In the warm afterglow, we are reminded of the Tennessee game in 2015, Man
Campbell's debut - 38 -10. Almost a mirror image of this game, though
the Titans were not quite the Steelers...
What that game showed
Miami Fans was, if the Dolphin players came out with a fire in their belly,
they were capable of beating anyone. After Campbell and the Dolphins
had settled in for a long winter's nap, I rationalized that Campbell was
a motivator, but wasn't tactical enough to compete with the Belichick's
of the world. Motivation and emotion alone were not enough to carry a
team to more than .500 in the NFL.
So here we are again, I
don't think Gase can cut a few players each week and end the season with
a football team. He will need to be a better coach than his opponents
while maintaining the motivation and emotion. We've seen these players
rise and fall steeply during the course of the season.
I will
be interested to see how Adam Gase keeps the motivational edge and if he
is tactically able to outwit his opponents. My own thoughts are, there
are 15 to 20 players on this team that can be motivated for a few games,
but over the course of the season will show up at that level less than
half the time.
We can see potential in games like
this from individuals, it's the body of work that must be judged if the Dolphins are going to rise again. Gase can't say "X" player has so much
potential, look at the Steelers game.
He must look over the course of
the season, see which players show up game in and game out and keep those
players. The challenging part will be getting rid of the 50% no-shows and bring in more gamers. Changing the culture cannot be done in one season. The personnel department and coaching staff must be aligned.
The message to the Miami Dolphin players, forget the warm afterglow. If the film doesn't lie, you'd better put something consistently on there, or don't be surprised if the door smacks your ass on the way out!
Showing posts with label Dan Campbell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dan Campbell. Show all posts
The Miami Dolphins Explained by Sun Tzu
Perhaps the 2015 Miami Dolphins are best explained by Sun
Tzu:
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not
fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy,
for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the
enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
Viewing the Miami Dolphins in the context of this famous
quote leads to some interesting conclusions. I would venture to guess Joe
Philbin was unaware of the dissent worming through a locker room he declared, “Ready
to compete for championships.”
Sorry Joe, that locker room was as divisive as you
secretly pushing to draft Derek Carr, only you didn’t know it. The mannerisms
of a coach secretly uncomfortable with his starting quarterback radiate loudly
in the testosterone fueled confines of an NFL locker room. Bill Lazor didn’t come to the conclusion Ryan
Tannehill shouldn’t run audibles on his own, Joe had a say. Joe was a control
freak, some call it “attention to detail,” but for Joe, it was closer to OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder).
When Philbin was still with the team last season, he
obviously didn’t know his enemy or his own team as the results revealed. Dan Campbell
knew his team, and by having half the formula, he was capable of winning half his
games. Ultimately, Campbell was overmatched when it came to knowing his enemy
and Miami suffered defeat because of it.
Perhaps Sun Tzu gets too much credit for stating the
obvious and issues run far deeper inside Dolphin Land. If the answer is this
easy, the future may not be as bleak as the pundits would have it. 4-12, is
the latest retreat from the last season’s playoff predictions and probably just
as off-base.
The reasoning is simple, it’s not about talent…
It has never been about talent. The Miami Dolphins have
as much talent as any team in the NFL. The issue has been leading that talent.
Joe Philbin didn’t do the one thing he was brought in to accomplish, develop
players. He was supposed to be a teacher, but he turned out to be an obsessive minutia
manager. His locker room presence was scolding twenty something hormone raging young men for leaving Gator Gum wrappers on the floor.
He drafted a “cerebral” offensive tackle in the second
round because the player fit his perception of proper behavior in the NFL. I
guess Joe figured mild mannered Jonathan Martin would mend the ways of Richie
Incognito and change the nature of a Center who huddled next to Aaron Hernandez
in college.
Know thyself… It seems obvious, Joe didn’t know squat. He
turned his back on reality and hoped things would somehow work out, he never
fixed them. Philbin hired Jim Turner as OL coach and was unaware of the running
'joke' that Jonathan Martin was gay, and on at least one occasion, coach Turner
participated in taunting Martin.
"Around Christmas 2012, Coach Turner gave the
offensive linemen gift bags that included a variety of stocking stuffers. The
gifts included inflatable female dolls for all of the offensive linemen except Martin,
who received a male 'blow-up' doll," the Wells report said.
The key phrase here is, “Turner gave all of the offensive
linemen except Martin.” In the
locker room, all the players were on one side of the fence and one player was
on the opposite. Joe allowed the discord to fester and then punished the
majority, including throwing his own coach under the proverbial bus. Philbin should
have traded or cut Martin immediately. This is what a leader would have done
and this is when Philbin lost the Miami Dolphins.
From that point Joe’s clock was simply ticking to its
inevitable end.
Phinbin turned this once proud franchise into a national
media punchline, but those “news creators” just looked to pile-on an easy
headline. True Miami followers know, there is an abundance of talent on this
football team. The lack of national respect could have the 'Dan Campbell' effect,
and bring out the best in Miami's talent but it will not be enough.
On the podium stands Adam Gase, a young up-and-comer with
what many claim “an exceptional” mind. He’s young enough to perhaps have the “know
thyself” arena covered, but suppose Gase is smart enough to have the “know thy
enemy” covered as well? Suppose Gase can stare down Belichick and not blink?
Tony Sparano used the wildcat to one-up Belichick. The season
may have been without Brady, but the formation did indeed fool Genius Bill for
a fleeting moment.
It points back to our friend Sun Tzu, not in the sense
that Sparano knew his enemy, but because the formation attacked his enemy’s
weaknesses. Sparano didn’t really understand why the wildcat worked, if he did,
he would still be a NFL head coach. This is the message for Adam Gase, your
enemies all have weaknesses.
To exploit those weaknesses, you must understand them.
Know thy enemy and know thyself and you need not fear the
result of a hundred battles…
Where Have These Miami Dolphins Been All Year?
Miami Dolphins 2015 Season Finale; By Tony Nicoletti.
This Dolphin team is a difficult one to track. One week, they can't get out of their own way. The next week, they are playing like the dominant force we were hoping they would be all season.
In this week seventeen season finale, we seem to have witnessed a total team effort which appears to be the culmination of several recent weeks of frustration. Are we to believe that it took a couple of weeks for the team to adjust to all the minor tweaks they made after disposing of Offensive Coordinator Bill Lazor? In any event, the New England Patriots were beaten handily in Miami by the Dolphins. The score? 20 to 10.
I mean, it was like a total role reversal out there. New England looked like the awkward, troubled Miami Dolphins while the Dolphins looked like the total package, New England Patriots. Miami was able to take away what New England was trying to do. A trait the Patriots and Bill Belichick are notorious for doing to others. Did Dan Campbell, an interim head coach, out-coach Bill Belicheck?
I don't know what to make of this fiasco.
Some might argue that the Patriots were not really motivated and on autopilot. (Trying to save themselves for the playoffs). Considering that they waited until their final possession to pull Brady with the game out of hand would suggests otherwise. They needed to sew up the first seed and have home field advantage so the playoffs would run through Foxborough. Don't tell me they didn't want to win. And for a change, Miami got to be the spoiler instead of the other way around.
I think they were hoping the Dolphins would buckle on defense with a constant diet of running plays, which didn't work. How else do you explain why Brady only threw the ball five times in the first half. We got to him just twice during the game. But those sacks were back to back and at a critical time. Tom Brady was picking himself up off the turf regularly, and often.
The game never really felt like it was in jeopardy. I kept expecting the Patriots to come roaring back, but it never happened. And once New England scored their tying and only touchdown of the game in the third quarter, they were shut down for their lowest offensive stats, (and score) of the season.
Brady had a meager performance. 12 of 21 for 134 yards. Ryan Tannehill, on the other hand, had a Brady-ish like performance on the afternoon. 25 of 38 for 350 yards and two TD's. (This was Ryan's sixth 300 yard game of the season). He was sacked once and picked a gorgeous time for his 19-yard run which netted a first down on third and 12. As a matter of fact, Miami converted at least 5 third downs that involved 7 or more yards. The Dolphins went 8 of 17 for a 47% on third down efficiency. New England? 4 of 14 for 28%.
Statistically, it was a beat down in most categories except the total score. It looked like New England was going to succeed with their running assault as they had 62 yards by the end of the first half. They only got 8 more yards to add to it in the second half. And when is the last time you saw a Brady led team muster only 196 yards of total offense? (70 yards rushing and 126 yards passing). Miami was swimming along with 96 yards rushing and 342 yards through the air for a total of 438 yards. Jordan Cameron TOUCHDOWN!
It's one thing to outscore a team like New England, another to completely shut down the one area that is the Patriots claim to fame. Their passing game. Tom Brady passed the ball to eight different players and not one of them had more than two receptions. Even the great Tight End Rob Gronkowski only pulled in two passes for 18 yards. Not a bad afternoon for a suspect secondary. Brent Grimes
Click to see blown up Devante Parker TOUCHDOWN, and other photo's!
This is the third year in a row that Miami has hosted and beaten the Patriots though I have to admit, this was the year I thought all our AFC East opponents were going to sweep us. I was pleasantly surprised.
