I have no issues with anything any of our players did. That Bengals player is dirty and you cant let people do that sort of crap to you.
After seeing Flo storm across the field, I now understand why these players play hard and fight for him. I’d go to war for him.
I just read the exact same NFL.com article and came to post it. In a nutshell, it says the league will be handing out fines to everyone involved but they will not suspend anyone for additional games. I can't help but wonder if that's because we're facing the Chiefs this week. There's always been obvious bias in the NFL (like the Pats getting games changed over a few sick players, but Denver had to play without a QB at all). Could those powers that be finally see the Dolphins as one of their "special" teams? Because Devante Parker definitely deserved some additional time off, LOL.
After that clear demonstration of team unity yesterday, Stephen Ross needs to tell ever Dolphin who is fined, "Don't worry...I'll reimburse each and every one of you at season's end".
I dont agree Parker deserves extra time off. He got smashed in the face before he threw his punch. It was the logical reaction to what was going on. I dont think you should punish a player further for what basically amounts to defending themself.
Hitting the guy who hit him? I agree. Knocking out a coach standing beside that player? That's where you lose me...you just can't do that as a professional. Side note- I've been in my fair share of brawls on the football field. With the helmet on, you don't feel punches...I mean, you feel them, but they don't hurt the guy getting hit. However, for whatever reason you instantly feel rage just the same. So I completely get throwing punches back, but Parker lost it for a moment there and tee'd off on a coach who wasn't involved. Once he realized it, he threw his arms in the air and quickly retreated...he knew he messed up badly. So I completely get it, the instant anger and the overwhelming control it takes to not throw punches back. But it's what players have to do in the NFL since they'll get caught 100% of the time after the fact. LOL, you simply can't knock out coaches and get away with it. Side note #2- I GUARANTEE YOU that they're celebrating that moment while watching film this morning...the coaches are thrilled that he did what he did. But they'll never say that out loud outside of film study. It's just one of those things that you don't practice what you preach as a football coach.
Of course it is...do it under the table. Say perhaps an unlimited 3 year Shula's Steakhouse gift cards in their Christmas stockings
I think the fact that he hit a coach is definitely something that is a factor. At the end of the day though it was sort of collateral damage to the intent. I'm not sure he was intentionally hitting the coach and in my mind at least intent counts for something. I was actually worried about Flores being suspended a game more than anything lol the NFL tends to be pretty hard on coaches in some cases, so while his actions were nothing terrible I was worried about the NFL sending a message not to escalate things.
What made me mad was #80- he was smiling and laughing on the sideline right after it happened and again after the brawl. If the refs had ejected him for that hit immediately, maybe the brawl doesn't happen. Make no mistake though, those sequence of events happened because Miami completely shut down Cinci's offense in the 2nd half. They had negative yards for the half going into that final drive, so I completely understand their frustration. We embarrassed the Bengals yesterday and the only thing left to do was fight back outside the rules. If THAT DEFENSE shows up against the Chiefs next week, I'm not sure we lose that game.
My issue is that I think we really need to play smart football more than ever. We cant get into a shootout with KC, it wont end well. If we keep giving them the ball on 3 and outs we could be out of the game by halftime. That said if we can move the ball and minimize their possessions we have a much better chance.
Doesn't matter how emotional it gets, players and coaches have to do what helps win games most, and that behavior from the players and coach was just stupid in that regard. You can show you have the players' backs without jeopardizing winning. From my perspective that was just stupid on both our players' and Flores' part.
I think it's okay as long as it gets recognized as a very infrequent exception to the rule. In other words, if and when we see someone intentionally attempting to injure our player, we do this. At all other times, we don't.
Guaranteed there are Bengals players that went in their locker room thinking “is it possible for me to get to Miami next year and play for Flores”. Flores is one of the best coaches in the NFL and i feel like his team still has a lot of room for growth.
