It’s still one game in 17, and at 6-3 the Dolphins are far from being out of contention. However, one needs to accurately put in context exactly what we are in contention for. To win the division, sure, its definitely possible, likely even if the Bills lose tonight against the Bengals. Winning the division is nice, but we have tried to assemble a team with a very small window of opportunity to go all the way. As currently constituted, that won’t happen. At least I should say “shouldn’t happen”, because we haven’t defeated a good team with a winning record since September of ’22.
We got back Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Andrew Van Ginkel are all healthy now and playing well, yet we still can’t close out a good team. The offense was more of an issue, and if I’m being honest, why was Raheem Mostert used so sparingly in this game until it was almost too late? Besides De’Von Achane, Mostert is our best RB, our most consistent guy. I know he’s a little banged up, but Ahmed and Wilson just don’t threaten the defense like Mostert does. He looked pretty darn fresh in the 4th quarter, I wish we didn’t save him until then because we squandered too many drives without him. Penalties have been a killer as well, and we escaped a penalty today that should have been called against AVG. It’s not that AVG was looking to hurt Mahomes, he actually turned away and hit him with his back, but the fact is, Mahomes was out of bounds when AVG ran into him and that’s a penalty.
I don’t want to hear the excuse that we had 2 OL out. Every team has subs somewhere, and the O-line was making plenty of room for Mostert in the 4th quarter. Tua had a subpar performance for him. Tyreek Hill dropped a big pass, but Tua with the game on the line let a pass slip out of hand and mishandled a snap, one which did not look egregiously off target. He said it himself, you can’t end a game for your team on a play like that. Another observation is we’ve had a few slow starts. Those of you that attended the Fest game know we were behind 14-0 after the 1st quarter. We scored 3 points against the Eagles in the 1st quarter. We scored 7 against the Patriots, and were shutout the entire first half against the Chiefs. If we’re going to defer, we need to do a better job in the first half because the really good teams put their foot on your neck and don’t let you back in the game.
What can I say, the narrative that we can’t beat the good teams will continue to exist as long as it’s true and accurate, and right now it’s 100% accurate. We look like a different team against the better teams, we’re tight, and we get shut down on offense, and sometimes it’s the defense that looks disinterested. Today, the defense did its best, but the offense was the weak unit that didn’t hold up their end of the bargain. It’s great to be the #1 ranked offense in the NFL, but it sucks when you can’t back it up against better competition. Who cares if we can score 70 against the Broncos when we can only score 14 against the Chiefs?
We have the BYE week next week. Last week we lost OG Isaiah Wynn for the rest of the season, and it’s likely the same fate waits for OG Robert Jones, who ironically just filled in for Isaiah Wynn after coming off this week. Hopefully, after 2 weeks of rest, RG Robert Hunt will be back, and be healthy for the rest of the season. Lester Cotton, who played RG today will probably slide to LG as long as Hunt as healthy. RB De’Von Achane should make his return in Week 11 at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. He will undoubtedly give the offense a huge boost, and when we split carries between the two backs, Mostert and Achane both really thrive. It doesn’t leave that vacuum every time Mostert comes off the field.
Listen, it sucks, if you have friends that are NFL fans like I do, you know they’re getting a hearty laugh at our team, and rightfully so. We have yet to look anything like a team to fear when the opponent has been top level. 48-20 loss to the Bills, 31-17 loss to the Eagles and now a 21-14 loss to the Chiefs. Just remember, the #1 scoring offense in the NFL at a whopping 33.9PPG, practically 34 points per game has scored 17PPG against winning teams. Forget the defense which on occasion has not played well, but the high flying offense seems to wither when challenged, and our young HC Mike McDaniel needs to find a way to stop that from occurring. That won’t be an easy fix, but it has to happen if we’re going to ascend to a playoff winning team. I think our defense is going to be good going forward, but the offense has to be as effective against the good teams as they are against the weaker ones. I needed to vent this, spew it out of my system, it’s cathartic.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
We beat the SB Champs 14-0 in the second half.
The Chiefs losing to Denver really hurt us.
Baldy on Fangio taking Kelce out of the game (which meant conceding 1TD – a price worth paying every day of the week
Get into the playoffs and see what you can do. A chip and a chair, man…isn’t that what we’ve been wanting for years…a chance? This team should never have been considered a SB contender. If you thought they were….that’s on you…and it’s also on you that the team didn’t meet your inflated opinion by losing to KC. Don’t get mad at the team because you had unrealistic expectations.
