This is the story of our Miami Dolphins. They are the the reincarnation of the famous 1970’s cast of Saturday Night Live, the “Not Ready For Prime Time Players”. This of course was just a moniker for that cast, because most of them became stars due to their SNL notoriety, some of them huge stars like Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, and to an extent John Belushi who died way too early. The sad part is, the name fits our team like a glove. They are the complete embodiment of that phrase. They can play with the weaker teams, but put them up against any of the top tier NFL teams and they’re exposed as either too soft, too injured, too cold, too out coached, too many things to list.
Chris Grier assembled this roster knowing very well he was sacrificing the future to win now, while QB Tua Tagovailoa’s monstrous salary doesn’t affect the teams ability to provide talent around him. He said it, maybe not exactly those words, but he inferred this. We have overpaid our WR’s who now in this current state of offense are nearly obsolete. They’re underused for what they’re being paid, they’re not producing nearly enough offense for their salaries and have mostly become overpaid decoys. We have so many 1 year contracts. We have 35 players under contract, but many of those players won’t make the roster next season (or at least shouldn’t!) such as LB Channing Tindall, QB Skylar Thompson, TE Julian Hill, TE Tanner Conner, WR Tahj Washington, and DE Grayson Murphy. That takes it down to 29, and quite a few of those are not starters, like CB’s Cam Smith, Storm Duck, and Ethan Bonner, S Patrick McMorris, RB Jaylen Wright, and T Patrick Paul. TE Durham Smythe, who could easily be included as “shouldn’t be on the roster”, but then we’d have only Jonnu Smith. The point here, is that we need to find an awful lot of starters, and won’t have a lot of salary cap room to do so.
A fair question would be, “Does GM Chris Grier deserve to keep his job after failing miserably to build a contender after being given the reins and all the resources ($$$) to do so?” Has Mike McDaniel done enough to stay the course with him, and if you do axe Grier, is it the right thing to do to saddle a GM with a coach that is thrust upon him as a keeper when he might want to choose elsewhere? Both of these questions are fair. The first huge mistake, crucial mistake, was overestimating QB Tua Tagovailoa’s ability to stay on the field, and not have a competent backup in his stead. My guess is that one is a torpedo hit to HC Mike McDaniel. I’m sure if Mike told Grier he needed a better option at backup QB, he would have one, or at least they would have put forward some effort to find one. I hate to say this, but I think Mike babies Tua, and didn’t want to hurt his fragile psyche by bringing in a legit QB that can play. So we went with Skylar Thompson, who now in his 3rd year in this offense can’t even successfully complete a handoff. We brought in two guys that were discarded or on the PS of other teams and they started over Skylar, before he got injured. That’s just uber embarrassing.
We paid Tua elite QB money, and he can play elite football, as long as the competition isn’t. I understand how the NFL works, you have a QB who is competent, you pay him. Fans here will throw out all kinds of stats that Tua has, some gaudy looking ones, but to me, the stat that matters most is how he plays when the chips are down against better teams. You can take your 37-46 for an 80% completion percentage and 365 yards with 2 TD’s and shove it! It’s the most misleading thing ever. We never threatened the Packers last night, never challenged them. They were in control the entire game. I don’t blame the game on Tua, but he doesn’t help us when we need him most. Misfires, high throws, underthrown balls are what you get when the game is actually in the balance. When the game for all intents and purposes is out of reach, then he starts throwing precision passes. I watched the game, I know!
We still have a meager chance to make the playoffs, but we know what will happen if we manage to sneak in. The same damn thing that happened last night, and just about every other time this team has to go on the road and compete against a better team. They get their ass beat down, make mistakes, and for the most part, look like they don’t belong on the same field as the better team. Special teams has been a thorn in our side for this team for 2 seasons yet ST’s Coach Danny Crossman remains gainfully employed. Chris Grier who is the NFL’s GM version of Imelda Marcos in a shoe store also remains gainfully employed. HC Mike McDaniel, every players bestest friend also remains gainfully employed. I know it can’t/won’t be an easy decision to tear it all down, Ross wants to win now, but if someone with half a brain could explain to him that it ain’t happening with what we got, maybe he would relent. Rebuilds take time, no question. That could be one thing Ross at his advanced age may feel like he doesn’t have.
Our secondary is a mess. We need to shed the salary of one OLB Bradley Chubb. I don’t think any of our OG’s will or should be considered as anything other than backups. The secondary, oh lord! Jalen Ramsey and maybe Kendall Fuller are the the only starters. Chop Robinson, who made such strides against the weaker teams might have been wearing all white last because he must have been camouflaged by the snow, didn’t see him! You just can’t count on Jaelan Phillips. I love the guy, but he is quite unlucky and injury prone. We have no defensive line because if Calais Campbell is smart, he won’t come back to play here next season. Everyone else is a one year contract, so it’s Zach Sieler. Hey, the guy we picked up from Seattle a couple of weeks ago was the leading tackler, if any of these could be called that after last night’s missed tackle jamboree!
That brings me to my next point. Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer said when he played for the Bills, he knew if we they put the pedal down that our team would just give up because we’re soft as fuck. I’m paraphrasing, but the message is there, and unfortunately, he’s 100% accurate to this date. If I’m the GM, that’s the first thing I’d want to change, but how do you give Grier the keys to the car and the money to go shopping? He MADE this team, from the Head Coach he chose and together they assembled this roster. Are you going to allow them to screw it up another year? My feeling is Grier’s tenure needs to come to an end. Once again, if Grier is gone, McDaniel should go too. I don’t think he’s an NFL Head Coach. He’s better suited as an Offensive Coordinator, not a guy to hold his players accountable, because he doesn’t. If they both stay, look forward to another season of SNL, and the cast of the “Not Ready For Prime Time Players”.
