The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday and turned out to be bad hosts. Miami beat up their intra-state rivals all afternoon, forcing turnovers and smacking the Buccaneers in the mouth. Tampa Bay remains in the NFC South division title race, not because of anything they did on Sunday, but because the Seattle Seahawks were able to beat the Carolina Panthers.
Miami executed throughout the game, especially on defense, where the team forced three takeaways. The Dolphins also saw their rookies step up throughout the game, starting with quarterback Quinn Ewers and continuing through all three aspects of the game.
Below you will find our full-game recap of all the action. Reactions are in italics.
Buccaneers 17 – 20 Dolphins
The Dolphins opened with the ball after the Buccaneers won the coin toss. Quarterback Quinn Ewers threw short to tight end Greg Dulcich for four yards, then threw a short pass to wide receiver Malik Washington, who turned the bubble screen into a 28-yard gain – only to have a holding penalty on wide receiver Cedrick Wilson, Jr., bring the ball back and give Miami a 2nd-and-16. Two more passes, one to running back De’Von Achane for no gain and one incomplete, led to a three-and-out punt.
Not the start the Dolphins needed. Washington’s gain was great, with the receiver weaving through blocks and finding space, but the penalty was a killer. All season, Miami has struggled with self-inflicted penalties, and that was another one.
Tampa Bay began at its 32-yard line after a good punt return from wide receiver Kameron Johnson before punter Jake Bailey laid him out on the sideline. Quarterback Baker Mayfield opened the drive with an eight-yard pass to tight end Cade Otton, with running back Bucky Irving adding seven yards on the next play. The Buccaneers would continue to move forward, though Miami’s defense stepped up after every couple of plays, including linebacker Jordyn Brooks stuffing Irving for a two-yard loss and linbebacker Bradley Chubb sacking Mayfield for a three-yard loss. The Tampa Bay attack picked up more chunk yards than Miami’s defense was able to take away, however, and the drive ended with Mayfield finding wide receiver Chris Godwin in the endzone to cap a 14-play, 68-yard scoring drive.
The defense had some good moments, but the Buccaneers picked them apart outside of those plays. Mayfield was immediately in rhythm with his receivers, throwing for 8, 7, 8, 5, 18, 13, and 5 yards.
Buccaneers 7-0.
The Buccaneers took 7:27 off the clock to score. Miami took 58 seconds to respond. After wide receiver Jaylen Waddle took an end around for a seven-yard rush and an incomplete pass deep down the right side, a false start penalty backed Miami into a 3rd-and-8, looking like it might end the drive. Ewers,...
