OK Dolphins fans, the Dolphins defeated the disinterested NY Jets who came in without any desire to play and there is much joy in not only this FMU blog but with Dolphins fans everywhere. We love beating the Jets! Bah! Humbug! Rivalry you say? NY Jets at 3-9 and our Dolphins at 5-7, and I’m supposed to get all jacked up about our supposed rivalry? Nope! I dream for more, hope for more, expect more. This team was supposed to be competing for not only a division title, but a playoff run to the Super Bowl. We hold a slim chance to get in, which so you know, will require a whole lot of losing by the other teams that are ahead of us, namely the Baltimore Ravens (8-5), The Los Angeles Chargers (8-5) , and the Denver Broncos (8-5). The Ravens remaining schedule includes the NY Giants, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, and Cleveland Browns. I see at least 2 wins probably 3, because they face both the Steelers and Browns at home. The Chargers have an even easier path, they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Denver Broncos, both at home, and the 2 final games they travel to New England and then to Vegas to face the Raiders. I see at least 3 wins there. Finally, the Broncos face the Indianapolis Colts at home, travel to LA to face the Chargers, travel to Cincy to play the Bengals and then the finale at home against the Chiefs, who may or may not have anything to play for. So not only do our Dolphins have to go on an improbable run of 4 straight but we also need one of the 3 teams above us to collapse. Each and every team ahead of us has been, and will likely continue to be better than our Dolphins. Most have been better defensively, and some of them offensively as well. With the exception of the Ravens, the Chargers have the number one defense (points allowed), and the Broncos are #2.
In Dolphins news, the Miami Dolphins and WR Odell Beckham have mutually agreed to part ways so our supposed 3rd WR who was going to be the guy that could step in for either Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle is now gone. Beckham contributed 9 receptions for 55 yards. Boy, we have whiffed on some backups this season for reals folks! QB – Skylar Thompson check, LG Isaiah Wynn check, WR Odell Beckham Jr. check. I haven’t discussed the tsunami defensive line plan. Hey, let’s talk about one good signing. TE Jonnu Smith has been money this season, easily the best signing they made. It’s actually pretty close with DE Calais Campbell, but Campbell will only be here for this season, and thankfully we have Jonnu for one more season. I said before the season he could be a really good weapon for us, but even I didn’t expect the volume he’s been getting. If I told you he’d be within 100 yards of either WR Jaylen Waddle or Tyreek Hill through 12 games you would have laughed at me. He’s been a run after catch monster and took over the OT session against the Jets last week for the win. Tua did throw a dime on the TD throw, but the 2 screen passes were all Jonnu, especially considering one of them was tipped.
With the departure of WR Odell Beckham Jr., this elevates rookie WR Malik Washington to slot WR and #3 WR. RB De’Von Achane is the leading rusher but his YPC average has fallen to half of what it was last season. Achane in his rookie campaign averaged 7.8 YPV, now down to 3.9 YPC. It seems that Mike McDaniel has almost given up Achane getting chunk yards in the run game and he is often used in screen passes which sometimes allow him some space and time to get moving. WR Tyreek Hill has the most receptions with 65, but is followed closely by Achane with 63, and Jonnu Smith with 61. Last year, if you recall we didn’t have ONE TD from any of our TE’s. This season, Jonnu Smith has 5 of his very own. He has been a huge difference maker, a welcome addition.
On to the Texans! This will be a tough matchup for our Dolphins, quite different from last week’s battle against the “Walking Dead” NY Jets. One good thing is the climate won’t be to our disadvantage, the Texans play in an indoor stadium. The Texans are on the fringe of top 10 on both offense and defense, 11th in points scored (23.7 PPG) and 12th on defense (22.2 PPG). They have one excellent WR, Nico Collins who missed 5 games but is back and playing great football. WR Tank Dell is also a capable receiver but not in the class of Collins. John Metchie is the slot WR and he’s a good one They also have a dual threat back in Joe Mixon, who is their workhorse back and has 887 yards rushing and 244 yards receiving, along with 12 TD’s, 11 rushing and 1 receiving. CB Kendall Fuller is back, but he looked disinterested in contact last week, and we’re going to need a better effort from him against the Texans. Nickel and slot corner Kader Kohou has struggled tremendously lately, and behind him are UDFA CB Storm Duck, CB Ethan Bonner and CB Siran Neal who is more of a ST’s guy. This will be a tough task for these guys, especially if we don’t get pressure on QB C.J. Stroud. Bradley Chubb is nowhere to be found, so it’s going to be on Sieler, Jones, Campbell, Chop, Ogbah, Bell and Kamara, and some timed blitzes from our guy who does everything, Jalen Ramsey.
