After five straight wins and serious conversation about a deep playoff run, the Miami Dolphins are finding out how the other half lives during its recent road trip.
The Fins were held to just over 200 yards of total offense for the game and suffered a 23-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers inside SoFi Stadium on NBC's Sunday Night Football. The loss was Miami's second straight after a recent five-game win streak.
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After Miami (8-5) went three-and-out on the game's opening series, Los Angeles drove down the field on a 15-play drive before cornerback Kader Kohou stopped Chargers wide receiver DeAndre Carter at the 1-yard line on fourth down. The Dolphins would punt on their second drive, but not before a 13-yard catch by wide receiver Tyreek Hill set the franchise record for receiving yards in a single season.
Los Angeles (7-6) once again drove inside the 20-yard line as kicker Cameron Dicker hit a 33-yard field goal for the game's first points early in the second quarter. Miami would go three-and-out once again - and this time the Chargers capitalized with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Herbert to wide receiver Mike Williams.
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Miami would get its first touchdown of the game thanks to a fumble from running back Jeff Wilson that was recovered by Hill and taken 57 yards for the score. Wilson would leave the game on the following drive with a hip injury and not return. Los Angeles would drive the ball down to the 1-yard line with less than a minute left in the half, with running back Austin Ekeler getting the touchdown and the giving the Chargers a 17-7 halftime lead.
Miami's offense would continue to struggle at the start of the third quarter as Hill dealt with an ankle injury and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed just three of his first 17 pass attempts. But the Dolphins cut the deficit to three points on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to Hill with just over six minutes left in the third quarter.
Los Angeles would extend the lead on a 31-yard field goal by Dicker, but Miami would drive the ball into Chargers territory before Tagovailoa was sacked and Miami had to punt. Both teams would exchange punts before Herbert found wide receiver Keenan Allen on two consecutive third downs to keep the drive alive and leading to a 28-yard field goal from Dicker.
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Miami drove down the field and got a 55-yard field goal from kicker Jason Sanders, but the ensuing onside kick attempt failed and Los Angeles was able to run out the clock and get the upset win.
Tagovailoa finished the game completing just 10 of 28 passing for 145 yards and one touchdown while Hill had four catches for 81 yards and one touchdown. Raheem Mostert led Miami in rushing with 37 yards on 11 carries.
Herbert, who was picked one spot behind Tagovailoa in the 2020 NFL Draft, finished the game going 39 for 51 passing for 367 yards and one touchdown. The win gives the Chargers some hope of a possible playoff berth while the Dolphins remain in the No. 6 spot in the AFC playoff picture.
The Dolphins will have a short week as they return to the field next Saturday at the Buffalo Bills, who remained atop the AFC East standings with a win Sunday over the New York Jets.