***
This team doesn’t have the OL that can win big games against top echelon teams. Our edge pressure is suspect, at best, so we struggle to get teams off the field consistently. We have a QB that is limited and needs everything to work on schedule for him to play his best. We have a running game that is hit or miss…or ignored by the coach. We have a first year DC trying to figure it out on the go…and players too. We have no playoff scalps and haven’t been building a team that has learned how to win in big games in the playoffs.
***
Thinking this is a “SB team” is just pie in the sky stuff. I get it…fans are eternally irrational. Could we win the SB? Sure. Have we done anything the last few years to make me wanna bet $1000 that we will? Hell no. I figured 10…maybe 11 wins this year. Thus, a loss in Germany to the defending SB champ doesn’t curdle my milk all that much. It’s one loss. Move on and get better.
***
Happy Monday!!!
Whew … well at least I saved $150 on car insurance.
I’m just thinking this is a playoff team. It will play out after that as it will, but feeling a lot better about it this year than last.
boulderfinfan says:
November 6, 2023 at 12:16 pm (Edit)
Piggy, Are we doing the NY fest? I need to get my ticket if we are. thanks
****
I haven’t heard anything from Ken and/or Mike
Are you guys still planning to do this?
Mike, I’m just enjoying the season and we’ll see where it goes. I no longer get too crazy about it because I’m so used to my sports teams falling short. Maybe someday I’ll be pleasantly surprised.🙂
Ok, this I can relate to
I figured you would.😉
—————
Ryder’s not wrong about what he’s talking about, but he just tap-dances around the answer: IT WAS ABOUT THE O-LINE!
di
Coach McDaniel either didn’t trust two 2nd-stringers playing the Guard positions yesterday (hence the constant outside runs through 3 quarters of the game) — not to mention first game back for T-Stead and Connor Williams — or he feared Big Frank and their interior D-Line.
Jeff Wilson has had much success with us since last season running inside, hence my several calls for him to be fed the ball yesterday (he only had 2 carries yesterday, BTW).
Fortunately, whether out of necessity or trying something new, we started feeding the ball to Mostert for inside runs in the 4th quarter… with much success.
The really good news is that even with backups in the Guard positions, we were finally able to run the ball, going at them inside.
So in conclusion, I feel that FEAR stalled our Offense yesterday… not the fact that we had two 2nd-stringers in the Guard positions… at least in terms of our running game.
Pass-pro? That’s a different story…
Robert Jones: 0 sacks, 0 hits, 2 hurries = 2 pressures yielded
Lester Cotton: 1 sack, 1 hit, 2 hurries = 4 pressures yielded
Liam Eichenberg: 0 sacks, 1 hit, 0 hurries = 1 pressure yielded (14 snaps)
Terron Armstead: 0 sacks, 0 hits, 1 hurry = 1 pressure yielded
Austin Jackson: 0 sacks, 0 hits, 1 hurry = 1 pressure yielded
Connor Williams: 0 sacks, 1 hit, 0 hurries = 1 pressure yielded
The other 2 sacks yielded were coverage sacks.
Mike E,
There is a picture of a hand at the top of your article. Question: did you put on nail polish for this pic? LOL 😉
Of course! Wanted it look nice!
LOL! 😀
Randy – honest question for you, since you played college football.
If/when you beat a good team, didn’t your team feel more confident and feel like you can play with anyone?
In one of the plays that Ryder highlighted, you could see Berrios getting destroyed in the running game on an outside run: his guy was the one who blew up the play. Claypool really whiffed on his block on the same play, too.
Rather than dare to run it inside, we continued for 3 quarters to strictly run to the outside… it didn’t work but for the one time Mostert lined up outside (gain of about 12 yards?), only to get it called back for a holding penalty by Connor Williams.
Speaking of Chase Claypool, every time he entered the game I kept my eyes on him. Upon breaking the huddle on his first (maybe second) play of the game, he was clearly confused. He was asking where he needed to line up with his hands in the air.
We had to call a timeout due to that, granted we broke the huddle late.
On the same drive and after another huddle break, I saw Tua physically have to lead Claypool regarding which side of the O-Line to line up on.
If your name is Chase Claypool, this is NOT good.
He still has to learn the offense
Maybe he will be better after the BYE
Well we are definitely improving when we are losing …
Bills lost by 28
Crap sent too early…
Eagles , cut it in half lost by 14…
Chiefs cut in half again and only lost by 7.
I didn’t see another loss on our schedule when I called 3 losses
The best thing I can take from the Chiefs game is that a lot of our issues were self-inflicted. The Chiefs didn’t overwhelm us on either side of the ball.
Agreed, that’s another reason I’m not concerned with the “can’t beat good teams “ narrative. We’re just not ready at the moment. That doesn’t mean we won’t be by December.
It’s a lot nicer to be talking about this stuff rather than looking up at the division leader doing complex math calculations trying to figure out how we can get into the playoffs with 8 wins, lol.
