To be fully honest, I don't want to write any of this. But since we already have a few "sky is falling, fire everyone" posts, it felt like I had to. The Dolphins lost 35-0 in a game that felt completely one-sided...until you actually look at why we lost. For instance, it was 14-0 at halftime and our receivers had already dropped 3 TD passes on three different drives. The QBs had taken God knows how many hits. And the defense? Well, they gave up two stupid plays...one run and one pass. The worst part for me is that you can't blame one person- Parker, Grant, Waddle, Wilson and so on messed up on massive downs, returns, etc. If just those four names did their job, we're looking at a 28-21 ballgame going into the 4th quarter. Just by catching the football when there were catchable passes and kicks. The refs also made it a long afternoon with inconsistent calls- we rough the passer by pushing Allen's chest, yet we get no call when Brissett gets hit in the head multiple times. Waddle had possession of that kick return and the ground caused the fumble...even though the ground can't cause a fumble...but that is what it is. The refs heavily favored the Bills and we couldn't beat either of them today. The offensive line- I don't even know where to start. Tua gets sacked twice on the first three plays by an edge rusher that comes in untouched. For this alone, yes, someone should get fired. The line is woefully out of shape- maybe it's COVID recoveries, maybe it's conditioning or technique, but they got beat up on all day. The holding was also out of control; I just don't know what to say here other than they were outclassed in every possible way. Honestly, it's hard to judge this game because absolutely everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Our stud receiving corps played horrible. Our franchise QB is hurt (though not seriously). The line is regressing. It's a long list of horrible outcomes. However, there is one bright spot- the defense played well. I know it didn't seem like it in a 35-0 slaughter, but the offense shares a large part of that burden for not putting points on the board when there was massive opportunity. You can't overcome dropped TD and 1st down passes...there's just no way forward. I would have that whole room on the jugs machine all week and make them run a mile as a group for every drop. I mean literally, run their asses until they're puking, then start all over again. Back to the defense, we hung with Buffalo for the majority of the game and did enough to win- I'm not sweating that. Howard and Jones both dropped INT's and the D as a whole were swarming most of the afternoon. So I'm not worried there- they did their job, despite the 35 points. The only thing I want to see next week vs the Raiders is a bounce-back. The Bills just did it and if we're going to be competitive this season, we need to do it as well. It was such a strange game- I don't think I've ever seen a team in the red zone so many times end up with zero points. Just bizarre! But the sky isn't falling folks, it was just a really bad week where the offense was their own worst enemy.
This game showed us how far away we are from competing for a division and conference title let alone a super bowl. We’ve got the defense but you’re not going to go far with Tua and this OL. I just have to keep reminding myself that we have the youngest OL in the NFL.
That game was an embarrassment. Flores failed this game. That is all I am blaming. I am a huge fan but this team was not ready to play this game. That is on him. They got punched the mouth in the first quarter and was dazed all game.
"Sell the house. Sell the car. Sell the kids. Find someone else. Forget it. I'm never coming back. Forget it." ...Apocalypse Now
I'm really, really frustrated like most of you probably are. I think the natural reaction is to overreact, and I don't want to do that. I think that this game has confirmed things that I already believe. I really do think Austin Jackson should be benched. I think going forward, the line should be: Eichenberg-Kindley-Dieter-Hunt-Davis I am not saying cut or do anything drastic. If he can earn his way back into the lineup, I am down. As of right now, I don't want him out there. Jakeem Grant should be done on offense. KeyFin is right that a lot of our WRs let us down, but I have long thought that Grant is a PR only. I do not think these changes are reactionary. These are changes that are long overdue.
I can't believe Miami can't get this O-line figured out for the past 10+ years now! i'm watching the Chiefs/Ravens game and their lines are playing fantastic the Chiefs are all new and the Ravens have two starters out and everyone left is playing in different positions and they are both playing above average. WTH something is seriously wrong here!
I thought the same thing. I see Creed Humphrey is starting for KC and I wanted Miami to take him pretty badly. I saw the PFF write up about the game and Eichenberg was the only OL who graded above 40% in pass blocking.