Finsmob Unleashed 
McCaffrey with a non contact injury
🐽🎂👍😁
Second concussion for Trevor Lawrence. He should retire
he got absolutely rocked
Dirty hit. He was going down
Lol…sorry Ken, that’s bullshit…
I guess the 49s don’t like the cold either
Bills have 1 superstar. They are clinching the division on Dec 1st. Take notes Dolphin management
Maybe Brock Purdy just sucks. He can’t beat Josh Allen in the cold, he’s overrated, and stats schmatz… nevermind their Defense coughing up 35 points thus far.
And nevermind the fact that Brock Purdy is soon to BREAK THE BANK, resetting the QB market.
This is all Brock Purdy’s fault!!!
😆
Wins and losses are a QB stat!!!
😆
Brock Purdy just missed 15 tackles on the same play!!!
😆
We have gone from the Cheats owning to the Bills. I hate this.
Me too, man… *sigh*
Alright, being serious now. What the funk more can Tua do? Even his previously largest detractors in the media are finally coming around so as to say they were DEAD WRONG about him… and that’s really sayin’ something, truly.
The problem is the egg shell he has to play in. Opponents know it too.
This is true… so why not protect the investment with a decent O-Line, right? It’s as though the FO told him to get rid of the ball within 2.2 seconds or… “son, you’re on your own”.
And a decent O-Line ensures Achane gets his 7.0+ YPC, at least in the short term.
Changes have to be made this offseason. I believe the grocery getter and the cook need changing.
@CamInman
Kyle Shanahan on Christian McCaffrey injury “They’re saying it’s a PCL” Could be season-ending injury
ElephantRider
says:
December 1, 2024 at 11:25 pm
Changes have to be made this offseason. I believe the grocery getter and the cook need changing.
————-
I’m beginning to lean that way as well… at least in terms of the grocery-getter. I mean, even John Lynch (the GM of the 49ers) realizes ya need grit and grind in the trenches, both sides of the ball. Chris Grier doesn’t seem to realize as much… and I wonder if he’s just granting Coach McD his wishes.
YES… changes must be made this offseason is correct!
Rhetorical question: had Al Davis ever won anything by assembling a track team in Oakland/LA for the Raiders?
Yes 2 SBs
Correction 3 SBs
I don’t think Grier or MM are going anywhere we will probably win 3 or 4 out of out last five. I could see us losing a game to the Jets. That would put us at 8-9 wins, and a game or two out of a playoff spot. That’s enough ammo for them to stick around. We have a good OL for about half a season during his tenure. Our three best OL were traded away (Tunsil), signed to a huge contract during FA (Armstead), and not locked up soon enough then leaving in FA (Hunt). That’s not a very promising thought for Grier being able to revamp this OL by next season. Armstead will likely retire, Jackson has regressed dramatically without Hunt, and we have no idea what we have with PP. Brewer seems solid, but not spectacular. I believe everyone else is a FA. We are saddled with a ton of big money contracts at other positions that do nit give us any flexibility at all. The immediate future does not look good.
Brock Purdy took his team to the SB. Please stop the nonsense! If Tua ever manages that feat, he could have a bad game in the cold, or anywhere else and I’ll give him a mulligan
Amazes me that the NFL and the media stooges care so much about Tua’s health but have never given a damn about artificial turf injuries, which are far more common. McCaffrey was injured due to the fake grass like many others before him. Player health is important! We swear (as 50% of stadiums use fake grass). We wouldn’t put cost above good games and player safety!
Totally agree…lol.
Big reason OSU could hardly get their offense going was DT Mason Graham was manhandling the OSU OL the whole game. They couldn’t move him even with double teams.
Too bad we are gong to win too many games to draft him.
https://bleacherreport.com/videos/613626-gladiator-gridiron-heights
@schadjoe
The Dolphins are 3.0 games behind the first pick in the draft and 2.0 games behind the final playoff spot
M
Good point about the Raiders track teams over the years.
Teams start rookie QBs all the time now…and lots of them play just as well or better than Tua. So, I really don’t think drafting a new QB sets us back that much. We still have a lot of very young talent on the offensive side of the ball who could grow with a new QB. Hill can go away, as far as I’m concerned. He lost me when he talked incessantly about getting his. Go draft or sign a prototype WR. We have time to build a new OL. This team isn’t close to being a serious contender. Take a deep breath and realize motion and speed don’t win championships…
Oh well…that’ll never happen.
Hill is tradable, said that at the deadline. Only problem is, with Grier/MM, he will be replaced by a short fast WR with less frame than Tyreek.
I think it is BS that the U of M drops all the way out of the top 12 for the playoffs and 9-3 Alabama climbs to #11 after beating a 5-7 Auburn team a week after they get trounced by 6-5 Oklahoma.
U of M has only lost by 1 score to a tough Georgia Tech team who should have beaten #5 Georgia 2 days ago and lost to a tough Syracuse team in the Carrier Dome by 1 score.
Alabama lost to 6-6 Vanderbilt, 10-2 Tennessee and 2 weeks ago, more or less, a 24-3 blowout loss to 6-5 Oklahoma.
Will just have to see how the conference championship games pan out.
I said I was off the Kurtis Rourke homer train because he’s not very mobile but, man, I just like the kids arm. He’s so accurate.