😂 exactly!!!
This article explains a lot of my frustration. We are supposed to have this high powered offense but…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/the-miami-dolphins-defense-deserved-better-sunday/ar-AA1jqC41?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=e9c8de523b1343eaa5ffb735584e69be&ei=10
The Flying Pig says:
November 6, 2023 at 2:55 pm
He still has to learn the offense
Maybe he will be better after the BYE
————–
I sure hope so, Pigster. I’ve been a fan of Claypool since his days at Notre Dame and he’s a FREAK athlete. He’s got a little bit of Megatron in him from a FREAK standpoint. If he gets his head in the game and takes his craft seriously, we got ourselves a BEAST.
Bought tickets for the Raiders game yesterday. Going with the Brit (not Dameon) who was best man in our wedding. Should be cooler than the Fest.
How could anything be cooler than hanging with us.
Nothing could be, but I was close to passing out at the Fest game. Was hot as anything.
Wooda thunk on this board?
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/11/06/health/marijuana-heart-stroke-risk-wellness/index.html
About 10 years ago, a former colleague of mine was one of the biggest weed-heads I’d ever met. He was very smart, shrewd, and had a plan for his retirement… which he shared with me. Mind you, he was 65 at the time.
He was stacking $$$ for most of his life, living out of a camper in the summer months while living essentially rent-free in the winter months at a buddy’s golf resort.
He purchased land in Costa Rica (where he frequented often during his vacations) and was having his retirement home built there. Man, the pictures he’d shown me of all the women he’d met down there (NSFW pics, indeed!).
The exchange rate of US $$$ to Costa Rican $$$ would have him a multi-millionaire, living in his lap of luxury.
Anyway, two weeks after he retired, he was found dead of a heart attack before he could even make it to Costa Rica… weed found on and in his body. The article above that you linked to reminded me of his untimely passing… sad.
Now I don’t care if one does Mary Jane, not my business and I don’t judge. Just PLEASE be aware of the long-term effects, as Phelon has noted.
People engage in all kinds of vices that aren’t considered healthy. Life is full of risks.
“Both abusers and non-users had already been diagnosed with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol. The study found that having high blood pressure readings of over 130/80 mm Hg and high cholesterol were key predictors of major adverse heart and brain events in the marijuana users.”
So, they were already at risk…I could go on about the assumptions and faulty implications, but won’t….haters will hate…lol
Boulder:
I would still be in for MetLife Black Friday takeover. I think Piggy is as well. Piggy did a quick check on Stubhub and tx are $200 for the Dolphins section. Are you in? Anyone else in?
Would Boulder be bringing his lovely ladies?
My pops turned 90 today. I sent my Mom $200 to take him out to dinner and called them this morning during my lunch break. Dad (who I send money every month to pay their rent) says to my Mom when she was getting him to get on the phone “why did he send us money?” (this is all while I am waiting for him to pick up) “Because you are 90 dumb ass” – Mom ‘what the fuck does that have to do with anything” – Dad “it’s for your birthday, he said to take you to dinner.” – Mom “you didn’t say that! You said it’s because I’m 90” – Dad “God you are stupid, how did you live to be 90?” – Mom
HELLO?? – Me LOL
“Oh, shit he’s on the phone” – Dad “That’s what I told you dumbass’ – Mom
“Hello, you still there boy? What do you want?” – Dad
Oh I can just feel the love. LOL
You are a good son Rock. Hope your other siblings treat them as well.
Mike McDaniel Monday November 6 media availability coverage thread:
3:24 PM · Nov 6, 2023
Travis Wingfield
@WingfieldNFL
·
58m
We’ll have more information tomorrow on the severity of Rob Jones’ injury.
Travis Wingfield
@WingfieldNFL
·
53m
McDaniel on errors in critical moments: the feeling of the locker room is that when we lose we beat ourselves. It so happens in this season that when we have beaten ourselves there’s been three teams that have really taken advantage of that and they all have winning records.
Travis Wingfield
@WingfieldNFL
·
57m
No set backs with regards to RB De’Von Achene’s recovery.
McDaniel says he has no reason to think that Achane won’t be out any longer than the projected four weeks (which would put him back for the LV game in two weeks).
Travis Wingfield
@WingfieldNFL
·
55m
McDaniel says Robert Hunt is progressing well with the hamstring injury that held him out of a game for the first time in his career yesterday.
Travis Wingfield
@WingfieldNFL
·
53m
“It was hard to watch the tape. That hurt.”
McDaniel
Co-signed: Me
Isn’t this someone’s favorite bug? (MF13)
That’s not a bug it’s a fecking pterodactyl!
