Week 2 blowout sets up potential doomsday scenario for 2021 Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins entered this season hoping to prove themselves as legitimate contenders for the postseason. Such a leap forward for this organization would put them in better standing as a franchise than they’ve been in over 20 years — but there were several things that needed to happen along the way for Miami to reach that point. And just about every single one of them went up in smoke in Week 2 amid Miami’s 35-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

For Miami to be considered a legitimate contender, they’d need to successfully know the following:

• They’ve closed the gap on the Buffalo Bills as the top team in the division

• They’ve seen tangible, unquestioned growth from second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa

• The team’s young offensive line takes a major step forward in their development

• Miami’s defense learns how to more effectively slow down top-tier NFL quarterbacks

If you’re looking for silver linings, Miami did offer more resistance to Bills QB Josh Allen in Week 2 than they have in just about any other time in the Buffalo quarterback’s career.

And the Dolphins lost by 35. They lost by more points in Week 2 than they did in Week 17 last year to end the season with a trip to the playoffs on the line. After an offseason of additions made specifically for closing the gap with the Bills.

Yikes.

And to top it all off, there’s no tangible growth for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at this point; because Tagovailoa has played one game and two possessions against Buffalo — highlighted by two sacks taken on the opening drive and a crushing shot that bruised his ribs and knocked him out of the game against the Bills.

If Tagovailoa is unable to return for a significant amount of time this season, then you can go ahead and cross off each of the first two bullet points of a successful season as contenders: because the gap between Miami and the Bills hasn’t closed. It has, simply from a point differential perspective, grown this offseason. And Tagovailoa’s No. 1 concern coming out of college was durability. And if he misses time, than that means Miami, at best, will enter the 2021 offseason with “But” in the back of their minds as it relates to their young quarterback.

Buckle up, Dolphins fans. Miami isn’t truly as bad as they showed themselves to be on Sunday against Buffalo. But all of their biggest hopes and aspirations are on hold — because they can’t get past the same lingering hurdles and questions they entered the training camp with.