The 14 & 0 Carolina Panthers of 2015 were beaten for the first time this season leaving the 17 & 0 Dolphins of 1972 as still the only team in NFL history atop the undefeated throne.
On the other hand. Miami's 2015 Dolphins have been quite the opposite while resembling what goes down the cracked porcelain base of the throne upon which you sit after your morning coffee. The Dolphins fell to 5 - 11 at home versus the Colts by a score of 18 - 12. They also climbed up to the overall 6th pick of the 2016 draft, and with a season ending loss next week versus the Patriots they could potentially move to the overall 3rd pick for a top offensive lineman.
Ryan Tannehill (histories most sacked quarterback over his first four years) was sacked 6 times today, and for the 44th time of the season. In next weeks final game he will have ended up on his butt more times than last years 46, and second to only 2013's fifty-eight times sacked. He has been sacked 44 times this year while our defense has sacked the opposing quarterbacks in 29 instances.
The rhyme to the reason remains to be the offensive line. One must understand that over the last (what will be 38 games at seasons end) the Dolphins intended starting five on the offensive line have played together in just five of those 38 games. THIRTY THREE times (more than two years worth of games folks) that Miami has been starting backup offensive lineman at multiple (2 to 3 if not 4) positions in each and every game.
At most times (already struggling) starting guards are playing out of position at one or the other (if not both) tackle positions. Which in turn causes a chain reaction of reserve players (on a quality of depth deprived team) to start at guard in place of what were the "already struggling" guards that the backups couldn't initially beat out for starting spots. It's truly become an avalanche rolling downhill that gathers, spits out and/or buries useless debris. The tackle, guard, and center positions need to play as one which is absolutely impossible when the same five established guys never play together in positions of familiarity, or even at the position that one might have played the previous week.
Left tackle Brandon Albert missed the first quarter of the season and took until mid season to get up to game speed at which point Right tackle Ju'Waun James got injured and 7 weeks later has yet to return while Center Mike Pouncey in three entire game instances was replaced by a rookie guard that never played center until this year. This or a variation of, is what has taken place or become the norm in 33 of the Miami Dolphins last 38 games, and Ryan Tannehill is getting his ass kicked because of it while unreasonably taking the brunt of the won loss record burden.
It is a display of pure ignorance and disrespect for anyone to expect anything more from Ryan Tannehill other than getting back up from 183 sacks while being blasted 100's of other times over the last four years. Yet he returns to start and finish 64 successive games which should garner nothing but praise for the Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Jiminy Fricken Crickets, he's practically getting hit as often as the offensive lineman are.
In spite of it all he's accrued an impressive resume of stats, imagine what he might be able to do with a consistent five on the offensive line, let-alone a fabulous five that couldn't help but extend stalled drives into actual scores. Center Mike Pouncey didn't play against the Colts. On the last offensive play of today's game, with mere seconds remaining on 4th down inside the oppositions five yard line and the game on the line. A rookie guard that never played center until this year snapped the ball prematurely on the first cadence of a called second cadence snap. Nobody other than the center moved whatsoever until after the nose tackle bull-dozed the center and engulfed Tannehill to end the game 12 - 18.
Rashad Jones dropped a sure interception inside of the Colts red zone on the games very first play. Brent Grimes had an interception reversed, and Ryan Tannehill had a touchdown pass reversed due to blatant officiating blunders. Meanwhile an obvious attempted trip of the quarterback by an engaged defensive player that kicked his leg out at a 90 degree angle and injured Tannehill with a forceful toe to the knee cap wasn't called and ended a Dolphin drive. Once again due to penalties and/or bad officiating, play calling, a lack of cohesion, missed opportunities, brain farts etc, etc, the Dolphins excelled at beating themselves while the opponents may not yet have beaten them this year if not for themselves.
Jarvis Landry last week surpassed O.J. McDuffie for the most receptions in a Dolphins single season. This week he topped the century mark at 104 receptions for 1,085 yards, and to go along with his 84 receptions last year he became the NFL's All-Time leader in receptions amongst histories two year players.
Thanks for enduring the pain!
Though the times and dates have yet to be determined.
Here is who the Dolphins will be playing next year.
Let's hope that the opposition is all they'll be up against!
Home Games
Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49'ers
Arizona Cardinals
Tennessee Titans
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
Road Games
Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals
St. Louis Rams
Seattle Seahawks
San Diego/LA Chargers
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Buffalo Bills
GOFINS!!!
As the previous 8 hour effort gathered just 16 comments other than the authors own, it's been acknowledged that most if not all are no longer interested. Therefore, unless something out of the ordinary takes place, this is likely it until February's Free Agency Period. Take Care : )) !!!!!!!
