We are 3-3 2 losses in the conference, we can make up the Bills one by beating them at home later in the year, Ravens now have an edge on us for a Wildcard. Team is healthy, finally, we only are lacking Daniel Ellerbe of our starters They made a move to fix our closest problem, the offensive line allowing Tannehill to get hit and turn the ball over by adding Bryant Mckinnie and moving Jon Martin back to RT were he was decent in 2012. Downside is we also face our toughest game, Patriots at home, in the short term or prospects do not look good for winning that one. If Chris Clemons can catch and interception, and Ryan Tannehill can throw 3 Td's and Dion Jordan is who they thought he was as a player, things are not bleakness. We've lost two games by FG's, games in which we also missed FG's, so objectively aside from the Saints it is not as if we are getting blown out. I normally hate that argument b/c it means you did not win, however this is being Objective not Emotional.
The Pats are as vulnerable as they have ever been under Bellichek and Brady. This isn't a game we have no chance in and there is either equal or more pressure on them at this point. We simply can't allow them to convert 3rd downs with the ease that we did the Bills. 47 plus percent is ridiculous. Missing Ellerbe is big, but Wake hasn't been the same player since the injury. He is almost a non factor at this point. We need more from OV and Jordan. Also, Sherman has to stop being so predictable on Offense.
its buffalo on the road and the patriots on the road, we lose the close ones, thats what we do more often than not
Next 3 games: Patriots Bengals Bucs TBH, I think we are a better road team, think the opponent's crowd gets us fired up, think our home stadium is just to quite to really feed off of the energy. Crowd had some life Sunday, which was a good sign, Pats and Bengals though, are more than likely playoff teams, we always play Cinci well, and TB is a basket case this year. Say 2-1 for a 6-4 record 4 inner AFC losses though.
We are not a bad team at all. I think this is the best receiving unit we've had in YEARS. Clay has emerged. Tannehill looks better to me than a year ago. The defensive line is outstanding. The secondary and linebackers are good enough. The problem is a bad offensive line, inability to run the ball, and an inexperienced QB. Those 3 things together equal trouble, but to say that we need to "blow it all up" is laughable and dumb. We are not far off, we just need to protect the ball and stick with a balanced attack.
If you look at your listed problems, it boils down to "offensive line play" Injecting McKinnie into the situation can only offer more stability and moving Martin helps the situation as well as he is a better RT. This is why I was so pissed at Clabo, basically his poor play was costing us a season ala Colombo in 2011, unlike 2011 though, they made a move. Do expect some turbulence with McKinnie, things like false starts as the offense is new to him, still beats Tannehill being crushed and our Rb's running to darkness play after play. Third ingredient is Dpate suggested they switch up blocking scheme to more man on man, like they did last yr, IF Philbin has the guts to make such a inseason switch we can make a run.
Beating New England in Foxburrough would be epic... Will Sherman inch closer to becoming the stapler guy from Office Space? Will the O-line inch closer to becoming five slices of swiss cheese? Will CK's ridiculously good articles vault BleacherReport into the nucleus of the blogosphere?
No excuses, there are issues with this team, and I don't think it's all talent related, you don't lose to that Qb, at home unless there are issues.
Definitely. Which is why it was so hard to swallow that loss. Especially after issues we've seen collectively as fans, rear it's ugly head and cost us a very winnable game. No excuse.
" fast start...fast start.. Fast start my ***. Head coach/QB...if you can't motivate your team to come out like a crazed dog, then you better go back to Pennington and get some more advice..
You allow 50% freakin percent 3 down conversion by Thad Lewis.. Shooooot, Clabo wouldn't be the only one benched.. Jamar Taylor, will Davis, welcome to the show...Carroll and Wilson, back to the bench.. Somebody is going to the bench for Dion Jordan...when you lose three in a row, you don't rely in the guys that got you that.. The Misi at middle linebacker Dion at outside should be practicing this week..it's about getting your freakin best players on the field...
If the 50% 3rd down efficiency wasn't alarming enough, it's the distance they've covered that's truly disgusting. 3rd and 17 pinned deep in their own territory with a 3rd string qb. With this staff you'd swear a screen pass was a foreign concept to this defense. There was another 3rd and long, if it wasn't for Jelani Jenkings peeling off and making a great play, they would've converted another 3rd and long on a screen pass. It's not only best players not being played with this coaching staff, it seems that with all the talk of execution and accountability preached by this organization, they don't practice it.
Bills were getting very lucky and we had failures in all 3 phases coming off of a bye week. That goes to professionalism and preparation
I feel like I'm watching the dolphins defenses of the early 90s - getting burned on every damn screen pass anybody throws to us.
There's no such thing as "no chance" in the NFL. That being said...Patriots coming off a very tough loss to the Jets. Playing at home. Bill Belichick angry. Gronkowski healthy. It's a tall order.
I dont KNOW, that the Dolphins are approaching this game this way, but...I know I WOULD BE. I see this game as potentially a franchise defining game. Really...if you look back, I cant remember a game where one game, sat so perfectly to either thrust us into a new era, or sink us into has been status for long periods to come. We are 3-3, and the AFC really is up for grabs. We have a team full of young players. I hope they believe THEIR TIME IS NOW. I think this is one of those games where you look back and say...THIS..THIS game is where we defined ourselves. The NE Patriots, in NE. I think if we lose this game, it might end our season for all intents and purposes. But if we can do the unthinkable, if we can play the way we are capable of playing, and gain one and a half inches for every one inch the Patriots gain, then it can define us for years to come. This is what all of us asked for, though isnt it. To be relevant and in the hunt. Here we are. In the hunt. Season on the line. God, I hope they are ready.
