The run must continue! The Miami Dolphins travel to Green Bay Wisconsin to play the Green Bay Packers in a late Thanksgiving matchup. The Dolphins have now won 3 games in a row, but this game will be different. Let me explain why it’s different. The first victory of the 3 game winning streak was no easy challenge. They were facing the LA Rams, who at that time were on their own 3 game win streak, and were playing well, and just got both of their excellent WR’s back in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. That was a well earned victory. Winning in the NFL any week is a good victory because “Any Given Sunday” is an expression that is both accurate and respected. The Dolphins shut down a Rams offense from getting into the endzone that Sunday, beating the Rams 23-15. Since then, the offense has really kicked into gear, as we put 34 points on both the Las Vegas Raiders, and then last week, the New England Patriots, both home games for the Dolphins. This week’s game will likely feature temperatures between 20-25 degrees. For our Miami Dolphins, that’s a factor that has had our Dolphins stymied throughout history. That needs to change tonight!
I believe the type of football we have been playing the last few games can survive in colder climes. We’re no longer relying on a deep passing aerial attack, we’re moving the ball methodically with a short passing game using the running backs, the TE’s, and the WR’s at usually no more than 10-15 downfield. Tua will hit those passes all day long, and receivers like RB De’Von Achane and TE Jonnu Smith have turning some of those short passes into nice gains. This is something we just couldn’t do when our offense was floundering. If you took WR’s Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and bumped them off their routes and manhandled them, our offense was done. Finally, HC Mike McDaniel has found the solution. If opposing defenses are going to play the umbrella defense with two safeties high, and commit to take away the deep strikes this offense relied upon last season, the answer is to play a ball control offense mixing the run game by using running backs, WR’s on jet sweeps and even TE’s too, namely Jonnu Smith. In addition, playing a lot of 2 TE sets, especially with the absence of FB Alec Ingold, who is back now, but using the TE’s to block and also as receivers and moving the ball downfield with short gains and getting lots of first downs on the way to the endzone. This offense can play anywhere, but the big question is, can the psyche of this team survive in the cold?
LG Robert Jones, who is banged up is going to start this game tonight, but finally, in Week 13, LG Isaiah Wynn is available. Former 2nd stringer LG Lester Cotton was released, so obviously they feel Wynn can make it through the rest of the season. If Jones falters, expect to see Wynn sooner than later. On defense, we’re going to miss 3 players for this matchup, CB Kendall Fuller (concussion), ILB Anthony Walker is OUT and will be replaced by former Seattle Seahawks LB who played last week, Tyrel Dodson, and OLB Tyus Bowser is OUT and will be replaced by rookie Mo Kamara. CB Kendall Fuller will be replaced by a combo of CB’s Cam Smith and rookie UDFA Storm Duck. The Packers will be without CB Jaire Alexander, LB Edgerrin Cooper, and WR Romeo Doubs.
If you’re here, you’re a die hard fan of the Miami Dolphins and you’re painfully aware of the Dolphins woes in colder climes. There are many stats out there that can be discounted for one reason or another, but 0-11 when the temperature is below 40 degrees is hard to defend. For some clarity, QB Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t been the QB for all of those games, just 7 of them, and the stats are not pretty. These are the stats in those 7 games . . .
- Completion rate: 135-of-243 (55.6%)
- Passing yards: 1,687
- Passing TDs: 8
- INTs: 10
- Yards/attempt: 6.9
- Passer rating: 71.13
- Completion rate: 1,151-of-1,666 (69.1%)
- Passing yards: 12,911
- Passing TDs: 87
- INTs: 32
- Yards/attempt: 7.7
- Passer rating: 101.35
Above are stats for QB Tua Tagovailoa in every other game, and the difference is striking.The QB rating in particular takes a 30 point nosedive. The TD:INT ratio is significantly worse, going from a positive 55 to a negative 2. The good news is, and I believe it’s good news, is QB Tua Tagovailoa appears to have some swagger, some confidence, that he can change this. He made a statement recently that he loves killing narratives. Well, this narrative has legs, thick ones, and believe me, it would be an absolute pleasure to see Tua and the Dolphins succeed and beat a good team in Prime Time in a cold weather situation. For what it’s worth, the oddsmakers believe it’s a close call as the Packers are only 3.5 point favorites at home.
