First of all, I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas.
I wanted to get this out after the game, but my dad invited the wife and I out for dinner, and then I had to entertain a bunch of family all day on Sunday. Funny enough, it allowed them to see my true passion as a Dolfan as we all watched that Chief game last night. Just an awesome feeling to be back in these Playoffs after 8 long years.
Going back to Saturday, you really saw the heart of this team on display. How many times have we seen this team up, just to fold in the end and pack it up. When Buffalo scored that go ahead touchdown to get up 31-28 . . . I think most of us were thinking the same thing . . . "Same old Dolphins". There is no way this team with 0 timeouts, a backup QB and a FG kicker, whose season long was 41 yards, and missed from 46 earlier, have the capability to go down the field and tie that game up. Just absolutely INCREDIBLE.
The Offense
Back to Back 34 point games for this team in late December Division road games is not something you can understate. That is impressive as hell.
What else can you say about Jay Ajayi. His 3rd 200 yard rushing game of the season (2 against the Bills) . . . and he does not have the Dallas Cowboy offensive Line in front of him. He's the "glove fit" for an Adam Gase offense. Vision, one cut, one defender is not bringing him down. Just a tough azz BEAST of a runner and an absolute steal in the 5th round of the 2015 draft. Our stay in the playoffs fully depend on him to continue doing what he has been doing. We have to be able to wear down any defense we play so Jay can bust those late runs like that 57 yarder in OT.
Adam Gase had a dilemma on Saturday. The running game was on doing it's damn job, but in his mind, he had a gut feeling that he was not winning that game with that alone. He could not afford to keep a dormant Matt Moore just handing the ball off. He's a rhythm passer and Gase said as much post game and changed his approach in that 2nd half.
Matt had a poor first half. He was late on throws, ball placement was off and that decision to make that throw that got picked in the endzone near the end of the half, while in field goal range, is one that we all know that "Ryan Tannehill would not have made".
2nd half, Matt Moore managed the game and played within himself. People want to call him out for that missed throw to Sims on 3rd and 4 in that 4th quarter, when he maybe should of looked short for the first, but that was just a much a product of Adam Gase saying . . . "I like my odds here lets go for the kill" and that mentality is one that I absolutely love about him as our head coach.
Still a fantastic job by Matt Moore running this offense in those conditions with everything on the line.
That Drake run showed exactly why he was drafted so high. You can't teach that speed. Inside run, nothing doing, does a 180 and cuts outside and Matt Moore there on a block to spring him for the TD.
Parker's TD . . . I did not think he had that kind of speed. Man he put the jets on didn't he?
I would be remissed if I didn't shout out Kraig Urbik and the job he did holding down the pivot for Mike Pouncey. It is so refreshing to finally have some depth on this offensive line and it is paying dividends for us this season.
The Defense
I said this last week, and I will say it this week . . . . we live and die by our defensive line. If they aren't able to put pressure on the QB, our back 7, in its current state, is simply not talented enough to compete at a high level. Our front 4 got manhandled . . . and when you combine that with Tyrod's elusiveness, Shady in the backfield, a healthy playmaker like Watkins outside and Clay in the middle of the field . . . there is a reason why Buffalo put up nearly 600 yards of offense on us. We saw San Francisco have the same setup as Buffalo and they torched us in that 2nd half with far less playmakers on offense.
So there was one time I noticed Aikens/Thomas/Rambo/Paysinger/Butler/Howard/Lippett . . . all on the field at the same time. There really isn't a lot Vance can do . . . he's gotta be able to manufacture pressure on the QB, especially if the front 4 is not able to do it on their own.
On paper, Howard had a rough game, but I love how this rookie is battling. Coverage on Watkins wasn't terrible, but Tyrod put some dime throws out there yesterday. I feel like we really missed some of Byron Maxwell's veteran savvy at CB in this game.
Our Outside LB play is just atrocious though. Terrible in coverage, terrible angles, bad tackling, bad awareness, slow. We seriously need 2 LBs in the first 3 picks in the next draft.
Rambo took a few bad angles in this game and was late with help. We really missed IAQ when he went down. Communication issues scattered all over and it really felt like Buffalo had no reason to be stopped on offense.
Overall, it's a performance that Vance won't want to show at any future interviews and one that the DLine needs to take some accountability on and do better going forward.
Special Teams
Andrew Franks had to go from the most hated Dolphin to one that will be forever remembered in the span of "30 minutes". What a clutch kick. Props to Rizzi for having his unit ready for that type of situation. That was literally the most improbable situation I have ever seen. Unreal.
Have to welcome Matt Darr back to the team . . . he finally had a few well placed kicks and some distance to boot. Going to need him for this playoff run.
Both Grant and Drake had key returns to spark late drives for points. We'll need every spark we can get and both guys are as explosive as they get.
Overall
1-4 start and the sky is falling in Miami . . . but the composure this team has shown is the most unlikely story in the entire NFL and IMO it has propelled Adam Gase firmly at the top of the Coach of the Year list. Winners of 9 out of 10 and now CLINCHED for a 17th game. We've seen leaders emerge, we've seen players developed and the guys just seem to be having a good time with all of it. As bad as the back 7 can be, there is no team out there that scares me and Adam Gase just does not give a damn, he's playing with house money and won't lay down for any team or anybody.
F*ck it . . . Why not us?
