BY SEAN DONOVAN
The Miami Dolphins fell short in their bid to start the season 4-0 after a 38-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints Monday night.
And it was the shortest player on the Saints' roster that gave the Dolphins the most trouble, with the diminutive Darren Sproles accounting for 215 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns as the rout knocked Miami from the ranks of the unbeatens.
Tight end Jimmy Graham, who stands as the tallest Saint on the roster, also accounted for two scores.
Miami's defense was unable to matchup with either in the passing game, giving quarterback Drew Brees open targets on his way to a 30-of-39, 413 yard, four touchdown night. The 38 points given up is the most by the Dolphins since Week 1 of the 2011 season.
"We played a very good football team," Dolphins head coach Joe
Philbin said. "We are going to find out what kind of football team we
have with how they come to practice tomorrow, how they respond next
week."
The inability of the defense to be effective against the Saints was mirrored by the offense, which put up just 17 points and committed four turnovers. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was accountable for all four, throwing three interceptions and giving up one second-quarter fumble that led to New Orleans' second touchdown.
Tannehill completed 22-of-35 passes for 249 yards, a touchdown and the three picks, in addition to taking four sacks on the night.
"We need to correct the mistakes," Tannehill told reporters after the
game, via the team website. "We're going to move on quickly and be
ready for Baltimore."
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