The author has decided to take a different approach this week. It is, after all, Thanksgiving Week, and I’ve decided to look for things to be thankful for. First off, our record is actually 5-5, and that’s not a bad place to be. It’s been an odd year in the NFL, with a handful of good to elite teams in each conference, followed by a lot of average to poor teams. The Chiefs (9-2), Steelers (7-2-1) and Texans (7-3) lead their divisions, but the Chiefs are the only team that is being challenged within their division, as the LA Chargers are in 2nd at (7-3). Every other division leader is followed by a .500 team. We’re one of em, as we trail the Patriots (7-3). So there’s hope, right?
On paper this could be a tough matchup for us. The Colts are flying high, and Andrew Luck is looking more like the Andrew Luck of old. The Colts are putting up points, lots of them, scoring 29.8PPG. That’s good for 5th in the NFL. After 10 games, Luck already has 29 TD’s, and even more impressive, only 9 INT’s. Impressive, considering he’s thrown the ball 400 times already. The good news is, if there’s one thing we do well, it’s take the ball away on defense, especially in the passing game. In fact, which team is #1 in INT’s in the NFL? Your very own Miami Dolphins!
The Colts have a running game, but their offense is all about Andrew Luck and the passing game. I hope Frank Reich and OC Nick Sirianni decide to throw all day, I think we can make things difficult for them. The Colts leading receiver is the super fast and diminutive T.Y. Hilton, with 585 yards and 6 TD’s on 38 receptions. Right behind him has been TE Eric Ebron who came over from the Lions has really flourished in Indy. Ebron is having a career year with Luck, 39 receptions for 463 yards and 9 TD’s. Ebron had just 11 TD’s in his first 4 seasons with Detroit.
The Colts running game, like most NFL teams these days, is a 3 headed attack. Marlon Mack, who is finally healthy is the lead back, and he’s spelled by Jordan Wilkins. Nyheim Hines is Luck’s receiving back. While Mack has 471 yards rushing, Hines has 226 yards receiving. Hopefully, we’re able to contain the backs, and although the passing game is where the Colts live and breathe, it’s where I think we can make things tough on them.
The biggest hole in my strategy is our lack of pass rush. That, and the fact that Bobby McCain is questionable. We will once again be forced to employ many different combinations of CB’s and safeties, and Minkah will likely reach a new high in snaps this week. He’s got to be on the field, he’s bar none our best cover guy out there next to Xavien Howard. Minkah has been better than Howard, but I give Howard his due, he’s been very good himself. So Minkah will play LCB, SCB, FS, SS, LB, he probably shouldn’t come off the field unless he’s spent.
So where do we generate a pass rush? Charles Harris is quite questionable, which means that Cam Wake and Robert Quinn are going to get a lot of snaps. Cameron Malveaux is no longer a Dolphin, so depth wise it’s Andre Branch and Jonathan Woodard, unless Harris suits up. Quinn and Wake need to have big days. That’s it folks, if these guys can step it up, and hit Luck early and often, it could lead us to something special, a huge upset of the Colts.
Ryan Tannehill returns this week, and no, he’s not at 100%. He needs to hunger for this. He’s seen the team slip in his absence, he has to want to get in there and right the ship. The good news is that Tunsil and James look to be good to go despite both of them nursing injuries. Larsen is questionable, but Jake Brendel may not be such a bad consolation. It seems like our whole team is questionable for this game, but I think they’ll all play, including Kenyan Drake, and possibly even Devante Parker. I hope Tannehill seizes this day, and makes us a winner. It would be a great story. Maybe after this victory, it leads to more victories, and we have an improbably playoff run. It has to start somewhere, and this is as good a place as any.
So back to Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for the community we have here. I haven’t met all of you here, still working on that, but I have met quite a few. You’re a wonderful bunch, it’s been a pleasure to get know all of you, even the ones I haven’t yet met. I hope you all enjoy this week with family, friends, whoever you spend it with. It’s always been a holiday where I learn to appreciate my family, which keeps on growing. A Dolphins upset win over the Colts would be a great dessert, wouldn’t it?
Finsmob Unleashed 
our o line is a mash unit
cue the music and hot lips Houlihan, lol
That was a nice play. I wish we ran plays like it more often.
Too many stupid penalties
M,UCH AGREED
Hey man, team is hanging tough, overcoming obstacles. Shuffling new guys in on the O-line every play, but hanging tough. Gotta keep this up!
Nice tackle Walt!!
Fucking stupid Alonzo
Great Stuff in the middle by Suh
Good job by Reshad blasting Luck
yes! that was a stupid playcall to expose the QB ribs to the defense
I don’t think I can continue to watch this farce called the NFL. Can’t even tackle a running QB in the mildest way possible. National Flag Football would be a more honest assessment at this point.
I did not agree on that being a PF
It was the right call. He slid feet first. Alonzo has to know better than that
It ,may be the right call based on today’s rules but it’s a terrible rule.
That has been a rule for a long time which makes what Alonzo did all the worse
I also think it was the right call
defene is hitting hard and physical, notice You hear alot of shoulder pads colliding?, especially the hit on Lucks catch
refs are fucking us at the drive thru. they always fuck u at the drive thru! lol
TURN OVER
TURN OVER
TURN OVER
Agree with Ken, when a QB slides feet first, you can’t touch him. Alonso pulling his arms back after he drills him with his shoulder pad to the head doesn’t make it not a penalty. You just touch the QB down, because he’s giving himself up sliding feet first. If he dove head first , then you can hit him.
fitz is having a tough time at CB against Hilton. we need a cb and move fitz back to his natty position, safety
Holy crap!
Carrrooooooooooooo
We need to hold the Colts on defense to start the 2nd half. We fall behind 2 scores then, you can kiss this game goodbye
Where’s my conch?