The Dolphins vs Packers are the marquis matchup this Thanksgiving, with the other games being the (4-7) Dallas Cowboys hosting the (2-9) NY Giants, and the NFL’s best (10-1) Detroit Lions hosting the (4-7) Chicago Bears. The Dolphins at 5-6 wouldn’t usually get so much respect, or deserve it, but this team is playing its best football right now, scoring 30.3 PPG during the 3 game win streak and 29 PPG over the last 5 games, which include 2 difficult losses, a 1 point last second loss to the Arizona Cardinals and a 3 point loss to our rival Buffalo Bills. Tua is back, and he’s been dealing! 11 TD’s against only 1 INT in those last 5 games, that’s just on fire. I like that Tua is confident, even if it’s just for the press. Maybe just saying it will bore into into his psyche and he’ll start believing it. We simply can’t beat the Packers unless Tua is playing well, the offense just doesn’t work.
Now a little about the defense. Our defense is not a scary one, but it’s starting to come around. It was crystal clear how much the defense missed DE Zach Sieler. He could be one of the most underrated DE’s in the NFL. He and DE Calais Campbell have been unbelievable with 4 sacks each, but their play is so much more than sacks, Both Sieler and Campbell have over 30 tackles each, Campbell leads the team with 9 tackles for loss, Sieler leads the team with 9 QB hits. Rookie OLB Chop Robinson has made an impact the last few weeks as I highlighted in the last article, and he now has 3.5 sacks, all of them coming in the last 4 games. DE Emmanuel Ogbah quietly has 3.5 sacks as well, he nnever seems to get any credit, but is always doing his job, and doing it well, a true professional. Mo Kamara will get his first real action of the season with OLB Tyus Bowser OUT. ILB Tyrel Dodson got his first start last week in place of the injured Anthony Walker and will once again start this week. He was the leading tackler on the Seattle Seahawks when he was strangely released, and the Dolphins wisely snatched him up. He quickly leapfrogged ILB’s Duke Riley and Channing Tindall. Her came up with a game sealing INT at 5:19 left in the game against the Patriots.
The Packers are top 10 in scoring on offense, 8th (26.6 PPG), and 6th in defensive scoring (20.3 PPG). The Packers have also won 6 of 7, the lone loss coming to the NFL’s best Detroit Lions 24-14. This is not an easy task for us, even a desperate team like the Dolphins who have little or no margin for error and one loss could end the playoff aspirations of this team. The Packers are in a fight of their own in the stacked NFC North, and at 8-3, are third in their own division behind the 10-1 Lions, and the 9-2 Vikings. The Packers will certainly get a Wild Card because the rest of NFC is mediocre at best, but if the Packers want to compete for a division title, they must continue to win to keep pace. Whatever happens tonight, I hope the Dolphins play their best football. If they do, I think they can hang with the Packers and potentially take them down too. Just play great, and the rest will fall into place. I wish all of you a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving
GO DOLPHINS!!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
That was awesome, Mike E! Thank you!!!
YW! GO DOLPHINS!!!
Firsties!
Awe dammit Krishna! LOL
Thanks MikeE!
YW! Go Dolphins!
Nice write, Mike! Fins Up!
Happy Thanksgiving folks!
GO Dolphins!!
Happy Thanksgiving Folks
Remember – turkeys are jerks and ham is not an acceptable holiday meal….
Let’s go Dolphins
T-minus 7 hours and 23 minutes
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Tua can find the Cheetah here
Can you?
10 yard hitch route 😉
During the game from a local GB station. Winds at 11 but gusting to 20. Wind chill around 14 degrees. Some flurries.
It’s also not just a Tua thing playing in the cold, it’s been a Dolphins thing historically. Our last victory was in 2016 in a 34-31 OT victory in Buffalo.
I said it has been historically bad for this team, but all we care about is the recent ones, which I pointed out. Kill the damn narrative!!! Beat the Packers!!!
I wasn’t really replying to you but the overall narrative historically. We’re also 5-2 on Thanksgiving. 🙂
Piggy – How long did it take you to do the “find the cheetah” post? 🙂
I’ve been working on it for about 16 weeks now…..
lol
I utilized cut and paste – about 5 minutes
LOL! It would have taken me 16 months
Mike E,
Stellar breakdown as usche! Excellent pre-game read and now I’m getting REALLY pumped!
