For a fourth consecutive week, the Miami Dolphins had a beginning quarterback make an exit.
And for a 3rd consecutive sport, the Dolphins misplaced.
Rookie third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson by no means returned after he was escorted into the locker room by a coach within the second quarter towards the Minnesota Vikings, and a sport that was offensively challenged for a lot of Sunday at Onerous Rock Stadium, practically noticed fireworks late.
However the Dolphins fell in need of their shot at a comeback behind backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and Miami Central Excessive alum Dalvin Prepare dinner delivered the ultimate blow, a 53-yard landing run, to sink his hometown staff, 24-16.
“It’s disappointing,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel stated. “Guys put lots into this sport.”
Miami (3-3) has misplaced three consecutive video games after beginning the season 3-0. Minnesota (5-1) continues to roll because the chief within the NFC North.
Prepare dinner’s 53-yard scamper with 3:15 remaining basically put the rating out of attain, placing the Vikings up, 24-10. It got here two performs after a expensive Jaylen Waddle fumble for Miami with the offense driving whereas the Dolphins had been inside 6.
“Taking part in in my hometown is at all times necessary, however at this level in my profession, I simply need to win,” stated Prepare dinner of a landing that was harking back to his successful rating as a freshman with Florida State in the identical constructing towards the Miami Hurricanes in 2014. “I need to carry one thing larger to Minnesota than it’s ever seen earlier than.”
The Dolphins acquired to inside a rating on tight finish Mike Gesicki’s second landing with 1:24 left, however they couldn’t get well the following onside kick.
Bridgewater, enjoying towards the staff that drafted him within the first spherical in 2014, went 23 of 34 for 329 yards — 237 of which got here within the fourth quarter — with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Tyreek Hill had 177 yards on 12 receptions, and Waddle went for 129 yards on six catches — however with the important thing fumble misplaced that preceded Prepare dinner’s landing, halting Miami’s possibilities at a comeback.
“I attempted to make a play. Ball got here out. They recovered it,” Waddle stated. “I want I had that one again, but it surely comes with the sport.”
The Dolphins protection held the Vikings to 11 three-and-outs. Exterior of Minnesota’s 4 scoring drives and the ultimate kneel-downs, each sequence was a three-and out. The Vikings had been held to 234 whole yards.
Minnesota, although, received the turnover battle, 3-0.
“The No. 1 indicator in wins and losses has been — and without end, at all times might be — turnovers,” McDaniel stated. “While you’re minus-3, you bought to be fairly epic in different methods to attempt to come out on prime. We simply didn’t have that, actually.”
Cousins was 20 of 30 for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Jefferson had six catches for 107 yards, and most of Prepare dinner’s 77 dashing yards got here on the 53-yard landing.
Thompson’s exit was attributable to a success from Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks on a third-down go. He injured the thumb on his proper, throwing hand. Bridgewater entered for Thompson, who was initially questionable to return however by no means did as he was seen again on the sideline through the second half.
“He wasn’t bodily able to coming again in,” coach Mike McDaniel stated. “The largest challenge is that he didn’t have the energy holding the ball, which is a matter whenever you’re making an attempt to throw it.”
Bridgewater and Dolphins No. 1 quarterback Tua Tagovailoa needed to clear concussion protocol this previous week, and each had been cleared on Saturday.
With Tagovailoa coming back from a critical concussion sustained on Sept. 29 within the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, McDaniel determined to maintain him inactive Sunday. Bridgewater, who needed to clear protocol with out ever being recognized with a concussion as a result of he was dominated out of final week’s loss on the New York Jets as a result of a stumble, was stored accessible by McDaniel for backup duties. McDaniel attributed beginning Thompson over Bridgewater to having the total week of observe.
Earlier than Bridgewater’s exit on Oct. 9 on the Jets and Tagovailoa on the Thursday evening sport towards the Bengals, Tagovailoa additionally left the Sept. 25 house win over the Buffalo Payments momentarily. His controversial clearance to return within the second half was what sparked enhanced protocols by the NFL and Gamers Affiliation that resulted in Bridgewater’s disqualification after one offensive play at New York.
Down, 16-10, deep within the fourth quarter Sunday, Miami squandered a chance to get nearer when Waddle fumbled, with Vikings security Camryn Bynum recovering with 4:15 left. It got here two performs earlier than Prepare dinner’s sealing landing run.
Thompson was 7 of 13 for 89 yards on the time of his departure. With Bridgewater at quarterback, Miami broke a scoreless tie with Minnesota in the course of the second interval. A 44-yard area purpose from Jason Sanders put the Dolphins forward, 3-0.
Minnesota scored with 2:32 remaining within the first half when quarterback Kirk Cousins discovered tight finish Irv Smith Jr. for a 1-yard landing. A 24-yard catch and run by star receiver Justin Jefferson set the Vikings up for the brief rating.
The Vikings added a Greg Joseph area purpose on the ultimate play of the primary half after Bridgewater was intercepted by security Harrison Smith on a go that acquired to Waddle however was dropped. Jefferson drew a go interference on cornerback Noah Igbinoghene to get Minnesota in vary for the sphere purpose.
The Vikings prolonged the lead once more early within the fourth, with Cousins discovering Adam Thielen behind the tip zone towards cornerback Xavien Howard for a 2-yard rating. They solely elevated the benefit, nevertheless, to 16-3 due to a missed further level.
It regarded like Miami might make Minnesota pay when it inched nearer to make it a one-possession sport on a 4-yard landing go from Bridgewater to Gesicki earlier than the Waddle fumble on the following drive following a defensive cease.
Gesicki, after his first landing Sunday, took one other shot on the “Griddy” dance that he acquired flak for in Miami’s Week 2 win on the Baltimore Ravens. An improved model, it nonetheless wasn’t fairly as much as commonplace.
“I promise I’m achieved,” Gesicki tweeted postgame. “I’ll depart it as much as the professionals for positive. Solely round the home from right here on out.”
Thompson had spectacular moments early, however the Dolphins couldn't provide you with factors on their first two drives. First, a sack knocked them out of field-goal vary. On the second possession, a number of massive performs had been wiped away by penalties. Two holding calls, an ineligible man downfield, an offensive go interference and a false begin accounted for 5 penalties for 36 yards on the sequence.
“It was a flag fest,” stated McDaniel because the Dolphins completed with 10 penalties for 97 yards. “Once I watch the movie, I’m anticipating gamers probably doing an excessive amount of, which is a quite common factor. While you lose a few video games in a row, you begin to press.”
Miami got here near scoring defensively within the first quarter. Edge defender Trey Flowers hit Cousins in the long run zone, however Cousins simply acquired an incomplete go off together with his physique practically horizontal.
Whereas the protection had one other sport the place it didn’t pressure a turnover, Elandon Roberts had 1 1/2 sacks, splitting one with Jaelan Phillips, and Raekwon Davis had the primary full sack of his profession. The Vikings had six sacks towards a Miami offensive line with backups at each deal with spots in Greg Little and Brandon Shell.
The Dolphins keep at house subsequent week for a Sunday evening assembly with the Steelers the place former coach Brian Flores returns to Onerous Rock Stadium as Pittsburgh defensive analyst and the undefeated 1972 staff might be honored.
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