Colts vs Dolphins final score 2021 Week 4 with immediate reactions

The Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts finished their Week 4 contest, mercifully ending an ugly performance from Miami. The Dolphins never found a rhythm, constantly getting in their own way with penalties and turnovers, as well as just failing on simple plays. They did not open up the offense until late in the fourth quarter, trying to frantically come back from a three-score deficit, and it made most of the game unwatchable.

Not that the Colts were a high octane offense on the day. This looked like a winless team playing against a one-win team.

Final Score

Colts 27 - Dolphins 17

First Quarter

The Dolphins opened the game with a miserable possession that somehow ran six plays but picked up just seven yards. The punt, however, was muffed by the Colts and the Dolphins regained possession at the Colts’ 27-yard line. Miami still could not move the ball, however, gaining a total of 19 yards on their first two possessions, giving them an average of just 1.9 yards per play. Miami settled for a 38-yard field goal from Jason Sanders. Dolphins 3-0.

Indianapolis came out looking to establish the run with Jonathan Taylor, despite the knee injury that kept him limited throughout the week and questionable for the game. He picked up 12 yards on the first three plays of the drive, then was targeted on a dump-off pass from Carson Wentz for another yard. On 3rd-and-9, Emmanuel Ogbah was able to get to Wentz and end the drive with a sack.

Miami’s third possession started actually moving the ball. Brissett still looked underneath way more than trying to pick up chunks of yards, but the rhythm started to get dialed in. Miami used Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed on the drive, after Malcolm Brown started at running back, with the team looking to see who can get the hot hand early, then ride him the rest of the game. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, starting his second straight game after an injury to Tua Tagovailoa in Week 2, continued to look underneath, however, still not trying to go deep with any pass. The longest pass plays of the drive were an 18-yard catch and run and a 10-yard catch-and-run from Jaylen Waddle, both on short passes with the rookie receiver making plays. On 3rd-and-4, Brissett was able to find Will Fuller right at the marker, but the receiver was pushed back, then fought his way through tackles to re-gain the first down, in case forward progress did not give it to him. After an Ahmed run for four yards, the first period ended.

Reactions

• Damn the Dolphins look sexy in the all-white throwbacks.
• Miami’s offense still feels constipated. They just do not do anything beyond eight yards or so.
• Waddle looks fast and was a great draft pick.
• Great fight from Fuller to get that first down.
• That was a really quick first quarter,

Second quarter

The second quarter opened with a loss of a yard on an Ahmed run, then a sack of Brissett, and the promising drive from the first quarter ended with a disappointment. The Dolphins punted after taking a delay of game penalty to provide Michael Palardy with a little extra space. Palardy’s punt bounced straight up at the one-yard line, with Mack Hollins able to catch it, pinning the Colts inside the one-yard line.

Starting at their own one-yard line, the Colts started with a couple of runs to give themselves some space, moving out to their 13-yard line. From there, however, a holding penalty backed them up, then, on a 3rd-and-7 play, Wentz was again sacked, this time by Sam Eguavoen and Jaelan Phillips, to end the possession.

Miami, starting at the 50-yard line, did nothing with the ball, gaining just four yards on a Brown run on first down. Miami punted following a three-and-out.

The Colts started at their 20-yard line, picking up 12 yards on a 3rd-and-9 play to jump up to their own 33-yard line. They were unable to do anything on the next three plays, but an offside penalty on Miami on the punt provided the Colts with a free first down. A couple of plays later, Wentz looked deep to Mo Alie-Cox for 29 yards, moving the Colts to the Dolphins’ 23-yard line. After an incomplete pass targeting Alie-Cox, with linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel breaking up the pass in the endzone, Taylor broke through the line on a counter play and stiff-armed his way into the endzone for the touchdown. Colts 7-3.

Miami continued to do nothing on offense, picking up just four yards on three plays and punting again on another three-and-out.

The Colts did a little better, picking up 16 yards on seven yards, but they were more concerned with killing the clock at the end of the drive than trying to score. They punted te ball back to Miami with 19 seconds remaining in the half.

The Dolphins looked like they wanted to try to move the ball, but Brissett was sacked and the half ended.

Reactions

• Miami’s offense has to do more. It is too many short passes and congestion in the middle of the field. Brissett just looks underneath immediately on every single play. The offensive line’s struggles may be part of that issue, but they just need to do better.
• It feels like the Dolphins have been able to shut down the Colts’ offense, but, after the touchdown drive, the Colts have jumped ahead of Miami in terms of offensive yards (95 to 73 and in average yards per play, 4.8 to 3.0. This just is not going to cut it for an NFL offense.
• Oh, the three-and-out drops Miami to 2.9 yards per play. Kalen Ballage’s 1.8 yards per carry 2019 average is almost a long play for the Dolphins right now.
• The Miami offense is just hard to watch right now.

Third quarter

The Colts started with the ball, and Miami’s defense may not have realized they were supposed to come out of the locker room for the drive. Starting at their own 16-yard line after a holding penalty on the kick return, the Colts opened the drive with a 38-yard run from Taylor, jumping into Miami territory on one snap. The drive also included a 17-yard pass from Wentz to Ashton Dublin before Talor picked up six yards and nine yards on back-to-back runs, moving into the redzone. A neutral zone infraction by the Dolphins moved Indianapolis to the Miami nine-yard line, ultimately leading to a Wentz pass to Alie-Cox for the touchdown. Colts 14-3.

