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 
lost 20-12, Tua’s 4 turnovers was definitely the deciding factor in this game.
piggy,
defenses have figured us out. Those underneath slants that worked so well last year haven’t been nearly as successful. We’ve been exposed, and McDaniel has absolutely no counter punch for it
Nothing
Defense held the Texans to 181 total yards.
They lost the game again. It’s really frustrating since the GM has put so much focus on that side of the ball.
If only he would spend the money on small WRs that can’t get open and a QB that always shows up in big games
Did the Dolphins play a winning team? If so, go to watch something else as they lose in some kind of terrible mismanaged fashion.
Did the Dolphins play a losing team today? If so, are they really bad or just barely losing? Just barely losing? Be prepared to watch a 50/50 nailbiter that they probably win but only after fucking up easy plays all games that could have ensured an easy win.
Did the Dolphins play a terrible team? If so, they will likely win it, and they may even look good for most of the game. Watch Tua get 300 yards, the offense score over 25 points and watch Tua fans come out of the woodworks extolling the virtues of Tua and and his HC buddy. Be prepared to talk about injuries and completion percentages.
The NFL is d so o unpredictable. I never would have thought we would lose in that type of game to them. Tua had too many mistakes , which is unlike him. I am sure he bounces back next week. Still hope we keep the coaching staff intact except for ST.
It’s not a “Narrative”. It’s fact! This team can’t beat a good team when they need to, and this QB can’t play well enough to help the team win either. Nobody is slandering him or the GM or the Coach, this is just reality. They built this team to score lots of points on offense and play complimentary defense, and the defense did its share today, but as per usghe, the offense bogged down and we either settled for FG’s or turned the ball over.
Now it’s time to fix what they built. It should start from the top, the GM needs to go, and the HC is on a very very hot seat.
100% on everything you said there
Best of the bad teams
Mediocre is all this team is/has been/ever will be. Does anyone logically think it will change without making a fundamental change in the organization?
This game is the PERFECT example of this narrative….and the most recent!
Wake the fuck up! Lol!
…the most recent of ALL of them…lol!
Looking forward to beating the Niners and finishing the year with 2 road wins.
We lost to a quality team by 8 points and gave up 4 turnovers. If I told you Tua would have 3 ints aand a strip fumble going in….. how much would you expect us to lose by?
Tua had been on fire since he came back from the injury, today he was off. I’d hoped those off games were a thing of the past, but guess they are not.
On fire against bad teams. That is the issue. Nothing new
We lost on a last second field goal, but he had an incredible game against the Bills in Buffalo. A bad team?
It was un Tua like. Did not expect that, or this type of game.
The Offense didn’t show up, particularly Tua…the rest of the team did
I’m sad….lol
Reality is sobering, time to drink…lol
Very Tua like. Look at the last 3 years. Nothing new.
3 interceptions is like him? Not sure I would agree with that.
If we want to keep the Tua blinders on…
Very McDaniel like then. Very Dolphin like. Where do you draw the line and get fed up with mediocrity? Failed from top to bottom on this big reset.
Ok to disagree. I see things differently
Coming up small is very him. Yep, I guess we disagree.
stangerx
says:
December 15, 2024 at 5:14 pm (Edit)
We lost to a quality team by 8 points and gave up 4 turnovers. If I told you Tua would have 3 ints aand a strip fumble going in….. how much would you expect us to lose by?
Tua had been on fire since he came back from the injury, today he was off. I’d hoped those off games were a thing of the past, but guess they are not.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Tua was on fire last year too, until we played better teams and the same thing occurred. The Texans are a decent to good team, and we looked totally overmatched, especially on the offensive side of the ball, what’s supposed to be our bread and butter. This supposed “narrative” that Tua fails when we play better teams isn’t a narrative, there’s no slant, no opinion, no viewpoint, it’s simply facts. Look at Buffalo tearing perhaps the best team in the NFL, the Detroit Lions a new asshole. We’re lightyears from the Bills, and their QB is lightyears better than Tua. This team has to win on offense we have a bunch of 1 year nobodies on our defensive line and 2 perennially injured OLB’s who can’t stay on the field. If you can’t admit this roster construction is fatally flawed, I can’t help you. It started when they let Wilkins and Hunt go, and turned around and handed Tua that huge contract. Now we need Tua to be the big man because he’s paid like one, and every single time, he shrinks in the spotlight. Who cares what his fucking completion percentage is when 94% of his passes are either behind the LOS, at the LOS or no more than 5-10 past the LOS? That gets you excited? I would say there was something very wrong if he couldn’t complete 75% of those passes. He’s not the QB, I know Grier isn’t the guy to run this ship, and I’m 80% convinced that McDaniel isn’t the guy to be the Head Coach. Thinking ahead to the offseason meaning the draft and free agency, I absolutely hate to think of these two in charge of any of it. I think they should be both be canned, no matter what we do the rest of the season.
