GREEN BAY, Wis. – At least one Miami Dolphins player believed cold temperatures played a role in the team’s performance in Thursday’s 30-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The Dolphins missed 20 tackles for loss, which gave the Packers 132 additional yards, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks was candid about the mid-20s temperatures having an impact.
“I thought we were soft,” Brooks said after the game. “It’s as simple as that. I thought we went soft today. I don’t know if the guys were too cold. … I don’t know what it was. I think it played a part in the way we played as a group, and that’s what we got. It was the result.”
The Dolphins allowed 108 yards in the first half on Thursday after not allowing an opponent to rush for 100 yards in five straight games. They also allowed Green Bay an average of more than 7 yards per game and failed to force a turnover for the first time since Week 8.
Miami outscored the Packers 14-6 in the second half, but its poor defense and a 24-3 halftime deficit were too much to overcome.
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell grimaced after the game when told how many tackles he missed.
“That’s the game. We missed 20 tackles. It’s hard to win,” he said. “I think it was one of those days where anything could have gone wrong. … I don’t want to make excuses, but today I felt like the ball bounced my way and I made the play and got the win. I had a chance to make a tackle in a critical space. When it happens, we have to find a way.”
Miami forced a three-and-out on the Packers’ game opener, but rookie returner Malik Washington blocked a punt, giving the Packers the ball at the Miami 7-yard line. Green Bay scored three plays later on a pass from Jordan Love to Jayden Reed.
Campbell said mistakes like that are hard to come back from, but the Dolphins’ defense also failed to hold Green Bay to a field goal after a turnover, and it would have been much more palatable.
Miami’s offense wasn’t without its share of blame for Thursday’s loss. He finished 3-for-4 and failed to score a touchdown in half of his visits to the red zone. On one of their red zone trips, the Dolphins faced second and goal from the 1-yard line and ended up turning the ball over for a down. Coach Mike McDaniel said a technical error kept him out of the end zone on first and second downs, but he should be held accountable for an incomplete pass on third down and a sack on fourth down.
“It’s a collection of four episodes that are hard to swallow when we watch the movie,” McDaniel said.
The loss puts Miami two games behind the Denver Broncos for the seventh and final seed in the AFC playoffs. With five games left, the Dolphins will likely need a win to have a chance at making the playoffs for the third straight time.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he wouldn’t say the Dolphins’ “dream is dead” just yet, but as Campbell said, they’ll likely need some help to make the playoff field.
“Just like we did when we were 2-6, we’re hyper-focused on the next thing and taking it one game at a time,” McDaniel said after the game. “I said 5-7 was not good enough compared to 2-6. We put ourselves in a situation where we could overcome a one-game setback and still get the job done. … It’s really frustrating when you know, you can win games and “You can point out to yourself why you lost the game.”
Thursday’s loss was also the Dolphins’ seventh straight loss when temperatures dropped below freezing at kickoff. It was a disappointing result for a team that had publicly welcomed the opportunity to change the narrative that games cannot be played in cold weather.
While weather conditions are expected to be favorable for three of the five remaining games (two at home and one at Houston’s domed NRG Stadium), Miami is scheduled to play back-to-back road games against the Browns and Jets to close out the season. Both matches could be close. – Or sub-zero temperatures.
McDaniel said he thinks his players are ready for the challenge when the time comes.
“If you’re going to do anything in this league, you have to overcome it eventually,” he said. “I think our guys will be looking forward to putting it into action in cold weather the next time they get the chance. They need to and want to do it because they know they can do it.”