And So The Ball Bounces For The 2015 Miami Dolphins
In the year 1967 a second year Miami Dolphins expansion team defense allowed 31 touchdown passes in a fourteen game season. The 2015 Miami Dolphins defense matched that 48 year old low mark in fourteen games this season, and with two games remaining they will inevitably become the worst pass defense in franchise history.
The Dolphins traveled to San Diego for their fourteenth game of the season as an uninvited guest to a Chargers fair-well party. San Diego's Chargers have resided there since 1961 and are now the leading candidate to move to Los Angeles for the 2016 season. This was quite possibly the last game that they'll ever play for their home town fans as their two remaining games are on the road, and they came to play for those that have supported them for 54 years.
They hadn't scored a touchdown in 22 offensive possessions and/or three weeks. Enter the Miami Dolphins. San Diego scores on their first 12 play possession of 86 yards with a twenty yard pass to the mini-me-esqe Danny Woodhead. They managed a field goal on their fourth possession. They had tabulated zero rushing touchdowns since week one until their 5th possession against Miami when Danny Woodhead scored from two yards out. Their team hadn't rushed for over 100 yards in eleven weeks until the 140 against the Dolphins. On their sixth possession Danny Woodhead struck again with a touchdown reception from 9 yards out for a 23 - Zipp halftime lead. Woodhead wasn't done as Miami's Dolphins allowed him a third touchdown reception in the second half to go along with his second quarter rush for 6 points.
On the Chargers third possession with a 6 - 0 lead 27 seconds into the second quarter the Dolphins defense actually made a play that a typical 2015 Miami bounce upended. San Diego ball at their own 41, 2nd down and eight to go. Phillip Rivers heaves a 52 yard bomb that the Dolphins tip-drilled into the hands of Rashad Jones for an interception at the Miami 7 yard line. Jones returns the ball 49 yards and fumbles into the hands of the quarterback who hasn't moved since releasing the ball. A Dolphin interception and return of 49 yards turns into a three yard gain and a first down for San Diego of which they managed the previously mentioned field goal. Time and again, that's just the way that the balls have bounced for the 2015 Miami Dolphins!
Miami's offense was no better as they ran just 31 plays on their first eight possessions that resulted in 7 punts and the end of the first half. The Dolphins just this week had released reserve offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach who knows all of the Miami offensive signals as well as formations, and the Chargers picked him up. One would think that Linkenbach called all the Charger defensive plays because they somehow managed to have the right guy in the right place in every Dolphin offensive instance. But then again. That's just how the balls have bounced for the 2015 Miami Dolphins!
The visitors entered the game with just seven active offensive lineman, and Dolphin Left Tackle Brandon Albert left the game (never to return) due to injury in the first quarter. The Dolphin guards were pressed into the tackle positions, got eaten alive, and Miami didn't score until they were inside the last two minutes of the third quarter when rookie running back Jay Ajayi scored his first NFL touchdown from 12 yards out. Miami Center Mike Pouncey left the game due to injury during that 3rd quarter Jay Ajayi touchdown drive. The Dolphins managed just their second score of the day inside the last two minutes of the game with a Ryan Tannehill one yard touchdown run as the final score ended up being 30 - 14 for the home team.
With a Detroit Lions Monday Night win. The Dolphins will move up into the 7th overall pick of the 2016 draft while they are within one game of a potential third overall pick, and two games within a potential first overall pick. The Dolphins will be going to all lengths in listening for potential draftee options.
In a whisper. Psst, Pssst, hey Dolphin can you hear me? Pssst, there's always next year!
So left tackle Brandon Albert missed 99% of the seasons first four games, and it took him a few weeks to get up to speed. At just about that same mid-season point right tackle Ju'Waun James went down and has yet to return. So in truth. The Dolphins haven't had their true starting offensive line on the field together but for just a few games of what is a 16 game season, and their offensive line depth is absolutely atrocious!
Albert is injured yet again, to what extent is not known but something drastic has to take place in order to fix this offensive line atrocity. Albert is scheduled to receive 10 plus million dollars for his 2016 services, and Miami has a minimal amount of cap space presently available towards next season. Depending on the severity of his most recent injury! Perhaps it's time to cut ties with the often injured reason for offensive line shuffling, non-cohesion, and ineptitude?
If they are to go offensive line with the first pick? It's gotta be Notre Dames Jr. tackle Ronnie Stanley who could instantly start at left tackle (minus Albert), or at left guard until Albert is truly done. He'd be a great pick for those who have zero faith in Dallas Thomas at guard because Stanley could play guard until Albert is done, and D. Thomas as well as rookie guard Jamil Douglas (who like Thomas couldn't play tackle if his life depended on it) would instantly become two with some sort of viable guard depth.
There are other early first round tackle options, but the guy ranked ahead of Stanley (Jr. Laremy Tunsel of Ole-Miss) has an injury history that most wouldn't want to hear the fans scream about, and the third likely option (Sr. Taylor Decker of Ohio St) is extremely tall and has trouble getting under the defender but is very good otherwise.