BTW, in the COLD and SNOWY game this past Saturday he was 23-31 for 349 with 6 TD’s and 0 INT’s.
Rourke finished the regular season (11 games) completing 70.4% of his passes with 27 TD’s and 4 INT’s
Good write Mike, I agree with what you’re saying but I doubt either of them are going anywhere. They’ll get one more year. I don’t understand why we make so many mistakes when we play good teams. Like stupid mistakes that has nothing to do with teams we’re playing like false starts.
I really thought we could win the game against the packers. If we had scored on the series on their one yard line we could have won that game. It’s the same every year for the phins. Ugh
and not muffed the punt
ravis Wingfield
Bradley Chubb and Cameron Goode will have their 21-day window opened this week, per Mike McDaniel. They’ll practice Wednesday.
Here’s yet another guy who gets it… you’d swear he was reading me/us over some time… or maybe even the comments I made last night about Tua: “son, you’re on your own”, followed by the ‘Blazing Saddles’ clip I attached…
ElephantRider
says:
December 2, 2024 at 12:41 pm
M
Good point about the Raiders track teams over the years.
———–
Thank you, man. You got what I was saying.
Hulkster, I was talking about the track teams that Al Davis had built, not the solid teams he had once built who won Super Bowls.
Same team. 1976, 1980 and 1983. Those were track teams full of speed on offense. Happened to have really good defenses too
Yep…we keep turning over DCs every year, yet MM and CG are still calling the shot on O since inception.
Great idea…lol….let’s keep the D side of the team in flux while we try and figure it out over years.
WTF Ross?
Mike E,
We definitely stand on opposite sides of the ring when it comes to Tua, and that’s alright, bud. I just don’t want you to think I’m targeting YOU when it comes to some of my comments. Seriously, half of our fan base thinks Tua sucks while the other half thinks he’s a stud… it’s not limited to the FMU.
What I want YOU to know is that even I believe we need to prepare for life without Tua. One more concussion could do him in. We totally see eye-to-eye on that matter.
Simply put, my ringing endorsement of Tua does not preclude us from drafting his replacement.
And his replacement doesn’t necessarily have to be in the 1st or 2nd rounds of the ’25 Draft.
Write it down, but don’t chisel it in stone just yet… Anthony Weaver is going to be a HC next season, and no, not with our Miami Dolphins.
And if/when that happens, we’ll be onto our 4th DC in 4 consecutive seasons.
Why do I say that? Tom Pelissero on the Rich Eisen Show.
Pelissero believes there will untimately be 9 openings for HCing jobs after this season is over.
Lets go with the idea that Anthony Weaver leaves us for a HCing job. We’ll then need to find another DC. STs coach Danny Crossman is very likely to be replaced as well (he has to be replaced, right?). So that’s 2/3rds of our team that will likely be replaced, in terms of coaching alone.
Coach McD has greatly regressed in year 3 on Offense, and there are a LOT of calls for Chris Grier to be fired after the season ends.
What are the chances Steve Ross cleans house and hires Bill Belicheat*???
Anthony Weaver as an HC? Are you serious Clark? Have you watched our defense?
Anthony Weaver could very well become a HC next season, according to Tom Pelissero, who is a very legit NFL insider. He’s a fantastic interview, who almost landed a HCing job before he came to us as our DC.
I hear ya about our current Defense, Hulkster… I’m just repeating what Pelissero is saying.
Let him go. Addition by subtraction
Also there is no way in hell Weaver becomes an HC unless we make some miraculous run led by our D. I don’t care what Tom Pelisaro says
@NFL_DovKleiman
The #Rams have claimed Emmanuel Forbes Jr. on waivers
Damn
We are stuck with the same GM and HC through 2025. That’s when their win now mode will come to an end.
Ugh. You are probably right. Guess they’ll bring in another small fast guy for the offense.
OMG…the drama…lol.
In NYC starting tomorrow for the tree lighting. Going to put the Wammy on the Jets when there.
I don’t understand the need to fire MM. I hope he stays as HC.
Nothing about McDaniel instills toughness or discipline. The team is severely lacking both.
In some ways, I hope the Jets thrash us this Sunday at home to finally end the charade. If we want change here, we need to get embarrassed, and getting jacked at home by the Jets is a good start. I want Grier GONE! I want McDaniel GONE! Stop with the coddling of Tua. Look at what Bo Nix is doing in his rookie season. We can draft a QB and maybe you hit, maybe you don’t. Tua isn’t the guy, hasn’t been the guy, and never will be the guy. He can’t elevate this team, and the fact that some of you here thought he played well the other night tells me you just don’t get it. We had 3 fucking points until 2:28 in the 3rd quarter. That’s playing well? Who cares how many passes he completes and for how many yards? One TD doesn’t really count, it was lucky it wasn’t intercepted. Raise your standards! That’s the best he can do against good teams, we’ve seen it time and time again. He won’t win that big game for you, he can’t. I would have rather overpaid Robert Hunt than overpay Tua. I also believe that Mike McDaniel wanted to keep Skylar Thompson as the backup because he didn’t want to threaten Tua by bringing in a legit QB. I think that might carry on to next year as well, because fans will be screaming to replace Tua and God forbid you shake that fragile psyche of his. Oh the horror!
