Post Game Thoughts

[Travis34]

Pretty much agree with everything.

One thing though, I'm much more iffy on Bobby McCain, still think we could improve at that spot. He's okay, but competition never hurts

 

[The Tannehills Have Eyes]

I don't know, I saw Carr make some bad throws and throwaways because of pressure. I also saw a strip sack at midfield.

I don't know. I think Carr mader some bad throws on himself like he has all year. He had plenty of time in general tonight and I'm confident his o-line will grade wll after tonight. Wake was stone walled ALL GAME tonight, If registered past 1 pressure tonight I'll be surprised. I remember that strip fumble being the first time we got to him in the game. Technically we only registered 1 QB hit. Carr had good time to find cooper and cook tonight. Our edge rushers were contained. Our DTs did most of the work tonight in trying to get to Carr.

"He was great on intermediate and deep targets, where he was 12-of-17 with two passes dropped."

 

[Awsi Dooger]

* I expected a better effort. It seemed like we were willing to inherit a victory if dropped in our lap, but otherwise weren't desperate to make it happen.

* Kind of amusing from a betting perspective. The sportsbooks absolutely hated that result and specifically the successful 2 point conversion. At least 95% of straight bets were refunded (push). Books never like to give back everyone's money. And on Sunday some spots were briefly up to -3.5 on Oakland. But quickly the +3.5 on the Dolphins was gobbled up and the line dropped to 3 again. It ended up -3 with -120 or -125 juice on Oakland at most joints. So basically the only tickets that cashed on either side were the sharp guys who found that +3.5 on Miami. Those would be limit wagers. I suppose there were a few tourist dunces who managed to give -3.5 on the Raiders for small amounts.

* No, Reshad Jones doesn't need snaps at free safety. He was lousy on all three Raider touchdown plays tonight...giving up the deep ball and caught in the wash on both runs by Lynch. I'm looking forward to McDonald out there

* Cameron Wake at this stage really needs a lightning field because all he has left is that dip and flash. Mostly he needs a mediocrity across from him. And it will still happen a few times per season

* Kind of unfair to lose our streak of wins in one-score games that way. Sort of needs an asterisk

* Our first down play calling isn't aggressive enough early in the game. Likewise second and long is too cautious. With Parker back I thought for sure we'd explore deeper routes

* Most disappointing aspect of the game was how easily Oakland's pass routes succeeded on key plays. I didn't have any confidence we could pressure Carr, or stop the completion unless it was flat out dropped. They did cooperate with some drops. Overall their intermediate stuff was so much more sophisticated than ours it seemed borderline unfair

* This punter was a strange choice to begin with, and looks even more strange week to week. I never have belief he can pin the opponent inside the 5. That really would have helped during those key possessions early in the 4th quarter

* The strengths of Ajayi, Drake and Williams could have meshed well, minus overreaction

* Early last season the Rams were the laughing stock of the league. I remember projections here they wouldn't win more than a game or two. Meanwhile, the Rams had stockpiled some truly special talent for several years. That type of thing enables huge margin of victory when everything clicks. The Dolphins mostly swap one decent player for another and wonder why not much changes

 

[Ray R]

I thought it was a good game. Most of the players were making an obvious effort which was reflected in the tackling, when at initial contact the player was brought to the ground or gang tackled, or Jay Cutlers performance. I would prefer we won, but that is out of my control.

When you pointed out that our team had been filled with dummies over the past five or six years, you identified the real problem with this team. I'm sure coach Gase is very much aware of this and is addressing the problem with the tools he has available. They are:

Direct Control
1) Working to get the best from the players he has by:
a) Communicating his objectives clearly to his coaches and the players. (One of the things the players mentioned they appreciated after he arrived)
b) Listening to their (not the fans) feedback. (Often mentioned by players or the coach himself)
c) Following through on his promises, such as:
Playing his best potential performers - no one is guaranteed to be a starter
Keeping personnel matters in the house as much as possible.
Straight talk without being an antagonistic.
Controlling who stays with the team.

