Miami's offense struggles again for the second time in 3 games

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The good news is coach Mike McDaniel saw no finger-pointing after watching quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense collapse in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans.

The bad news? One of the Dolphins poorest offensive outputs of the season came when they could least afford it.

“This particular game, I don't think was up to the standard regardless of whoever's in there," McDaniel said Monday. "I think everyone is very, very aware after today's meetings that, that is not anything that we want Miami Dolphin football to look like.”

The Dolphins offense turned the ball over four times in a game they needed to win to help their playoff chances.

Miami also fell to 1-4 this season against current playoff teams, with losses to Green Bay and Buffalo (twice). The Dolphins in Week 10 defeated the Rams, who are tied for the NFC West lead.

That's a similar pattern from a year ago, when the 11-win Dolphins beat just one team that entered the matchup with a winning record.

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler recently said the team has been in “playoff mode” since they dug themselves into a 2-6 hole to start the season. They have mostly taken care of business by going 4-2 since Week 10 to help their playoff chances.

But in their two losses during that span, they've struggled.

Miami was beat up in the trenches at Green Bay on Thanksgiving, managing just 39 yards rushing while giving up 114 yards on the ground. They missed at least a dozen tackles on defense and were 4 of 14 on third downs.

The Texans turned a fake punt into a 35-yard gain on Sunday and limited Miami to just 224 total yards.

Tagovailoa had his second-lowest passer rating (60) of the season. He was under constant pressure from Houston's pass rush, playing behind an offensive line down three starting tackles that gave up three sacks.

Tagovailoa had a strip-sack and three interceptions that led to 10 Houston points, including a pick on Miami's last-ditch effort at a comeback on the final drive.

“I’ve got to protect the ball. I’ve got to play better ball for our guys,” Tagovailoa said, "especially in a situation where the team is counting on me to go and drive our offense down to potentially tie the game up, and that’s not what I did. That’s not how you win games in this league.

"Very disappointed with how I played today and with how I conducted myself on the field, with our guys, with our team. I just need to be better in all aspects with that.”

What's working

After giving up more than 400 yards to Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, Miami's defense limited C.J. Stroud to 131 yards passing. And Houston's rushing attack led by Joe Mixon was held to just 77 yards.

What needs help

The Dolphins had the 11th-best rushing offense in the NFL with 128.7 yards per game through the first eight weeks, but have failed to rush for 100 yards in six straight games. They ran for more than 80 yards once in that span and are averaging just 3.9 yards per rush behind an injured offensive line that has struggled to run block all season.

Stock up

DT Zach Sieler. His sack of Stroud in the first quarter gave him 17 since the start of last season, which is second among interior defensive linemen during that span. Sieler has 3 1/2 sacks, three tackles for loss and five quarterback hits in the past two games.

Stock down

The Tagovailoa-Hill connection. It has been inconsistent at best this season and was not there on Sunday. Hill caught just two of seven targets for 36 yards. All three of Tagovailoa's interceptions were targeting Hill, and McDaniel indicated in his halftime interview on CBS that one of Tagovailoa's errant throws was because Hill ran the wrong route.

“I saw the defender. It was more so trusting that Tyreek was going to cross his face," Tagovailoa said of an interception before halftime that he threw right to safety Calen Bullock, "and if you look at a lot of the throws that we throw in-breaks, safeties are there. We throw it to the safety, trusting that our guys are going to cross face. But that’s not just on Tyreek, that’s on me, as well.”

Injuries

Receiver Grant DuBose remained in the hospital but had movement in his extremities after a scary hit to the head. ... McDaniel said WR Jaylen Waddle avoided a serious knee injury when he went out in the second quarter. Waddle will not need surgery but his status this week is in question.

Key number

3.6 — Miami's total number of yards per play on Sunday.

Next steps

The Dolphins host San Francisco (6-8) in their home finale on Sunday.