2018 Dolphins: Back to Gasics

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sodenj5

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Jesus fucking Christmas. I didn’t breathe for about 15 straight minutes. Kenyan Drake fumbling at the 2 foot mark as he breaks the tackle that would have won the game was the most Dolphins thing of all time.

Nagy got conservative in OT. Played for a FG that was at the career long range for Parkey. Drake got a few plays the following drive and was able to redeem himself. Jason Sanders buries it for the W.

Zero sacks. All week we heard that Mack was going to wreck the game. I think Miami’s tackles heard that and answered the bell. Zero sacks with Miami’s backup QB in the game.

The Bears defense was cooked. You could see it. That’s how Wilson broke those big screen plays for TDs. He was just moving at a different tempo than everyone else on the field.

An absolutely gritty, gutty win by a team that was missing it’s top pass rusher, it’s starting CB, and it’s starting QB. Huge, huge win for Miami.
 

pdaj

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The Dolphins defense scores more TD’s than the Bears defense?
This game is winnable. I still think Miami’s defense against Trubisky is a big advantage in Miami’s favor. I think they come down with a few turnovers to generate some easier offense. It might be a low scoring affair, but Miami can win this game.
Ho-hum. Just like we all expected.
I liked Miami going into this one because:

1) Gase and Tannehill have played significantly better at home. Gase tends to call a more aggressive game in Miami, while almost all of Tanny's big games have been at Hard Rock. I think the more uptempo style, combined with the Florida heat, definitely contributes.
2) I haven't been been impressed Trubisky. Like sodenj5 mentioned, I thought Miami would force turnovers and hold Chicago to FG attempts.
3) I thought Miami would have the edge on Special Teams, possibly making a big play (Grant) to make the difference.

Of course, I didn't think Tannehill would miss the game; however, the 1st Half went as I expected. Everything after that? I don't even want to fucking talk about it. All I know is ...

Miami's 4-2.

In the meantime, the Dolphins will continue to get healthier. Miami's young players will continue to get better. And Adam Gase will gradually remove his head from his backside.

If Tannehill's back (and actually healthy) next week, I think the Dolphins head to Houston at 5-2.

Then we'll see what this team, coaching staff is made of.
 
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sodenj5

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Kiko is really good at what he’s good at, and still has his limitations in coverage. When he’s coming downhill and tackling, he’s at his best. When he’s in man coverage on a TE or RB in space, he’s in trouble.

He does seem to always been around the ball and creating turnovers though. Some players just have that knack. He has it.
 

rymflaherty

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Just want to say, I’m done making any predictions with this team: Through 6 weeks this team has continued to surprise me both positively and negatively.

That and what a relief it was to actually win that game after the fumble. That had all the makings of the typical Dolphins heartbreak/embarrassment, so it was great to see the team defy those negative expecatations.
 

rymflaherty

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Since I was only able to follow this game through the app play-by-play and Red Zone cut in’s, could any of you knowledgeable guys speak to if the offensive outburst had anything to do with Brock? Was there anything Brock did (or didn’t do) that was different from if Tannehill was in there as expected?
The highlights pointed to great individual plays from Wilson, great line play and schem, etc. so I wasn’t sure how that all related to the QB play. Because I think a big part of why everyone’s always been frustrated with Tannehill is because he rarely, if ever, has the 350 yd, 30 point game out of nowhere, which seem to happen by accident in today’s NFL. So I’m not sure if there’s any larger themes to draw from the team performing in that manner without him.
 

sodenj5

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Since I was only able to follow this game through the app play-by-play and Red Zone cut in’s, could any of you knowledgeable guys speak to if the offensive outburst had anything to do with Brock? Was there anything Brock did (or didn’t do) that was different from if Tannehill was in there as expected?
The highlights pointed to great individual plays from Wilson, great line play and schem, etc. so I wasn’t sure how that all related to the QB play. Because I think a big part of why everyone’s always been frustrated with Tannehill is because he rarely, if ever, has the 350 yd, 30 point game out of nowhere, which seem to happen by accident in today’s NFL. So I’m not sure if there’s any larger themes to draw from the team performing in that manner without him.
Osweiler was efficient, but what I did notice is he took what the defense gave him. He didn’t force many balls. His INT that nearly went for a pick 6 was a bad play. His other INT was a prayer for Parker deep at the end of the half.