There are a couple really good linebacker options to be had with the first round, top ten pick, and Notre Dames outside linebacker Jaylon Smith is the only one to fiercely pursue as he's the most ready for the NFL! Another OLB Myles Jack of UCLA is also very special but as a Dolphin fan who's seen too many injured draft picks come our way, he is to be avoided because he's recovering from November meniscus surgery. Alabama's ILB Reggie Ragland could potentially be a first pick option for Miami, but he's not quite as special as Bama's previous first round inside linebacker CJ Mosley.
Seeing that the 2015 Miami defense will have allowed the most touchdown passes in franchise history! There are two corner backs among others that the Dolphins could surely use with their first pick in Vernon Hargreaves the third of Florida, and Jalen Ramsey out of Florida State. Meanwhile. At this present moment, Brent Grimes 2016 services will cost 9.5 million smacks in the face! As will tight end Jordan Cameron!
And of course (minus the dismissal of Brandon Albert) and/or the absolute need of a starting left tackle. The conchs absolute first choice (if available at the Dolphins pick however unlikely that is) would be Ohio States defensive end and pass rusher extraordinaire Joey Bosa who without missing a beat would be the immediate replacement of Cam Wake!
Cam Wake will be 34 come January and nearing 35 by the time he's able (if ever) to return from an torn achilles injury which will surely minimize his explosion abilities. He (like Brandon Albert) is fading into obscurity, aging quickly, often injured, and scheduled to be paid 10 million 2016 dollars for his services of which Wake's won't be available until late next season.
If Free Agent Olivier Vernon gets away? And perhaps even if he doesn't.
Miami has to do whatever in the world it takes to land Joey Bosa!
Bosa AND Vernon together (for the next decade) would be as good as o15 was supposed to be at rushing the quarterback while minimizing the possibility of breaking (in back to back seasons) the franchise record of touchdown passes allowed! Defensive Ends Quinton Coples and Dion Jordan are contracted to 7.75 and 6.2 million for 2016.
Miami should cut both Albert and Wake (if not the whole lot'of'em) in order to open up at least 20 plus million of cap space, but they can't feasibly cut both and leave themselves in dire need of both a first round left tackle and a trouble making to the oppositions quarterback defensive end! The Dolphins need multiple bodies of legitimate depth at offensive line (if Albert is kept), starters if he isn't. They're corner back play has been extremely questionable if not totally absent. They could use a stud first round linebacker, while with the current predicament of Cam Wake and free agent status of Olivier Vernon they absolutely need Joey Bosa! At quarterback despite what some might think about Ryan Tannehill, he is by far the last and/or least of their immediate concerns!
What are the Miami Dolphins to do?
Trade their first round pick for an experienced head coach?
Don't put it past owner Stephen Ross!
That's just how the balls have bounced for the 2015 Miami Dolphins!!
Thanks for your time, and as always we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS???
MERRY CHRISTMAS, and/or HAPPY HOLIDAY'S TO ALL !!!
The Dolphins traveled to San Diego for their fourteenth game of the season as an uninvited guest to a Chargers fair-well party. San Diego's Chargers have resided there since 1961 and are now the leading candidate to move to Los Angeles for the 2016 season. This was quite possibly the last game that they'll ever play for their home town fans as their two remaining games are on the road, and they came to play for those that have supported them for 54 years.
They hadn't scored a touchdown in 22 offensive possessions and/or three weeks. Enter the Miami Dolphins. San Diego scores on their first 12 play possession of 86 yards with a twenty yard pass to the mini-me-esqe Danny Woodhead. They managed a field goal on their fourth possession. They had tabulated zero rushing touchdowns since week one until their 5th possession against Miami when Danny Woodhead scored from two yards out. Their team hadn't rushed for over 100 yards in eleven weeks until the 140 against the Dolphins. On their sixth possession Danny Woodhead struck again with a touchdown reception from 9 yards out for a 23 - Zipp halftime lead. Woodhead wasn't done as Miami's Dolphins allowed him a third touchdown reception in the second half to go along with his second quarter rush for 6 points.
On the Chargers third possession with a 6 - 0 lead 27 seconds into the second quarter the Dolphins defense actually made a play that a typical 2015 Miami bounce upended. San Diego ball at their own 41, 2nd down and eight to go. Phillip Rivers heaves a 52 yard bomb that the Dolphins tip-drilled into the hands of Rashad Jones for an interception at the Miami 7 yard line. Jones returns the ball 49 yards and fumbles into the hands of the quarterback who hasn't moved since releasing the ball. A Dolphin interception and return of 49 yards turns into a three yard gain and a first down for San Diego of which they managed the previously mentioned field goal. Time and again, that's just the way that the balls have bounced for the 2015 Miami Dolphins!
