I look at this game as either the “Road to Redemption” or the “Road to Ruin”. I can tell you from my perspective, the final score as to whether it’s a win or loss is not what will decide this for me, but rather whether we show up and play a solid game of football, a competitive game, or once again we look totally outmatched.
The Dolphins and Bengals are 2 teams going into this game at 3-1. The Bengals earned their 3rd win in a thriller over the Atlanta Falcons, while the Dolphins were thrashed and embarrassed in the Devil’s Lair, Foxborough Massachusetts. The good thing for the Dolphins is momentum only lasts until the next game, and the Dolphins have a chance to rectify certain things, that they aren’t pretenders, they’re for real. The Bengals on the other hand, are riding a high, but that can be obliterated quickly if the Dolphins get the offense going.
The Dolphins made some personnel changes as recently as yesterday, cutting former 2015 2nd RD pick, DT Jordan Phillips. The Dolphins also promoted DE Cameron Malveaux from the PS, The Dolphins also signed OC Wesley Johnson, who started 15 games for the NY Jets last season, after signing OC Travis Swanson last week, now that former starter Daniel Kilgore is out for the season with a torn triceps injury. At the moment, the Dolphins are evaluating a number of veteran DT’s, to fill the space vacated by cutting Jordan Phillips, but have not yet signed one. Right now, we have only 3 DT’s, and only 3, because of the loss of DE/DTWilliam Hayes, so we’re left with Akeem Spence, Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor.
The offense just didn’t work last week, and you can assign blame to Adam Gase, or credit to Bill Belichick, and both would be appropriate. Since our offense has been predicated on speed, getting our speedy receivers in space, Belichick countered that by putting 5-7 DB’s, switching from nickel to dime to quarter depending on our offensive formation, and it completely shut down our offense. I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I wasn’t extremely disappointed with Gase for not having an answer to that strategy. Still, Gase has another chance this week to get the offense going. The Bengals have allowed 113 points in 4 games, for an average of 28.3 PPG. That got a little bloated from last weeks game against the Falcons, who put up 36, but the Bengals have a decent defense, but not a dominant one by any means.
We all know we have to do a better job running the football. On the other hand, I think it’s important to recognize that all those short passes at or near the LOS are truly just an extension of the running game. Some refuse to see that, but it is, nonetheless. The NFL is evolving, and very few teams hand off the football to a feature back 20-30 times a game. Almost every team has a committee of running backs, and very few backs in those situations get more than 15-20 touches, and that includes runs and pass plays. Even the teams that have elite RB’s don’t run as much as teams used to. Ezekiel Elliott and Todd Gurley are the only premier backs that have gone to 20 or more carries at least once, and the Cowboys are 2-2, while the Rams of course are undefeated. It’s about playing to your strengths, and unfortunately, here in Miami, our strength is NOT rushing the football. Our O-line has already taken 2 big hits, both of our offseason acquisitions, OG Josh Sitton and OC Daniel Kilgore are on IR. LT Laremy Tunsil has struggled with consistency, as has RG Jesse Davis and especially RT Ja’Wuan James. Our O-line just isn’t our best asset, but we need to get it to be serviceable at a minimum. I don’t think we can come out week after week and not run the football, that’s a recipe for failure. We cannot be one dimensional, as NE was so kind to point out to us.
Last week’s game tipped our PF/PA into the negative side, so we’re now allowing 22.5 PPG, not bad, considering we got blown out 38-7 last week, and we’re scoring only 20.5 PPG, also off kilter due to the lopsided score last week. Forget about all the stats, all of them, because this game our team has to show up and play competitive, physical football. I’m not going to dwell on the Phillips release, but the team showing poorly in 2 consecutive weeks will not be boosting this teams morale, or Adam Gase’s value to the team. We need to rebound, even if we don’t win this game, although winning it would be ideal.
Some have said Devante Parker could be the next guy to have his exodus from the team, and if you look at how little he’s been used, you would be hard pressed to notice if he was here or not. If the Dolphins would like to extract any value for Parker, it would be in their best interest to showcase him, and hope a team might be interested when his value is higher after a good game, rather than an all-time low as it presently is.
It looks like Bengals RB Joe Mixon is not likely to play this Sunday, which leaves veteran RB Giovani Bernard as the starter. They have remarkably similar stats in any case, but they lose the depth w/o Mixon. WR Tyler Boyd has recently become a favorite target of QB Andy Dalton. Talented TE Tyler Eifert is healthy (for now), and is beginning to round back into form. (OOPS! Eifert broke his ankle last week and is on IR) Tyler Kroft will replace Eifert at TE. The Bengals of course also have superstar WR A.J. Green, and newcomer, speedster John Brown. LB Nick Vigil, who I recall some liked here, is the team leader in tackles, and they also have DT Geno Atkins. The Bengals also have their starting OC injured, 1st RD pick Billy Price is out with a foot injury and he will be replaced by Trey Hopkins.