I quit watching that ****show the moment I saw we have 6 guys "blocking", I repeat, SIX GUYS BLOCKING vs 4 rushers, and they still got to the QB. That level of incompetence is just beyond words.
I swear that it all comes down to coaching the offensive line- that's been our kryptonite for decades. I believe we have 7 or 8 guys that could start or be at the top of the rotation for other teams, but we're just not consistent or well coached. Both those issues fall on coaching...just like all the drops from the WR room also fall on coaching. At the end of the day, it's discipline that we just don't have.
Bingo on the coaching. Look who we had over the years, Jim Turner, the architect of Bullygate, the coke snorter, and the coach we have now I don't believe has ever coached o-line at the NFL level. I don't understand why the position is not addressed more seriously.
After rewatching yesterdays debacle, we're the same old Dolphins. We got a good but not great Defense, our Offense sucks we have (n)O-Line and we picked the wrong QB + our overall talent is no better then average. Let's see how the season plays out, I still like our coach but Grier should be gone imo., he had the ammunition to turn this thing around and he failed.
Wow, you watched it twice? I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the coaches meeting this morning. It will be interesting to see how Flores responds this week.
Look, I've said this a GAZIILION times in the past...the offensive line is the FOUNDATION of ANY offense! I've stressed that the offensive line is even MORE important than your quarterback and I've been ridiculed countless times for saying so. If you don't have an effective offensive line, your running back isn't going to gain any yardage. If you don't have an effective offensive line, your quarterback is going to be running for his life. Time and time and time again, I've advocated for the priority of this team be the offensive line and yet every time I have, what do I get? "Well, Patrick Mahomes..." "Well Lamar Jackson..." "Well, Deshaun Watson..." Now some of you may or may not remember, I wasn't all that high on drafting Tagovailoa. I wasn't high on drafting ANY quarterback during the 2020 draft. I wanted the O-Line being THE priority..."build the racecar first, then get your driver" if that sounds familiar to anyone. We didn't do that. So be it. Once we committed to Tua, I was all about setting him up for success...build the best we could of an O-line and get this kid a STRONG running back to help him out. Like Chris Grier, many of you scoffed at that and looked at WR, WR, WR... We BARELY got past New England last week and were exposed yesterday as offensively incapable. That's not because of Tua. That's because of the lack of commitment to the entire game of football on the offensive side of the ball...which has been the MO in Miami since the drafting of Marino back in '83. Yes, I went there! Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback...throw, throw, throw. At least defensively, we've, demonstrated a bit of importance placed on that side of the ball. Now if we can just get back to basics on the other side, we MIGHT be able to have some sustained success.
Not really watched most of the first half yesterday and then I switched watching my soccer team achieve another draw. Just another failed sports sunday that I have come accustomed to....
I completely agree and I've stressed that as well for decades. If you win the LOS, you're usually going to win the ballgame.
He is saying it doesn't work against Josh Allen but he threw 50% with 179 yards passing. They had 3 touchdowns while starting at midfield. The dumpster fire offense was the whole problem yesterday.
That's not the problem though. Grier and Flores haven't been shy about committing to building the line. They just haven't picked good players and apparently coaches as well. Teams make and remake OL on the fly in a single year or two, but they don't pick busts like Jackson or rely on a line of almost entirely rookies or second year guys.
Having 1st and 2nd year linemen isn’t necessarily a BAD thing, provided of course they do have the talent to play at the NFL level but if you’re going to go with youth, then you had better have an incredible offensive line coach. To quote Mr Myagi…”no such thing bad student, only bad teacher; teacher say, student do” Sadly for years our offensive line has had a John Kreece for a coach rather than a Noriuki Myagi
Yeah, the Chiefs are a prime example, they have a rebuilt OL that has been solid to good since the disaster they rolled out during the Super Bowl.
The Ravens lose probowlers every year but still can run it down your throat. The Raiders basically got 5 new starters and are 2-0. We just can't seem to pick the right guys, and we won't spend for premium talent. Imagine Thuney helping Liam play LT, but no, we have to trot out Austin Reach Jackson again.