On the year, Ryan Tannehill wound up with over 4,000 yards passing again. (4,208 yards in total). He completed 61.9 % of his passes and finished with an 88.7 passer rating, 24 touch downs and 12 Interceptions. He had half as many interceptions as touch downs. It was a slight step back in touchdowns and ratings. In total passing yardage, he is number nine of the top ten passers. (All of which also threw for more than 4,000 yards).
Sorry if it sounds like I'm making a big deal out of one lousy game but this win came from out of nowhere. Yeah, they may have cost themselves 3 or 4 spots in the draft order positioning but you have to admit, seeing this kind of dominant performance is refreshing. Even more so against the best team in the AFC, a divisional rival and reigning Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.
It is encouraging, but I don't think it will be enough to keep Dan Campbell at the helm. We have some first and second-year players that contributed greatly during these last few games. Get ready for a wild ride during Miami's off-season. Should be interesting to see if this team really gets blown up or if we actually have enough of a nucleus to build on. It will make a big difference in determining how many more years we will be sitting at home during the playoffs. But these are all subjects for another post.
Thanks for being patient with me while I rant and rave.
This Dolphin team is a difficult one to track. One week, they can't get out of their own way. The next week, they are playing like the dominant force we were hoping they would be all season.
In this week seventeen season finale, we seem to have witnessed a total team effort which appears to be the culmination of several recent weeks of frustration. Are we to believe that it took a couple of weeks for the team to adjust to all the minor tweaks they made after disposing of Offensive Coordinator Bill Lazor? In any event, the New England Patriots were beaten handily in Miami by the Dolphins. The score? 20 to 10.
I mean, it was like a total role reversal out there. New England looked like the awkward, troubled Miami Dolphins while the Dolphins looked like the total package, New England Patriots. Miami was able to take away what New England was trying to do. A trait the Patriots and Bill Belichick are notorious for doing to others. Did Dan Campbell, an interim head coach, out-coach Bill Belicheck?
I don't know what to make of this fiasco.
Some might argue that the Patriots were not really motivated and on autopilot. (Trying to save themselves for the playoffs). Considering that they waited until their final possession to pull Brady with the game out of hand would suggests otherwise. They needed to sew up the first seed and have home field advantage so the playoffs would run through Foxborough. Don't tell me they didn't want to win. And for a change, Miami got to be the spoiler instead of the other way around.
I think they were hoping the Dolphins would buckle on defense with a constant diet of running plays, which didn't work. How else do you explain why Brady only threw the ball five times in the first half. We got to him just twice during the game. But those sacks were back to back and at a critical time. Tom Brady was picking himself up off the turf regularly, and often.
The game never really felt like it was in jeopardy. I kept expecting the Patriots to come roaring back, but it never happened. And once New England scored their tying and only touchdown of the game in the third quarter, they were shut down for their lowest offensive stats, (and score) of the season.
Brady had a meager performance. 12 of 21 for 134 yards. Ryan Tannehill, on the other hand, had a Brady-ish like performance on the afternoon. 25 of 38 for 350 yards and two TD's. (This was Ryan's sixth 300 yard game of the season). He was sacked once and picked a gorgeous time for his 19-yard run which netted a first down on third and 12. As a matter of fact, Miami converted at least 5 third downs that involved 7 or more yards. The Dolphins went 8 of 17 for a 47% on third down efficiency. New England? 4 of 14 for 28%.
Statistically, it was a beat down in most categories except the total score. It looked like New England was going to succeed with their running assault as they had 62 yards by the end of the first half. They only got 8 more yards to add to it in the second half. And when is the last time you saw a Brady led team muster only 196 yards of total offense? (70 yards rushing and 126 yards passing). Miami was swimming along with 96 yards rushing and 342 yards through the air for a total of 438 yards. Jordan Cameron TOUCHDOWN!
This is the third year in a row that Miami has hosted and beaten the Patriots though I have to admit, this was the year I thought all our AFC East opponents were going to sweep us. I was pleasantly surprised.
On the year, Ryan Tannehill wound up with over 4,000 yards passing again. (4,208 yards in total). He completed 61.9 % of his passes and finished with an 88.7 passer rating, 24 touch downs and 12 Interceptions. He had half as many interceptions as touch downs. It was a slight step back in touchdowns and ratings. In total passing yardage, he is number nine of the top ten passers. (All of which also threw for more than 4,000 yards).
Sorry if it sounds like I'm making a big deal out of one lousy game but this win came from out of nowhere. Yeah, they may have cost themselves 3 or 4 spots in the draft order positioning but you have to admit, seeing this kind of dominant performance is refreshing. Even more so against the best team in the AFC, a divisional rival and reigning Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.
It is encouraging, but I don't think it will be enough to keep Dan Campbell at the helm. We have some first and second-year players that contributed greatly during these last few games. Get ready for a wild ride during Miami's off-season. Should be interesting to see if this team really gets blown up or if we actually have enough of a nucleus to build on. It will make a big difference in determining how many more years we will be sitting at home during the playoffs. But these are all subjects for another post.
Thanks for being patient with me while I rant and rave.
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!!
Miami Dolphins Fail To Lose, Simply Refuse To Quit !
Desiring a Miami Dolphin Victory on the road against a (winning 3 of the last 4 games) soaring Philadelphia Eagles team is easier said than done. From an execution point of view, Miami tried their hardest to satisfy the reasoning for some of their fans quitting on them. Fans that on numerous occasions have admittedly turned off their televisions upon calculating that a 16 - 3 first quarter deficit can only result in a 64 - 12 Dolphin loss. From within the hearts of those that wear the Aqua & Orange, due to the love of the game, loyalty to their fellow players, Dan Campbell, coaches, and franchise. The Miami Dolphins Team (of which the entire active roster got on the field in this game), simply refuse to quit!
On Miami's opening possession they scored with a field goal to take the lead. The Dolphins now at 4 - 5 have yet to lose a game that they've led at some point. Less than two minutes later they trailed by four points as the Eagles easily swooped down the field 58 yards for the go ahead touchdown.
Losing a ball out of the back of the end zone for a third consecutive games early safety against Miami had the Dolphins down by six points just five seconds later. The safety was the end result of one of those "execution point of view" mishaps as a fumbling, bumbling, indecisive kickoff return gave the visitors the ball at their own one yard line. Naturally, a first down drive hindering penalty (before the snap which has been par for the course) resulted in another half yard loss. On the first play ran, quarterback Ryan Tannehill was practically broke in half as he took a 20 MPH hit to the center of his spine from an untouched blindside blitz that forced the ball beyond the end-line. Miami started three of their series from within their own 3 yard line, and only five of their 14 possessions from beyond their own 20.
Philadelphia with what is now a 9 - 3 scoreboard advantage receive the (after a safety) free punt and drive to score a 16th point four minutes later as their slow as molasses 30 year old tight end has been grazing in a wide open pasture of nothing but grass for 90 yards on two possessions.
Hindering an answer to the onslaught, Miami follows with a five and out punt which gives the home team the ball with two first quarter minutes remaining. Four minutes later the home team has driven 57 yards but present Eagle (Caleb Sturgis) misses the 32 yard field goal attempt.
Inclined not to quit. The Dolphins defense and/or if not Ndamukong Suh by himself (two TFL's for minus 12 yards on the previous drive), and the forcing of a missed field goal has suddenly inspired the players to believe that hard work does indeed payoff. For those who refused to continue watching. A 16 - 3 first quarter deficit is never suggestive that the final score will be 64 - 12 as from here on out the Eagles scored just 3 points while Miami's defense accrued four sacks, forced four drive stopping fumbles (though they didn't recover them), blocked a punt, and had an end zone interception!!! Miami's offense too is suddenly motivated, and drives 74 yards for a 22 yard field goal to pull within ten points at 16 - 6 with little more than half the second quarter ticks to go.
Never say Never as The Miami Dolphins (rookie Zach Vigil) blocks the Eagles following possessions punt to take control at the home teams 12 yard line and pull within 16 - 13 two plays later with a Tannehill screen to Lamar Miller for the touchdown. Two Philadelphia punts surrounded by two Dolphin punts ends the first half.
So. Does a 16 - 13 halftime deficit automatically determine that the game will end with a 32 - 26 Dolphin loss? NOPE! The third quarter amounts to three Philadelphia punts surrounded by two Miami punts. The Dolphins third series of the third quarter goes for 87 yards on seven plays and ends five seconds into the fourth quarter with a Tannehill to Jarvis Landry four yard touchdown reception for Miami's 20th game winning points to Philadelphia's 16. The Eagles scored a 19th point on their next series, and drove to the Dolphins 9 yard line two possessions after that before a Rashad Jones end zone interception sealed the deal. A Dolphin punt and Eagles loss of possession on downs resulted in Miami closing the game in 20 - 19 VICTORY FORMATION!
ALL 46 ACTIVE MIAMI DOLPHIN PLAYERS GOT ON THE FIELD, CONTRIBUTED, and NEVER QUIT!
Thank You for an Open-Minded Read, and we look forward to your never quitting angle of view : )) !!
