You couldn’t script a worse start. Dominated. Embarrassed. And injured at their most vulnerable positions, too.
Indianapolis 33, Dolphins 8. And that eight for the Dolphins didn’t come until 55 minutes into a long-settled game.
Here are 10 thoughts on the dismal day:
1.That was Tua Tagovailoa’s worst game as a Dolphin. His 14 completions in 23 passes for 114 yards don’t tell how bad it was. He had two turnovers — an interception and fumble — over three first-half plays. He opened the second half with another interception. Those turnovers became 17 Indianapolis points. He was sacked three times in the first half, once when he in some form didn’t recognize a blitzing cornerback and another time when he seemed to be scrambling in mud he was so slow. That just gets to his passing: Five of seven for 42 yards in the first half when Indy sealed the game. His worst day? He had a four-turnover day in Houston in December. And he has had five other three-turnover games in his career. But considering this was an opener against a mediocre Indy team in his sixth season, it doesn’t get worse than this.
2. How bad was that first half? It wasn’t just Indy led 20-0. Mike McDaniel’s team wasn’t ready to play when you look at the first-half stats:
First downs: Colts 17 to 3;
Total yards: Colts 255 to 43;
Yards per play: Colts 5.9 to 2.9;
Third down conversions: Colts 6-10 to 1-3;
Turnovers: Colts 0 to 2;
Time of possession: Colts 20:40 to 8:20.
3. Tyreek Hill had four catches for 40 yards, and Jaylen Waddle had four catches for 30 yards. Their long catch was 21 yards. So, no, an offseason spent trying to get the ball to your best players in deeper parts of the field wasn’t seen on this day. Give a tip of the cap to former Dolphins secondary coach Lou Anarumo, the Colts defensive coordinator. Whatever he did worked. But what he did seemed to have the same results for the deep ball as many defenses against the Dolphins last season.
4. Daniel Jones made his first start as the Colts quarterback and had the kind of first day you’d want kick-start a struggling career. He completed 22 of 29 for 272 yards and a touchdown. Just in the first half, he was 17 of 22 for 197 yards — or more yards than five of his 10 games last season with the New York Giants. Of course, that means the Dolphins secondary that was a prime worry entering this season officially turned the corner to a major problem. Indianapolis, whose strength is running the ball, threw on its first five plays with Jones completing four for 57 yards. The Dolphins played a lot of zone, but that didn’t work when Storm Duck thought he was handing off Colts receiver Michael Pittman to safety Ifeatu Melifonwu …. and Melifonwu wasn’t there. Pittman caught a 27-yard touchdown. Another lowlight: On first-and-30 at the end of the third quarter, Jones scrambled for 11 yards, but a holding penalty on cornerback Jack Jones gave first down to the Dolphins 49. Repeat: First-and-30.
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5. Throw the special teams into the mix of this mess, too. The Dolphins defense forced Indy to punt on fourth-and-2 with 4:16 left in the half. Matthew Judon promptly ran into Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez to give the Colts a first down at their 36-yard line. The Colts kept the ball all the way to kicking a field goal to end the half at 20-0.
6. Give De’Von Achane some credit in a 30-0 game for taking a short pass in the flat and running 11 hard yards for the lone Dolphins score. Even that score was wrapped in confusion. On fourth-and-goal at the 6, the Dolphins were flagged for having 12 men in the huddle. You can’t make that up. Then, on the two-point conversion, Tua called a timeout after watching the play clock run out. That’s was some run by Achane, but ….
7. The Dolphins suffered injuries in their most vulnerable areas in Sunday’s first half. Guard James Daniels, who was uncertain for the game, left early after apparently reinjuring his foot. Cornerback Storm Duck was injured in the second quarter, walked to the sideline with trainers and later was carted into the locker room. Kion Smith replaced Daniel, who was signed as a free agent after suffering a torn Achilles in Pittsburgh last season. Rasual Butler replaced Duck.
8. Stat of Sunday: Tua entered 4-0 in openers and the Colts were on a run of 0-10-1. Not anymore.
9. Quick Hits:
A.The odd handling of the tight end position and Darren Waller means the Dolphins had just two tight ends active with Julian Hill and Tanner Conner. Hill caught the two-point conversion and Conner had two catches for 20 yards.
B. Minkah Fitzpatrick made the tackle on the game-opening kickoff, showing everyone is available for special teams.
C. Talk about a taxed research department. CBS announcer said the Dolphins 42 yards of first-half offense was their lowest in a half since “at least 1991.” Everyone was scrambling trying to find where there was a lower half.
10. Next Week: Patriots at Dolphins. The home opener brings the new-look Patriots to Hard Rock Stadium for an endangered 1 p.m. start. The Dolphins only have two such hot-yoga starts in September and October. Mike Vrabel knows all about the heat, having been a Patriots player and Tennessee coach. The Dolphins swept New England last year, winning 15-10 at New England in October and 34-15 in Hard Rock Stadium in November. The Dolphins have won the past four games against the Patriots and five out of the last six. Tom Brady, indeed, has left the building.