So which road do the Dolphins take this week, redemption or ruin? I should have been born in Missouri (The Show Me State), because until this team shows me they can compete with a better NFL team, I just don’t see it happening. Let the boos begin, and I hope I’m wrong, but . . .
CIN 30 – MIA 16
Finsmob Unleashed 
Sterup put up 27 reps, not bad at all, considering he probably has 36″ arms. That’s country strong right there
Yeah he is huge and pretty athletic but I wonder why he went undrafted and has been with 4 teams in two years?
He probably can’t block, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s big and strong
LOL, they did say he had a pretty good camp. Let’s hope he improved on that whole blocking thing. 😉
Well I got 4 tickets in the nose bleeds!
For Houston 3rd home game *if necessary
What a pain in the ASS!!!!!!!!!!
At least you got sumpin
So you’re basically rooting that you don’t get to go to the game. That sucks!
I mean really? SMH
https://www.yahoo.com/sports/lawsuit-alleges-antonio-brown-threw-furniture-14th-floor-nearly-hit-toddler-141003849.html
When i was at my strongest in HS i could bench 330, and i have gotten as many as 20 reps of 225. I never pushed myself to see how much more i could get because i did the max weight low reps kind of workout meant for building burst strength on some days and rep workouts on other. When i did rep workouts i did really low weight, like 135 and would bust out as many as i could and then take small breaks in between and repeat and do that until i really just couldn’t do anymore. I was either doing more weight than 225 or less weight than 225. I did get 5 reps of 315 once too. I bet id be lucky to get 5 reps of 225 now lol.
lol why did this post as a reply….silly board.
You were probably going to reply to the post about Antonio Brown and then started writing something else. That’s how it’s happened to me.
This game is almost a nightmare matchup for us where we are right now. Our D probably can keep their offense in check, but again, there probably couldn’t be too many teams that we would fair worse against on offense. I usually go into games with a feeling like we can win this one. I felt that way against Cincy, but i dont even see how a win here is fathomable.
Low scoring game is the only way I see it lead by defense and STs. Or if we hit on a couple of explosive plays on offense. I don’t expect sustained drives.
3 of the next 4 at home, be great to go 3-1 in that span, would leave us at 6-3
I think we lose to the Bears. I think its a 50/50 against Detroit 50/50 against Houston and at best 50/50 against the Jets. I could see 3 out of 4 IF the right team shows up.
Detroit is probably the most winnable IMO. Houston’s pass rush scares me, but id hope Tunsil is back, but we will still have to play a really good game on offense to win, and our D is going to keep having to help us to a win. Jets, is like Houston, but if this had also been playing in New York in November, id probably have us losing.
My problem also with winning the 50/50’s is that if we get embarrassed by the Bear i think its going to suck whats left of the life out of this team and its going to really make those 50/50’s. If we dont bounce back against the bears, and play well, even in a loss, we are going to lose those 50/50’s.
Its hard to predict any of this because i want to be optimistic and know that the decent version of our offense will show up but im also have no real reason to believe it other than blind faith.
With you on not feeling good about the Bears.
Detroit you forgot the Fest magic factor. And Rock will be there.
Houston away with you on 50/50, but they are squirrelly.
Jets at the Rock — come’on.
As long as the team can get over that 4th quarter debacle and move past it, there was lots of good in that game as we won for 3 quarters. Build on that. Our OL situation is what has me concerned about the Bears. That’s why I said earlier we might have to go big and play max protect a lot and keep it on the ground even if we’re not picking up a lot of yards. Lots of passes to the RBs might help as well. I think we need to try to win a low scoring game.
I’d sign up for 6-3 right now. LOL
I saw this and couldn’t help but think of Piggy:
LOL, silly humans.
Da Bears!
What sucks is I have the Bears and Ravens DEF in FF and I have to start the Bears because of the numbers and matchup. But this is also an example of how you can play FF and not root against your team. My rooting has no bearing on the outcome. I surely didn’t root for what happened in the 4th quarter in Cincy but it happened. I won’t root for the Bears to wreck the Dolphins, I will root for the Dolphins to win. But it’s not a good matchup from an objective viewpoint.
They changed up the parking a bunch. Orange is a poor man’s pass these days with the tennis center stuff. Fest seats are on the 40 on the visitor side. Still thinking E-13 or E-23 area makes the most sense.
https://s19053.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/2018_Stadium-Map2018_HRSWebsite-3.svg
Does that mean we will be in the sun at our seats?
