With all the flux in the lineup on the offensive side of the ball necessitated by injuries, COVID-19 etc, the one stalwart, reliable guy all season long has been #11, DeVante Parker. A look at Parker’s catch percentage of 65.8% might not be that impressive unless you watch the games. If you’ve been watching, Parker isn’t getting those easy throws, in fact it seems as if nearly every throw his way is a contested catch. I listen to WQAM as much as I can and NFL radio as well, and of course try to read everything Dolphins that I can. There’s a lot of talk about Tua Tagovailoa needing to learn how to throw to targets that aren’t wide open, as they usually were at Alabama. I believe it, because in some ways it’s counterintuitive. I think there’s a level of trust that a QB has to have in order to make those kind of throws and I believe that’s something that Tua will learn, and one that I also believe may take some time to develop. It’s a skill he hasn’t honed yet, so be patient, but it sure is nice to have to DeVante Parker here as a Miami Dolphin, because he makes those plays seem routine.
This week, the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals come to town, in tow with a couple of former Miami Dolphins assistant coaches. Zac Taylor is the Head Coach, along with DC Lou Anarumo. As you know, the Bengals lost their promising rookie starting QB Joe Burrow to a knee injury and now have either last week’s starter Brandon Allen or Ryan Finley to choose from. Allen had an uneven start and apparently was lucky to escape with only one INT as he was consistently throwing into crowds. Either way, whomever starts at QB for Cincy has a tough task against our Miami Dolphins defense. Man, it just feels great to be able to say that and mean it!
As far as our Miami Dolphins offense, it’s still unclear as to who will be in the backfield. Myles Gaskin is designated to return from IR but it’s not a guarantee that he’s able to go Sunday. His former Huskie teammate Salvon Ahmed is also not a lock to play with a sore shoulder and last week’s primary ballcarrier DeAndre Washington has a sore hamstring. This could potentially lead to a Matt Breida and Patrick Laird backfield, but I have a feeling Gaskin or Ahmed will be playing and likely getting most of the action, it depends on how each one of them responds during practice, and maybe we even see both. The other big question looming is whether Tua Tagovailoa’s thumb injury is significant enough to keep him out another game which would have our wily veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick getting another cherished start. Fitz may really like Tua but don’t think for a second that he’s not relishing every opportunity he gets to start.
Depending on who starts for the Bengals, either Allen or Finley, they will likely have Giovanni Bernard as their starting RB along with a nice trio of WR’s including former pro bowler A.J. Green, very impressive rookie Tee Higgins and team leading WR Tyler Boyd, with 72 receptions and 723 yards. Higgins is the TD leader with 5 TD receptions. This is a different offense without QB Joe Burrows and RB Joe Mixon. Bernard will share carries with former Dolphins RB Samaje Perine. On defense, Jesse Bates III is having a nice season at safety with 3 INT’s and 13 passes defensed. Pretty impressive, as he also is 2nd on the team in tackles with 75. SS Vonn Bell leads the team with 85 tackles and if we know one thing, it’s never a good sign when your safeties lead the team in tackles. DE Carlos Dunlap was traded to the Seahawks at the trade deadline and basically leaves a toothless defense behind in Cincy. DE Carl Lawson (not to be confused with M’s fave Manny Lawson) leads the Bengals with 4.5 sacks.
Well, this is the easiest game on our schedule for the rest of the season with the Chiefs, Patriots, Raiders and Bills remaining after this week. That doesn’t mean we look past our opponent this week, I know Brian Flores won’t be doing that. This is a must win for us to stay competitive for both the division crown and/or the Wild Card. Neither avenue will be easy but wins mean everything and we better get one this week. At the moment, Cleveland is the top WC team at 8-3, followed by us and Indy but the Ravens lurk just one game behind us at 6-5 along with the LV Raiders and the South division may change hands so both Indy and Tennessee are in competition for a WC spot. Right now we stand as the 6 seed above Indy but this is very fluid and can change weekly. I say we take care of our own business and win at least 10 games and we should be in the playoffs.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Grant dropped that one
No Grant!
Hit Grant on the hands … shit!! ahhh
Tua couldn’t hit the ocean from a boat
Nice Gaskins
That looked like a loss. Nice job by Gaskin
Wow – Grant…come on
Tua showed his deep ball arm on that one. Not his fault that Grant can’t hold it.
Grant with a make up run
That was an ugly throw.
That deep ball drop is why Grant isn’t even in the same ballpark as Tyreek Hill. Hill makes that catch.
And scores
Perfect pass from Tua it should have been 6
Dink & dunk won’t get it done against a real team
No way that’s a Td
Another browns Td 30-7
Gesicki can get open a catch the ball, but after the catch, he looks like a damn giraffe running from a pack of lions.
That is a pass
Closer than I thought but still a pass
How does a fumble go 20 yards forward?
exactly!!!
In some cases, pushed forward by elbow after ball has come out, not this one
They should overturn this. His arm showed a small forward motion that at full speed doesn’t really show.
It’s weird, but I feel like we’re the guys getting the benefit of calls lately. Anyone else?
Had a couple strange ones last week for sure
Rob, Tua threw a TD pass. Grant just dropped it. No dinking
Threw it at least 60 yards in the air and hit Grant on the dead run
No. Tua threw an incomplete pass. Not grants fault. When you throw a pass you own the result
Tua looks so uncomfortable in this offense and I just can’t put my finger on it.
