1-0 baby! The Dolphins started the season at home against the Titans, in one of the most bizarre and easily the most lengthy football games in the history of the sport. 7 hours, and 10 minutes. Wow! Lightning strikes in the vicinity of Hard Rock caused a couple of weather delays which put the total game time from start to finish at 7:10, which is the longest game in NFL history.
The good thing is that the Dolphins team remained focused on the task at hand, winning the game, and I would give some credit to Head Coach Adam Gase for keeping his team prepared, and to GM Chris Grier and VP Mike Tannenbaum for shedding the roster of the “ME” players and building a team of players who share a common goal, helping each other make the Dolphins a winning team.
The Dolphins had a nice balance on offense, Kenyan Drake getting the most touches as expected, and it was especially nice to see Frank Gore come in and spark the offense. He looks fresh, especially for a veteran RB with 13 NFL seasons under his belt, and over 3200 carries. I think it’s a great tandem, they complement each other very well. The O-line did their job well, and both backs were able to move the ball.
Ryan Tannehill looked very good in the game, but a couple of poor throws somewhat derailed his fine effort. I really thought the throw in the end zone to Gesicki, whether Mike slipped or not, was too flat, not enough arc, and also just thrown too close to the defender. Make that throw more towards the sideline, and deeper towards the back of the endzone with more arc, and there’s very little chance if any that it gets picked off. The other was either an overthrow or a miscommunication with Jakeem Grant, and without certainty as to which, I can’t blame Tannehill on that one. The play-action TD pass to Kenny Stills was a beauty, great protection, and a very accurate strike for the TD. Take away the end zone miscue to Gesicki or the other INT intended for Grant, and Tannehill has done exactly what I would hope he could do.
The Titans after the injury to starting QB Marcus Mariota were not the same team, but the injuries to starting OT’s Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin, LT and RT respectively is really what killed the Titans. Those 2 are aggressive, mean and nasty run blockers, and the Dolphins limited the run game, especially when big back Derrick Henry was in, to 26 yards on 10 carries. Dion Lewis, who is quicker and shiftier had more success, rushing for 75 yards on 16 carries.
On defense, the first thing I noticed right away, was Minkah Fitzpatrick. He didn’t do one spectacular thing on Sunday, but damn if he wasn’t always around the ball. You just can’t teach what he has, that desire to digest football knowledge, study film to learn players and teams tendencies, and the desire to work in the weight room to become the best player he can be. Minkah had that before he got here, but he’s ours man, and I’m thrilled we have him. He was in on 6 tackles, but despite that, he just seemed to be so involved in the game, and he was out there a lot. If anyone has snap counts, I’d love to know how many, as well as for the D-line. The frequent rotation worked as well as I could have hoped, and the youngins Godchaux and Taylor look like all the world to have been brilliant draft picks. You just don’t expect a 5th and 6th RD defensive tackle to give you what Godchaux and Taylor are giving us. Think of how absurd it is to pay a player over $20M to do what these guys are giving us! Talk about value, it’s insane! The LB’s weren’t asked to do everything, as we saw 3 safeties out there often enough. Kiko led the team with 6 solo tackles, and both Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker had 3 solos and 3 assists. Very possible this type of thing plays out the entire season.
The Jets come off a very successful road win against the Detroit Lions. They banged up QB Matthew Stafford pretty good, and the battered QB threw 1 TD and 4 INT’s. While Matthew Stafford hurt his team, the Jets rookie QB did the opposite. Sam Darnold played a very solid game, despite throwing an INT on his very first pass attempt. The rookie bounced back well however, and helped lead his team to an impressive 48-17 drubbing of the Lions. He had a nice balanced rushing attack with Bilal Powell and Isaiah Crowell with a 1-1A type approach. Crowell finished with 102 yards on 10 carries and 2 TD’s and Powell had 12 carries for 60 yards. Quincy Enunwa has resumed his spot as the go-to-guy of the offense, after being out with an injury last year. Robbie Anderson remains the big play danger, he’s like our version of Kenny Stills, except of course Anderson threatens police officers with vulgar things he will do to their wives, but on the gridiron, they are similar threats.