I would also note that Jordan Love has thrown more INTs this year (11) but for one, Geno Smith (12). Hopefully, our Secondary can take advantage of his errant throwing this evening. Additionally, in 9 starts this season, Love has only been sacked 10 times: he’s most elusive.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!
GO PHINS!!!
HELL YEAH!!!
I don’t think 11 and 12 INTs are all that alarming after 11 games.
I agree, but that he’s thrown the 2nd most INTs amongst his peers this season is a fact… and he’s missed 2 games to boot.
Here’s a better perspective: Jordan Love is #32 in completion % (61.8%) this season.
Gotta run for Thanksgiving festivities. I’ll be back for the game!!!
Happy Thanksgiving Fins Mob! Cheers to good Family, Food, Friends, and MIAMI FOOTBALL!!!!
Happy T-Day to you. Glad to have you are part of the family.
I am sure the “clever” Packer fans will have hilarious signs like “we will be feasting on Dolphin this year for Thanksgiving”
I really hate the Packers
Any chance you’re going to the game?
I had opportunities but turned them down. Would rather watch on TV. Not a weather thing, I like the cold. I don’t really like Lambeau.
Sacrilegious to say that to Packer fans.
In response, I’m making my “Mac n Down with the Cheese Heads” 😂
Someone I know is working at the game and said there are tons of Dolphins fans there.
Nice! Any chance of snow tonight?
Just cold, about 23 and flurries.
that’s awesome. I’d love to get to a game at Lambeau.
Once is enough.
I used to go all the time as a kid, with my dad.
good write Mike E! I couldn’t agree more.
Awesome piece Mike E. We can do this, but will we? Why we watch the games.
Just got home from work …. I did however take my tablet to watch the games … will do again tomorrow..
Happy thanksgiving to all
We have a pretty bad record against the packers if my memory of my presence at games is correct.. I have seen us lose twice at hard rock and once at Lambeau .. I am not OVER confident we will win tonight but I think we have a helluva good chance .. GO PFINS and great write Mike E
fest year in 2014 was a brutal loss. Devante Adams’ had some big catches against us in that game. Rookie season
I believe that was my first fest
Then there was the Rodgers fake spike 😡😡😡sacrilege
I’m excited for the game. 🙂
ER have a blast and drink lots 👍👍
Dolphins have the edge all time against the Packers 10-6.
nice write thank you Mike! Go Dolphins!!
Inactives
DOLPHINS
LB Anthony Walker Jr.
QB Tyler Huntley (emergency third QB)
CB Ethan Bonner
CB Kendall Fuller
TE Jack Stoll
WR Dee Eskridge
PACKERS
CB Jaire Alexander
LB Edgerrin Cooper
OL Jacob Monk
WR Romeo Doubs
FinsUp!
Big game, Fins up!Sent from my iPhone
radar shows snow on the way in GB! That’s fun!
Looks like most of the dolphins aren’t wearing long sleeves today which I like. Also curious that Tua is not wearing a balaclava in this weather but he wore it when it was like 75°.
Baclava?
Let’s have a game tonight! Kill the narrative!!
All 4 of them DILLY DILLY
That wind looks like a bitch
man I’m worried. I think it gonna be a tough one.
it’s going to be a rough one
but pork always rises to the challenge
At Slatterys drinking a Chimay
not sure how I avoided a food coma but I made it here
🍺🍺🍺
Go Piggy
Glad I’m not there, they can’t win when I’m there! 🤮
That fiddle is obnoxious
I’m old
I have no idea who any of the performers are anymore
That is okay my son didn’t either
GO PHINS!!!
HELL YEAH!!!
great start by the ST’s
Special teams
That was a nice pressure 🤪
Oy
the start to this game just screams it’s not our night
More special teams
FUCK!!!
Fucking ST’s. C’mon, just let the ball bounce if you can’t catch it
Tua’s fault
Hopefully we don’t need to say that
one of the biggest things we can’t do in cold weather on the road is turn the ball over, and we do it right away
Amazing how we can find new ways to shoot ourselves in the foot
always – that’s one reason why we are mired in mediocrity
Bad start.
