CBS 4's Steve Goldstein: Dolphins show their mettle in hard fought playoff loss to Buffalo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- In the Dolphins' first playoff game since 2016, it started out looking like Buffalo would blow Miami out.
But a rookie quarterback and coach combination, along with a big play defensive unit, nearly upset the heavily favored Bills.
While there are no moral victories in the NFL playoffs, Mike McDaniel's team proved it can play through adversity and go toe to toe with the league's best when it matters most. The season is over, after the 34-31 loss and the Dolphins finished 9-9, but the steps forward taken can not be undersold.
Down but Not Out
Trailing 17-0, it appeared the Dolphins may be headed for another lopsided playoff loss. But not this year, not this coach, not this team. The Dolphins slugged it out for the third time this season, right down to the wire against one of the Super Bowl favorites.
Defense Rises Up
From Xavian Howard and Eric Rowe to Zach Seiler, Jaelen Phillips, Christian Wilkins, and others, the defense got after Bills quarterback Josh Allen, intercepted him twice and scored a touchdown. In a season where big plays were lacking, the defense made more than a handful in this road playoff game. The touchdown, on a Rowe strip of Allen and Seiler score, gave the Dolphins a brief 24-20 lead in the third quarter.
What Could Have Been
Rookie Skylar Thompson started at quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa out with a concussion. Despite a few bad decisions and numerous dropped passes, Thompson hung in there and made enough plays to give the team a chance on its final possession. But Thompson did miss some open receivers with a chance for key big plays, and the mistakes were costly. But Thompson showed he is a player. The Dolphins were smart to draft and can continue to develop, regardless of what other quarterback decisions are made in the offseason.
Early Struggles
The Dolphins trailed 14-0 before they gained a first down. Dropped passes and an interception helped lead to an early deficit. The Dolphins then outscored the Bills 24-3 to take their only lead on the defensive touchdowns.
McDaniel Culture
The mantra of 'adversity is opportunity' permeated throughout the season, and stood out in this playoff loss. Under the rookie coach the Dolphins never got too down when things didn't go their way, and played through some tough situations and injuries. In this game, it nearly led to the franchise's first playoff win in more than two decades.
Off-season Begins
After a season of ups and downs and numerous key injuries, the Dolphins front office has made decisions to make. The quarterback position, due to Tua's health situation, will gain all the headlines. But numerous other positions need attention, including linebacker, defensive back, and offensive line, with the latter two struggling to stay healthy. It will also be interesting to see if McDaniel's staff has some changes, particularly on defense, where the staff was mostly held over from former coach Brian Flores.
