Finsmob Unleashed

Today, it really was just a “Series of Unfortunate Events” Somehow or another, this team manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It never comes down to just one play, but one play that strongly affected what the Dolphins were trying to accomplish at the end of the game, which was to leave Justin Herbert and the LA Chargers very little time, maybe 10 seconds or probably even less before we scored the TD that gave us a short lived lead of 27-26 with just 46 seconds remaining. The play I’m speaking of was a pass play to WR Malik Washington at 00:59 in the game. A screen pass and Malik Washington took it towards the sidelines attempting to turn the corner but he was tackled, basically picked up and thrown out of bounds by Chargers nickel back Tarheeb Still. That play stopped the clock at 00:52. The next play, QB Tua Tagovailoa finds TE Darren Waller in the endzone for a TD with 00:46 seconds remaining. The extra point was good so we had the lead at 27-26.

Instead of kicking it out of the endzone, K Riley Patterson gives the Chargers a returnable kick at the 1 yard line and return it they do, as Chargers KR Nyheim Hines, just brought up from the PS today, returns the ball to the LA 41 yard line.The return takes 7 seconds off the clock, and Herbert under duress throws incomplete on 1st down leaving 00:34 seconds remaining. The next play would be “The Lucy” play, because the Dolphins pass rush gets to Herbert, but he shrugs it off, steps away and completes a pass to WR Ladd McConkey who avoids a tackler and takes the ball to the Miami Dolphins 17 yard line, knocked out of bounds by CB Jack Jones. The Chargers then run 2 plays to wind down the clock and force the Dolphins to use their timeouts, we had 2 remaining. With 00:09 seconds remaining, from the right hash, Chargers K Cam Dicker (Dicker the Kicker) nails the game winning FG leaving 00:05 on the clock for the Dolphins. Dicker the Kicker does his job and kicks the fuck outta the ball allowing no return for the Dolphins. Dolphins take over with 00:05 seconds at their own 35 yard line due to kick out of the end zone.

Could the Dolphins pull off another Miracle in Miami? Chargers defense is in the prevent, a few guys are deep, they rush 3 guys and few guys are mid deep. Tua takes the snap and fires 5-YARDS-DOWNFIELD to WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, maybe that was supposed to be the big surprise because it was his first target of the day, but the pass is quickly snuffed out by Pro Bowl and All-Pro S Derwin James to end the game. Like I said previously, one play never defines the entire game, that didn’t lose the game because it would have literally taken a another Miracle in Miami to win this one, but regardless of that fact, how do you throw the ball 5 yards when you need 65, and still get intercepted?

This will be the one game where Tua’s stat line will look worse than he actually played. His first INT, the very first pass play of the game was pass that WR Jaylen Waddle bobbled and at first glance, looked he lateraled the ball to Chargers SS Tony Jefferson. Waddle totally was at fault, it wasn’t Tua’s fault this time. Waddle bobbled it right into the defenders hands for an INT. Not a good start. The defernse wasn’t nearly as bad as previous weeks, we had a 13-9 lead at the half, so in my mind, holding the Chargers to 3 FG’s was a good showing for the woeful D.

In the 3rd quarter, the LA Chargers adjusted to the issues they were having on the right side of their O-line, and Herbert starting getting in a rhythm and RB Kimani Vidal started picking up huge chunks of yardage. The Chargers took 23-13 lead, scoring 14 unanswered points in the 3rd Quarter. RB Kimani Vidal finished with 18 carries for 124 yards, but Dolphins RB De’Von Achane was better, he finished with 128 yards on 16 carries and 2 TD’s. What would this team be without De’Von Achane? There are times when he IS the offense. Whether he’s running the ball or catching it, he does everything. Teams know this and that’s how Tua’s 2nd INT came about. Achane was set out wide in the slot, and Tua stared him down the entire time with 06:02 in the 3rd Quarter remaining. He’s great, but you have to use other players or defenses tend to concentrate on him, facilitating Tua’s 2nd INT. Tua’s final line was 21-35 205 yards, 1 TD and 3 INT’s. Definitely uglier than he played and this time he actually should have clinched the win for us on his second to last drive, but like I said earlier, a series of unfortunate events.

