MIAMI GARDENS — The noise only grows louder.
The Miami Dolphins’ woeful start to the season continued as a late field goal sank them, 29-27, against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
After coming back from down 13 points to take a brief lead, the Dolphins allowed wide receiver Ladd McConkey to escape for a 42-yard catch and run that set up kicker Cameron Dicker’s 33-yard field goal for the win with five seconds remaining.
Miami (1-5) drops a second game in a row after and, in coach Mike McDaniel’s fourth season, is off to its worst start since the franchise’s tanking 2019 season, which was also when general manager Chris Grier became the organization’s top decision-maker.
Boo birds rained down from fans through the early empty offensive drives before the two late touchdowns — and then again as the result went final. The Dolphins’ league-worst run defense, which had just allowed Carolina Panthers backup running back Rico Dowdle have a 200-yard rushing performance, surrendered 124 rushing yards to Chargers reserve tailback Kimani Vidal.
Herbert, who finished 29 of 38 for 264 yards and two touchdowns, escaped the grasp of Miami outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips to get the ball to McConkey in open space. McConkey, who had seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown, scampered down the field to set up the field goal
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was 21 of 32 for 205 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions.
He is now 2-2 in his career against Los Angeles (3-3) and Herbert, who was selected with the ensuing draft pick in 2020.
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Down, 26-20, Tagovailoa hit tight end Darren Waller wide open in the corner of the end zone to take the lead with 46 seconds remaining before the Chargers’ winning drive.
Tagovailoa was intercepted by Derwin James on Miami’s last gasp following the go-ahead field goal.
The Chargers scored 14 quick points to start the second half and take control after a back-and-forth first half.
Herbert led a 13-play, 72-yard drive that took up more than half of the third quarter to open the half and capped it by tossing a 5-yard touchdown to McConkey.
On third down of the following drive, Tagovailoa was intercepted, with Chargers cornerback Benjamin St-Juste jumping a route.
Four plays later, Los Angeles was in the end zone again, with Vidal scoring on a 7-yard pass from Herbert.
The Chargers then led, 26-13, after adding a field goal following a near interception in the end zone for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick against Herbert.
Achane brought Miami to within a possession in the middle of the fourth quarter, with a 4-yard sprint to the pylon for a touchdown.
Miami went into halftime with a 13-9 lead as kicker Riley Patterson nailed a chip-shot 27-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Jaylen Waddle made an over-the-shoulder 45-yard catch bobbling the ball along a sideline but securing the catch inbounds on his back to put the team in field-goal range.
The Dolphins took a 7-3 lead in the first quarter when Achane showed a burst to the right side after hitting a hole to scamper for a 49-yard touchdown.
The score came on the play following a Miami takeaway. Cornerback Rasul Douglas punched the ball out on Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, the son of the former Dolphins wide receiver by the same name, for a fumble recovered by linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
On the second play from scrimmage Sunday, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle bobbled a pass sent to his chest from Tagovailoa to send it up and into the hands of Chargers safety Tony Jefferson.
The early turnover led to a field goal from Dicker. He first converted from 58 yards, but the Chargers accepted a penalty on defensive tackle Matthew Butler at the line of scrimmage against the long snapper. The Chargers only got closer for a 35-yard kick.
Dicker connected again later in the first quarter, from 31, to trim a Miami lead to 7-6 following Achane’s touchdown. A 29-yard field goal in the second quarter gave Los Angeles the lead again, 9-7.
Miami retook a lead, 10-9, later in the period as Patterson was good from 47 yards. He missed from 57, wide right, earlier in the second.
Dolphins rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who had struggled in his first five games, had his first full sack Sunday on Herbert. He picked up his first half-sack last week in Carolina on a scramble for no gain by Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.
The Dolphins next travel to Cleveland to face the Browns.
This story will be updated.