We struggle against the good teams. Doesn’t every team, unless they are a Superbowl contender? It’s why their records are so good. And I don’t think we are near that level yet. Why I predicted us to go 10-7 (which still seems a good prediction if Tua had not gone out).
So I’m seeing about what I thought I would be seeing. And been a lot of good games, including today’s other than the ending. What I’m really interested in.
If you think it is time to burn it all down, then you do. Can’t say you are wrong in any way. I just don’t care so much about whether we do or do not. We have a nice team already….. unless the goal is to win a Superbowl no matter what.
3-15 against .500 teams or better. That’s McDaniels Dolphins. Nothing to see here. All that rebuild for nothing. Grier has ruined this. Time to start over and get a new GM in and if McDaniel goes that’s good too.
The narrative is supported by facts. This game is the example of the factual narrative…lol
Sitting at a “bar” with Chris Perkins, I think…lol…that fuckers tall…lol
No…lol. I’m an idiot, but this guy looks so familiar and he has to be 7’+….
Chris?
Defense tried to win us another game, but the offense, especially Big Gamer Tua, was having none of that. In McDaniel’s first year we beat 4 teams with a winning record and hope was high. In the two years since, just two wins against winning teams.
In McDaniel’s first year we beat Detroit (9-8), Pitt (9-8), Buffalo (played them close all three games) and Balt (10-7). Since then, we haven’t beaten any of those teams as they flew forward and we regressed. We’ve beaten our double in Dallas and a solid Rams team. That’s it.
It was a bad day for Tua for sure. This team is is not going to beat a good team when Tua isn’t running on all cylinders. But that is probably true of any team with a $50 mil QB.
Mahomes has been fairly average the past two years. He’s not been better than Tua for the most part. What’s been better is his play in the big games and his coaches. I’m not saying this is all on Tua because he’s just a symptom. The reason this team won’t get anywhere is Mike McDaniel leading this team.
I’d say Mahomes also has a better team, but that could just be me.
I can’t believe the guy that targeted Dubose wasn’t thrown out the game! WTF?!
He snapped his head back violently…it was pretty gross, imo
All teams do not struggle against the better teams in the league. If you can win the games you’re supposed to, then go .500 against the others you’re going to be fine. We don’t go .500 against the better teams in the NFL. Probably.250 of less if I had to guess.
Stanger,
Just to reiterate for others. Tua isn’t the big problem, and I think we could win big with him playing if he could take just another solid step forward. The reason we’ll continue to be mediocre is partially an inability to find the necessary talent and primarily due to very poor coaching. Mike McDaniel is the primary reason we aren’t a good team. Until he leaves, it can’t be fixed because he’s unable to fix his mistakes and continues to make the same ones over and over. His learning process is broken.
Only thing that is a problem for me about Tua is how much cap he eats. You get paid that big has to be spectacular play to deserve it. But that also melds into your point about getting necessary talent in. When Tua went off his rook contract keeping him meant not having 3-4 quality FAs on the team to support him.
We don’t have to agree, but I like McDaniel. Seems the team does as well, but then some of the worst coaches in NFL history have been the most liked as well.
I agree about the cap but he’s been just as good as Mahomes the past two years. Mahomes has had far better coaching and a better defense to keep them at a top level.
The salary cap is set. Everyone gets the same thing. How else, as a team, can you be better than others outside of luck and someone outperforming their contract? It’s coaching. Elite coaching is the difference between a 9-8 team and one that goes deep every year in the playoffs. It’s why Balt, KC, Philly, and SF until this year always get in. You can pay whatever you want for elite coaching. There’s no limit. Ross has been wasting money on all the wrong things.
I like McD ok for a hippy slacker. As the coach of an elite football program? Hell no. Let him be the marketing manager and get a real coach in here.
this game is exactly what Tua does against the better teams in the NFL. Yes, he’s had some good games here and there but those are few and far between. He almost single handily cost us the game today, and a chance at the playoffs.
I never root for us to lose, but I don’t really care if we lose the rest of our games this season. It will improve our draft position, and hopefully Grier doesn’t fuck that up.
if I’m around while the game is on I’ll watch the rest, but I’m not planning my days around this team anymore this season. They aren’t worth wasting my time.
In my opinion the coach is fine. I like him. The GM is more debatable imo.
I’m not trying to argue and be difficult, but can you elaborate on why you think MM is fine?
2 straight years in the playoffs. On the cusp this year. We should probably fire him and start over like every “successful “ team does every 3-4 years.
Plus, it is just my opinion. I don’t know crap, as a fan, on what it takes week to week to win in the NFL. I just know I like MM and hope he gets another year or 2.