The dink and dunk offense has been working, but the problem we’ve been having is scoring TD’s. Losing those huge chunk plays, or seemingly even the threat of them has really hurt us. I’m not going to harp on this, but this offense was supposed to carry the team, and the defense, if whole, could have been adequate. The problem with the latter is we lost pass rushing LB Jaelan Phillips in game 4, and our other star pass rusher Bradley Chubb has begun practice but no timetable as to his availability has been heard. Our offense is 23rd in the NFL in scoring (20.3 PPG). Our much maligned defense is actually 14th in points allowed (22.5 PPG). Last season, our offense was 2nd in scoring (29.2 PPG). We were supposed to be close to that, and of course, we lost Tua for 4 games, which hurt us big time. This is the the type of game we need our QB Tua Tagovailoa to be great. Don’t throw completion percentages at me, or yards passing, those don’t translate into winning football games. Scoring, however does. If we can put a 30 spot on the Texans I feel pretty good about our chances. If we’re going to kick FG’s all day and out the onus on our defense, then this game could easily end this supposed playoff run. We need greatness, the weather won’t be a factor, this could be a signature game for QB Tua Tagovailoa if we can outpace the Texans.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
M
Tua being the MVP of this team is nothing to be proud of. 😆
You’ll get no argument from me on that! 🙂
M13….
Tua shrinks when playing better teams. It’s supported by facts.
That’s not to say CG and MM have built a team that allows him to excel against better teams. They have not. There are multiple reasons why.
No to limited concern for a quality OL, putting most of your financial resources into 3 players, creating a culture of nonchalance (softness) vs discipline, ignoring the entire Special Teams aspect of the game are a few of the major flaws in CG’s and MM’s vision of being a good to excellent football team.
Not to speak for Mike E., but I think you’re missing his point.
I don’t believe I’m missing Mike E’s point. COLLECTIVELY, we’ve played piss poor fusball against greater teams.
There’s no consistency under Coach McD, for example. I realize Coach needs to adapt (for instance, 2-deep Safeties are fucking our deep-passing game), so we’re going short and taking what’s underneath to Achane and Jonnu.
But where is our RUNNING GAME?!! It’s the O-Line!!!
If we actually had a running game, we’d be able to draw one of the 2-deep Safeties into run-support (8 in the box). Being we can’t do that, Tua is handcuffed.
And THAT is why either Chris Grier or (maybe both!) Coach McD should be fired.
He looks so much better than Skylar Thompson and a few other guys who got here a week before they had to start. You realize that’s the scale you’re using? Those guys never had a chance. Tua’s been in this offense that was designed for him personally by MM and these guys got here for a cup of coffee and super genius MM doesn’t streamline the offense, cut down the motion. It was an impossible task for any of those guys to succeed. My feeling is that Tua can never take us to where I want to be. It doesn’t matter whether everything is his fault, he can never lift this team by himself if every other facet of the team isn’t playing well too.
I think it’s too early to surmise as much about Tua, but that’s just me, my Brother. It would be interesting to me to see how much better Tua could be with a real O-Line.
Maybe he really doesn’t need the speed of ‘Reek and Da’ Penguin anymore, ya know?
I’m sensing that ‘Reek may be getting traded in the offseason, but that’s just my gut. We’ll see…
How are we going to get a great O-line? Grier is going to draft the right guys? I just see another season loaded with a multitude of excuses as per usghe until they finally can Grier, and MM and somehow lose Tua along with them
Mike E,
One last thing before I must bail for the evening…
You and I ABSOLUTELY CONCUR that we need to draft a QB in the ’25 Draft for our future. One more concussion could do Tua in, thus we must be prepared.
That’s just being REAL.
So was a weird first weekend of playoffs in FMU Fantasy league … regular season winner Mike E was taken down by your truly who finished 8th.. Stangers 2nd pace team ran up 196 points on Darlene to advance .. piggies third place management team took Herd out … and Twice took out my son Alex … week 2 sees Myself against Twice , and Stanger against Piggies management team …. Thanks to all who participated and good luck unless ya playing me
Congratulations Toba!