Miami's offense was no better as they ran just 31 plays on their first eight possessions that resulted in 7 punts and the end of the first half. The Dolphins just this week had released reserve offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach who knows all of the Miami offensive signals as well as formations, and the Chargers picked him up. One would think that Linkenbach called all the Charger defensive plays because they somehow managed to have the right guy in the right place in every Dolphin offensive instance. But then again. That's just how the balls have bounced for the 2015 Miami Dolphins!
The visitors entered the game with just seven active offensive lineman, and Dolphin Left Tackle Brandon Albert left the game (never to return) due to injury in the first quarter. The Dolphin guards were pressed into the tackle positions, got eaten alive, and Miami didn't score until they were inside the last two minutes of the third quarter when rookie running back Jay Ajayi scored his first NFL touchdown from 12 yards out. Miami Center Mike Pouncey left the game due to injury during that 3rd quarter Jay Ajayi touchdown drive. The Dolphins managed just their second score of the day inside the last two minutes of the game with a Ryan Tannehill one yard touchdown run as the final score ended up being 30 - 14 for the home team.
With a Detroit Lions Monday Night win. The Dolphins will move up into the 7th overall pick of the 2016 draft while they are within one game of a potential third overall pick, and two games within a potential first overall pick. The Dolphins will be going to all lengths in listening for potential draftee options.
So left tackle Brandon Albert missed 99% of the seasons first four games, and it took him a few weeks to get up to speed. At just about that same mid-season point right tackle Ju'Waun James went down and has yet to return. So in truth. The Dolphins haven't had their true starting offensive line on the field together but for just a few games of what is a 16 game season, and their offensive line depth is absolutely atrocious!
Albert is injured yet again, to what extent is not known but something drastic has to take place in order to fix this offensive line atrocity. Albert is scheduled to receive 10 plus million dollars for his 2016 services, and Miami has a minimal amount of cap space presently available towards next season. Depending on the severity of his most recent injury! Perhaps it's time to cut ties with the often injured reason for offensive line shuffling, non-cohesion, and ineptitude?
If they are to go offensive line with the first pick? It's gotta be Notre Dames Jr. tackle Ronnie Stanley who could instantly start at left tackle (minus Albert), or at left guard until Albert is truly done. He'd be a great pick for those who have zero faith in Dallas Thomas at guard because Stanley could play guard until Albert is done, and D. Thomas as well as rookie guard Jamil Douglas (who like Thomas couldn't play tackle if his life depended on it) would instantly become two with some sort of viable guard depth.
There are other early first round tackle options, but the guy ranked ahead of Stanley (Jr. Laremy Tunsel of Ole-Miss) has an injury history that most wouldn't want to hear the fans scream about, and the third likely option (Sr. Taylor Decker of Ohio St) is extremely tall and has trouble getting under the defender but is very good otherwise.
There are a couple really good linebacker options to be had with the first round, top ten pick, and Notre Dames outside linebacker Jaylon Smith is the only one to fiercely pursue as he's the most ready for the NFL! Another OLB Myles Jack of UCLA is also very special but as a Dolphin fan who's seen too many injured draft picks come our way, he is to be avoided because he's recovering from November meniscus surgery. Alabama's ILB Reggie Ragland could potentially be a first pick option for Miami, but he's not quite as special as Bama's previous first round inside linebacker CJ Mosley.
Seeing that the 2015 Miami defense will have allowed the most touchdown passes in franchise history! There are two corner backs among others that the Dolphins could surely use with their first pick in Vernon Hargreaves the third of Florida, and Jalen Ramsey out of Florida State. Meanwhile. At this present moment, Brent Grimes 2016 services will cost 9.5 million smacks in the face! As will tight end Jordan Cameron!
And of course (minus the dismissal of Brandon Albert) and/or the absolute need of a starting left tackle. The conchs absolute first choice (if available at the Dolphins pick however unlikely that is) would be Ohio States defensive end and pass rusher extraordinaire Joey Bosa who without missing a beat would be the immediate replacement of Cam Wake!
Cam Wake will be 34 come January and nearing 35 by the time he's able (if ever) to return from an torn achilles injury which will surely minimize his explosion abilities. He (like Brandon Albert) is fading into obscurity, aging quickly, often injured, and scheduled to be paid 10 million 2016 dollars for his services of which Wake's won't be available until late next season.
If Free Agent Olivier Vernon gets away? And perhaps even if he doesn't.
Miami has to do whatever in the world it takes to land Joey Bosa!
Bosa AND Vernon together (for the next decade) would be as good as o15 was supposed to be at rushing the quarterback while minimizing the possibility of breaking (in back to back seasons) the franchise record of touchdown passes allowed! Defensive Ends Quinton Coples and Dion Jordan are contracted to 7.75 and 6.2 million for 2016.
