The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

Dave Hyde
10:35 a.m. EDT, October 1, 2013

Ten Thoughts on the Dolphins loss in New Orleans:

1. It’s never a good thing when you use the word, “onslaught,” to describe what happened to you. And that was Joe Philbin’s word about the manner Ryan Tannehill was hit in Monday night’s loss. Tannehill was sacked 4 ½ times, upping his total to 18 on the second. Some of that was the Saints knowing the Dolphins had to throw the ball. “In the first half they really hadn’t hit Ryan at all,’’ Joe Philbin said. “We had a very good running game, we were protecting the quarterback, we were throwing the ball relatively well, we had good balance. Then when we got down 35-10, that’s when the onslaught began. Eighteen sacks (in four games), that’s 4 1/2 a game. Too many.” Dan Marino wasn’t sacked 18 times in his first eight seasons. Tannehill is on pace for a franchise-record 72 sacks. Then again, if he approaches that number, he probably won’t be healthy for all the games.

2. The disappointment of Monday went beyond the score. As I've said, this was the toughest game on the schedule because of the opponent and locale. But the revealing part was how easily Drew Brees shredded the Dolphins defense, completing 76.9 percent of his passes for four touchdowns and 413 yards. Brees is one of the top five quarterbacks in the league. But the Saints don’t even pretend they’re going to beat you running the ball. You expected the Dolphins defense, even without Cameron Wake, to put up a fight. They didn’t. Speaking of which …

3. What’s happened to safety Reshad Jones? On the first play of the game, he took a bad coverage angle against Darren Sproles and the Saints had their first big play of the game. This kind of thing is happening too much to Jones, who last year took a big stride forward and was rewarded with a healthy contract. That goes for the entire safety play. Chris Clemons was beat for a touchdown last night. Drew Brees has his way with a lot of good defenses. But sometimes it was just too easy for him.

4. The easy second guess of a call was third-and-1 from the Saints 9-yard line on the Dolphins first drive. It wasn’t one yard to go. It was an inch, really. You could see a surprise end-zone pass. You could see a quarterback sneak. It was a play open for options. Instead, a slow-developing sweep with slow-moving Daniel Thomas was called. Thomas was thrown for a 2-yard loss. A field goal was kicked. Still …


5. Perhaps the lone bright spot of the night was the Dolphins showed an ability to run the ball. They averaged 70 yards rushing a game this year. They had 57 on the game-opening drive. Lamar Miller had 11 carries for 62 yards before the score had the Dolphins abandon the run. On his 5-yard touchdown run, Miller was untouched running behind Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. The running game had little bearing on this game. It was a good sign regardless considering the running game hadn’t been seen much this year.

6. The Dolphins have won the coin flip all four times to start the game and deferred each time to end up kicking off. Joe Philbin isn’t the only coach doing this. Lots do. Tony Sparano did for the Dolphins, too. So I understand it’s a given idea. But maybe this should be thought a little more on a night like this. The Saints took the opening drive for a touchdown on six plays and 82 yards. The Dolphins were playing catch-up the rest of the night. My question: Do you want to give the best player on the field, Drew Brees, a chance to set the tempo for the night right from the start?

7. Mike Wallace, three catches for 24 yards against New Orleans. Two catches for 22 yards against Atlanta. One catch for 15 yards against Cleveland. That’s just not enough. On Monday, he should have had a long catch, possibly for a touchdown, after getting a step behind the defense. Tannehill underthrew it a little and the pass went incomplete. But after Wallace threw a tantrum he got nine catches for 115 yards against Indianapolis and was used creatively. His speed and talent demand that kind of use and it’s not happening too often.

8. Tannehill has fumbled an NFL-high six times this year. That’s just too much and it comes down to just being smarter in protecting the ball. On Monday night, things began to go south for the Dolphins when his 8-yard scramble ended with him getting hit and fumbling. “He’s got to go down quicker,’’ Philbin said. Sometimes it’s as easy as that.

9. All these issues from Monday, and the 3-1 start is the big picture. Any Dolphins fan would have taken that for September, no matter how it came. And now ...

10. Next game: Baltimore in Sun Life Stadium. This game is bigger in the big scheme than Monday night’s loss. It’s a conference game against another team that will be in the playoff picture. Win, and the Dolphins go  to 4-1 while sending Baltimore to 2-3. Lose, and both teams are 3-2 and Baltimore gets a tiebreaker edge against the Dolphins.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-hyde10-ten-thoughts-on-saints-38-dolphins-17-20131001,0,5894951.story?track=rss

We could probably do a different thread for each of these but I won't do that.  See something that intrigues you then address it.

