MIAMI GARDENS — The defensive half of the Miami Dolphins locker room was nearly empty Sunday about 15 minutes after one of the most disappointing endings to what is becoming a very disappointing season.
Some of those who didn’t evade questions about the unit’s collapse in the final five minutes were stunned after Miami found a way to lose a game it had led for 60 minutes.
Others were philosophical about what came next after Arizona’s 28-27 victory on a 34-yard field goal by Chad Ryland.
“You work so hard, you feel like you played a good game for three quarters,” tackle Calais Campbell said. “In the first half we’re exactly where we want to be, a few plays here and there, but exactly where we want to be.
“And they’re just playing to win a game. It’s heartbreaking. It’s hard because you know how good you are. How good you can be.”
More: Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa shines, but team collapses in crushing defeat | Schad
THE Dolphins were counting on defense to help turn the tide of the season with the return of Tua Tagovailoa energizing the Hard Rock Stadium crowd. The team and its fans fantasized about the quarterback sparking the offense and going on a run midseason.
And even though it was sloppy at times, Miami took the place it was in with five minutes to go… leading by two points and the Cardinals from their 11 yard line.
Instead, it was quarterback Kyler Murray, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride who were responsible for the Dolphins falling to 2-5.
“Everyone is hurting,” linebacker Chop Robinson said.
Of course, that was capped by Ryland, whose field goal was a no-brainer as he nailed a 57-yarder earlier in the second half.
“It’s been a tough time for us,” linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah said. “I put that on us, without making a play.
“I finally had a spark on offense. We have to do better on defense. We have to make a play for our offense.”
Cardinals convert two big third downs in winning campaign
The Cardinals converted two third downs, including a gutsy 17-yard run from Murray to McBride on 3rd-and-1 at the Arizona 37. The tight end had no trouble getting away from safety Jordan Poyer.
The other was the biggest play of the game. With 1:48 left, the Cardinals needed 4 yards from the Miami 27. It might not have made a difference to Ryland if the Dolphins had gotten the stop, but it would have given Miami, who still had a timeout, about 1:40 to get in position for Jason Sanders to score a game-winner.
“I was pretty confident it was going to be a good race there,” Campbell said. “He kept it and made a play. I feel like we had guys in position. He made a play,
“We make this stop, it’s a whole different ball game.”
Murray took off to the right and eluded Ogbah in the backfield and completely faked safety Marcus Maye before gaining 7 yards.
Now Miami was helpless to do anything other than hope the Cardinals missed a field goal.
“I took a chance,” Ogbah said. “I thought I could have it and I didn’t.”
Maye played a larger role in the game after safety Jevon Holland suffered a knee injury in the second quarter.
“It was tough,” Maye said. “We have to find a way to bring him down.”
The biggest play of the drive was an 18-yard pass to Harrison that moved the ball to the Miami 33. Cam Smith, the disappointing 2023 rookie who hadn’t played all season while rehabbing from a hamstring injury, was inexplicably on Harrison instead of Jalen. Ramsey.
Cam Smith and Jalen Ramsey aren’t here to talk about loss
Neither Smith nor Ramsey were available to discuss the matter afterward.
“He can throw the ball, throw the ball running, rush,” Robinson, a rookie, said of Murray. “I missed two chances to take him down. I put a lot on myself. Learn from this, move on.”
What makes this so frustrating for Miami’s defense is that after carrying much of the burden with Tagovailoa for four games, the offense put together its best performance of the year.
And that came from back-to-back games in which the defense gave up a touchdown each to New England and Indianapolis.
“It’s a grown man’s game,” said tackle Da’Shawn Hand, who has benefited from more playing time with Zach Sieler out with a fractured orbital bone.
“Everyone needs to be a grown man. We need to look in the mirror and go to work.”
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for the Palm Beach Post. He can be contacted at [email protected].
This article was originally published on the Palm Beach Post: The Miami Dolphins defense can’t stop Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals at the end
