Tyreek Hill convulsed like a flopping fish in the end zone.
He’d just released off the line of scrimmage, given Eagles cornerback James Bradberry a double move and then boosted straight through the middle of Bradberry and Terrell Edmunds, who were assigned to bracket Hill and smother him in double coverage from each side. But Hill was too fast to be hemmed in like that, and once free, he pulled in a touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to make it a one-score game at halftime: Eagles 17, Dolphins 10.
In the end zone, the receiver dropped to the ground and twitched like a gulping fish hooked on a line. Right guard Robert Hunt reeled him in. Hill’s touchdown celebrations have become must-see TV this season, but this one was more like a bad omen. These fish were out of water. These fish had been caught.
Miami’s night on offense started with a delay of game penalty on its very first play. Coming into the game, the Dolphins were the NFL’s No. 1 offense in almost every conceivable category and had been averaging 37 points per game. The Eagles held them to just one offensive touchdown in eight possessions and season lows in yards, touchdowns, first downs, EPA per drive and success rate.
“We weren’t as crisp as usual coming out of the huddle,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said postgame. “Which always leads to stuff.”
And that “stuff” showed in 10 penalties for 70 yards, and an out-of-character offensive performance. Running back Raheem Mostert said the offense used the silent count on nearly every play because the Eagles’ crowd was so loud. Tagovailoa took responsibility for the struggles this offense had on the road Sunday night.
“I have to be able to communicate to the offensive line, the cadence in a loud environment, which makes it tough,” he said. “It’s hard to replicate crowd noise the way it is over here and in other places, but that’s what’s the next step closer in what we’re trying to do.”
This game was supposed to be the ultimate win that would silence the haters who have doubted Miami’s gaudy offensive records. Instead, it gave them more fodder.
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