He also seemed to really grasp what was happening pre snap. You could tell this was not his first rodeo and the moment didn’t seem to big for him.

It was more about keeping the offense on schedule and Wilson making a few outstanding individual plays. The Bears defense had zero left in the tank in the fourth quarter.

I don’t think we have a QB controversy by any means, but Brock looked like a completely capable backup QB. If he were to start against Detroit on Sunday, I would feel ok about Miami’s chances to win that game.
 

sodenj5

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I don't know if this guy is just throwing shit at the wall, but this is concerning.

Would certainly seem to align with the timeline of events. Obviously no one knows for sure besides Tannehill, Gase, and the doctors.

A labrum tear is far more serious than an AC joint sprain. It’s something that likely won’t get better as the season progresses. There’s a possibility he may be able to rest and give it a few weeks and see if he has improvement, but if it really is a tear, he would likely need surgery to fix it.

I guess it would ultimately come down to: is there actually a labrum year, how severe is it, and will resting it 2-4 weeks benefit anything or would they be delaying the inevitable?
 

Bad Penny

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Would certainly seem to align with the timeline of events. Obviously no one knows for sure besides Tannehill, Gase, and the doctors.

A labrum tear is far more serious than an AC joint sprain. It’s something that likely won’t get better as the season progresses. There’s a possibility he may be able to rest and give it a few weeks and see if he has improvement, but if it really is a tear, he would likely need surgery to fix it.

I guess it would ultimately come down to: is there actually a labrum year, how severe is it, and will resting it 2-4 weeks benefit anything or would they be delaying the inevitable?
Worst case scenario is it season ending? Career threatening?

RT17 has been a tough SOB. I wonder if all of those big hits and less than great pocket awareness is finally catching up to him.
 

sodenj5

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Worst case scenario is it season ending? Career threatening?

RT17 has been a tough SOB. I wonder if all of those big hits and less than great pocket awareness is finally catching up to him.
Depends on the severity. A minor labrum tear, if it is bad enough, would likely be season ending. A major tear like Andrew Luck, could be career threatening. Reshad Jones is currently playing through a minor labrum tear, but Jones also doesn’t need to throw a ball for a living.

File this in the FWIW category, the reports today suggest Miami and Gase believe the injury is day-to-day, which suggest that if Tannehill rests, he may be able to play in the near future. Current reports suggest it is not a season-threatening injury.
 

johnmd20

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Worst case scenario is it season ending? Career threatening?

RT17 has been a tough SOB. I wonder if all of those big hits and less than great pocket awareness is finally catching up to him.
It's definitely season ending, if true. I feel badly for the guy, what a damn shame.
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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Since I was only able to follow this game through the app play-by-play and Red Zone cut in’s, could any of you knowledgeable guys speak to if the offensive outburst had anything to do with Brock? Was there anything Brock did (or didn’t do) that was different from if Tannehill was in there as expected?
The highlights pointed to great individual plays from Wilson, great line play and schem, etc. so I wasn’t sure how that all related to the QB play. Because I think a big part of why everyone’s always been frustrated with Tannehill is because he rarely, if ever, has the 350 yd, 30 point game out of nowhere, which seem to happen by accident in today’s NFL. So I’m not sure if there’s any larger themes to draw from the team performing in that manner without him.
I believe I heard that something like 280 yards of Osweilers yards came AFTER the catch.
 

dwainw

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The injury situation on this team is bonkers. If they go 5 - 2 next week without Tannehill, it'll be borderline miraculous. I'm not a Brock Osweiler believer after yesterday (is anyone?), in part due to the stat cited by @Kenny F'ing Powers above, and in part because of my eyeballs and those of the Detroit coaching staff who can now game plan accordingly.

As for other injuries, apparently DeVonte Parker was/is dealing with a quad and was extremely limited, but needed to remain active because Grant has a shoulder problem that could potentially have left them with 3 WR without Parker. Similar situation at DE where, with the absence of Wake and Charles Harris, they ended the game with only 3 after Woodard went down. One of those 3 was Andre Branch who was nursing a knee.

