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Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins fell to the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 after a strong start but struggled to score in the second half. Quarterback Tyler Huntley left the game in the third quarter with a right shoulder injury, forcing the Dolphins to rely on Tim Boyle for the remainder of the game.
For the sixth game in a row, Tyreek Hill was reduced to a bystander. This situation is largely due to the Dolphins’ inability to secure a dependable backup quarterback for 2024, leaving them exposed when Tua Tagovailoa was forced to miss time.
The gap in Miami's offense was evident on Sunday when Tim Boyle, stepping in for the injured Tyler Huntley, connected with Tyreek Hill for a mere five-yard gain with less than two minutes remaining in the game. That single catch was Hill's only reception of the day, highlighting the team's struggles.
Tim Boyle explaining Tyreek Hill's lack of receptions
“Defenses do a really good job of taking those guys away and we need to be creative with the ways we get them the ball,” said Boyle while referring to Jaylen Waddle and Hill, both of whom didn’t receive a single target by halftime, a first their Dolphins’ career.
“A lot of the game, they were clouding Tyreek. We see a lot of that. This defense was primarily, going into the game, a one-high structured defense and they played us majority two-high and that’s to take away our guys outside,” he continued via Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad.
For the Dolphins to succeed, Hill needs to get the ball, no matter the method. Few players possess his ability to change a game when he's in open space. Whether through screens, sweeps, or motion, Miami should have found ways to utilize him. Instead, they made the mistake of leaving their star player on the sidelines, failing to tap into his game-breaking potential.
Opting for a 54-yard field goal on 4th and 1 while trailing 13-10 late in the fourth quarter was a classic case of playing scared. Unsurprisingly, Jason Sanders missed, making an already questionable call look even worse.
While the team showed some improvement in reducing penalties, their six infractions for 50 yards still proved costly at critical moments. A prime example was a questionable holding call on Durham Smythe in the first half, which negated a long run that would have put them in field goal range.
Miami Dolphin's ugly collapse against the Indianapolis Colts
The players also had their share of responsibility for the loss. Raheem Mostert and Alec Ingold both fumbled at crucial moments, with the Colts recovering each time.
The defense allowed Indianapolis to march 36 yards in just 22 seconds, setting up a field goal to end the first half. Additionally, Tim Boyle’s decision to throw the ball out of bounds on 4th and 2, targeting Malik Washington, squandered a late scoring opportunity with under 10 seconds remaining in Colts territory.
“We took what the defense gave us but we got to find a way to get those guys the ball because they’re really good players,” Boyle added.
The Dolphins, who held a 10-0 lead with just 22 seconds left in the first half, now find themselves with a 2-4 record—a situation that could have been much better with a bit more attention to detail in the offseason.
With Tim Boyle leading the offense, the Dolphins had an opportunity to score a game-winning touchdown. They advanced to the Colts' 32-yard line, but with only 29 seconds remaining and no timeouts, Miami was unable to capitalize.
Heading into their Week 8 home game against the Arizona Cardinals, the Dolphins are hopeful to see the return of Tua Tagovailoa. The quarterback has been sidelined since Week 2 after suffering a concussion that placed him on injured reserve.
