Dolphins Nosedive Continues

The short-handed Miami Dolphins lost their fifth consecutive game at Gillette Stadium

Things keep going from bad to worse for the Miami Dolphins.

Playing without four key starters — quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, tackle Terron Armstead, cornerback Xavien Howard and linebacker Bradley Chubb — the Dolphins had a second-half lead against the New England Patriots until things fell apart.

The result was a 23-21 loss, their fifth in a row after a five-game winning streak, that dropped their record to 8-8.

More importantly, the loss put the Dolphins in a position to need help in Week 18 to make the playoffs needing a victory plus a New England loss at Buffalo to make the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Teddy Bridgewater made his second start of the season for the Dolphins, but for the second time he couldn't finish because of an injury.

As it turned out, his last play was the biggest play of the game, an interception that New England safety Kyle Dugger returned 39 yards for a touchdown that gave the Patriots a 16-14 lead in the third quarter.

Bridgewater left the game with a finger injury to his throwing hand and was replaced by rookie seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson.

Bridgewater completed 12 of 19 passes for 161 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

His 2-yard touchdown throw to running back Raheem Mostert while he was being tackled gave Miami a 14-7 lead in the third quarter.

SKYLAR THOMPSON REPLACES BRIDGEWATER AGAIN

Thompson was 12-for-21 for 104 yards with a touchdown and one interception.

He led a 61-yard drive that ended with his 4-yard TD pass to Mike Gesicki with 1:04 left, but New England clinched the victory by recovering the ensuing onside kick.

The Dolphins' first touchdown came on a 2-yard run by Tyreek Hill on a backward pass and tied the score 7-7 on the first play of the second quarter.

The Dolphins ended up outgaining New England 333-249 but were done in by their two interceptions and penalties (Miami was penalized nine times for 71 yards).

While Bridgewater was in the game, the Dolphins tried to establish the running game, with limited success because Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. combined for 73 yards on 24 carries, barely more than 3 yards an attempt.

On defense, Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler and Elandon Roberts each had a sack.

Miami also held New England to 5-for-13 on third down in what overall was a pretty solid defensive performance, particularly considering all the injuries in the secondary.

What was missing from the defensive effort, though, was creating a takeaway. And with the Dolphins turning the ball over, that became the difference in the game.

The Dolphins now can only hope to get some of their key injured players back for their season finale against the Jets so they can finally end that losing streak and maybe even get into the playoffs at the same time.

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