If you ask Dolphins fans, that wasn't mud the Dolphins were playing in. It was something that smelled a lot worse. Almost as badly as they played to close out the game.
After two gifted turnovers in the fourth quarter turned a 13-13 game into a 27-13 lead with just over three minutes remaining, the Dolphins completely crapped the proverbial bed by giving up two easy touchdowns in the final 180 seconds of play, losing the game, and along with it, control of the AFC top seed.
The good news? Hard Knocks: In-Season will allow us to relive all the pain and suffering in 8D quality television on Tuesday night!
Pain. So much pain.
Loss for the Ages
You can't make up these sorts of losses. Even if you tried to, the number crunchers at NFL Research might inform you that it would make no sense, seeing as how NFL teams have lost the last 582 straight games when trailing by 14 or more in the final three minutes.But the Titans managed to break that league-wide comeback drought Monday night.
With around 2:40 remaining, the Dolphins gave up a three-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins after the Titans marched down the field. Tennessee then went for broke and locked up a two-point conversion to set themselves up for the win. A brief three-and-out possession by the 'Phins, followed by a few clutch passes by Titans QB Will Levis and a Derrick Henry touchdown run — and it was lights out for the Dolphins.
To lose a game when you're up by 14 in with only moments remaining is a bad look, but even worse for a team playing at home on Monday Night Football with the first seed in the AFC playoffs on the line. The Titans came into the game 4-8, a terrible team, injured and playing for nothing, with a month left of games.
https://t.co/DahhZo0Nys pic.twitter.com/DSK88OVIN9
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) December 12, 2023
Slater "Scoops" Big Win
Enough about the sadness the Dolphins inflicted on South Florida on Monday. Let's talk about a heartwarming story of a man who appears to have beat the house thanks to a Miami Dolphins touchdown.Mr. Scoops, local talk show host Andy Slater, had a lot riding on the Dolphins game — $26,801, to be exact — with the final leg standing between himself and turning $200 into $26,000 via a Hard Rock Sportsbook parlay bet being a Raheem Mostert touchdown. With minutes remaining in the game, the Titans muffed a punt inside their five-yard line, leading to just that and a happy Andy Slater.
As seen above, Slater could have cashed out the ticket for $11,524 before the game, but he told his followers that he was letting it all ride, banking on the Mostert score. His posts indicate the gamble paid off — and he's got a much larger bankroll to play with in the newly rejuvenated Hard Rock Sportsbook app.
Congrats, Andy. At least someone was having fun during the Dolphins game.
What's Next: Rival Rebound
The Dolphins move on to face their division rival and most annoying opponent ever, the New York Jets, next weekend in Miami. A loss to New York would undoubtedly sound fire alarms around the league and put the Dolphins in a position where they can theoretically go from playing for home-field advantage to striving to make the playoffs at all.With games remaining against Buffalo and Baltimore, Sunday isn't a must-win, but it's damn-sure close.