What’s that? a flying lobster?
Didn’t one of those kill all of Ripley’s crew after it busted out of John Hurt’s stomach?
Just a Cicada
McDaniel was outcoached by HoF to be KC HC in the first half,
but adjusted at half-time and beat him 14-0 in the second half.
They got lucky with a scoop and score lateral for a TD.
We got unlucky with a miscommunication to a wide open WR for a TD
followed by a fumbled shotgun snap.
We had the misfortune that our Big Star was a guy who was drafted by and formerly played several years for the opponent, so our Big Star’s contributions were somewhat nullified by that insider knowledge of his game.
I don’t see how the loss to KC was this big embarrassing beatdown.
They were the best team in football last year and are rated #1 again this year.
We got more offensive yards,
more passing yards,
more rushing yards,
more first downs,
fewer penalties,
one less sack,
the same number of turnovers,
the same time of possession,
the same number of offensive touchdowns,
and even though they shut us out for the entire first half,
we shut them out for the entire second half.
Where’s the Big Embarrassing Beatdown?
Then there’s this
8 games to go and lots of unknown results yet to be determined.
It’s kind of depressing that our regular season football is already more than half over.
I hate trying to find something else to agonize over in the offseason. It’s much nicer having the Dolphins game to intensely stress over every week. lol
For me it’s the draft. But don’t stress over it just use it to pass time. Once draft is over, I am back to fishing several times a week. Next thing I know TC and preseason are knocking on the door.
LOL True
According to high school
Health and Personal Fitness curriculum,
there is distress and eustress.
Distress is what we used to call “stress”
as in “homework” or “tardy to school.”
It excites the fight or flight response
and too much can cause depression.
Apparently, “eustress” is what we used to call
“getting laid.”
And we went to the wire with them yesterday.
Wyoming85 says:
November 6, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Isn’t this someone’s favorite bug? (MF13)
———-
Naw, man… that’s a little cicada. Dobson flies eat them for breakfast as helgramites.
Ah shit! Just NOW watched the video. YUP! That’s a Dobson fly, alright!
A little one, at that!
The fuckers we get around here are generally 3-4x as large.
They’re the “mean girls” of the bug world. The female mandibles can pierce human skin. The males just volunteer to fishermen to be stream locators.
Oh, I know ALL about them, my guy! Trust!
I saw a female praying mantis for the first time in well over two decades last week. It was dwelling on my back patio and I took lots of pics.
The females are the big green variety, whereas the males are the smaller brown variety. The females are known to eat the males after mating.
In the insect kingdom, females rule… from the mantis, to the Dobson fly, to the queen bee, to the ant queen.
Happy Bday to Rockphin’s Dad. 90 is quite the milestone. You get to that age, you can say or do whatever you want.
I know my 86 yr old mom thinks that way. 😂
Go Stej Go!
Zach Wilson is not very good.🤣
Statistically, Fins and Chiefs were dead even. The lateral for the TD was the difference. We dominated the second half and had lots of opportunities.
As for me, I walk away from this Germany game thinking: I’m not worried about facing the Chiefs in the playoffs. This year’s Fins reminds me of 2014 Golden State Warriors: lots of talent, but still developing the killer instinct to get past the Clippers and Spurs. Once they got past those teams they never looked back.
The Dolphins are definitely going in the right direction. And I honestly believe that Achane in the backfield is like a Tyreek Hill. He’s a totally different kind of threat than Mostert.
The hot takes on the talk shows today made me sick. What a bunch of idiots who clearly slept in on Sunday.
This Jets defense is scary good
Keenan Allen is a badass.
That was a bad throw
How did he catch that?
OMG Wilson is horrible
😃
🤣
Thank you, Chargers. Dolphins guaranteed to lead the AFC East coming out of the bye.
This is comical.😂
Zach’s mom is going to have to give him some extra love and attention after this game.
I don’t think Zach Wilson could even start for the Giants right now
The fact that the Jets are 4-4 is a testament to how good the defense is because Wilson is inept
Funny how everyone likes to slam Zack Wilson when the Jets have beaten 2 teams we lost to in the Bills and Eagles with Zack Wilson at QB.
Also, the other team we just lost to the Chiefs, Jets only lost 23-20 with Wilson at QB who was 28-39 for 245, 2 TD and 0 INT that game. Someone was just mentioning how good the Chiefs D is.
Herbert was 16-30 for 136 with 0 TD, 0 INT and sacked 5 times last night. Wilson doubled Herbert’s stats and had a few balls dropped including a dropped TD in garbage time.
Nobody is slamming Herbert.
Yeah, the Jets probably have a top 3 defense in the league. We are lucky they are 4-4.