GO DOLPHINS!!!
On Miami's opening possession they scored with a field goal to take the lead. The Dolphins now at 4 - 5 have yet to lose a game that they've led at some point. Less than two minutes later they trailed by four points as the Eagles easily swooped down the field 58 yards for the go ahead touchdown.
Losing a ball out of the back of the end zone for a third consecutive games early safety against Miami had the Dolphins down by six points just five seconds later. The safety was the end result of one of those "execution point of view" mishaps as a fumbling, bumbling, indecisive kickoff return gave the visitors the ball at their own one yard line. Naturally, a first down drive hindering penalty (before the snap which has been par for the course) resulted in another half yard loss. On the first play ran, quarterback Ryan Tannehill was practically broke in half as he took a 20 MPH hit to the center of his spine from an untouched blindside blitz that forced the ball beyond the end-line. Miami started three of their series from within their own 3 yard line, and only five of their 14 possessions from beyond their own 20.
Philadelphia with what is now a 9 - 3 scoreboard advantage receive the (after a safety) free punt and drive to score a 16th point four minutes later as their slow as molasses 30 year old tight end has been grazing in a wide open pasture of nothing but grass for 90 yards on two possessions.
Hindering an answer to the onslaught, Miami follows with a five and out punt which gives the home team the ball with two first quarter minutes remaining. Four minutes later the home team has driven 57 yards but present Eagle (Caleb Sturgis) misses the 32 yard field goal attempt.
Inclined not to quit. The Dolphins defense and/or if not Ndamukong Suh by himself (two TFL's for minus 12 yards on the previous drive), and the forcing of a missed field goal has suddenly inspired the players to believe that hard work does indeed payoff. For those who refused to continue watching. A 16 - 3 first quarter deficit is never suggestive that the final score will be 64 - 12 as from here on out the Eagles scored just 3 points while Miami's defense accrued four sacks, forced four drive stopping fumbles (though they didn't recover them), blocked a punt, and had an end zone interception!!! Miami's offense too is suddenly motivated, and drives 74 yards for a 22 yard field goal to pull within ten points at 16 - 6 with little more than half the second quarter ticks to go.
Never say Never as The Miami Dolphins (rookie Zach Vigil) blocks the Eagles following possessions punt to take control at the home teams 12 yard line and pull within 16 - 13 two plays later with a Tannehill screen to Lamar Miller for the touchdown. Two Philadelphia punts surrounded by two Dolphin punts ends the first half.
So. Does a 16 - 13 halftime deficit automatically determine that the game will end with a 32 - 26 Dolphin loss? NOPE! The third quarter amounts to three Philadelphia punts surrounded by two Miami punts. The Dolphins third series of the third quarter goes for 87 yards on seven plays and ends five seconds into the fourth quarter with a Tannehill to Jarvis Landry four yard touchdown reception for Miami's 20th game winning points to Philadelphia's 16. The Eagles scored a 19th point on their next series, and drove to the Dolphins 9 yard line two possessions after that before a Rashad Jones end zone interception sealed the deal. A Dolphin punt and Eagles loss of possession on downs resulted in Miami closing the game in 20 - 19 VICTORY FORMATION!
ALL 46 ACTIVE MIAMI DOLPHIN PLAYERS GOT ON THE FIELD, CONTRIBUTED, and NEVER QUIT!
Thank You for an Open-Minded Read, and we look forward to your never quitting angle of view : )) !!
GO DOLPHINS!!!
OFFICIALS THROW MIAMI DOLPHINS FOR A LOSS
I’d say I’m sorry for this rant, but I’m not…
The Miami Dolphins paid dearly for Ndamukong Suh’s inability to maintain his poise on a terrible non-call. Referee Carl Cheffers did not blow the whistle when Suh clearly held Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor in his grasp on third-and-4 from the Miami 34 late in the third quarter. Suh vehemently yelled at the official, “call that dead or I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.” Cheffers did not turn off the mike and the exchange was broadcast live.
“I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.”
The problem is, Suh would have been called for unsportsmanlike conduct had he continued the play and slammed Taylor to the ground. Carl Cheffers had an obligation to make the “in the grasp” call or force Suh to take matters into his own hands. The NFL has fined Suh repeatedly for slamming QBs to the ground, while Suh has been trained his entire football career to play through the whistle. The one time Suh attempted to conform to the kinder, gentler NFL, the official failed to make the proper call costing Miami a sack and a forced punt.
Suh, could no longer contain the frustration of being held on every single play and not getting the calls. Holding was actually called on that play, but the damage was done. Suh made the critical mistake of challenging Cheffers on what should have been intentional grounding at the least. Holding penalties in the NFL may be the biggest farce in professional sports. Offensive linemen hold on every down in one form or another, in fact they are trained to hold, but the calls are completely arbitrary.
Man Campbell elected to take the holding penalty hoping his defense could force a punt instead of giving Buffalo a field goal. Again Ndamukong Suh broke through the offensive line and was stretching for Tyrod Taylor. The offensive lineman’s hands were exposed, a fistful of Suh’s jersey clutched in his grasp, Suh’s shoulder-pad torn from his sleeve, but Cheffers never pulled out the flag. While Suh was being twisted around and pulled to the ground, Taylor completed a long touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins pushing the Bills lead to 26-14.
Clearly Cheffers was angry Suh had challenged him and allowed his personal emotions to dictate the outcome of a football game. Officials becoming emotionally involved lose their ability to be objective observers, their decisions or indecisions weigh heavily on the final score. What Suh did the play before should never have a bearing on the impartiality of the officiating. Cheffers was wrong, and his anger with Suh changed the complexion of an NFL football game.
With one score Miami could have led, but one emotional non-call by the official gave Buffalo a two score advantage in a closely contested game. Of course, Buffalo players, coaches and fans will deride any thought of the officials playing a part in their dirty little victory. The Dolphins can never mumble a word, but Miami fans…
We can write whatever we want and like Ndamukong, not give a fuck about what the NFL or Buffalo fans think.
Cheffers dictated the outcome of the game…
I’ve spent the morning reading through several Miami Dolphin sites and local newspaper sites, the writers knew they could not put in print what they saw with their own eyes. They wrote things like, “questionable officiating,” or “mysterious non-call.” Writers cannot directly call out the golden goose that keeps them employed and they know it. Yet fan comments following the articles all said about the same thing, “Why bother watching these games?”
I didn’t see the final quarter.
I turned it off…
I’ve been a Miami Dolphin fan since I have a memory but I’d had enough. It wasn’t the non-call of course, if you’re a Miami fan you’ve grown used to getting the worst officiating and worst announcing crews…
When the QB misses the opening snap causing a safety, we know what kind of day it's going to be… Man Campbell will now hear all about how he’s not ready to be a head coach, but it’s not Campbell. The chances were there for the Dolphins, the QB could not make the proper reads on the 3rd down when the team desperately needed it. The QB could not find the open receiver or run to a wide open field when team desperately needed a score from the one yard-line at the half.
The QB was okay, look at the stats, 309 yards, no picks…
When teams get to the state of the Miami Dolphins, the turnaround can only come from greatness. It can’t come from “OK” it can’t even come from good. Good may be able to overcome a botched snap or poor officiating but “OK” does not have a chance.
The Miami schedule has six of the opening 9 games on the road and one of the three supposed “home games” was in London! The team was forced to travel on a short week Thursday, fifteen hundred miles to play the best team in the league. Let’s continue to add this up… The worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule and Miami fans are called whiners whenever anyone attempts to put these inequities into words.
Well to paraphrase Ndamukong Suh, “I’m going to slam the fuck out of the NFL” and I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. The league routinely puts the best crews on what they perceive as the best games. That means if your team is the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Bucs or any other lowly ranked team, you’re going to get the worst officials and be forced to sit through the worst commentators. You’re going to get the worst schedule and you’re going to be called a whiner for pointing it out…
Great, we’re whiners, but has the league taken notice of the dwindling Miami fan base? Call the fans whiners, laugh it up, but I wonder how many teams they can fit in LA? Vegas wants a team, London already has a home team, just the jerseys change color every other week…
I turned it off…
I turned off because the worst officiating crew, the worst announcers and the worst schedule have defeated me. I no longer want to watch or listen. My kids won’t sit in the same room with me, my wife goes shopping and quite frankly, I could be spending this time much more wisely.
I am willing to bet Miami will be given another Super Bowl soon… This is the price the owner had to pay to host the game in Miami. He basically sold out his team, subjected the fans and his players to the most infuriating concoction of NFL screw-brew, the worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule.
Is the Super Bowl in any way about the Miami Dolphin fans? How many local fans could possibly attend the most expensive game on earth? This has nothing to do with the Miami Dolphins and everything to do with the owner, and his stadium. His team certainly has no shot at the game…
I don’t think he cares.
Neither do it.
I turned it off…
The Miami Dolphins paid dearly for Ndamukong Suh’s inability to maintain his poise on a terrible non-call. Referee Carl Cheffers did not blow the whistle when Suh clearly held Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor in his grasp on third-and-4 from the Miami 34 late in the third quarter. Suh vehemently yelled at the official, “call that dead or I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.” Cheffers did not turn off the mike and the exchange was broadcast live.