I’d add in Christian Wilkins to the above discussion oof overpaying. I’d rather have Wilkins and Hunt next season to start rebuilding than have Tua and Tyreek
Bo Nix has a defense
Well, maybe if we didn’t pay Tua $50M per season and pay 2 WR’s $60M, we could afford to get a better defense. It’s not always the defense’s fault Ken, that’s a cop out. Yes, the defense sucked Thursday night, we still had only 3 points with 2:38 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
Now if you said he has a Head Coach, I’d nod my head in agreement, because that’s the big issue right there.
Defense has sucked more than just Thursday night. Given up game winning drives against Cardinals and Bills both beating us with FGs as time runs out. With the game on the line last night Denver’s defense sealed the win with a pick 6. Tua played his best game of his career in Buffalo this year and the defense coughs it up
Article from USA Today on why 72 Dolphins were successful…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-freeman/2024/12/02/1972-miami-dolphins-larry-csonka-don-shula/76619158007/
It’s in the details…disciplined team because Shula expected it.
…according to Czonka!
Ken – Tua played as good as I could ask against Buffalo in the second BUF game, but MM screwed up the time management. We shouldn’t have allowed BUF any time to win that game at the end
I never fault a coach or team for scoring when you have the opportunity especially when you are trailing. I fault the defense for not doing its job at the end of the game
However we end up this year, you have to figure in the games Tua was out. Without him it was like watching the 4th quarter of a preaseason game. He proved how valuable he is to us. Not to say some other QB couldn’t be, but he is on the roster and paid for.
^
Our elder statesman Stanger preaching
So if Tua continues his current trend, he’ll end up the most accurate passer in NFL history (career!). He’ll thus check off yet another box, as I predicted in the preseason…
Lead the NFL in passer rating? CHECK (2022)
Lead the NFL in passing yards? CHECK (2023)
Lead the NFL in completion %? With 5 games to go in 2024, looking good!
Every QB who has ever done this is either in the HOF or is a future HOFer.
Now if we can fix the Guard positions in 2025, he could lead the NFL in TD passes… that would be the ‘quad crown’ of QB history which only 5 throughout history have ever achieved… all HOFers.
Fix the OG position and the defense, this team might be something.
^^^
And the congregation said, “AMEN”!
We’re not talking about checking off boyscout merit badges here, we’re talking about BIG BOY matters in an era where Patrick Mahomes and A-Rod reigned as kings.
BB Mike,
Question for you. As I watched Ryder’s breakdown which you posted above, I saw our very first Offensive play from scrimmage. Green Bay put 8 in the box on 1st and 10 (rare for us to see). Why on Earth didn’t we audible to a passing play at that point?
What are your thoughts?
I have seen that a few times all season. I can’t remember ever seeing Tua audible to another play.
Maybe he didn’t because of the personnel grouping.
Several of those run plays Ryder showed, there were 8 in the box and never audibled out.
There must be a personnel grouping that defenses have keyed in on and have no fear of stacking the box.
Or maybe, with as long as it takes MM to get the play in, Tua doesn’t have the time to call an audible.
stangerx
says:
December 3, 2024 at 1:49 pm (Edit)
However we end up this year, you have to figure in the games Tua was out. Without him it was like watching the 4th quarter of a preaseason game. He proved how valuable he is to us. Not to say some other QB couldn’t be, but he is on the roster and paid for.
But the reason we didn’t have Tua was Tua. He concussed himself.
I’m not sure how valuable it is when you have your starting QB doing stupid things that put you in a hole you can’t reasonably expect to climb out of.
He tried to make a play. It’s the competitive instinct. I won’t fault him for that.
Competitive is one thing. This is something else. Your already fragile QB hasn’t learned he can’t go HEAD FIRST into a defender after he’s already had multiple concussions.
I am not really disagreeing but in the heat of the moment in a big game fighting for a first down I understand how that can happen. I think we over analyze things too much when it comes to Tua. Ultimately he should not have done that but it is hard to take the competitive instinct out of the player
Herd — as a defense personal injury lawyer like Ken can tell you, there is someone called an eggshell plaintiff. That means even if they are more prone to injury…. the damages from the injury are on your client. That’s our boy Tua.
M13, if I was a DC and the Dolphins lined up with Smythe and Hill at TE and of the 2 WR’s only one of them is Hill or Waddle, I’m stacking the box.
Then you have man coverage on Hill and Waddle and I am taking my chance that one of them can beat that coverage
Ken, I was trying to say if only 1 of Waddle or Hill were in there with another WR. That means they would only have to double one of them with the FS.
That with Smythe and Jullian Hill not being any threat.
Yeah, I hear that. But what if we audibled for Achane to go out as a WR on an out-route and the WR (whether it be ‘Reek or Da’ Penguin) runs a 9-route? Man… that could have been DEADLY to the Pack in that sit!
Point being, we so rarely see 8 in the box that I feel we could have taken advantage of that situation.
By the way, I don’t blame Tua for that… I blame Coach McD.
Bottom line is I don’t know why Tua doesn’t audible out of the run.
Friendly reminder that we could have had Jerry Jeudy for a song not so long ago… and it’s not like Tua and Jeudy don’t have chemistry with one another…
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/player/_/id/47609/jerry-jeudy
All it would have cost us was a mere 5th and 6th rounder.
Look at all that dead money that that will have, 30 million over 4 years after he is gone.
So, a QB who can’t get this team past a first round playoff ass whooping in 5 years is gonna take us to the promised land? Not. He ain’t the guy.
Maybe he will and maybe he won’t. But he plays a good game and we just signed him for big money. If you were GM what would you do?
BURN IT DOWN! BURN IT ALL DOWN. 🔥
I thought it had to be the long snapper that we kept through regime after regime. My mistake.