Miami should cut both Albert and Wake (if not the whole lot'of'em) in order to open up at least 20 plus million of cap space, but they can't feasibly cut both and leave themselves in dire need of both a first round left tackle and a trouble making to the oppositions quarterback defensive end! The Dolphins need multiple bodies of legitimate depth at offensive line (if Albert is kept), starters if he isn't. They're corner back play has been extremely questionable if not totally absent. They could use a stud first round linebacker, while with the current predicament of Cam Wake and free agent status of Olivier Vernon they absolutely need Joey Bosa! At quarterback despite what some might think about Ryan Tannehill, he is by far the last and/or least of their immediate concerns!
What are the Miami Dolphins to do?
Trade their first round pick for an experienced head coach?
Don't put it past owner Stephen Ross!
That's just how the balls have bounced for the 2015 Miami Dolphins!!
Thanks for your time, and as always we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS???
MERRY CHRISTMAS, and/or HAPPY HOLIDAY'S TO ALL !!!
Miami loses a winnable game against the Giants.
MNF Miami Dolphins Versus New York Giants Post Game Analysis. By Tony Nicoletti
31 to 24 was the final score in the Giants favor.
What can I say? It was a mediocre game played by two mediocre teams that were both, 5 and 7. There was not much good that can be derived from this loss. The New York Giants had a little more incentive to win than the Dolphins, I guess. Of course, in a division where a 6 and 7 record has you in a three-way tie for the division lead. Yeah, they had something to play for. Miami is in the wrong eastern division to get breaks like that.
I'm not going to give you a blow by blow since it was a nationally televised, Monday night game. Besides, I really didn't get to watch the game much. (I saw glimpses of it during commercials while my brother in law was watching his usual, 3-hour Monday Night Raw Wrestling)! I'm going to offer my impressions from what I did see with a few statistics sprinkled in for good measure.
On the negative side; It appears that Odell Beckham got the better of his LSU Collegiate teammate and friend, (Jarvis Landry) on this afternoon. But not by much. Beckham Jr caught 7 passes for 166 yards, 2 TD's and his longest play was 84 yards for a TD.
Landry had an equally stellar game in a utilitarian way. He caught 11 passes for 99 yards, 0 TD's with a long play of 25 yards. Landry also contributed 66 yards on two kickoff returns and another 30 yards on a pair of punt returns. Still, I think Landry would rather have the win to go along with his stats.
The defense played stout for portions of the game but looked gassed near the end. You can't allow a veteran QB like Eli Manning any comfort zone or he will pick you apart. Especially with receivers like Odell Beckham. The Dolphins allowed several big plays to gash the defense. Manning was getting the ball out so fast that our pass rush seemed to always be a half step too late.
Miami's banged-up secondary did not challenge or disrupt the Giants receivers enough to break Manning's timing or rhythm. It proved to be the Dolphins downfall. Especially in the second half where Eli got 183 yards of his 337 total passing yards. He connected on 27 of 31 pass attempts, (an 87% completion rate) and 4 TD's. It's a wonder the Dolphins only lost by 7 points when your QB is racking up stats like that.
There were only a few positives to consider in this match up for Miami. If you want to call them positives?
For the second week in a row, Miami did not allow their opponent to rush for more than 100 yards. (92 yards on 32 carries for a 2.9-yard average and we had 5 stops for a loss totaling 13 yards). New York didn't get any negative yardage plays on our rushing attack which produced a solid 128 total yards on 22 attempts and a 5.8 yard per carry average. Miller had a good day rushing 12 times for 89 yards, 2 TD's and a long run of 38 yards for one score.
Ryan Tannehill played a decent game and was better utilized, adding 24 rushing yards on 4 carries with a long of 12 yards. He also rolled out and scrambled more to avoid the rush and to buy some time. He completed 25 of his 41 attempts, (60% completion rate) for 236 yards and a TD, with no interceptions. He also audibled out of a few plays that had successful outcomes. He spread the ball around well, too.
But it seemed that just about the time we needed Ryan Tannehill to step up and put the team on his shoulders, the offensive line would fail him and send him running for his life. He almost avoided the only sack in the game when he didn't quite make it back to the line of scrimmage on one play. He's still getting mauled in the back field and hit too much.
I think another week or two in this offensive game plan and this team will start putting points up on a more consistent basis. The defense is playing good enough to help us win, but we can't continue the offensive, "three and outs" which puts a tired defense back on the field.
Unfortunately, with only three games left to play, I think we can expect to see major changes for the Miami Dolphins in the off season. I like the play calling in this game which stretched and forced the Giants to defend the entire field of play. We did score 24 points which, in the NFL, is almost enough to win.
