Divisional rival game. Throw out the team records, throw out the last meeting between these two teams and also, throw away all the momentum of the 5 game winning streak. All that is in the past. What remains in front of the Miami Dolphins is a team that knows them backwards and forwards, there are no surprises, no secrets. Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, the one thing that the win streak afforded them was consistency. That went out the window when the entire Dolphins RB room tested positive for COVID. More unfortunately, it wasn’t just the RB room. We have potentially lost our star WR Jaylen Waddle as well as our star S Jevon Holland. Both of these players are huge part of what we do on offense and defense respectively. The pass game went through Waddle and the versatility and effectiveness of Jevon Holland doing everything from blitzing, to coverage, to playing near the LOS as a LB has been so valuable to the Dolphins. There is potentially good news as S Brandon Jones is questionable to return from ankle and elbow injuries Sunday. He’s logged 2 limited practices so it’s possible he can suit up. Jones isn’t Holland, but if I had to pick one of our safeties to replace Holland, it would be Jones.
Back to the consistency thing. We need Deiter in there at C and we need him to play well. We’ve had 3 different centers this season though I believe we’ve seen the last of C Austin Reiter who was waived this week. Greg Mancz who we picked up from the Ravens is IR/DFR which means he’s off the IR and designated for return. He’ll likely be the backup this week to Deiter who is wearing a precautionary walking boot. I’m really hoping Myles Gaskin can play. We know his limitations, as do the Jets, but he gives the offense some consistency which is much needed this week. If Waddle is OUT, and it sure looks that’ll be the case, DeVante Parker who is being rested this week and not practicing will hopefully be wearing his Superman costume under his uniform. The WR corps will be Parker, Wilson, Hollins, Ford and Williams. I would imagine TE Mike Gesicki would be in line for a heavy dose of targets this week although it’s difficult to say that with certainty since his targets have been anything but consistent.
Our defense will have to set the tone, and they have been doing that during the duration of this five game win streak. There won’t be the statue-like Joe Flacco at QB this week, it will be the much more mobile, much less experienced rookie QB Zach Wilson. To be fair, Flacco carved up our defense pretty well but ultimately it was his lack of escapability that did him in. Zach Wilson can move, but pressure will cause errors in judgement and poor throws. We need Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaelan Phillips, Andrew Van Ginkel to keep up their relentless pass rush. All of these guys have been killing it the last few games. If S Jevon Holland is OUT, hopefully Brandon Jones can step in and get the job done.
The Jets will likely get a boost for their run game as rookie RB Michael Carter will be coming off IR this week. Carter has played well this season and has been a definite bright spot in their offense. Bad news for the Jets is WR Elijah Moore is on IR and will not be able to play Sunday. He’s been the bright spot in their passing game which now features Denzel Mims who is desperately trying, along with the Jets to get going. The Jets will rely a lot on Jamison Crowder, Keelan Cole and Braxton Berrios. Tevin Coleman and Ty Johnson have been splitting RB duties but if Michael Carter is able to play, he’s the one to watch out for.
I don’t care what this game looks like on paper. Yes, the Jets are 32nd in points allowed with 397 (30.5 PPG). They are 29th in points scored with 226 (17.4 PPG). The Dolphins have made significant gains in both categories during the 5 game win streak. The Dolphins are now 25th in points scored with 254 (19.5 PPG) and really moved up defensively to 13th with 288 (22.2 PPG). When 2 teams know each other so well, anything can happen, especially after having the win streak snapped by the interruption of the BYE week. What could have been a week to improve our roster by getting healthy has turned out be a disaster with COVID infecting too many important players. It will take a lot for Brian Flores and his staff to stay focused and find a way to overcome the obstacles that have presented themselves this week. Hopefully Flores has this team’s attention and they understand the importance of winning E-V-E-R-Y * S-I-N-G-L-E * G-A-M-E. There are no week’s off, this team must win the rest of their games or the season is done. Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh would love nothing more to end this streak and have the Dolphins join them as another team from the AFC East OUT of the playoffs. This game could be a nail biter, so fasten your seatbelts!!
PS – Some good news most recently from the Stanger camp. Jon has improved since my last update. Things are looking up so all of you BLOG Cardiac Surgeons can rest easy and don’t worry yourselves about transplants and the like. Hopes and prayers to Jon that he continues to improve and get out of the hospital able to resume a normal life.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
YUP! Mac Jones is SO better than Tua.
🤣🤣 picturing Ralphie with a shotgun
My inner “Stephen King” must have gotten the better of me…
😆
The thing I like about what Tua is doing is slicing and dicing in the short/medium passing game behind a struggling OL which is what 90% of all passing games are anyway. When the OL improves that will still be there but the deeper shots will be more available. It doesn’t hurt to learn how to play under duress. Steve Young did.
