The Dolphins fail in the second half of the 31:12 loss to the Titans

What started as a hard-fought game fell apart in the second half as the Miami Dolphins lost 31-12 to the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night.

Quarterback Tyler Huntley started in his first game with the Dolphins after being released from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad on September 17. He completed 14 of 22 passes for 96 yards and ran for 40 yards and a team-high eight yard carries.

Linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah initiated a strong defensive start for Miami with a loss of the ball. As Ogbah got back into coverage on Tennessee's first drive on second-and-9, he hit quarterback Will Levis with a pass intended for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. This was Ogbah's second career interception – his first in Week 3 of the 2023 season.

Huntley hit wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on a pass down the middle of the field for a lead of 14 on the team's first play from scrimmage after the takeaway, which was followed by a 16-yard run by wide receiver Tyreek Hill. This promising drive ended at the Tennessee 32-yard line when Titans linebacker Arden Key recovered a Miami fumble.

Levis suffered a shoulder injury while reaching the marker on the third and fourth attempts and it was questionable whether he would return. Quarterback Mason Rudolph came into the game on the next series and played the rest of the game for Tennessee.

Tennessee scored first when Rudolph led the Titans downfield 21 yards, setting up a 53-yard field goal by Nick Folk. After the Dolphins made a three-pointer, Folk hit a 52-yard field goal with 8:20 left in the first half to give the Titans a 6-0 lead.

After the Folk field goal, Miami attempted its best drive of the night so far with 10 plays for 44 yards. A 12-yard scramble by Huntley put the Dolphins within field goal range, and two passes to running back De'Von Achane and Waddle led to a 44-yard field goal by kicker Jason Sanders.

Both teams continued to exchange punts in the second quarter until the final drive of the half. With 16 seconds left, Rudolph started at his own 44-yard line and connected with a 29-yard pass down the middle of the field to wide receiver Tyler Boyd, setting up a 47-yard field goal by Folk and giving Tennessee one 9:3 gave us the lead at halftime.

The second half started positively for the Dolphins. A sack by linebacker Jordyn Brooks on third down led to an electric 27-yard punt return by wide receiver Braxton Berrios that started Miami's offense at Tennessee's 48-yard line. A 56-yard field goal by Sanders, one yard shy of his entire career, brought the Dolphins within three points with 9:02 left in the third quarter.

Miami's momentum was short-lived as the Titans responded with their most explosive possession of the game – a five-play, 70-yard touchdown drive that was set up by a 41-yard run by running back Tony Pollard and capped off with a seven -Yard run by running back Tyjae Spears.

Field goals of 51 and 29 yards by Folk extended Tennessee's lead to 22-6 with 10:45 left in the fourth quarter.

Miami responded on the ensuing offensive series by moving 70 yards downfield in 11 plays and capping the drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Huntley. An intercepted two-point conversion attempt left the Dolphins down two possessions with less than four minutes to play.

After a failed onside kick attempt, Miami's defense forced Tennessee to punt with 2:42 left. Huntley started the drive at its own eight-yard line and was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, adding two additional points to the Titans' lead.

Tennessee extended its lead on its final drive of the game, scoring a touchdown on a four-yard outside run by Pollard, who led all players with a game-high 88 yards on 22 carries.

The Dolphins travel to Foxborough, Massachusetts for their next game against the New England Patriots. Sunday's kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on FOX.