One last thing, from the Miami Herald's next-day coverage:
Laremy Tunsil and Ja’Wuan James were excellent on Sunday, so much so that PFF said Sunday was Khalil Mack’s lowest-graded game of his career (47.8).

PFF said “both tackles (Tunsil and James) deserve a ton of credit for their efforts against the All-Pro, as Mack rushed the passer 17 times from the left side and 12 times from the right side. Mack was only able to generate one quarterback pressure on the day - he had racked up at least four in every other game this season.”
Damn.

So besides being an insane game yesterday, it was a damn gritty win.
 

pdaj

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The media made a big deal about the Patriots being without Trey Flowers and Patrick Chung earlier in the season, and a similar emphasis was made this week with the Chiefs facing New England without Justin Houston and Eric Berry. But consider the injury situation for Miami:

Out for the year: All-Pro LG (Sitton), Starting C (Kilgore), Starting TE (Gray), Top DE run-defender (Hayes)
Has missed multiple weeks: All-Pro FS (Jones), All-Pro DE (Wake), CB #2 (McCain), WR #1 (Parker), New TE #1 (Derby), DE #2 (Branch), ILB #2 (Allen)
Missed last week and might be out longer: QB #1 (Tannehill), DE #2/3 (Harris)

Meanwhile, LT #1 (Tunsil) left last week's game with a concussion, upon which Miami's 14-point lead was immediately surrendered via offensive turnovers. (Yes, there was a lot of defensive pressure from that left side.)

I think it's safe to say the Dolphins have been a bit snake-bitten, and that a 4-2 start under the circumstances, is quite an accomplishment for this team and coaching staff. A bit under the radar has been the younger players that were lined up/added to fill in and replace those who have been injured, including DE Woodard (has played well; left this Sunday's game with a concussion), DE Malveaux (has held own in limited snaps), C Swanson (very solid), and TE O'Leary (Sunday contributor). Though, most importantly, Miami's recent draftees have stepped up and played well, for the most part. Godchaux, Taylor, Raekwon, Baker, Minkah, Howard make up an impressive group defensively to build with going forward. And, of course, veterans Reshad Jones, T,J. McDonald, and Kiko Alonso have made quite a number of big, game-altering plays thus far this season.

Speaking of Alonso, you sort of have to take the good with the bad. Well-coached teams are going to take advantage of his tendency to over pursue, take bad angles, and play inconsistently in coverage, but he's tough, always plays hard, and can hit with the best of them. When the D-line is playing well, and he's allowed to roam free/untouched, he can be very dangerous. He has quite a playlist of hustle plays; though, on his worst days, he can be seen running around the field like a chicken with it's head cut off.

I know it's only been one week, but I really like the O'Leary signing. He's much more comfortable in the H-back, Wing TE role, a spot Gesicki just isn't capable of filling (successfully) at this point. (Neither is Smythe.) With Derby likely back very soon, the TE room should look more like how Gase envisioned it entering the season. I think this is important considering Gase's desire to run/pass from multiple, diverse looks. 12 personnel has been abysmal with the two rookies on the field.

Kudos to the Miami FO for signing Brock Osweiler. With a salary of $880,000, he stepped in and did exactly what a backup QB is supposed to do -- rally the troops and give the team a chance to win. Brock's clearly comfortable/familiar with Gase's offense, which was demonstrated by his quick decision-making all game long. He made about 3-4 really nice plays, and most of his other throws could be categorized as short/safe. True game-management style, which I have no problem with.

But, as was mentioned above, YAC ruled the day, mostly in the name of Albert Wilson. (This dude's so much better than Jarvis Landry, it's not even funny.) Wilson nearly single-handedly won yesterday's game, turning a couple of traditional 5-10 yard gains into highlight TDs. The Bears defense looked completely gassed the entire 2nd half, as I'm sure the heat played a significant role, per usual.

Regarding Tannehill, he looked pretty relaxed/jovial yesterday on the sidelines; or, in other words, he presented the opposite of what you'd expect for someone supposedly dealing with a season-ending injury. The gentleman in the video posted earlier seems to be making a quite a few assumptions in his diagnosis. An AC joint injury hurts like hell, causes significant shoulder weakness, and can worsen if not rested. I think it's more likely that Tannehill returns whenever the pain goes away and his shoulder strength returns. Gase, today, stated that he's "day to day".

My guess? Best case scenario: Next week. Worst case? He's misses the next 2 games (Det, @Hou) and returns to face the Jets.

Somewhat interesting possibility: Osweiler with a potential "Fuck you!" redemption game in Houston. That would certainly have some entertainment potential.

Key return for next week? Bobby McCain.

Torry McTyer got picked on a ton yesterday, and based on what I saw from Tankersley (only 1 viewing at this point), he's still very much inconsistent. Considering Detroit's passing attack, McCain will be needed -- badly. Let's hope that this is the week he suits back up. I think it will be.

Re: Wake, Rotoworld posted this yesterday:

Dolphins DE Cameron Wake underwent arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee.
The usual recovery for a knee scope is four weeks, but apparently Wake is just a quick healer that he could return for next week's game against the Lions. Wake led Miami with 10.5 sacks last season but only has one through four games this year. Oct 14 - 11:50 AM
Source: ESPN.com
 

sodenj5

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I think that during Gase’s tenure, Miami has tended to err on the side of caution when it comes to injuries. We’ve heard multiple times this year, whether it be Parker or McCain that they look like they’re going to play, only to be held out at the last minute. Tannehill may also fall in this category last week.

Listening to Gase’s presser yesterday, it sounded like Tannehill was a maybe, and they weren’t 100% certain he could make all the throws that he needed to make with the velocity he would need to make them, and they pulled the plug on him. I tip my cap to Tannehill if he made that decision, putting the team in front of himself.

I’m leaning in the same direction as pdaj. I think we see Brock against Detroit at home, and Tannehill may be a coin flip for the Thursday night game. I would prefer they’re overly cautious with him, because both of those games, on paper, are winnable games with Osweiler behind center.
 

rymflaherty

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I believe I heard that something like 280 yards of Osweilers yards came AFTER the catch.
Yeah, I heard that on The Ringer right after typing my post. Figured that stat alone probably answered my question.
Thanks Sodenj5 for the in depth response.
Sounds like Sunday speaks well for Gase and his scheme then, which is good since I can see him outlasting the QB’s on the roster at this point.
 

sodenj5

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Gase confirms that Tannehill is out for the game vs Detroit.

Continues to sound like a week to week situation, but Tannehill took snaps and didn’t throw passes during practice today.

With a full week of snaps and reps at practice, I guess I feel about as good as possible for the game against the Lions considering the circumstances.

Brock looked capable and I would anticipate a similar game plan vs Detroit. Don’t ask him to be a hero. Lean on Gore and Drake. Get the ball out and keep the chains moving.

Again, you have to feel for both Gase and Tannehill. Tannehill for fighting through about 18 months of knee injuries just to get hurt again, and Gase for once again having to go into the breach with a backup QB. At this point the Tannehill to backup ratio in Gase’s tenure has to be close to split now.
 

pdaj

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Again, you have to feel for both Gase and Tannehill. Tannehill for fighting through about 18 months of knee injuries just to get hurt again, and Gase for once again having to go into the breach with a backup QB. At this point the Tannehill to backup ratio in Gase’s tenure has to be close to split now.
I think the possibility is a lot more likely now than it was at the start of the season, but there's a lot of football left to play. If Brock can channel his inner Jay Fielder and help Miami win the next 1-2 games, and Tannehill returns and plays well (i.e. playoffs), all this talk of a split will quiet down. But, if that second part doesn't happen, I think there will be a change.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins find themselves +3 homedogs vs. the Lions tomorrow. Miami's home field advantage continues to be underestimated. The Bears' defense gave up in the 4th quarter (and OT) last week, and I expect a similar result with the Lions. (The weather forecast predicts sunny and hot.) 5-2 headed into a short week on the road vs. the Texans would be pretty sweet, and Brock vs. Houston following back-to-back wins could lead to some entertaining build-up.

Big game, for sure.

Edit: Fixed future schedule.
 
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pdaj

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Well ... let's break this down:

- The rumors of a possible Parker trade have gotten pretty loud.
- Parker's agent says he's healthy and ready to contribute.
- DeVante's inactive for today's game.

Yeah, he's done in Miami.

I know that player-for-player trades are unlikely at this time of the year, but I'd love if Miami could pull off a deal for a CB. As of now, any injury to a starter in the secondary significantly downgrades the Dolphins' defense. The drop from McCain to McTyer/Tank is too steep at the moment.
 

sodenj5

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Well ... let's break this down:

- The rumors of a possible Parker trade have gotten pretty loud.
- Parker's agent says he's healthy and ready to contribute.
- DeVante's inactive for today's game.

Yeah, he's done in Miami.

I know that player-for-player trades are unlikely at this time of the year, but I'd love if Miami could pull off a deal for a CB. As of now, any injury to a starter in the secondary significantly downgrades the Dolphins' defense. The drop from McCain to McTyer/Tank is too steep at the moment.
Yea I have to think they’re holding him out to prevent injury so they can trade him.

The rumor is they’re looking for a third.

His place on the team looked foggy once we saw how the offense functioned. He seemed very much a square peg in a round hole. He needs a downfield, vertical offense.
 

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I enjoy the MIA coaching staff's decision making with their RBs. Drake was terrific down the stretch last year, and he has breakaway ability. So he starts the season a bit slow, and now he's backing up 100 year old Frank Gore, and even in a game where he breaks a big gain and Gore has nothing going... 6 carries.
 

sodenj5

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Things starting to turn sour in Miami.

Defense fell flat. On first and 25, Matt Burke called Cover 2 and Detroit converted en route to a TD. That should be a fireable offense. I’ve seen enough of Burke to know he doesn’t know what the hell hes doing and doesn’t make in-game changes.

Wilson got injured and Miami only dressed 4 WRs, so they literally used Drake as their slot receiver in the 4th quarter. Osweiler again looked competent, however the defense couldn’t make a stop.

In the case of Parker, he and his agent clearly believe he’s being held back by Gase. There are certainly plenty of reasons to doubt Parker, but the decision looks pretty bad in light of the in-game injuries.

With the short week, if a Parker trade were to happen, it would happen fast because he either needs to play or Miami needs to call up Carroo or Ford, because they’re short handed at WR.
 

rymflaherty

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That stat from the tweet isn’t even correct.
They averaged 7.7 yds per attempt and 10.9 yds per catch today. If you limit it to just Wr’s the numbers are even higher.
Not sure if I’m missing something there? But it’s hard to take any of that seriously if the Agent is lying about the thing that’s a fact.

On a personal level, I’d assume have Parker out there over slotting rb’s into the position or resorting to guys like Caroo or Ford, but I don’t blame the team for not really investing in him at this point. It’s a league where lack of availability can make you an afterthought.
 

dwainw

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With Tannehill still out, Albert Wilson likely to go on IR, Stills out for at least the game v. Houston, the deterioration of the Parker situation, and following yesterday's defensive collapse, this team is spiraling downhill quickly. It's exhausting. Thursday night could be a bloodbath.

Thank god for the World Series.
 

sodenj5

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With Tannehill still out, Albert Wilson likely to go on IR, Stills out for at least the game v. Houston, the deterioration of the Parker situation, and following yesterday's defensive collapse, this team is spiraling downhill quickly. It's exhausting. Thursday night could be a bloodbath.

Thank god for the World Series.
Thursday night bloodbath is an annual tradition.
 

sodenj5

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Well that happened.

The defense has regressed in mind boggling fashion. Blown assignments all over the place last night had dudes running wide open for easy TDs. Gase also going for an onside kick in the third quarter after a scoring drive basically sent the message that he had no faith in the defense getting a stop.

I hate to point the finger at one player or players but McDonald was bad and Jones was right behind him in the stinkfest. The TD to Fuller, McDonald. It hard on the over route and ran with Hopkins leaving McCain completely exposed with no safety help over the top. On another play, Jones ran down to cover the RB on a wheel route, again McCain was completely alone on Fuller, and I believe that was the play McCain interfered with Fuller to save the TD.

Horrible defense. For a team that has been missing their QB, two starting WRs, starting guard, and starting center, the offense has bizarrely shown signs of life the last two weeks while the defense has completely fallen apart. If you’re facing the Dolphins, you should run on first and second down every drive until they prove they can stop the run. Because they have been awful against the run.
 

rymflaherty

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Gase also going for an onside kick in the third quarter after a scoring drive basically sent the message that he had no faith in the defense getting a stop.
Onside kick, yet down 15 in the 4th he calls for the FG?!?
I still find that move baffling. I fail to see any logical explanation for that call considering the time and the way the Texans Offense (Miami Defense) was playing. Not scoring a TD in that spot felt like the game was over, be it FG or turnover on downs.
 

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Onside kick, yet down 15 in the 4th he calls for the FG?!?
I still find that move baffling. I fail to see any logical explanation for that call considering the time and the way the Texans Offense (Miami Defense) was playing. Not scoring a TD in that spot felt like the game was over, be it FG or turnover on downs.
Miami still needed two TDs even with the kick being good. It's still a bad decision going from 17 to 14 or 18 to 15 given it was a very makeable fourth down, but going from 15 to 12 is incomprehensibly awful.
 

sodenj5

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Miami still needed two TDs even with the kick being good. It's still a bad decision going from 17 to 14 or 18 to 15 given it was a very makeable fourth down, but going from 15 to 12 is incomprehensibly awful.
The only “thing” it accomplishes is it eliminates the need to convert a two point conversion. However, it’s still the complete wrong call. It’s still a two possession, and two TD game, at that point.

Just another example of poor execution in the moment.
 

Clears Cleaver

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so, where are we? 4-4 but feels like 2-6 given the defense is toast and Tannehill is again hurt. Lose to the Jets and the season is basically over (I mean they aren't making the playoffs anyways - but then would be the clear #3 in the division). they didn't dump players at the deadline and its hard to "tank" in the nfl, especially when you don't even have a developmental QB you can hide behind on the roster. So, play out the string in meaningless games...is there anything as a fan you'd like to see? Players playing more? etc.

edit: the only game where they will be more than 60% likely to win is probably Buffalo. If they lose the Jets game it could fall apart quickly.
vs Jets (50/50?)
at GB (loss)
at Indy (loss)
vs Buffalo (win?)
vs NE (loss)
at Minnesota (loss)
vs Jacksonville (loss)
at Buffalo (loss?)
 
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sodenj5

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so, where are we? 4-4 but feels like 2-6 given the defense is toast and Tannehill is again hurt. Lose to the Jets and the season is basically over (I mean they aren't making the playoffs anyways - but then would be the clear #3 in the division). they didn't dump players at the deadline and its hard to "tank" in the nfl, especially when you don't even have a developmental QB you can hide behind on the roster. So, play out the string in meaningless games...is there anything as a fan you'd like to see? Players playing more? etc.

edit: the only game where they will be more than 60% likely to win is probably Buffalo. If they lose the Jets game it could fall apart quickly.
vs Jets (50/50?)
at GB (loss)
at Indy (loss)
vs Buffalo (win?)
vs NE (loss)
at Minnesota (loss)
vs Jacksonville (loss)
at Buffalo (loss?)
Tough to say. I would say they have a decent shot against the Jets, Colts, Bills, and Bills. If they want to get to 9 wins, they’re going to have to beat GB, NE, Minny, or Jacksonville. They’ve split with NE most years and that game is in Miami, so they have a shot. Just another reason why the Lions loss sucks.

Long term, Miami is looking at a reboot. Gase heatedly defended Tannehill today, but bottom line is he isn’t the long term answer. The 2019 class looks like crap, so everything from this point forward should be moving chess pieces to get a franchise QB in the 2020 draft. Whether that’s trading down in 2019 or trading away future 1sts, they have to be angling for a top pick in 2020 to change the course of this franchise. Free up cap space to build around said QB and go all in in 2021 moving forward.

That’s the blueprint for NFL success now.
 

pdaj

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I've been immersed in work lately, which is a lot easier to do when your team's starting NFL quarterback is injured and missing games, in addition to when other position players are ruled out for the season seemingly every other week. Still, I'll be watching today.

I think 8 or 9 wins is likely. While beating a favored team like NE or Minny is possible, dropping a game to the Bills or Colts isn't so far-fetched, either. Out of everything that's transpired thus far this season, it's the defense's lack of versatility and effectiveness that has been the most disappointing. The Dolphins have sufficient talent on that side of the ball (on the field), but I don't believe Burke is the right guy the lead the unit (off the field). I consider him vastly responsible for the loss to Detroit.

I'm all for moving on from Tannehill at this point, but it doesn't make sense to say so now, especially when a better option has yet to be determined. I still believe Tannehill had/has the talent to be a successful QB, but you need a little luck along the way (environment/circumstances) to see such talent translate to success. The injuries over the last 3 years have certainly been an interfering factor. It's unfortunate.
 
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Cellar-Door

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Gase has given Frank Gore's shambling corpse 7 carries already, for a lovely 18 yards. His beat offensive player.... 0 carries, and 1 swing pass
 

sodenj5

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Ugly win still counts as a win.

Defense played better but the Jets and Darnild are also awful. Offense was abysmal getting nothing going.

Bigger story that people are going to be talking about is Reshad Jones pulling himself from the game. Adam Beasley said it was not injury related. It’s being speculated that he got pulled for freelancing on defense and ultimately decided to not go back in.

This is dicey because Jones is a special player, arguably Miami’s best, and he makes a bunch of plays. However if the coaching staff has stressed play assignment sound in the secondary after being blasted the last few weeks, and he got caught freelancing, they aren’t wrong to discipline him.

Again this is largely speculation as no one seems to have any answers and Jones didn’t speak to the media after the game.
 

Cellar-Door

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Ugly win still counts as a win.

Defense played better but the Jets and Darnild are also awful. Offense was abysmal getting nothing going.

Bigger story that people are going to be talking about is Reshad Jones pulling himself from the game. Adam Beasley said it was not injury related. It’s being speculated that he got pulled for freelancing on defense and ultimately decided to not go back in.

This is dicey because Jones is a special player, arguably Miami’s best, and he makes a bunch of plays. However if the coaching staff has stressed play assignment sound in the secondary after being blasted the last few weeks, and he got caught freelancing, they aren’t wrong to discipline him.

Again this is largely speculation as no one seems to have any answers and Jones didn’t speak to the media after the game.
I legitimately wonder if Gase could get fired even if this team makes the playoffs. From the outside looking in (I think I've seen 6 Dolphins games this year) he seems like a bad head coach. He was brought in for his offense, and the offense is terrible... now he's been getting passes because his QB is hurt, but.... some things are not QB dependent. Giving Frank Gore's corpse 20 carries in a game when probably your best offensive weapon is a RB who got 3 carries is bad. Going to the press conference and saying that you wanted to get your other (better) RB touches, but that the defense covered him well on pass routes is INSANE. HAND HIM THE DAMN BALL! And Jones is the latest in a parade of players that have had issues with the coaching staff. Parker, Landry, Suh, Ajayi.... is it really that every good player Miami gets is a problem child? Or more likely is it that the coach doesn't know how to handle players?

So if you bring in a coach for his offense and the offense is bad, and it certainly doesn't look like the team culture is good.... why would you bring him back next year.
 

tims4wins

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The flip side is the Dolphins have faced quite a bit of adversity in Gase’s 3 years and they seem to be quite resilient. They have bounced back from a lot of tough situations. While Gase has not gotten the offense to produce as expected, they’ve won a lot more games than I would have expected given that.
 

sodenj5

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I legitimately wonder if Gase could get fired even if this team makes the playoffs. From the outside looking in (I think I've seen 6 Dolphins games this year) he seems like a bad head coach. He was brought in for his offense, and the offense is terrible... now he's been getting passes because his QB is hurt, but.... some things are not QB dependent. Giving Frank Gore's corpse 20 carries in a game when probably your best offensive weapon is a RB who got 3 carries is bad. Going to the press conference and saying that you wanted to get your other (better) RB touches, but that the defense covered him well on pass routes is INSANE. HAND HIM THE DAMN BALL! And Jones is the latest in a parade of players that have had issues with the coaching staff. Parker, Landry, Suh, Ajayi.... is it really that every good player Miami gets is a problem child? Or more likely is it that the coach doesn't know how to handle players?

