Dolphins-Chiefs Wild-Card Playoffs: The Five Biggest Plays

Breaking down the five plays that most decided the outcome in the Miami Dolphins' 26-7 wild-card playoff loss against the Kansas City Chiefs

The Miami Dolphins' once-promising season came to a bitterly (cold) disappointing end when they dropped a 26-7 decision against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday evening.

We rank the five biggest, most important, plays of the game:

1. Mahomes' Fourth-Down Scramble

Because the Chiefs led the entire game after taking a 7-0 on the first drive, this wasn't a game with a ton of big momentum-changers, but Patrick Mahomes' 28-yard scramble in the second quarter certainly qualifies. It came on a fourth-and-5 from the Miami 38-yard line and set up a field goal that gave the Chiefs a 13-7 lead at the time. Had the Dolphins been able to get the fourth-down stop, they would have gotten the ball in very good field position down only three points.

2. The First Dolphins Failed Fourth Down

After that Kansas City field goal, the Dolphins finally started having some measure of success on the ground and that helped them move to a third-and-1 (a very long 1) from the Chiefs 44-yard line. After four consecutive runs that had gained 21 yards, the Dolphins instead threw the ball on both third-and-1 and then fourth-and-1 and the result was a turnover on downs after two incompletions and a missed scoring opportunity. The fourth-down play broke down after Tua Tagovailoa faced some pressure and Chiefs slot corner then went over the back of Tyreek Hill to knock the short pass away — a very good defensive play that maybe might have drawn a flag from an overzealous official.

3. The Long Completion to Rashee Rice

The Dolphins had the chance to cut into the Chiefs' 13-7 lead with the ball after the two-minute warning, but had to punt after a false start on third-and-8 was followed by a sack. The Dolphins then had a chance to get off the field on defense when the Chiefs faced a third-and-10 from their 44, but Mahomes took advantage of great pass protection to hit Rashee Rice on a crosser and he sprinted down the sideline for a 38-yard gain. That set up a field goal that gave the Chiefs a two-score lead at halftime.

4. The Illegal Formation Penalty

The Dolphins didn't convert a third-down situation offense until the fourth quarter, but it was a bad penalty that cost them on their second possession of the game. Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. was called for the penalty for covering tight end Durham Smythe on the right side of the formation, and that negated what would have been a first-down run by De'Von Achane to the Miami 46. Instead, it became third-and-6 and Tagovailoa's pass sailed over Jaylen Waddle and was picked off by safety Mike Edwards.

5. The Roughing-the-Passer Penalty on Wilkins

The chances of a Dolphins comeback in the fourth quarter probably were low from the beginning, but they all but disappeared after the Chiefs' final touchdown made it 26-7 with a little over 11 minutes left. And that touchdown drive was kept alive by a silly penalty on Christian Wilkins after a third-and-20 incompletion from the Chiefs 27. Sure, the push that Wilkins gave Mahomes after he threw the ball wasn't egregious, but it also was completely unnecessary. And instead of having the Chiefs face the decision of trying to attempt a 45-yard field goal, which even if successful would have kept the Dolphins within two scores, it gave K.C. a first down and Isiah Pacheco scored a few plays later.

Dolphins-Chiefs Playoff Game Postgame Reaction