Sunday’s game vs New England was ugly.

Really ugly.

So ugly, that the Miami Dolphins would have been better off not making the trip to Foxborough. It was a dreadful performance and although there is plenty of blame to go around, Adam Gase is deserving of the brunt of it. After all, Gase once again had his team unprepared on the road, and did nothing throughout the game to counter New England’s game plan.

Belichick saw how effective team’s ran the football when using a traditional fullback. No, this wasn’t text-book Belichick, but he smelled blood in the water and attacked.

Sony Michel rushed for 112 yards, on 25 carries and a touchdown.

James White rushed 8 times for 44 yards and a touchdown. He also made his presence felt in the passing game, recording 8 receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.

They exploited Miami’s depth on the defensive line and created favorable matchups in the passing game.

Xavien Howard looked unbeatable during the first three weeks of the season, but got beat like a drum vs Phillip Dorsett and the Patriots uninspiring receiving core.

On the other side of the ball, New England played quarters defense for most of the game. Gase seemed dumbfounded, while Ryan Tannehill looked like a deer in the headlights. Both appeared as though it was a foreign concept, and had no answer to counter.

Run the football?

Kenyan Drake carried the ball 3 times for a whopping 3 yards. Over the last two games, Drake rushed 8 times. I repeat, the NFL’s most-effective running back over the last five weeks in 2017, has rushed the football 8 TIMES in two weeks!!!!!

The biggest loss wasn’t even the 38-7 beat down Miami received. It came mid-way through the game when center Daniel Kilgore left with what appears to be a season-ending triceps injury.

With all of that said.... step away from the ledge.

There is no time to dwell.

Miami is still 3-1 and currently reside at the top of the AFC East. Yes, it would have been nice to bury New England, but the odds were against them.

So what does this mean for the Dolphins moving forward?

It means the team from top to bottom, has to do better.

The game plan and coaching throughout the game, must get better.

Miami must regain focus, and try to establish a running game early vs Cincinnati.

They must attack the quarterback, and make things difficult for Andy Dalton.

Despite several key injuries to the offensive line, the team must overcome adversity and give Ryan Tannehill adequate time in the pocket.

In the wake of Bobby McCain's injury, the secondary must come together and slow down Cincinnati's talented wide receivers.

Most importantly, the Dolphins must look more like the team we saw during the first three weeks of the season, and less like the woeful team we watched get bullied in Foxborough.

If the Dolphins can win on the road in Cincinnati, it will be a massive step in the right direction.

A loss, and the team could be headed in a downward spiral.

Yes, it might be crazy to say this is a must-win game. But if the Dolphins want to be legit playoff contenders, they must prove their worth in a big-time divisional match up.

We might not know who the 2018 Dolphins are, but we should have a pretty good idea come Sunday.

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