The Jets wins have been because their defense is so good. They have won despite Wilson who has been outright awful. And yes Herbert didn’t play well yesterday
Wilson at QB who was 28-39 for 245, 2 TD and 0 INT that game. Someone was just mentioning how good the Chiefs D is.
Not outright awful vs SB champs.
That was his only decent game of the year. He is the worst starting QB in the NFL. If the Jets had a real QB they would be in first place. Wilson has single handedly destroyed their season. You can point to one game where he was good (not great) while there are 7 more where he was awful
Occasionally the squirrel finds the nut
And there’s this …………..
This may already have been posted – apols if so
Ditto – apols if this has already been posted
J
E
T
S
crap, crap, crap.
Rob Jones won’t need surgery – just time.
Boy, I really hope that Denver pulls off another upset this week and knock off the Bills.
I am VERY concerned that the Jet’s D is going to give the Dolphins O fits. Those two games coming up are NOT gimmes. Especially the way our offense has played lately.
Raiders at home should be a W, but I have a sinking feeling that that first away game at NYJ is going to be a “surprise loss”
^
As long we can get in the end zone twice we should beat the Jets because their offense is inept but that is not a gimme
Good news about Jones
Pili cleared waivers and is back on our practice squad this morning. That’s a good thing.
We have to block Crosby.
He’s an animal
Ryder does such a great job detailing his breakdowns. It’s very easy to be excited about our chances moving forward after watching this. As long as the defense is playing at this level, we’re in every game.
Ken says:
November 7, 2023 at 11:39 am
Occasionally the squirrel finds the nut
—————-
Have to agree. lol
It’s scary to think where the Jets would be if Rodgers had not gotten injured.
I really truly hope. He attempts a come back this season. And blows it again so that he’s out next season as well.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins-practice-report-and-injury-update-the-latest-on-jaylen-waddle/ar-AA1jxQVn?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=9e6d74298e7c40b2cd8d7f3013cca5b1&ei=9
One final bit of news: De’Von Achane’s practice window remains closed, but there’s a good chance the Dolphins rookie running back returns next week.
He should run for 100000 yards against the BYE week!
If we play defense like we’re capable of, the Jets don’t have a chance
I absolutely concur.
Let’s have a look at our 3 losses, all of which were against .500+ teams, in chronological order this season… all games were away games for us, to boot.
Lost to Buffalo (divisional playoff losers last season): 28-point loss
Lost to Philly (NFC champs last season): 14-point loss
Lost to KC (Super Bowl champs last season): 7-point loss
The trend should have gone the other way… meaning our worst loss should have been against KC. Rather, the tougher the opponent, we cut our margin of loss exactly in half each time. THAT is something to acknowledge and appreciate.
We’re trending in the right direction, despite these losses to elite teams.
Our Defense is finally healthy and getting hot when it counts, and our Offense (O-Line and Achane) just needs to get healthy as well.
I think for the first time in forever, our BYE week came at just the right time. We’re going to be RED HOT after the BYE, and nobody is going to want to play us.
Raheem Mostert is pacing for…
1,143 rushing yards (career-high)
21 rushing TDs (league leader, career-high, would tie for #6 all-time in a single season)
5.6 YPC (league-leader)
25 combined rushing and receiving TDs (league leader, career-high)
He’s aging like a fine wine… WHAT A SEASON!
‘Reek Da Cheetah is still pacing for over 2K receiving yards (2,032).
Tua is pacing for…
4,928 passing yards (league leader, career-high)
36 TDs (league leader, career-high)
106.4 passer rating (league leader, career-high)
69.5 completion % (career-high)
M – Isn’t it OK to want more? In my head, trending in the right direction would be stomping Buffalo in their house, but since we didn’t get that done, upsetting the Eagles at Lincoln would have been a nice consolation. Since we didn’t do that beating the Chiefs (Not in Arrowhead but in Germany) would have been great. Losing by less each time is an odd way to look at progress for a team that has SB aspirations. Just my thought on the topic
Yessir, it IS okay to want more! As do I, bud. I believe we’re going to get more after the BYE!
Trend sensed…
When Tua is sacked 3 or more times in a game this season, we’ve lost all 3 of those games.
All 3 were good defenses. I do think we can get better as the season goes on though.
AS do I, man!
Mike E,
I’m not the biggest fan of Usher, but this song PUMPS ME UP! Yes… we’re going to get MORE after the BYE week, buddy! Turn up the BASS!
This should be the theme song for our Phins for the rest of the season.
Evan Roberts thinks the Jets match up with us really well and our overrated offense. Okay he hates the Dolphins and likes to hate on them when he can. I’d like to ask him how the Jets are going to score? They have 2 good players on offense. A WR and a RB. The OL and the QB stinks.
