Miami

Dolphins’ mistakes late cost Miami vs. Chiefs in Germany


FRANKFURT, Germany — The Miami Dolphins had their comeback from a 21-point deficit to the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany fall short Sunday when, with the team driving into Chiefs territory, the decisive third and fourth downs went awry.

First, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw to a spot he was expecting wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. to go to, but Wilson ran a different route. With Wilson the only receiver on his side of the field, Tagovailoa floated a pass, short and to the outside, possibly because he was trying to hold back the throw as he realized the two weren’t aligned, as Wilson broke open toward the end zone.

“What happened with me and Ced, that was just miscommunication, and in big-time moments, those things like that can happen,” Tagovailoa said after the game, a 21-14 final in favor of the Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park. “I’ve got to throw a better ball. It was just miscommunication there.”

Coach Mike McDaniel wanted to shoulder the blame onto himself when he offered further explanation.

“There’s a lot that falls squarely on my shoulders,” McDaniel said. “They were doing something that we had talked about, and the miscommunication is something that doesn’t happen if I put them in the appropriate situation during the week.

“Tua didn’t have time to observe. He signaled kind of one route, and that has a conversion, and Cedrick interpreted it as another thing.”

But there was still fourth down to follow. The possibility of that final chance working for Miami was shut down quickly when the snap between center Connor Williams and Tagovailoa was mishandled.

Williams’ snap was slightly errant to the right, but the ball went off Tagovailoa’s hands before Miami recovered for the turnover on downs. The official scorekeeping also credited the fumble to Tagovailoa.

“I’m always going to blame myself,” he said. “I’ve got to catch the ball. Whether that’s getting in a better position to catch it or whatever it is, can’t end the game like that when we have an opportunity like that against a really good team.”



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