So if you bring in a coach for his offense and the offense is bad, and it certainly doesn't look like the team culture is good.... why would you bring him back next year.
He has also had Brock Osweiler, Jay Cutler, and Matt Moore at QB more than Ryan Tannehill. While he is far from perfect, Miami has had an unreal amount of bad luck in his tenure.
 

Cellar-Door

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He has also had Brock Osweiler, Jay Cutler, and Matt Moore at QB more than Ryan Tannehill. While he is far from perfect, Miami has had an unreal amount of bad luck in his tenure.
Yeah, I noted that. Though Cutler was handpicked by him and Moore and Tannehill don't have a particularly large performance gap over the 2012-2017 period.
 

sodenj5

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Yeah, I noted that. Though Cutler was handpicked by him and Moore and Tannehill don't have a particularly large performance gap over the 2012-2017 period.
I mean “hand picked” as in he was the guy Gase picked over Matt Moore when his starter went down in training camp. I don’t think there was a good answer once Tannehill was lost for the season last year.

I will say that Osweiler has missed dudes that should have been easy TDs the last two weeks. Last week Parker had about two steps on the secondary and Osweiler overthrew him. This week Amendola was wide open down the seam and again Osweiler overthrew him. Miami was also missing both starting tackles at points in this game.

At this point Miami has GB and then a bye. I would hope that after the bye we see Tannehill return.
 

Clears Cleaver

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So why did reshad Jones pull himself from the game? And both tackles are now hurt? Losing four starting o linemen sounds about par for the course
 

sodenj5

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So why did reshad Jones pull himself from the game? And both tackles are now hurt? Losing four starting o linemen sounds about par for the course
Seems both injuries are minor. Tunsil didn’t finish the game but seemed ok afterwards. James left the game and came back in. Tunsil exited shortly after James returned.

No one knows definitively. See post above. Speculated that he didn’t like getting pulled for freelancing and removed himself.
 

Clears Cleaver

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he played only 10 plays, which is crazy (the defense played just under 70 plays), yet the D had 4 INTs and maybe had its best performance of year. The conditions and opponent helped, I guess.
 

sodenj5

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he played only 10 plays, which is crazy (the defense played just under 70 plays), yet the D had 4 INTs and maybe had its best performance of year. The conditions and opponent helped, I guess.

Seems like Reshad has been unhappy in general about the defense. Also seems he was pulled for Minkah at some point in the first quarter. If you watched the game, Miami was trying all sorts of different combinations in the secondary yesterday. Minkah played the boundary, slot and safety. Bobby McCain played the boundary and the slot. Seems like they’re trying different things and trying to see what sticks.

Apparently Reshad was unhappy with the defense and Burke and didn’t like coming out of the game. Gase said today he plans on being more hands on with the defense, as he’s generally let Matt Burke handle that side of the ball and has focused on offense.

To me, this seems like a mark against Burke. His defense imploded the last several weeks and his best player basically quit on him yesterday. Gase is also reeling him in and taking away some of his autonomy.
 

dwainw

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It's a mark against Burke, Gase, the whole coaching staff and at least some players (who are the "leaders" among them? Or rather, where are they?). It's even more disappointing/frustrating than this stretch of injury hell. Despite a near-miraculous 5 - 4 record (thank you, Albert Wilson, and special teams unit!), Gase seems to be on the precipice of losing this team. For the first time (when taking the injury situation into consideration), I'm feeling like anything short of qualifying for the playoffs should put Gase's job in jeopardy. And this team, as it is currently functioning, is not qualifying for the playoffs.
 
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