Dolphins' defense shredded when it counted most: ‘They figured us out'
Of all the things that went right for the Dolphins during their seven-game winning streak, nothing went more right than the defense.
Of all the things that went wrong for the Dolphins in Tennessee, nothing was more surprising than how wrong it went for the defense.
The Tennessee Titans were without running back Derrick Henry again, but you never would have known it from the way they dominated the Dolphins 34-3 Sunday.
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The Titans rushed 40 times for 198 yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry and had two long touchdown runs, turning Ryan Tannehill into a part-time spectator in this revenge game against his old team.
“I think they just kind of figured us out,” defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said.
Not kind of.
The Titans solved the Dolphins in ways no team has in two months, scoring about as many points as Miami’s past three opponents combined, rushing for more yards than any opponent all season and going seven for 15 on third down against a defense that had allowed only three conversions in 23 attempts the past two weeks.
D’Onta Foreman carried 26 times for 132 yards. When he was able to go 21 yards untouched off tackle in the second quarter, it gave Tennessee a 17-3 lead and set the tone.
“Obviously their coaches put them in really good positions when it came to how to get everybody blocked up,” safety Brandon Jones said. “And the running backs did a really good job of hitting it, getting it vertical, even if it was the stretch game and the designated runs, outside zone runs. They did a really good job of seeing the hole and making that first cut and getting upfield.”
Tannehill went a modest 13 of 18 for 120 yards and two touchdowns. His first TD pass, a 1-yarder to tight end Geoff Swaim late in the first quarter, served as a warning this wouldn’t be Miami’s day. Usually quarterbacks are throwing into traffic down deep in the red zone, but Swaim was wide open to accept the easy toss.
It was the first touchdown pass Miami conceded in five games.
In wet conditions on a torn-up field, once the Titans took the early lead, they were able control the game on the ground. Even while chewing up clock in garbage time, Dontrell Hilliard burst up the middle for a 39-yard touchdown for the final points.
“They were able to run the ball effectively and just stay consistent with the run,” Wilkins said. “A few yards here, a few yards here and then they were able to pop some big ones, which is unfortunate because I feel like we did a pretty good job with the run all year and we know what type of defense we are and what we can be.”
During the winning streak, the Dolphins led the NFL in sacks, red zone defense, total defense, third-down defense and fewest points allowed.
But in the biggest game to date, all that was forgotten.
“I think they did a good job,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said of Tennessee. “We’ve got to credit the Titans. They had a good plan. I thought we did some good things early and then they made some adjustments. We had some missed tackles. We had some guys out of gaps. They took advantage. We’ve got to do a better job."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins defense falls apart vs. Tennessee Titans