Dolphins vs Jets are always crazy games, as last year’s Fest game was evidence of such. The Dolphins pulled out a last minute victory when Bobby McCain intercepted Josh McCown with 47 seconds remaining in the game, allowing Cody Parkey to kick the game winning 39 yard F to win it 31-28. What a FEST-ivious win! There will not be a MetLife Takeover Fest this time, but hopefully the NYC Dolfans contingency will be sufficient to help our boys complete another successful takeover that ends with a Dolphins victory.
If the Dolphins can continue their success rushing the football with Drake and Gore, and keep the pocket clean for Tannehill, we should be able to score against the Jets. Devante Parker should be back, but I just can’t count on him to be a big role player, so I won’t. We have enough weapons with Stills, Amendola, Wilson and the 2 backs, and anything we can get from Gesicki and Parker is just gravy. On defense, just limit Bilal Powell. Crowell doesn’t scare me, but Powell just rips off those big plays, so we need to keep him in check. Darnold probably won’t be shaken, we should treat him like any QB, not expose ourselves with a ton of blitzes. I think if we do that, he might make us pay, so just stay disciplined, keep using the 3 safeties often, and I think we can beat them. Don’t let Anderson get behind the secondary.
MIA 28 – NYJ 27
Finsmob Unleashed 
Minkah is a tackling machine !!
Nice play Minkah
Quinn killing it today
Nice!
Defense, defense, baby!!!!
BOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought of a good one: Sam DohArnold
You’ll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn…
We still got another half to play. Stay focused and finish this game out. We look great so far in the house of the enemy. Domination on offense and defense.
Oh oh oh oh
they are having fun
I hate you Bookman
LOL!!
Whaaaaat? Whatever do you mean? Lol!
2 minute drill. Time to shine and get another score before the half!
Hey
The announcer mentioned Tannehill played receiver in college
I did not know that…
To help the team when Manuel was there.
Auto correct. ..Manziel
I’m being sarcastic Krishna
They say it every game
Lmao!!!
No mercy…
That’s a funny name Bookman 😎
Don’t tell Rock😉
They should back off a little now!
Get Gore his carries!!!!!
This is a shot to go up by 3 scores
We have 3 timeouts
If We can go up 21-0 att half, it’s not looking good for the jersey jests
Ok, the offense is starting to make some plays now.
They can probably try a long fog if they don’t convert here
Long fg
Buffalo getting destroyed again this week. I hope they play this bad whenever we play them.
Hah hah
Ruh roh biplane fans
Sweet
No Haiku needed
🐽🐽🐽🐽🐽
We have the momentum! Keep it up second half and this ones in the books as a division road Win, those are sweet!
Our OL is junk today
I feel like OD today
Nice 1st down run.
Off tackle even
Between tackles rather
I get more snouts for not writing them lol
That was the coveted 5 snout rating bc the sack didn’t really happen
Woohoooooooooo
Yessssssssssssss!
WOOOOO BABY!
Derby baby!!!!
#4 of over 30
Making AJ Derby important!
TD MF FINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
boooooooyah!
Derrrrrrrrby!
It’s a Touchdown Derby for Miami
Nice throw, real nice, despite me screaming to throw it
If we get a fourth and short, should we go for it? Or take the 3?
Nevah mind, lol. Damn We are on fire today
Try to keep up lol
Scores are coming so quickly, I need to type faster, lol. I don’t mind!
OL TD. Great protection
Yes
There’s my 20
Doink
Damn, missed extra point.
Our kicker sucks!!!!! Lol
Sorry piggy…lol
And, altered state….how did we miss an extra point?
Now the announcers will spend the next two quarters talking about the significance of the missed FG, like the jets are going to come back from 20 down.
