Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins fell to the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 after a strong start, but struggled to score in the second half. Quarterback Tyler Huntley left the game in the third quarter with a right shoulder injury, forcing the Dolphins to rely on Tim Boyle for the remainder of the game.
For the sixth straight game, Tyreek Hill was reduced to a mere spectator. This situation is largely due to the Dolphins’ inability to secure a reliable quarterback for 2024, leaving them exposed when Tua Tagovailoa was forced to miss time.
The gap in Miami’s offense was evident Sunday when Tim Boyle, replacing the injured Tyler Huntley, connected with Tyreek Hill for a simple five-yard gain with less than two minutes to play. That single reception was Hill’s only reception of the day, highlighting the team’s struggles.
Tim Boyle explains Tyreek Hill’s lack of receiving
“Defenses are doing a really good job of shutting down these guys and we have to be creative in how we give them the ball,” Boyle said, referring to Jaylen Waddle and Hill, who haven’t received a single goal at half-time. , a first in the Dolphins’ career.
“For a lot of the game, they obscured Tyreek. We see a lot of them. This defense was primarily, before the game, a one-height structured defense and they played us a majority of two-heights and that’s to eliminate our guys on the outside,” he continued via Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post.
For the Dolphins to be successful, Hill must get the ball, regardless of the method. Few players possess his game-changing ability when he is in open space. Whether through screens, sweeps, or movement, Miami should have found ways to utilize him. Instead, they made the mistake of leaving their star player on the sidelines, failing to realize his game-changing potential.
Going for a 54-yard field goal on 4th and 1 while trailing 13-10 late in the fourth quarter was a classic case of a scared play. Unsurprisingly, Jason Sanders missed, making an already questionable call even worse.
Although the team showed some improvement in penalty reduction, its six 50-yard infractions nonetheless proved costly in critical moments. A good example was a questionable holding call against Durham Smythe in the first half, which negated a long run that would have put them within field goal range.
The collapse of the Miami Dolphins against the Indianapolis Colts
The players also have their share of responsibility in this defeat. Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold both fumbled at crucial times, with the Colts recovering each time.
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The defense allowed Indianapolis to drive 36 yards in just 22 seconds, setting up a field goal to end the first half. Additionally, Tim Boyle’s decision to throw the ball out of bounds on 4th and 2, targeting Malik Washington, wasted a late scoring opportunity with less than 10 seconds left in Colts territory.
“We took what the defense gave us, but we have to find a way to get these guys the ball because they are very good players,” Boyle added.
The Dolphins, who held a 10-0 lead with just 22 seconds left in the first half, now find themselves with a 2-4 record – a situation that could have been much better with a little more attention to the details during the offseason.
With Tim Boyle leading the offense, the Dolphins had an opportunity to score a game-winning touchdown. They advanced to the Colts’ 32-yard line, but with just 29 seconds left and no timeouts, Miami was unable to capitalize.
Heading into their Week 8 home game against the Arizona Cardinals, the Dolphins are hoping to see the return of Tua Tagovailoa. The quarterback has been sidelined since Week 2 after suffering a concussion that placed him on injured reserve.
