the fingertip grab. On the fourth, an intentional grounding penalty against Tagovailoa put the Dolphins in a third-and-long predicament.
The Dolphins have their bye next week before returning to Hard Rock Stadium to host the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 19.
This story will be updated.