The scouting department really needs to go. That’s the craziest thing. Through all these different general managers, we have kept the same scouting department!!!
You would think that a GM would bring his own guys. Seems like that never happens
Use enough gasoline to get every last cockroach.
Lol…Inglorious Basterds! Love it!
stanger,
I’m just a fan. Nobody pays me to fix their mess. They’ve already made all sorts of decisions I’d have never made.
Stanger – I don’t figure the games that Tua missed as any different than the games he played. He’s responsible for those too not being available, and this will happen as long as he keeps playing. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to give him the big contract, besides the fact that we’ll probably never win a big game with him as the QB
Mike E,
You’re suffering from recency bias: yes, Tua made a HUGE mistake running head-first into Hamlin in the Buffalo game. Absolutely NOBODY disagrees on as much, that he’s responsable for it!
Are you also trying to say that all of the other concussions Tua has suffered are on him in the same statement? Sorry, that’s a very lazy take.
How about we fix our fucking O-Line, for starters?
No, it’s the front office, including Chris Grier, HC Mike McDaniel for paying him that huge contract, and then absurdly running with a QB who probably isn’t long for the NFL in Skylar Thompson. Not sure if they were afraid to bring in a QB with skill because it could be taken as an affront to Tua, but that’s malpractice when you have a QB very likely to get injured and no reasonable replacement for him on the roster. Heavily relying on Tua is a mistake I never would have made
The decision to go with Skylar had nothing to do with being an affront to Tua. It had to do with managing the cap. He was cheap. He has played and had been in the system for 2 years
I think McDaniel is here to coddle and pacify Tua and fuck the rest of the roster. We need a HC and GM that are focused on the team. I’m tired of that
Ken – However you want to spin it, it fucked our team, and will continue to fuck our team. We’ll probably have to continue to pick up cheap veteran players on 1 year contracts, all the while trying to win with a QB who is oft injured and can’t win big games. We have little cap room, a shitty roster heavily weighed down cap wise on offense, but yeah Hulk, keep complaining about the defense. Why do you think our defense sucks? We let Christian Wilkins walk as well as Robert Hunt to pay Tua. But sure, complain about the O-line and the defense when we gave all the money that could have been allocated to a bunch of good players but instead went to Tua. I’ll be back tomorrow to discuss.
Every team faces these decisions. I agree we needed a better back up QB but there were not a lot of good options
The Hand has spoken! Let it flow Mike E.
We (some of us…lol) all wondered, ooh’ed and ah’ed, what the fastest O in the league would look like having WRs and RBs racing down the field at 22 MPH….faster than a speeding bullet…lol.
Now we know.
It’s a canvass of a pile of shit of 300 lb OL watching their RBs getting tackled behind the LOS, disrupting handoffs 2 yds deep, and if the QB doesn’t get the ball off in less than 2.5 seconds everyone holds their breath that Tua isn’t concussed from a blindside hit, being flung to the ground or him trying to make a play driving his head into anything as it seems to be instinctual. Lol.
There really isn’t any excuse this OL is so poorly constructed in the last 3 years (just keeping it in this regime). That’s the GM and HC. Obviously, speed does not overcome inadequate/soft lineman…on both sides of the ball. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and goal from the 1 and speed couldn’t get it done.
Now we know…lol
Perhaps MM thought he was blazing some trail that would change how the game is played in the NFL…almost like thinking he could play pinball football (college) where there is little D played. The NFL has guys on D, just as fast as guys on O and bigger…oops.
The NY Giants did it with Daniel Jones, the Cleveland Browns unprecedentedly did it with Deshaun Watson, and the Dolphins did it with Tua. Where are these teams now? If you make that move you better be right. If you want to feel better, the Giants and the Browns really fucked up. We just made a mistake, but that mistake will hurt us for a few years now. Tua needs a great cast, he just does. There’s nothing wrong with that if it you’re capable of supplying it, but if your cap situation is screwed and you have a very old team and also are carrying a boatload of one year contracts, plus the guys you gave huge contracts to are old and injured like Bradley Chubb and Tyreek Hill, then you’re not going to be able give Tua what he needs, and he needs a lot. Needs a great O-line, a great defense, the best WR’s, great RB’s and TE’s. We gave him some, but he needs it ALL
Annie
https://x.com/AnnieAgar/status/1864003737565438118
There will be a Chiefs game every black Friday because they are both rigged for the consumer.
LMAO!
She had some good ones this week!
We really screwed up in 2021. We should have drafted Notre Dame LG Aaron Banks instead of Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg.
We will possibly have a chance to fix that. LG Banks is an UFA coming up. He’s been the starting LG for the 49er’s.
We might not have the money to do so. When you carry over our 19+ million 2024 cap leftovers to 2025, it only puts us at -488k in cap.
Of course we moved up to get Eich, right?
Yes, we took Eich over 49er’s starting LG Banks and Chief’s starting center Creed Humphrey who many of us wanted.
The one team who will have a huge turnaround next year will unfortunately be the Patriots. They have 9 draft picks (5 in top 110), 140 million in cap space and just about every starter returning on the DL and OL.
The way they’re using Brewer is not helping our guards. He’s out in space a lot. There aren’t a lot of combo blocks. Our dives and inside gap runs go nowhere because Brewer can’t move anybody….and a lot of the time he’s 3 yards downfield if he’s uncovered. It creates gaps and throws off the integrity of your line. Teams know they can run twists and games on our guards because they get no help. It feels like we’re trying to block for a big run instead of trudging out 3-4 yards. Tighten shit up. Shorten up your gaps…block as a unit and not as individuals. Coach better. This team ran the ball very effectively a few times while Tua was out.
