ASK MIKE: What on earth were the Dolphins thinking on that final drive?

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Q: Drive where they scored last field goal — dumpoff pass and then handoff, then FG. Didn’t even try for TD at that point. Am sure like Buffalo, Detroit D knew it too. Playing not to lose again, at 7-7, playing for FG to go up 10. That is where things turned. I knew we would find a way to lose right then. Have seen that movie 10 times this season. Every time Sparano says they are not playing for a FG, but they clearly are. I don’t care how much they try to justify that at that point in the game. At 7-7, with a QB that needs to prove himself, you need to go for it. And the pass to Ronnie brown at the end, even if he gets out of bounds, what does 5 yards and wasting 7 more seconds accomplish there anyway? What a stupid checkdown. Force the ball downfield. At this point the INT doesn’t even matter, and he checks down???? CLUELESS!!!! Just pointless. Doug Rudisch.

A: I agree, Doug, it is maddening to see thm continually go into shutdown mode once they get into field goal range. Maybe they should change the name of the mascot from T.D. to F.G. Why is it that Ryan Fitzpatrick can rifle a touchdown pass on third and goal from the freakin’ 18 but Chad Henne can’t do it from the 13, right? As for the final 2:11, that was another reminder why Tony Sparano, asked to rate his team’s work in the two-minute offense last week, gave a two-word answer: “Just average.” Better answer after Sunday’s outcome: Just awful.

Q: The final drive play-calling and clock management of this regime was epitomized by today’s debacle. I can’t wait to hear the excuses about the dink & dunk philosophy, especially with the last two plays: a swing pass to Brown? Why? What is the aversion to going to the end zone when you need a TD with less than 20 seconds to play? Horrible. Henne sure has his moments, but Bess fell down on his route and I think Shuler didn’t complete his route. Man, this team has taken two giant steps backwards, and I don’t think it is all Henne. Please tell me Henning will go! G Wood, Melbourne.

A: OK, here’s what Henne had to say when asked about the final drive that only reached the Lions’ 28 before time expired: “As you saw they dropped everybody out there. There wasn’t a lot of holes there. So, we tried to catch the ball and tried to run with the ball there and get the most out of our yards and use the time properly.”

Satisfied? Didn’t think so.

I agree with you. The ball simply has to go into the end zone there. With no timeouts and 19 seconds left, you probably have time for two, maybe even three, cracks at the end zone from the plus 28. Even with eight men dropping in coverage, it’s not unthinkable you could get lucky with an intermediate Hail Mary – a “Glory Be”? – to someone like, oh, I dunno, maybe the 6-foot-4, 38-inch vertical-leaping Brandon Marshall. I’ll never forget how close the Cowboys and Roger Staubach came to stealing Super Bowl X with several throws from that distance or even a little longer against the Steelers in the Orange Bowl.
By the way, two more rookie mistakes contributed to that final drive falling short. First, Austin Spitler was whistled for an illegal block in the back on the kickoff return, pinning the Dolphins back on their 8 yard line. And then, after the Dolphins reached the Lions’ 30 with 55 seconds to play on a 16-yard pass to Mickey Shuler, right guard John Jerry was flagged for an illegal chop block on Ndamukong Suh when Joe Berger already had him under control.

“Wasn’t a very smart penalty,” Sparano said.
Sure wasn’t. It pushed the Dolphins back to their own 38, which meant Jerry’s mistake essentially cost a desperate team 32 yards and put it in an even bigger hole (first and 25) than it already faced.

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...sweblog+(Miami+Dolphins+|+Sun-Sentinel+Blogs)

 

[Kdawg954]

Well Henne didn't check down, he would have thrown that to nobody if he forced it in the endzone . . . but I think everybody knew we were going short, we have done it all year.

Not that it matters, where the hell was the ref with the ball? That last play was so comedy and so fitting.

 

[vaneasy2338]

Hmm. The two drives before that were just as bad. If there was ever a time to be conservative up by 10 with five minutes would be it. The drive before the Best touchdown we took two shots passing the ball. Of course those gave the Lions about 75 seconds back. And then next drive two runs right up the gut for nothing at all, and then pass it with 10 yards for the first?

 

[FinHopeful]

Here is what Henning and Sparano were thinking. Please do not throw a pick .... please do not throw a pick .... omg, I am depending on Henne!

 

[Twentybinders]

I don't know if that pass to Brown was a check down. It looked like Marshall was blocking the corner. and if it was a check down, why was marshall only running a 10-15 yard route?


and that buffalo drive.... The shot of Henne on the sideline... a picture worth 1000 words! He is on fire driving the o down field, then on 2nd and 9, wildcat from the 40... a straight dive play...... I can't believe how Henning does that. Relying on a kicker who has missed every FG attempt that day to tie the game with a 47 yarder.

Henne even came out and side on that final drive v buffalo that the 5 yard in route was the primary read.

Cam Cameron said he wanted to see the players go out and FAIL. Henning accomplished it.

Questionable play calling goes back to last season.

 

[JerryD]

Not that it matters, where the hell was the ref with the ball? That last play was so comedy and so fitting.

Saving Henne from another interception, fumble, 1-yard scramble, or 2-yard pass ... THAT'S WHAT!!!
(Ref probably a Michigan alum) :lol2: