MIAMI — If you thought this year’s Miami Dolphins team was exempt from the franchise’s patented December collapse, think again.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw three fourth-quarter interceptions, and the Dolphins lost their Christmas Day game against the Green Bay Packers, 26-20, after leading, 20-10, deep in the first half on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami (8-7) drops a fourth straight game and finishes December winless at 0-4. Its playoff odds, which have been held up by other teams’ losses despite the Dolphins’ own losing streak, decreased from 83 percent to 67 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The Dolphins still control their own postseason destiny if they defeat the Patriots in New England and win a home finale against the Jets, but they’ll need help elsewhere if they split the last two. Miami is still able to clinch before Week 18 if it wins against the Patriots and the Jets lose in Seattle next Sunday.
Tagovailoa finished 16 of 25 for 310 yards, a touchdown and the three crucial interceptions. Excelling early in the game, his star receiving combination of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle both surpassed 100 yards. Waddle had five receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown, and Hill made four catches for 103 yards.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was 24 of 38 for 238 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
With the score tied at 20 early in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins and Packers exchanged interceptions and it netted Green Bay a go-ahead field goal with 11:45 remaining.
Miami cornerback Kader Kohou came down with an interception of Rodgers for the first one of his career as he possibly got away with a shove of Packers receiver Allen Lazard on the pass to the end zone.
On the very next play, Tagovailoa threw high into traffic trying to get a pass to Hill. The errant throw was intercepted by Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander. Following a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty called on Jaelan Phillips, Miami got a red-zone stop to keep the Packers to a 28-yard Mason Crosby field goal for the lead, 23-20.
Miami was driving with a chance to tie or take the lead at the Green Bay 30-yard line, but Tagovailoa threw a second fourth-quarter interception, picked off by linebacker De’Vondre Campbell as he targeted running back Raheem Mostert over the middle.
After the Packers consumed four minutes driving, Crosby nailed a 26-yard field goal to put Green Bay ahead, 26-20, with 2:02 to play.
Miami’s fate was sealed when Tagovailoa tossed it to the wrong team one final time as cornerback Rasul Douglas came down with the ball that possibly went to him due to a miscommunication on a route.
Green Bay started the second half with a magnificent Rodgers-led drive that went 78 yards in 11 plays and took the first 7:07 off the third-quarter clock. Rodgers threw a sidearm 31-yard completion to tight end Marcedes Lewis that put the Packers in scoring position before A.J. Dillon scored on the ground from a yard out two plays later. Green Bay also converted a fourth-and-1 in its own territory early in the series.
The Dolphins squandered an opportunity to retake the lead later in the third quarter when kicker Jason Sanders missed a 48-yard attempt late in the third period, snapping his 12-kick streak of made field goals.
With two big plays in the passing game in the first half, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins scored one long touchdown and set up another 1-yard score.
Waddle broke free on the first play of Miami’s second drive, crossing over the middle to then sprint down the right sideline for an 84-yard touchdown that was assisted by fine downfield blocking by Hill. It marked Miami’s longest play of the season.
After Green Bay answered with a Rodgers touchdown to Lewis on fourth-and-goal at the 1, Tagovailoa threw deep over the middle about 57 air yards to Hill as the speedster ended up down at the Packers’ 1-yard line. Running back Jeff Wilson, after missing a game with a hip injury, did the rest with a short plunge into the end zone.
The Dolphins, after scoring a field goal on their opening drive, allowed a 93-yard kick return by the Packers’ Keisean Nixon set them up in a goal-to-go situation to start their first offensive series. An Elandon Roberts sack of Rodgers set Green Bay back before settling for the tying field goal.
A Raheem Mostert fumble late in the first half that was forced and recovered by Packers defensive lineman Jarran Reed allowed Green Bay to get the ball before the end of the half, with Crosby’s second field goal getting the Packers within one possession before halftime.
After playing on Christmas Day, the Dolphins now play the Patriots in New England on New Year’s Day, next Sunday, before a home finale against the Jets.
