Examining One Overlooked Factor in Disappointing Start

Untimely penalties have doomed the Miami Dolphins through five weeks.

The Dolphins rank 11th in fewest penalties per game, but that number is misleading when factoring in that nearly 40 percent of their 34 total penalties have come in the fourth quarter.

Miami appeared to turn a corner after avoiding fourth-quarter penalties against the New York Jets in Week 4, but it regressed the following week. Despite leading 14-0 early, the game slipped away with seven of their nine penalties against the Carolina Panthers coming in the final 15 minutes. 

It was a tough day for cornerback Jack Jones, who was penalized three times after being flagged twice through the first four games. Two of them came in the fourth quarter, most noticeably on third-and-5 with less than one minute left in the game. Trailing by three with no timeouts left, his pass interference against Hunter Renfrow gave the Panthers a new set of downs and ultimately ended the game. 

Carolina’s first touchdown drive of the fourth quarter included three penalties: an illegal use of hands by Matthew Butler on the first play of the drive, a hip-drop tackle by Chop Robinson on 2nd-and-5 from Miami’s 27, and a defensive holding by Jones on the following play.

Jones now leads all Dolphins defenders with five penalties, while Chop Robinson and Zach Sieler each have two. Seven other defenders have been called for one penalty, according to Pro Football Focus. 

One Big Mistake in Buffalo

The Dolphins have clear flaws, particularly against the run, but it’s worth noting they’ve had a chance to tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter of three of their four losses. There are no awards for almost winning, but they haven’t been as overmatched as their 1-4 record suggests.

In Week 3, Miami tied the Buffalo Bills at 21 following a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins were preparing to get the ball back after an incompletion near midfield, but Sieler ran into the punter, resulting in a 15-yard penalty and a new set of downs for the Bills.

It was Miami’s only penalty of the fourth quarter, and it led to Buffalo’s only touchdown in the frame. Both of Sieler's penalties this season have come in the fourth quarter. He set a career-high with three total penalties in 2023. 

The Bills lost their first game of the season in Week 5 against the New England Patriots, another team Miami had a chance to beat early this season.

Unforced Errors Against New England

The Dolphins offense couldn’t score in the fourth quarter of Week 2, and penalties were a large reason.

Trailing by three with just over three minutes left, Miami was flagged for a delay of game and a false start, with an incompletion to Tyreek Hill in between. What was a first-and-10 from their own 47 quickly became second-and-15 from the 42.

After being sacked on third down, Tagovailoa threw an interception on fourth-and-9. New England kicked a field goal to extend their lead to six, but Miami had a chance to respond with first-and-10 from New England’s 26 with just over a minute remaining. 

However, Aaron Brewer was then called for a false start, which was followed by a delay of game. Miami got 8 yards on second-and-20, but back-to-back sacks ended the comeback attempt. 

The Dolphins were penalized 10 times against New England. Four of them were pre-snap penalties in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead at home, where crowd noise shouldn’t be considered an issue. 

Brewer has been penalized four times, while Kion Smith and rookie Jonah Savaiinaea have both been called for two penalties. The offense has been penalized 14 times overall, according to PFF. 

Warning Signs in Indianapolis 

The Dolphins scored just once against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, and even that was a challenge. 

Facing fourth-and-goal from the Colts’ 6-yard line, the Dolphins were pushed back 5 yards after having too many men on the field. However, that penalty was quickly forgotten when Tagovailoa connected with De’Von Achane for an 11-yard touchdown.

While that was Miami’s only fourth-quarter penalty, it’s worth noting that Jones was called for a defensive holding with 50 seconds left in the third quarter, which helped the Colts escape a first-and-30 hole. 

The Dolphins have averaged over six penalties per game in three of the four seasons since Mike McDaniel took over as a head coach (5.8 in 2023). A big difference this year is that Miami lacks the top-end talent that can create the big plays needed to overcome multiple late-game mistakes. 

People poked fun at McDaniel for saying, "to win games, you have to win the game, not lose the game," after the loss to the Patriots, but that sentiment perfectly sums up Miami’s season through five weeks.

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