I got back in late this afternoon and missed the first quarter. Boy am I glad I got back in time to see the rest of this football game!
- I saw that Ryan Tannehill was kept out of the game, and apparently due to the shoulder injury he's been nursing for two weeks. I don't understand Gase's approach to injuries sometimes. Tannehill clearly didn't have a fastball vs the Patriots and also looked like hell vs the Bengals. If he's hurt, let him rest. The Dolphins are super cautious with injuries for every other player on the roster... I get that he's the quarterback, but when he's hurt and suddenly starts playing terribly, maybe he needs to heal up? Didn't anyone pay attention to what happened with Andrew Luck?
- Brock Osweiler has made this a quarterback controversy. Earlier in his career, he was absolutely dreadful with the Broncos and then the Texans (and the Texans agreed enough to send a 2nd rounder to Cleveland just to get him off the books), but he looks rejuvenated. He looks like a competent NFL quarterback. The pick he threw early in the 3rd quarter was brutal, but other than that, Osweiler played well and deserves tremendous credit for his performance today. He gave Miami a chance to win the football game when it counted. Yee Haw!
- Frank Gore! Enough said.
- CB2 remains a huge eyesore for Miami. Tory McTyer just isn't there. Sadly, neither is Cordrea Tankersley.
- The Bears ran a QB Sneak on 3rd and 1. It was successful. Memo to Adam Gase: Quarterback sneaks are effective on third and a foot. And HE GOT THE MEMO! The Dolphins successfully executed a sneak in the 3rd quarter. And then he lost the memo. Why no Osweiler sneak on 3rd and goal at the one foot line???
- Vincent Taylor is a revelation. Really talented guy who seems to be putting it together. Speaking of revelations, how about Nick O'Leary? This is two weeks in a row I've watched him whenever possible and come away impressed. I think he might be our new starting TE.
- I have grown to hate Adam Gase's love affair with the swing pass almost as much as I hate his love affair with the bubble screen. Throw the football downfield, please. And not just moon-shots. Put the ball between the yard markers 8 to 20 yards downfield. Brock Osweiler is OK at these kind of throws, and Ryan Tannehill is quite good at them. That's my honest opinion on why this offense just can't score points: Everything is on the perimeter or 40 yards downfield. You can't consistently create scoring drives like that.
- Wow, amazing! In the 4th quarter, Brock Osweiler threw the football 15 yards into the center of the field to Albert Wilson. The result? A big play when it was sorely needed. On the next drive for Miami, another strike to Wilson in the middle of the field. The result? A 70 yard touchdown.
- While on the subject: Penalties. Penalties. Penalties. This is another failure of coaching. Delay of game penalties in particular. Get the plays in sooner if you expect your quarterback to make changes at the line.
- I still think Adam Gase does some really good things as a coach, and I still believe he can be successful, but he really needs to take a step back and reevaluate some of the philosophy he's had for this offense coming into the season. Things that are not working should be changed, eliminated, or used far less frequently.
- Travis Swanson is my Wanny Warrior this week. Guy's been cut from like four different teams in the last two seasons and yet... he's one of the bright spots on this OL right now. Respect. Ja'Wuan James also had a great bounce-back game against Khalil Mack after a putrid showing last week. Big props to the OL today.
- The announcing crew was absolutely dreadful and I hope they're all fired in the parking lot.
- When the Bears got the ball back after Miami's game-tying touchdown and two point conversion, I counted multiple false start penalties on the Bears offense that simply were not called. Then, on the pass Jones almost intercepted, major hold on Robert Quinn. The Dolphins OL is routinely penalized for basically everything every week... how about this goes both ways, NFL?
- How about Kenyan Drake being TACKLED with the football in the air in the final minutes of the game... no call? Drake had open field in front of him.
- The Dolphins defense looked like money in the first half, but confused, slow, and out of position in the second half. I give credit to the Bears coaching staff for figuring the Dolphins defense out and then taking them to the woodshed in the second half.
- Kiko Alonso - Volume fumble recoverer. Volume interceptor. Volume stripper. Okay, maybe I could have come up with a better word for that last one.
- Cody Parkey REALLY IS a Dolphins fan!
The Dolphins got the Bears coming off a bye, missing their starting quarterback and racked by injuries across the board. They won. Huge win. Great football game.
