Dolphins receive reality check, fall 20-13 to Broncos in Week 11
The Miami Dolphins received a bitter reality check on Sunday afternoon against the Denver Broncos — this team’s rebuild is far from over and if Miami expected to stroll into the Mile High city and automatically secure their seventh win of the 2020 NFL season by simply stepping onto the field, they’ll learn from this week’s contest. Because the Denver Broncos effectively punched the Dolphins in the face, pouring a heavy dose of power run against the Dolphins front and offering little reprieve — and the Dolphins proved to have no answer for the Denver game plan, falling to the Broncos in Week 11 by a final score of 20-13.
The Broncos fed into Miami’s script early on with a Drew Lock turnover on their opening possession and the Dolphins obliged by pushing the ball into the end zone to claim a 7-0 lead early on.
But from there, the Broncos’ defensive front swarmed rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and clamped up on the Dolphins offense for much of the game. Miami offered little action offensively throughout the majority of the game as they looked to keep pace with a methodical Broncos rushing attack on the other side of the ball — and the contest felt like a ticking time bomb as the Broncos continued to win the field position and time of possession battle in the tight battle throughout the first three quarters.
But the Broncos’ push up front proved to be too much for Miami to swallow and RB Melvin Gordon provided a late 3rd quarter dagger to romp into the end zone and push Denver’s lead to 20-10.
From there, this game was indeed a time bomb for the Dolphins. A sack appeared to tweak Tagovailoa’s ankle, which prompted the Dolphins to replace him in the second half with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And from there, the Dolphins proceeded to make things just interesting enough to keep themselves in the thick of things until the end of the game. Miami did manage to force a fumble on their own 2-yard line with Denver threatening to push the lead to 27-13 and from there there was plenty of drama. Fitzpatrick drove the Dolphins from their own 1-yard line to inside the Broncos red zone with a chance to tie the game — but instead threw a game-sealing interception to safety Justin Simmons while trying to slot a post route to DeVante Parker.
Brian Flores tried to warn everyone on Friday during his press availability: this Broncos team was being slept on by everyone in the media all week long. That apparently extended to the Dolphins themselves, who fell to a lesser team 20-13 and missed a prime opportunity to ascend the divisional and AFC conference standings in Week 11. Miami must head home, lick their wounds and brace themselves for their next two games — against the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals — with a renewed sense of focus.
Some teams can just show up on Sunday and secure the win. The Dolphins, as they found out the hard way this evening, aren’t among them.