^
The IOL is not talented enough to run that way. Last years starting group, Wynn, Williams and Hunt were.
Curt Cignetti named Big Ten Coach of the Year!
IU had the worst record of any Big Ten team over the last 3 seasons at 9 wins and 27 losses.
Because of that, IU lost exactly half of their team to the transfer portal and Coach Cignetti came in with only 38 players left on the roster. He went out and brought in 20 players through the transfer portal to include Kurtis Rourke along with some recruits.
He slapped a roster together and led them to an 11-1 record and the college playoffs.
That’s all he’s done his entire HC career is build very good teams.
This is his 5th time winning that honor.
He was a backup QB at WV. He previously learned under Foge Fazio, Chuck Amato and Nick Saban at Alabama before starting his career as an HC. He was the QB coach for Phillip Rivers when working for Amato.
He gained Saban’s respect back when Cignetti was the scout team QB for WV and Saban was the DB coach. He would always go off script because he wanted to beat Saban’s DB’s so bad in practice. Saban said it would always piss him off.
Why am I saying all this? The IU homer in me says Cignetti should be the Dolphins next HC in 2026 when they are forced to blow everything up.
Yeah, very few college coaches make it in the NFL as HC’s but, many coaches who come up through the NFL don’t make it as HC’s either.
Cignetti knows how to build a football team. He’s done it everywhere he has been.
Miami Dolphins
Roster Moves | We have signed T Jackson Carman to the active roster off the practice squad and placed CB Cam Smith on the injured reserve list. We have also signed CB Jason Maitre to the practice squad.
Kohou is banged up also (back). Wonder if Fuller finally will be ready.
I feel like I am in a PTSD support group. Anyone bring the Prozac?
The Prozac should be we ain’t gonna make the playoff absent something real dramatic. 5 games left against manegeable opponents. Just time to root for the team and enjoy the games. Unless you think we might trade Tua or fire McDaniel. Grier might go, but I think he is Ross’ eye in on the team.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBMvOhKy2mm/?igsh=MXN0dnJucmNseXZjYw==
Beat the Jets, that is all that matters this week. I hate the Jets and Rogers!
MIAMI GARDENS — What Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel was looking for in film review of a loss to the Green Bay Packers was any evidence that defensive players “turned down” tackle attempts or were “loafing.”
McDaniel did not see that.
“I saw strain, I saw technique and fundamentals that fell short as the game progressed,” McDaniel said, adding, “Every missed tackle you have a defender whose feet are stopped at the point of attack.”
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nfl/dolphins/2024/12/04/miam-dolphins-mike-mcdaniel-accountable-missed-tackles-effort-jordyn-brooks/76766017007/
So, coaching? Lol
Lack of discipline? Lol
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins under Mike McDaniel simply haven’t been tough enough.
It’s not just us saying it. There is no shortage of testimonials from players with first-hand experience.
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/will-miami-dolphins-ever-be-tough-enough-under-mike-mcdaniel/
dude self policing. He need kick some ass wtf. Bring in Bill Belichick. Lol
FUCK THAT! BB needs to ride off into the sunset with his granddaughter. Oops, I mean “Girl friend”
Instead of MM holding the players accountable, it’s sounds like he is leaving it up to the players to do it.
We were yelled at, cussed at and called pussies by our coaches and that was HS. Though we always played hard and made the playoffs all 4 years I was in HS and won 1 state championship.
Lol…at least, get your head out of your ass, wtf are you doing?!!!
Coaching!
‘You guys practiced hard today and you should feel good about that….lots of mistakes we need to clean up…we’ll get there, but until then, kumbaya. Keep on ‘straining’ and maybe extend putting off your mistakes later in the game so we don’t fall too hard behind….
Lol…
far…not hard…but falling too hard works..lol
I remember the only big play I made in HS, I was a sophomore. I was on the JV team and got to dress out for our final regular season varsity game. I caught a ball a took it 60+ yards and got ran down by the DB before I could score.
Coach took me out of the game and called me a pussy for getting run down. I didn’t get to go back in the game and we were up 60-0. We ended up winning 81-0.
May have mentioned this before but it always stuck with me and made me play harder. lol
Guess who the team was we gave the beat down to, North Miami. lol
North Miami, Indiana
Tua Tagovailoa on the team being 5-7: “I don’t think that shows the character of who we are as a team… I feel like this has a lot to do with myself, putting myself in harms-way [vs. Bills]… don’t want to do that to my guys again.”
https://x.com/FinsXtra/status/1864405319373258936
OK…so it wasn’t instinctual….it was careless and selfish…lol. Which is worse?
Sorry, not sorry…lol. A 5-7 record doesn’t speak to character, it speaks to results. Lol.
You are what your record says you are…a loser after 12 games. That’s it.
And, that’s not good enough…lol
If they decide to fire Grier, we will still be stuck with him anyway.
He will just get a “preemptive pardon” from the outgoing President just like everyone else who is going to get one.
😆
BB Mike,
Ah, man… I can relate to ya a little bit with your HS football experience you shared above. I was on the state championship HS baseball team as a junior, but I couldn’t hit the ball with any kind of consistancy. My role was pretty much pinch-runner, bunter, and defense late in the game at 2nd base.
It was DRILLED into our skulls that we play the proper way, with proper mechanics, with proper decision making… and NO hot-dogging.