“I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.”
The problem is, Suh would have been called for unsportsmanlike conduct had he continued the play and slammed Taylor to the ground. Carl Cheffers had an obligation to make the “in the grasp” call or force Suh to take matters into his own hands. The NFL has fined Suh repeatedly for slamming QBs to the ground, while Suh has been trained his entire football career to play through the whistle. The one time Suh attempted to conform to the kinder, gentler NFL, the official failed to make the proper call costing Miami a sack and a forced punt.
Suh, could no longer contain the frustration of being held on every single play and not getting the calls. Holding was actually called on that play, but the damage was done. Suh made the critical mistake of challenging Cheffers on what should have been intentional grounding at the least. Holding penalties in the NFL may be the biggest farce in professional sports. Offensive linemen hold on every down in one form or another, in fact they are trained to hold, but the calls are completely arbitrary.
Man Campbell elected to take the holding penalty hoping his defense could force a punt instead of giving Buffalo a field goal. Again Ndamukong Suh broke through the offensive line and was stretching for Tyrod Taylor. The offensive lineman’s hands were exposed, a fistful of Suh’s jersey clutched in his grasp, Suh’s shoulder-pad torn from his sleeve, but Cheffers never pulled out the flag. While Suh was being twisted around and pulled to the ground, Taylor completed a long touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins pushing the Bills lead to 26-14.
Clearly Cheffers was angry Suh had challenged him and allowed his personal emotions to dictate the outcome of a football game. Officials becoming emotionally involved lose their ability to be objective observers, their decisions or indecisions weigh heavily on the final score. What Suh did the play before should never have a bearing on the impartiality of the officiating. Cheffers was wrong, and his anger with Suh changed the complexion of an NFL football game.
With one score Miami could have led, but one emotional non-call by the official gave Buffalo a two score advantage in a closely contested game. Of course, Buffalo players, coaches and fans will deride any thought of the officials playing a part in their dirty little victory. The Dolphins can never mumble a word, but Miami fans…
We can write whatever we want and like Ndamukong, not give a fuck about what the NFL or Buffalo fans think.
Cheffers dictated the outcome of the game…
I’ve spent the morning reading through several Miami Dolphin sites and local newspaper sites, the writers knew they could not put in print what they saw with their own eyes. They wrote things like, “questionable officiating,” or “mysterious non-call.” Writers cannot directly call out the golden goose that keeps them employed and they know it. Yet fan comments following the articles all said about the same thing, “Why bother watching these games?”
I didn’t see the final quarter.
I turned it off…
I’ve been a Miami Dolphin fan since I have a memory but I’d had enough. It wasn’t the non-call of course, if you’re a Miami fan you’ve grown used to getting the worst officiating and worst announcing crews…
When the QB misses the opening snap causing a safety, we know what kind of day it's going to be… Man Campbell will now hear all about how he’s not ready to be a head coach, but it’s not Campbell. The chances were there for the Dolphins, the QB could not make the proper reads on the 3rd down when the team desperately needed it. The QB could not find the open receiver or run to a wide open field when team desperately needed a score from the one yard-line at the half.
The QB was okay, look at the stats, 309 yards, no picks…
When teams get to the state of the Miami Dolphins, the turnaround can only come from greatness. It can’t come from “OK” it can’t even come from good. Good may be able to overcome a botched snap or poor officiating but “OK” does not have a chance.
The Miami schedule has six of the opening 9 games on the road and one of the three supposed “home games” was in London! The team was forced to travel on a short week Thursday, fifteen hundred miles to play the best team in the league. Let’s continue to add this up… The worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule and Miami fans are called whiners whenever anyone attempts to put these inequities into words.
Well to paraphrase Ndamukong Suh, “I’m going to slam the fuck out of the NFL” and I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. The league routinely puts the best crews on what they perceive as the best games. That means if your team is the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Bucs or any other lowly ranked team, you’re going to get the worst officials and be forced to sit through the worst commentators. You’re going to get the worst schedule and you’re going to be called a whiner for pointing it out…
Great, we’re whiners, but has the league taken notice of the dwindling Miami fan base? Call the fans whiners, laugh it up, but I wonder how many teams they can fit in LA? Vegas wants a team, London already has a home team, just the jerseys change color every other week…
I turned it off…
I turned off because the worst officiating crew, the worst announcers and the worst schedule have defeated me. I no longer want to watch or listen. My kids won’t sit in the same room with me, my wife goes shopping and quite frankly, I could be spending this time much more wisely.
I am willing to bet Miami will be given another Super Bowl soon… This is the price the owner had to pay to host the game in Miami. He basically sold out his team, subjected the fans and his players to the most infuriating concoction of NFL screw-brew, the worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule.
Is the Super Bowl in any way about the Miami Dolphin fans? How many local fans could possibly attend the most expensive game on earth? This has nothing to do with the Miami Dolphins and everything to do with the owner, and his stadium. His team certainly has no shot at the game…
I don’t think he cares.
Neither do it.
I turned it off…
OFFICIALS THROW MIAMI DOLPHINS FOR A LOSS
I’d say I’m sorry for this rant, but I’m not…
The Miami Dolphins paid dearly for Ndamukong Suh’s inability to maintain his poise on a terrible non-call. Referee Carl Cheffers did not blow the whistle when Suh clearly held Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor in his grasp on third-and-4 from the Miami 34 late in the third quarter. Suh vehemently yelled at the official, “call that dead or I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.” Cheffers did not turn off the mike and the exchange was broadcast live.
“I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.”
The problem is, Suh would have been called for unsportsmanlike conduct had he continued the play and slammed Taylor to the ground. Carl Cheffers had an obligation to make the “in the grasp” call or force Suh to take matters into his own hands. The NFL has fined Suh repeatedly for slamming QBs to the ground, while Suh has been trained his entire football career to play through the whistle. The one time Suh attempted to conform to the kinder, gentler NFL, the official failed to make the proper call costing Miami a sack and a forced punt.
Suh, could no longer contain the frustration of being held on every single play and not getting the calls. Holding was actually called on that play, but the damage was done. Suh made the critical mistake of challenging Cheffers on what should have been intentional grounding at the least. Holding penalties in the NFL may be the biggest farce in professional sports. Offensive linemen hold on every down in one form or another, in fact they are trained to hold, but the calls are completely arbitrary.
Man Campbell elected to take the holding penalty hoping his defense could force a punt instead of giving Buffalo a field goal. Again Ndamukong Suh broke through the offensive line and was stretching for Tyrod Taylor. The offensive lineman’s hands were exposed, a fistful of Suh’s jersey clutched in his grasp, Suh’s shoulder-pad torn from his sleeve, but Cheffers never pulled out the flag. While Suh was being twisted around and pulled to the ground, Taylor completed a long touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins pushing the Bills lead to 26-14.
Clearly Cheffers was angry Suh had challenged him and allowed his personal emotions to dictate the outcome of a football game. Officials becoming emotionally involved lose their ability to be objective observers, their decisions or indecisions weigh heavily on the final score. What Suh did the play before should never have a bearing on the impartiality of the officiating. Cheffers was wrong, and his anger with Suh changed the complexion of an NFL football game.
With one score Miami could have led, but one emotional non-call by the official gave Buffalo a two score advantage in a closely contested game. Of course, Buffalo players, coaches and fans will deride any thought of the officials playing a part in their dirty little victory. The Dolphins can never mumble a word, but Miami fans…
We can write whatever we want and like Ndamukong, not give a fuck about what the NFL or Buffalo fans think.
Cheffers dictated the outcome of the game…
I’ve spent the morning reading through several Miami Dolphin sites and local newspaper sites, the writers knew they could not put in print what they saw with their own eyes. They wrote things like, “questionable officiating,” or “mysterious non-call.” Writers cannot directly call out the golden goose that keeps them employed and they know it. Yet fan comments following the articles all said about the same thing, “Why bother watching these games?”
I didn’t see the final quarter.
I turned it off…
I’ve been a Miami Dolphin fan since I have a memory but I’d had enough. It wasn’t the non-call of course, if you’re a Miami fan you’ve grown used to getting the worst officiating and worst announcing crews…
When the QB misses the opening snap causing a safety, we know what kind of day it's going to be… Man Campbell will now hear all about how he’s not ready to be a head coach, but it’s not Campbell. The chances were there for the Dolphins, the QB could not make the proper reads on the 3rd down when the team desperately needed it. The QB could not find the open receiver or run to a wide open field when team desperately needed a score from the one yard-line at the half.
The QB was okay, look at the stats, 309 yards, no picks…
When teams get to the state of the Miami Dolphins, the turnaround can only come from greatness. It can’t come from “OK” it can’t even come from good. Good may be able to overcome a botched snap or poor officiating but “OK” does not have a chance.
The Miami schedule has six of the opening 9 games on the road and one of the three supposed “home games” was in London! The team was forced to travel on a short week Thursday, fifteen hundred miles to play the best team in the league. Let’s continue to add this up… The worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule and Miami fans are called whiners whenever anyone attempts to put these inequities into words.