So much for the illusion we can still make the playoffs
it will be easier to rip that band aid off now and get it over with
Washington will make up for that fumble at some point tonight
let’s see if our offense can move the ball tonight
He has the ability unlike Berrios
of course somehow we get penalized
This is a silly start
Good morning mob. Happy Thanksgiving.
I’m not thankful we still have the same ST coach
So you are saying you are a Cross Man ??
Livid Toba. I missed the last primetime game for the first time in my life cos I knew we were as cooked as a turkey. For some reason I thought we had a chance in this one. Looks lije the Fins haven’t really changed – just found another novel way to throw a game away
Maybe we can get our heads out our ass for a change? C’mon Mike, FIX THIS!!
We look like amateurs
I guess they have no intent to call it fairly considering a face mask happened right in front of the refs
^
Channel the anger and be better because of it
^^
we better get our shit together or this game‘s gonna be over with quick
they forgot about Chop Robinson in the intros
Well let’s remind them who he is !!!
all the fucking breaks and calls going against us
NO! Darth Kader is down
he was in an awkward position when he made contact with other player
I hope he’s alright
but that looks like just bending weird
Poyer lucky he didn’t get called for the penalty
Plenty of game left but we look like the “Not ready for Prime Time players”
again
This is going to be ugly
Mike E,
also, MM is going against a better coach. We haven’t faired well in those games.
Anything else good on TV tonight?
everything else
This is just horrible defense
K we need a TD NOW
of course the Dolphins have to put a shitty end to Thanksgiving
Not good.
wasn’t confident we’d win but did think we’d show up. It’s no longer a narrative. It’s a fact. Sigh 😕
we don’t show up against good teams. Because we aren’t a good team . We can only beat the shitty teams .
so true Brian
Lotsa football left 👍👍🙏🙏
we have too many glory hounds, just do your fn job, quit trying to be the hero
and don’t get me started on Julian Hill
Poyer said it best in camp, we’re a weak minded team
It blows my mind with the amount of penalties and mistakes Julian Hill has made that he still gets as much playing time as he does
I can’t understand why he’s in over ingold on any play
or why he’s in on any play or still on the team, put Rucci in
okay
the next 3 qrts are ours
let’s go 🐬
we didn’t get the memo in time Piggy
Great block
Ing
Or OMG. Prolly for the best as long as luck is good
Or kick
I was screaming this too
but the entire bar felt otherwise and now I’m the guy with a stick in his ass
Take the points !!!!!
FINE DONT LISTEN TO ME 😎🤪
Shitty result
three horrendous play calls . Jonnu may want to block someone when the LB lines up against him and the run is to his side…
I wanted them to take the 3 five plays ago….lol
We are not getting back in the game by kicking FGs
we need points though – get on the board – we will break a big play later
last 3 words in that sentence redundant
just gotta stop the run here
or continue to let them gash you
As per usche, we are totally defeating ourselves.
Now Benito Jones is down… WOW and OUCH.
the defense , like the team, plays well against shitty competition. It’s not a narrative that we can’t beat good teams and win in cold weather games- it’s a fact.
So glad we got that FG. Packers already threatening again
we had no choice with fourth and goal from the 15
That was some very good blocking by their wr crew
ironic that Duck made the stop after about 5 others ducked out of tackles. Smh
need a stop here bad
we got it
we get the ball back after the half
hate to say it – but if we can drive for another FG – it’s Stirling distance
it’s a marathon not a sprint folks
just thinking we’d made a positive contribution on ST then …..
Sirian Neal: pro bowler with the Bills
Sirian Neal after being coached by Danny Crossman: on the verge of being out of the NFL
time timeline hill or waddle
let’s do it
Armstead looks old
missed opportunity there
now we need our D to make a big stop
let’s go
we need a t/o
Atta boy brooks … ohhhh shit
Of course Chris Brooks with his longest run of the season
And there is a black eye to Chris Grier, who NEVER should have allowed Brooks to leave us.
Cam Smith sucks
shame on us for thinking we had a chance to win this game
I didnt
don’t call the offensive pick please
you can’t make contact until the receiver touches the ball
and he was all over the db before that occurred
no one care but it’s a difference maker when they turn a blind eye to it – we won’t be able to do the same on the other side
We’re toast.
this is the perfect game for Tua to take the team on his back
and if we are serious contenders – we need a game like that
I think he can do it
let’s go 🐬