So I’m playing 2nd base early in the season, late in the game. It was a tight game with a man on 1st base. A rocket was hit almost over 2nd base itself. I had the speed and range to field the ball and my instincts just took over.
I did a behind-the-back toss to the short stop, who fired it back to 1st base for double-play, ending the inning: HIGHLIGHT REEL MATERIAL!!!
All my teammates were slapping me five! Just before I made it to the dugout, coach yelled loud enough for ALL my teammates to hear: YOU JUST HOT-DOGGED!!! YOU’RE DONE FOR THE SEASON, M13!!!
Sure enough, I didn’t play in another game that season… not even as a pinch-runner. Pissed me off, but coach was hell-bent on teaching me (and everybody else, by making an example of me) to play the proper way. I guess I was supposed to stop after fielding the ball, reset my body into the proper throwing motion, and allow the base-runner to reach 2nd base… with NO shot at throwing the guy out at 1st base.
Guess who had the last laugh? I took coach’s senior daughter (remember I’m a junior) to prom that very same year! Coach didn’t even bother to see her daughter off to her senior prom! BAD LOOK for a man who was trying to teach kids the ‘proper way’. Not sure her daughter ever forgave him! LOL 😀
lol
If this team stays with the HC and GM for next year….RIP.
Of all the Draft simultors out there, I believe PFF is the worst one. I mean, they are just so left of left field, it feels like they are playing in right field. Just WOW.
*simulators
Randy
says:
December 4, 2024 at 12:08 pm
The way they’re using Brewer is not helping our guards. He’s out in space a lot. There aren’t a lot of combo blocks. Our dives and inside gap runs go nowhere because Brewer can’t move anybody….and a lot of the time he’s 3 yards downfield if he’s uncovered. It creates gaps and throws off the integrity of your line. Teams know they can run twists and games on our guards because they get no help. It feels like we’re trying to block for a big run instead of trudging out 3-4 yards. Tighten shit up. Shorten up your gaps…block as a unit and not as individuals. Coach better. This team ran the ball very effectively a few times while Tua was out.
—————
^ THIS!!!
That’s not to excuse the play of our limited Guard play, but this is a VERY OUTSTANDING point and observation, IMO. I never thought about this, man.
And that’s why I’ve always called Randy the O-Line guru of the Mob!
I’m being serious… this is a HUGE problem and I only see it now, after Randy pointed it out.
I’m glad Tua has found his voice/confidence or whatever after the Flores debacle.
Now, he needs to find his game against REAL competition and/to stop the noise.
ER – I agree!! It’s why I want them to lose to the Jets, possibly twice. The embarrassment of losing to that team twice might just spark enough vitriol to get it done! It will probably be the only good outcome for this team, because we’re still pretenders, not contenders, and the longer that duo of Grier/MM stay, the longer that continues.
I never want the team to lose. Ever
https://x.com/WhitePepperGDF/status/1864459922030621175
lol
LOL
Oh my…lol
I guess it was just coincidence. They just played fundamentally bad and it just happened to be cold and snowy.
@schadjoe
“Softness has nothing to do with it,” Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver says of missed tackles.
Weaver says Jordyn Brook’s post-game comment was emotional and after watching film Jordyn may conclude otherwise.
@flasportsbuzz
Fins DC Weaver said he didn’t see tackle problems coming last week and doesn’t attribute it to weather.
Has seen only 7 reps from Chubb. Is he ready to play? Weaver said he will need to “just to gain confidence to where he feels comfortable playing in an NFL game.”
@flasportsbuzz
CBS says get Harlan/Green will work 2 straight weeks on Dolphins — Jets this weekend and at Houston Dec. 15…. FYI: NFL has given both CBS and Fox a doubleheader on that day (Dec. 15). Two very good 4:25 p.m. games: Bills-Lions on CBS and Eagles-Steelers on Fox.
@NFL_DovKleiman
The ONLY player in the NFL with 200+ combined carries and targets with ZERO fumbles or drops this season: #Dolphins RB De’Von Achane
Trying to Fix Our Weaknesses Mock Draft
Traded down with Houston in 2nd round for picks and Keenum. Then traded Bradley Chubb for 2 picks.
PICK: 12 RND: 1 Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina
PICK: 54 RND: 2 Derrick Harmon DT Oregon
PICK: 88 RND: 3 Kurtis Rourke QB Indiana
PICK: 91 RND: 3 Tyler Booker OG Alabama
PICK: 98 RND: 3 Jihaad Campbell ILB Alabama
PICK: 99 RND: 3 Mikail Kamara DE/Edge/OLB Indiana
PICK: 113 RND: 4 Jay Higgins ILB Iowa
PICK: 127 RND: 4 Donovan Jackson OG Ohio State
PICK: 151 RND: 5 Jordan James RB Oregon
PICK: 156 RND: 5 Kyren Lacy WR LSU
PICK: 227 RND: 7 Mason Taylor TE LSU
PICK: 228 RND: 7 Thor Griffith DL Louisville
PICK: 251 RND: 7 Dorian Strong CB Virginia Tech
QB Case Keenum
2026 6th round pick
Although I like this one I think we need another OT early
I think Safety Nick Emmanwori would bring some physicality to our defense as a strong safety who can cover well.
He is a freak! He’s 6’3, 227 pounds, has done 24 reps of 225, 42″ vertical and runs a 4.38 forty. He was recruited to be a LB but South Carolina had a hole at safety so they started him there as a freshman and has thrived since.
This season he has 83 tackles (54 solo) and 4 INT’s with 2 pick 6’s.
