Week 8 Game Thread
- Thread starter DanoooME
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Dolphins this season will be only the third team in NFL history to have a greater than .500 record since 1920 after team's 1st 7 games, despite being shutout in the 1st half of 3+ of those 7. The others are the 1968 Broncos (5-9 finish) and the 1989 Eagles (11-5, playoffs, lost in WC, 8th in Total DVOA).
I swear the Dolphins have been outscored about 150- 10 on National TV over the last few years...or at least that’s what it seems like.
Did you not hear Dionne in the pregame? The Dolphins have scored more point per game when he starts, so obviously that proves he is reallt good. Well after you factor in tonight, that will drop, but sound logic.
Only the 3rd time this century (6th from 1987-present) a team has gotten a shutout, scored 40+, and Vegas OU hits the over, joining the 2014 Rams and 2002 Chiefs.
Rallycat for MVP! By far the best part of tonight, nicely unexpected, good last second turn on a dime. Thing ran like a dang kangaroo.
There's a lot I don't know about football - like why the Ravens didn't do exactly the same thing against CHI. There must be some schematic reason that is beyond me. I don't know how people bet the NFL.
edit: MIA over their last 17 games are 13-2 against the rest of the NFL and 0-2 against BAL being outscored 76-6. What a crazy league!
edit: MIA over their last 17 games are 13-2 against the rest of the NFL and 0-2 against BAL being outscored 76-6. What a crazy league!
Got all four feet inbounds too. Best runner on Miami's side and yet the Dolphins kept it on the sideline.
Another barn burner of a game, what a product the NFL displays week to week.
During this current Patriots 17 year run, Miami has been to the playoffs a whopping three times, going 0-3 and being outscored 66-24.
The only threat they pose is to themselves.
During this current Patriots 17 year run, Miami has been to the playoffs a whopping three times, going 0-3 and being outscored 66-24.
The only threat they pose is to themselves.
The more I watch the play, the more I think that both Flacco and Alonso were at fault. That slide was late, and Alonso was already committed to stopping Flacco. But at the same time, IMO Alonso definitely could have lessened up on the hit. Contact was probably unavoidable, but it didn't have to be that forceful.
Also, the Dolphins and Matt Moore are who we thought they were.
Also, the Dolphins and Matt Moore are who we thought they were.
That stat looked off to me so I checked. I totally forgot about the Dolphins 9 of 10 win stretch last year. 10-6 last year? Forgot about that too.
I get that Alonso was already committed. But we ask players not to follow through on such hits all of the time. (The NFL rule covering QBs is more than 30 years old.) By and large, NFL defenders have been trained to adjust when they see a QB starting a slide, which is the moment when the rule kicks in.
Here's a picture of the moment when Flacco began his slide.
Alonso is 4+ yards away. Importantly, Alonso is running normally with a low center of gravity, but he has not yet changed his body position for the hit.
Immediately after this picture and in response to Flacco giving himself up, Alonso made the decision to lower his shoulder and launch himself at Flacco. I get that it may have been instinct, but it's an incredibly dangerous, dirty play.
Edit: To insert image. Also, I feel dirty for defending Joe Flacco.
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Lost in this is Suh, who got two personal fouls and grabbed Mallett by the throat, well after the game was decided (as if that should matter). He is more deserving of a suspension than Alonso.
Some things don't change. Suh is one. Ravens as a bad matchup for Miami another.
Some things don't change. Suh is one. Ravens as a bad matchup for Miami another.
Using stills as proof of anything within that play is ridiculous.
A linebacker sprinting is covering 4 yards in about half a second.
I don’t even think he took more than a step in that time frame before completly selling out and launching his body to protect the first down line.
I realize that play may still constitute a penalty regardless of those circumstances and intent...but watching it, I still think it as much (if not more) representative of a Defensive player hyper-aware of down and distance, doing his job, and a QB doing the opposite of what you’d expect, than it being intentionally dirty.
A linebacker sprinting is covering 4 yards in about half a second.
