The Miami Dolphins return home from an unsuccessful trip to Buffalo, NY. You can look at this game from many different perspectives. You can say it was a tough task traveling to Buffalo for the 3rd road game in 4 games. You can say in general Orchard Park is a house of horrors for the Dolphins, which it is. You could also look at it from the viewpoint that if this team is really ready to compete for a division title and beyond, we need to be able to not only compete with teams like the Bills, but beat them. Well, this past Sunday we did neither, at least not past the beginning of the 2nd quarter, where the score stood at that time at 14-14. The Bills then ran away, scoring 17 unanswered points and eventually finished on top with a lopsided 48-20 victory.
One game however, does not mean that all is bad in Miami. Credit Bills HC Sean McDermott for finding a way to shut down the Dolphins offense, something the Patriots did as well up to a point. The bright side is, I have no concerns with our offense. We lost a couple of role players, WR’s River Cracraft and Erik Ezukanma, Cracraft more in a receiving role, while EZ was used in the rushing attack and seldom used as a receiver. Both players are on IR so they will both be out a minimum of 4 games. In the mean time, the Dolphins acquired former Steelers and Bears WR Chase Claypool for a 6th RD pick in 2024, the Dolphins receive Claypool and the Bears 7th RD pick in 2024. This offense is evolving constantly, and now LT Terron Armstead will spend some customary time OUT, he’s also now on IR with multiple injuries. We have seen the emergence of rookie RB De’Von Achane, and he’s been nothing less than electric. His stats are off the charts, but lest we not forget how well Raheem Mostert looks this season. I’m also impressed with big back Chris Brooks from BYU, and RB Jeff Wilson is set to return shortly from injury. RB Salvon Ahmed is also healing up, so that’s one very crowded backfield, and how the touches are divided are anyone’s guess. Achane has been used sparingly despite the outrageous returns on his limited touches, and to be fair, they might just keep it that way to keep him healthy. This may also benefit Raheem Mostert who is now 31, and although he’s bulked up and looks like a different back, he’s got quite the injury history, so splitting carries might be the recipe to keep both healthy and productive.
OK, finally, what about the defense? I loathe to talk about the defense, or lack of defense if you will. This defense scares no one. It’s toothless. We’ve been gashed on the ground, through the air, every which way. ST’s has allowed a blocked FG attempt and has allowed a return TD. The super hyped Jaelan Phillips wasn’t much when he played, and now he’s likely to miss his 3rd straight game. The defense has 10 sacks after 4 games, and if I told you after 4 games that Andrew Van Ginkel would be leading the team with 3 sacks, you’d have laughed at me. AVG is doing his best while Phillips is out and while Bradley Chubb is largely ineffective. The other 7 sacks are distributed with a sack each for Long, Ogbah, Chubb, Wilkins, Sieler, and Kohou, and hype-boy Phillips shares 1/2 sack with DB Justin Bethel. The Dolphins defense is allowing just a hair under 30 PPG, a far cry from what we all expected with the Vic Fangio hiring.
The Jonathan Taylor rumors went wild, this after the Dalvin Cook rumors went wild. OK, the problem on this team is not the run game, or the players in the run game. Now that Taylor is eligible to return, he’s eligible to come off the PUP list, and appears fully healthy from his January ankle surgery. We just traded for WR Chase Claypool, so how long before Taylor to Miami starts again, and it probably already has, although I’ve read the Packers really want him. I said we didn’t need him before, and I’m sticking to that position. We could potentially be better with Taylor, but I think we’re more than fine with what we currently have.
Back to the dreaded defense. Cam Smith, ZERO defensive snaps, has only played special teams. Our 1st pick in this year’s draft, #51 (2nd RD pick), can’t seem to crack the lineup ahead of Eli Apple for one. I love Kader Kohou, what Dolphins fan doesn’t? Kohou is a nickel back, and actually, good news is on the frontier, because Nik Needham can potentially be back as well as OG Robert Jones. Both have been designated to return in which the team has a 21 day window to be activated, much like the Colts Jonathan Taylor. It would be wonderful for Needham to get back, he’s a favorite of mine because he always seems to step up to the challenge before him. I don’t know whether Vic Fangio just feels that Cam Smith isn’t ready, doesn’t like rookies, I’m not sure, but to see Eli Apple lining up and playing like Eli Apple has, it’s disheartening to fans that Cam Smith hasn’t received a chance.
It’s looking Connor Williams may miss another game with an injured groin muscle. Both Robert Jones and Nik Needham logged back to back limited practices, so they’re not on the radar for this week. C Connor Williams also has 2 limited practices, so we’ll see whether he suits up against the Jints, who by the way will be without 3 starters on their O-line, LT Andrew Thomas, LG Shane Lemieux and C Jon Michael Schmitz, while RB Saquon Barkley will be a gametime decision. Our beleaguered defense may actually have a favorable matchup, stay tuned. You have to figure we’ll rest Phillips in this one as he’s still bothered with that oblique injury. I expect our offense to get back to normal, not necessarily 70 points, but 30 or more points in this one. The NY Giants are league last scoring only 11.5 PPG, while allowing 30.5 PPG on defense, just behind our Dolphins defense. Hopefully the Dolphins get their mojo back and come back again next week to Hard Rock for the Fest at 4-1, still atop, either tied or maybe alone after a battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars who got back on track against the Atlanta Falcons to go to 2-2.
GO DOLPHINS!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
That one DIDN’T count
Mike E is right….
That was a great play by Apple
I know he’s not always great but that was great
Apple not great in coverage but he can tackle
ROFLMAO!!!
On the page turn!!