Well to paraphrase Ndamukong Suh, “I’m going to slam the fuck out of the NFL” and I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. The league routinely puts the best crews on what they perceive as the best games. That means if your team is the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Bucs or any other lowly ranked team, you’re going to get the worst officials and be forced to sit through the worst commentators. You’re going to get the worst schedule and you’re going to be called a whiner for pointing it out…
Great, we’re whiners, but has the league taken notice of the dwindling Miami fan base? Call the fans whiners, laugh it up, but I wonder how many teams they can fit in LA? Vegas wants a team, London already has a home team, just the jerseys change color every other week…
I turned it off…
I turned off because the worst officiating crew, the worst announcers and the worst schedule have defeated me. I no longer want to watch or listen. My kids won’t sit in the same room with me, my wife goes shopping and quite frankly, I could be spending this time much more wisely.
I am willing to bet Miami will be given another Super Bowl soon… This is the price the owner had to pay to host the game in Miami. He basically sold out his team, subjected the fans and his players to the most infuriating concoction of NFL screw-brew, the worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule.
Is the Super Bowl in any way about the Miami Dolphin fans? How many local fans could possibly attend the most expensive game on earth? This has nothing to do with the Miami Dolphins and everything to do with the owner, and his stadium. His team certainly has no shot at the game…
I don’t think he cares.
Neither do it.
I turned it off…
The Miami Dolphins paid dearly for Ndamukong Suh’s inability to maintain his poise on a terrible non-call. Referee Carl Cheffers did not blow the whistle when Suh clearly held Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor in his grasp on third-and-4 from the Miami 34 late in the third quarter. Suh vehemently yelled at the official, “call that dead or I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.” Cheffers did not turn off the mike and the exchange was broadcast live.
“I’m going to slam the fuck out of him next time.”
The problem is, Suh would have been called for unsportsmanlike conduct had he continued the play and slammed Taylor to the ground. Carl Cheffers had an obligation to make the “in the grasp” call or force Suh to take matters into his own hands. The NFL has fined Suh repeatedly for slamming QBs to the ground, while Suh has been trained his entire football career to play through the whistle. The one time Suh attempted to conform to the kinder, gentler NFL, the official failed to make the proper call costing Miami a sack and a forced punt.
Suh, could no longer contain the frustration of being held on every single play and not getting the calls. Holding was actually called on that play, but the damage was done. Suh made the critical mistake of challenging Cheffers on what should have been intentional grounding at the least. Holding penalties in the NFL may be the biggest farce in professional sports. Offensive linemen hold on every down in one form or another, in fact they are trained to hold, but the calls are completely arbitrary.
Man Campbell elected to take the holding penalty hoping his defense could force a punt instead of giving Buffalo a field goal. Again Ndamukong Suh broke through the offensive line and was stretching for Tyrod Taylor. The offensive lineman’s hands were exposed, a fistful of Suh’s jersey clutched in his grasp, Suh’s shoulder-pad torn from his sleeve, but Cheffers never pulled out the flag. While Suh was being twisted around and pulled to the ground, Taylor completed a long touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins pushing the Bills lead to 26-14.
Clearly Cheffers was angry Suh had challenged him and allowed his personal emotions to dictate the outcome of a football game. Officials becoming emotionally involved lose their ability to be objective observers, their decisions or indecisions weigh heavily on the final score. What Suh did the play before should never have a bearing on the impartiality of the officiating. Cheffers was wrong, and his anger with Suh changed the complexion of an NFL football game.
With one score Miami could have led, but one emotional non-call by the official gave Buffalo a two score advantage in a closely contested game. Of course, Buffalo players, coaches and fans will deride any thought of the officials playing a part in their dirty little victory. The Dolphins can never mumble a word, but Miami fans…
We can write whatever we want and like Ndamukong, not give a fuck about what the NFL or Buffalo fans think.
Cheffers dictated the outcome of the game…
I’ve spent the morning reading through several Miami Dolphin sites and local newspaper sites, the writers knew they could not put in print what they saw with their own eyes. They wrote things like, “questionable officiating,” or “mysterious non-call.” Writers cannot directly call out the golden goose that keeps them employed and they know it. Yet fan comments following the articles all said about the same thing, “Why bother watching these games?”
I didn’t see the final quarter.
I turned it off…
I’ve been a Miami Dolphin fan since I have a memory but I’d had enough. It wasn’t the non-call of course, if you’re a Miami fan you’ve grown used to getting the worst officiating and worst announcing crews…
When the QB misses the opening snap causing a safety, we know what kind of day it's going to be… Man Campbell will now hear all about how he’s not ready to be a head coach, but it’s not Campbell. The chances were there for the Dolphins, the QB could not make the proper reads on the 3rd down when the team desperately needed it. The QB could not find the open receiver or run to a wide open field when team desperately needed a score from the one yard-line at the half.
The QB was okay, look at the stats, 309 yards, no picks…
When teams get to the state of the Miami Dolphins, the turnaround can only come from greatness. It can’t come from “OK” it can’t even come from good. Good may be able to overcome a botched snap or poor officiating but “OK” does not have a chance.
The Miami schedule has six of the opening 9 games on the road and one of the three supposed “home games” was in London! The team was forced to travel on a short week Thursday, fifteen hundred miles to play the best team in the league. Let’s continue to add this up… The worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule and Miami fans are called whiners whenever anyone attempts to put these inequities into words.
Well to paraphrase Ndamukong Suh, “I’m going to slam the fuck out of the NFL” and I don’t care what anyone thinks about it. The league routinely puts the best crews on what they perceive as the best games. That means if your team is the Miami Dolphins or the Tampa Bay Bucs or any other lowly ranked team, you’re going to get the worst officials and be forced to sit through the worst commentators. You’re going to get the worst schedule and you’re going to be called a whiner for pointing it out…
Great, we’re whiners, but has the league taken notice of the dwindling Miami fan base? Call the fans whiners, laugh it up, but I wonder how many teams they can fit in LA? Vegas wants a team, London already has a home team, just the jerseys change color every other week…
I turned it off…
I turned off because the worst officiating crew, the worst announcers and the worst schedule have defeated me. I no longer want to watch or listen. My kids won’t sit in the same room with me, my wife goes shopping and quite frankly, I could be spending this time much more wisely.
I am willing to bet Miami will be given another Super Bowl soon… This is the price the owner had to pay to host the game in Miami. He basically sold out his team, subjected the fans and his players to the most infuriating concoction of NFL screw-brew, the worst officiating crews, the worst announcers, the worst schedule.
Is the Super Bowl in any way about the Miami Dolphin fans? How many local fans could possibly attend the most expensive game on earth? This has nothing to do with the Miami Dolphins and everything to do with the owner, and his stadium. His team certainly has no shot at the game…
I don’t think he cares.
Neither do it.
I turned it off…
The Miami Dolphins Outclassed by the Patriots
Challenging the New England Patriots in Gillette Stadium on Prime Time TV proved too large for fledgling head coach Dan Campbell and shaky Miami Dolphin quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The cards were stacked against the Dolphins; a short week, the reigning NFL champion, four time SB winning coach, the league’s best QB and a packed house all conspiring to suck the wind from Miami’s sails.
NFL schedule makers could not hope for a more predictable easy New England victory…
The league’s best team held court in its lofty aerie… Foolish minions, attempting to storm a fortress that has not seen an October loss in over ten years, conjures David versus Goliath. The Miami Dolphins got to see the-view-from-the-top firsthand and know how far they must climb to reach the pinnacle.
From the opening drive, Brady and the Patriot’s offense set the Dolphin defense on its heels. The score came far too easy and perhaps the confidence Miami brought to the game wavered early. Getting Brady off his spot proved elusive as footballs flashed across the field in rapid succession. The Dolphins knew Brady would come out slinging five yard lasers but it was his ability to always find the mismatch that stifled the Miami defense.
It is hard to reconcile Ryan Tannehill’s inconsistency week to week when watching Brady’s mastery of the position. Baffling interceptions seem to come exactly when the team is gravely in need of a champion. Great performances mean little when followed by rotten eggs billowing gaseous sulfuric stench from Foxborough all the way to Miami.
Brady commandeered the position from Drew Bledsoe and led New England to the Super Bowl in his second season. Miami fans mope through another awful QB performance wondering if Tannehill's good will ever overcome his bad…
The bad got worse when Cameron Wake sustained an Achilles tendon injury late in the third quarter and former first-round pick offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James was carted off in the first half, neither returned. The Dolphins precarious offensive line depth could not stand the test, as the Miami running game ground to a halt producing, only 15 yards in 13 carries.
It was a typical Bill Belichick game plan… The Dolphins wondered which player Billy Genius would take away when Belichick simply attacked the running game begging Tannehill to beat him. It was the formula well used at the end of last season and proved just as effective. Without a running game, Tannehill could not put the team on his back and win the football game, it’s that simple.
