The Miami Dolphins’ recent cold-weather woes have been well-documented and Thursday night’s Thanksgiving game at the Green Bay Packers did nothing to improve the team’s reputation.
The Packers rumbled to 114 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries en route to a 30–17 win. “Them guys looked like they was cold out there,” Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs said after the win, which was played in 27-degree weather.
Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks agreed with the sentiment, opening up about his team’s struggles on Friday morning.
“I thought we were soft,” Brooks told ESPN. “Simple as that, I thought we were soft today. I don’t know if guys was too cold. … I don’t know what it was. I feel like the elements played a part in how we played as a group, and that was the result that we got.”
Miami missed 23 tackles in Thursday night’s game, according to Pro Football Focus. Head coach Mike McDaniel believes Brooks’s criticism stemmed from that tackling effort.
“I think specifically what Jordyn was talking about, I think that has to do with the tackling or the lack thereof,” McDaniel said. “So much of the production over 100-some odd yards for them offensively was as a result of tackling, and I think that was a collective issue. It’s two-fold, really.
“In my mind, it’s hard for me to assess 100% with conviction opinion one way or the other, but I think two things were at play. I saw a consistent failure of tacklers to bring their feet through the tackle, just picture diving and leaving your feet to try to wrap up, as opposed to bringing your feet through the tackle which is our No. 1 fundamental emphasis when we do that. Whether that was because of, the cold or the short week, either way both things are consistent with the opponent; the opponent has a short week and the opponent is playing in that weather.”
Miami’s defense struggles headlined Thursday’s loss, but the offense missed on a number of crucial opportunities throughout the game as well, going just 4-of-14 on third down and scoring touchdowns on just two of the team’s four red zone trips.
