MIAMI GARDENS — In the end, Chop Robinson's questionable personal foul on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was moot because a holding penalty would have meant the same result. A Kansas City first down.
But the play still happened. The Chiefs accepted the penalty. And Mahomes was flat on his back in his own end zone feeling the full weight of the Miami Dolphins' 265-pound edge rusher.
What could have ended with the Chiefs punting from the back of their end zone with a four-point lead late in the third quarter, turned into the three-time Super Bowl champions finding their groove and breaking open a game nobody believed the Dolphins could keep close.
Kind of a snap shot of a day that ended with theDolphins losing 24-10in their home opener, and falling
to 0-3 on the season.
"It was enough to win the game, which is upsetting," defensive tackle and team leader Zach Sieler said about the Dolphins play. "Every loss just hurts. We fought tough and we played our hearts out the whole game. We just got to learn to close the deal, and we got to start faster."
This was a building-block game for a defense that allowed 62 points its first two games. Inspiring efforts by players such as rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, safety Dante Trader, rookie cornerback Chris Johnson and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips against an established offense that still has the ability to be explosive is the first step.
Jacob Rodriguez puts up numbers not seen in NFL in 14 years
Rodriguez continues his development that has him at the top of the list of Dolphins who will be around when the final touches are put on this rebuilding project. He is the first rookie in the NFL since Tampa Bay's Lavonte Davis in 2012 to record five tackles, three for loss, and an interception in a game. And the only Dolphins player to do so since at least 2008.
The interception came late in the first half and was Mahomes' first incompletion after starting the game connecting on 11 straight passes. Rodriguez made a diving catch on a ball that ricocheted off Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice and Trader.
"I'm pleased with the intensity, I'm pleased with the physicality of this defense," Rodriguez said. "But we're getting closer. And we're building this thing. And I believe everybody in that locker room.
"We're getting closer. But we just have to play better."
When Seiler talks about starting faster, he means not giving up two touchdowns on the opponents' first two drives.
Mahomes connected with wide open tight end Travis Kelce for 48 yards on the first play of the game. Three plays later, it was 7-0. Then a 10-play drive ended in a Mahomes' underhanded scoring pass to Kenneth Walker.
Here is where the Dolphins grew up a bit.
The next three possessions, not including the end of the half, ended with Miami stopping the Chiefs on downs by holding Walker to no gain on third- and fourth-and-1, Rodriguez's pick and a Chiefs punt.
No excuses from Chop Robinson
The next series is when Miami had Kansas City on its own 5 and facing a third-and-9 when the officials said Robinson was a bit too aggressive with Mahomes and at the same time Sieler was caught holding.
Robinson didn't make an excuse, saying, "it's a football play, that's what the refs called, so I had to move on from it." But he didn't take an extra step and he didn't hit Mahomes high. The only explanation given on the broadcast what he didn't let up while landing on Mahomes with his full weight.
Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley took the same approach, not making an excuse but hoping to use it as a teaching moment for the third-year edge rusher who missed the San Francisco game with a concussion and who's still attempting to prove he belongs.
"I was so fired up because I thought just watching the pressure hit home we had exactly what we wanted on the play," Hafley said. "I saw it open up and I kind of got really excited.
"But I'm not going to fault the guy for going hard. We'll clean it up and we'll have to coach it better if indeed it was."
The played appeared to inspire the Chiefs, who drove from their 20 after the penalty to the Dolphins 8. But this is what gives Seiler hope.
"Yeah, they went down to the field," Sieler said. "(But) I think we did a great job responding to that … and not letting that affect us. Obviously, it would have been great to get off the field right there but at the end of the day, we tightened up at the end and held them to a field goal."
Another teaching moment occurred earlier when Taaffe was flagged for illegal contact on third down in the red zone, giving the Chiefs a first down. The play led to the Chiefs' second touchdown and negated a sack by Jordyn Brooks, which would have been the Dolphins' first of the season.
Miami will enter its fourth game still seeking its first sack.
"One of those where I thought we were off the field on third down because they ran a rub route," said Hafley, who added he thought the flag was for offensive pass interference.
"Next play. Like I said, on game day to me, it's corrections. 'Hey, let's fix this.' I'm not there to yell and then tell him he didn't do a good enough job. I coach him what he can do different and tell him to get on to the next play."
Next play. Next game. Even next season.
The rebuild is on and the Dolphins can only take the positive from every play, every game, regardless of the final score.
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins show progress while falling to 0-3 in loss to Chiefs
