Two weeks ago, the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins had played themselves into playoff contention, in position to win their way in. On Sunday, they both played their way right out.
Somehow, they managed to go down in similar fashion – in fact, almost exactly the same. A pair of offenses, led by two seemingly reliable quarterbacks, fell flat on their faces at the wrong time. They largely held their postseason destinies in their own hands … and they threw them away.
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The numbers were transparent for the 8-8 Dolphins: In their two season-killing losses to Buffalo and the New York Jets, they scored seven points total, with the 20-7 fade against the Jets eliminating them from contention.
The fatal figures with the 8-8 Ravens were deceptive. Don’t let the 75 points they gave up to eventual division champions New England and Cincinnati deceive you. They were the result of catastrophic offensive failures that often set up easy scores or handed over defensive touchdowns that put the game out of reach. That was the dominant theme in the 34-17 beating by the Bengals.
It was especially galling for their playoff hopes to end that way, because both had earned seemingly transformative victories in Week 15.
Two Sundays ago, the Dolphins had shocked the Patriots at home, halting a Tom Brady last-minute drive to secure the win. The next night, the Ravens won in Detroit without scoring a touchdown, thanks to the defense forcing Lions mistakes and Justin Tucker kicking six field goals, including a game-winning 61-yarder.
The talk in Baltimore and around the NFL was that the Ravens were not only in position to catch and pass Cincinnati in the division, but a threat to repeat as Super Bowl champ as long as they got into the field. In Miami, the Dolphins were being measured for a redemption narrative, staying unified despite the bullying investigation and the exits of Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito.
Both games were fool’s gold.
Ryan Tannehill threw for three touchdowns and just one interception against New England, and both teams finished even in turnovers. The next two weeks, Tannehill managed one touchdown pass – the only Dolphins’ score in that span – and five interceptions.
Sunday’s fourth quarter was a near-complete surrender: With the Dolphins down just 14-7 and the Jets having just shanked a short field goal, they were forced to punt, gave up a field goal, got intercepted on their next play from scrimmage, gave up another field goal, then got intercepted again the next time they had the ball with 1:30 left.
The Ravens’ disintegration was just as complete. At home against arch-rival New England with everything to play for, they played themselves into a 20-0 hole, finally scored, then got stuffed on the crucial fourth-and-goal at the Patriots’ four in the third quarter. New England’s last two touchdowns came off turnovers by Joe Flacco’s backup, Tyrod Taylor – but Flacco had already thrown two picks himself.
The same script unfolded in Cincinnati, except more horrific – Andy Dalton threw four interceptions, and this is how the Ravens capitalized: field goal, field goal, field goal, Flacco interception. Flacco’s touchdown-interception ratio for the final two games was 1-to-5.
If either team takes care of the ball, it would have had a chance to have the tiebreakers fall in its favor. Neither could. Both will sit at home for the playoffs, but they shouldn’t have to think very hard about why – especially not their quarterbacks.
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