The Dolphins look awful and Joe Philbin’s days look numbered

It might take that long for the boos to stop echoing off the turquoise walls and seats of remodelled Sun Life Stadium.

Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin was already a lame duck coming into the 2015 season.

The Dolphins completely failed to show up for their home opener on Sunday.

For comparison sake, all but one (2009) of the Tony Sparano-led Dolphins teams outscored its opponents in the first quarter. Adult professionals or not, coaches need to get their teams ready to play and the Dolphins coaching staff, specifically Joe Philbin hasn’t done that. “This was not a good performance”.

Tannehill pointed the finger of blame on the players, saying the coaches’ game plans have been sound, and that everyone involved has confidence in what the team’s supposed to be doing. “Obviously it takes a group effort, but it starts with me”.

True: The Dolphins have invested in their quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, and spent major money in free agency on the defense, particularly on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Tannehill, in fact, only added to it. If you truly are what you are as National Football League legend Bill Parcells insists, there’s no reason for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to wait any longer. Is Bill Lazor having his legs cut beneath him?

As a team, Miami tallied 21 first downs, 391 yards and controlled the ball for 28 minutes and eight seconds, but lost he turnover battle 0-3.

Suh, meantime, did nothing to stand out.

Suh, the former Detroit Lion defensive tackle who signed here in March for $114.4 million over six years, had no sacks and no statistic at the intermission other than two tackles.

At least he didn’t stomp anybody.

The Miami Dolphins have more than capable pass rushers, but with Cameron Wake nursing a hamstring injury Miami has managed just one sack in their first two games. “It starts with me”, Joe Philbin said afterward.

If the end isn’t here, you can see it from the cliff.

Give some credit to the Bills’ offensive line. Whether it happens now or later, Philbin’s time in Miami is done.

After looking lost and playing ineffectually for much of the first three quarters last week against New England, he was excellent here. Not bad for his third career start, and first on the road. But two incomplete passes later the Dolphins were punting.

“Great win for us”, Bills head coach Rex Ryan said. “You play too many good teams to be down 14 points”.

Despite huge additions on offense and defense, the Dolphins are no better than last season. Or blowing a zone coverage to let Chris Hogan run wide open for a 38-yard touchdown on third and 9. On the third-down incompletion, three Bills defenders – three! – jumped a telegraphed Tannehill slant, and somehow the trio couldn’t corral the interception.

“We have to do better”, Philbin said in the understatement of the day.

There are two ways to look at this mess of a statement game: the Bills are really good and will do this to any number of teams (uh, no), or Philbin’s methods and message aren’t getting through.

“Every team is different, every game plan is different, but we are not opposed to blitzing at all”, Philbin said. I don’t think it’s very complicated. The only question is whether he can survive a trip to London to face the Jets. Their only other home game until late November is October. 25 against Houston. And this isn’t even Year One of the problem, which makes the problem seem worse.