Dolphins used their seventh different starting O-line vs. Bills. It went how you’d expect
The Miami Dolphins were already in precarious position when they got the ball for the first time Sunday. They already trailed the Buffalo Bills and they were backed up all the way at their 9-yard line after a punt on the kick return.
It went from bad to worse immediately. The Dolphins began their drive with a handoff to Kalen Ballage and the running back had nowhere to go. He was hit 5 yards in the backfield by multiple Bills defense and went down for a 5-yard loss. The drive was doomed just as soon as it began and a three-point deficit had doubled to six by the time Miami got the ball again after the opening three-and-out.
“I think we made them look a lot better tonight than they really are,” tackle Jesse Davis said of Buffalo’s front seven.
The Bills spent all afternoon teeing off, though. They sacked Ryan Fitzpatrick seven times. They racked up nine tackles for loss. The Dolphins (2-8) finished with just 23 rushing yards on 19 carries in a 37-20 loss in Miami Gardens.
The result wasn’t entirely surprising, even though the offensive line had played better in the last month. The Dolphins activated Julien Davenport from injured reserve Saturday and inserted him into the starting lineup at left tackle Sunday. The tackle made his first appearance since a season-opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens in September and gave the Miami its seventh different starting offensive line grouping of the season. The result, against a top-five defense, was the offensive line’s worst performance since the second week of the season when the New England Patriots uncorked seven sacks in a blowout.
“Those five really have to work together, especially the guys that are standing next to each other, whether it’s the guards and the tackles or guards and center,” Fitzpatrick said. “Continuity is a big thing.”
Although Fitzpatrick spent much of the game under duress, he still did throw for a season-high 323 yards. The running game was the bigger issue Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
Kalen Ballage, the starting running back, finished with nine carries for 9 yards. The Dolphins’ longest run went for 7 yards.
Miami’s second drive began virtually identically to its first. The Dolphins started at their 25-yard line after another field goal and Buffalo (7-3) immediately dropped Fitzpatrick for a 5-yard sack. This time, Miami managed to pick up a first down before the drive once again fell short because of a second sack.
The Dolphins had still rushed for negative yards by this point. Even when Ballage found the end zone for Miami’s first touchdown in the second quarter, it only put him back to zero yards on six carries.
“I think it starts with us not establishing the run game,” center Daniel Kilgore said. “We were unable to move the ball that first series deep in our own territory and not having positive plays early, so once that happens you’ve got to open up things and it kind of opens up the offensive line, as well.
“I wouldn’t say [it was] a step back, but it is what it is. We’ll come in tomorrow and look at it.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2019 at 5:47 PM.