His grades are ridiculous: 99% tackling, 84% run defense, 96% coverage
The Dolphins safety position has only created 1 takeaway and ZERO interceptions this season.
We have only 3 INT’s by our entire DB corps. The front 7 has 4 INT’s.
Dolphins are -2 in takeaway/giveaway (11 takeaways/13 giveaways), the 11 takeaways are tied for 23rd in the NFL.
Bills lead the NFL at +17, 24 takeaways/7 giveaways.
Funny how defense matters. But it is all Tua’s fault
D is our biggest problem then the OG position.
That’s a bingo
Winning the turn over is the biggest statistical indicator in terms of deciding wins and losses. I think the stat is somewhere 70% correlation between winning the turnover battle and winning the game
Yeah, I know it is a huge factor most games.
I did not realize Larry Csonka had 3 less carries than Ricky Williams but had 301 more yards rushing than Ricky (as a Dolphin).
go back and check your math. Csonka had WAY less carries than Ricky. 223 less carries. Csonka had 5,900 yards and Ricky had 6,436 yards.
Larry averaged 4.49 yards per carry and Ricky had 4.26 YPC.
Going back to Ryder’s video on the OL. Smythe and Hill have missed some blocks. I think a big part of their struggles has to do with the OG’s getting beat inside on running plays and it’s throwing the TE’s off on who they are supposed to block.
Ken, do you you think it is the new scheme for the lack of takeaways or lack of talent?
I guess it has to be both, IMO.
I think a combination of both. Lack of pass rush hurts as that helps generate turnovers and a general lack of talent in the secondary, especially at Safety
Rock, thanks. I was going by this from “The Football Database”.
PlayerAttYds
Larry Csonka 1,506 6,737
Ricky Williams 1,509 6,436
Ronnie Brown 1,128 4,815
bailbondmike
says:
December 5, 2024 at 1:21 pm
Trying to Fix Our Weaknesses Mock Draft
Traded down with Houston in 2nd round for picks and Keenum. Then traded Bradley Chubb for 2 picks.
—————
Did somebody say CASE KEENUM?!!
As his long-time agent, I’ll see if I can make it happen! LOL
Actually, that is the only thing I don’t like about the draftbuzz simulator. I got offered the trade from Houston. They traded me 54, 88, Keenum, and a 2026 6th.
Only problem is Keenum is a free agent next year. Can’t be part of the trade.
They keep up with the draft prospects very well. But not so much the actual team rosters.
Frank Ragnow just MAULED a Packers DT on that last TD play for the Lions. Who wanted us to draft him?
Then the big whiff on 3rd down. That’s the guy for the Phins. Lol
Yeah, shit happens! That’s what I get for opening my trap! LOL 😆
Ragnow is, however, a STUD. He’ll being going to his 4th Pro-Bowl this season, and he’s a 2x second-team All-Pro.
😂
@MF13SS
Since 1995, of offensive linemen DRAFTED by the #MiamiDolphins, only Mike Pouncey (2013-2015) and Jake Long (2008-2011) have ever made a Pro-Bowl. All other Dolphins’ O-Linemen who made a Pro-Bowl since 1995 were FA acquisitions (John Denney was a long-snapper).
2 (TWO!) fucking O-Linemen in nearly 30 years of drafting in Miami?!!
And then the fanbase wonders why we hadn’t a legit QB since Marino until Tua came around.
#ProtectTheHouse!!!
Nothing to worry about apparently….
YUP! LOL
Chris Grier has it ALL under control, being he knows better than everyone! 😆
TD pass from Goff to Gibbs! Know how I knew it was going to be a pass play? They had Sam LaPorta in (he can’t block… see Mike Gesicki).
Green Bay should have known better.
Ah! Ryan Fitz just agreed with me on LaPorta’s shaky blocking.
Then Fitz did a 180… wait… wut? C’mon, Fitz… can’t have it both ways. All LaPorta did was run into a defender with 1 mere yard to advance.
… for the TD.
Had it been a 1st and 10 play, it would have ended up 2nd and 9.
Ah… Fitz was joking around!
Jordan Love doing his best Bo Nix ‘early in the season’ impression.
@AdamSchefter
More about Bill Belichick having discussions with North Carolina about the Tar Heels’ head-coaching job
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42801501/sources-bill-belichick-speaks-unc-head-coach-job
REALLY hope this comes to fruition!
Go team!
Beat the Jets!!!
Who wouldn’t lay it all out there for this guy.
https://x.com/i/status/1865011346560954791
@OmarKelly
I remember the first practice after he replaced Joe Philbin as the head coach
Dan Campbell had the Dolphins do the Oklahoma drill for their very first practice period. He was setting the tone for what he wanted his team to be, mentally and physically tough.
Years later…..
Some of us saw him coach- fest game against Houston. Jumped out to a huge lead, pulled the starters and then put them back in and held on to win. I think it was his first game as HC
Cool
I think we win another 3 or 4 games, but it really doesn’t matter. The league has figured us out. We’re now in the counter to the counter phase of this offense. Will it be 3 yard passes and 19 points? Will we be able to find a way to score? When teams play umbrella coverage…whatever you wanna call it…you naturally go to a dink and dunk approach because that’s what they’re giving you. If you can’t beat it by figuring out how to get chunk plays, then it comes down to red zone scoring efficiency. That’s where you can use play design and speed and quickness to your advantage. And, that sort of defense is usually easier to run against. Can MM get this running game going again? Let’s see what and how we do.
NEW BLOG UP!!!!