My ONLY problem with today's game is ... | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

My ONLY problem with today's game is ...

EJay

EJay

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... that we curled up into the fetal position totally content with our lead far too early.

I hate to be a negative nancy in what was otherwise one of the best 1st halves we've been privileged to ever see -- regardless of opponent -- but the ultra conservative tactics on both sides of the ball with an entire half to go was really bothersome.

I was fine with playing reserves, just not ok with playing relaxed defense and only rushing 4 -- who still couldn't get to the QB even when jumping offside routinely. I also wasn't ok with the changes on offense that suddenly couldn't muster a 1st down against a defense that was keying on the run, knowing we were going to go full Dave Wannestedt or Tony Sparano (take your pick) and try to run the entire half out.

IMO, we should have played the same way we did in the 1st half until the 4th quarter. At the very least, keep the pedal to the metal for the 1st couple of drives until downshifting.

Once you allow the engine to idle, it's hard to rev it up again.

I'm also concerned how it might carry over to the next game which is only 4 days away. When you are in a rhythm, you need to keep it going -- even if you are doing it with your reserves.

Super excitied and thrilled that we got the 'W', but I did not like our 2nd half at all.
 
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The reason they did it is because we play in 4 days. No point in getting guys hurt.
 
The Texans made some good adjustments in the second half. We better be ready to play 60 minutes next week unless we put up 41 points in the first half. My only concern was Landry in punt returns. He was not good. I also had concern with the off sides penalties. You know Brady will exploit that. The D also needs to be ready at all times, because leaving a receiver wide open will hurt them. We have to stop the Pats short passing game and we have to play smashmouth in the run game.
 
This thread took longer than I thought to be posted. Smh
 
Blew out a team and gave some important players a blow, Houston never had a chance and everyone new it.
 
No question we got a bit conservative in the 3rd quarter. We subbed guys out and blended in some of the non-starters to rest some guys for the quick turn around Thursday night. You also have to remember that the Texans have a team as well and they played a lot better in the 2nd half.

I think the team did great today. Yes, after the first half our expectations were for 40 more points in the 2nd half....but that wasn't realistic.

Smart decision to pull some guys. We will need them fresh for Thursday.
 
First half was great. But even when you're sitting on the lead that size, you can't just start giving up touchdown after touchdown. You should be trying to do two things... hold the opponent to field goals and chew up game clock with first downs. In any other game but this one, with that second half, the game would've been a blowout the other direction.

One of the motto's now posted on the Dolphins wall is "Finish". Need to do a better job at that.
 
We played smart, got the win, put up a monster score, nobody got injured...Texans kept fighting in a game that was already lost, and they got Watt banged up and lost Foster for the year...I dunno...I'll take the 18 point win while giving up meaningless points in the 2nd half and a healthy team going into Thursday
 
BlueUndertow said:
First half was great. But even when you're sitting on the lead that size, you can't just start giving up touchdown after touchdown. You should be trying to do two things... hold the opponent to field goals and chew up game clock with first downs. In any other game but this one, with that second half, the game would've been a blowout the other direction.

One of the motto's now posted on the Dolphins wall is "Finish". Need to do a better job at that.
Click to expand...

if we weren't up 41 we don't play a second half like that...you're acting like they had the exact same game plan as the first half...Lamar didn't have a single carry...Tannehill handed off 90% of the time...defense allowed them yards...they coasted half 2 because they could...we play in 4 days...why would you want them to exert themselves in a blowout like that?
 
The refs calling offensive holding on 3 or 4 consecutive drives of ours didn't help. That's today's NFL - over officiated and make sure you can try to keep the game interesting. They did the same thing FOR us in the London game.
 
I 100% agree. I didn't expect Miami to keep scoring at will in the second half but they were way too relaxed. You take pride in blowing someone out and keeping your foot on their throat.
 
It only got bad after Damien fumbled to set them up for their first TD. I'm not a fan of Damien
 
I got a little frustrated because the offense in the second half reminded me of the first four games this year in that our drives were all killed by penalties or a sack, and unfortunately more than one sack was the result of holding the ball unneccesariily. Like when playing without Albert, when we couldn't expose our pass protection, we weren't willing to throw downfield at that juncture in the game so our third and longs were mostly draws or dumpoffs. The game was done in the second quarter, but its hard to feel like any game is done when a team that has scored three times unanswered gets withing three scores with plenty of time left.
 
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