The sick fact is, over the past 10 seasons, the Patriots are 4-0 when at least 80 percent of their plays are passes… The rest of the NFL is 3-109 over that time! (Thanks whoever I stole that from!)
Belichick re-exposed the weakness in Miami and the old films will resurface. Shut down the run and force Tannehill to win with his arm. Dominating on the offensive front early solves the issue, but when the defense knows the strategy it’s easy to game plan and Belichick was right on it.
Our Man Campbell knows what’s in store, and hopefully will not have to work without right tackle Ja'Wuan James.
The Dolphin defense did not play as bad a game as the score would indicate. A botched snap by Mike Pouncey led to a safety and a constant Patriot field position advantage caused short fields the entire night. Miami held New England to nine points for most of the first half, but the offense offered no help. Belichick and Brady are famous for getting defensive mismatches and speeding up the game to keep defenses from adjusting.
The disappointing loss will leave a bitter taste in Man Campbell’s mouth but the long week helps Miami face two consecutive road games. How the Dolphins respond to the loss in the New England will determine their relevancy for the remainder of the season.
Going through Brady and Belichick twice each season places a severe burden on teams in the AFC East. No other division in the NFL has been dominated by a single team and that lack of domination allows different teams to rise. Miami knows climbing the mountain only leads to the impenetrable fortress on top but it cannot be the deterrent for a gradual climb.
Teams will begin shutting the run game down from the onset and the Miami Dolphin’s fate will follow Ryan Tannehill’s right arm. The fairness of that assessment is irrelevant. The cruel reality of playing in the AFC East is irrelevant. The NFL is a bottom line league and the bottom line question for Miami is, can the team can ride Ryan Tannehill when a defense takes away the run game? Unfortunately the answer has not been favorable to this point in Tannehill’s career.
If Man Campbell wishes to be a successful NFL head coach he will have to solve this problem for the sake of his own career. Campbell is the ninth Miami HC since Don Shula and each coach has lacked the one ingredient separating them from Shula and Bill Belichick, for that matter, a great quarterback.
The clock is running out on Ryan Tannehill. The next several games will define his career and unfortunately it may also determine whether Campbell is the coach in Miami next season. In the fourth season, there can no longer be a learning curve. There can no longer be a couple great games followed by an odorous rotten egg. Mediocrity is another definition for inconsistency and in the NFL, there is no middle ground.
Man Campbell and Ryan Tannehill were left wounded at the bottom of mountain…
Foolish minions, attempting to storm the fortress like David taking on Goliath. A lucky sling will not slay this giant. Consistency every game is the only match for the precision emanating from the fortress above.
Waiting for its emergence season after season is not only foolish; it’s the definition of insanity…
NFL schedule makers could not hope for a more predictable easy New England victory…
The league’s best team held court in its lofty aerie… Foolish minions, attempting to storm a fortress that has not seen an October loss in over ten years, conjures David versus Goliath. The Miami Dolphins got to see the-view-from-the-top firsthand and know how far they must climb to reach the pinnacle.
From the opening drive, Brady and the Patriot’s offense set the Dolphin defense on its heels. The score came far too easy and perhaps the confidence Miami brought to the game wavered early. Getting Brady off his spot proved elusive as footballs flashed across the field in rapid succession. The Dolphins knew Brady would come out slinging five yard lasers but it was his ability to always find the mismatch that stifled the Miami defense.
It is hard to reconcile Ryan Tannehill’s inconsistency week to week when watching Brady’s mastery of the position. Baffling interceptions seem to come exactly when the team is gravely in need of a champion. Great performances mean little when followed by rotten eggs billowing gaseous sulfuric stench from Foxborough all the way to Miami.
Brady commandeered the position from Drew Bledsoe and led New England to the Super Bowl in his second season. Miami fans mope through another awful QB performance wondering if Tannehill's good will ever overcome his bad…
The bad got worse when Cameron Wake sustained an Achilles tendon injury late in the third quarter and former first-round pick offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James was carted off in the first half, neither returned. The Dolphins precarious offensive line depth could not stand the test, as the Miami running game ground to a halt producing, only 15 yards in 13 carries.
It was a typical Bill Belichick game plan… The Dolphins wondered which player Billy Genius would take away when Belichick simply attacked the running game begging Tannehill to beat him. It was the formula well used at the end of last season and proved just as effective. Without a running game, Tannehill could not put the team on his back and win the football game, it’s that simple.
The sick fact is, over the past 10 seasons, the Patriots are 4-0 when at least 80 percent of their plays are passes… The rest of the NFL is 3-109 over that time! (Thanks whoever I stole that from!)
Belichick re-exposed the weakness in Miami and the old films will resurface. Shut down the run and force Tannehill to win with his arm. Dominating on the offensive front early solves the issue, but when the defense knows the strategy it’s easy to game plan and Belichick was right on it.
Our Man Campbell knows what’s in store, and hopefully will not have to work without right tackle Ja'Wuan James.
The Dolphin defense did not play as bad a game as the score would indicate. A botched snap by Mike Pouncey led to a safety and a constant Patriot field position advantage caused short fields the entire night. Miami held New England to nine points for most of the first half, but the offense offered no help. Belichick and Brady are famous for getting defensive mismatches and speeding up the game to keep defenses from adjusting.
The disappointing loss will leave a bitter taste in Man Campbell’s mouth but the long week helps Miami face two consecutive road games. How the Dolphins respond to the loss in the New England will determine their relevancy for the remainder of the season.
Going through Brady and Belichick twice each season places a severe burden on teams in the AFC East. No other division in the NFL has been dominated by a single team and that lack of domination allows different teams to rise. Miami knows climbing the mountain only leads to the impenetrable fortress on top but it cannot be the deterrent for a gradual climb.
Teams will begin shutting the run game down from the onset and the Miami Dolphin’s fate will follow Ryan Tannehill’s right arm. The fairness of that assessment is irrelevant. The cruel reality of playing in the AFC East is irrelevant. The NFL is a bottom line league and the bottom line question for Miami is, can the team can ride Ryan Tannehill when a defense takes away the run game? Unfortunately the answer has not been favorable to this point in Tannehill’s career.
If Man Campbell wishes to be a successful NFL head coach he will have to solve this problem for the sake of his own career. Campbell is the ninth Miami HC since Don Shula and each coach has lacked the one ingredient separating them from Shula and Bill Belichick, for that matter, a great quarterback.
The clock is running out on Ryan Tannehill. The next several games will define his career and unfortunately it may also determine whether Campbell is the coach in Miami next season. In the fourth season, there can no longer be a learning curve. There can no longer be a couple great games followed by an odorous rotten egg. Mediocrity is another definition for inconsistency and in the NFL, there is no middle ground.
Man Campbell and Ryan Tannehill were left wounded at the bottom of mountain…
Foolish minions, attempting to storm the fortress like David taking on Goliath. A lucky sling will not slay this giant. Consistency every game is the only match for the precision emanating from the fortress above.
Waiting for its emergence season after season is not only foolish; it’s the definition of insanity…
Dan (TEX) Campbell's Miami Dolphins Strike Oil Versus Texans
Miami's offense (best NFL yardage output in a half since 1991) fell just a few yards short of the 400 yard mark over the first half while they rushed for more than last weeks game total of 180 yards. The Dolphins Franchise Quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw four touchdown passes in the first half with three of them to (Rishard Matthews, Jarvis Landry, Lamar Miller) being of the 50 plus yard variety.
Tannehill also broke franchise as well as historical league records with his 25th consecutive completion. He converted his final seven attempts last week while going 18 of 18 thru the midway point of this weeks fourth quarter while his first and only incompletion on this day was a drop.
Upon taking the Texans first punt at the Miami 12 yard line, the Dolphins on five plays and three first downs quickly moved to their own 47. From there, on first and ten Tannehill threw an inside slant strike of oil to Rishard Matthews who sped untouched through a swarm of defenders for the 53 yard TOUCHDOWN and 7 - 0 Dolphin lead.
Houston then surrounded a Miami three and out with two more of their own and the Dolphins started to drill at midfield. On first and ten, Tannehill hit pay-dirt with a 12 yard out to Jarvis Landry on the left sideline who then juked the first defender, took a Bee-Line to the opposite sidelines while avoiding several tackles as his offensive line caught up to form the wall of China and lead him into the end zone for the fifty yard TOUCHDOWN score of 14 - 0.
After a fourth consecutive Texan three and out. Miami from the Houston 47 moved the ball to the oppositions 16 yard line on a first down Lamar Miller run of 29 yards. On third and four to go, Tannehill drilled a ten yard TOUCHDOWN pass to a wide open Jarvis Landry for the 21 - 0 Dolphin scoreboard advantage.
Just fourteen seconds later. On the Texans sixth "touch" of the ball which included one incomplete pass that preceded their second play of a Rashad Jones (his second in as many weeks) 23 yard "full gainer with a half twist back-flip" into the end zone for a Pik-Six TOUCHDOWN and a score of 35 - ZILCH.