Folks, sports can no longer be emotional for me. I enjoy the competition that I grew up with, but something is missing.
Why do I not really care about sports at all even though I still do? 😂
Your emotions are making you emotional? Lol….
It’s the same for me.
I can still get caught up during the game!
But in general, it’s not even close to the excitement I felt 5-10 years ago when I would invest much more time and energy into it.
Pro ball declined 10 years ago
NCAA declined after the new portal rules
I can’t stand the commercials on regular TV to watch anything not DVR’d!
Well said Wyo! It’s more that the Dolphins just can’t put together a good enough team to really get pumped about, I mean early on I’m like every NFL team where I feel we have a shot. Then you watch a few games and your football soul goes and hides because it knows this team is only going to bring you grief. I can tolerate commercials a lot better if my team is kicking ass!
@chrisperk
Yup. Don’t need to mentally abuse players, but some tough love could go a long way. Overall, entire building need more toughness/aggression/healthy anger. They’re way too nice to win in the NFL
In first 5 seasons in Miami, Tannehill was 5-17 with an 82.7 passer rating against teams who finished with 10 wins or more.
In first 5 seasons in Miami, Tua is 2-17 with an 81.3 passer rating against teams who finished with 10 wins or more.
The year after Tannehill left he finished the season with a 117.5 passer rating and took the Titans to the AFC championship game.
What I am getting at is Tannehill was never elite. Tua isn’t or never will be. The difference between the Miami Tannehill and Tennessee Tannehill was Vrabel had a tough front 7 on defense and a solid OL.
Bingo.
Now he’s getting elite money to be RT17.
and we won’t be able to afford to give Tua what Tannehill had at Tennessee, a solid OL and stout front 7 on D.
If we could get a stud to play LG in free agency, I would love this draft:
PICK: 11 RND: 1 Mason Graham DT Michigan
PICK: 47 RND: 2 Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina
PICK: 98 RND: 3 Luke Kandra OG Cincinnati
PICK: 99 RND: 3 Omar Norman-Lott DT Tennessee
PICK: 114 RND: 4 Chris Paul Jr. ILB Ole Miss
PICK: 148 RND: 5 Mason Taylor TE LSU
PICK: 157 RND: 5 Chandler Rivers CB Duke
PICK: 225 RND: 7 Cody Simon ILB Ohio State
PICK: 231 RND: 7 Jonah Monheim OL USC
PICK: 251 RND: 7 Cam Skattebo RB Arizona State
Not sure why this site has dropped Monheim so far. PFF has him as a 5th round prospect, some as high as a late 3rd.
BBMike – I completely agree. We still ridicule Tannehill here, yet revere the all mighty Tua. Hey, at least Tannehill won a playoff game after he left, seems like Tua will need to do the same
Tanny actually won 2 playoff games that year then lost to SB champs KC in the AFC championship game. A team he beat that year in the regular season.
Granted his #’s in the 2 games they won were far from great but he did account for 6 TD’s to only 1 INT in the 3 playoff games. Their game plan was to ride the back of Derrick Henry behind their OL and ride the back of their defense. It almost worked.
My point was you can make it work with a middle of the league QB if the team is built properly.
The Dolphins didn’t build this team properly and this is our end result.
100% correct, and I don’t have any confidence in Grier/MM accomplishing that feat either, next year, the year after and so on.
Very promising vs one the best Edge defenders in the league.
CB Chandler Rivers would be a great day 3 pick in my mock above. He can cover boundary or slot. He’s only 5’10 but built solid and very good against the run. I think he would be a good replacement for Kohou (if not resigned) in the slot.
A 3yr starter at Duke he has 162 tackles (101 solo) with 2 FF, 21 PD’s with 5 INT’s and 2 pick 6.
Did they fire Grier yet?
No?
all right, I’ll check in again later.
Now? Did they fire him now?
It’ll be 2035, we’ll still be a garbage team and we’ll still be asking this, providing we’re still alive that is, and he is too
Memphis QB Seth Henigan looked good in the bowl game last night. I would like to snag him late 7th or UDFA if we can sign a vet backup like Mariota.
BBMike
Absolutely. Anyone think Darnold just magically became elite this year?
