The Miami Dolphins didn’t put up much of a fight in Week 9’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. Fans booed the Dolphins’ flat performance as the Ravens won in a rout, 28-6.

Baltimore thoroughly dominated Miami Thursday. But the refs played a role in derailing a Dolphins drive in the second quarter. Tua Tagovailoa hit Jaylen Waddle for a 36-yard gain down to Baltimore’s 7-yard-line. However, the big play was erased by a tripping penalty on Ollie Gordon II.

Following the Dolphins’ loss, head coach Mike McDaniel was asked for his take on the controversial flag. “It was a subjective call. New York was called in to determine the objective part of the subjective call – whether there was contact … I saw a guy slip and he was called for [intentionally] tripping somebody,” McDaniel said, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques.

Controversial Ollie Gordon foul wiped out Dolphins’ scoring chance

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (31) celebrates with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) after a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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Gordon appeared to slip as he attempted to block Ravens linebacker Mike Green on the Dolphins' deep shot. But the officials called the rookie running back for tripping, which carries a 15-yard penalty.

Instead of being set up inside the Ravens’ 10-yard-line with a chance to cut the lead to four, Miami was backed up to their own 42. The Dolphins would punt three plays later.

The tripping penalty was the second of two missed scoring opportunities for Miami early in the game. However, the first was self-inflicted.  An ugly sequence involving a pre-snap penalty and a botched field goal denied the Dolphins points at the end of the first quarter.

Although some bad luck and (seemingly) a bad call went against Miami early in Week 9, it doesn’t explain the team being shut out in the second half. The Dolphins kicked a field goal with just under eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. It was the last time Miami scored as the Ravens' 28th-ranked defense blanked the Dolphins over the game’s final 37 minutes.

McDaniel addressed fans booing the team at Hard Rock Stadium. In what appeared to be a Rami Malek impression, the fourth-year coach acknowledged that fans like winning and the Dolphins hadn’t given them much reason to cheer. While ownership has stood by him during a disappointing start, McDaniel’s seat must be getting warmer after Thursday’s listless loss.