Dolphins Blow Late Lead in Brutal Fashion vs. Chargers

Justin Herbert and the Chargers finally punched into the end zone on the opening drive of the third quarter. Herbert conducted a 13-play, 72-yard drive that ate up half the third quarter to make the score 16-13. 

On the Dolphins’ ensuing possession, Tua was intercepted by Benjamin St. Juste on third and long. The Chargers’ CB jumped an in-cutting route from Achane — it didn’t look like Tua had the arm strength to fit the window. 

The Chargers cashed in just a few plays later when Herbert hit Vidal for a touchdown on third and short from inside the 10 to make the score 23-13. 

After a Dolphins three-and-out, LA drove down the field for another field goal attempt to make the score 26-13. It was a strong drive for Vidal and the Chargers’ rushing attack, as Miami’s defense looked pretty tired at this stage. 

The Dolphins finally got the engines rolling in the second half, driving 69 yards in nine plays to make the score 26-20 with just less than eight minutes left. The drive was capped off by an Achane touchdown run from four yards out. 

Miami’s defense came up with a clutch stop on the Chargers’ next drive after allowing just one first down. Herbert had Keenan Allen on third and long, but the receiver couldn’t quite come down with a catch while going to the ground.

With the game on the line, the Dolphins’ offense drove down the field and punched it in with 46 seconds left, when Tua hit a wide-open Darren Waller to make the score 27-26. Tua was eight for eight on the drive, and Achane had a few good runs. 

In an ending that only a team like Miami could orchestrate, Jaelan Phillips had Herbert wrapped up for a sack in Dolphins’ territory. However, Herbert broke free and found Ladd McConkey, who made a man miss and ran the ball 42 yards to the Dolphins’ 17. 

Cameron Dicker drilled a 33-yard field goal with five seconds left to make the score 29-27 — heartbreak. 

Offensive Recap 

Miami’s offense had a mostly productive first half, though a few drives stalled due to penalties, forcing them to kick field goals. 

The wheels came off a bit in the third quarter before things got back on track in the final quarter. Miami finished with 341 yards of offense while averaging 6.1 yards per play. 

It wasn’t a banner day for Tua — he finished the game completing 21 of 32 passes for 205 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. He did play well on the Dolphins’ final scoring drive, so he deserves some credit there. 

His first interception wasn’t his fault, but the second one was a play that highlighted his underwhelming arm strength. He also sailed a few throws to open receivers in the middle of the field. 

Per usual, Miami’s running game showed a ton of promise, but a mix of questionable play-calling and a poor game script led the team to abandon it. Achane finished the game with 16 carries for 128 yards, averaging eight yards per carry. 

As for the receiving game, it was the Jaylen Waddle show. He had six catches for 95 yards in his second game as Miami’s leading receiver. 

Defensive Recap 

It was an odd day for the Dolphins’ defense. The unit bent but didn’t break in the first half before proceeding to shatter in the second half. The Chargers kicked three field goals in the first half but scored two touchdowns to open the second half. 

The Dolphins spent most of the game sitting in zone and allowing Herbert to take easy completions in the short area of the field. He finished the game completing 29 of 38 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns. 

Miami’s run defense was technically better than last week, but that’s not exactly a high bar to clear. It allowed 140 rushing yards, 124 of which came from Vidal, the Chargers' third-string running back. 

Perhaps the biggest disappointment for the Dolphins’ defense was the lack of pressure on Herbert. While we don’t have official pressure numbers yet, Herbert was sitting pretty in the pocket for a good chunk of the game. 

Los Angeles had multiple starting offensive linemen out, and even one of their preferred backups was out with an injury. Miami’s defense finished with just one sack. 

The Dolphins did create a turnover in the game, courtesy of Douglas forcing a fumble early in the first quarter. 

Ultimately, this wasn’t a horrid performance from the Dolphins, especially considering they forced a bunch of red zone field goal attempts. Still, it was clear they were outmatched for most of the game, despite LA’s injuries.