The latest obstacle for the Dolphins’ offense? A tough Bills defense — and frigid conditions
The Dolphins’ offense has hit a lull in its past two games, struggling in losses to the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers.
Turning things around doesn’t get any easier Saturday night against a Buffalo Bills defense allowing the second-fewest points per game (17.0). But compounding that could be the presence of frigid conditions at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, including snow and wind.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, though, downplayed their concern about the impact of the weather as they prepare for the divisional matchup.
Tagovailoa notably struggled in a Week 17 loss to the Tennessee Titans last season, a game filled with rain, and some of his worst games as a pro have come playing in near-freezing temperatures. According to ESPN, Tagovailoa’s lowest QBR games have all come in the lowest-temperature games of his career — against the Titans (36 degrees at kickoff), the Bills in 2020 (35 degrees) and the Broncos in 2020 (45 degrees) — all losses.
Tagovailoa said he attempted to simulate cold-weather environments in the offseason, traveling north to visit his brother, Taulia, a quarterback at the University of Maryland. Tua said the temperature was in the 20s with snow on the ground, but he felt comfortable throwing the ball.
”You don’t really prepare for it, besides mentally deciding if it’s going to matter to you or not,” McDaniel said.
The Dolphins have made at least one attempt to condition themselves for the environment ahead of their second consecutive prime-time game, practicing on their indoor field and dropping the temperature far below the tropical climates they enjoy in South Florida. As the team stretched during the viewing period of practice, McDaniel could be seen wearing a white shirt with “I Wish It Were Colder” emblazoned on the front.
Otherwise, the offense is turning its attention to fixing the issues that plagued it in a 23-17 loss to the Chargers and led to its lowest yardage total since the team’s Week 3 win over the Bills.
Los Angeles notably asked its defensive backs to play press man coverage, lining up close to Dolphins’ receivers and impeding their movement at the line of scrimmage. The Chargers also used a lot of inside leverage, lining up inside of the pass-catchers and taking away free lanes to the middle of the field where the Dolphins’ passing offense has thrived. It was the most effective game plan against the Dolphins to date, as Tagovailoa completed 10 of 28 passes for just 145 yards and one touchdown.
However, McDaniel said the Chargers’ game plan wasn’t necessarily different from what other teams have attempted against the Dolphins.
“I think by percentages and stuff, it wasn’t that the Chargers did anything that we hadn’t seen,” McDaniel said. “What they were was hypercompetitive, they played as good as they have played all year and we were far from that. They outphysicaled us. But it wasn’t because they were doing this cheat code. It was because players were executing their plans. Their players were better prepared is the way I look at it, ultimately.”
Running the ball more often could help take the pressure off Tagovailoa and the passing game. The Dolphins totaled 92 yards on 19 carries against Los Angeles, but 28 of those came from a trio of Tagovailoa scrambles in the second half.
McDaniel noted the offense’s biggest play against the Chargers — wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s 60-yard touchdown catch on a deep, vertical route — was on a play in which he faced press coverage at the time of the snap, an indication that they have provisions in place should they see similar tactics from the Bills.
“If someone’s playing inside leverage, they’re vulnerable on the outside. If they’re playing outside leverage, they’re vulnerable on the inside,” McDaniel said. “You could really look at the breakdown by coverage and there are plenty of teams that have done the same things. To their credit, their players really committed to it. The coaching staff had a plan that they didn’t really drop many things. They handled motions and everything very well and they beat us.”
Tagovailoa said the offense is learning “good lessons” despite its recent struggles and that while they search for adjustments, he still has to “take what the defense gives you.”
“Regardless of the coverages, I think we have more than good enough players to account for whatever routes they have,” he said. “Me being the distributor, I’ve got to get them those opportunities.”
