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Dolphins extend drought without a playoff win after loss to Chiefs in freezing Kansas City

david furones, south florida sun-sentinel
·6 min read
Dolphins extend drought without a playoff win after loss to Chiefs in freezing Kansas City

KANSAS CITY — The Miami Dolphins’ pursuit of their next playoff win will have to wait another year.

The long drought for the franchise, since 2000, continued after their AFC wild-card round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in their coldest game in franchise history, fourth-coldest in NFL history, with kickoff temperature at -4 degrees.

The Chiefs, the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs, were more physical in the freezing conditions and the sixth-seeded Dolphins could never get a drive going, leading them to the wrong side of a 26-7 decision Saturday night at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Miami, although ravaged by injuries down the final stretch, was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season under coach Mike McDaniel and finished on a three-game losing streak after having a shot at the top seed in the conference ahead of their Dec. 31 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Kansas City, the defending Super Bowl champion, marches on to the AFC divisional round, where it will face either the Buffalo Bills or Houston Texans.

The Dolphins had the viable excuse of injuries — with replacement players starting at five of the 11 positions defensively — and it was difficult to imagine them winning a game in Saturday’s frigid conditions when they hadn’t seen a kickoff temperature below 40 degrees all season. But neither McDaniel nor his players using those excuses.

“We had goals that weren’t accomplished tonight,” McDaniel said after the game. “The reason why it hurts so bad is because nobody on this team really harbored all the excuses — all the different variables that people talk about, injuries, weather, all that stuff. We came here to win. It didn’t happen. We fell short of our goals.

“One thing I didn’t see in that locker room was finger-pointing or excuse-making. I saw a lot of emotion with regard to hurt. … Tonight, I’m just trying to aid some of those hurt souls.”

Added quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who went 20 of 39 for 199 yards, a touchdown and an interception, of injuries: “We’re not the only team that dealt with that. I would say, it did hurt, not having the guys that we started with.”

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But the team was left wondering what could have been after its season started so promising but ended with three consecutive losses.

“It wasn’t good,” Tagovailoa said of the mood in the locker room. “Losing is never fun. When stakes are higher, when it’s playoff time, you feel that maybe ten times more, whether it’s a win or a loss. We’ve got to live with that loss.”

Tyreek Hill, who had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in his return to Arrowhead, said the team needs to use Saturday night’s loss as motivation for next season.

“I thought we had a great season,” Hill said. “I think a lot of people doubted us. We kind of exceeded expectations. The season didn’t end the way we wanted it to end, but as far as the season, I think guys really laid it on the line.

“We just can’t be a bunch of front-runners. Next year, I feel like we’ll learn from it.”

The Dolphins were unable to sustain drives, failing on their first seven third downs Saturday, converting their first with just more than 10 minutes remaining. They finished 1 for 12 on third downs.

Although Miami ran the football and stopped the run well during the regular season, Miami did neither Saturday. Struggling to tackle in the blistering cold, the Chiefs outgained the Dolphins on the ground, 146-76.

“It is what it is. Obviously, the weather is different weather than you’ve ever played in before,” defensive tackle Christian Wilkins said, “but I feel like our guys fought hard and we fought until the very end.”

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, facing minimal pressure against a Miami defense down four edge defenders and playing three pass rushers it just signed this past week, went 23 of 41 for 262 yards and a touchdown, despite multiple drops from his pass-catchers. He rushed for another big 41 yards.

Tagovailoa struggled to get the offense moving in his first playoff game and most-frigid temperatures he has ever experienced.

Hill had 53 of his 62 yards come on one long touchdown, Miami’s lone highlight of the night.

Kansas City rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice had eight catches for 130 yards and the touchdown. Tight end Travis Kelce, despite struggling with some drops, posted 71 yards on seven catches.

The dagger was delivered when running back Isiah Pacheco capped a 14-play, 72-yard drive that consumed seven minutes of second-half clock with a 3-yard rushing touchdown with 11:06 remaining. The Chiefs pounded Pacheco into the Dolphins defense 24 times for 89 yards.

Down, 10-0, early in the second quarter, Tagovailoa threw his first career postseason touchdown pass, connecting deep with Hill, who scored a 53-yard touchdown despite being interfered with by the Chiefs’ Trent McDuffie.

“That’s like Tua’s favorite play,” Hill said. “He just threw it down the field, and I was able to make a play.”

Trailing, 13-7, deep into the first half, the Dolphins had a drive end at the Kansas City 45-yard line, failing on fourth-and-2 as Tagovailoa saw Hill open too late and the defense got there.

Kansas City added another field goal before halftime to go into the intermission up, 16-7. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made four short field goals as the Chiefs missed multiple opportunities from in close as Miami hung tough once it got into the red zone.

The Chiefs scored first Saturday night, in the exact same way their opening drive in the regular-season meeting with Miami in Germany was capped. They had Rice go for an 11-yard touchdown. Kansas City stormed down the field easily after facing an initial third-and-10, opening with one of Kelce’s three first-half drops.

Tagovailoa, later in the first quarter, threw his interception by overthrowing an open Jaylen Waddle, leading safety Mike Edwards to a diving interception.

A second-quarter Mahomes-to-Rice touchdown was wiped away by an illegal block, leading to one of Butker’s field goals.

Dolphins cornerback Ethan Bonner forced a late fumble that defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand recovered. Miami did not sack Mahomes and went deep into the game before even putting its first hit on him.

The Dolphins’ last postseason win remains the home victory over the Indianapolis Colts in the 2000 wild-card round. Miami has one road playoff win since 1972, in the 1999 postseason at Seattle.