There was some hope that the 2023 second-round draft pick could return to the field after initially being assigned a questionable designation, but the secondary had to press on without him. Miami was desperate to keep pace with the Denver Broncos (7-5) and the rest of the AFC Wild Card contenders, so any setbacks are damaging. That is especially true given that the team fell short in yet another prime-time matchup in cold weather.

The Dolphins cannot shake their bad habits

Jordan Love enjoyed his best game in a month and a half and the defense contained the Dolphins for the most part, as the Packers gave their fans a holiday to remember in Lambeau Field. Tua Tagovailoa posted a robust stat line (37-of-46 for 365 passing yards and two touchdowns), but he and the offense did not capitalize on enough of their opportunities.

They had three downs to punch the ball into the end zone from the one-yard line but came away empty in the fourth quarter, effectively ending their hopes of a thrilling comeback. The “Miami can’t win a big game” narrative will balloon to troubling depths after an unsuccessful trip to frigid Green Bay. More importantly, however, the team’s 2024-25 campaign is now in dire straits.

The Dolphins could be more than two games out of the final playoff slot by the time Week 13 concludes. They will probably have to win out to have any chance at saving their season. Completing an already improbable quest will be grueling without a sufficient defense. Cam Smith, who faced injury problems earlier in the year, has 13 combined tackles in five games.