MIAMI _ The best way to help a sputtering Dolphins offense that looks lost in the wilderness?
Play suffocating defense and throw in some game-changing plays to boot.
While the Dolphins offense again looked something between tepid and inept for most of the day, the defense was dynamic, scoring a touchdown and helping set up a field goal in a 16-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans Sunday in Miami's first regular-season game this year at Hard Rock Stadium.
And so somehow, the Dolphins are 2-2 despite scoring just three offensive touchdowns in four games.
Quarterback Jay Cutler, serenaded with boos and chants for backup Matt Moore, threw for just 21 yards and an interception (off an Anthony Fasano deflection) in the first half and went to the break with a 14.6 rating.
He finished 12 for 26 for 92 yards, one touchdown and one interception and a passer rating of 52.1.
But give Cutler credit for several strong throws on a 58-yard drive that put Miami ahead early in the fourth.
He hit Jarvis Landry for 17 yards, Julius Thomas for 15 yards on a third-and-10 and then Landry for a six-yard touchdown on third-and-goal, with Landry using his strength to establish position just inside the goal line.
But Cody Parkey missed the extra point, leaving Miami with a precarious 16-10 lead.
Cutler's accuracy wasn't great, but he didn't get much help. His offensive linemen were often beaten, forcing Cutler to hurry several throws and throw away several others.
He was sacked on third-and-10 after Laremy Tunsil couldn't hold a block with 6:09 left.
Cutler's receivers could have done more, too. Thomas failed to latch on to a catchable ball on a sliding attempt on a third-and-1 throw in third quarter. And on Miami's next possession, Landry and Kenny Stills couldn't haul in passes that would have been somewhat difficult, but hardly impossible, receptions.
Making matters worse, Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker left in the first quarter with an ankle injury and didn't return.
The Dolphins, desperate for a spark, tried a Wildcat play for the second week in a row, but MarQuies Gray threw an incomplete pass on that first half play.
Dolphins coach Adam Gase told CBS at halftime that he would not replace Cutler with Matt Moore under any circumstances.
Jay Ajayi had a fumble and averaged just 3.2 per rush (23 for 74) but ran for eight yards on third-and-7 with 2:34 left, which helped the Dolphins drain clock. Tennessee got the ball back at its own seven-yard line with 19 seconds left.
The good news for Miami is that the Dolphins suffocated 11 of the Titans' 12 possessions through three quarters and was exceptional when needed most in the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins made life miserable for Matt Cassel, who was starting in the absence of injured quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Cassel was sacked six times and finished 21 for 32 for 141 yards and an 85.5 rating.
Tennessee mustered just 80 yards in the first half but then began the second half with a nine-play, 69-yard drive capped by Cassel's 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Phillip Supernaw, beating Lawrence Timmons in the end zone. Supernaw had been whistled for illegal motion penalties on Tennessee's previous two plays.
The Titans' usually strong running game averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and finished with 69 yards against a Dolphins defense that is dramatically better against the run this season.
On the Titans' third possession, a Davon Godchaux forced fumble on DeMarco Murray, recovered by Reshad Jones, set up Miami at the Tennessee 42-yard line. The Dolphins gained just 19 yards on the drive but Parkey hit a 41-yard field goal to give Miami a 3-0 lead.
On the Titans' next possession, Kiko Alonso had a strip sack of Cassel and Jones recovered and returned it for a 38-yard touchdown.
A bunch of Titans players didn't even chase Jones, believing the play was an incomplete pass. But the call was upheld on review.
That made it 10-0 Miami.
Tennessee's nine first-half possessions went for five yards, 15 yards, three yards, six yards, 13 yards, minus three yards, five yards, minus 10 yards and 15 yards.
But the Titans converted an Ajayi fumble at the Miami 24 into a 45-yard field goal despite losing three yards on that possession, then had that long drive early in the third quarter to start the second half.
But Miami's defense was very good, again, after that lone Tennessee touchdown.
Jones, Alonso, Ndamukong Suh and Timmons were highly impactful all day.
Rookie first-round pick Charles Harris snuffed out a possession with a pass deflection and then had an enormous sack on third down to end a Titans possession with three minutes left.
Rey Maualuga thrived in his Dolphins debut and first Miami start at middle linebacker. Andre Branch had two sacks.
Williams Hayes produced a couple of nifty run stops on consecutive plays to blunt Titans momentum on their first drive after their touchdown.
All that was critical, because the Dolphins offense did nothing to help before that one TD drive late in the third quarter.
