Through eight 2014 NFL games the 5 - 3, and AFC fifth seeded San Diego Chargers went south to face the 4 - 3 Miami Dolphins.
Miami has the Dolphins (your favorite) football team, they're moving the ball from goal to goal like (no one since thirteen), whether through the air or on the ground they've been (often) in control, and when you say Miami you're talking (on a roll)!!
Cuz we're the Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins Number One !!
Today.
The Dolphins splashed about the confines of their Miami aquarium, and doused the highly explosive power grid that is the Chargers. San Diego's quarterback Phillip Rivers came into the day with the leagues third most touchdown passes (20), and only five interceptions thrown while the Charger superstar tight end Antonio Gates entered the game with nine scores in just eight games.
In case the title to this piece moistened your eye's to a blur?
The Miami Dolphins started fast, finished strong, and won the game THIRTY SEVEN to ZERO!
Since the return of starting safety Rashad Jones four games ago, the Miami defense has been catapulted to an elite level, and versus the Chargers they were even better. Rashad Jones has led the team in tackles in all four weeks since his return, and contributed an interception on this day, (his second of the season). For the second consecutive game corner back Brent Grimes had an interception, this time he had two for a season total of four to go along with a pik-six last week, and the Dolphins have six interceptions over the last three games with nine for the season.
Miami has four sacks in two successive outings with eleven over the last three games. Randy Starks set the tone early with a sack of the nearly elite Phillip Rivers on the games very first offensive play for a loss of three yards. The first, and lone substantial San Diego drive of the day covered fifty seven yards in twelve plays only to end on a fourth and one (Rashad Jones) stuff of the running back at the Dolphin twenty three yard line.
The Chargers second possession went three and out for nine yards. Rashad Jones had his interception on the first play of the visitors third touch of the ball. San Diego's fourth series went five and out for sixteen yards which happened to be identical to their fifth and final first half possession. For the first half of play, the Chargers offensive unit snapped the ball twenty five times for ninety eight yards, and ZERO POINTS in five possessions!
On six second half series, San Diego ran twenty four plays for forty eight yards, and ZERO POINTS! Their first second half possession went seventeen yards on six plays, and ended upon Brent Grimes' first interception of the day that he returned twenty six yards to the Chargers nineteen.
The Miami defense splashed again on the visitors following three and out for six yards touch of the ball. Defensive Lineman (Earl Mitchell) got his first sack of the season for a loss of eight yards, and a second Brent Grimes interception of an attempted bomb ended the series on second and eighteen.
Upon the high voltage Chargers third second half possession that netted one yard on three plays, Olivier Vernon executed a third and nine sack and a forced fumble via Rivers that Jared Odrick recovered at the Chargers fourteen.
Charger quarterback Phillip Rivers is benched with 120 third quarter ticks of the clock remaining. Kellen Clemons replaces the near elite Rivers for the Chargers final three possessions of the game, and is greeted by Cam Wake on third and five of a four play for one yard series that ended the third quarter. For the visitors two fourth quarter possessions they ran eight plays for twenty three yards, and ZERO POINTS!
And that's the way it ended, hail to the Miami Dolphin Defense.
Ohh-Wait, Almost forgot.
The Dolphin Offense splashed about through electrified hoops too!
ZERO to ZERO with 7:36 remaining in the first quarter. Miami's first possession with a first down ball at their own twenty three. On consecutive plays that started with a Jarvis Landry reception for nine yards, Lamar Miller run for seven, Charles Clay catch for twenty four, Miller rush for five, Mike Wallace grab for five, Landry for thirteen, Miller run for six, Brian Hartline reception for six, and a Miller rush for one to San Diego's six yard line. The ten play's in 5:56, seventy seven yard drive ended with a Charles Clay six yard TOUCHDOWN from Ryan Tannehill who went six of six for sixty three passing yards, and a Miami Dolphin first quarter lead of Seven to ZERO!
Next Miami possession takes 3:42 to "matriculate" sixty one yards in eight plays. First and ten at the Dolphins thirty nine, Tannehill up the middle for four yards. Following a second down and six incompletion/drop, Tannehill hits Landry for seven, then Clay for another eighteen. On first and ten from the Chargers thirty two Tannehill runs around the right end for twenty two yards and another first down, then hits Miller for an eight yard reception. Third and two from San Diego's two yard line, Lamar Miller TOUCHDOWN for a home team early second quarter advantage of Fourteen to ZERO!
Following the Rashad Jones pick on the visitors third series of one play. The Dolphins have the ball at the Chargers thirty one yard line, they gather a first down on first down with a twenty one yard reception and run for reserve running back Damien Williams to the opponents ten. The series stalls with an incompletion to Brandon Gibson (who was dragging a defender), a Williams rush for nadda, as well as a two yard pass to the running back. Miami kicks a twenty six yard field goal for a Seventeen to ZERO game six minutes into the second quarter.