E23 would work for me. The further out the slower the crowd fills in next to us. Choose whatever you’d like.
Mike I don’t think any of the upper level gets the sun. Just the sideline and the lower seats.
I thought that might be the case, but I remembered something about the visitors side being in the sun.
We’ll be covered, just the lower gets the sun
For those heading down on Wed tomorrow will be a week out. The Fest is almost upon us.
Yeah man! I’m pumped!
Of course the Bears are coming off their by week I hope it’s sunny and 95 blasting on them.
Some teams come out flat off the bye. 🙂
Tim – Yeah, us! LOL
We are not limited to being flat just after a bye
A few of us here, including myself like Marpet
Well I guess we are going to have to change the constant’s in our math again?
seems like a good Oline ain’t going to come cheap!!!!!
That’s due to the design of the Adam Gase Offense. Gase himself has stated in so many words that the ball will be out in under 2.? seconds, thus there’s no need to spend huge $$$ on an O-Line. It killed me when I heard him say that this past offseason.
And that doesn’t mean I want to pay FA studs to be our O-Linemen. I’d rather home-grow our own and re-sign those who are worth keeping over the long-term.
So which is it, FA or the draft? You can’t spend a ton of money in FA and use your top draft resources on the same positions. Both our tackles were 1st rd picks and are not “cheap”. Sitton wasn’t “expensive” but not cheap and Kilgore a little less. I’m not sure where you stand on this issue other than bashing the team when things don’t pan out. This is an issue league wide. OL is not easy to build, it’s 5 players that have to build chemistry and hope they stay healthy. Not sure how you think there is some solution to this other than trying. Hindsight is really easy to criticize.
The starting 5 we started the season with was looking pretty good but it lasted less than 5 games. Tunsil should be back, but man, how do you prepare for what we’ve gone through? Most teams only keep 9 OL and dress 7.
Our issue is staying healthy. I have no idea what it is but we can’t seem to keep a core OL together for very long. It really sucks!
It’s driving me crazy.
It’s driving us all crazy. Nothing ever pans out and it’s been happening for 10 years. We’ve added good players on the OL but they never get in sync for more than half a season. I’m at a loss. If you know the solution please share with the org. Nothing seems to pan out long-term.
If some dude tries to mount me while he is drunk – he can expect a trotter to the face
It just dawned on me that wings would work just like handlebars! 😉
They also serve as boxing gloves
Thank Goodness you were not around in the early 1900s
Not hitting on any of the 3rd RD pick OL, like Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner hurt us. I hope that maybe we get lucky with Asiata who was a 5th RDer, that would make up some for the blown 3rd’s.
When you miss so much something is wrong
Scouting or player development
Between the injuries and the missed picks – the OL has been a disaster Nd something is wrong beyond just who the players are
Tim Knight says:
October 9, 2018 at 7:58 pm
So which is it, FA or the draft?…
————-
This would be my blueprint, at least over time when we’re finally stabilized on the O-Line…
LT: draft a STUD pay him stud LT money if he’s a stud. We might have him on our roster right now in Laremy Tunsil, and don’t need to worry about re-signing him at the moment. We want a top-5 LT/$$$.
LG: if we have a STUD LT and stellar Center (see below), we don’t need an elite LG… we just need someone who can gel between the two who can thrive in our system. He doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. We want a top-16 LG/$$$.
C: find someone who can be stellar. He doesn’t need to be a perennial All-Pro, just someone who is one of the better at his position…someone who our QB can develop excellent rapport. Preferably he can hold his own against NTs, and get to the second level against DTs. Pay this guy as a stellar C. We want a top-10 C/$$$.
RG: this is your ‘road-grater’ position, and should be the easiest part of the O-Line to fill. So long as he can adequately pass-block (and road-grating is a given), this should be easy-peasy and relatively cheap… at least IMO. We want a top-20 RG/$$$.
RT: many teams have 2 opposite edge-rushers in today’s game, so we’re going to have to pay more today than what we had in the past. A top-8 RT should suffice, as we don’t need the BEST RT in the game. We want a top-8 RT/$$$.
I’m doing this on a whim, by the way, thus this is just a quick overlook as to what I think we could/should do. The idea is that these player can gel together, and be BETTER as a whole unit, rather than as individuals.
Yes, I’m paying some $$$ here, but this is what makes the passing game work… and the running game work.