It will be interesting to see how the Dolphins finish the season and what kind of character they will show. Yes, they are definitely out of the playoffs but still have a lot to play for. The players and coaches are basically auditioning for jobs next year. Be it with the Dolphins, or some other team.
It is a disappointment for many of the Dolphin loyals to endure another mediocre season. But this is who the Dolphins are right now. It's been a growing experience since Ross bought this team. All we can hope for is that he has learned enough from his past mistakes to make the right decisions this time around.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. I know I am a a homer and an eternal optomist where our beloved Dolphins are concerned. Have been for their entire 50 years of existernce. I just hope and pray that this storied franchise gets their act together and return to their former glory, real soon.
Thanks for your time in reading, and please tell us your side of this games story!
31 to 24 was the final score in the Giants favor.
What can I say? It was a mediocre game played by two mediocre teams that were both, 5 and 7. There was not much good that can be derived from this loss. The New York Giants had a little more incentive to win than the Dolphins, I guess. Of course, in a division where a 6 and 7 record has you in a three-way tie for the division lead. Yeah, they had something to play for. Miami is in the wrong eastern division to get breaks like that.
I'm not going to give you a blow by blow since it was a nationally televised, Monday night game. Besides, I really didn't get to watch the game much. (I saw glimpses of it during commercials while my brother in law was watching his usual, 3-hour Monday Night Raw Wrestling)! I'm going to offer my impressions from what I did see with a few statistics sprinkled in for good measure.
On the negative side; It appears that Odell Beckham got the better of his LSU Collegiate teammate and friend, (Jarvis Landry) on this afternoon. But not by much. Beckham Jr caught 7 passes for 166 yards, 2 TD's and his longest play was 84 yards for a TD.
Landry had an equally stellar game in a utilitarian way. He caught 11 passes for 99 yards, 0 TD's with a long play of 25 yards. Landry also contributed 66 yards on two kickoff returns and another 30 yards on a pair of punt returns. Still, I think Landry would rather have the win to go along with his stats.
The defense played stout for portions of the game but looked gassed near the end. You can't allow a veteran QB like Eli Manning any comfort zone or he will pick you apart. Especially with receivers like Odell Beckham. The Dolphins allowed several big plays to gash the defense. Manning was getting the ball out so fast that our pass rush seemed to always be a half step too late.
Miami's banged-up secondary did not challenge or disrupt the Giants receivers enough to break Manning's timing or rhythm. It proved to be the Dolphins downfall. Especially in the second half where Eli got 183 yards of his 337 total passing yards. He connected on 27 of 31 pass attempts, (an 87% completion rate) and 4 TD's. It's a wonder the Dolphins only lost by 7 points when your QB is racking up stats like that.
There were only a few positives to consider in this match up for Miami. If you want to call them positives?
For the second week in a row, Miami did not allow their opponent to rush for more than 100 yards. (92 yards on 32 carries for a 2.9-yard average and we had 5 stops for a loss totaling 13 yards). New York didn't get any negative yardage plays on our rushing attack which produced a solid 128 total yards on 22 attempts and a 5.8 yard per carry average. Miller had a good day rushing 12 times for 89 yards, 2 TD's and a long run of 38 yards for one score.
Ryan Tannehill played a decent game and was better utilized, adding 24 rushing yards on 4 carries with a long of 12 yards. He also rolled out and scrambled more to avoid the rush and to buy some time. He completed 25 of his 41 attempts, (60% completion rate) for 236 yards and a TD, with no interceptions. He also audibled out of a few plays that had successful outcomes. He spread the ball around well, too.
But it seemed that just about the time we needed Ryan Tannehill to step up and put the team on his shoulders, the offensive line would fail him and send him running for his life. He almost avoided the only sack in the game when he didn't quite make it back to the line of scrimmage on one play. He's still getting mauled in the back field and hit too much.
I think another week or two in this offensive game plan and this team will start putting points up on a more consistent basis. The defense is playing good enough to help us win, but we can't continue the offensive, "three and outs" which puts a tired defense back on the field.
Unfortunately, with only three games left to play, I think we can expect to see major changes for the Miami Dolphins in the off season. I like the play calling in this game which stretched and forced the Giants to defend the entire field of play. We did score 24 points which, in the NFL, is almost enough to win.
It will be interesting to see how the Dolphins finish the season and what kind of character they will show. Yes, they are definitely out of the playoffs but still have a lot to play for. The players and coaches are basically auditioning for jobs next year. Be it with the Dolphins, or some other team.
It is a disappointment for many of the Dolphin loyals to endure another mediocre season. But this is who the Dolphins are right now. It's been a growing experience since Ross bought this team. All we can hope for is that he has learned enough from his past mistakes to make the right decisions this time around.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. I know I am a a homer and an eternal optomist where our beloved Dolphins are concerned. Have been for their entire 50 years of existernce. I just hope and pray that this storied franchise gets their act together and return to their former glory, real soon.