So now the team is 1-5, and in Tua’s presser after the game, he stated that players are not showing up for meeting, player only meetings, and others are coming late. There’s a leadership problem here, and that starts with the Head Coach. Mike McDaniel doesn’t seem to have the pulse, or respect of this team. In his presser, he said the team didn’t quit, he’d know by the 3rd quarter if that were the case, whatever the heck that means! GM Chris Grier missed on his first 2 picks in the draft. At #13 we took Michigan DT Kenny Grant. He’s been rated at the bottom of the barrel, and same goes for our next pick OG Jonah Savaiinaea, who we traded a 3rd RD pick in addition to our 2nd RD pick to move up in RD 2 to #37 to get him. By now, we know when Grier trades up for someone, that guy just ain’t gonna be worth it because he’s whiffed on every single trade up since he’s been here!

So 1-5, our rookies are struggling, one on offense and 1 on defense, you can’t blame the same position coaches for both of them, and our other rookies aren’t doing anything either really, which includes 5th RD picks DT Jordan Phillips and S Dante Trader, 6th RD pick RB Ollie Gordon who gets 2 carries a game, and 7th RD picks QB Quinn Ewers, who has been the emergency QB and in my estimation, we HAVE AN EMERGENCY!!!!! Time to get that kid meaningful practice reps with the ones and in a few weeks, let’s see what he can do! We also drafted DT Zeek Biggers in RD 7, and he’s been in the rotation on the D-line, not because he’s great, but because Grier left the cupboard bare and we basically have no choice but to start most of our rookies. He also had no choice to sign veteran CB’s Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas and just like signing DE/DT Calias Campbell last season, Grier gets no credit for that with me, just picking up leftovers. Before we give him credit for TE Darren Waller, let’s see how much he actually plays as he always seems to be QUESTIONABLE on the injury report and missed the first 3 games with a hip injury that I guess is still nagging.

If you look at this team’s future, even if you look as far as just this season, what’s left of it, it’s not pretty. We’re 1-5, and that almost guarantees we will not be in the playoffs, barring some sort of ridiculous turnaround here. This team is foundering, the finger pointing has begun, and the lack of real leaders on this team are showing what happens when that’s the case. Clearly, Mike McDaniels leaves a lot of responsibility on the players to police themselves and do what they need to do. He’s no disciplinarian, and he can’t become one either. If any of you were thinking DC Anthony Weaver is in line for HC, just know his defense is awful. You can take into account that the roster is weak, he needs to lean on a bunch of rookies on the D-line, and they have been pushed off the LOS as if they’re wearing roller skates at times, but what about the veterans like Zach Sieler, Jalean Phillips, Bradley Chubb etc etc. What the heck happened to Chop Robinson? That’s on Weaver!

This team was set up for the offense to carry it. QB tua Tagovailoa, RB De’Von Achane, WR’s Tyreek Hill (before he got injured) and Jaylen Waddle were supposed to make this team a contender, while the defense if Chubb, Phillips , Judon and Chop could bring some heat on opposing offense, along with solid tackling from the quality inside backers Jordyn Brooks, Tyrell Dodson, KJ Britt and Willie Gay cleaned up the tackling. Trading CB Jaeln Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith for S Minkah Fitzpatrick has ended up a wash. Jonnu isn’t tearing it up for the Steelers and Jalen Ramsey is playing OK. Minkah is 3rd on the team in total tackles, and many of those are way downfield, chasing RB’s down after they got past the front 7, which happens all too often. Before this game (LOSS), the offense was ranked 21st. That’s just not good enough, not for a team that needed the offense to carry it. The defense is woeful, and I don’t expect it to get any better any time soon.

Heads should roll, and who replaces them in the interim isn’t my concern. This team is DOA after 6 games, so I don’t care if it’s Darrell Bevell (QB’s and Passing Game Coordinator), or FRank Smith (Offensive Coordinator) (Although McDaniel calls/called the plays), it doesn’t matter. I don’t care if it’s Anthony Weaver, although I don’t feel it’s deserved. Maybe he’s the best guy as far as getting the players attention, because that surely needs to happen. Whomever it is, they are a band aid on a shotgun wound that has bled out. The most important thing to me is that Stephen Ross, or whoever is making these decisions don’t try any half measures. They simply cannot fire Head Coach Mike McDaniel and call it a day. This two-headed snake stinks of rot and they both need to be cut off! Grier AND McDaniel MUST GO. Either both, or just the leave the rot until the end of the season.

GO DOLPHINS!!!