MIAMI — If the Dolphins’ Week 4 home game against the winless Indianapolis Colts on Sunday was supposed to be a get-right afternoon for a team coming off two straight defeats, it was anything but that at Hard Rock Stadium.
Old problems continued to fester for the Dolphins in a 27-17 defeat that dropped them to 1-3 and raised more concerns about the team, even with starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa nearing his return from a rib injury.
An offense struggling to put together scoring drives waited too long to put together explosive plays, accumulating 203 net yards and just 91 by the end of the third quarter, when the team trailed 17-3. A defense that has struggled to maintain the form of its 2020 play allowed 139 rushing yards and 5.2 yards per play to a Colts offense that entered the game ranked in the bottom half of the league in most statistical categories.
The Dolphins’ sole points of the first half were aided by a fumble recovery after Nyheim Hines muffed a punt. Miami’s offense regained the ball at the 27-yard line but was unable to convert the great field position into the end zone, settling for a 38-yard field goal by Jason Sanders to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter.
Four plays after an offside penalty by linebacker Brennan Scarlett extended a Colts drive, Jonathan Taylor scored on a 23-yard run to give Indianapolis a 7-3 lead with 2:47 left in the first half.
Of the Dolphins’ six first-half possessions, two started at the Colts 27 and midfield, while another moved as far as the Colts 37. Miami had just three points and 69 net yards by halftime, which mercilessly ended by right tackle Liam Eichenberg allowing a sack. It was one of three sacks and four quarterback hits allowed for an offensive line that struggled and was playing with its fourth starting combination after center Michael Deiter was placed on injured reserve.
A muffed punt by Jakeem Grant, recovered by the Colts at the Miami 18, turned into a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mo Allie Cox to push the Indianapolis lead to 14-3.
The Dolphins cut into their deficit with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki, making it a 20-10 score with under 11 minutes remaining.
But Jason Sanders sent the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, placing the ball at the Dolphins’ 40-yard line. On the first play of the Colts’ drive, Carson Wentz found receiver Zach Pascal for a 41-yard catch-and-run. Seven plays later, Cox raised over safety Eric Rowe for an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cox, making it a 27-10 score with 6:15 remaining.