Indirect Control
2) Working with the front office by:
a) Communicating his objectives clearly to Grier and Tannenbaum about the type of player he needs and who he is going to be cutting loose.
b) Listening to their information about available players (Draft and Free Agency).
c) Determining how to get the players we need and stay within the pay cap for now and down the road.

Since we have many players who are not smart enough to learn the Gases' playbook or are unable to work within the Gases' system, we will need to replace them. The NFL replacement avenues for players are the Draft and Free Agency. Assuming we get 15 new players each year and 8 of them pan out, it would take 7 years to replace the whole group we have now. This number would also allow the loss of 2 good players. The reality is we are at least one draft and maybe two away from generating enough high quality players to be consistently successful in this league.

It seemed to me that the Dolphins draft this year showed a preference for high character as a part of the player selection process. I suspect we also looked at a players ability to learn, but I wonder how they can measure that capability effectively. We will see.

 

[WesternNYDolfan]

Here are my post game thoughts, in no particular order:

- The Dolphins lost the football game.

- Michael Thomas is a nice special teams player, but an absolutely dreadful safety. Any time that our defense is forced to rely on Michael Thomas, our defense stinks. Memo to Mike Tannenbaum, safety is an important position.

- Reshad Jones should not be asked to do the job of a free safety. He is a great strong safety, but he is not a good free safety. Maybe we should just go get a free safety? Trader Mike? Hello? I'd slit a nun's throat for Brock Marion back there right now.

- The personal foul called on Jones that led to Oakland's last touchdown was truly one of the most pitiful calls I have ever seen in any sport at any level of competition. I see people calling for cuts and jobs to be had over stuff on this board all the time, well how about for that? One of those zebras needs to lose his job, and also be publicly flogged for that call.

- Mike Pouncey needs to be the first cap casualty of the off-season. Do I even need to explain why?

- Devante Parker, nice highlight reel catch in garbage time. How about taking your 3rd down route to the sticks and then coming down with a contested football?

- Donkey Kong Suh is a great football player and if this team cuts him for 3.9 million dollars in cap savings, we are the dumbest morons on the entire planet.

- Bobby McCain has quietly developed into a competent slot corner. Credit to DBs coach Lou Anarumo for developing yet another young cornerback who needed a lot of work, who will now surely leave the team in free agency after we've spent three-plus years making him respectable.

- Jay Cutler and Julius Thomas were the two best players on offense tonight.

- Kenyan Drake, it is better to have died as a small boy than to put that football on the ground.

- Tunsil's a bust until he proves otherwise. Sorry, he's been that bad that I have to use the B word until he makes me look stupid for using it. Please make me look stupid, Laremy.

- Hey Matt Burke, maybe you should take some time off from moonlighting as an extra on Duck Dynasty and call some coverages that account for #87. Just a thought.

- Ultimately, the biggest thing I notice with the Miami Dolphins -- and this is ever since Jeff Ireland took over as General Manager -- is that we are just chock full of football players who are both dumb and can't handle pressure. That's a bad combination. I know this might seem like an overreaction, but I would look closely at every single player who committed an egregiously stupid penalty tonight and start thinking about how quickly they can be replaced.

- Play-calling was good tonight. You can't blame the coach for the same group of stupid, choke-prone players for stupidly choking yet again. They did it under the old coaching staff and they'd do it under a brand new one, too. They're just stupid chokers.

- The Dolphins lost the football game.

And those are my thoughts on the game. Some people are really mad about the result, some people are renouncing their fandom, some people are crying about Jay Ajayi, and some people think the NFL is rigged. I don't know. It was a football game. Some things were good, and some things were bad. It wasn't a bad football game, and that's far more than I can say for every other Dolphins game we've seen in primetime lately.

I guess I'll take it.

 

[joenhre]

I just want o see Brendel and Asiatta take over for Bushrod/Pouncey at this point. Those two are just getting by on the fact that they are veterans and its exhausting.

I agree might as well see what those guys can do since this is already a wasted year. We know that Pouncey and Bushrod aren't getting the job done and most likely neither will be back next year. I doubt Gase makes the change though because for some reason he loves Pouncey and Bushrod is one of his guys.

 

[WesternNYDolfan]

Thanks for the write up. Don't know how you can call this team chokers w our recent record in close games?!

