GREEN BAY, Wis. — Tua Tagovailoa had expressed hope for the Miami Dolphins to change the narrative surrounding their performance in cold weather this week. However, the Dolphins fell short yet again, suffering a 30-17 defeat against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night amidst light snowfall.
Miami’s struggles continue, as they have now lost their last 12 games, whether regular-season or postseason, when the kickoff temperature was at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) or below. At Lambeau Field, the kickoff temperature was a chilly 27 degrees (-2.7 degrees Celsius), accompanied by 10-mile per hour winds, resulting in a wind chill of 18 degrees.
The last time the Dolphins won a game under these cold conditions was back on December 24, 2016, when they triumphed over the Buffalo Bills 34-31 in overtime. For Miami to keep their playoff dreams alive, they must put an end to this dismal streak as they head into the final weeks of the regular season, facing the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets on the road.
The weather this time around was much more forgiving than what the Dolphins faced during the wild-card round of the playoffs last year, where they lost 26-7 to the Kansas City Chiefs in frigid conditions of minus-4 degrees (-20 degrees Celsius) and a wind chill of minus-27. While the cold may not have directly hindered their performance, the Dolphins were not as sharp as they had been in their previous three-game winning streak, which had reignited their playoff aspirations.
Tagovailoa completed 37 of 46 passes for 364 yards and threw two touchdown passes, but he was sacked five times, receiving little support from his team. Miami found themselves playing catch-up early on after the Packers established a commanding 24-3 lead within the first 37½ minutes of the game.
A fumbled punt by Malik Washington gave Green Bay an advantageous first-and-goal opportunity that led to their first touchdown. The Dolphins also struggled with discipline, racking up six penalties in just the first half. Miami settled for a field goal during a goal-to-go situation and came up empty-handed after reaching second-and-goal at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter.
The Dolphins were already missing linebacker Anthony Walker and cornerback Kendall Fuller due to injuries, and their defense took further hits when nickel corner Kader Kohou and corner Cam Smith were sidelined as well. Ironically, in the frigid temperatures, it seemed Miami took two and a half quarters to warm up.
Despite their struggles, the Dolphins have the offensive capabilities to claw back from nearly any deficit, and they threatened to close the gap in the fourth quarter. However, their inability to convert in the red zone proved detrimental to their chances.
Miami managed to score a touchdown and stopped Green Bay on a third-and-1 play, allowing them to drive down the field again, reaching second-and-goal on the 1 early in the fourth quarter. Yet, penetrating that final yard remained an elusive task.
De’Von Achane was denied on second down, and Tagovailoa failed to link up with Jonnu Smith on third down before getting sacked on fourth down. The Packers secured their victory from that point forward, leaving the Dolphins once again out in the cold.