The idea is to get these draft selections correct (doesn’t matter WHEN they are selected), take advantage of the rookie contracts, and preferably have them gel as much as possible as a unit. I’d prefer (as I stated) to grow my own, rather than pay top $$$ for an outsider FA. However, in order to get to where we need to be, it’s going to take a little bit of both FA and (more importantly) the Draft to make it happen.
Tim… but to what we’ve concluded, it’s the INJURIES that continue to kill us more than anything, EVERY BLOODY YEAR… DAMMIT IT SUCKS!!! That’s not to say we haven’t drafted poorly, either. I mean, we HAVE drafted Joanelle Martin, Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner, and Jamil Douglas. And Jake Long never panned out long-term due to injury (that SUCKS!), Pouncey had chronic hips (that SUCKS!), and we had ‘Bully-Gate’ happen to us (that SUCKS!).
And lastly, I DO believe that you’ve hit the nail by large, being we can’t keep changing coaching/management. We cannot generate consistency so long as we continue to switch-out brass… this is the TRUTH!!! 🙂
I’m willing to pay a LOT more attention to our O-Line than we have in the past, and PARTICULARLY our backups… our backups are a JOKE.
Backups are supposed to be serviceable during a game or for a game or two. Not become starters the rest of the season. That is what keeps haunting us. I don’t know how you stop that unless there is a crystal ball.
I think Tunsil going down and what we saw shows you his value. He’s a good LT.
I think Tunsil is a VERY good LT, by the way. Though he’s had some mishaps this year (penalties and getting driven back into Tannehill), he’s getting better and better.
I just wish our backups were a little better than NCAA backups.
Outside of the box thought…
What if there were an ambidextrous QB in the game one day? Ya know, kind of like a switch-hitter in baseball?
I would think that the O-Line should be symmetrical. I would also think it would be very difficult for receivers (and DBs) to anticipate what’s coming at them in an instant.
Just one of those ‘OUT THERE’ thoughts! LOL
Are you NUTS? 😉
We can barely find one that can throw with on hand, and you want to start looking for on that can throw with 2????????????
LOL!
Yeah, it’s a VERY outside the box idea! And no… I don’t think it would be a team-friendly idea, either.
I don’t usually post Omar’s tweets here (for obvious reasons), but here Ja’Wuan James is on the record.
Thanks!
The Astro’s just about had that taste washed out of my mouth! 😉
LOL
Tannehill drops back 10 yards on that play. And then, instead of stepping straight up in the pocket, which he had room to do but almost never does, he ran out on an arc, which allows the rusher to continue his path and get to him. If he would have stepped up in the pocket the rusher could have been pushed out around him…even though Tannehill was back 3 yards too deep to begin with. Again, unless you know what the hell should happen, don’t try to evaluate a play.
————
WOW! This play is far worse than I’d thought, after now seeing it in the All-22. INDEED, this is just HORRIBLE on Tannehill’s part. Yes, he had little to no time what with the rush (yes, Sam Young SUCKS). But whoTF was he even trying to throw the ball to? Really?
So now Tannehill is in his 8th season even though he’s played just a tad over 6 seasons worth of games in his 7th year. Way to go Armando. Not surprised you would fudge the facts just a little bit to make it worse. LOL
I can’t help but agree with ya, Tim. Armando did seem to go out of his way to throw shade at Tannehill. Nevertheless… WTF was Tannehill thinking on that play? Did he think he cleared the ‘Tackle box’? And if not, did he think one of his Tackles was an eligible receiver?
It was a bad play. How many times do we have to relive it? Tannehill admitted he’d love to have it back and just take the sack. Wow what a choice, try to get rid of it or take a sack. Move on!!! Armando does the shit all the time.
Randy says:
October 9, 2018 at 9:50 pm
Tannehill drops back 10 yards on that play… Again, unless you know what the hell should happen, don’t try to evaluate a play.
————–
I’m not the biggest fan of Travis Wingfield, myself. But can we concur that THAT wasn’t supposed to happen on that play?!! LOL
I don’t care if it was more on James or more on Tannehill… we can’t continue to play like this. I DO get what you’re sayin’… and I agree with you over Wingfield, FWIW.
From yesterday…
And I’m still not buying it.
I don’t think the OL is worth defending
But when the bengals are rushing 7 guys, they are the last ones who should be blamed
There’s no one RUNNING in the Middle of the field on the play
The safety is backed up the the 50 yard line
This offense is straight up 💩
There are big chunks of the field they don’t use
If I was a DC
I would blitz the entire defense if I only had to defend the sidelines
Easier said then done, you have to block it to do what you’re suggesting. You can’t throw that type of pass when you can’t set your feet. I mean people act like Tannehill is the only QB to have bad shit happen to him. The OL after Tunsil went down was atrocious. They couldn’t do anything right. Penalties, poor blocking, penalties, poor blocking. I mean come on, man.