I just enjoy watching the games, and not try to overthink the other stuff.
he’s 3-15 against teams with records above .500. With the talent we have on this team most competent coaches could do what he’s done. The NfL has figured out his offense and he can not counter.
I hear you. I wish I had that outlook at times, but this team just frustrates me and disappoints me year after year.
The Dolphins lost this game because of Tua’s poor performance in a key game….3 INTs and a fumble. ALL of that is on him. You can’t even blame Special Teams except for Sanders…lol.
Maybe when they review tape on EVERY key game Tua fails at, they take the Crossman approach and “he knows what he did.” Lol!
He made bad decisions and throws…
Bookman,
Successful teams do fire coaches that can’t improve their teams within a 3-4 year period. It happens incredibly frequently. McDaniels inherited a 9-8 team with a franchise QB already on the roster. He didn’t have to build shit up and hasn’t moved the meter. Who on this team is better today because of McDaniels coaching?
We aren’t making the playoffs this year, so he’s regressed by any metric available. What are the reasons why we’ll be better next year? Is the offense better than last year? Is the STs? Is the defense? How many DCs has he been through so far? Is his record of 6-16 against winning teams just an aberration he can fix? When will that start by chance?
I believe his record is 3-15 against teams above .500. Whatever it is, it sucksZ
I looked it up. They beat Detroit, Balt, Buff, and Pitt in McDaniel’s first year and they all had over .500 records that year. It’s 6-16 and you’re right, it still sucks.
I stopped, as a fan, trying to be GM. I just watch the games like I am a kid, and enjoy what I can. I am not going to be able to present data on why I like MM, I just do. Couldn’t care less if they fire the GM or not.
It’s not being a GM. It’s looking at available data that others have used to fire coaches previously. You don’t have to be an ‘expert’ to use data and your smarts to make decisions. You can like Mike, he’s a likeable guy and those are harder to fire. He’s a terrible HC though. Absolutely terrible but I bet he’d be great as the media front guy for the team.
Well from sideline perspective
Houston is not a good team! So the we can’t beat good teams is mute
The fumble was a blindside hit while his arm was up. Meh
Tua was not accurate all day
The first Pick was a good play by the LB
the rest were just right to the DB’s
Man I’d like to walk out of a stadium one day without being jeered! 😦
Reality…as a Dolphins’ fan in this era…lol
After the Texans game, the Dolphins have still had the 6th easiest schedule in the NFL.
Of the 5 teams with easier schedules then the Dolphins to date, all 5 are in the playoff hunt and 2 have already clinched.
The 6 teams the Dolphins have beaten this year have a combined winning percentage of .284
Injuries! Injuries and completion percentage! Let’s talk about that!
I have to say, the completion percentage argument might just be the hot button to make me fly off the handle. We all watch the game, most throws are either to the LOS or 5-10 yards past it. It’s not like last season where he was actually airing it out, these are like screen passes, so you’d have to be awful not to complete those. No one here can argue that Tua is an elite QB capable of lifting this team against the better NFL teams. You can hope that he might, but he’s proven to be incapable of elevating his game and the team with it. We need a HC that can separate Tua the person from the player, one that can focus on the whole team and do what’s best for the team. Dame for the GM, Grier needs to be gone and we need a new strategy to improve this team. We need to be better everywhere, not just try to build around Tua
Still alive!!!
last week Tua threw 47 passes, and only 11 were over ten yards in the air
For the very, very few hopefuls out there, Broncos are going to beat the Colts, so:
Dolphins need to win out against 49er’s, Browns and Jets.
AND
Colts need to lose one more game to either the Titans, Giants or Jags.
THEN
Ravens need to lose out to Steelers, Texans and Browns.
OR
Broncos need to lose out to Chargers, Bengals, and Chiefs
OR
Chargers need to lose to 2 of Broncos, Patriots and Raiders
For you Bookman!
Do you think anyone here is still hopeful we can make the playoffs, with the exception of Bookman of course?
Nah, that’s who I did it for. lol
What a crazy Bills game
Thanks BBM!
Have to be honest, I still wanted to see the odds myself or I wouldn’t have bothered. lol
We are almost forced to anyway with the contracts we are strapped with.
@chrisperk
Chris Perkins: I’d give these Dolphins one more year before making sweeping changes
@flasportsbuzz
My Miami Herald colleague, @OmarKelly, called for Grier’s firing recently but without a blaring headline. But Steve Ross – who has built first class headquarters and given front office everything it asks – has been incredibly patient/forgiving with underperforming employees
@flasportsbuzz
Omar and I have been as big a supporters for Tua as anyone in market. But he and everyone must be better against good teams. As I point out in my column, Tua played well in 3 of 11 games vs playoff teams since start of 2023. (4 if you count Rams, who aren’t in playoff spot). But no better qb option
Kelly: Tua Tagovailoa delivers more proof he isn’t ‘HIM’
Tua Tagovailoa continues to shrink in critical moments | Miami Herald
Man, they all are attacking!