If we can put up 20, we should win comfortably. Less than 20 is a dogfight. We need to not give up cheap points on special teams and ball security is a must to make them drive the length of the field
Don’t beat ourselves. Everyone do your job and we should win.
I think some (especially in the media) are missing something. Remember how our Defense outscored our Offense at times over the last several seasons… saving games for us? Well, our Defense has finally arrived under DC Fangio.
We are NOT the team ANYBODY wants to play down the stretch, once healthy after the BYE.
I could see our Defense alone scoring 14 points on the stej via strip sacks returned for TDs and/or pick-6s.
Final predictions for our regular season record, now that we’re halfway through…
Wyoming85 says:
September 2, 2023 at 11:28 am
M13: 11-6
Rockphin: 11-6
BBM: 11-6
🐷: 13-4
🥸🐟: 17-0 (Until they lose one. Then 14-3)
🌴Naples: 11-6
🦬: 12-5 (I like to be different)
Realist 9-8: (Losses: Bills 2x, KC, split with pats and jets, ravens, eagles, chargers)
🇬🇧: 10-7
✋️: 11-6
Brian in NY: 10-7
🗡 : 11-6
🌞: 13-4 juggernaut
🇨🇦 14-3
🦍 10-7
🤠: 15-6 🏆
Interesting to me. Seems the Mob in general predicted a net 6 losses on the season. Being we’ve lost 3 now (Bills, and the two Super Bowl teams of last season in the Eagles and Chefs*), who are the 3 teams who might beat us down the stretch, to make the Mob’s preseason consensus projections correct?
And I might add… our consensus had us in the playoffs, even if a Wildcard team.
The entire defense is starting to come together. People are ignoring we shut the Chiefs out in the 2nd half in a one possession game. Our offense didn’t come through. We played them down to the wire. Now some people are saying we’re frauds. Most NFL games are competitive.
‘They’ are saying we’re frauds because ‘they’ anointed us the best thing since sliced bread.
It’s not like our team was out there running around talking about how amazing we are and how we’re winning the Super Bowl. ‘They’ create a narrative, then lambaste the team when the expectations fall flat. It pisses me off.
I hate what sports media has become…check that…I hate what we the consumers like to ingest. I haven’t read a single article this week, because I knew it was going to be nothing but how we’re frauds.
Until we see it happen, I have concerns about our ability to play up to our competition. But that doesn’t mean I think we’re fecking frauds. I think we’re still having a great season- the best in decades.
Right on, man!🙂
CavalierKong says:
November 7, 2023 at 6:38 pm
…I hate what sports media has become…check that…I hate what we the consumers like to ingest…
————
Now do political media… it’s all the same thing, my guy.
Yeah, I was obviously keeping politics out of it
Ramsey, X, Kohou, Needham, Holland, Elliot and Jones for the first time down the stretch of the 2nd half of the season could be huge!🙂
The front 7 seems to be figuring it out. The Fangio system is pretty basic in scheme. It’s all about utilizing your talent when dialing up some different looks. That’s his reputation, baiting you into something it is not at the right time. Players still have to win matchups. Schemes can only go so far. Talented players make plays.
I’m hoping Toba nailed the 2023 prediction
I predicted 4 losses which I think is realistic but after listening to all the blowhards on nfl network and espn the last couple of days, not sure I can’t handle one more loss
I also nailed all three losses we have .. I called a split with Bills a loss to Philly and a loss to KC .. I wasn’t expecting Ravens to be as tough as they look , but I think we can hang with them as well
If Needham is ready to be as good as he’s been it’s a welcome addition. He’s a dog.
Will a rookie like Cam Smith step up if needed?
Our whole world is all about drastic extremes these days. This team isn’t great, and it isn’t terrible. It’s a good team with some issues. I think we are definitely a playoff team. My realistic hope for this year was winning a playoff game. I still think that’s absolutely realistic.
***
I expect our defense to improve if we can stay healthy. Pressure should improve with better backfield defense. Our offense can hang with anybody, but it’s an offense that relies a lot on timing and doing things on schedule. Tua can make plays when he can deliver the ball on time but if he gets disrupted it gets tough. Inside protection is really key for Tua. So yeah….playing backups at both guards is a huge problem for what we do.
***
I’m enjoying the season, but it is disappointing that we seem to struggle against good teams. MikeE is definitely right there. I’m just trying to go with the flow. 🤟
We’ll see what this team is made of when we play the Jets twice, the Bills and the Ravens, especially the Ravens.
The day we beat a Ravens team near the end if the season with playoff implications will be one of the most satisfying Dolphins wins for me other than an actual playoff win.
