DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill had another mediocre performance Monday in a 31-24 loss to the New York Giants, going 25 of 41 for 236 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions for a modest 85.0 passer rating.
Tannehill, now 28-33 as starter, has a 88.0 passer rating for the season. He has 22 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 61.3 percent completion rate, which ranks 22nd in the NFL. He has a career-worst seven fumbles and a career-low 92 yards rushing with three games remaining (his season low is 211 yards as a rookie).
There is growing sentiment among fans the Dolphins need to draft a quarterback next year, but there is no indication which way the team is leaning. Tannehill signed a $95 million contract extension in the offseason.
--Miami allowed a 100-yard receiver in each of the past three games, six of the past seven, and nine games overall this season. Cornerback Brent Grimes seems to be more of a target than at any other time in his two-plus seasons with the Dolphins.
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Giants quarterback Eli Manning was the latest to go at the 32-year-old Grimes, who made the Pro Bowl each of the previous two seasons. Manning hit wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle and Dwayne Harris with little problem against Grimes.
Although Grimes did a nice job shadowing Houston's DeAndre Hopkins (six receptions, 50 yards) and Dallas' Dez Bryant (four receptions, 45 yards), others such as the New York Jets' Brandon Marshall (nine receptions, 131 yards) and Buffalo's Sammy Watkins (eight receptions, 168 yards in a loss) had great success against him.
Grimes didn't shadow Beckham, but he gave up a touchdown to the dynamic wide receiver.
In the bigger picture, the Dolphins' secondary is a mess. Grimes appears old, free safety Louis Delmas is coming off a second consecutive injury-shortened season due to a torn ACL, and at the other cornerback position, neither Jamar Taylor nor rookie Bobby McCain nor veteran Brice McCain seems to be the answer.
The Dolphins could need to grab three starters in the offseason.
--Miami's offense just can't get it right. The Dolphins scored more than 20 points for just the third time this season in the 31-24 loss to the Giants, but Miami couldn't muster a fourth-quarter touchdown.
The Dolphins are 24th in the NFL in scoring at 20.3 points per game. They were pleased at scoring 24 points, but ...
"You have to score more than 24," interim coach Dan Campbell said. "It was time for the offense to step up, and we didn't do it."
--Defensive end Damontre Moore was claimed off waivers from the Giants, according to local reports. Moore joins DE Quinton Coples, an ex-New York Jet, as late-season acquisitions to boost what was regarded as the deepest and most talent area of the team.
--Wide receiverJarvis Landry had a season-high 18 targets in Monday's game against the Giants. Landry ended with 11 receptions for 99 yards, two kickoff returns for 66 yards and two punts returns for 30 yards for a total of 195 all-purpose yards. He also had a costly 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on the Dolphins' final possession when they trying to get a game-tying touchdown. They punted two plays after the penalty.
--Running back Lamar Miller rushed for 89 yards against the Giants and now has 769 yards rushing on the season. Miller, who rushed for 1,099 yards a year ago, needs to average only 77 yards a game over the final three to become the first Dolphins RB to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons since Ricky Williams (2002-03).
--Strong safety Reshad Jones had a game-high 11 tackles and a fumble recovery against the Giants. Jones, who is hoping to earn his first Pro Bowl berth, has a team-best 118 tackles and four INTs as well as the recovered fumble.
--Right tackle Ja'Wuan James (right big toe) has been out of a walking boot for about a week, but it is not yet known whether he will practice this week in preparation for Sunday's game at San Diego. James missed the past six games.
--Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh continued his streak of dominance, this time beating Giants right guard John Jerry. Suh, who has arguably been the best player on the field the past five or six weeks, had four tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a pass defended against the Giants. Of course, you could argue Giants quarterback Eli Manning (4 TD passes) or Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (166 yards receiving, 2 TDs) , were better than Suh on Monday. But Suh, who has been playing at an All-Pro level for weeks, was pretty darn good.
--Wide receiver DeVante Parker was expected to have a big day against the Giants. However, the rookie first-round pick only had two receptions for 16 yards. He was targeted five times.
--Punter Matt Darr had a good day against the Giants, extending his season-long stretch of good days. Darr punted six times for an average of 46.7 yards, and four of those punts landed inside the 20. Darr, the undrafted rookie from Tennessee, is fifth in the NFL at 47.6 yards per punt.
--Tight end Dion Sims (three receptions, 14 yards) lost a fumble on the game-opening possession. The Giants turned it into a field goal. Sims, who had 24 receptions for 284 yards and two touchdowns last season, has 13 receptions for 70 yards and one score this season.
--Cornerback Tony Lippett will get a look this week against San Diego, according to coach Dan Campbell. Lippett presumably will take time from Jamar Taylor.
--Cornerback Bobby McCain, the rookie who took Jamar Taylor's starting job, left the Giants game to undergo concussion protocol. Interim coach Dan Campbell hinted Tuesday that McCain might not be available this week.