Miami Dolphins Should Trade Tyreek Hill After Yet Another Big-Game No-Show
@flasportsbuzz – Barry Jackson
GM must hope owner appreciates promise of 2024 draft (Chop, Paul, Malik W., Wright) because 47 Dolphins picks in 2017, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 drafts made no difference for Dolphins Sunday
@ArmandoSalguero
The Dolphins are all but eliminated from the playoffs. The problems?
Tua has not been great in big moments against great teams.
Tyreek has disappeared.
Chris Grier built a team that isn’t physical enough and relies on oft-injured players.
Mike E,
I just can’t see the argument for keeping them. What part of this team is better than last year’s version? McDaniels beat 4 winning teams in 2022, his first year. He’s beaten two since then. How is that better? He’s had a new DC every year. He’s kept the worst ST coach in the NFL. None of the players have stepped up offensively to show ,”hey, this is why we must keep him!’ Not one. No one on our offense is better because of his play calling or his coaching, or his assistant’s coaching. Looking at what he inherited, not much improvement has been seen and nothing substantial. We’ve also had some of the easiest schedules in the NFL the last 2 years. He would be the lazy, ‘I don’t want to look for better’ option. Just doing the same thing hoping for something different……
Grier may be worse. Our roster is backwards. His arrogant proclamation that we didn’t need OL players is being shown to be idiotic. He misses a lot and loves injury prone players way too much. Beckham was a complete waste. Armstead is never healthy. Background checks on Hill must not have been done. Dude has been the one recurring employee during the last couple decades of mediocrity. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, waddles like a duck…..
Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Must Set Loyalties Aside, Fire Chris Grier
YES!!!
Alright, I’m going to sound like a Tua apologist, but here goes…
Today: 2 of the worst starting Guards in the NFL, plus a rookie LT and a ham sandwich at RT vs Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr on the edges. A running game that can’t give adequate support to the passing game, Waddle went out in the 2nd Quarter, and no answer for 2-deep Safeties by Coach McD other than to just throw screen passes all day… except for when its ‘do or die’ time.
‘Reek got stripped on Tua’s 3rd INT and should have come down with it. No, not a great pass to begin with, but ‘Reek should have come down with it.
Aside from all that… YES… Tua shat the bed today. Factually, it was one of his worst games as a pro. His first 2 INTs were absolutely on him and he’ll own it. He obviously didn’t see the DBs when he released the ball, and that cost us the game. I don’t put the strip sack on him though, as once again Liam Eichenberg got blown up via a bull rush and the Defender was instantly in Tua’s face.
I’m going to repeat myself, and louder this time for the folks in the back… Tua shat the bed today!!! It’s true and I’m not even being sarcastic. Guys have bad days and its a fact of life.
And even so, I’m not sure I can put this Offensive failure today all on Tua. The failures of the O-Line are absolutely on Chris Grier, and the fact we can’t find legit play-calling answers on Offense are absolutely on Coach McD.
And just to let y’all know that I’m not kissing Tua’s ass, here’s this: his near record-breaking completion % this season is absolutely the result of the screen-game that Coach McD suddenly can’t get away from, and its not translating to wins against competitive teams.
I can’t stand going down the path of calling for people’s heads (some have paid to have banners flown behind airplanes over the stadium in the past)… but I fundamentally believe Chris Grier needs to go.
Prediction: we’re going to see (or eventually see) a power-struggle between Grier and McD when it comes to ‘the blame game’ very shortly. This is going to become Jeff Ireland vs Tony Sparano (RIP), part 2.
And that’s why Steve Ross needed to sell, years ago.
Last INT was under thrown. If it wasn’t why are they throwing 50/50 ball to Hill? That’s right, they are all small……
This entire team shits the bed in any pressure game against an above average team. It starts at the top. Teams emulate the coach.
Absolutely under-thrown by Tua on the last INT… yet ‘Reek caught the ball and had it stripped away. To be clear, bad decision by Tua, who needed to force the ball downfield at that moment in time.
YUP(!), this team as a whole can’t win against a winning team and teams certainly DO emulate the coach.
Play the next 3 and go from there. Enjoy the games while you can.
I REALLY want to, buddy! But if we win out now, it will only serve to yield us worse Draft selection… and that would put us in the high-teens or early 20s. Ya know… not the greatest spot to draft a stud that we could use, and making sure we have the worst possible spot to draft while just missing the playoffs.
I’d sooner build for next season so that next season we can WIN! That’s my perspective at the moment.
I have absolutely ZERO problems for anyone wanting us to win for the rest of this year, either.
Could care less about draft position. I cheer for the team to win.