Miami gained three yards on a Brown run, then lost seven yards on a pass from Brissett to Jakeem Grant, followed by a pass to Wilson for 11 yards. The Dolphins punted on the three-and-out.

Indianapolis started at their own 11 after another good Palardy punt, but Marlon Mack picked up 12 yards on the ground to start the possession. Miami’s defense then showed up, stuffing Mack for a loss to bring up 2nd-and-15 where an incomplete pass set up 3rd-and-15. A 14-yard pass forced the Colts to punt.

But Grant muffed the return and gave the ball right back to the Colts. Taylor picked up six yards to move to the Miami 12-yard line, but a holding penalty and a false start dropped the Colts into a 2nd-and-19 from the Miami 27-yard line. A 10-yard pass from Wentz to Parris Campbell set up 3rd-and-9, with the defense able to wrap up Zach Pascal immediately to force a field goal. Colts 17-3.

Miami started at their own 25-yard line, with Brissett bouncing another ball short on a throw, this time targeting Jaylen Waddle. Brissett then found Gesicki for eight yards and DeVante Parker for seven yards to end the third quarter.

Reactions

• The Dolphins are playing a winless team and are getting thrown around. The offense cannot find any success and the defense is now getting run over coming out of the locker room. This is just painful.
• The defense managed to stop the Colts, only for Grant to muff the punt return. This is just ridiculous at this point.
• Hey! Back-to-back gains of over five yards. Impressive.

Fourth Quarter

The quarter opened with Brissett bouncing off two near-sacks, only to wait for the third attempt to bring him down to strip the ball away, leading to a recovery by Darius Leonard and the Colts taking over at the Miami 30-yard line.

The Colts were only able to pick up five yards, however, and settle for another field goal. Colts 20-3.

Miami’s offense woke up finally, starting with Brissett working the ball to Mike Gesicki for four yards, then 22 yards. The Brissett targeted DeVante Parker for a deep ball down the sideline, with Parker drawing the pass interference penalty to move the ball down to the Colts’ 28-yard line. After an incomplete pass targeting Parker, Brissett went back to the veteran receiver, gaining 25 yards despite more pass interference. Brown then carried for two yards, setting up 2nd-and-Goal from the one. After Brissett and Brown runs for no gain, Brissett found Gesicki who fell backwards but rolled into the endzone for the score. Colts 20-10.

After a kick off out of bounds, the Colts started with the ball at the 40-yard line. They picked up 41 yards on the first play as Pascal caught a pass deep down the left sideline, then cut back across the field. Taylor picked up four yards, then Hines picked up seven yards, setting up 1st-and-Goal from the Miami eight-yard line. After an offensive pass interference penalty, the Colts backed up to the 18-yard line, Miami forced the Colts into a 3rd-and-Goal, coming up with an Ogbah sack to force a field goal - except a phantom facemask penalty was called on Jaelan Phillips and the Colts were given a fresh set of downs. On 3rd-and-Goal again, Wentz found Alie-Cox who pulled in the touchdown despite Eric Rowe having a hand on the ball. Colts 27-10.

Miami’s offense made its first full appearance of the game on the next drive, with Brissett finding Parker for 42 yards to start the possession. Brissett then went to GEsicki for a 22-yard gain. After a short pass to Brown for four yards, then a Brown run for four yards, Brissett looked to Parker in the endzone, but he could not hold on to the ball. On 4th-and-2 from the three-yard line, Brissett fired a pass to the back of the endzone, with both Gesicki and Parker in the area. Parker caught the pass, giving Miami another score and pulling the team to within 10. Colts 27-17.

After an attempted on-side kick, the Colts start at their own 40-yard line. Mack picked up six yards, with Miami using the second of their three timeouts. Mack was stopped for no gain on second down, with Miami again calling a timeout. Wentz then looked deep, throwing a jump ball up for Jack Doyle, who made the catch for a 24-yard gain. Mack was stopped for a three-yard loss, then a one-yard loss. Then Wentz looked deep to Pittman for a 20-yard gain, essentially ending the game. Mack picked up one yard as the clock reached the two-minute warning. Mack then gained 10 yards to set up 1st-and-Goal from the Dolphins’ three-yard line. The Colts then just knelt to kill the clock.

Reactions

• What the.... Brissett has to get rid of that ball. Throw it away. I don’t care if you take a grounding penalty there. The last thing you can do it wait to get stripped of the ball. Just throw it away.
• Brissett must have just met Parker on the sideline for the first time. He clearly did not know Parker was on the team before that touchdown drive.
• And then Sanders’ kickoff goes out of bounds. Because why would we not see an out of bounds kick today?
• Seriously, it feels like Brissett just realized Parker and Gesicki are on the team.
• The Dolphins have so much they need to fix. Tua Tagovailoa is expected back in two weeks. They cannot allow another performance like this to happen, then think Tagovailoa will somehow fix it all.