Eighteen sacks (in four games), that’s 4 1/2 a game. Too many.” Dan Marino wasn’t sacked 18 times in his first eight seasons.

Of all the things he said I think #10 is the most important. Win a winnable game next week and you can forget this debacle ever occurred. It really is as simple as that.

I would agree. If they lose to Baltimore they are in bad shape for the wildcard race, if they win they are in good shape.  

Lose to Baltimore and both NE games become must win for the Dolphins.  

Miami is a .500 team that got off to a good start, caught a few breaks. They have a realistic chance of parleying that start (3-1 now) to 10 wins, given the weakness of the AFC East this year.

Miami is a .500 team that got off to a good start, caught a few breaks.

What breaks did Miami catch? I don't see how they caught any breaks. They won the first 3 games because they played better than their opponents and 2 of those opponents were better teams on paper

Is it a lucky break that Indy picked up Richardson after Miami played them? The way Sproles ran all over Miami last night, I wonder what Trent might have done if he were in Indy for that game, which, let's not forget, Miami squeaked by in as well. -EK

Is it a lucky break that Indy picked up Richardson after Miami played them?

The way Sproles ran all over Miami last night, I wonder what Trent might have done if he were in Indy for that game, which, let's not forget, Miami squeaked by in as well. -EK

Finally, we can officially say that Phillip Wheeler sucks?!?!?  Seriously, can anyone name something positive that he has done this year?

Is it a lucky break that Indy picked up Richardson after Miami played them? The way Sproles ran all over Miami last night, I wonder what Trent might have done if he were in Indy for that game, which, let's not forget, Miami squeaked by in as well. -EK

Neither of you can possibly believe that he would do the same thing in Indy- where three is a legit offense and you can't stack the box- that he did in Cleveland.

LMAO at him being better as a Brown. He's in a new system with 2 games under his belt. See if you're singing a different tune week 17. -EK

Is it a lucky break that Indy picked up Richardson after Miami played them? The way Sproles ran all over Miami last night, I wonder what Trent might have done if he were in Indy for that game, which, let's not forget, Miami squeaked by in as well.

Make up your mind! 

You bring Trent Richardson into the discussion then when Spider-Dan hits you with actual stats you then say wait until wk 17... SMH!

What the hell did you bring him up for then?   You really are a troll and a bad one at that!

The team you're on makes a difference in your production, and you can't judge a player when he's just starting in a new system.

Unless his name is Ryan Tannehill (in which case you can declare his career a bust at halftime of his first game) or Mike Wallace (in which case you can declare that he is "not producing" after game #1 and that he has "failed to live up to his contract" after game #4).

Carry on.

Really? What has Tannehill done to change that perspective? 1:1 TD: INT ratio. Leads the league in fumbles. And he wasn't in a new system, was he? He had the same OC and same system he ran in college. How's that a "new system?"

Which is my point with Richardson.

Really? What has Tannehill done to change that perspective? 1:1 TD: INT ratio. Leads the league in fumbles. And he wasn't in a new system, was he? He had the same OC and same system he ran in college. How's that a "new system?"

And Wallace? I declared he wasn't producing for a season and a half. His numbers for the past 28 games have been consistently bad. His last 24 games in Pittsburgh were what I referred to before he started stinking up the field for Miami. Explain how the 24 games before he came to Miami are not a valid sample size. I genuinely want to hear the ridiculous spin you put on this. In case you've forgotten, his numbers over those 24 games in a Steelers uniform- BEFORE he came to Miami- were 54 yards per game, and 12 TDs. I was pretty clear BEFORE he played a game for Miami in saying he wouldn't live up to the contract he signed. So, how exactly is that only a 4 game sample size? -EK

Also #1 rated QB on 3rd down passer rating and #1 rated QB in the red zone. But why let facts get in the way of another silly rant!

Sorry, are those FACTS pissing in your Wheaties?

LMFAO at you using "best 3rd down QB rating" as evidence and then playing the "cherry picking stats" card. Could you possibly come up with a more obscure stat?

Why would you compare him to Manning? Did he replace Manning in Miami? He replaced Henne, so that's the comparison. Did Miami upgrade from Henne by going to RT? And if they didn't, since Henne is your measuring stick for poor QB performance, I know it must sting a little seeing the actual stats juxtaposed, but they at what they are. -EK

He didn't replace Henne in Miami. He actually replaced Matt Moore and then beat Moore out in Camp the next year. And I would compare his stats to ALL 2nd year QB stats  not just one  players! Since Henne and Tannehill didn't play in the same offensive system in Miami, it opens it up and makes it fair to compare him to ALL 2nd year QB's 20 games into their career and let's see where he stacks up stats wise. Which I hate to break it to ya is pretty good.