Couldn’t care less
We may technically still be alive in the playoff hunt, but we’re actually OUT (with like a .00000000001% chance of still making it, LOL).
LOSE out, get better Draft capital, and find a new GM to bring home the groceries. We need meat and potatoes right now, not more of the same that Grier has been bringing home.
As for Coach McD? I dunno right now… was he implicit regarding our shortcomings on the O-Line? If so, he probably needs to go too.
Lose out? Seriously? You can how you want to, but sorry, I can never want to “lose out”.
See my reply above to ya, Bookman. I don’t have any problem with anybody wanting us to win as many games as possible for the rest of this season, either!
I just feel building for the future may be in our better interest.
bookman11 says:
December 15, 2024 at 9:25 pm
Couldn’t care less
———–
Your positivity is admirable! And no, that’s not a snarky comment in any way.
However, I do believe its time to replace GM Chris Grier… I think you’ve stated as much yourself, right?
Perhaps I should have said ‘suggested’ instead of saying ‘stating’… you’ve suggested that we keep Coach McD and maybe we should find a new GM.
I believe that could work, so long as the new GM knows how to bring in meat and potatoes to the McD Offense… make it more ‘Shanahan-ish’.
I really don’t care. I will let you “draft” and GM experts worry about that, meanwhile, I will just cheer for them to win EVERY week, and enjoy when they do.
All good! I get where you’re coming from, man.
I want change – I will hope that they lose enough games to enact the changes that need to be made. Ross seems patient AF, willing to give them miles of rope from which to hang themselves, but if they lose another 2 or 3, I could see him considering the axe. MM won’t get another HC job anytime soon, he’ll be a hot commodity as OC though. Grier will probably find another job somewhere, that fucker has 9 lives. I want someone to come here and clean up this mess. Find a HC that can finally stand the test of time, because it’s been a shitshow for far too long in that regard. Fix the roster, don’t try to keep building with the same blueprint, knock that fucker down and start like you’re creating a new team, with anew purpose and don’t look back!
What does a win even do at this point? Save Grier and McDaniel? I don’t want that. Bring in a new GM and let them try to fix things. I don’t care who or how. But staying with Grier is insanity at this point. The tank has officially failed.
Alright, now watch me watch myself do a 180. What if Chris Grier is giving McD EXACTLY what McD wants? Is it Grier to blame, then?
I’m going to make myself mental, if I hadn’t already many years ago.
We got at least one more year with this regime and core players. I don’t think anything is going to change that.
I’m afraid you’re correct, CavKong.
Excellent!
M13,
Of course Grier is getting the players MM wants. It’s MM’s offense. His design. It only works with certain players. Why would a GM get players a HC doesn’t want? I’m sure Grier makes all kinds of decisions in terms of getting players, but he’s getting players to fit MM’s design. You may not, as a GM, be able to get the exact player you want, but you’re still gonna get the type of player MM wants.
I’ve been saying this all year. They made choices based on how they wanted to run the offense. We’d see how it worked as the year went on. Well, unfortunately, we’re seeing how it works. I put this on MM far more than Grier. Do we really think a new GM will come in and tell MM no…or tell him we’re redesigning the offense whether he likes it or not? I seriously doubt it. This team went all-in on how they built the offense. It’s not just a little tweak away from being competitive. MM built this monstrosity. Grier just dug up the body parts. 🙂
I don’t disagree with this Randy, but I put most of the player choices on Grier. There always has to be somewhat of a relationship between the head coach and the GM, but if he’s letting MM call the shots then he should be fired for that alone.
And that doesn’t mean I don’t think Grier picks some poor players. I do.
could we win out? Sure we could, but I don’t think we will. There is also a chance we can lose out as well. The Niners are ravaged with injuries, but probably tougher than their record indicates. Then we go on the road to Cleveland, who has the type of defense that usually gives this offense trouble, then on the road to the Jets, who we barely beat last week at home. Two cold weather games where we don’t normally fare well. I see us at best flinging 2-1, probably 1-2.
*finishing
flinging works, too. Actually, thought it was well stated…because that’s all we’re doing, i.e. flinging, flailing, failing, etc….lol
😂 l almost left it that way
There was no excuse for this Offense only scoring 12 points in yesterday’s game! None! That was the definition of failing from top to bottom in the design and construction of the Offense and it was on full display for the NFL and fans to see.
From roster building of the O Line to play calling with an O roster that is limited in the types of plays it can execute successfully because of its design/construction to O players being penalized BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER the snap/play (self-inflicted wounds, imo that’s coaching or a lack of it…lol) to a lack of game/time management every fucking game 4 years in, the results of yesterday’s game are a clear example of what and who this team is about under the current leadership. And, that’s just on the Offensive (truly) side of the ball…lol, imo.