A seventh consecutive Houston "touch" that went three and out was followed by a Miami punt and a 15 play loss on downs Texan drive of 66 yards. With a 35 - 0 lead the Dolphins had the Texan's in four down territory before halftime and took possession at their own 9 yard line. On first down Miller ran for 6 yards. On second down Lamar Miller busted the barrels seams with an 85 yard TOUCHDOWN burst of oil To'Da'House for a MIAMI DOLPHINS 41 to NOTHING explosion of digital lights at halftime.
With a 41 - 0 halftime lead and another Dolphin game in just four days on Thursday, at New England. Dan Campbell made an intelligent decision to rest (for the upcoming game) many of his starters over the second half versus the Texans while allowing numerous players of depth to get some in game experience. Though the Texans scored 26 second half garbage time points on Miami's (for the most part) backups, their scores were still highly contested. Other than Tannehill, Miami (for the most part) played with his second string running backs and receivers for the second half as rookie kicker Andrew Franks kicked a 53 yard field goal for the Dolphins only second half score and 44 - 26 MIAMI DOLPHIN VICTORY!
Ndamukong Suh had three TFL's (tackles for loss) while also accruing his first two 2015 sacks on back to back plays near the end of the games first half while Cam Wake also tabulated two more first half sacks, his sixth in two games. Houston had 71 rushing yards on 25 game attempts.
Rashad Jones got another Pik-Six and led the team in tackles.
Lamar Miller had 236 offensive yards with 14 rush attempts for One Hundred Seventy Five Yards that included an 85 yard touchdown run, and 3 receptions for 61 yards of which one (on a screen pass) went for 54 yards and another touchdown.
Jarvis Landry led the receivers with 5 catches for 83 yards and two touchdowns (with one being of 50 yards). Rishard Matthews and Lamar Miller were both close behind Landry's receiving yardage output, and each of them also had a receiving touchdown of length.
Ryan Tannehill passed for 282 yards in going 18 for 19 and four touchdowns with three of over 50 yards (while breaking history's NFL record of consecutive passes completed) with his 25th successive completion.
The Miami Dolphins Team netted 503 offensive yards on 59 plays with 248 coming via the ground attack on 35 attempts as the home team held possession for 32:05.
Upon widdeling their way back to the shack of Dan Campbell the Dolphins came to the door of a mansion and are presently living in the lap of his luxury!
Thank You for an open-minded read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS!!!
Miami Dolphins, Campbell's Soup, Mmmm-Mmmm GOOD
One Serving Heating Instructions;
Open One Can of specially blended Whoop-Ass Campbell's Soup, bring to boil, add spices of four takeaways, six sacks, five touchdowns with a field goal for the most Miami Dolphin points in six years, and serve with gatorade bath for Victorious Nutrition.
Upon a third straight loss two weeks ago a new Texas born interim sheriff by the name of Dan Campbell was designated to lead the town of Miami from dysfunction. On his very first day he brought the towns people into the streets and put them head to head in a wild west style shootout referred to as the Oklahoma drill which was intended to leave only the best men alive while also re-uniting those left standing. A fortnight later. The 2015 Miami Dolphins that even the most pessimistic of town-folk expected on the field of play this season finally came to fight on this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
To this point of a four game season the Dolphins had only led a game for mere minutes of a week one win. On this fifth Sunday, they led from the opening gun and never looked back at the carnage left lying between the hash marks. Miami took it's game opening drive 80 yards on 7 plays in 4:21 for a Jarvis Landry end-around TOUCHDOWN of 22 yards and a 7 - 0 lead.
The Titans fought back with a 10 play, 61 yard drive in 5:11 of their own that resulted in a field goal of 37 yards to pull within four points at 7 - 3. Miami returned the favor 5:22 later with a 10 play, 68 yard drive and Dolphins 30 yard field goal to end the first quarter with a 10 - 3 lead.
In four games plus one quarter, The Miami Dolphins Defense had accrued just one (opening day) quarterback sack on the season, but that was about to drastically change. On the Titans next drive which started at their own 20, in 3 plays with the aid of an unnecessary roughness penalty quickly moved to the Dolphins 41 yard line. On a 2nd down with 5 yards to go, a hindered by a hamstring injury till this day Cameron Wake notched his first sack of the season. Miami had stopped the following 3rd down play though a bogus roughing the passer penalty gave the Titans a first down at Miami's 33. Two plays later on a 3rd & 5, Wake sacked the opposing quarterback for a second time on the drive and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Dolphins Jelani Jenkins while the referee's suggested that it was an incomplete pass. Miami's new Head Coach threw the first red flag of his career and won the challenge that returned possession to the Dolphins at their own 27 yard line.
On the third play from the Dolphins 49, a Ryan Tannehill pass that glanced off the hands of tight end Jordan Cameron resulted in an interception and return to Miami's 29 yard line. On the fourth play of the Titans ensuing possession, Cameron Wake engulfed the Tennessee Quarterback for the third time on the day while forcing yet another fumble that was recovered and returned 31 yards to the Titans 34 by Jamar Taylor . Seven plays later Dolphin running back Lamar Miller scored his first TOUCHDOWN of the year from seven yards out for a Miami scoreboard lead of 17 - 3.
With 5:07 first half minutes remaining the Titans marched down to the Miami 31 yard line in 3 minutes on seven plays. On the eighth play Olivier Vernon gathered his first sack of the season of minus 12 yards (Miami's fourth sack of the day) that pushed Tennessee out of field goal range at the 2 minute warning, and forced a Titans punt two plays later.
Upon Dan Campbell's first interview as Miami's head coach, he suggested that the Dolphins will no-longer be conservative from either side of the ball. (If he hadn't already). He proved as much with a 17 point lead and 1:40 to go in the first half from his own 6 yard line as the Dolphins drove 62 yards in 10 plays to the Titans 32 before a miscommunication between Tannehill and Cameron resulted in an interception with 23 first half seconds to go. On Tennessee's second play, Cam Wake ended the half with his fourth sack of the day and season as Miami went to the tunnel with a fourteen point lead at 17 - 3.
Early in the second quarter (21 minutes into the game), The Miami Dolphins had accrued 181 yards of offense. By halftime they had mounted 275 total offensive yards with 144 coming via the ground attack and 100 of that coming from Lamar Miller while the defense accumulated five sacks and two fumble recoveries in allowing just 3 Titan points as Tennessee fans booed their home team off the field.
Upon Tennessee's opening second half drive of 32 yards on 6 plays, the Dolphins linebackers Jelani Jenkins (-5), and Koa Misi (-9) notched-up two TFL's (tackles for loss) in a 3 play span to force a Titans punt. Miami followed with a stalled five play possession of 19 yards, and Tennessee fair caught the punt at their own 13 yard line. On the 5th play of a 14 yard possession Miami's star safety Rashad Jones intercepted the Titans star quarterback which he returned To'Da'House with an end zone full-gainer with a half twist dive for a Pik-Six TOUCHDOWN and 24 - 3 Dolphin scoreboard advantage.
After exchanging three and outs, with 2:14 remaining on the third quarter clock the Titans took the ball from their own 48 and into the Miami end zone in five plays to pull within 14 at 24 - 10 as the third quarter ended.
Miami followed with their second consecutive three and out (for zero yards) from their own 22 yard line, and things started to get a bit sketchy as the Titans returned the punt along with a Miami penalty to the Dolphins 37. "Started to get a bit sketchy", but on the Titans first play, a pass to the end zone was brilliantly intercepted by the one and only Brent Grimes.
The Dolphins after dominating throughout quickly realized how close they came to letting the Titans back into the game, and threw a second can of Campbell's Soup (Special Whoop-Ass Blend) onto the burner.
From their own 3 yard line on first and ten, Tannehill threw a 38 yard dart down the sidelines to Kenny Stills, followed by a 24 yard pass to Rishard Matthews, and a 13 yard pass to Jarvis Landry to the Titans 22. A holding penalty on the next play pushed them back to the 32. On first and 20 from the 32, Tannehill hit for 12 yards the newly re-acquired running back Jonas Gray who followed that with 3 successive runs of 7, 6, and 5 yards to the Tennessee 2 yard line. On second and Goal To Go, (another key ingredient) to everything that Miami wants to do on offense made his first significant play since being injured and off the active roster since the first quarter of week one. With half of the 4th quarter ticks to go Ryan Tannehill hit the wide-open Tight End Dion Sims for a TOUCHDOWN and 31 - 10 visitors advantage.
At this point Tennessee was in four down territory no-matter where they might be on the field, and followed the Miami touchdown with a five and out on downs for 21 yards. The Dolphins took over possession at the Titans 47 yard line, and didn't take their foot off the gas as they went that same 47 yards on 7 plays. Tannehill hits Jordan Cameron for 12 yards and "Another Miami Dolphins TOUCHDOWN" for a 38 - 10 VICTORY!
When all was said and done.
Miami's defense had sacked Marcus Mariota six times (four via Cam Wake which included two forced fumbles) recovered by (Jelani Jenkins and Jamar Taylor), and picked him off twice with one via (Brent Grimes) and the other (Rashad Jones) being for a Pik-Six To'Da'House .
Ryan Tannehill (with the return of Left tackle Brandon Albert and Tight End Dion Sims) was sacked just twice, and had two interceptions of not entirely (if at all) his fault. The Dolphins had no other turnovers.