P.S. Hoops you are back . . . The temp agency called and said my assignment is over. Have fun brother :hi5:
I wanted to get this out after the game, but my dad invited the wife and I out for dinner, and then I had to entertain a bunch of family all day on Sunday. Funny enough, it allowed them to see my true passion as a Dolfan as we all watched that Chief game last night. Just an awesome feeling to be back in these Playoffs after 8 long years.
Going back to Saturday, you really saw the heart of this team on display. How many times have we seen this team up, just to fold in the end and pack it up. When Buffalo scored that go ahead touchdown to get up 31-28 . . . I think most of us were thinking the same thing . . . "Same old Dolphins". There is no way this team with 0 timeouts, a backup QB and a FG kicker, whose season long was 41 yards, and missed from 46 earlier, have the capability to go down the field and tie that game up. Just absolutely INCREDIBLE.
The Offense
Back to Back 34 point games for this team in late December Division road games is not something you can understate. That is impressive as hell.
What else can you say about Jay Ajayi. His 3rd 200 yard rushing game of the season (2 against the Bills) . . . and he does not have the Dallas Cowboy offensive Line in front of him. He's the "glove fit" for an Adam Gase offense. Vision, one cut, one defender is not bringing him down. Just a tough azz BEAST of a runner and an absolute steal in the 5th round of the 2015 draft. Our stay in the playoffs fully depend on him to continue doing what he has been doing. We have to be able to wear down any defense we play so Jay can bust those late runs like that 57 yarder in OT.
Adam Gase had a dilemma on Saturday. The running game was on doing it's damn job, but in his mind, he had a gut feeling that he was not winning that game with that alone. He could not afford to keep a dormant Matt Moore just handing the ball off. He's a rhythm passer and Gase said as much post game and changed his approach in that 2nd half.
Matt had a poor first half. He was late on throws, ball placement was off and that decision to make that throw that got picked in the endzone near the end of the half, while in field goal range, is one that we all know that "Ryan Tannehill would not have made".
2nd half, Matt Moore managed the game and played within himself. People want to call him out for that missed throw to Sims on 3rd and 4 in that 4th quarter, when he maybe should of looked short for the first, but that was just a much a product of Adam Gase saying . . . "I like my odds here lets go for the kill" and that mentality is one that I absolutely love about him as our head coach.
Still a fantastic job by Matt Moore running this offense in those conditions with everything on the line.
That Drake run showed exactly why he was drafted so high. You can't teach that speed. Inside run, nothing doing, does a 180 and cuts outside and Matt Moore there on a block to spring him for the TD.
Parker's TD . . . I did not think he had that kind of speed. Man he put the jets on didn't he?
I would be remissed if I didn't shout out Kraig Urbik and the job he did holding down the pivot for Mike Pouncey. It is so refreshing to finally have some depth on this offensive line and it is paying dividends for us this season.
The Defense
I said this last week, and I will say it this week . . . . we live and die by our defensive line. If they aren't able to put pressure on the QB, our back 7, in its current state, is simply not talented enough to compete at a high level. Our front 4 got manhandled . . . and when you combine that with Tyrod's elusiveness, Shady in the backfield, a healthy playmaker like Watkins outside and Clay in the middle of the field . . . there is a reason why Buffalo put up nearly 600 yards of offense on us. We saw San Francisco have the same setup as Buffalo and they torched us in that 2nd half with far less playmakers on offense.
So there was one time I noticed Aikens/Thomas/Rambo/Paysinger/Butler/Howard/Lippett . . . all on the field at the same time. There really isn't a lot Vance can do . . . he's gotta be able to manufacture pressure on the QB, especially if the front 4 is not able to do it on their own.
On paper, Howard had a rough game, but I love how this rookie is battling. Coverage on Watkins wasn't terrible, but Tyrod put some dime throws out there yesterday. I feel like we really missed some of Byron Maxwell's veteran savvy at CB in this game.
Our Outside LB play is just atrocious though. Terrible in coverage, terrible angles, bad tackling, bad awareness, slow. We seriously need 2 LBs in the first 3 picks in the next draft.
Rambo took a few bad angles in this game and was late with help. We really missed IAQ when he went down. Communication issues scattered all over and it really felt like Buffalo had no reason to be stopped on offense.
Overall, it's a performance that Vance won't want to show at any future interviews and one that the DLine needs to take some accountability on and do better going forward.
Special Teams
Andrew Franks had to go from the most hated Dolphin to one that will be forever remembered in the span of "30 minutes". What a clutch kick. Props to Rizzi for having his unit ready for that type of situation. That was literally the most improbable situation I have ever seen. Unreal.
Have to welcome Matt Darr back to the team . . . he finally had a few well placed kicks and some distance to boot. Going to need him for this playoff run.
Both Grant and Drake had key returns to spark late drives for points. We'll need every spark we can get and both guys are as explosive as they get.
Overall
1-4 start and the sky is falling in Miami . . . but the composure this team has shown is the most unlikely story in the entire NFL and IMO it has propelled Adam Gase firmly at the top of the Coach of the Year list. Winners of 9 out of 10 and now CLINCHED for a 17th game. We've seen leaders emerge, we've seen players developed and the guys just seem to be having a good time with all of it. As bad as the back 7 can be, there is no team out there that scares me and Adam Gase just does not give a damn, he's playing with house money and won't lay down for any team or anybody.
F*ck it . . . Why not us?
P.S. Hoops you are back . . . The temp agency called and said my assignment is over. Have fun brother :hi5:
