Thoughts on the Dolphins Bills Round Two

Happy New Year everyone! Since yesterday's game was more about evaluating younger players than actually winning, I didn't think I'd have much to write about until...well, you know....the major last-minute comeback and the massive brawl. I think Landry summed up our season pretty well by fighting hard for the end zone, making a great play and then taking a stupid, game-altering penalty that might get him an extra game off next season. As usual, his emotions spilled over as he got in a defenders face and threw a push/punch (it wasn't quite either one) to sap any chances we had of winning.

In that brawl, it's a shame the refs didn't take more time watching video because they would have seen Drake tackled to the ground and choked. Throwing a helmet (especially another players) will always get the ejection, but the guy was thrown to the ground, punched on and choked by a player almost three times his size...I think that's the one time grabbing the facemask should be encouraged. Even so, I'm guessing he gets additional time off and it's 100% Landry's fault.

And that makes me wonder, is that a guy we really want to give top 10 WR money to? David Fales and the offense was having a pretty good game despite all the stupid pre-snap penalties and with six minutes left, it was certainly anyone's game. Yet on our final drive without our three best weapons on the field (RT, Landry, Drake), I think you're asking a little much of a rookie QB in his first ever start. It was Landry that put us in that situation and I think that changes everything in contract negotiations this week.

Let's talk about Fales though- I LOVED that he started with the 2nd series. I think that signals where Gase was figuring out whether or not we needed to draft a QB next season and our desire to move on from Cutler and Moore. Fales was sharp in the pocket, threw crisp passes and seemed to excel with the read option...I really liked everything I saw on his end. I did notice, however, that two of his passes went to where a player was supposed to be (one was picked off at the end there) and I can't help but wonder who screwed up. The early pass looked like it was on Grant, the pick though...who knows? There wasn't a Dolphin even in the general area.

So I have to ask myself- did Fales look better yesterday than Cutler this season? It's hard to compare one game to 10+ but I think the answer is yes. He did a lot of things well, had some great escapes and found his poise fast enough to complete a pass, and I'd feel good about him as the QB2 moving into next year. I just wish we saw the guy 2-3 weeks earlier so we had more to evaluate.

Also, a lot of you have been screaming about Kiko this season and I saw a decent bit I didn't like yesterday- is Kiko a dirty player? He appeared to have several hits just a second too late including two shoulders to a guy that's already tackled on the ground. He seemed to be out of position quite a bit. I thought Timmons and Chase Allen looked solid though.

Another thing- it felt like the flags just couldn't go our way yesterday...how many times can one team shoot themselves in the foot? I don't think Buffalo had a penalty until late in the 2nd quarter and we already had 6-7 flags at that point. Whether it was killing our drives or extending drives for Buffalo, that was really the difference in the entire game.

At this point, I'd say that doesn't ONLY fall onto the players...the section coaches carry a good bit of responsibility there as well. I could understand if most of our flags were like the one where Drake ran up to tell Fales he called the wrong number for the MIKE, then Fales snaps the ball before Drake gets reset...that was on an inexperienced QB who doesn't have eyes in the back of his head. But all the other stupid flags....DL jumping offsides or lining up in the neutral zone...we had a habit of extending other teams scoring drives all year long. It has to stop in 2018 and that's going to take Gase cracking some skulls in coaches meetings.

Overall though, the Dolphins season was one heartbreak after another and I think it's because even without Tannehill, we had enough talent to be back in the playoffs this season. We see the weapons on offense and it makes no sense why we're not scoring at will, even with a young QB making his first start. The same goes for defense- it's maddening to see us shut a team down three plays...only to take a stupid penalty away from the ball that grants a first down. Yet that stuff kept happening...we saw the potential and then it was wasted. It's very frustrating but at the same time, I think we still have a really, really good team that's not too far off from being a contender.

My other key takeaway from this final game- we started a lot of young guys yesterday and it was still a fairly competitive game. I still think we win that one if it wasn't for Landry and Drake being ejected...which is why I talked about it so much at the start. As much as I love Landry for what he can do on the field (one-handed catches, breaking tackles, making folks miss, etc.), I don't know if we're a better team with him or without him. Sometimes he almost feels like a crutch more than anything. He's thrown 4-5 punches too many for us to say, "It was just a heat of the moment thing"...that excuse has long passed being valid.

Plain and simple, Landry lost it because someone ran their mouth and he had to shut them up. The guy has to realize that you do that by winning the ballgame...not by crippling your team with childish tantrums. If he's not mature enough to control himself in the moment with the game on the line, then I really don't know if I want him back at all.

One final note- as much as I wanted us to beat Buffalo, I have to say that I was happy we lost within 5 minutes of the game ending and watching Cinci topple Baltimore. You'd think I'd never root for the East but good gosh, I think I hate Baltimore more than any team except New England. I am much happier with the Bills in the playoffs over them.