Carooooooooooooo
Carooooooo!
Wow that was lucky 😊🐬🐬👍👍
great play by carooooooo
That was surprising
We have a game. 🙂
2 firsts today for this year: the opening TD and the 2 minute TD
and 48 false starts in between, lol the only thing stopping the offense today is flags
X!!!
Mike E. says:
November 25, 2018 at 5:44 pm
We need to hold the Colts on defense to start the 2nd half. We fall behind 2 scores then, you can kiss this game goodbye
Reply
you were saying
Now do it again
Take that
We still have both time outs
FUCK
Fuck!
NO FUCKING WAY
if the refs would let us play , we would be fine, it feels like the NFL fix is in
HE LEAD WITH HIS HEAD
WTF
Okay that’s crazy !!!!
Wild just fucking wild
Xx2
LOL Rock – Stepped away for a sec, and Tannehill throws up a prayer for a TD
OMG now this is super crazy
That was a fun few minutes
wow, indys offense tackles better than their defense, lol they wouldnt let Howard break that one loose
HEEEEE that was a fun half of football
X
Xx2
Vontae Davis makes a commercial out of quitting
cant do much with injuries and refs, but kudos to the team, they came ready to play today ! they look rested from bye week, and are hustling/
tie score at half,this is a good game!
This is why I can’t wait for Sunday’s for the game! The draft and all that other stuff can wait. I love watching football!
Enjoy it while it lasts…..win or lose
So far, they haven’t done anything to make me hate them, so I’ll have to agree so far. lol
Lol….fair enough
this IS fun, yea!,
Phillip Rivers just tied the NFL record for consecutive completions to start a game. Who did he tie?
hint, it wasnt Pat White lol
Pat White has the same amount of completions as Vanna White
Check that: not to start the game, anytime
Mark Brunnell
Lonzo blocked punt, ANOTHER turnover, damn, LOVE IT
i wish we could play with this kind of intensity every week
This offense is still a mess….no matter who plays QB.
Really? Today you see that?
Big sack
Awesome series of events there … woot woot
Ken, to start a game yes, I asked it wrong originally, I meant just in total, even if it was across multiple games.
Over multiple games I think it is Montana
It is RT
That’s right
the announcers didnt call it, but that FG was blocked by number 94 Spence
I thought it might have been
he got his right hand on it and deflected it
we have a blocked punt and a blocked FG, whens the last time we did that> this is the kind of intensity we need every week, helly eaaaa
NICE
Drake!
Nice run blocking TD Drake !!!
Drake up the middle! Some really nice play calling and execution today!
So, is THIS team “good enough” to play in the playoffs?
Nice! 🙂
bookman,
Long post short. Yes. Lol
we have a chance to go up 10, lets do it guys! im loving the way we are playing, tough,and aggressive even Carrooo fought for that ball. Wake made a great play, its been non stop fun and we are doing very well on the road against a very good team
Bookman, not saying you wrong as I’m not watching game but ., did ya mean most consecutive Starts from beginning of career for Rivers ?They were mentioning that earlier when I was watching … or is he also having a great game ?
Most consecutive completions
Okay kewl .. I like Rivers , my qb on a couple FFB teams.. sucks it seems it always an us vs them for last playoff spot
Ross needs to push for us to have a week off between every game lol.
Patriots will be the only team granted that privilege
So, the defense just decides to give up??!!
im very impressed today Gore and Drake combo killin it
this is old school Dolphin ball, play tough defense, get turnovers, run the ball, take shots down the field, blocking kicks, we are doing alot of things right and are up by 10!
TJ MacDonald to aisle 5 to retrieve your Jock strap
KIKO smash
Alonso is really having a fantastic year.
Yes he is
I think he fits in well on this defense.
Yes he does
Lonzo laying the wood
PHYSICAL
We can seal it with a long drive and a FG
Beer
Yes sir!
Time consuming scoring drive needed right here …
Yes sir!!!
this is a game we will talk about years later, its memorable and could be where the RUN started?
I thought you said we suck???
Lol @ Rob!
we did, we werent playing with this kind of intensity all season, guys are playing lights out today
Here is to the backups on the Oline moving around everywhere and playing well enough to be leading
Dilly dilly
Listening to this Bruce Arians is getting old, the guys that call the game should be unbiased.
Yeah, they turned the sound on here for the Dolphins game, and I really don’t like him.
this is easily our best effort of the year, guys are BRINGING IT
Be aggressive here
GORE!
hey im happy the guys are playing much better today, criticism will cease if they play like this every week! they havent been, and the bye week and RT return seems to have inspired everyone.
this is a crazy good game
I like the aggressive play call
Calling
Is anyone surprised
Unfortunately no great results
That looked like a bad injury for Drake!
Wish they would have run on the first 2 downs
I didn’t like the 3rd down call
it’s typical Gase
See today I think he has been pretty good
I didn’t like any of the calls, they should have pounded Gore!
why so critical, lol JK
Ken …the calls in the passing game are irrelevant. We don’t have a QB capable of executing when it matters.
I was being good and not contributing negativity, but I see where this is heading. I may as well give voice to my disappointment.
Can’t believe Howard caught him
Tannehill needs a three score lead to even have a chance of closing out a game in the 4th
This game is exactly why Gase should be fired
Why?
Bc he blew a 10 point lead with dumb playcalling
That was one series. I don’t agree
Piggy .. Gase and everyone associated with him ..Reduce this team to smoldering cinders ..
I agree
If.Miller has more awareness he should have picked that ball
Time for a game winning drive right here boys and girls!
You bitches should wait until the end of the game to cry into your hankies.
Exactly!!!!!
I’m just saying this is predictable
This team makes me crazy.
Randy .. You do know who our QB is …don’t you?
Now we try running