AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
- The Miami Dolphins got shut out by the New England Patriots on Sunday in their second embarrassing loss of a season that is just two games old.
- The most painful part of the game came in the second half when Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw pick-sixes to the Patriots on back-to-back possessions.
- While the plan may sound alright in theory, the team still has to get through this dreadful season.
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The 2019 Miami Dolphins are the worst team the NFL has seen in some time.
After starting the season with a 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Miami, the Dolphins came back with an arguably more pathetic effort in Week 2. They were shut out by the Patriots 43-0 in front of their home fans.
The Dolphins were never really in the game against the Patriots on Sunday. /they went three-and-out on their opening drive and quickly gave up a touchdown to give New England a lead that would only grow. Four of Miami's five drives in the first half would end in a three-and-out, with the Patriots taking a 13-0 lead into the break.
Things would get decidedly more depressing in the second half. After three more three-and-out drives from the Miami offense, Ryan Fitzpatrick would throw pick-sixes on consecutive possessions to turn the game from a frustrating shut out to an embarrassing blow out.
The first pick-six came as the Dolphins finally breached Patriots territory for what felt like the first time in the game.
Just four plays later, a tipped ball left Fitzpatrick to connect with the Patriots again for his second touchdown of the game going in the wrong direction.
One stat from the game put the blow out in painful context.
Fitzpatrick would get pulled in favor of second-year quarterback Josh Rosen after that, but things wouldn't improve much for the Dolphins offense.
The depressing loss only furthers the Miami front office's effort to tank through the 2019 season in favor of acquiring draft picks and planning for the future.
The Miami front office's intentions became clear before the start of the season when they traded away left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills to the Houston Texans in exchange for draft picks. It was a move that was said to have threatened to spark a "revolt" from the Dolphins' players.
Then, after their opening loss to the Ravens, multiple players reportedly requested to be traded.
On Sunday, the Dolphins once again looked uninspired, and it's hard to see how things get better from here.
Miami might be planning for 2020, but the team still has to find a way to get through 14 more games in the 2019 season before the promise of next year's draft can come to fruition.
If the first two weeks are any indication, it's going to be a painful year for Dolphins fans.
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Stephon Gilmore coming out of nowhere with the pick 6 🔥 pic.twitter.com/O3FjXOge9q
- The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) September 15, 2019
The Pats defense is balling out today 👀 pic.twitter.com/BYj1phSucY
- The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) September 15, 2019
The Patriots have 123 yards on interception returns. The Dolphins have 93 yards of offense.
- Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) September 15, 2019