100%
I read that the Dolphins may cut Calais Campbell so he can play for a contender this year. That would be such a Grier move- get nothing for him now when they could have six weeks ago
You know what Bri, we weren’t going to let him go when we were supposedly still alive and involved in a playoff race, but I think that would be a classy move to let him go. Hopefully it would be his last move!
it would, but this is also a business!
Bri – I actually think that’s good business. Shows good will towards players and players like that. If you think I’m covering for Grier, think again, wait until tomorrows article! lol
lol
For kicks and giggles I asked GROK what should be done to improve the team.
To improve the Miami Dolphins for the upcoming seasons, several key areas have been identified based on recent analyses and opinions:
These suggestions indicate a holistic approach to team improvement, focusing on bolstering key positions, enhancing coaching staff, and managing the roster for both immediate and long-term success.
Miami Dolphins must accept, address, their offensive line-building failures | Schad
“I think when you start to get, when your line of scrimmage is violated to the point that you have some turnover football, that you have some hits on the quarterback and you’re not able to stay on the field as long as you want, you have to figure out a way to re-establish the line of scrimmage,” McDaniel said. “And that problem is not going anywhere until we solve it.”
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nfl/dolphins/2024/12/18/miami-dolphins-offensive-line-violated-fail-chris-grier/77070120007/
HELLO… what Rock, me and several others have been screaming, at least, the last 2 years.
@OmarKelly
I really don’t get how some of you don’t realize that the way the Dolphins do business is not sustainable.
I get building to win now but they didn’t do it right, far from it. Epic fail!
PFF ranks our safeties at:
Poyer #53
Holland #61
That’s pathetic!
This was from yesterday:
@flasportsbuzz
Tua limited in practice today with a hip injury… Armstead, Lamm, Waddle, Eskridge missed practice due to injuries… Chubb limited in practice, but Goode practiced fully for the first time.
https://bleacherreport.com/videos/627034-gridiron-heights-chiefs-trial
ER, if Grier had listened to me (LOL), our OL would be:
LT Christian Darrisaw, LG Graham Barton, Center Creed Humphrey, RG Robert Hunt, RT Austin Jackson.
Yes, no Armstead would have given us the money to retain Hunt. Especially if he got a new deal way before hitting free agency where another team over pays for your players.
We also could have kept Wilkins if they didn’t trade for Chubb. I wanted to go after Hassan Reddick who was much, much cheaper back then and he gave you more sacks.
Reddick signed with Eagles at 15 mil per year instead and in just his 2 seasons there he had 27 sacks, 49 QB hits and 5 FF.
Instead, they trade picks for Chubb and give him an extension costing the team nearly 30 million a year.
Joe Schad
RT Kendall Lamm was at Miami Dolphins practice. But LT Terron Armstead and WR Jaylen Waddle were not immediately spotted. Edge rusher Bradley Chubb and wide receiver Tyreek Hill were in attendance.
Tyreek has not lost “it” that much in 1 season. His mind is elsewhere on a number of fronts, IMO.
Last year Hill was #3 in route wins. This year #21.
Last year Hill was #1 in route win rate. This year #26.
got paid again with 4 void years!
FIRE CHRIS GRIER NOW!!!!
Had to make him the highest paid again, after doing it twice before!!! Fuck Hill Should have traded him last month!!
maybe it’s the 47 kids…
Tua has had time to throw, obviously not always but plenty of times his 1st read is not open. That’s alot of $$$ on WRs that don’t separate often enough.
^
This is so awesome. Not always guaranteed in Wisconsin, despite what some may think, but we are getting a white Christmas!!! So awesome, beautiful!
I’m no fan of snow… but if it must snow only once a year, I’d love it to be on Christmas Eve/Christmas, and for the same reason as you, Bookman.
that’s awesome Bookman- enjoy! I hope we get one in upstate Ny
Thanks Brian. I love Christmas, grew up in the snow, and as I get older, I really appreciate the snow and old time Christmas stuff.
I’m the same- I love Christmas and love the snow!
@flasportsbuzz
Tyreek Hill says he does NOT want to be traded and his time to go coach tweet meant he wants to coach eventually like Vick and Bridgewater
Good game so far this evening. Chargers 7, Broncos 7 after 1 QTR.
@OmarKelly
I really don’t get how some of you don’t realize that the way the Dolphins do business is not sustainable.
