Let’s talk about the Miami Dolphins

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Headed down to a familiar location for the Florida heat and a highly formidable opponent.

The Dolphins have a great defense, a mediocre at best offense. Not all that different from Denver really, but coached better.

A win would clinch the AFCW for the 5th straight season, so there is some added importance. Of course we are on Pittsburgh’s heels, too.

I think we all aren’t totally sure what to make of the team at this point. They’ve been inconsistent in their focus, their execution. There seem to be problem areas that could be upgraded by simply plugging a backup in (hi, Wis), but it remains to be seen if any changes are going to be made.

It’s a weird league where outcomes are all over the place, winning is really damn hard, but they’re still 11-1 and largely look to be on cruise control half the time. I do think there’s something to be said for the GS Warriors comparison where sometimes they just don’t flip the switch until they have to. I guess we will see what happens as the games get bigger and bigger for this team.

This one won’t be easy, but if the offense comes out locked in from the go, it shouldn’t be a scare. I also think it’s another opportunity for the defense to perform well again, but I still feel like we need more from our pass rush along the DL moving forward.

Game is at noon on CBS...

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Floresdontplaythat

As I explained earlier, Fitzpatrick is a gunslinger who will throw it up anywhere while Tua is not. Preston Williams was also available when Fitzpatrick posted that QBR.

So the problem is that Tua doesn't trust his WR's to make a catch while Fitzpatrick either did (or didn't care).

That's not a recipe for ultimate success, just ask Alex Smith.

[Floresdontplaythat]

Originally Posted by Wallcrawler

Im sorry, have you SEEN Patrick Mahomes throw the football? Scramble? Run?

Dude has highlight reel plays to scrubs like D-ROP, Incompletrius Harris, and Chris Conley. Then the same jaw dropper he had to Conley, he basicly replicated the next season to the LEGENDARY Byron Pringle. He put a 40 sone odd yard td on our FULLBACK for Christs sake.

If a guy can CATCH, then its over. Mahomes will put the ball on him. Doesnt matter who is playing.

ONE GAME with Mahomes got Albert "gator arms" Wilson his contract with the Dolphins.

Comparing Mahomes to anyone simply isnt fair to the other qb, because its rigged from the start.

Mahomes can do it all. It sounded like I was questioning his skill and I should have worded it better. Now I miss Albert Wilson

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Miami isn’t very good. They’ve mostly beaten bad teams.

The two possible playoff teams they’ve beaten (Rams and Cardinals) both significantly out gained the Dolphins in yardage. Those wins were flukes. Dolphins won the turnover battle in both.

As long as we don’t turn the ball over, we’ll be fine.

Statistically, the Dolphins defense isn’t actually much different than the Chiefs (believe it or not).

Total Yards Per Game:
Dolphins 355 16th
Chiefs 358 17th

Points Per Game:
Dolphins 17.7 2nd
Chiefs 21.2 6th

Takeaways:
Dolphins 21 2nd
Chiefs 19 7th

Yeah not very good teams dont win 7 out of their last 8 games.

[Floresdontplaythat]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

So the problem is that Tua doesn't trust his WR's to make a catch while Fitzpatrick either did (or didn't care).

That's not a recipe for ultimate success, just ask Alex Smith.

I don't think so. I'd say it's a rookie QB not being accustomed throwing to jump-ball receivers having played with the opposite for most of his football career while Fitzpatrick has played with different skillsets for 15 years so I'd assume he knows how to adjust. Tua is still learning.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Floresdontplaythat

I don't think so. I'd say it's a rookie QB not being accustomed throwing to jump-ball receivers having played with the opposite for most of his football career while Fitzpatrick has played with different skillsets for 15 years so I'd assume he knows how to adjust. He's still learning.

Not sure how much Bama football you watched before Tua but the dude is used to throwing to guys that were WIDE open.

Look at recent Bama WR's in the NFL and not only are they the best in CFB, they're the best in the NFL.

Calvin Ridley, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Jerry Jeudy come to mind.

He's not EVER going to have that kind of separation in the NFL, not all over the field. We've seen dozens of QB's come and go in this league that came from similar CFB backgrounds that simply couldn't make the adjustment.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Yeah not very good teams dont win 7 out of their last 8 games.

Of those 8 teams, 1 is currently above .500.

That one (Rams) was the fluke of all flukes. I explained it in another post on this thread.

Like I said, they’ve mostly beaten bad teams.

The Dolphins are not a very good team. They’re okay. This Miami team can be in contention for a wildcard in most seasons. They’re a pretty typical 6-10 to 10-6 (at best) team.

[Red Dawg]

There is no way Tua should do much in this game. He's a rookie and we have vets all over our defense. His arm is weak and rookie QBs are stupid.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Not sure how much Bama football you watched before Tua but the dude is used to throwing to guys that were WIDE open.

Look at recent Bama WR's in the NFL and not only are they the best in CFB, they're the best in the NFL.

Calvin Ridley, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Jerry Jeudy come to mind.

He's not EVER going to have that kind of separation in the NFL, not all over the field. We've seen dozens of QB's come and go in this league that came from similar CFB backgrounds that simply couldn't make the adjustment.

I will agree with this. Hard to imagine a QB being set up better to succeed in their college career than Tua was at Bama. The talent he played with was insane.

