Dolphins-Texans 2024 Week 15 Instant Takeaways

Too many mistakes spell doom for Dolphins in another big spot

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) passes against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at NRG Stadium. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

What stood out in the Miami Dolphins Week 15 game against the Houston Texans.

We'll start with the inactive list, which was highlighted by the two current starting tackles Terron Armstead and Kendall Lamm, both out with injuries.

Running back Raheem Mostert was back after missing the game against the New York Jets with a hip injury.

Wide receiver Grant DuBose was back for the first time since Week 2, but left the game late in the third quarter after taking a brutal hit on an incompletion. He was carted off the field and taken to a Houston hospital by ambulance.

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GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

The loss of Armstead and Lamm was very problematic against a Houston defense featuring a top pass-rushing tandem in Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, but this still was a very disappointing performance by the offense.

Yes, Tua Tagovailoa again completed a high percentage of his passes, but pretty much everything was short and there wasn't much help from the running game.

The way the Dolphins were going to win was with a strong defensive effort, and they certainly got that. Anybody pinning the loss on the defense is misguided.

What the Dolphins couldn't do was make mistakes and three turnovers on offense wasn't going to cut it.

As is the case when Tua puts up big passing numbers, this was a team effort in coming up short. On the game-clinching interception, for example, Tyreek Hill had the ball before cornerback Derek Stingley ripped the ball away from him.

The pass protection was very good at times, but there were some bad breakdowns, involving right tackle Jackson Carman. Guard Liam Eichenberg also had a rough outing.

The special teams gave up a huge play in the second quarter, but we have to give props to the Texans for not only running a fake but having the up-man do an inside handoff after taking the direct snap. That was simply a great play.

The bottom line is that it's yet another late-season loss for the Dolphins against a quality opponent, showing once again they're just not good enough.

FIRST QUARTER

-- On the Dolphins' first drive, they were able to convert their first third-down situation and that was the result of Tagovailoa having great pass protection before delivering an 8-yard pass to Malik Washington.

-- The drive did end with a sack after Tua got early pressure and was pushed out of bounds after rolling out.

--- The game started poorly for the defense, which gave up a field goal drive after Jevon Holland missed a tackle in the backfield on an end-around to Tank Dell, turning a big loss into a 15-yard gain.

-- Special teams issues again, with Channing Tindall holding on the ensuing kickoff.

-- Zach Sieler doing what Zach Sieler does, with a pressure and a sack in a three-play stretch.

-- Robert Jones got flagged for a holding penalty that pushed the Dolphins back and made for a 55-yard field goal attempt for Jason Sanders, but no problem there.

SECOND QUARTER

-- Kader Kohou had a strong game with his tackling, including dropped Nico Collins for a 3-yard loss.

-- The first big play of the game came when Will Anderson sacked Tua and forced a fumble that Tim Settle recovered. This play was a general breakdown by the offensive line.

-- The touchdown pass that came after the fumble recovery was the result of no pressure on C.J. Stroud, who was able to find Nico Collins in the back of the end zone.

-- Tyreek Hill had a costly holding penalty on a run by De'Von Achane inside the 5-yard line, though the replay indicated it wasn't that obvious a call.

-- Great awareness by Jordyn Brooks, who had another strong game, in spotting the loose ball after the muffed shotgun snap to give the Dolphins the ball in Houston territory late in the first half.

-- Then came Tua's first interception, this one on a deep throw over the middle to Tyreek Hill that Calen Bullock jumped. His 68-yard return put the Texans at the Miami 5-yard line and props to Achane for not giving up on the play and making the tackle that saved the Dolphins four points.

THIRD QUARTER

-- The first drive was a crusher, and it was because of the fake punt on fourth-and-2 from the Miami 44. The 35-yard gain set up a touchdown that made it 20-6.

-- Horrible scene watching DuBose lying on the ground for several minutes, though it didn't look as though there was anything dirty about the hit, just bad circumstances.

-- This came after Jaylen Waddle left the game in the first half with a knee injury.

-- The Dolphins got back to within one score after Jason Sanders made a 30-yard field goal, but an offside penalty made it fourth-and-2 from the Houston 7 instead and great pass protection gave Tua the time to find Jonnu Smith running in the back of the end zone and he threw a dart for the touchdown.

-- It didn't matter in the end, but it was disappointing to see Sanders miss an extra point for a second game in a row. The snap was a bit low, but the hold looked fine.

-- The third quarter ended with the Dolphins within striking distance down 20-12.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- The first fourth-quarter drive reached the Houston 20, but Stingley got Tua when he jumped Hill's out route near the sideline and made the easy pick.

-- Kudos to the defense for giving the offense not one, but two more shots at a game-tying drive.

-- That first drive was a nightmare, though, starting with Eichenberg being flagged for holding before Hunter easily got by Carman with a spin move and dropped Tagovailoa for a sack that made it second-and-25 from the 7.

-- The defense came up big again, stopping Houston on a three-and-out with Chop Robinson getting the third-down sack.

-- But it took but one play for the Dolphins' last drive, with almost two minutes left, to end. The Dolphins have had problems throwing the ball downfield all season, and that clearly was apparent on that game-clinching pick by Stingley.

-- So the Dolphins now are 6-8, not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention but just about.