Dolphins-Titans Week 4 Halftime Observations

The Miami Dolphins struggled in a lackluster showing against the Tennessee Titans.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tyler Huntley (18) talks to his teammates before a play against the Tennessee Titans during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

What stood out in the first half of the Miami Dolphins Week 4 game against the Tennessee Titans?

We'll start with the inactive list, highlighted again by five injured players — tackle Terron Armstead, running back Raheem Mostert, cornerback Kendall Fuller, linebacker David Long Jr. and Skylar Thompson serving as the emergency quarterback.

Also inactive was rookie linebacker Mohamed Kamara, the fifth-round pick from Colorado State.

Rookies Malik Washington and Andrew Meyer were active for the first time and in line to make their NFL debut, while CB Ethan Bonner and LB Channing Tindall were active for the first time this season.

On Monday afternoon, Dee Eskridge was elevated from the practice squad to join Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, and Washington on the wide receiver corps.

FIRST QUARTER

The Dolphins started on defense for a second consecutive game after winning the toss and deferring, and Tennessee began its first drive at its 23.

The Dolphins looked like they had a three-and-out right off the bat, but Jaelan Phillips was flagged for roughing the passer after he fell going around right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere but continued his roll into the legs of Levis.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks looked like he was shot out of a cannon on a pitch to Tony Pollard. He brought him down after Emmanuel Ogbah kept him inside by setting the edge, resulting in a 2-yard loss.

Jalen Ramsey traveled with Calvin Ridley on that third-down penalty on Phillips.

DeAndre Hopkins took advantage of a soft zone to catch a 16-yard pass from Levis as the Titans entered Dolphins territory.

On a second-and-9 from the Miami 43, Levis hurried a throw when Ramsey blitzed from the slot, and Ogbah made an easy pick after dropping into coverage, squeezing the ball between his legs after failing to make the catch cleanly.

Great start for the Dolphins offense with an easy over-the-middle completion to Jaylen Waddle for 14 yards and a 16-yard run by Tyreek Hill on a jet sweep.

A sloppy play all around by Hill ended the drive in Titans territory, though, after he failed to catch a swing pass from Tyler Huntley that was a lateral. Worse, Hill never tried to fall on the loose ball, and it was an easy recovery for Tennessee.

After the Dolphins' defense got a three-and-out thanks to what looked like a favorable spot on Will Levis' third-down scramble, the Dolphins' offense had a three-and-out of its own, and it wasn't pretty.

On a third-and-6, two Tennessee rushers came on from the left side, and Austin Jackson took the inside rusher, leaving Harold Landry with a free run at Huntley for the very easy sack.

The following Tennessee series featured two tackles for loss on running plays, one each by Ogbah (who had himself a great first quarter) and Calais Campbell.

With Mason Rudolph at quarterback after Levis injured his right shoulder on his scramble on the previous drive, Tennessee got into field goal range thanks to a 13-yard completion before the first quarter ended with the Titans facing a third-and-6 from the Miami 30.

SECOND QUARTER

Storm Duck stopped the drive with a great play when he fought off the block of WR Treylon Burks to drop running back Tyjae Spears for a 5-yard loss before Nick Foik made a 53-yard field goal to give Tennesee a 3-0 lead.

The Dolphins got into Tennessee territory on their next drive thanks to a roughing-the-passer penalty on Arden Key (also for hitting the QB low), but that came after tight end Julian Hill was bowled over by Key on his way to Huntley.

The drive ended on a fourth-and-1 from the Titans 46 when Tyreek Hill ran a jet sweep but never could turn the corner before safety Quandre Diggs tackled him out of bounds for a 1-yard loss, continuing the Dolphins' short-yardage issues.

Tennessee moved quickly into field goal range thanks to four consecutive runs that gained 24 yards, and it looked like it could get worse when Tyjae Spears got through to the Miami 2-yard line, but the Dolphins got bailed out by a dubious holding penalty. The Titans settled for a field goal and a 6-3 lead.

The Dolphins finally got something going on their next drive, starting with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed giving them a free 15 yards by knocking the ball out of Jaylen Wright's hands after he tackled him out of bounds.

Tyler Huntley's mobility came into play when he converted a third-and-11 with a 12-yard run on a quarterback draw.

The drive stalled after Huntley's completion to Jaylen Waddle on third-and-6, gained only 4 yards, and Jason Sanders then made it 6-3 with a 44-yard field goal.

The Dolphins' defense got a stop on the next drive after it reached Miami territory, thanks to Jaelan Phillips batting down Rudolph's pass at the line on third-and-2.

It was yet another forgettable drive for the Dolphins offense, ending in a 5-yard completion to De'Von Achane on third-and-9 on a quick throw at the line.

After the defense held, there was a weird play in which Calais Campbell appeared to get a hand on a punt. Then Duke Riley tried to field it downfield but couldn't control it, and Tennessee recovered. The play was reviewed to see whether a Titans player touched the ball first, which would end the play, and replay overturned the turnover.

And, with that, the Dolphins avoided a potential problem.

The Dolphins were then called for an illegal formation on a play in which Aaron Brewer snapped the ball from shotgun before Huntley was ready, negating a big loss.

Boos were coming from Hard Rock Stadium when Huntley handed off on third-and-8 on the Dolphins' final offensive play of the half.

And then came a bad punt by Jake Bailey, a 26-yard completion down the middle to Tyler Boyd that allowed the Titans to tack on a 47-yard field goal on the last play of a really ugly first half for Miami.