Breaking Down the Dolphins Week 17 Highlights and Lowlights

The Miami Dolphins have their share of big plays against the Tennessee Titans in Week 17, but not nearly enoughB

Breaking down and analyzing the highlights and lowlights for the Miami Dolphins in their 34-3 loss against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

As the final score would suggest, there were a lot more lowlights than highlights in this one.

We recap the game chronologically by highlight and lowlight.

FIRST QUARTER

-- HIGHLIGHT: The game started off well enough on offense, with Tua Tagovailoa getting great pass protection on the first snap and then delivering a strike to DeVante Parker for a 20-yard gain.

-- HIGHLIGHT: After a penalty for an ineligible man downfield wiped out a 14-yard screen pass to Myles Gaskin, Duke Johnson came right back with a 16-yard run up the middle thanks to a gaping hole up the middle.

-- LOWLIGHT: The promising first drive ends when Tua is sacked on third-and-10 from the Miami 48 on a play when the quarterback just couldn't find anybody open.

-- LOWLIGHT: Punting into a slight wind, Michael Palardy begins a rough day with a 37-yard punt that combined with a return of 9 yards produces a net of only 28.

-- HIGHLIGHT: The Dolphins force a three-and-out on Tennessee's first possession with good coverage by Xavien Howard on third-and-10 combined with an off-target pass by Ryan Tannehill.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Back to return punts after giving way to Tommylee Lewis, Jaylen Waddle produces a season-long 15-yard return, topping his previous high of 7 yards.

-- LOWLIGHT: The Dolphins' ensuing possession ends with an incompletion on third-and-9 when Tua one-hops a pass to Mack Hollins while rolling to his left.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Jevon Holland comes up with the hit of the game when he stonewalls Dontrell Hilliard and stops him short on a second-down run, and Elandon Roberts then meets D'Onta Foreman in the backfield on a run blitz on third-and-1 to force a punt.

-- LOWLIGHT: An 11-yard punt return allowed to Chester Rogers after a 42-yard punt helps Tennessee begin its third drive from the Miami 46.

-- LOWLIGHT: A 14-yard run by Foreman right up the middle gives Tennessee a first-and-goal at the 1 and Tannehill then throws a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Geoff Swaim. Titans 7, Dolphins 0.

-- LOWLIGHT: On the second play of the ensuing series, the ball just slip out of Tua's hands as he prepares to throw a pass and the Titans recover the fumble at the Miami 14.

SECOND QUARTER

-- HIGHLIGHT: On the first play of the second quarter, safety Eric Rowe makes a sure tackle of tight end Anthony Firkser after a short completion to keep him short of the first down and force Tennessee to settle for a field goal. Titans 10, Dolphins 0.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Johnson begins the ensuing drive with runs of 14 and 11 yards to move the ball to midfield. Again, there's some great blocking up the middle.

-- HIGHLIGHT: On fourth-and-2 from the Tennessee 42, Tua fakes a handoff, rolls left and completes a short pass to tight end Durham Smythe, who takes it 15 yards to the 27.

-- LOWLIGHT: On third-and-10 from the Tennessee 27, the Dolphins go the (overly) conservative route and call for a draw play to Johnson, who runs for 6 yards.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Sanders ends the 10-play drive with a 39-yard field goal. Titans 10, Dolphins 3.

-- HIGHLIGHT: On a second-and-6 from the Miami 41 on the ensuing possession, rookie Jaelan Phillips chases down Foreman from behind and tackles him for a 1-yard loss.

-- LOWLIGHT: The Tennessee appears to stall with a third-and-7 incompletion on the next play, but Nik Needham is flagged for a defensive pass interference. on a play where there was an awful lot of contact from both sides (receiver and defender).

-- LOWLIGHT: Foreman finds a hole on the right side, Holland takes a bad angle, and the result is a 21-yard touchdown run. Titans 17, Dolphins 3.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Tua has consecutive 14-yard completions to Mike Gesicki, including his best throw of the game when he puts it low where only his receiver could catch it to move the Dolphins from their 25 to the Tennessee 46.

-- LOWLIGHT: The drive stalls with three consecutive incompletions, including two passes that almost end up being intercepted.

THIRD QUARTER

-- HIGHLIGHT: Tennessee moves from its 25 to the Miami 38 on the first drive of the second half, but Jerome Baker ends it when he easily gets past a blocking back to sack Tannehill for a 10-yard loss.

-- HIGHLIGHT: The Dolphins bring in Jacoby Brissett at quarterback on a third-and-1 from their 22 and his bomb to Waddle goes incomplete, but Bud Dupree gets a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Completions of 15 yards to Gesicki and 21 yards to Smythe move the ball to the Tennessee 27.

-- LOWLIGHT: On first down, Tua rolls to his right but throws over the head of Waddle on a short throw.

-- LOWLIGHT: On third down, Harold Landry gets past right tackle Jesse Davis and the Titans collapse the left side of the Dolphins line, and the result is an 8-yard sack.

-- LOWLIGHT: The sack turns a 45-yard field goal attempt into a 53-yarder, and Sanders' attempt hits the crossbar and bounces back into the field of play.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- LOWLIGHT: The Dolphins get cute and run a two-lateral play that ends up with the ball in Gesicki's hands, who attempts a deep pass to Myles Gaskin despite the fact he's triple-covered. Thankfully, the pass goes incomplete.

-- HIGHLIGHT: Tua throws a strike deep downfield to the left side for a 45-yard gain to the Tennessee 26-yard line.

-- LOWLIGHT: The Dolphins attempt another trick play and this one ends with Tua hit from behind and fumbling, but with Liam Eichenberg able to recover the loose ball.

-- LOWLIGHT: The Dolphins decide to go for  it on fourth-and-11 from the 27, and the officials miss what appeared to be a clear defensive pass interference. To make matters worse, Parker voicing his displeasure results in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty assessed from the dead ball spot.

-- LOWLIGHT: The Titans pull out the Wildcat on third-and-1 from the Miami 49 and Foreman bursts through a hole up the middle for a 35-yard gain.

-- LOWLIGHT: Two plays later, Tannehill runs a play-action fake and hits tight end Anthony Firkser for a 15-yard touchdown. Titans 24, Dolphins 3.

-- LOWLIGHT: On the next possession, the Dolphins move to their 44 where they face a fourth-and-2 but Parker stops his route and Tua throws deeper and the result of an incompletion and a turnover on downs.

-- LOWLIGHT: The defense produces a three-and-out, but Brandon Jones is flagged for roughing the punter on fourth down, giving Tennessee a first down.

-- LOWLIGHT: The mistake allows Randy Bullock to kick a 44-yard field goal. Titans 27, Dolphins 3.

-- LOWLIGHT: On the first play of the next drive, Gesicki slides to catch a low pass, but the ball bounces off his shoulder and eventually into the hands of linebacker David Long for an interception.

-- LOWLIGHT: On the ensuing third-and-11, Hilliard runs through a gaping hole on the right side for a 39-yard touchdown run that completes the scoring. Titans 34, Dolphins 3.