Agree Krishna – It baffles me that some people felt we were in this game and was close. It’s so clear to me that that this team is not competitive against good teams on offense. The best offense in the league that can’t score. Some will use the unexpected turnovers an excuse when it’s part of the failure. If you have to run 12-15 plays to score a TD every single time you’re going to make more mistakes, it’s guaranteed. They covered all the short options and we had no response, other than to make mistakes.
I’m glad MM didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings yesterday….lol.
Was Crossman fired? Lol!
they gave him a raise
The positive about doing Tua’s contract extension last offseason is these morons won’t give him $60 million this offseason.
Lol…are you sure? Reek got a bump soothe his feeling…
Usually it’s the defense Tua apologists complain about, but today on twitter it’s strictly the O-line and how bad it sucks. First of all, for the 1000X, we let our best OL walk to pay Tua, one we freaking drafted, which is even worse!. Why can’t our 2nd RD pick OL play well in the NFL. Our LT is a 2nd RD pick and our RG is too, we even moved up for him. If they suck, the GM sucks, and now we’ve identified the problem!
Steelers rookie Center Zach Frazier and rookie RG Mason McCormick, both 26 pass snaps, 0 sacks, 0 pressures allowed.
@The33rdTeamFB
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)
PFF HIGHEST-GRADED PLAYERS
CB Kader Kohou, Miami – 93.1
CB Derek Stingley Jr., Houston – 92.3
ILB Henry To’oto’o, Houston – 90.9
@AdamSchefter
Dolphins WR Grant DuBose was hospitalized and in stable condition after suffering a serious head injury during Sunday’s loss to the Texans, and he will not immediately travel back to South Florida with the team.
I don’t have “X”. Can someone ask Joe to add an “All The Above” option to his pole.
poll
We are now sitting at pick #11. There are 5 teams at 6-8 the Dolphins have had the easiest SOS of all of them so they sit at the top of that group.
I don’t see them really beating the 49er’s despite all the injuries the 49er’s have had. The 49er’s are at 6-8 also but have played the hardest SOS in the NFL so far.
OK the season’s over now. Can we fire Chris Grier NOW?
From the giving up draft picks to bring in high contract free agents in Chubb, Hill and Ramsey, Grier seems a little Mike Tannenbaumish.
Armstead, though we didn’t give up picks for him.
For Hill, Chubb and Ramsey, the dolphins gave up 8 picks and 2 players: 2 first round picks (2022 and 2023), 1 second (2022), 1 third (2023), 3 forth (2022, 2023, 2024) and a 6th (2023).
We also gave up another 2023 5th for Jeff Wilson.
BBM,
Weren’t those moves made because Ross, Grier AND fans thought this team was making a SB push? Let’s not forget how many folks were in complete agreement with what this team was doing, at the time. Insane or not. Lol
True. Though, I was one who did not like the Chubb trade at all with him coming off his first ACL surgery. I was hyped up about Tyreek coming.
Well THIS fan at least complained in real time about each of those wasted pick / decisions and I was told that I’m not a fan. “how can a fan NOT want Tyreek?)
I predicted it correctly in real time and bitched about the cost, because not only did we trade for these guys (waste of draft picks) We then went on to make them “the highest paid blah blah blah” and wasted salary cap space too.
YAY! We are still mediocre!
FIRE THE BUM NOW!!
Gee whiz….another school shooting.
Damn
Lol…I thought it was everyday already…it’s disgusting why this is the only country in the world that allows it.
until they figure out how to stop the bullying it’s going to continue
Yesterday Davante Adams had nine catches for 198 yards and two TDs in the Jets V over JAX. That’s an awesome tally, but what’s wacky is every single yard was in the second half.
doesn’t count, it was against inferior opponent, that packed it in weeks ago
Excellent video
Is The Miami Dolphins Season Over? | Where Do We Go From Here?!
Without watching;
I think this dude not only pimps the THC products….. he’s a customer as well. The “Yes” was great but then he went into full detail. And watch the dude…. lol.
Meanwhile, probably only important to me….
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/is-the-ncaa-on-the-brink-of-collapse-the-marshall-case-and-the-leadership-crisis/ar-AA1vVGXv
Herd,
Speaking of Marshall, Randy Moss has announced he has bile-duct cancer. Prayers up for Randy, the entire Moss family, and all of Marshall Nation. 😦
Yes, he confirmed after a week or so of speculation. Hoping for the best for him.
Speaking of Herd nation, the men’s soccer team is playing for their 2nd national championship tonight in the college cup – we beat Ohio State Friday to advance. We won previously in 2020. So at least we have one football team still playing.
Also probably only important to me! 😂
🦬💚⚽️
https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/soccer-men/d1/marshall-vs-vermont-preview-how-watch-2024-mens-college-cup-final
That’s awesome!