EXACTLY!!!
He looks like he’s about to cry
I think he is
Mac Jones blowing colon tonight.
Yikes!!! Is that a thing, blowing a colon? LOL
I think they pulled Jones’ balls off last week only calling 3 pass plays.
No wonder why they only let him 3 times last week
With this running game this game is over
The Colts are imposing their will on the Pats all game in every phase.
The Flying Pig says:
December 18, 2021 at 9:55 pm
He looks like he’s about to cry
————–
Agreed, and I see a cross of Johnny Manziel and Alfred E. Neuman in Mac Jones’ face.
Lol
Lol
Pittman should not have been thrown out. Dugger started it and kept doing it.
Yessir! And did I see KVN get into the action?
The game is 20-0 but feels like Colts should be up 40-0
Womp Womp
I’m not sure what Pittman did that caused his ejection
Defended himself a few times.
He hit a Patriots players fists with his face
Yes but what did he do wrong?
Mac Jones with the ‘hospital ball’ to Nelson A.
Wentz has been asking for that multiple times. This is what I was saying. The Colts will go as far as what Wentz does.
Pets back in the game.
Horrible throw by Jones
Not sure about the FG there
No way in hell 4 and goal from the 7 with Brady does belucheat kick that FG in that situation
With 8:57 left it’s debatable. You have to have confidence in your defense that has played well. Fun game!
Or no confidence Jones can get you 2 tds
This is where as a team you need that game closing drive if you’re the Colts. Get 1st downs, kill lots of clock and score at least 3.
Can’t believe they went for that
They’ve done it all night. Wentz is really good on QB sneaks like Brady. They see the cracks. Tua has shown that too. 🙂
That’s game
The Colts got too conservative and showed their hand that we’re running. They could have run out of more spread looks. You have Jonathan Taylor. In space he’s deadly. He’s not Christian Okoye.
I guess QB running plays on 3rd and long isn’t a good strategy
Game over
Fork!
FU cheats, stick that in your pipe…
Jonathan Taylor is a legit MVP candidate
Another hospital ball!
Beer to Wyoming 🍺
Another hospital ball by Jones
🙂
Jonathan Taylor is a great RB. I’m glad I drafted him 1st rd last year in our protect FFL. I’m on the bye in the playoffs waiting for next week. 🙂
Well that sucked
Now the script has flipped. I’m sure Kong will adjust the best case scenarios soon. 🙂
Good luck Herd!
Go Marshall!!!!!!
Omg. Targeting in the Herd game. Worst I’ve seen. Ever.
That was BAD!
dang, I guess that answers half my question
Are Waddle and Holland eligible to play today?
Holland ruled out for today
Waddle still on Covid list
LET ME JOIN THE THRONG that doubts Miami will get a playoff spot. BUT I want to place the BLAME directly where it belongs – – at the feet of owner STEVE ROSS. It was ROSS who just HAD TO HAVE a certain quarterback from Houston. It was ROSS who refused to end the uncertainty and confusion by simply stating that “TUA IS OUR QUARTERBACK.” Thanks to Little Stevie Blunder, the sports writers had a field day speculating that Tua’s short run in Miami was about to end. The result was added tension in the locker room and a 7-game losing streak—which we needed like a hole in the head!! Hell, just ONE WIN DURING THAT STREAK (such as Beating Jacksonville) likely would have changed the playoff scenario in favor of the Dolphins.
BUT NOOO-O-O-O-!!! Mr. Blunder only had eyes for the accused felon!! Indeed, had 4 accusers NOT settled for an out of court settlement, Watson might now be a Dolphin. BUT HE’D BE ON SUSPENSION pending the outcome of UPCOMING TRIALS because those 4 accusers are hell bent on pursuing their full legal options, which is their right. So we’d be left with NO TUA and, for an unknown period of time, NO WATSON, EITHER until the legal system had finished with the trials and, perhaps, a few appeals from a possibly CONVICTED DESEAN WATSON!!!
ONLY ROSS COULD BE THIS FOOTBALL STUPID!!!
AND HE SHOULD BE HELD FULLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS!!
TODAY’S weather forecast for Miami Gardens: High of 81, with a 50% chance of rain.
Old dolphan.
I hear you on Ross however our defense actually cost us games more so than the Tua debacle. You were there for the Atlanta game. All we needed was a stop at the end, same with Jax. Now I get the other side meaning the offense should of scored more points.
Go phins!!
GOTTA take a different view, my good buddy. Not only was Tua distracted. I believe that, to some extent, others on BOTH sides of the ball were impacted by this climate of uncertainty. ROSS could have simply defused this situation with a statement of support for TUA. The result? I believe, at a minimum, Miami would have beaten BOTH Jacksonville and Atlanta and have only 5 losses right now instead of 7.
