On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins were defeated 24-19 by the New England Patriots.
Entering Week 8, it appeared the Dolphins had developed somewhat of an offensive identity behind tough running from running back Ollie Gordon. Prior to facing off against New England, Miami was able to earn their first victory of the season following this game plan against the New York Jets.
Despite holding a 13-3 halftime lead, this game plan stagnated against the Patriots as Gordon was held to 69 rushing yards on 3.6 yards per carry. The Dolphins were unable to hold their lead and were outscored 21-6 in the second half.
After the game, one Patriots defender did not mince words on the antics of running back Ollie Gordon.
New England Patriots Linebacker Shares True Feelings on Miami Dolphins Running Back Ollie Gordon
New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss expressed displeasure at Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon after the game, saying, “Yeah, I definitely did not like how he presented himself last game. He bothered me a little bit, but yeah, honestly, it just added fuel to the fire. At the end of the day, he’s a competitor, we’re competitors, but we’ll line up and see what happens the next play. All of that talking, all it does is hurt your team.”
It’s not surprising to see an opposing player express displeasure toward Gordon. Aside from his hard running style, Gordon tends to trash talk opposing players once the play concludes. While he was not penalized during the team’s Week 7 game against the Jets, his antics after the play proved costly against New England as it resulted in a 15-yard penalty which effectively killed one of Miami’s drives in the second half.
Following his penalty, Gordon expressed frustration on the sideline, speaking with head coach Jeff Hafley and later quarterback Malik Willis. While Hafley declined to give details about his conversation with Gordon, Willis told reporters, “I was just letting him know that, in that situation, he’s deadass wrong. And that’s the honest truth.”
Ollie Gordon’s Costly Penalty
Regarding the ramifications of Gordon’s penalty, the Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly wrote: “Gordon’s 5-yard run had just set up a third-and-5 from Miami’s 40-yard line. If the Dolphins had converted that first down they would have likely been at midfield, and potentially could put the team in position to build on a 13-10 lead midway through the third quarter with another first down or two.
So, in the span of four possessions a three-point lead turned into an 11-point deficit. And the match that lit the fire was Gordon running his mouth.”
Gordon said of his actions, “It’s one of those things where I got to keep my mouth shut and go back to the huddle. It’s one of those things I need to work on the most. Especially in that situation. It just can’t happen.”
He added, “I have to be better for my team.”
Next, Gordon will have a difficult challenge as the Dolphins take on the Detroit Lions. The Lions rank in the top-10 in rushing defense this season.
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