CHARLOTTE — It was supposed to be a game where the Miami Dolphins cruise and put behind their concerns of the first three games of the season.
The Dolphins jumped out to an early 17-point lead and were rolling before their inadequate run defense failed them and their offense went stagnant against the Carolina Panthers.
Allowing a 200-yard rushing performance by Panthers running back Rico Dowdle, the Dolphins blew their early lead and dropped a heartbreaker, 27-24, on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium.
Miami (1-4) went right back to the loss column after its first win of the season last Monday night against the New York Jets. The season continues to falter.
Dowdle, who was playing for injured starter Chuba Hubbard, had 206 rushing yards to lead the Carolina charge.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went 27 of 36 for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Darren Waller made five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young 19 of 30 for 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
A 4-yard touchdown pass from Young to tight end Mitchell Evans, who flipped into the end zone, gave Carolina a 27-24 lead with 1:59 left. Young converted a fourth down, throwing to Jimmy Horn, earlier in the series.
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The Dolphins went three-and-out to follow, with Tagovailoa sacked on third down. They punted with all three timeouts still in hand, but after appearing to get a third-down stop, cornerback Jack Jones was called for pass interference to allow Carolina to run out the clock.
Trailing for the first time Sunday in the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa threw deep to Waddle for a 46-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead, 24-20, with 4:42 remaining. Off play action, Waddle beat former Miami Hurricanes cornerback Mike Jackson deep for the score that was a quick response from the Panthers taking a lead.
Dowdle punched in a 1-yard touchdown with 6:10 left after scampering for 43 yards earlier in the series.
The Dolphins opened up a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter when running back De’Von Achane, in the slot out of a bunch formation, ran an out-and-up to sky for a Tagovailoa throw to the back of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.
That 14-play, 58-yard series for Miami was extended by a fourth-down catch by Waller for a first and started because edge defender Bradley Chubb recovered a Young fumble when the Panthers quarterback merely dropped the ball upon seeing Chubb coming at him. Chubb was credited for the strip-sack and recovery.
Later in the second, the Dolphins forced their second turnover and fifth in six quarters when safety Minkah Fitzpatrick recorded Miami’s first interception of the season. Young airmailed a throw into traffic and Fitzpatrick was there to haul it in.
The Fitzpatrick interception, which was followed by a celebration from the defense of the children’s game “Duck, Duck, Goose,” allowed Miami to score five plays later. Waller caught the 4-yard touchdown in a soft spot over the middle.
Down, 17-0, the Panthers were not going away quietly.
Young, after converting an impressive fourth down by extending a play in the backfield and finding rookie Tetairoa McMillan, threw a touchdown with exceptional anticipation to Xavier Legette against tight coverage from Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones.
Carolina added a field goal before halftime to cut the Miami lead to 17-10 going into intermission.
The Panthers added another field goal to start the second half, making the score 17-13 after a
Miami started Sunday with a field goal on its first drive. Waller made a key 34-yard catch deep over the middle that put the offense into range for what turned into a 43-yard field goal for Riley Patterson after Tagovailoa was sacked by the Panthers’ Derrick Brown, who beat rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea.
The Dolphins return home to face the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.
This story will be updated.
