Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake is having difficulty explaining performances like Monday night’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.
“I’m lost, honestly,” Wake said after the game. “To me, it’s not even just about the game it’s losing doing things obviously that we’ve shown that we know how to do. We stop the run most often, more days than not. We usually get after the quarterback. We do a lot of things well normally. And those things tonight, we didn’t do well. It’d be one thing if we were always giving up yards like that or always dropping the ball or miscommunicating or doing whatever but it’s frustrating when you don’t do the things you do well. So, I don’t know.
The Panthers put up 548 yards of total offense and rushed for 294 yards in handing the Dolphins a 45-21 defeat. Carolina scored touchdowns on five straight drives and on six of their final seven full possessions of the game. The breakdowns of Miami’s defense have left Wake searching for answers.
“This isn’t acceptable. It’s unacceptable to me,” Wake said.
Despite having won four games this season, the Dolphins have the fourth-worst point differential in the NFL. Only the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts have been outscored by a greater margin through 10 weeks of the season. A 16-10 win over the Tennessee Titans was Miami’s only victory this season be more than a field goal margin. They’ve lost three different games by at least 20 points, including Monday night against the Panthers.
Miami has managed to win a few games to keep them in the playoff chase. The games they’ve lost, they’ve lost by an average of 20 points per game. Wake said Miami’s offense did enough Monday night. The defense didn’t do its part.
“We have to play consistently,” Wake said. “This inconsistency is a thing that’s killing us. We got to get back to being that team that does the things well that we did well the first half of the season and the last few games it hasn’t been that way.”