Jared Cook stuff was frustrating,

Jones got hosed on that final roughness call

Our turf situation is ****ing pitiful

And finally, I think this team still has a chance to give us some entertainment w a playoff run but face it, until we have tannehill and some oline help we aren't winning it all. That said I think our squad is pretty much solidifyed for a good contending run w Tamny back and some smart line moves..

Well see, keep the faith.

 

[BlueFin]

The OLine won't let them throw the deep ball...and Cutler isn't that great of a deep ball thrower...Gase is calling the game to the strengths of the guys on the field...

I would say the O-line statement is truer than your Cutler comment.

Cutler has a decent deep ball given time.

The fact is....this O-line is and has been the biggest problem for this team.

Some of you act like the other team isn't a talented collection of players and coaches who are also trying to win games each week.....I don't get that naivety?

We lost a close game to a talented team and the fact is we still have some glaring holes in that O-line.

I actually enjoyed watching an offense not held back by Ajayi's limitations...we were more versatile than we've been in a while....it was nice to see the backs catching footballs.

 

[chefski]

Agree with the majority but my thoughts are.

- Agree The Dolphins lost the football game. Yes bad call on Jones (below) for their last TD drive but we could have still stopped that drive earlier.

- Michael Thomas should not be on the field at S

- Jones definitely not a FS

- Agree The personal foul called on Jones that led to Oakland's last touchdown was truly one of the most pitiful calls I have ever seen in any sport at any level of competition. I see people calling for cuts and jobs to be had over stuff on this board all the time, well how about for that? One of those zebras needs to lose his job, and also be publicly flogged for that call.

- Mike Pouncey needs to be the first cap casualty of the off-season. Without a doubt

- Devante Parker, I'm still thinking he can make a good WR and certainly better than most weve had for a few years.

- Donkey Kong Suh is a great football player and if this team cuts him for 3.9 million dollars in cap savings, we are the dumbest morons on the entire planet. Suh is here to stay please, what a play for the strip.

- Bobby McCain has quietly developed into a competent slot corner. Still feel he gets beat too often but does make some good plays.

Thought Drake was OK except the fumble of course Williams did what he does best.

- Tunsil again I think he is being bashed because of his draft position he still has time and again would you rather have a LT that is permanently injured over him. He played well last year at G but lets be honest Jesse Davis I snot the answer at G and needs help from time to time. (I'm OK with Tunsil at moment yes needs to improve and is not playing up to his billing)

- Play-calling was in my opinion better than its been all year.

 

[lynx]

I'm encouraged, this was a good effort moving forward. I think we're sunk until Tannehill comes back but Cutler gave it his all last night. Probably as good as it's gets but can't fault him.

 

[abNORMal]

our players are no dumber or smarter than any of the other players in the league. if they are,... then the guys who picked them must be especially stupid and the coaches who can't teach them must be...well you get the point...
in fact we have a fairly talented roster and Gase can't seem to get anything out of this offense. We have players on offense that could go to other teams; better teams and play, I'm stating to think it's a coaching problem and the coach needs to get better at his job

 

[roy_miami]

- For perspective the Raiders D is ranked 31st in the league (football outsiders), so while it may not have been embarrassing by Dolphin standards it was still not good, and that was despite Cutler looking somewhat competent.

- halfway through the second I was thinking to myself how I couldn't remember a screen to Landry so far, and how refreshing it was, then two plays later they were back, and they still didn't produce despite being against a terrible D.

- Still envious of the Eagles situation. Pederson swung for the fences in getting a QB with elite possibility. Went with a tried and true experienced coordinator. And now has my favorite Dolphin player. What a situation he wound up in, and he got his bye week back.

Take the QB position seriously. its all I ask.

 

[ForksPhin]

Did anyone catch Cutler screaming at Landry for being in the wrong spot last night? Landry was in motion, and Cutler let him have it as he was passing him.

Found that interesting in light of the “studying the playbook” comments from Gase.

 

[zucca]

1st off season move should be to sign the best available guard. Then draft Pouncey's replacement no later than round 2.And pray that Tunsil plays up to his draft status when the rest of the line is better.