ALWAYS good to talk with you!
Totally agree on Ross handling the Tua situation horribly in the wrong way. Hopefully he realizes he shouldn’t talk out his ASS, leave that to football staff. However I like what he did with the stadium. Now if they call it Joe Robbie stadium for at least one year.. Maybe we can get rid of the curse lol
IT’S GAME DAY BITCHES!!!
GO DOLPHINS!!!!
Gameday baby!!! Need a very strong effort from our boys today. Come out HOT and put the pressure on early and keep it on. No letting up, pedal to the metal!!
Pressure cooker baby!!!
Pressure is on US. Jets have no pressure at all, playing for nothing. We lose it’s embarrassing for our team/franchise. Have to step up and play a clean game. I hate not having Waddle and Holland but Parker should be set up to have a big game. Gesicki too, although I find it hard to bet on that.
These are the new Phins.. lol that will Hopefully not embarrass us today. I hope they don’t feel any pressure!!! Just execute and beat the shit out of the Yets and have fun doing it. I think having a fun beat down game on them will help with momentum down the stretch
We need to play smash mouth football today.
That’s not our style. We need Tua to keep doing what he has been doing. Get the ball out fast and spread the field
and maybe smash a couple of mouths while they do it?
Dear Santa……
Go Dolphins!!
It’s going to be hot down there today! Forecast is 84 deg with 76% humidity and partly cloudy. They will be praying for those cloud parts. it’s going to feel like over 100’s on the sunny bench this afternoon. Those dark jerseys are going to drain them too.
#GO DOLPHINS
#GOSTANGERX
👍👍
👍👍
Rock – I think the Dolphins are wearing aqua uni tops today. No dark uni for the Jets
So DUMB
We should ALWAYS were lights at home.
Why are we in the dark jerseys?
Guessing the angle of the sun this time of year isn’t on the field that much. It’s more about ambient temperature
No, when they built it they angled it right. The player’s bench is in the sun all year. LOL The field will have light and shade areas.
White, Green, whatever. It is fucking hot in the sun sitting there. I sat 9 rows behind the bench against the Giants and had to go into the club because I was roasting.
Ken, I meant to counter not having Waddle.
Still think we are not smash mouth but I get the sentiment
3 rushes to start
Fuck!! Disappointing start
Dang. Was liking the commitment to the run game to open until that happened.
Jets offense looking a lot like our offense at the moment
Our defense looking a lot like the Jets defense
Alright Defense, make a play.
defense looking weak today, the jest OL is pushing our DL backwards
170 pound guy powers into the end zone, SMH
What a pussy non=tackle by Howard! Closed his fucking eyes!!
Howard whiffed, SMH
Yuck. Shitty start. This is why I hated that BYE week interruption. We look out of sorts
yes and no, all teams have bye weeks
there is no excuse to play like shit after a bye, team needs to man up, at HOME, against the shitty ass jets!
KONG : Pitt or Tenn ??
Coming out flat after the bye.
Unbelievable
Not that it matters if we keep up like this
of course the offense would look out of snyc too, SMH
WTF
I said to my buddy I had a bad feeling about todays game.
Tons of missed tackles already
So can Flores get this team right during the game? That’s where I feel he6weak, in game adjustments. I mean it’s going to be hard not to hang around against the Jets but it will not be a good luck for Flores if we get blown out here
he isnt known for being able to do that,
but this is beyond pathetic, cant even play at home against the east rutherford losers?
Trap game
Tua overthrew Parker, that ones on Tua
I guess I’ll do some laundry. Can’t hurt.
Just threw up in my mouth seeing that picture of Joe Philbin
Terrible tackling
So far everything is out of sync
Tua needs to set his feet and throw the fucking ball
Herd, I think maybe you should see if any of your neighbors have laundry
we look like we did at the beginning of the season
We need to come out with some quick passes and get Tua into a rhythm.
3 and out , k build on this
Flores had 2 weeks to prepare for the jets at home, not sure why he doesnt have the players ready?
We need points here
Waddle was worth going after in the draft, we need another this year. Tua misses his safety blanket. Tua needs to slow down a bit , he is feeling the pressure.
Nice job by Wilson , although he almost lost the 1st down going backwards again
WTF, Tua is looking stale today
Tua’s been looking really inaccurate today
if we cant be good, maybe we can be lucky, lol at the Wilson deflection catch
Tua really misses Waddle
That was a nice throw
DUKE !!!
Alright, needed that score badly
Fuck, we really needed that!!!!!
DUKE JOHNSON! from the best U in America, UCF GOLDEN KNIGHTS!
Turnover would be great here
We are missing a lot of tackles today!
Duke is having the kind of game I thought Doaks might if he was starting
Just wow
This game is giving me agita