WOW! What an amazing finish to the Dolphins vs Patriots game. That one easily slots historically among some of the best games I have seen this team play. Even if we lost this game, we went punch for punch with the Patriots all day long, but we came up with a Rocky II ending. Not sure if you all noticed, but we scored more than 30 points for the first time in regulation, and we did against the Patriots! Crazy!
Ryan Tannehill. Forget about the future, this young man deserves a lot of credit for his toughness and grit he’s displayed this season. You could see he was hurting, and I admire his resolve to stick it out, and help his team to victory. He’s been getting beat up all season, but like a Timex, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
OK, down to business. This game, aside from the excitement meant a lot to me as a fan. These are the games in the last decade that we would crumble and succumb to the pressure of needing to win and stay alive, and this team pulled out a stunner against the TD + favorites New England Patriots. They were clutch. They made plays, and they got contributions from the QB. We were missing arguably our best defensive player (Xavien Howard), and it showed, but we did just enough to win. I think Gase earned some respect yesterday. Smoke and mirrors, we’re -55 in points and we’re 7-6. Crazy! What we as Dolphins fans have to hope is that this game was a springboard to a playoff run. If we can beat NE when it counts, then no other game on the schedule is impossible
Despite the fact that it will be about 30 degrees at kickoff next Sunday against the Vikings, the game will be in a domed stadium, US Bank Stadium, so the weather won’t be a factor. It will definitely be loud, but we can overcome that. The Vikes have had an up and down season, and they face the Seattle Seahawks this evening in Seattle. At the moment, the Vikings are 6-5-1, and although they have showed the potential to score, their last 3 games they have scored 20, 24 and 10, and have lost 2 of 3. Kirk Cousins has done well for the Vikes, but RB Dalvin Cook has been battling injuries, and that leaves the much less explosive Latavius Murray as the lead back. WR Adam Thielen is totally in sync with Cousins, and they have been one of the best if not the best QB/WR duos in the NFL this season. Thielen has 98 receptions, 1166 yards and 9 TD’s. We will desperately need CB Xavien Howard back for this game.
As I said in my blog article this past week, the New England game was a statement game, and the statement was “We’re still in this Dolphins fans, stay with us, keep rooting hard, and something special may happen”
I watched the game at my nephew’s house, and although the video is a little rough, it captured that crazy ending, and your faithful “Crazy Dolphins Fan” again. It’s just funny. Some moments are just humorous when captured on video. None of us had any idea we were being videotaped by his little Nest camera.
Finsmob Unleashed 
Lol M
.800 ain’t too shabby!
M13,
I think there are probably a number of contributing factors. If you look at DL these days, they’re just freaks. Guys who are 300+ pounds who can move like 275 pound guys. We’ve seen it impact what OL look like too. We don’t see 340 pounds fat guys who can’t move. Even guards need to be 300-315 pound guys who can move. More emphasis on the passing game means you need more nimble OL across the board but that means they’re less effective at moving people in the run game. Pressure happens so quickly nowadays. Also, lots of times, if you’re a young guy who’s big and nimble, you get put on defense. Special athletes don’t get put on the OL.
I know there wasn’t too much to be positive abiut yesterday
But this was great
Look how quick he hits the hole
Look at the breakaway speed at the end too
3a) Have we ever seen a TE succeed with Tannehill as our QB? The answer is NO: I wonder if he even knows what a TE looks like
I’m not saying it is because of Tannehill but Charles Clay had his best seasons here and got himself a fat contract.
i hate to admit it but you were right for once, we definitely should have taken Godert instead of gesicki and smythe. but i do like O’Leary.
oh yeah…and QB rating is not a team stat, end of story!
we’ll probably see a lot of Ballage these next two weeks
Randy having OL that can move is a good thing for the running game, i watched some of the Rams plays, they all flow to one side and have a te set the back edge away from the flow giving the RB a cut back lane. they also run this as play action giving the QB and WR a clear field on the opposite side of the flow. i don’t see no 350lbs OL being able to do that.
Indy has to play the Giants at home then Tenn, Tenn has to play the Redskins at home then Indy, the Ravens play @ SD then the Browns at home.
I don’t see The Ravens beating a red hot SD team at their home, SD is chasing KC for the division, you can bet they want this game.
so with that said it may come down to Indy vs Tenn on the last Sunday for the final WC spot
Orob
That wasn’t my point but sure. It’s all in how you want to run
Randy says:
December 17, 2018 at 11:25 pm
but that means they’re less effective at moving people in the run game.
______________________________________________________
This is what i was responding to.
ER v. Mrs Toba for the Toba Cup. Good luck to both!
ocalarob says:
December 18, 2018 at 9:14 am
oh yeah…and QB rating is not a team stat, end of story!
Reply
Fine, it is a quarterback stat that is effected by the performance of other players to the extreme.