Thanks for your time in reading, and please tell us your side of this games story!
Miami Dolphins Bat Down Baltimore Ravens.
As the Miami Dolphins defense played knock-down, drag-out football versus the always tough Baltimore Ravens for sixty minutes. Double goose-eggs were laid at each end of the soggy coop until the play following the two minute warning of the first half, when Miami rookie defensive tackle Jordan Phillips batted one of his season's many balls at the line of scrimmage, and safety Rashad Jones intercepted the ball to give the Dolphins possession at the Ravens forty.
The Dolphins struck immediately on first down with a fifty yard toss through the air that rookie DeVante Parker while in full stride toward the post jumped out of the stadium to snag the perfectly placed touchdown pass. A new "play-caller" (Zac Taylor the love-child of #54 & #99) was promoted this past week and to this point had filled the running game dosage prescribed by tough man Dan Campbell.
Twenty seconds later Miami's defensive end Derrick Shelby batted another pass into the stratosphere, tracked it, caught it, and ran it into the end zone for what would end-up being Miami's fifteenth point in twenty seconds. An interception, a forty yard (fifty through the air) touchdown pass, a pik-six, and a two point conversion in this particular games only twenty seconds of great, all around Miami Dolphin football.
Though the Dolphin defense played good football for the most part of the day, those fifteen points were all that the entire team could muster-up, but that twenty seconds turned-out to be just enough for a Miami Dolphin 15 - 13 VICTORY!
The Dolphin Defense offered-up 3 sacks (2.5 via Olivier Vernon), two (R.Jones & D.Shelby) interceptions respectively (on batted balls via J.Phillips & D.Shelby) respectively with the second going for the Shelby-Hat-Trick-bat-pik-six-interception-touchdown. Miami allowed 281 passing, and 94 rushing yards. Safety Rashad Jones came into the game as the leagues only 2015 player with 90 plus tackles along with 3 interceptions, and he converted that fourth interception today.
ALOHA Rashad Jones!
Miami's pass offense was stagnant other than on a couple handful of plays. Three of those significant plays came via the (draft time suggested) athletic skills, speed, hands, and length that DeVante Parker provided. Along with his second consecutive weeks touchdown he made a nice sliding third down and long catch for a first down that kept the clock running on the Dolphins final possession while leading the receivers with 63 yards. Ryan Tannehill acknowledged ""yea, we weren't efficient in the pass game. We didn't make enough plays when we had the opportunities, we have to be cleaner in the pass game, and I have to complete more passes when we throw it""
Which is absolutely true! The Dolphins at the suggestion of the tough minded head coach offered-up just 19 pass attempts, and Tannehill completed only nine for a ridiculously low 86 yards that included DeVante Parker's forty yard sprint, leap, and catch in the end zone. Meanwhile; Tannehill today became just the fourth quarterback in league history to throw for at least 3,000 yards passing in each of his first four years, and he is on a 2015 pace to accrue his third consecutive 4,000 yard season. Remember, there are unconditionally loving children watching!
Miami ran the ball 26 times for 137 yards with Lamar Miller leading the way on 20 attempts for 113 yards. Though he did have a fumble on a first and ten from Miami's own 20 yard line (at the end of a 17 yard run) on the Dolphins second to last possession, that led to a Ravens potential game winning 55 yard field goal miss.
As Dan Campbell suggested in pointing out (actualities). ""We did what we had to do against a team like Baltimore, we played lights-out defense, and we ran the ball. Yea sure you want to complete more than 9 of 19 passes, but we had a few breakdowns, protection issues, drops that didn't help Ryan, but yea we got to be better. We want to be more productive in the pass game absolutely, but I don't want to watch Ryan Tannehill (one sack though hit a bunch) get his face beat-in back there, so we made sure that that didn't happen particularly versus a team like Baltimore, so we did what we had to do versus such an opponent. Zac did a good job calling the game especially for his first attempt in a good win against a good team. Maybe next week against a NY Giants team on Monday Night Football the game plan will be different. We're gonna be better in the pass game, we're gonna be better, we're gonna have productive plays there that are gonna help us, but I'll tell'ya what, this was the type of game we needed to beat a Baltimore team!""
A week long as well as a during the game rain storm left the field sloppy while both Dolphins and Ravens were flopping all over the field due to traction issues. To end a second quarter opening Ravens drive of nearly nine minutes, and 15 plays that covered 80 yards, Miami's defensive line had no issue with traction.