No Admin interference there…
Apple and tackle in the same sentence?😱
Sloppy today. Winning comfortably but too complacent
Pets down 21-0 at home against the saints
And they were favored
lol, I didn’t know that. that’s great
Our D crashing down made him flinch LOL
Wow 25 pulls that away
Maybe someone other than Apple should cover Waller???
Sieler sealing off that run
Our defense is going to be exhausted in the second half
We get the ball first
Chubb held
Chubb strangled
Let’s give the D some rest and cap off this first half with a three minute TD drive
I approve this message
TOP:
Giants 20 minutes
Dolphins 6:30
I’m all fairness – don’t we all hold our Chubbs sometimes…
🍻
Mike E. says:
October 8, 2023 at 2:08 pm
Chubb held
‐—————
Hand reference?
So much for milking the clock
This offense is insane
This game is playing out exactly like I thought it would. This is fun
Bad to mediocre defenses have no chance against this offense. We’ll crush you unless we beat ourselves
Fuck
Well that non PI sure cost us 😡
How do they not call that interference on waddle
What a fucking disaster .
Bad decision by Tua
lol, i ain’t worried
Fugly
We still have over a minute
102 yard pick six?
FUCK THAT SHIT LOL
That was a bad read
Shit pass by Tua!
Bad decision by Tua
I expect us to score now and make is 21-10 before the half
He deserves to be crucified in the press for that shit OMG
It’s ok, we got plenty of time to go down and score again, then we get the ball 1st next half.
It feels like they are forcing it to 🐧
S L O P P Y
Well, we had our 70-20 game. We know how this team loves to make it difficult.
What the fuck was Tua seeing there?
Maybe this will wake the team up
The only time they have hurt us is when we’ve hurt ourselves. We’re good. We’ll go down and get 3 or 7 here.
What the HELL!!
Nice return Berrios
I would love to see the Tua that doesn’t make a bad throw a game
Those kind of things will matter when we face the top teams; it would be nice to see him get it corrected against the bad teams
He’s totally trying to force it
Already on the Giants side of the field
C Wilson pissed we traded for Claypool?
Mate catches today than since we signed him
More
Lamm sucks
Yuck
Not too worried
We just need a td to start the 2nd
Pathetic
Turnovers killing us
We need to crate our own to even things out
102 yard pick six
YUGE INHALE
SIIIIIIGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
It’s not like we’re playing poorly, but we ain’t looking like the NFL elite either
Shit like that makes me have flashbacks to being an AntiTuaTool
Each time I have put my new Achane jersey on something bad has happened. When I where my non-MiamiDolpins-themed teeshirt good things happen.
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
You know the rule about jerseys. Do not buy or wear
Does anyone want a $168.00 XL custom Achane jersey? I will bring it to the game. No charge. It’s too big on me now anyway. Lost a few Lb’s.
No shit Free. I swim in it.
I have my regular “lucky” tee on. The one I have worn for every win.
There is laundry in. I am sorry. Can we move on?
LET’S GO DOLPHINS!
Hey Dolphins! Enough with the sloppy nonsense. We’re allowing an inferior team to stay in this game.
I’d like to see us run the ball
Stop it!!! Can we run the fucking ball
I guess not . . . 😠
LOL!!!!
What the fuck is with these passes?
That’s more like it
Who da man
That was fast
BS penalty.
Boom!!!
Well… that was nice
Taunting???? Really???
Total BS he is giving the ball to his mom. He better make sure his socks are on
Taunting the crowd???
So Tyreek not allowed to throw up the deuce anymore huh. 15 yards huh?
This defense going up against a high school offensive line and can’t dominate
5 sacks on the day. Some people had that as the minimum our D needed to not suck
We’ve managed to make it look unimpressive somehow
They’ve only got 3 points on the D, bro.
That was my number; can I up it to 8?
Nice work D
Brian May punting for the Giants?
Let’s go
Time to score again
Cedric Wilson is increasing his trade value for when our other WRs get healthy. 😛
Dammit!!! Nice run
The creativity of this offense is just a joy to watch
With Achane’s production in just 6 quarters of play … I would think he is in ROY conversation at this point.
Has to be
^ 10 quarters
Tua has a pick 6 and still has a 125 QB rating
Probably not anymore
Jinxed
Wtf
WTF was that?
Come the fuck on Tua
WTFF
lol, i’m just going to stop.
OMG, Tua making some bad decisions. It’s ok to throw it away and wait until we get the ball next time.
Is Tua shaving points? WTAF!?
Looked like Waddle had no idea the pass was intended for him
I don’t blame him
It was just a bad throw. High and soft in the middle of the field
gotta hold them to FG attempt
Great job, D. We can still go up 3 scores with a TD, which WE ARE GOING TO GET ON THIS DRIVE.
Sieler almost killed Kohou
I’m deep into the rum and cokes lol
I picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue
🤣
There’s never a good week to stop sniffing glue!
24-0 Saints over Pets
LOLOLOL
I guess when I make a score prediction like this I should expect the shyte game we are having.
Howie’s List
Week 5
🐬 vs 💩
🦬 35 – 17🐬
🐷 42 – 6 🐬
🇬🇧 35-10 🐬
🗿27-13🐬
🌴 38-17 🐬
⚔️ 45-17 🐬
🇨🇦 41-3 🐬
Just win this one you are supposed to.
I’m really sorry guys. I was looking ahead. I didn’t have my lucky Tee on. I wasn’t doing laundry, I didn’t start drinking until the second half.
I’m focused now.
You’re good, Bro. This game was over before it even started.
Don’t forget about mostert please
Tua smiling after that INT really pisses me off
Serious….
No takers? None of you XL MFrs want a free Achane jersey?
Okay
I’m satiated
Give it to waddle now
Love that we’re running the ball. We’re getting killed in T.O.P. This is what we needed to do!!!