I had similar concerns with Burrow, because that LSU team was ridiculous. His decision making and accuracy was absolutely elite though. I thought he looked really good with limited talent around him prior to his injury.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Not sure how much Bama football you watched before Tua but the dude is used to throwing to guys that were WIDE open.

Look at recent Bama WR's in the NFL and not only are they the best in CFB, they're the best in the NFL.

Calvin Ridley, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Jerry Jeudy come to mind.

He's not EVER going to have that kind of separation in the NFL, not all over the field. We've seen dozens of QB's come and go in this league that came from similar CFB backgrounds that simply couldn't make the adjustment.

It’s the main reason I don’t love stud QBs coming out of powerhouse programs. Give me the guy from a second- or third-tier Power 5 school who had to make up for talent deficiencies any day.

Seriously. Of the great current NFL QBs, who went to a powerhouse?

Mahomes - nope

Rodgers - nope

Wilson - second-tier (Wisconsin) and third-tier (NC State)

Brady - went to a powerhouse but wasn’t the starter, and Michigan didn’t have the separation then that powerhouse programs do now from other teams

Watson a first true Yes. But he was part of Clemson becoming what it is now. His experience was a little different.

The list of guys who have been amazing in the NFL after QBing a dominant program is smaller than it seems.

[Floresdontplaythat]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Not sure how much Bama football you watched before Tua but the dude is used to throwing to guys that were WIDE open.

Look at recent Bama WR's in the NFL and not only are they the best in CFB, they're the best in the NFL.

Calvin Ridley, Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Jerry Jeudy come to mind.

He's not EVER going to have that kind of separation in the NFL, not all over the field. We've seen dozens of QB's come and go in this league that came from similar CFB backgrounds that simply couldn't make the adjustment.

Oh trust me I'm aware of what Bama does and is kinda my point. He's having to adjust to guys who aren't superstars; his OL, RB, and receivers were top-tier at Bama. No matter how talented a QB is, there's going to be a learning curve after playing with the best to now playing with guys still trying to figure it out.

I don't think he needs that kind of receiver all over the field, just someone that can run good enough routes so he doesn't have to throw a jump ball after every 4 passes or so and an OC from the 21st century. He'll eventually get it but people want to see results now with Burrow and Herbert excelling.

[RunKC]

When Tua replaced Hurts in 2017 he had Ridley, Jeudy, Ruggs and Smith. After that when Ridley went pro, Waddle committed to Bama.

Tua had at least 3 1st rd WR’s at his disposal in college. That’s not counting TE Irv Smith or Josh Jacobs for a couple of those years.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Floresdontplaythat

Oh trust me I'm aware of what Bama does and is kinda my point. He's having to adjust to guys who aren't superstars; his OL, RB, and receivers were top-tier at Bama. No matter how talented a QB is, there's going to be a learning curve after playing with the best to now playing with guys still trying to figure it out.

I don't think he needs that kind of receiver all over the field, just someone that can run good enough routes so he doesn't have to throw a jump ball after every 4 passes or so and an OC from the 21st century. He'll eventually get it but people want to see results now with Burrow and Herbert excelling.

That's just the thing, especially with Herbert.

He's throwing to guys that AREN'T open and he's also not just chucking up 50/50 balls. He makes bad decisions quite a few times but he's also fitting passes into extremely tight windows a lot of the time too.

You're expecting Tua to GROW into doing that when in reality, that doesn't happen a lot in the NFL. Guys either come into the league with that kind of accuracy or they don't.

[Lionstone]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Dolphins fans are REALLY confident in their CB duo of Howard and Jones and their secondary overall.

Considering what the passing attacks of Buffalo, Seattle, and Arizona did to them, I don't quite get it...

Average performance from Allen, Wilson, and Murray was:
70% completions for 10.5 YPA, 341 yards, 2.7 TDs and 0.3 INTs

Those teams each put up 31 points. KC has a deeper/better group of playmakers and a better QB than each of those teams.

I expect KC to put up something like 38 points and 500 yards. Big day for Mahomes, especially early if the Dolphins try to leave Howard and Jones on islands against Hill and Watkins.

Having Watkins back is so big. If teams are employing the New England approach and doubling both Kelce and Hill, Watkins against single coverage (and, at best, CB #2) is the matchup KC can use to kill them.

Dolphins fan here. I echo our coaches comments that I wish we could have 14 defenders to cover all the weapons you have on offense. It is going to be a tough challenge for the D.

One comment about your post. Byron Jones did not play many snaps in the Bills game due to injury and missed the Seahawk game. Both corners played in the Cardinals game.

[Gravedigger]

I find Fitzpatrick scarier than Tua. There's no magic with Tua, he's still learning the game and letting the defense support his mistakes. Fitzmagic... is Fitzmagic.

[Floresdontplaythat]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

That's just the thing, especially with Herbert.

He's throwing to guys that AREN'T open and he's also not just chucking up 50/50 balls. He makes bad decisions quite a few times but he's also fitting passes into extremely tight windows a lot of the time too.

You're expecting Tua to GROW into doing that when in reality, that doesn't happen a lot in the NFL. Guys either come into the league with that kind of accuracy or they don't.

Well of course, that's Herbert strength. He did that on the regular with no names at Oregon. Tua fits ball into tight windows as well, literally just did it this past Sunday with Parker and Gesicki. That's not the problem. The problem is having to do that EVERY 3rd and 6+ because your receivers can't get separation.