It's becoming a familiar story for Dol-Fans: Play a very good team tough for almost the entire ball game, then come up short in the 4th quarter. There's no shame in losing on the road to Peyton Manning, but unfortunately, the AFC playoff race is so tough that any loss could be crushing. Onto the plays.
3. Peyton Manning to Emmanuel Sanders on 3rd & 20
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Late in the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins had an 11-point lead and a chance to grab control of the game. Unfortunately, Jamar Taylor bit on a double move and let Sanders get behind him. The worst part of the play was that Sanders faked the first move 10 yards in front of the first down marker, so he was no threat at that point. Taylor tried to cover the move anyway, giving Sanders the time and space he needed to get behind him and convert. That led to a TD to cut the lead to 4.
And by the way, it was a perfect pass by Manning. This is the only place he shows up on the plays, but that's more because we've just come to accept how ridiculously good he is. He was great again.
2. C.J. Anderson 10-Yd TD run to give Denver the lead for good
CJ Anderson had 239 yards rushing coming into this game -- not 239 yards this season, 239 yards in his entire career. He looked more like a No. 1 back while filling in for Montee Ball and this run capped off the day. It wasn't his most spectacular individual effort (most of the credit for this one goes to his offensive line), but it's here because of what it meant to the game.
1. Ryan Tannehill INT in the 4th
It's unfortunate that this is the only Tannehill play we're talking about, because he was great under tough circumstances most of the day. Unfortunately, it was the play that ultimately ended the Fins' chances to win the ballgame.
Right after Anderson's TD gave the Broncos the lead, Tannehill still had a chance to put his stamp on this game. This was the Dolphns' chance to prove this time would be different. Unfortunately, it wasn't. And now the Fins are in a rough spot in the playoff race (although they do have a favorable schedule the rest of the way).