Sorta spammy
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Ken, I guess Mike has a conflict. I think I’m gonna skip this game.
Maybe next year. Or maybe playoffs 🙂
Understood
CavalierKong says:
November 7, 2023 at 6:38 pm
I hate what sports media has become…check that…I hate what we the consumers like to ingest.
———————
Couldn’t agree more my simian buddy. We have exactly the same this side of the pond – the collective media falls over itself to hype up the “next big thing”, then when that thing falls even a micron short of perfection, the media falls on the victim like a pack of hungry dogs, tearing it to pieces. First album, first book, sports star, tv personality and on and on. There’s only one way from the pedestal, whether that be a fall-off in performance, public jealousy of someone/thing having it too good and “living their best life” (I fecking hate that expression!!!) or even just boredom from over-exposure of the “idol” ……… the inevitability of a fall from grace and the “newsworthiness” of it fills even more column inches and airspace than the stratospheric rise. I guess that’s why it’s referred to as the news cycle?
I very deliberately distance myself from the “pap” that tries to intrude on my daily life. I abhor the culture of celebrity, the designer label mentality and everything that is false in the world. On this basis, I know probably 5% of the facts and truth in the case (controlling father etc), but Brittney Spears is the archetypal darling of the media for all of the above, as there is seemingly a limitless stream of subject matter being emitted from her circumstances. Poor cow.
Interestingly, and kinda back to the general subject as it pertains to the Fins, I neither click on any vids from talking heads regarding the Fins who aren’t in my “trusted” list as giving fact-based, objective analysis, nor watch NFL related programming outside actual games, so I am spared a lot of the BS about our team. I do find it ironic, however, that firstly, MM is probably the most camera-shy coach in the NFL and yet the media are like bees round a honey-pot when there’s a chance of a story. Possibly even more interesting is we’ve had mid-season hard knocks forced down our throats – at what price I don’t know, but it certainly wasn’t easy scheduling based on our 4 toughest games being on the road this year!
I get the feeling we may be being set up, by giving more ammo to the media. Que sera, sera. And I think you are right, unfortunately, it is what “we consumers” like to ingest – be it rubber-necking car crashes, glorying in downfalls or watching a news bulletin where there might be one piece right at the end about something uplifting. I’m afraid, for the vast majority, bad news sells. What a depressing thought.
Years ago when Brittney Spears had her mental breakdown or whatever, South Park did a great episode on the way the media hypes up idols just to tear them down. (In typical SP fashion, the point of ‘the cycle’ is to force these celebs to commit suicide as a sacrifice for society so we can have good corn harvests, lol.)
In the case of our Dolphins, after consideration, I’m thinking this may end up working in our favor because with dumbass in-season Hard Knocks coming, we should have an us against the world mentality which will hopefully help us stay focused. If we didn’t have this monkey on our backs of not being able to beat good teams, maybe the good press would be harder to handle (in terms of focus).
Not normally a watcher of SP, but that sounds like a good ep.
Could be s/thing in your theory too ……….. and if we have a monkey on our backs, I can think of no better option than a CavKong!
One element of the blueprint of a physical team designed for the play-offs
This was eye-opening!
SBJ.
LMAO at SBJ!
WTF!!! Stop grabbin’ ass!!!
I wonder if that ref ever thought about becoming a priest…
At least buy him a drink first…
NFL deemed DVP the least serious of the two “unsportsmanlikes”
DVP hit
With a name like Racey McMath, I can already see some pun headlines if he’s signed but in the comments, Schwartz reported as having a 4.25 time.
Seems like MM isn’t going to rush any WRs back before time either, and wants more bodies available?
Maybe practice squad churn?
Could be that too.
I may be a little crazy for this
But after seeing a lot of pics and video of that final snap, I would
Seriously consider starting Liam Eichenberg going forward
The snapping issues we’ve had just shouldn’t happen at all much less in week 9, at a crucial time in a crucial game
I don’t care what his PFF grade is
I’m done with a Connor Williams
I didn’t mention it earlier bc I didn’t want to do post game chop of all the heads like a manically Roman emperor
But for Connor Williams to the bench and eventually off throw team via free agency is a good idea if you ask this pig
We need an OG with Rob Jones and Rob Hunt out. Why not move C Williams back to his natural OG spot. We know he’s better at that than Eich. Or used to be. Let Eich play Center.
We have the bye week to remind C Williams how to play LG.
Naples has suggested moving on from Williams. I tend to agree that he can’t continue to be our center if he has 2 or 3 bad snaps every game- I don’t care how good he is blocking, his #1 job in terms of importance is to get the ball into the QBs hands.
