Finsmob Unleashed

The run begins! The Dolphins successfully staved off elimination by defeating the Rams in Los Angeles in their best effort of the season, 23-15. Let’s face it, and this is not hyperbole, every week now is an elimination game. At 3-6, we can probably afford 2-3 more losses, depending on how things shake out in the AFC. A 9-8 record may make it, or it might take a 10-7 mark to get in. If it’s the latter, that leaves us only one loss left, and despite the fact that we’re playing two easier marks in the Raiders and the Patriots, we have no room for error and cannot be caught looking ahead. Let’s face it, we haven’t been anything close to resembling the powerful, explosive offense we had last season in which we were averaging 29.2 PPG. It’s closer to half that at 16.3 PPG this season. WR’s Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have been so under used, they’re basically decoys running around all game. Last season after 9 games, WR Tyreek Hill had 69 receptions for 1014 yards and 8 TD’s. This season, Tyreek Hill has 37 receptions for 462 yards and 2 TD’s. Jaylen Waddle had 40 receptions for 522 yards with 3 TD’s and he missed the Denver game outright, so only 8 games played. This season, Waddle has 31 receptions for 367 and 1 TD. No doubt Hill has the larger drop off, mostly due to Waddle not getting as much action due to the nearly historic season by his teammate WR Tyreek Hill, who was trying to have a 2000 yard receiving season.

So why have Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle been shut down this season? I wish it was easy to say it was only the games that QB Tua Tagovailoa missed, but that’s not even remotely accurate. The Dolphins have been running the ball more than we did last season, and they’ve had some success doing that. Honestly, I don’t mind us being more of a rushing offensive team, I think that when it comes down to playing against better competition in big games, and for us, that means every week, you need to control the line of scrimmage and run the ball effectively. The better teams, along with the cold weather tend to neutralize the aerial attacks, so I like that we can run the ball. Oddly enough, we faced the Rams last week and struggled to run well, but the defense was the hero of the day, led by the return of key players on the defense like DT Zach Sieler, S Jevon Holland and CB Kader Kohou. The defense was excellent, they didn’t allow one trip to the endzone, to a Rams offense loaded with all their WR’s like Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and their excellent RB Kyren Williams. Also keep in mind the Rams were on a 3 game win streak and were playing very well, especially after getting their two top receivers back the last couple of weeks in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. The defense really did an outstanding job Sunday and carried the day.

So we got one game out of the way, and we need to keep checking them off one by one, never looking ahead any further than the game at hand. This week we host the Las Vegas Raiders who at 2-7 are nearly eliminated from the playoffs. One bright spot for the Raiders is 1st RD pick (#13) TE Brock Bowers who is having a phenomenal rookie campaign. Bowers already has 57 receptions for 580 yards and 2 TD’s. The Raiders are clearly looking to the future as they traded away WR Davante Adams who was just languishing this season and was miserable with very little production. Former Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers is having a nice season, and of course on defense, DE Maxx Crosby continues to rack up QB sacks, and has 6.5 this season. This would have been the week to see our old friend DT Christian Wilkins again, and I suppose we will see him, but he won’t be playing as he’s on IR, potentially for the entire season after a Jones fracture of his left foot. I’ll say this, 39 year old DE Calais Campbell has done his share and more to help fans get over the loss of Christian Wilkins here in Miami. Unfortunately, Calais has made it clear this is his final season, so we have some work to do!

If I told you before the season that De’Von Achane would be leading the Dolphins in rushing yards, many of us probably wouldn’t scoff at that. If I told you he’d have nearly twice the amount of rushing attempts than any other RB on the roster, 105-55, that you would probably laugh at. The guy who had so much difficulty staying on the field has become close to a workhorse back, but his YPC average has shrunk tremendously, going from an outrageous high of 7.8 yards per carry to a meh 4.4 yards per carry. I admit I find it odd that Achane is the primary back, especially with a very capable RB in rookie 4th RD pick Jaylen Wright and veteran Raheem Mostert available, although in Mostert’s case, he’s been injured occasionally. Wright however, has been healthy all along, but seldom used. Let me just get it out there, we see RB’s all over the NFL, rookies that were drafted, undrafted rookies, have success everywhere, and get tons of carries all over the NFL, but somehow in our offense, we can’t make it happen. I’m sure some will say it’s due to the over complicated offensive scheme. Let me say this, if you’re going to run an overly complicated offensive scheme, you better get better at teaching it because players get hurt all the time, and Achane already has a history in his short career, and Mostert even more so, so you better make sure Jaylen Wright understands all his responsibilities before the end of the season, because he may be the best guy standing!

So here we go, Game 2 on the MUST WIN parade of 9 games in which we practically have no room for error. We’re home, but unlike the majority of seasons, we’re struggling at home at Hard Rock Stadium and are 1-3. We have to do better, we have to win at home and on the road, but when you’re home, you should be at your best. I don’t mind being better on the road, that could work for us if somehow we earn a playoff berth, but there are no excuses at home, no crowd noise interference or cold weather. Good news is Zach Sieler is back, along with Jevon Holland and Kader Kohou. Bad news is starting CB Kendall Fuller is OUT with a concussion, his second of the season. LG Robert Jones is QUESTIONABLE, and if you didn’t know, LG Isaiah Wynn is practicing, but unlikely to be ready this week. He has been designated for return, so his 21 day window is open, but not yet determined if he will be on the roster, much like S Patrick McMorris, who by the way is in FULL participation in practice, which is also good news. If neither Isaiah Wynn or Robert Jones are able to go, OG Lester Cotton will get the nod. He had mixed results last week, more negative than positive unfortunately. We also learned earlier this week that RT Austin Jackson is done for the season, so Kendall Lamm will go at RT for now, while rookie 2nd string LT Patrick Paul sits at the ready for now. ILB David Long was released, as his replacement the last couple of games Anthony Walker has flourished. It’s surprising to cut a team captain, but results are imperative at this point, and kudos to Weaver, Grier and MM for making a tough choice. Let’s hope the LG and RT positions don’t haunt us, and we make it through for yet another elimination game vanquished!

GO DOLPHINS!!!