Dolphins Make One of the Worst Play Calls in NFL History

For 20 minutes, things were going so well for the Miami Dolphins in Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders: Linebacker Elandon Roberts returned an interception for a touchdown to start the scoring, then Malcolm Brown rumbled 24 yards for a TD to make it 14-0 early in the first quarter.

It appeared to be a new day for a Dolphins team badly in need of positive vibes coming off a 35-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

And then this happened. Whatever this is. Take a look at this, then we'll discuss this.

when someone asks me what it’s like to be a dolphins fan and why I’m always so sad pic.twitter.com/7H5dclxJbS

— kelly cohen (@ByKellyCohen) September 26, 2021

The Miami Dolphins — up 14-0 in the first quarter — decided that the best way to begin a drive from their own one-yard-line was to throw a wide receiver screen to the far side of the field to a rookie who had no blockers within five yards of him.

Predictably, it didn't go well: Raiders scored a two-point safety. Also predictable? Everyone was utterly confused. Most predictable? The self-inflicted change of momentum in the game led to the Las Vegas Raiders scoring 25 unanswered points en route to a 31-28 overtime Dolphins loss.

Without that play, Dolphins might've won 25-23 at the end of the fourth quarter.

Obviously, Dolphins fans, and the rest of the internet, were left dumbfounded by one of the worst play calls in NFL history.

A play so bad, it has literally never happened before.

The safety in the Dolphins-Raiders game is the first in our play-by-play database on a completed pass with no penalties or fumbles.

— ProFootballReference (@pfref) September 26, 2021

What on EARTH are the Dolphins doing here??

(via @Raiders)pic.twitter.com/W2MVVJ5TtK

— br_betting (@br_betting) September 26, 2021

"That is probably one of thedumbest plays I've ever seen,'' Raiders radio analyst Lincoln Kennedy said of that Dolphins pass play in the end zone against press coverage that resulted in a safety

— Dave Hyde (@davehydesports) September 26, 2021

The #Dolphins throw a bubble pass inside their own endzone - resulted in a Safety, not sure I've ever seen something like this.pic.twitter.com/Dp5AKFO7VC

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 26, 2021

This will be studied by future generations https://t.co/PzJ5oZNWKL

— Five Reasons Sports (@5ReasonsSports) September 26, 2021

The Dolphins are now 1-2, but it already feels like they lost their last ten games. With Tua Tagovailoa out with broken ribs and an offensive line that seems unable to block its way out of a paper bag, there's little reason to believe Miami is anything but the same old Dolphins this year.

Next week, they'll get a chance to prove us wrong against the Indianapolis Colts.

Sure, we made NFL history, but a win would be nice.