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2 hours ago
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Zach Sieler is a well-respected member of the Miami Dolphins. He's got that captain's 'C' on his chest.
But on Thursday night, he may have ruined the Dolphins' last chance to really save their season.
The Miami defense had just gotten a stop in a 21-21 game. The Bills lined up to punt on fourth-and-7 from their own half of the field.
Sieler broke through, but not quite quickly enough, as part of the punt block team.
Buffalo got the punt off, but then Sieler crashed hard into the punter's lower legs.
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The flag flew immediately. After short discussion, it was ruled that it wasn't just a 5-yard running into the punter penalty. It was the 15-yard roughing the punter penalty.
The Bills didn't need a second invitation.
From the automatic first down on, they marched down the field to set up a Josh Allen to Khalil Shakir touchdown.
When Tua Tagovailoa followed that with an interception, the game was essentially over.
It didn't have to be that way, if Sieler had just found a way to avoid that collision.
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Miami is already 0-2. This was, by far, the best the Dolphins had played all year.
If Miami could snap its long losing streak in Buffalo, it could revive the whole season.
Instead, with that one Sieler collision, the Dolphins' nosedive continue. Their may not be much time left to come up for air.
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