I’ve said it before. A WR can drop a perfectly thrown pass and give a 0.00 rating or the same WR can make a crazy circus catch and run 99 yards for a TD and give the QB a 158.3 rating. in these scenarios the QB has very little to do with the passer rating.
and those scenarios could happen to any q.b. they all go by the same criteria also over a season things pan out and the cream rises to the top
yes, but they are not CONTROLLED by the QB so they should not be attributed to them alone.
And I have been right way more than once Rob! LOL
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Adam Beasley
✔
@AdamHBeasley
Bit of housekeeping from over the weekend: Kiko Alonso was fined $20,054 for a horse-collar tackle in the Dolphins’ Week 14 game against the Patriots.
It is just easier to say we have been eliminated already!
Here are five ways the Dolphins could make the playoffs:
▪ The Dolphins could win the AFC East only one way — if they beat the Jaguars and win at Buffalo while New England loses at home to both Buffalo and the Jets. The Patriots will be heavy home favorites the final two weeks of the season, so this appears the most unlikely scenario for Miami.
▪ Miami would claim the AFC’s final playoff spot (the sixth seed) if it beats Jacksonville and Buffalo; if the Chargers beat the Ravens on Saturday night; if Washington beats Tennessee; and if Tennessee then beats the visiting Colts in Week 17. This might be the most realistic way for Miami to make it, though it would require the Redskins to pull off an upset in Nashville on Saturday.
▪ The Dolphins would claim a wild-card spot if they win their final two; if the Colts, Titans and Ravens all lose in Week 16; and if the Ravens and Colts win in Week 17. (Baltimore hosts Cleveland in Week 17.) In that scenario, the Dolphins would win that three-team tie with Baltimore and Indianapolis.
▪ The Dolphins would make it if they win their final two; if the Colts, Titans and Ravens lose in Week 16; and if the Ravens and Titans win in Week 17. In that scenario, the Dolphins would win a three-team tie with Baltimore and Tennessee.
▪ The Dolphins would also make the playoffs in they win their final two; Baltimore loses to the Chargers but then beats the Browns; the Colts lose to the Giants; the Titans beat Washington; and then the Colts beat the Titans. In that scenario, Miami would win a four-team tiebreaker with the Ravens, Colts and Titans.
But the Dolphins would miss the playoffs if everything in that aforementioned sentence happens except the Ravens winning in Week 17. If Baltimore loses to Cleveland, then Miami would lose that particular three-team tiebreaker with the Colts and Titans.
The Dolphins would win a four-team tie or a three-team tie involving Baltimore. But to win a three-time tie with Tennessee and Indianapolis, Miami needs Tennessee to lose to Washington and beat the Colts.
As far as playoff chances…. was worst case scenario last weekend. And not even talking the loss to the Vikes. Still alive though.
Thoughts…
1) It’s time to ditch the ‘wide-9’ Defense… it isn’t working for us, AT ALL.
1a) Can we fairly assess Matt Burke, being he was more or less promoted to continue the ‘Wide-9’ D? I haven’t the answer, but I’m ready to see Burke relieved of his duties.
2) Adam Gase should be put on notice at this point. He’ll get next year (and I think deservedly so), but there are no more excuses left to give.
3) It’s past time to prepare for life after Ryan Tannehill, and for all too many reasons… and it’s not because he sucks. Tanny is a middle of the road QB who runs hot and cold: when he’s hot he’s HOT, when he’s cold he’s COLD. His injury history is now of concern, and he was drafted in 2012 (instant starter)… he is what he is at this point with more than enough time to have shown and proven.
3a) Have we ever seen a TE succeed with Tannehill as our QB? The answer is NO: I wonder if he even knows what a TE looks like.
4) We haven’t had a legit O-Line this decade and then some. Blame it on poor draft-classes, the GM, injuries, coaching, bad luck, or whatever else under the sun… NO MORE EXCUSES. No other team in the history of the NFL has had as many problems — and for as long as we’ve had — on their O-Lines. We’re talking about an abysmal level of failure in HISTORIC proportions, here. I refuse to believe that this is mere coincidence or just “bad luck”… this must be remedied!!!
5) Mike Tannenbaum should be fired, and I’m not even sure his role (‘czar’) needs to be replaced. Chris Grier (IMO) is more than capable of running this team as GM, without having to report to a “Tannenbaum”… screw the red tape/bureaucracy that Steve Ross has installed in the FO.
5a) It’s nothing short of a miracle that we’re still technically in playoff contention, after having to swallow the huge contracts ($uh, just as one example) that Tannenbaum had saddled us with. And had Tannehill not been injured before the year began last season — prompting a restructured contract — we’d have been SCREWED, as I’d cautioned. Tanny’s injury last year likely SAVED Tannenbaum’s job. SMH
Welp, that’s all I’ve got right now! Sucks that Frank Gore is out for the rest of the year, too: I really hope he comes back next year. But in the meantime, lets see what Ballage and Bolden can do behind our patchwork O-Line over the next 2 games.
—————————————————————
First off, you bring up some really good observations M13, so props to you on that.
Ill go one by one and just throw in my 0.02.
