'It hurts:' Miami Dolphins try to process Bills loss in downtrodden locker room
MIAMI GARDENS — Dolphins players tried to work through their disappointment after Sunday's loss to the Bills, which cost them the AFC East title.
"It hurts," Miami safety DeShon Elliott said in Miami's locker room. "Great teams finish. We have to get over the hump."
The Dolphins lost 21-14 though their defense yielded only 14 points to a powerful Bills offense. A long punt return for a touchdown allowed in the second half was devastating.
"Stay together," Miami running back Jeff Wilson said of the message from coach Mike McDaniel. "You know, at times like this it’s easy to put your head down, point fingers ... but sticking together and knowing that we have each other’s back."
The Dolphins were hoping to avoid the quick turnaround of a Saturday night game in Kansas City, where it may be around 2 degrees at kickoff. It also is supposed to snow later in the week.
Wilson, the running back, did say: "Playing in the snow has been a dream of mine."
But in losing to Baltimore and Buffalo to close out an otherwise good 11-6 season, the Dolphins have nobody to blame but themselves.
"We still have another chance to play," linebacker Duke Riley said.
"We know what's at stake and we know what we're up against," Wilson said. "We have to regroup and know who we are."
Fullback Alec Ingold noted the team was competitive in a 21-14 loss to the Chiefs in Germany earlier this year, coming back from a 21-0 deficit.
More: Dolphins let Bills, AFC East and so much more slip from grasp | Habib
"Kansas City is going to have their wrinkles," Ingold said. "They’re going to change things up. We have ballers. We don’t quit. We’ve had tough losses and it hurts. Coach talked about supreme accountability. Feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to help against the Chiefs."
Added veteran pass rusher Melvin Ingram: "We can’t get too low on ourselves. We have no choice."
Joe Schad is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on social media platforms @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins locker room shaken after loss to Buffalo Bills