Yep, well if the jets could score once in awhile it’s possible, but Miamis defense has something to say in this second half. Shutouts are rare in the NFL, and We have 30 minutes to go of scoreless ball and it’s ours! We can play super aggressive with a 3 TD lead
I’m calling for a defensive 3rd before the half until they kneel it
TD not 3rd
Come on try fro it! give me another DuhArnald moment
And there is the fucking zone
Minkah hurt
Not afraid to sit
Occasional sack that sucks
Sometimes a big BOOM
🐽
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Whew just wind knocked out
That kick got blocked. someone got a hand on it
Bobby should have had that one!!!!!
DUH
ARNALD
That’s the worst throw in the history of football
Come on hold em to 0
Turnovers are the name of this game. We are even on yards and near even on first downs.
Hold to fg attempt, or clock run out
Or clock run out
I’ll take the 2nd option
DUH ARNALD
DUH
ARNALD!
Woohoo 🙌
Hah hah
Dumb ass jets
NICE STAND
Ha ha no score that was perfect
Awesome fuck up by the Jets
Rook QB — you might try for the 7, but you make sure you can get the 3.
Good 1st half. 🙂
^^^^^
Jones
I hate Olivadatti’s defense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disheartened Jets players and fans.
Like to see us put an !!!! on it with a lightning touch down in the third to start the exodusssss
That would be great.
They get the ball a pick six would be epic
Dont say Lightning 😮😎
Lol true
I don’t have all day this time
Oh God No! 7 hour bar tabs are not good, even though it was 2 for 1
No mercy!!!!
Tannehill is incredibly accurate so far this year. I hope he can keep doing that PLUS get big plays.
And he runs too. That first take off was great to see.
Keep this up and MetlifeTakeover won’t be just a hashtag thing. Some of us were there last time it actually happened in the 4th Q.
Its still kind of disturbing we allowed them to march down the field af the end.
They opened up their offense and stared throwing downfield
Probably come out in the 2nd half doing that
Hopefully we Adjust
bookman11 says:
September 16, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Tannehill is incredibly accurate so far this year. I hope he can keep doing that PLUS get big plays.
I think what we are seeing, and, started seeing back in 2016 after the first quarter of the season, once the NEW playbook had been installed was a Tannehill who understands what to look for from a play and thus sees it faster when it happens.
I agree. He seems to have complete control of the offense
Hopefully, he’s got the physical. ..he’s still learning.
Team has been doing a good job making LOSER Tannehill look good with a TEAM 138.5 passer rating….
😉 HA
I’m happy we are winning, but WHY DOES GORE ONLY HAVE 4 YARDS!!??
Probably because he has only 1 carry. That will change.
7 and 8 in the box!
NEAR PERFECT FIRST HALF!! And DuhArnold’s last pass comes up inches short of the goal line!
That said, THIS GAME IS NOT OVER YET!!
BUT, if the Fins hold on for the win, next week’s RAIDERS game most certainly will be a sell-out!!
Jets have found something
Bobby McCain on Underwaer-way
That’s not a good match up for us!
wyoming85 says:
September 16, 2018 at 2:45 pm
7 and 8 in the box!
He hasn’t gotten the opportunity we should have played him more in the first half. But JMO
Godchaux has a bunch of tackles
Boo b. Powell
Hmmmmmm Mac a liability in coverage?
On Ungaway
He’s to big for him!
WTF with the Xtra points???????
HA each kicker has missed one
Whew! They gave the XP back
And I’m not kidding
OH NO Fireman Ed yelling stand the fuck up LOL
Dirs he nit know you have that patented?? FUCK Tannehill , hold onto the ball
Fireman Ed is a dink
Wtf!!!!!
Here we go again.
Oh My Fucking Hell?????????
Typical Jets game. Lol
WTF
I guess I owe Bookman a beer.
Wtf
Fuck
Well that sucks.
No it doesn’t 😄
Nice job X
Weeeeeeee
Great play Howard
Nice X
That was sweet
Howard gets it back
I said DuhArnald not DuhTannnehill Oh fantastciT=TRF