The Miami Dolphins lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 26-7 on Saturday, as Mike McDaniel’s team went scoreless in the second half and has lost three straight to end the season.
The weather in Kansas City dominated the headlines leading up to the game. The real-feel temperature at Arrowhead Stadium dropped below -20 F, as the Dolphins played one of their worst games of the season.
With the game in the rearview, we took time to grade every position group from the Dolphins’ loss, from quarterback to special teams.
Quarterback: C
Tua Tagovailoa was set to fail in his first-ever NFL playoff game, as the quarterback from Hawaii struggled to find a rhythm in the well-below-negative-degree windchill. He had a bad interception in the first half, but he was also able to connect with Tyreek Hill for a deep touchdown.
Tagovailoa finished 20-for-39 with 199 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception.
He needs to improve playing in harsh weather, as the quarterback has struggled in every game in cold or wet conditions.
Running Backs: B-
The Dolphins rushing attack struggled throughout the game. Raheem Mostert came back from injury which provided a small spark, but he wasn’t at full strength, and the Dolphins didn’t give him much work.
Mostert finished with eight carries for 33 yards. De’Von Achane rushed six times for nine yards. It’s not a good sign when Tagovailoa is near the top of the list for the most rushing yards on your team.
Wide Receivers: B
Tyreek Hill returned to Kansas City for the first time since he was traded by the Chiefs, and he scored on a 53-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.
Jaylen Waddle opened things up for Hill and the other wide receivers with his speed, recording two catches for 31 yards.
Most of the Dolphins’ receiving yards came when the game was already decided.
Tight Ends: INC
There wasn’t much to note from the tight ends on Saturday. Durham Smythe had three catches for 12 yards.
Offensive Line: B-
The offensive line did a decent job in pass protection, as Tagovailoa held onto the ball much longer than he normally does and was sacked just twice.
However, the group failed to establish a solid run game. There was a lack of physicality from the offensive line in a game that needed to be won in the trenches.
They battled injuries throughout the season, and overall, it was a successful year for the big men up front.
Defensive Line: C+
Several members of the Dolphins front seven were signed for this game in particular, but Miami failed to put any pressure on Patrick Mahomes. They finished the day with no sacks on Saturday.
Christian Wilkins had a crucial roughing the passer penalty called on him to give the Chiefs a first down. Wilkins played great all season, but mental errors like that can’t happen.
Zach Sieler and Emmanuel Ogbah had four tackles and a pass defensed.
Linebackers: C
The Dolphins lacked a physical presence in all phases of the game, and the linebackers were no different. The group had several missed tackles, along with plays where there appeared to be a lack of effort.
It’s hard to expect much from a unit missing most of their starters, half of the linebackers who played Saturday were signed at the start of the week.
David Long Jr. has been a bright spot for the Dolphins defense all season. The linebacker started every game for Miami and finished Saturday with seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit.
Cornerbacks: B-
The cornerbacks played well, considering the amount of time the best quarterback in the league had to throw, but Rashee Rice found space in the secondary consistently.
Jalen Ramsey was a force for the defense all season, and on Saturday, he had five tackles, a pass defensed and a tackle for loss.
Eli Apple had a few negative mistakes as the starter in place of Xavien Howard, and Kader Kohou also had a challenging game on Saturday.
Safeties: B
Jevon Holland was unable to get healthy this season after his injuries against the New York Jets on Black Friday. Brandon Jones was an above-average substitute for Holland this season, recording eight tackles and a quarterback hit.
DeShon Elliott had nine tackles on the night, becoming a solid starter for the Dolphins this season. The five-year veteran finished the year with 82 total tackles.
Special Teams: C
Jake Bailey almost certainly kicked in his last game for Miami on Saturday, as the special teams didn’t have much of an impact.
