Dolphins Digest Week 6: Another Season in the Dumpsters

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The 3-0 start was just a mirage, as the Miami Dolphins are still in NFL hell, as the injuries continued to mount during a 24-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Miami on Sunday. Skylar Thompson started but soon was on the sidelines with a cast on his wrist as the Miami Dolphins offensive line had another terrible day. Teddy Bridgewater came on and was ineffective, with a pair of interceptions as he was under constant pressure, with five sacks. Tua Tagovailoa can play next week, but with the Dolphins' offensive line banged up and Greg Little and Liam Eichenberg on the left side of the line, there is a risk that Tua could be seriously hurt as Chris Grier's continued incompetence has made the Dolphins unwatchable again.  

The Dolphins' defense did a wonderful job keeping them in the game in the first half, as the Vikings went three and out in their first four drives. The Dolphins got the ball to the Minnesota 34 on their first drive before Skylar Thompson was saved for an eight-yard loss. On their second drive, Miami got down to the Minnesota 24, but a series of penalties wiped out big plays and pushed the Dolphins out of field goal range.

In the second quarter, Skylar Thompson suffered a hand injury, leading to Teddy Bridgewater getting his chance to lead the Dolphins' offense again. The Dolphins would get a 44-yard field goal from Jason Sanders on Bridgewater's first drive. However, on the ensuing drive, the Dolphins' injury curse struck again, as Nik Needham suffered an ankle injury and left the field on the cart. Without Needham, the Dolphins' secondary was exposed as the Vikings took a 7-3 lead on a one-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to Irv Smith. 

Teddy Bridgewater again got the ball into Minnesota territory, but Sanders missed a 52-yard field goal. After stopping the Vikings, the Dolphins got the ball with 28 seconds and unwisely tried to force it down the field, leading to an interception and a Vikings field goal to make it 10-3 at halftime. The Dolphins remained desperate in the third quarter as they tried a fake punt on the first possession of the second half. Fortunately, the defense held, and it remained a one-score game. 

There would be no scoring in the third quarter, but the Vikings extended the lead to 16-3 as Adam Thielen caught a two-yard pass from Cousins. The Dolphins got back in the game, as they had their best drive of the day ended with a Mike Gesicki four-yard catch. After a three-and-out, Miami had a chance to take the lead, but Jaylen Waddle fumbled after making a first down catch, letting the air out of the building. The Vikings sealed the win with a 53-yard run by Dalvin Cook, adding a two-point conversion. 

Jaylen Waddle would make a 49-yard catch and run but suffered a shoulder injury on the Dolphins' final possession. Gesicki would score a second touchdown, but after the on-side kick failed, the game was over, with the Dolphins dropping to 3-3 on the way to 3-14.