Tough task as hell that's for sure. coaches better prepare the players, and better execution this week.
it is and it isn't. Gronk can't do it all and in the offense he kind of has to. Dobson is good for at least 2 big drops a game. Thompkins is capable of big plays but also mistakes as well. Amendola, if he plays, hasn't done jack since week 1. Edelman is solid but not fearsome. Their running game is okay at best. This offense goes 3-and-out now occasionally. Brady throws more picks than usual. It's really odd watching them. They show glimpses of their former selves but i've never seen Brady so frustrated week in and week out. He'd probably murder Dobson on the field if it were legal. If Wake can come alive again, and Jordan and crew can provide some pressure, we stand a good chance actually...
All good points. But over the past decade the Patriots have lost back to back games only 4 times. I'd like to think the fact that they lost last week statistically should really have no bearing over their chances of winning or losing this week. But Bill Belichick seems to just have his team playing mad after a loss. They come out polished. The Patriots have had up and down performances all season long and I expect them to come out swinging this week. I certainly hope to be wrong, but I just don't see Miami having a very good chance playing in New England this week. They would have to play mistake free football, and generate a fierce pass rush. and can we really count on that based on what we've seen? I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, I'm glad you guys feel better about this game than I do. I'd love to be wrong.
There is no legitimate excuse for losing at home after a bye week to a team playing with a taxi squad quarterback and struggling with injuries like Buffalo. The bye week didn't accomplish anything and not counting players healing from injuries it didn't accomplish anything at all. If Mckinnie is coming into replace Martin who will replace Clabo it should have been sooner and not after a bad game after the bye week. Everyone except Ireland and the coaches could see how bad Clabo was except for them evidently. If the offensive line was playing at an acceptable level it might have masked Clabo's bad play a little bit but the whole line hasn't been very good. You could say it was a big improvement with only two sacks against Buffalo but it wasn't really, not yet at least. New England should be a good test.
Not the way I see it, Philbin prepared for this game as if his players were professionals, which makes it a failure on both parties behalf. Take say...the Don Jones play, that is ST coaching 092, no way he did not know that, yet the whistle blows and there he is making a mistake a HS footballer would rarely make.
I think we need to remind ourselves that we played horrible for around half of the game...yet we pretty much came back and won (stolen at the last moment). This wasn't us at our best, I do not have any explanations for the pick 6 or o-line sucking as usual but... look how fast we took the lead....nothing to shake a stick at, at all. We took the defending champs to a neck-and-neck thriller. So far, NO was our only "garbage" game. They rest have their ups and downs but we all competitive, close losses.
Just an update on our situation: Wake was limited in practice, he's still not 100% Ellerbe was limited in practice..which is actually good news, no one knew anything about his status Jon Martin practiced at BOTH LT and RT McKennie got reps at LT today All in all, really about all that could be asked for, especially Ellerbe. Philbin also DID NOT rule out McKennie playing Sunday, mentioned Dimitri Patterson played the first week he was claimed on waivers. Difference is Cb, does not deal with as many variables as a Tackle, line calls, play calls etc
McKinnie is a monster, Pads. This time around we may have the aging giant instead of the Pats with Wilfork. I gotta break outta Jurassic Park here in Hawaii so I can see it for myself. The thought of Mckinnie, Incognito and Pouncey just feels better, along with Martin to solidify the right side. Running could be nasty if we change the blocking on run plays. I think this may work...
Could, not super hopeful this week, Patsies are a wounded T-Rex with a home game in the Division and we have unknowns, to me that equals probable Pats win. Team could rally, if fans can see they played their worst game, the players know it even more.
C'mon Padre, you can't tell me you won't smile just a lil when you see that Loch Ness monster on the line...if I had my way, all our linemen would be 350+ and 6'6" or over.
JJ tried that with poor results, will be happy when McKinnie is playing, he is under the same standard as Clabo though...there are huge differences between sacks or negative plays in the 4th qtr compared to the first 3 Qtrs. Football is situational, rarely is a team out of a game in the 4th qtr, when it counts. This is why bulk stats to me are not very useful save for spotting trends etc.
3-4 w/ 3 AFC losses, upside is McKinnie performed well, and Martin was passable at RT Miller got 100 yds as well Downside is Brandon Gibson is done for the year, we have to see what Matthews ( and imo, Thigpen) have in replacing him. Egnew sighting, he has turned himself around and is now such a good blocker they are using at Fb on occasion Cinci Thursday, basically it's our playoff lives on the line
And well now, that we've beaten Cinci, as tbh I thought we'd end up doing, today's sitrep: This was a massive win as it gives us an edge against Baltimore and Pitt and the Browns We've also learned that McKinnie, even at a lower level of performance still whips the crap out of what we used to have at LT. Nate Garner is a cypher, plug him in, he'll do fine, think his athletic weaknesses make him vulnerable to proper film study Think, tbh, our team is rather out of shape, which explains much about several things. Things got tough, they were rightfully tired, made something happen, then went away on D in the 3rd Qtr Matthews is a decent player, not Gibson, but decent. Think one of the problems that plague the 2013 Dolphins is Youth, which explains the inconsistency, usually over time that would change, and here is Ireland's flaw: He is entranced with cheaper younger players Think Miller is beginning to feel it and Sherman does not yet realize that D's adjust and how to recognize it. Tampa in what 10 days..another gm we "got", real problem is San Diego meeting our poor tackling. Our D is a bit like the old pro wrestlers who used to climb on the top rope and jump and do things in the air, very flashy, not overall very solid. sort of a Super Fly Jimmy Snuka deal, when it works great, when it comes to fundamentals..3rd and 327 is not a problem