I mentioned this yesterday in the game thread and I'll put it here too. If the NFL is serious about player safety and concussions they'll institute a targeting rule. Maybe not a carbon copy of the NCAA's, but something that at least makes shots like the first one on Grant something that defenders will think about. That one was helmet to helmet. The second one would have been a fine tackle IMO if you know; he wasn't WAAAAY to early. I think we also have to remember that Grant isn't free from blame here; he's got the ability to call for a fair catch to protect himself However if the NFL and it's officials took that first hit as seriously as it should have been taken based on what appear to be clear helmet to helmet/leading with the crown of the helmet then Thomas likely isn't even around for the second hit to happen along with the subsequent brawl. Either way, at a minimum that should have been 2 personal fouls/unsportsmanlike conduct calls if the refs are paying attention and Thomas should have been tossed; yet he was allowed to finish the game on the field? That's not right. I'll tell you this, the way that game unfolded if I was out there on that field Thomas wouldn't have finished the game on the field, he would have finished it in the locker room or the medical tent. Now today I see a report and video evidence of #36 - Williams (IIRC?) for the Bengals clearly and intentionally stepping on the ankle of either Hunt or Kindley when he's down on the field. I mean; it's blatantly obvious that it's intentional. If the NFL doesn't come down with some sort of suspension for both Thomas & this second guy, but want to discipline Parker and Hollins further, then there's some serious issues with officiating, the league office and their commitment to player safety. Sadly though, none of us will be surprised when we're likely the only team disciplined here. Here's the video: https://dailysnark.com/2020/12/07/f...s-purposely-stepping-on-dolphins-players-leg/
I mean, Bob Knight was a highly successful coach, and he broke the rukes and norms all the time, defending his players. But, it does bring a ton of negative press for the team when you have a coach like that, so he better be one of the all-time greats. LOL
I disagree completely on the second hit. He was WAAAAAY too early, and Grant deserves no blame for not taking a fair catch. Grant has every right to expect to be able catch the ball before getting hit.
I think there is actually a danger in not responding to those sorts of events (intentional injury of your own players) with that sort of fervor. Like Flores said, he views these guys as sort of his "kids." If the team has its players targeted like that and there isn't that kind of response, what kind of message does that send? You guys are just pawns and we don't really give a **** about you? I think this team is going to come out with its hair on fire next week, and I think it'll be precisely because of what Flores did and how the team as a whole responded Sunday. I'm expecting a performance with the kind of emotion we haven't seen since Dan Campbell took over for Joe Philbin. They could very well catch the Chiefs off-guard and blow them out.
Aren't they supposed to have a 1 yard cushion for punt returns in general? I thought it was automatically a penalty if you were in their face before the catch.
I said he was WAAAAY to early Well, actually i said I thought it would be a legal hit if he wasn't WAAAY to early which is the same thing. I agree it wasn't necessary, I meant more from a tackle standpoint though. The first one he clearly lead with the helmet and it was helmet to helmet contact. Second looked more like the shoulder initiated contact. It still shouldn't' have happened though because it was early. As for the fair catch part, I'm just simply saying if you're not going to call a fair catch you should expect you may get hit like that once you catch the ball. Just... not that early though. Looked like even if Grant did call fair catch Williams probably was still going to lay him out. Seemed like that was the intent all the way.
What threw me off reading your post was the semicolon before the phrase "he wasn't WAAAAY too early.". It sounded like you were disagreeing with him being early. I get what you were saying now.
Well in defense of Dante, I'm pretty sure the guy that hit him 1st in the scrum is the same guy that stepped on Kindley's ankle intentionally. The coward hit Dante and then hid behind his coach. I am fairly certain the coach was not his target. He has been suspended for 1 game for stepping on a player intentionally.
Those two hits would have been called "cheap shots" not too long ago. Don't know what they call them now. But I remember a few "cheap shots" being returned when I first started watching football - (and playing for that matter) - sometimes by another team in another game - just to send a message to the original offender. The game is rough enough without a player who deliberately tries to injure another player - and that is sure what that "tackle" appeared to be.
Here’s how I see it. With the defensive build up Pittsburgh had in the offseason, the Steelers we’re supposed to win. The Dolphins weren’t so that in itself tells you who I think coach of the year should be
Couldn't agree more myself. Pittsburgh is generally always a strong competitive team lately. Us on the other hand, have been through coach after coach, QB after QB. We're fielding the youngest, most inexperienced team in the league if I'm not mistaken and while we're not lighting up the scoreboard weekly; we're winning games, some which we probably shouldn't have, but we've found a way. Flores has made chicken salad from the biggest pile of chicken **** in the league when he got here. He's far more deserving than Mike Tomlin IMO.
And let's not pretend that the Steelers were EVER as bad as the Dolphins, and wasn't that team pretty stacked when Tomlin took over?
Tomlin may not end up being the biggest competition to win COTY. It could be Stefanski (Browns HC). Right now the Vegas odds are as follows: Tomlin at +200, Flores at +300 and Stefanski at +400. That translates to 33% chance for Tomlin, 25% chance for Flores and 20% chance for Stefanski. Thing about Tomlin is that Pittsburgh is a weak 11-1. They finally lost one after squeaking out several wins. They still play the Bills, Colts and Browns, and you can easily see them losing 2 more. If that happens it's Flores vs. Stefanski. I could see either winning it depending on how their respective teams end the season.