I think I used that exact phrase after they traded for Chubb
SAME!
What’s more, we could have traded for Roquan Smith using a 2nd rounder instead of a 1st rounder for Chubb. NOT saying that would have been good biz for the future, but we could have at least done it better.
If we can somehow garner another day 1 or 2 pick for the ’25 Draft, I think it would be most ideal. Now if Chris Grier is doing the drafting, it might not be so ideal.
So here’s a win-win for those of y’all who want to see Chris Grier get the pink slip: get the earliest possible 1st round selection (losing out), then trading down a bit to get another 2nd or 3rd rounder.
Possessing 5 draft picks within the top-100 is the perfect recipe to either rebuild or retool this team. Hit on these 5 picks, and it could easily soften the blow of having kicked the can down the road regarding salary cap hell. JMO
5 selections in the top-100?
In no particular order…
OG, S, ILB/MLB, DI, EDGE
Building through the draft is the only way to get out of this mess in the future
Yessir!
Lowest pressure rates allowed by rookie offensive linemen in Week 15, min. 10 pass block snaps (excluding MNF):
1. Amarius Mims, CIN: 0% (38 pass snaps, 0 pressures)
2. Taliese Fuaga, NO: 0% (36/0)
3. Roger Rosengarten, BAL: 0% (29/0)
4. Zach Frazier, PIT: 0% (26/0)
5. Mason McCormick, PIT: 0% (26/0)
6. Patrick Paul, MIA: 2.3% (44/1)
7. Joe Alt, LAC: 2.7% (37/1)
8. Olu Fashanu, NYJ: 2.8% (36/1)
9. Isaiah Adams, AZ: 2.8% (36/1)
10. Jalen Sundell, SEA: 2.9% (35/1
VERY high hopes for Darth Paul! And to know he’s getting mentored by T-Stead? PRICELE$$!
we need to hit on him for sure. With all the deficiencies on the OL we can’t be looking for a LT after Armstead retires.
I would absolutely LOVE to see T-Stead go into coaching after he retires, especially if he begins with our Phins.
I was literally thinking the same thing before I read your post!
Great minds, my guy!
M13,
did you see Beau Pribula went into the transfer portal?
No, I didn’t know that. Well that sucks.
I’m getting miffed by the transfer portal, the NIL deals, and the fact that the NCAA is destroying college football in general. JMO
big time. He had some good packages designed for him. Makes me think that either Allar is staying for his senior year, or isn’t entirely sure he’s entering the draft.
they need to move the transfer period. It’s going to kill the playoffs. The players are in a no win situation
100% agreed, Brian.
@KySportsRadio
Big ruling by a court today that JUCO athletes who play college sports, retain all 4 years of NCAA eligibility even if they play a year or two of JUCO Might encourage a lot more athletes to go that route
————
No sir, I don’t like it. College education shouldn’t be used as playground for athletes. Major League Baseball has a minor league system and so should the NFL. The NFL once had this with NFL Europe (see Kurt Warner) and a few other now defunct leagues, but they’d rather make college educated athletes paid ‘un-pros’.
I’m sorry, but this is just ridiculous on every level!
And I’m sorry again, but most everybody KNOWS that the overwhelming majority of elite college athletes aren’t in college for an education. Rather, they get a fully paid scholarship to play ball for the university that recruits the athlete.
Why? The university makes $$$… when the university should be making the leaders of tomorrow in the real world.
DICKER the KICKER! LOL
What a very interesting set of circumstances right there.
https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1869936077659656477
After Chargers win, Dolphins can make playoffs by winning out and A). 2 Denver losses and a Colts loss OR B). 2 Chargers losses and a Colts loss OR C). Two Denver losses and two Chargers losses. OR 4). 3 Baltimore losses and a Colts loss.
lol
So you’re saying there’s a chance……LOL
Unfortunately, I do not share Bookman’s enthusiasm.
Yes, I am aware of where I live. Yes, I am aware I need to move South
😄
LOL, I miss having a white Christmas. My home town in northern Indiana is going to have one. They just got a fresh 6″ and still snowing this morning. It’s going to stay just cold enough for it to stick around before melting off by the end of next week.
On the flip side, I did go surf fishing this past Tuesday in bathing suit and no shirt. lol
I miss shorts on Christmas….
NEW BLOG UP!!!