1) I really am not seeing a tradition wide 9 out there, it seems really a hodge podge implementation at best. We have the personnel for it but i do, so i dont think its that, maybe missing that impacting 1-Tech DT, i think its more of the implementation of the scheme.
1a) Burke might be the problem, but injuries have made it harder to have a set of guys out there that can give us a solid base, and i think the LB’s aren’t experience enough to run that system yet. Part of that i think is getting better but if Burke cant run the system right, it doesn’t matter how much the players evolve.
2) Id be OK with Gase having his full 5 years be locked in IF he changes the QB. If he doesn’t id still give him one more year but if he doesn’t hit it out of the park, then he gets no more slack. If he drafts a QB im going to give him that year and one additional to prove himself.
3) I agree, i think Tanny is at this point a middling QB and will never be more. Im not ok with settling on a middling QB. I know the arguments on well you dont have to have an elite QB to win, but my argument is to already be looking to improve any position you can, and there is a lot that can be improved on over Tanny.
3a) Tannehill has a lot of flaws that he just never has gotten past. Using an outlet receiver is one of his worst, though pocket awareness and mobility are really close second and thirds. Like i said before, there just hasnt been significant improvements in the 7 years, and there is no reason at this point to keep believing there will be.
4) this is one im a little iffy on. We have a good OL if we had our starting OL, where we significantly lack is quality depth. Every year it seems injuries at OL come in and just blow shit up, this year it has been really bad, so i agree we need to keep investing in OL, but more for the next man up and not necessarily to be finding a starter.
5) I dont really have an issue with Tannebaum and Grier, sure there are things where i woulda zigged and they zagged, but i think overall its not a bad job they are doing.
5a) Same, im not sure how i feel about the cutting loose of those big contracts and not re-signing landry, etc. I dont tknow if those decisions might not have been heavily influenced by Gase since he supposedly has control of the personnel decisions. Like i said im not really pissed about it but some of them i disagreed with.
ocalarob says:
December 18, 2018 at 9:14 am
oh yeah…and QB rating is not a team stat, end of story!
Reply
Also, whatever. ESPN made up stats can go pound sand. there is not such thing as a QB rating. It is a PASSER rating.
ORob you like the straight ahead power running game, you should be wanting those big fat road graters, then you do a power man run blocking shceme and diver them straight back and the back gets in behind them and eeks out a hole. ZBS is what you are talking about and thats for more Drake’s style running. One cut, cut back running. Ballage is also one of those type backs. Gore is kinda a hybrid he can do ok in that system, but his style is more 0 or 1 gap pure dive power running. he gets low and squirts through and then kicks in the burners.
Wanna wish all you folks the most happy of holidays.
We have built a family in this place….sorta cool.
Happy to you and your lovely! Enjoy S. Africa!
Right back at you and yes enjoy S. Africa. When are you going?
Have a great and safe trip to both you and the Mrs., Stanger!
The Dolphins requested and got permission to wear the throwback uniforms again this Sunday against the Jags.
They should request to wear them every home game
Stanger, all the best to you and Mrs Stanger have a great time on your trip.
Ken Norton for short?
Oh, he really is his son. I didn’t know that
I don’t have the energy to get too much into what we should do in the offseason for a few reasons. The first is we’ve been playing with a lot of backups due to the loss of players lost for the season and typical in-season injuries all teams go through. We had so many different lineups each week and had to pick up players off the street to field a team. So that being said regardless of what we do in the offseason, if they can’t stay on the field does it even matter? Even X who was having a great season had to go down for a couple of games or maybe they just shut him down at this point. The injuries have exhausted me the last two seasons.
Not so much the injuries last year but all the different circumstances we went through last year. This year was more about injuries. This team needs some good fortune someday.
Congratulations to Xavien Howard for being selected to the Pro Bowl. Well deserved.
Yes! He totally deserved it. He’s one of the better CBs in the league. Teams avoid him and when they go his way bad things happen for them. 🙂
D says:
December 18, 2018 at 2:30 pm
First off, you bring up some really good observations M13, so props to you on that.
Ill go one by one and just throw in my 0.02…
————-
Thank you, sir! And I thank you for your opinions on my observations, as I felt they were really good, too. There are many different ways we can address these observations, and there’s no ONE right way to do so. Additionally, some of these observations can offset one another if we finally get things right in another observation (ie: if our O-Line finally gets right, that could solve many other problems).
Thank you for your feedback, D… I appreciate it! 🙂
NEW BLOG UP!
Rockphin says:
December 18, 2018 at 3:17 pm
yes, but they are not CONTROLLED by the QB so they should not be attributed to them alone.
________________________________________
if you want to look at it your way then all stats would be “team stats”,
when a RB carries the ball he gets help from his blockers, or maybe he doesn’t shouldn’t his yards gained or lost be a “team stat”?
how about sacks or lack of, when a DE get’s to the QB most of the time the qb has no where to go with the ball due to good coverage. shouldn’t that be a “team stat”.
if you look at pro reference stats they have stats for both QBR and passer rating, and they don’t attribute rankings to teams only players.
total defense…total offense…Are team stats