I don’t even think he took more than a step in that time frame before completly selling out and launching his body to protect the first down line.
I realize that play may still constitute a penalty regardless of those circumstances and intent...but watching it, I still think it as much (if not more) representative of a Defensive player hyper-aware of down and distance, doing his job, and a QB doing the opposite of what you’d expect, than it being intentionally dirty.
"When a guy slides, the target is very small. I just think it [Flacco's slide] was a second late, which is why I hit him, to be honest with you, "the linebacker explained, via ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley. "At first I was anticipating I thought he was going to slide. And then it got to a point where I was like, 'I got to him,' because he slid too late."
That reads to me like "I thought he was late sliding so I tried to get a good shot in" which lines up with what I see in the video, Alonso making no attempt to avoid Flacco and, if anything, trying to give him a forearm shot. Maybe it wasnt intentionally dirty in that Alonso wasnt thinking he was going to headshot Flacco, but it was pretty reckless and what player safety rules are trying to deter. Alonso should sit at least a week.
That reads to me like "I thought he was late sliding so I tried to get a good shot in" which lines up with what I see in the video, Alonso making no attempt to avoid Flacco and, if anything, trying to give him a forearm shot. Maybe it wasnt intentionally dirty in that Alonso wasnt thinking he was going to headshot Flacco, but it was pretty reckless and what player safety rules are trying to deter. Alonso should sit at least a week.
It also shows a complete misunderstanding of the rules. When a QB slides, the target isn't small - it's non-existent. If he thinks the QB is going to slide, he should be pulling up, not figuring out how to hit a small target.
Also, none of this explains why Alonso lead with his shoulder and his forearm to Flacco's head.
We've all seen people jump over sliding QBs. Alonso didn't even try to hold up.
Yeah I agree with this. Contrast it to the Matt Ryan scramble in the 4th quarter against the Pats. Ryan never ended up even sliding, but McCourty just tackled him as opposed to trying to hurt him.
As is often the case, if the league was serious about protecting players, they would re-write the rule so that the intent wouldn't matter. All of this discussion would then be moot.
If Alonso has put himself into a position where he can't avoid making brutal contact with Flacco's head (I disagree, but whatever), he is at fault for being reckless. If that means some running QBs can scramble better because defenses are a little more wary about tackling them, who cares?
Even if the league doesn't give a shit about player safety in general they should protect the QBs (even the non-elite ones) because there aren't that many that can play at an average level and the sport becomes borderline unwatchable with someone like Mallett or Moore playing.
If Alonso has put himself into a position where he can't avoid making brutal contact with Flacco's head (I disagree, but whatever), he is at fault for being reckless. If that means some running QBs can scramble better because defenses are a little more wary about tackling them, who cares?
Even if the league doesn't give a shit about player safety in general they should protect the QBs (even the non-elite ones) because there aren't that many that can play at an average level and the sport becomes borderline unwatchable with someone like Mallett or Moore playing.
Or one could argue that if the League were really serious about protecting QBs, it would mandate that they cannot run beyond the line of scrimmage. Illegal forward run.
And if that means legsy QBs are factored out of the game, who cares?
And if that means legsy QBs are factored out of the game, who cares?
Benjamin Watson’s indictment of Teflon Suh:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/10/27/benjamin-watson-ndamukong-suh-has-crossed-the-line-since-hes-been-in-the-league/
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/10/27/benjamin-watson-ndamukong-suh-has-crossed-the-line-since-hes-been-in-the-league/
Halfway through the second quarter, 6-3 Cleveland over Minnesota. No posts on SoSH, but at least it's not 28 to 0, like all the other London games.
4th and 4 on the 39 of Cleveland. Minnesota punts. Man, I hate NFL coaches, that is just so weak. They gained a total of 27 yards of field position with that move.
Most of the posts about this game are over here, where our valiant Survivor warriors are fretting over their decision to stake everything on the Vikings:
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/sosh-survivor-week-8-discussion.21331/page-5#post-2518615
That makes more sense - kiddos sick and I just managed to sit down to watch the Pats in relative peace...
