Dolphins Winning Streak Over at Seven
On a rainy, gloomy day in Tennessee, the Miami Dolphins' winning streak came to an end.
Former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes and D'Onta Foreman rushed for 132 yards and a score and the Tennessee Titans clinched the AFC South title with a 34-3 victory against the Dolphins at Nissan Stadium.
More importantly from this end, the Titans put a severe dent in the playoff hopes of the Dolphins, who came into the game controlling their postseason destiny but now will need outside help to make the playoffs.
The story of the game wasn't really the Tennessee offense, but rather the Dolphins offense's inability to get much going.
The Dolphins did have some opportunities in the second half that ended when Jason Sanders' 53-yard field goal attempt bounced off the crossbar and back out and later when officials failed to call a clear defensive pass interference on the Titans on a fourth-and-11 incompletion from Tua Tagovailoa to DeVante Parker.
It was a rough outing all around for Tagovailoa, who came into the game leading the NFL in completion percentage but was only 18-of-38 for 205 yards.
Tagovailoa didn't throw an interception until garbage time when a pass bounced off tight end Mike Gesicki but lost a fumble in the first half when the ball slipped out of his hand as he was preparing to throw a pass.
The turnover set up a field goal that gave Tennessee a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Dolphins got back within 10-3 with a field goal drive that started with runs of 14 and 11 yards by Duke Johnson, but ended after Miami ran a draw play on third-and-10.
While the defense allowed less than 300 total yards until garbage time and generally played well enough to give the Dolphins a chance to win, it didn't come up with a takeaway, something that was part of the team's recipe during the seven-game winning streak. The defense also was able to sack Tannehill only once, that sack recorded by linebacker Jerome Baker.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had the biggest offensive highlight of the game for the Dolphins when he caught a 45-yard pass in the fourth quarter, but he was limited to three receptions after averaging nine catches over his past four games.
Waddle remains three receptions shy of the NFL rookie record of 101 set by Anquan Boldin in 2003.
Gesicki and Parker tied for the team lead with four receptions each, but Parker's came on 13 targets.
The game began with the teams combined for five punts on the first five possessions, though Tennessee kept improving its field position each time.
The Titans took the lead after starting its third drive at the Miami 46-yard line, the scoring play coming on Tannehill's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Geoff Swaim.
It would be all the scoring Tennessee would need on a day of disappointment for the Dolphins.
The game wasn't nearly as lopsided as the final score might suggest because Tennessee scored 17 points in the final 7:42. On the other hand, it didn't feel as though the outcome was in doubt once Tennessee took the lead.