Tannehill went 22 of 29 for 266 yards with two touchdown passes while Mariota went 21 of 33 for 219 yards with one touchdown pass.
Lamar Miller rushed for 113 yards on 19 game attempts (with 100 yards in the first half) and a touchdown, while others shared the second halves remaining 13 attempts. Rishard Matthews led through the air with six catches for 85 yards, Kenny Stills had the long reception of the day for 38 yards from Miami's own 3 yard line while Tight Ends Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims scored touchdowns.
The Dolphins accrued 434 total net offensive yards with 180 coming via the ground attack on 32 attempts (20 more opportunities on average than they had been offering). The Titans gathered 299 total yards with just 63 coming on the ground (100 fewer on average than Miami's defense had been allowing over the season's first four games). Ndamukong Suh caused pressure all day, and deflected two passes at the line of scrimmage. Miami held possession for nearly four minutes longer than Tennessee.
Here's to Dan Campbell, his new staff, and the real MIAMI DOLPHINS!
Thank You and CONGRATULATIONS!
THANK YOU for an open-minded read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS!!!
Open One Can of specially blended Whoop-Ass Campbell's Soup, bring to boil, add spices of four takeaways, six sacks, five touchdowns with a field goal for the most Miami Dolphin points in six years, and serve with gatorade bath for Victorious Nutrition.
Upon a third straight loss two weeks ago a new Texas born interim sheriff by the name of Dan Campbell was designated to lead the town of Miami from dysfunction. On his very first day he brought the towns people into the streets and put them head to head in a wild west style shootout referred to as the Oklahoma drill which was intended to leave only the best men alive while also re-uniting those left standing. A fortnight later. The 2015 Miami Dolphins that even the most pessimistic of town-folk expected on the field of play this season finally came to fight on this Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
To this point of a four game season the Dolphins had only led a game for mere minutes of a week one win. On this fifth Sunday, they led from the opening gun and never looked back at the carnage left lying between the hash marks. Miami took it's game opening drive 80 yards on 7 plays in 4:21 for a Jarvis Landry end-around TOUCHDOWN of 22 yards and a 7 - 0 lead.
The Titans fought back with a 10 play, 61 yard drive in 5:11 of their own that resulted in a field goal of 37 yards to pull within four points at 7 - 3. Miami returned the favor 5:22 later with a 10 play, 68 yard drive and Dolphins 30 yard field goal to end the first quarter with a 10 - 3 lead.
In four games plus one quarter, The Miami Dolphins Defense had accrued just one (opening day) quarterback sack on the season, but that was about to drastically change. On the Titans next drive which started at their own 20, in 3 plays with the aid of an unnecessary roughness penalty quickly moved to the Dolphins 41 yard line. On a 2nd down with 5 yards to go, a hindered by a hamstring injury till this day Cameron Wake notched his first sack of the season. Miami had stopped the following 3rd down play though a bogus roughing the passer penalty gave the Titans a first down at Miami's 33. Two plays later on a 3rd & 5, Wake sacked the opposing quarterback for a second time on the drive and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Dolphins Jelani Jenkins while the referee's suggested that it was an incomplete pass. Miami's new Head Coach threw the first red flag of his career and won the challenge that returned possession to the Dolphins at their own 27 yard line.
On the third play from the Dolphins 49, a Ryan Tannehill pass that glanced off the hands of tight end Jordan Cameron resulted in an interception and return to Miami's 29 yard line. On the fourth play of the Titans ensuing possession, Cameron Wake engulfed the Tennessee Quarterback for the third time on the day while forcing yet another fumble that was recovered and returned 31 yards to the Titans 34 by Jamar Taylor . Seven plays later Dolphin running back Lamar Miller scored his first TOUCHDOWN of the year from seven yards out for a Miami scoreboard lead of 17 - 3.
With 5:07 first half minutes remaining the Titans marched down to the Miami 31 yard line in 3 minutes on seven plays. On the eighth play Olivier Vernon gathered his first sack of the season of minus 12 yards (Miami's fourth sack of the day) that pushed Tennessee out of field goal range at the 2 minute warning, and forced a Titans punt two plays later.
Upon Dan Campbell's first interview as Miami's head coach, he suggested that the Dolphins will no-longer be conservative from either side of the ball. (If he hadn't already). He proved as much with a 17 point lead and 1:40 to go in the first half from his own 6 yard line as the Dolphins drove 62 yards in 10 plays to the Titans 32 before a miscommunication between Tannehill and Cameron resulted in an interception with 23 first half seconds to go. On Tennessee's second play, Cam Wake ended the half with his fourth sack of the day and season as Miami went to the tunnel with a fourteen point lead at 17 - 3.
Early in the second quarter (21 minutes into the game), The Miami Dolphins had accrued 181 yards of offense. By halftime they had mounted 275 total offensive yards with 144 coming via the ground attack and 100 of that coming from Lamar Miller while the defense accumulated five sacks and two fumble recoveries in allowing just 3 Titan points as Tennessee fans booed their home team off the field.
Upon Tennessee's opening second half drive of 32 yards on 6 plays, the Dolphins linebackers Jelani Jenkins (-5), and Koa Misi (-9) notched-up two TFL's (tackles for loss) in a 3 play span to force a Titans punt. Miami followed with a stalled five play possession of 19 yards, and Tennessee fair caught the punt at their own 13 yard line. On the 5th play of a 14 yard possession Miami's star safety Rashad Jones intercepted the Titans star quarterback which he returned To'Da'House with an end zone full-gainer with a half twist dive for a Pik-Six TOUCHDOWN and 24 - 3 Dolphin scoreboard advantage.
After exchanging three and outs, with 2:14 remaining on the third quarter clock the Titans took the ball from their own 48 and into the Miami end zone in five plays to pull within 14 at 24 - 10 as the third quarter ended.
Miami followed with their second consecutive three and out (for zero yards) from their own 22 yard line, and things started to get a bit sketchy as the Titans returned the punt along with a Miami penalty to the Dolphins 37. "Started to get a bit sketchy", but on the Titans first play, a pass to the end zone was brilliantly intercepted by the one and only Brent Grimes.
The Dolphins after dominating throughout quickly realized how close they came to letting the Titans back into the game, and threw a second can of Campbell's Soup (Special Whoop-Ass Blend) onto the burner.
From their own 3 yard line on first and ten, Tannehill threw a 38 yard dart down the sidelines to Kenny Stills, followed by a 24 yard pass to Rishard Matthews, and a 13 yard pass to Jarvis Landry to the Titans 22. A holding penalty on the next play pushed them back to the 32. On first and 20 from the 32, Tannehill hit for 12 yards the newly re-acquired running back Jonas Gray who followed that with 3 successive runs of 7, 6, and 5 yards to the Tennessee 2 yard line. On second and Goal To Go, (another key ingredient) to everything that Miami wants to do on offense made his first significant play since being injured and off the active roster since the first quarter of week one. With half of the 4th quarter ticks to go Ryan Tannehill hit the wide-open Tight End Dion Sims for a TOUCHDOWN and 31 - 10 visitors advantage.
At this point Tennessee was in four down territory no-matter where they might be on the field, and followed the Miami touchdown with a five and out on downs for 21 yards. The Dolphins took over possession at the Titans 47 yard line, and didn't take their foot off the gas as they went that same 47 yards on 7 plays. Tannehill hits Jordan Cameron for 12 yards and "Another Miami Dolphins TOUCHDOWN" for a 38 - 10 VICTORY!
When all was said and done.
Miami's defense had sacked Marcus Mariota six times (four via Cam Wake which included two forced fumbles) recovered by (Jelani Jenkins and Jamar Taylor), and picked him off twice with one via (Brent Grimes) and the other (Rashad Jones) being for a Pik-Six To'Da'House .
Ryan Tannehill (with the return of Left tackle Brandon Albert and Tight End Dion Sims) was sacked just twice, and had two interceptions of not entirely (if at all) his fault. The Dolphins had no other turnovers.
Tannehill went 22 of 29 for 266 yards with two touchdown passes while Mariota went 21 of 33 for 219 yards with one touchdown pass.
Lamar Miller rushed for 113 yards on 19 game attempts (with 100 yards in the first half) and a touchdown, while others shared the second halves remaining 13 attempts. Rishard Matthews led through the air with six catches for 85 yards, Kenny Stills had the long reception of the day for 38 yards from Miami's own 3 yard line while Tight Ends Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims scored touchdowns.
The Dolphins accrued 434 total net offensive yards with 180 coming via the ground attack on 32 attempts (20 more opportunities on average than they had been offering). The Titans gathered 299 total yards with just 63 coming on the ground (100 fewer on average than Miami's defense had been allowing over the season's first four games). Ndamukong Suh caused pressure all day, and deflected two passes at the line of scrimmage. Miami held possession for nearly four minutes longer than Tennessee.
Here's to Dan Campbell, his new staff, and the real MIAMI DOLPHINS!
Thank You and CONGRATULATIONS!
THANK YOU for an open-minded read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS!!!
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