Go Dolphins.
- I saw that Ryan Tannehill was kept out of the game, and apparently due to the shoulder injury he's been nursing for two weeks. I don't understand Gase's approach to injuries sometimes. Tannehill clearly didn't have a fastball vs the Patriots and also looked like hell vs the Bengals. If he's hurt, let him rest. The Dolphins are super cautious with injuries for every other player on the roster... I get that he's the quarterback, but when he's hurt and suddenly starts playing terribly, maybe he needs to heal up? Didn't anyone pay attention to what happened with Andrew Luck?
- Brock Osweiler has made this a quarterback controversy. Earlier in his career, he was absolutely dreadful with the Broncos and then the Texans (and the Texans agreed enough to send a 2nd rounder to Cleveland just to get him off the books), but he looks rejuvenated. He looks like a competent NFL quarterback. The pick he threw early in the 3rd quarter was brutal, but other than that, Osweiler played well and deserves tremendous credit for his performance today. He gave Miami a chance to win the football game when it counted. Yee Haw!
- Frank Gore! Enough said.
- CB2 remains a huge eyesore for Miami. Tory McTyer just isn't there. Sadly, neither is Cordrea Tankersley.
- The Bears ran a QB Sneak on 3rd and 1. It was successful. Memo to Adam Gase: Quarterback sneaks are effective on third and a foot. And HE GOT THE MEMO! The Dolphins successfully executed a sneak in the 3rd quarter. And then he lost the memo. Why no Osweiler sneak on 3rd and goal at the one foot line???
- Vincent Taylor is a revelation. Really talented guy who seems to be putting it together. Speaking of revelations, how about Nick O'Leary? This is two weeks in a row I've watched him whenever possible and come away impressed. I think he might be our new starting TE.
- I have grown to hate Adam Gase's love affair with the swing pass almost as much as I hate his love affair with the bubble screen. Throw the football downfield, please. And not just moon-shots. Put the ball between the yard markers 8 to 20 yards downfield. Brock Osweiler is OK at these kind of throws, and Ryan Tannehill is quite good at them. That's my honest opinion on why this offense just can't score points: Everything is on the perimeter or 40 yards downfield. You can't consistently create scoring drives like that.
- Wow, amazing! In the 4th quarter, Brock Osweiler threw the football 15 yards into the center of the field to Albert Wilson. The result? A big play when it was sorely needed. On the next drive for Miami, another strike to Wilson in the middle of the field. The result? A 70 yard touchdown.
- While on the subject: Penalties. Penalties. Penalties. This is another failure of coaching. Delay of game penalties in particular. Get the plays in sooner if you expect your quarterback to make changes at the line.
- I still think Adam Gase does some really good things as a coach, and I still believe he can be successful, but he really needs to take a step back and reevaluate some of the philosophy he's had for this offense coming into the season. Things that are not working should be changed, eliminated, or used far less frequently.
- Travis Swanson is my Wanny Warrior this week. Guy's been cut from like four different teams in the last two seasons and yet... he's one of the bright spots on this OL right now. Respect. Ja'Wuan James also had a great bounce-back game against Khalil Mack after a putrid showing last week. Big props to the OL today.
- The announcing crew was absolutely dreadful and I hope they're all fired in the parking lot.
- When the Bears got the ball back after Miami's game-tying touchdown and two point conversion, I counted multiple false start penalties on the Bears offense that simply were not called. Then, on the pass Jones almost intercepted, major hold on Robert Quinn. The Dolphins OL is routinely penalized for basically everything every week... how about this goes both ways, NFL?
- How about Kenyan Drake being TACKLED with the football in the air in the final minutes of the game... no call? Drake had open field in front of him.
- The Dolphins defense looked like money in the first half, but confused, slow, and out of position in the second half. I give credit to the Bears coaching staff for figuring the Dolphins defense out and then taking them to the woodshed in the second half.
- Kiko Alonso - Volume fumble recoverer. Volume interceptor. Volume stripper. Okay, maybe I could have come up with a better word for that last one.
- Cody Parkey REALLY IS a Dolphins fan!
The Dolphins got the Bears coming off a bye, missing their starting quarterback and racked by injuries across the board. They won. Huge win. Great football game.
Go Dolphins.