Baltimore needed one half a yard for a first down. With a second down from the Dolphins 2.5 yard line they ran up the middle once, twice, and then a determined third time on fourth down while gaining just 5 inches in three attempts as the Home Team Defense kept the game at zero to zero late in the first half. Just after Miami's near end of the first half twenty second scoring spurt of fifteen points, the Ravens drove 60 yards for a first half ending 38 yard field goal.
Baltimore opened the third quarter with a 6 play, 78 yard drive that ended with a screen pass and scamper of 41 yards for a touchdown to pull within 15 - 10. Three Ravens series later they managed a final field goal for a game score of 15 - 13. They missed (through 25 MPH gusts and rain) a fifty-five yard potential game winner with two and a third game minutes remaining.
The Dolphins intelligently ran all but 20 seconds off the clock, punted from within long field goal range, and gave the ball to a timeout deprived Baltimore Ravens. The Miami Dolphins Defense stood tall and ended what the mans man, tough guy Dan Campbell referred to as a "Gritty Performance" while he fought-off tears of pride during his post game locker room speech.
Thank You for reading, and as always we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
MNF Versus the G-Men, GOFINS!!
Twenty seconds later Miami's defensive end Derrick Shelby batted another pass into the stratosphere, tracked it, caught it, and ran it into the end zone for what would end-up being Miami's fifteenth point in twenty seconds. An interception, a forty yard (fifty through the air) touchdown pass, a pik-six, and a two point conversion in this particular games only twenty seconds of great, all around Miami Dolphin football.
Though the Dolphin defense played good football for the most part of the day, those fifteen points were all that the entire team could muster-up, but that twenty seconds turned-out to be just enough for a Miami Dolphin 15 - 13 VICTORY!
The Dolphin Defense offered-up 3 sacks (2.5 via Olivier Vernon), two (R.Jones & D.Shelby) interceptions respectively (on batted balls via J.Phillips & D.Shelby) respectively with the second going for the Shelby-Hat-Trick-bat-pik-six-interception-touchdown. Miami allowed 281 passing, and 94 rushing yards. Safety Rashad Jones came into the game as the leagues only 2015 player with 90 plus tackles along with 3 interceptions, and he converted that fourth interception today.
ALOHA Rashad Jones!
Miami's pass offense was stagnant other than on a couple handful of plays. Three of those significant plays came via the (draft time suggested) athletic skills, speed, hands, and length that DeVante Parker provided. Along with his second consecutive weeks touchdown he made a nice sliding third down and long catch for a first down that kept the clock running on the Dolphins final possession while leading the receivers with 63 yards. Ryan Tannehill acknowledged ""yea, we weren't efficient in the pass game. We didn't make enough plays when we had the opportunities, we have to be cleaner in the pass game, and I have to complete more passes when we throw it""
Miami ran the ball 26 times for 137 yards with Lamar Miller leading the way on 20 attempts for 113 yards. Though he did have a fumble on a first and ten from Miami's own 20 yard line (at the end of a 17 yard run) on the Dolphins second to last possession, that led to a Ravens potential game winning 55 yard field goal miss.
As Dan Campbell suggested in pointing out (actualities). ""We did what we had to do against a team like Baltimore, we played lights-out defense, and we ran the ball. Yea sure you want to complete more than 9 of 19 passes, but we had a few breakdowns, protection issues, drops that didn't help Ryan, but yea we got to be better. We want to be more productive in the pass game absolutely, but I don't want to watch Ryan Tannehill (one sack though hit a bunch) get his face beat-in back there, so we made sure that that didn't happen particularly versus a team like Baltimore, so we did what we had to do versus such an opponent. Zac did a good job calling the game especially for his first attempt in a good win against a good team. Maybe next week against a NY Giants team on Monday Night Football the game plan will be different. We're gonna be better in the pass game, we're gonna be better, we're gonna have productive plays there that are gonna help us, but I'll tell'ya what, this was the type of game we needed to beat a Baltimore team!""
A week long as well as a during the game rain storm left the field sloppy while both Dolphins and Ravens were flopping all over the field due to traction issues. To end a second quarter opening Ravens drive of nearly nine minutes, and 15 plays that covered 80 yards, Miami's defensive line had no issue with traction.
Baltimore opened the third quarter with a 6 play, 78 yard drive that ended with a screen pass and scamper of 41 yards for a touchdown to pull within 15 - 10. Three Ravens series later they managed a final field goal for a game score of 15 - 13. They missed (through 25 MPH gusts and rain) a fifty-five yard potential game winner with two and a third game minutes remaining.
The Dolphins intelligently ran all but 20 seconds off the clock, punted from within long field goal range, and gave the ball to a timeout deprived Baltimore Ravens. The Miami Dolphins Defense stood tall and ended what the mans man, tough guy Dan Campbell referred to as a "Gritty Performance" while he fought-off tears of pride during his post game locker room speech.
Thank You for reading, and as always we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
MNF Versus the G-Men, GOFINS!!
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