GREEN Bay, Wisc. — At least one Miami Dolphins player believed the team let cold temperatures dictate Thursday’s performance in its 30-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

According to NextGen Stats, the Dolphins missed 20 tackles in the loss, which directly led to 132 additional yards for the Packers. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks said outright that he thought the mid-20s-degree temperatures played a role.

“I thought we were weak,” Brooks said after the game. “It was that simple, I thought we were soft today. I don’t know if the boys were too cold… I don’t know what it was. I feel like the elements played a role in how we played as a group , and that was the result we got.”

After going five straight games without allowing an opponent to rush for 100 yards, the Dolphins allowed 108 rushing yards in the first half Thursday. They also allowed Green Bay to average over 7 yards per play and failed to force a turnover for the first time since Week 8.

Although Miami outscored the Packers 14-6 in the second half, the poor defensive effort and 24-3 deficit in the first half were too much to overcome.

Defensive lineman Calais Campbell grimaced when told the final number of missed tackles after the game.

“That’s just the game, man. Twenty missed tackles – it’s hard to win,” he said. “I think it was one of those days where what could go wrong, went wrong…I never want to make excuses, but I felt like the ball bounced their way today and they made the play to win the ball .” When we had the opportunity to make tackles in critical spaces, we had to find a way.”

Miami forced a three-and-out on the Packers’ opening drive of the game, but rookie returner Malik Washington muffed the kick, giving the Packers the ball at Miami’s 7-yard line. Green Bay scored three plays later on a Jordan Love pass to Jayden Reed.

Campbell said it’s hard to come back from mistakes like that, but the Dolphins defense also failed to hold Green Bay to a field goal after the turnover, which would have been much more palatable.

Miami’s offense was not without its share of blame for Thursday’s loss, going 4-for-14 on third down and failing to score touchdowns on half of its red zone visits. On one of those red zone trips, the Dolphins faced second-and-goal from the 1-yard line and ended up turning the ball over on downs. Head coach Mike McDaniel said technical fouls kept them out of the end zone on first and second downs, but he took blame for the incomplete pass on third down and sack on fourth down.

“It was a collection of things over the course of four games that will be hard for us to swallow when we watch film,” McDaniel said.

The loss leaves Miami two games behind the Denver Broncos for the seventh and final playoff seed in the AFC. With five games remaining, the Dolphins will likely need to win to have a realistic chance at a third straight playoff berth.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he wouldn’t say the “dream is dead” for the Dolphins just yet, but as Campbell said, they will likely need help to get into the playoff field.

“You hyper-focus on the next thing and you take it one game at a time, just like we did when we were 2-6,” McDaniel said after the game. “I told them, 5-7 pales in comparison to 2-6. We’ve positioned ourselves to be in a situation where we can withstand a one-game setback and still get things done… It’s going to be really frustrating if you know you.” “You’re able to win a game and you can point to yourself why you lost it.”

Thursday’s loss was also the Dolphins’ seventh straight loss when the temperature was below freezing at kickoff – a disappointing result for a team that openly welcomed the opportunity to change the narrative that it can’t play in cold weather.

While three of the remaining five games will likely take place under favorable weather conditions — two at home and one at Houston’s domed NRG Stadium — Miami will play back-to-back road games against the Browns and Jets to end the season, both of which are near or below can play. freezing temperatures.

McDaniel said when the time comes, he thinks his players will be ready to take on the challenge.

“At the end of the day, if you’re trying to do anything in this league, you have to overcome it,” he said. “I think our boys are looking forward to performing in the cold weather at the next opportunity; I think they know they can do it, so the need and the want.”