One more thing, also only of interest to me, we had a minor earthquake this evening.
I think that’s all…😂
https://www.wsaz.com/2024/12/16/earthquake-felt-tri-state/?outputType=amp
A good GM would find 2 good players to poach off another teams practice squad this week before it is too late. I think this is the last week teams can do it because they have to be on your 53 for 3 weeks when you poach them.
One I would think about is WR Tyquan Thornton on the Chiefs PS. Put one or both of Grant Dubose and Dee Eskridge on IR. Sign Thornton and some promising OL, DL, Safety, ILB from another teams practice squad and have then as backups until the end of the season. Then sign them for next year.
Thornton is 6’2 185 and ran a 4.28 at the combine.
CRAZY fact…
Remove Tua from his two 3-INT games, he’d only have 1 INT thrown on the season. I know… if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle… I get it. But seriously, that’s interesting to me.
When Tua sucks, he SUCKS! When Tua’s ballin’, he’s BALLIN’!
As a team we suck though. Dolphins are 4-4 since Tua has come back to include an overtime squeaker over the Jets at home. The team is 1-4 vs teams with a .500 or better record in that span.
I don’t think the team sucks, believe we are average.
He does have brain fart games. Thankfully not as many as 2-3 years ago.
mostly they aren’t brain fart games, as a team we don’t compete against good teams, that causes Tua to get out of his comfort zone, then he tries to make a play, that isn’t there
I think whatever you think of the team, average, below average, awful, anything but good or great which would be delusional, you know this was supposed to be built for winning now and sustainable only for a short time because of the cap space or lack thereof. So they failed at their mission, some of you want to give them another year. I could live with that, as long as they know they’re gone if we don’t make the playoffs and win at least one round. That seem fair?
I’d rather go through another tank year than status quo.
I would too but I don’t think we’re getting a choice in this
I am willing to bet Tua’s stats are very pedestrian against .500 or better competition.
How about must win games? Again, he’s great until we need him to be.
I suppose we’ll waste another season hoping for Tua to turn into a prince, but most likely he turns into a frog again. I feel like Tyreek Hill is starting to fade, and I don’t think Waddle is ready to be superstar. He’s more of a Jerry Jeudy type, not a Cee Dee Lamb or Tyreek Hill type. We have to focus on the trenches in the draft, so skill positions will have to wait
Waddle is not a #1. He just isn’t.
he was before Tyreek arrived
I wanted us to draft USC Safety Calen Bullock. In his rookie season, he now has 5 INT’s. The Texans got him in the 3rd round.
On his would be pick six yesterday, Achane hit 22.19 mph to track him down and make the tackle short of the endzone. The defense then held the Texans to a FG after having 1st and goal at the 5. WTG, De’von!
they recently changed the scrum rule, you can’t pull your teammate forward, Vikings just did, no call
result TD
I think Holland will be just fine in another D, whatever team backs up the brinks
earlier tonight Vikings had a strip sack Van Ginkle was 1 of 3 defenders ready to take it to the house, instead of blocking AVG just ran towards the EZ, defender was tackled by a wr on AVGs side
Stinkle with a rare brain fart
Tua needs a therapist. So let’s say we fire the coach. Tua won’t go anywgere. Tua needs a better o line and a running game. Really just better o line.
and we should give the Houston coaches credit. Their defense and offense played well and coached well. If I were Ross I’d keep everyone and focus on the line. If tua and McDaniel can’t get it together, then clean house. My .02 c
Damn. Watching Sam Darnold with just one TO makes Kevin O’Connell look like an offensive and head coaching wiz. Dude already is set to have his second 12+ win season in just…three seasons. Hired same year as McFailure. Talk about watching some real coaching….
Now, MM is coddling his QB. In his own words…lmfao.
“Very disappointed with how I played today and with how I conducted myself on the field, with our guys, with our team. I just need to be better in all aspects with that.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel disagreed with that evaluation, though.
“I think it’s easy to just attribute it to the last person that touched the ball,” McDaniel said. “Everybody had a hand in it, whether it was protection, or there were a couple times that we’ve been better as of late being exactly where we need to be. That was the biggest thing is to play the style we do and play with some anticipation. We have to have total connectivity from the unit.”
NO COACH! That’s not why it was attributed “to the last person that touched the ball.”
Tua was shit, as he admitted and the rest of the football world witnessed. WTF is wrong with you?! Lol…
The Special Teams Unit led by Daniel Crossman failed at his job AGAIN!
____________
Mike McDaniel: We anticipated fake punt, ‘frustrating’ it worked anyway
___________
How was the team prepared?! With bated breath? Lmao!
This is from the PBP mailbag:
It seems no matter how talented we are, our best players can’t finish the season. Ever. Every week we lose a player. We are last in sacks, last in interceptions. From the most explosive offense to this. Running game nonexistent. We need balance.
