Primetime Dud(s)

Well Dolfans, we found out last night that the Dolphins are halfway to being done with the 2017 season.  I know the team is 4-5 and is still “alive” in the AFC Wild-Card race.  They’re not going to earn one of those spots.  Not with two games against the Patriots, a road trip to Arrowhead and another roadie in Buffalo left on the slate.  Regrettably, one of the games against New England is on Monday Night Football, so we all have to suffer through Jon Gruden ripping Miami again; deservedly so this year.

I won’t delve into last night’s performance.  It was pretty disgraceful other than the TD drive Miami had in the first half and Kenyan Drake’s long TD run.  Cutler had a horrible INT, the offense played like its usual self and to top it off, the defense finally fully imploded.

For me, and very likely for the Dolphins, 2017 is done.  You can stick a fork in the season.  Sadly, at this stage of my Dolfan-dom, it’s almost a relief.  Not having the team tease me by hanging around to the point where I’m scoreboard watching every week is fine.  I know where Miami stands.  I think now it’s just a matter of figuring out what work, and believe me the amount is considerable, Miami has to do this offseason.  I think it’s pretty clear you can get rid of the following players for performance and/or contractual reasons:

QB Jay Cutler – I never thought I’d miss Ryan Tannehill as much as I do, and I’m a Tannehill fan.
TE Julius Thomas – Putrid season.  He, more so than any other player, I’m ready to be rid of.
G Jermon Bushrod – It’s time to retire.  It’s unfortunate for Miami he decided to give it one more go this year.
C Mike Poncey – Contrary to popular belief, he’s been downright awful in all but the Chargers and Falcons games this year.
CB Byron Maxwell – Oh, wait, he’s already gone.
CB Xavien Howard – Not necessarily to get rid of, but you need to have better play from your CB than what he’s put out.

I also think Miami needs to take a hard look at several players who aren’t living up to the contracts they’ve received recently:

WR Kenny Stills – He’s disappeared this year, though I do think he’d be more efficient if Tannehill were playing.
DE Andre Branch – Invisible since the Titans game.
LB Kiko Alonso – I think you have start to wonder if there’s something physically wrong with him.  He shouldn’t be a 3-down LB.  He’s been dismal since the Baltimore game after playing inspired football through the Atlanta game.

There’s also guys like Damien Williams, whom Gase loves, that isn’t really effective in his role.  Ted Larsen looked overmatched coming off an an injury.  T.J. McDonald was pretty damn bad out there, save for the near INT, and I’m not just saying that.  He let up several passes in coverage, filled the incorrect gap on a long Panthers run and missed several tackles.  Yet, he’s merited a 4 year extension while guys like Jarvis Landry and Ja’Wuan James haven’t…something doesn’t quite add up there.

This reminds me of 2010, when Tony Sparano had to have a long cup of coffee and made the change from Chad Henne back to Chad Pennington.  As it relates to Adam Gase and the coaching staff, and, even to the front office, they need to look themselves in the mirror and admit they’re not very good at self-evaluation and self-scouting.  Gase especially.  They need to have long, hard conversations about guys like Pouncey and Branch.  It should be painfully obvious that Julius Thomas is a shell of his former self.  It should be painfully obvious Miami need a true #1 RB.  No, Kenyan Drake is not that guy – he’s too frail.  See his injury history at Alabama for reference.

Miami’s played poor complementary football this season, all throughout the season, and that needs to change.  That starts with the moves Miami has to make this offseason.  Again, 2017 is finished in my book.  But I think those evaluations need to start now down the stretch.

I think Miami probably bounces back and beats Tampa Bay.  I think they can probably get Denver, and maybe Buffalo at home.  But I don’t think another 2 or 3 wins is going to prove fruitful at this point.  It is what it is.  Hopefully Miami is able to remove some of the rotting parts from within as we move into 2018.