The Chargers go three and out. Miami takes possession at the Dolphin thirty with 7:23 remaining in the first half. Daniel Thomas shakes and bakes a one yard reception for twelve, and on the Dolphins second third down attempt of the drive Tannehill hits Wallace for thirty eight yards to the San Diego six. They pass on first down to Thomas for two yards, but a negative rush attempt, and an incompletion results in an eleven play, sixty three yard drive in 5:36 for a twenty five yard field goal which puts the home team lead at Twenty to ZERO.
Miami gets the ball one last time in the first half with 1:03 to go. They drive forty eight yards in eight plays from their own twenty four to the San Diego twenty eight, but miss the forty five yard field goal attempt as the clock runs out with a Miami Dolphin scoreboard advantage of Twenty to ZERO!
The Dolphins have accrued 283 total yards (208 passing, 75 rushing on 13 attempts). Ryan Tannehill is 18 of 25 for 208 to seven different receivers. The Chargers have 118 total yards (14 rushing). Miami's defense has one sack, and one interception.
Third Quarter. Miami ball, first down at their own twenty eight, Tannehill to Hartline for eighteen. On the drives third first down play Tannehill runs around the left end for eleven more first down yards, and on second and ten Miller rushes for fourteen yards and the drives fifth first down opportunity at the Chargers twenty one. Second and ten, Tannehill eludes a fierce sack attack, gets creative in extending the play for an end zone TOUCHDOWN pass to Rishard Matthews, and Twenty Seven to ZERO Dolphin lead.
Brent Grimes' first interception occurs on the Chargers following possession, and Miami has the ball at the visitors nineteen yard line. Tannehill goes one for three, the Dolphins cover fourteen yards on six plays, and kick a twenty three yard field goal for a Thirty to ZERO score.
A first down Earl Mitchell sack is immediately followed by a second Brent Grimes interception, this one was of the long bomb variety, and Miami takes control at their own twenty nine. On first down Tannehill completes a pass of eleven yards to Clay, The Dolphin then take the conservative route with three rushes for nine yards, and with 2:53 remaining in the third quarter Brandon Fields has his first and only punt of the day.
Charger ball at their own eleven, third down and nine, Olivier Vernon sacks and forces a Phillip Rivers fumble that is recovered by Jared Odrick at the San Diego fourteen yard line. Miami ball, first and ten. Ryan Tannehill completes short pass to Jarvis Landry who tip-toes down the sideline while towing a double-wide Charger trailer for another Miami Dolphin TOUCHDOWN, and THIRTY SEVEN to ZERO scoreboard final!`
With two third quarter minutes remaining Phillip Rivers is benched. Kellen Clemons reluctantly replaces him and is greeted by Cam Wake for minus five yards on third and five. The sack was Miami's fourth and final of the day, and the third quarter ended upon the punt.
With a Thirty Seven to ZERO Dolphin Victory in hand!
The Miami Dolphins Franchise Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is sat down in order to preserve his health. Not a whole lot took place in the fourth quarter, though Matt Moore did drive the team forty six yards into the Chargers red zone, as Miami exhibited professional courtesy in turning the ball over on downs rather than taking a chip shot field goal of the rub it in your face variety with 26 ticks of the clock to go.
Miami ran 74 plays to accrue 441 yards for a six yard per play average via (309 passing on 39 attempts, and 132 rushing in 35 carries) with 28 first downs (17 through the air, and 10 via the rush) in 36:07. San Diego had 49 plays for 178 yards (128 passing, and 50 on the ground) in 23:53. The Dolphin Defense had four sacks, a forced fumble, and three interceptions.
Lamar Miller ran 11 times for 49 yards with a touchdown, and Tannehill had 4 attempts for 47 yards. Charles Clay led the receiving game with 5 catches for 65 yards and a touchdown while others were also equal to the task. To name a few of the nine different receivers that Tannehill connected with. Hartline had 5 for 50, Wallace snagged 3 for 50, Landry caught 5 for 46 with a touchdown, and Rishard Matthews had one reception for 21 yards and a touchdown.
Ryan Tannehill had his career day two weeks ago in Chicago. Today he eclipsed that performance while going 24 of 34 for 288 yards with three touchdowns, zero interceptions, zero sacks, and a QBR of 94.5 with an overall RTG of 125.6. He has fourteen touchdowns to six interceptions on the year, and the Miami Dolphins are 5 - 3 at the mid season point.
Thank You for an Open Minded Read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
THIRTY SEVEN to ZERO, GIGGGITTTYYY!!
Beat The Lions!!
GOFINS!!!