Ya cursed us Mike
Damn Yankee catcher
Stupid penalty
Bengals QB just got Munson’d.
TD Texans 21-17 colts
We’re getting owned by a 2 win team at home
They are going to march all the way down the field on penalties alone
Bbm tua doesnt seem to have the vertical game fitz does
Raiders TD 17-13
Titans playing like they left the “A” and the “N” home. Playing soft like TITS. lol
Yeah, OK Rob – Whatever . . . Maybe Tua should have ran 60 yards downfield to catch it too.
He threw into coverage
Are you watching, he threw PAST the coverage, right to his receivers hands, he did his half of the job, receiver needs to make the catch. Ask Grant, he’ll tell you the same thing.
The pass was behind and over his head. Grant had trouble locating it and making the catch. With a defender right there grabbing him. I dont put that on grant at all
I think you should check the reception on your tv because I don’t think you are watching the same game or maybe it’s the announcer on Wiki who gave you that info 😁
The bengals have a better qb than us
OK, so now I know you’re just busting balls. lol
Im just being truthful. Look at them. Who’s better?
We’ve scored 3 points so far against a not so great D.
Our d is not playing up to snuff
I expect tua to get the hook in the 2nd half
We are not a playoff caliber team based off the last few weeks. Cincy is a top 5 worst team in the NFL without their starting QB. Need a lot of work.
Browns destroying Titans. Dang, they are playing really well these days.
Nother TD
I can’t stand Lofton
24-17 colts
So Boyd and Howard tossed
Now we’re in trouble
That’s bs
There really wasn’t a lot there to lead to two players being thrown out
Missed FG 7-3 Miami
Gonna get to check out Iggy.
Wow nice leg drive by Bess
Nice move by Laird
Dink & Dunker master
24-20 colts.
7-6 at the half
Sanders Money man. 7-6 at the 1/2
Pretty uninspiring half
Ugly football by both teams during first half.
🍺🍺
To Ken
Beer. Yum
Grant dropped an easy TD
Tua should have caught it
Don’t you know it was a terrible throw by Tua 🤣
That wasn’t gonna be a TD (CB would have tackled), but it sure as heck would have gone for 40 or 50 yards.
I think he had the step on the defender and it was in stride cannot say for sure but I think Grant wins the foot race
Of course it would have helped if he caught the ball
Wins the foot race for sure, but he would have had to slow down a bit to make the catch. But we’ll never know unfortunately.
So Boyd’s dog fight in the dog park antics cost his team 3 points and give the the Dolphins a field goal. That’s 6. But he did get X kicked out….. he’d better hope Iggy gets burned bad.
Mahogany does burn nicely
32 yds rushing for 1st half. 🙄
9 rush attempts, 19 pass attempts …
0-4 on 3rd down.
Our O is not good, as of now at least.
Ham with a Td for Vikes lol
Penalties were a problem for us on both sides of the ball
HUGE
It seems Tua is still thinking and trying to proceess.
Fitzpatrick processes and tries to beat you.
This seems to be a much closer game because of O. 3 rookies are holding their own.
Raiders TD
And here today I’m a Jets fan. 🙂
Nice roll out and throw
GISEKI TD.
I will never spell his name right
That Tua guy really sucks
for once we agree
🤚 for Mike E
shitty throw for a TD
No such thing
OD 13-7 Fins
What the fuck was that and where has that been?!!!!!
got a 6’8″ rec and you underthrow him!
Boom
13-7 Phins
Come on D need to pick up X now
ocalarob says:
December 6, 2020 at 2:59 pm (Edit)
shitty throw for a TD
—————
Didn’t someone post about owning what happens on throw. Who was that who posted that ? 😆
i included “TD” in my post
That was nice playcalling and excellent execution all the way around.
You don’t know shit about football if you can’t acknowledge that, Orob. Sorry man.
Yeah man, they sure fooled the shit out of that 2 win team!
I’m not going to argue down on the Dolphins. Go piss somewhere else.
This is a Dolphin blog!
if we are able to escape this slugfest, the next 4 weeks will tell the story on Tua
Tua just doesn’t seem to be able to get on a roll, not just this game but every game he’s played. i understand having bad games but not every one.
he struggles to move the offense.
Perfect 22 Td pass to Grant 🤡
TD Titans!
what else irks me about Tua is i’ve never known a QB from Hawaii that was ever worth a damn, for that matter football players in general. not sure why that is?
I missed the TD … had to walk the dogs to tire them out… they were barking at anything from too much energy. lol
Great grab on a PERFECT throw
Your “great” has a wide margin!
“perfect”
Put it where only Gisieki could get it
Nevermind he got shaken up having to make a one handed stab stretched out. to add insult to injury Tua couldn’t get the TD!
nice catch
16-7 Fins OD
16-7 Miami
ALL RIGHT MIAMI! FG!!!
Beer 🍺 back to Toba
Better than Bareback 👍🤡
Hey now
Do you DISagree ?
Some people will probably be critical about the playcalling there
But I like playing it conservative and then just throwing a Fade to Parker on 3rd
We just needed a FG to go up two scores
van Noy sack
DEFENSE !! here we go!
How is that not a penalty?
can’t remember last time Grant called fair catch. lol
Defense is one busted play from total domination today
Okay maybe it was called
That was nasty
Gisieki ballin
This is the Gesicki usage many here have been clamoring for.
Go Houston, we need the colts to lose, we have tough games after this
It’s the gesicki show!
that’s a catch
That is a catch