There was no pass to throw Tim
There is no receiver running in that area
I’m just talking about a basic quick slant
When 7 guys are blitzing if a receiver is running underneath – it’s an easy completion
The pay don’t design plays so that’s receivers find spots underneath the coverage
Everything is behind the LOS or around the sideline
Maybe they make these pig size????
Holy shit
2 QB’s threw a shit pass while in the grasp!
One was INT for a TD
The other was caught far a TD
Same play different results!
Dalton is a limited QB
But he does make smart plays
That prayer with Harris dragging him down could have easily been a pick 6!
I still don’t know why it wasn’t intercepted????
Just awareness by the receiver
Looks like you’re getting Boston Wyo
4-1 going to the 8th and Yanks aren’t hitting again.
Piggy, in the OAK game when we were down 17-7 and Gase opened it up what was happening pass after pass? Over the middle down the field for chunks yards. How did that happen? Protection even as Tannehill was being hit after he released the ball. You can’t throw slants with people in your face. It’s a quick timing play but you need a pocket and passing lane. We got overrun.
Like I said earlier to M13, “Tannehill admitted he’d love to have it back and just take the sack. Wow what a choice, try to get rid of it or take a sack.” Now be honest, he takes the sack and what does everyone say about that? I’ll take a shot, “fucking Tannehill takes another horrible sack, he should have gotten rid of it and done it in a way that was exactly how I envisioned it.” LOL
You can’t function with poor pass pro like that and penalties putting you in long down and distance.
The Bengals realized without Tunsil they can’t block us. The good thing about that is we now know how good Tunsil is. They couldn’t do that all day with him in there.
Yes, the OL struggled. But, so did Tannehill. If you’re gonna constantly rip the OL for sucking. At least be fair and rip Tannehill for having shitty pocket awareness and management. Both can be true. He also contributes to a lot of the protection issues. Be real.
Looks like the golden boy continues to dick up the team.
If this team doesn’t draft a franchise qb in the first rd in ’19 it deserves to lose half it’s fanbase. Absolutely ridiculous to come into the season with no other option than a quarterback who hasn’t proven shit in his first 6 seasons and is now showing even more than ever WHY he never should have been drafted by them in the first place. Last year Cutler had a play where he saw the pressure coming and when the ball was snapped he just threw the ball down at the feet of a player rather than wait until he was surrounded by four defenders and do something stupid with the ball like this loser is so great at doing. Give it up. Stick a fork in him. He never was any good and never will be and if you’re still hanging onto that narrative that he’s not had a fair shot or whatever then you’re clueless and that’s all there is to it. Glad to see Tim is still being Tim.
Things just fine here in Pensacola. Don’t expect it to get much worse here but feel real bad for those in the path from Panama City and east. This storm is a beast!
Yeah i have family still in P’cola too and they are on the beach down there, Portifino to be exact. Its on the Bay side, but you know as well as me that the Gulf is literally just across the road and less than 100 ft away. The thing about Panama City is they arent nearly as use to hurricanes as P’Cola and Mobile area. This area gets hit all the time (though we have been relatively quiet recently) PC-PSJ area hasnt experience a hurricane in a really long time and not one this big in probably a century or more.
D, Praying for your family and friends in and around Port St. Joe. I will be working this weekend but off Monday – Thursday next week. If there is anything I can do to help your loved ones in the aftermath just let me know. I have chain saws, shopvacs and tools galore. I can load up the truck and head that way in a moments notice. That town is so isolated and not many ways in, it might take a few days before anyone can get in there. Sincerely bro, I mean it!
Cool
I really appreciate that BBM, it does look kinda bad for them right now. That thing swelled up to a 4 now and its going to go right across their face. My Uncle and Aunt had decided to ride it out when it was looking like it would be a weak 3 or strong 2, and i dont really think they can chance taking off now, so i just hope the fact that we are inland a little bit with a pretty big pine tree forrest to slow down the winds will help lessen the brunt of the storm.
Im not worried about my property over there, its insured and its just stuff. As long as my Aunt and Uncle come out of it OK, the rest can be replace and repaired in time.
Sitton was a bargain. 6Mil per year at a position where the top guys are 12mil per, that a pretty solid bargain for the caliber player he is.
Kilgore was a pretty good deal considering he’s a probably upper middle of the road OC. We didnt make the deal, however, we inherited it in the trade.
Our OL, even with James on his 5th year deal is super cheap. Unfortunately, we aren’t getting anything out of 2 of them.
NEW BLOG UP!!