Glad you brought up the injury situation, Howie. It obviously was a factor Sunday, when they went deep into their bench/practice squad for help on the offensive line (Terron Armstead, Kendall Lamm out) and receiver (Jaylen Waddle). You know one other team that has had major injury issues? The Lions. Not exactly stopping them, is it? It’s called depth. Dolphins have spent so much on stars they can’t afford it.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would add that it’s not even depth that is affected. When you spend tons of money on just a few players, the starters around them are worse too, and that’s been an issue on our roster. Yeah, we got Jaylen Ramsey, but the rest of the secondary has been totally underwhelming. Jaylen Ramsey has 2 INT’s, and then we have DE Sieler and OLB/DE Ogbah with 1 each, ILB Anthony Walker with 1, NB Kohou with 1 and ILB Tyrel Dodson with 1. Our defense is is going to need an overhaul. D-line we need NT and someone to replace Calais Campbell. Not sure about interior LB’s, who stays. Outside you can probably count one and that’s Chop. Ogbah not under contract, Phillips always injured and Chubb always injured.
Looks promising, eh? Add in we have Chris Grier still doing the drafting to fix this entire mess, and no cap space to do it with! Ugh!
Well it’s officially a shit season. 😩
😂🤣🤣🤣 because you finally say so?
Because we’re 6-8 and won’t be in the playoffs.
Tim saying that is like when George’s Dad brings out the pole — not officially Festivus till that happens and the first feat of strength is over.
@MiamiDolphins
Roster Moves | We have signed LS Jake McQuaide to the active roster off the practice squad and placed WR Grant DuBose on the injured reserve list. We have also signed WR Isaiah McKenzie and QB Skylar Thompson to the practice squad.
But let’s keep this band together!
Tim,
No! Say it’s not so. You need to be the light in the darkness! The balance!
Now that’s a guy I’dlike to hang out with. Would love going back to Hawaii to do it as well…. been a while.
Annie
https://x.com/AnnieAgar/status/1869120874173120832
I would like to hang out with Tua as well. Maybe I could convince him to retire.
Bro, you continue to hang your hat on Tua as the problem. I move that he’s a mere symptom of the problem… the problem created by Chris Grier and possibly Coach McD, by extension.
I will never understand the Tua hatred: he’s accomplished the unimaginable against all odds and FAR from the problem with this football team.
Did he fuck up last game? CERTAINLY SO! But he’s not the SOLE reason we’re 3-15 against winning teams during McD’s tenure.
Seriously, even little Trent Dilfer actually had a running game to fall back on and a top-5 Defense when he became a Super Bowl-winning QB for the Ravens.
EVERYBODY has a bad day, and Tua had two bad days this season… accounting for 6 of his 7 INTs this season. He didn’t see the DBs last game for whatever reason.
Mike E, I’d like for you to hang out with Tua as well. Perhaps he needs his vision to be fixed… 😉
It’s not Tua as much as it is Tua’s salary. If there was no cap I couldn’t care less if he got paid $200M a year. He’s handcuffing the team because of his salary and he’s not elite, you see that every time we play a better team. If he retired we could start fresh, draft a QB, and have plenty of cap space to fix the ridiculous amount of holes we have. Trade Tyreek, plenty of moves to make
I absolutely agree that completion % can be padded through the screen game, so even if Tua ends up with the highest completion % this season, it matters very little.
However, to have led the NFL in passing yardage in ’23 and passer rating in ’22 isn’t something to say ‘stats, schmatz’ to, at all: these are unpaddable stats.
Tua is our MVP, as evidenced by when he was out earlier this season with a concussion, when we went 0-4… and it wasn’t even close.
Nearly every pundit, observer, analyst, and former coach and GM are arriving at the same conclusion: our O-Line is the biggest problem in Miami regarding the Offense.
That falls in the laps of both GM Chris Grier and HC McD… who were hired by none other than Steve Ross.
Mike E.
says:
December 17, 2024 at 7:14 pm
It’s not Tua as much as it is Tua’s salary. If there was no cap I couldn’t care less if he got paid $200M a year. He’s handcuffing the team because of his salary and he’s not elite, you see that every time we play a better team…
————
When it’s all broken down (Tua’s contract), he’s actually further down the chart than one would think.
I posted a link yesterday at 4:05 PM that really breaks it down, my man. Tua isn’t breaking the bank as much as one believes…
https://youtu.be/RFqL3SzgQBE
This cat used many of the ‘buzz words’ I used the other day, and makes me wonder if he’s reading us. Regardless, I feel it’s a really good breakdown of where we’re at.
Mike E,
Another thing… I’m with YOU that we may as well lose out in order to promote significant change and a better draft position in all rounds.
You and I concur on MUCH!
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.
Thar’s to M13…lol