 

[finmann]

Here are my post game thoughts, in no particular order:

- The Dolphins lost the football game.

- Michael Thomas is a nice special teams player, but an absolutely dreadful safety. Any time that our defense is forced to rely on Michael Thomas, our defense stinks. Memo to Mike Tannenbaum, safety is an important position.

- Reshad Jones should not be asked to do the job of a free safety. He is a great strong safety, but he is not a good free safety. Maybe we should just go get a free safety? Trader Mike? Hello? I'd slit a nun's throat for Brock Marion back there right now.

- The personal foul called on Jones that led to Oakland's last touchdown was truly one of the most pitiful calls I have ever seen in any sport at any level of competition. I see people calling for cuts and jobs to be had over stuff on this board all the time, well how about for that? One of those zebras needs to lose his job, and also be publicly flogged for that call.

- Mike Pouncey needs to be the first cap casualty of the off-season. Do I even need to explain why?

- Devante Parker, nice highlight reel catch in garbage time. How about taking your 3rd down route to the sticks and then coming down with a contested football?

- Donkey Kong Suh is a great football player and if this team cuts him for 3.9 million dollars in cap savings, we are the dumbest morons on the entire planet.

- Bobby McCain has quietly developed into a competent slot corner. Credit to DBs coach Lou Anarumo for developing yet another young cornerback who needed a lot of work, who will now surely leave the team in free agency after we've spent three-plus years making him respectable.

- Jay Cutler and Julius Thomas were the two best players on offense tonight.

- Kenyan Drake, it is better to have died as a small boy than to put that football on the ground.

- Tunsil's a bust until he proves otherwise. Sorry, he's been that bad that I have to use the B word until he makes me look stupid for using it. Please make me look stupid, Laremy.

- Hey Matt Burke, maybe you should take some time off from moonlighting as an extra on Duck Dynasty and call some coverages that account for #87. Just a thought.

- Ultimately, the biggest thing I notice with the Miami Dolphins -- and this is ever since Jeff Ireland took over as General Manager -- is that we are just chock full of football players who are both dumb and can't handle pressure. That's a bad combination. I know this might seem like an overreaction, but I would look closely at every single player who committed an egregiously stupid penalty tonight and start thinking about how quickly they can be replaced.

- Play-calling was good tonight. You can't blame the coach for the same group of stupid, choke-prone players for stupidly choking yet again. They did it under the old coaching staff and they'd do it under a brand new one, too. They're just stupid chokers.

- The Dolphins lost the football game.

And those are my thoughts on the game. Some people are really mad about the result, some people are renouncing their fandom, some people are crying about Jay Ajayi, and some people think the NFL is rigged. I don't know. It was a football game. Some things were good, and some things were bad. It wasn't a bad football game, and that's far more than I can say for every other Dolphins game we've seen in primetime lately.

I guess I'll take it.

Good write up JD...couple of comments
I have defended Tunsil and received some heat for it (justified) but he looked slow tonight and out of shape, I didn't see that quick burst he showed last season to get up and defend...he almost looks hurt. I am in no way making excuses for his play, but a "bust" a bit of a stretch imo.. just a thought.

Play calling was OK, that run on first down was so predictable I was making money off it every time Gase called it. lol I could see it so you better believe the Raiders did too.

Throw the ball down the field and give opposing defenses something to think about for Christ sake, at this point in time we have nothing to lose. We have to be aggressive and stop playing safe, it was like playing patty cake. I understand the fact that he probably didn't want to expose Cutler to another injury by having to hold on to the ball to long, but damn.

Kenyan Drake: Never a good time to have a fumble, but that was more nerves than anything else, before the game he look like he wanted to **** his pants and not make a mistake....he settled down after that.

Last: You get the feeling the team played hard, they really tried, but there is a lack of talent on this football team no ifs ands or buts about it. This loss was not for a lack of effort, but serious decisions must be made after the season, many of our favorite players I feel will be gone in the next two years.

Oh one more thing I forgot.......Kiko Alonzo "SUCKS" he's a non factor and should be ahead of Pouncey.