This has been an issue for 2 years now. If it hasn’t been solved yet, I’m not sure it will be. He also gets a lot of holding penalties. I remember when we signed him, that was one of the knocks on him.
I know it’s been floated moving him back to guard. Maybe that is an option.
I started typing this before Naples responded and got sidetracked with a question from a coworker before posting, so now my referencing Naples after he already responded looks goofy, lol.
Very impressive by the ravens to become the best rushing team in the nfl
I really hope playing the the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 11th ranked rush defenses over the next few weeks doesn’t cut into that lead
(Piggy laughs a sinister laugh)
And don’t get me started on getting Achane back…
They just got Keaton Mitchell back from injury. I mocked him to us many times. He is very much like Achane with 4.37 speed. A big homerun threat. I do like Achane better though.
His first game back from injury this past Sunday he had 9 carries for 138 yards including a 60 yarder.
Anthony Schwartz was another one I had mocked to us a couple times and posted him on here. I thought of him as another Ted Ginn. He is blazing fast. He did some things in college that mirrored what we do on offense. Not surprised they are taking a look.
From when he was with the browns.
He did a lot of what we do in college with the end arounds.
He would be an interesting signing if we were to do that.
The Ravens have Linderbaum at Center, and he’s balling. Of course they’re a good run team. 😀
That is true! I think their whole OL is healthy also.
I remember Jacob Copeland. He played at the HS right behind my house. Got some speed but don’t know much more about him outside the local hype.
I don’t know anything about the other guy.
New York Jets
2023 · 4-4-0
INJURIES
OT Billy Turner suffered a broken bone in his hand during Monday’s game and his status for Week 10 is up in the air, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Turner’s injury is “concerning.”
This is nice:
“Amid questions about his reliability, Jackson will stay behind in a move the club hopes will be a mental reset, according to Rapoport and Garafolo. New England has a bye in Week 11.”
There have been a few positive moments, but the struggles that plagued Jackson in L.A. mostly continued in New England. In five games, Jackson has allowed 16 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns while incurring two penalties and allowing a 103.2 passer rating, per PFF.
Miami Dolphins
2023 · 6-3-0
INJURIES
WR Jaylen Waddle (knee) will utilize the team’s bye week to make sure he’s “fully healthy,” per head coach Mike McDaniel.
OL Rob Jones is considered week to week and will not need to undergo knee surgery, per McDaniel.
———–
In short, Connor Williams snapped it wide to Tua’s non-throwing side. Yes, this is on Williams and not Tua.
I agree with the Pigster and Naples: move Williams back to his natty LG position and move Eich to Center. Great time to do it during the BYE week.
Cav Kong remembers correctly: Williams led all Guards in penalties back in ’21 while with the Cowboys. Hopefully, he’s been (or can be) coached out of those mistakes at the Guard position. He’s never sucked as a Guard, to be honest… it was only ever about penalties.
The Dolphins defense pitched a second-half shutout as the Chiefs failed to score after halftime for just the fourth time in 107 games since the start of the 2017 season.
since Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in 2018:
Kansas City’s 267 net yards of total offense tied their third lowest offensive output and marked just the fifth time they failed to reach 270 yards.
Miami joined Green Bay (237 yards on Nov. 7, 2021) and Seattle (297 yards on Dec. 24, 2022) as the only non-divisional opponents to hold Kansas City under 300 yards of total offense.
The Chiefs’ 174 net passing yards and four rushing first downs each tied for the third-lowest in a game.
The Chiefs went 3-of-10 on third down to tie their lowest number of conversions in a game with double-digit third down attempts.
all off the Dolphins official site
Those stats show we stopped the run and the pass and we stopped Kelce:
The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce entered Sunday’s contest as the league leader amongst tight ends in receptions (54), receiving yards (583) and receiving first downs (31), second in yards after the catch (289) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (4).
The Dolphins defense held the eight-time Pro Bowl pass-catcher to just three receptions for 14 yards (4.7 avg.).
Fellow tight end Noah Gray led the Chiefs with 34 receiving yards. It was the lowest total by a Chiefs’ leading receiver since 2012.
Fangio and our D seem to be figuring each other out.
Also
back from injuries are 4 starters from last year:
Phillips
Ramsey
Brandon Jones
and
Needham
Great nuggets, Naples. This Defense of ours is getting HOT… and not a moment too soon. We’re trending UPWARD, not downward… though the media will have us believe otherwise.
The cavalry has arrived and we’re ready to make a stretch run and STATEMENT to the league.
Once we get the O-Line back in rhythm along with the return of De’Von Achane, we become DEADLY on Offense once again.
Achane is like having a secret weapon no one else has.
YESSIR! 😀