Miami Dolphins fall 15-10 to Vikings in game of inches

The Miami Dolphins are 0-4 after Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. There is no sugarcoating that. But this one felt different.

It was literally a game of inches. Chris Bell’s toe touched out of bounds before a catch that would have become a 68-yard touchdown. A fingertip on Miami’s punt wiped out a potential roughing-the-kicker call. Ollie Gordon II was one touch away from breaking another long run.

Miami’s defense gave the offense every opportunity. Minnesota never reached the end zone, settling for five field goals. The Dolphins entered the game without a sack and finished with four. Zach Sieler recorded two, while Josh Uche and Chop Robinson added one each. Robinson finally looked like the explosive edge rusher Miami has been waiting to see.

Jacob Rodriguez played like a Tasmanian devil, constantly finding the football and finishing with 18 tackles. Chris Johnson was physical in the open field. Those two rookies continue to look like foundational pieces.

The offense was ugly early. Miami had only 76 yards in the first half, and eight penalties for 50 yards repeatedly created the long-yardage situations Brian Flores wanted. Dallas Turner beat Austin Jackson for a strip-sack, and Miami struggled to find any rhythm.

Then came the third-quarter touchdown drive, a microcosm of what this offense should be.

Gordon attacked the middle. The power game created play-action opportunities. Malik Willis aligned his feet, eyes and upper body, and the ball came out with accuracy and velocity. Gordon finished the drive with a touchdown and ended the game with 100 yards on only nine carries.

That made Bobby Slowik’s sequencing so frustrating. Miami too often moved away from its best answer and played into Flores’ hands.

Willis remains an evaluation, not a finished verdict. The inconsistency was there, but so were the special plays. More importantly, Rodriguez, Gordon, Johnson and Kadyn Proctor are showing that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan may have delivered the type of rookie class Miami can build around.

Watch the full Dolphins-Vikings postgame show

For more reaction and analysis of Miami’s 15-10 loss, watch the complete Fins Faithful postgame show below.