The Dolphins played a very tough Green Bay Packers team at home, and even though they had Aaron Rodgers and the Pack on the ropes late in the game, they could not knock out the former champs with a decisive blow. The Dolphins once again came out flatter than a crushed penny on offense in the first half, but were able to pull it together in the second half by scoring 3 touchdowns. But they got beat by the last second heroics of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. The Dolphins are now 2-3 and face another tough NFC North opponent next week.
It was a tale of two halves for the offense and the defense of the Dolphins in their game against the Packers. In the first half the Miami offense scored 3 points, Tannehill threw 2 poor interceptions and the running game was non-existent. For some reason the offense can not find a way to get into a rhythm right from the start of the game. It almost seems like Lazor does not know what plays to call in the beginning of the game, and Tannehill seems like he is tentative and unsure when throwing the ball, because he is not sure if that is the right play to be calling.
However, in the second half the Dolphins marched 80 yards down the field in 5 plays and scored a touchdown. For an entire half they could not even stay on the field longer then 3 plays at a time. They had a 1st and goal in the first half and even after going for it they did not score any points. So in 4 plays they could not go 10 yards and score a touchdown, but in 5 plays they could drive 80 yards and score a touchdown. That is just mind boggling. Then in the 4th quarter they have two back to back 80 yard drives for touchdowns. It’s obvious to all football gambling fans that the potential and talent is there to be a high scoring offense, but Lazor and the offense can not find a way to be consistently good for the entire game. It’s like Lazor needs to see how the defense is defending until he figures out how to best take advantage and attack them, instead of attacking them right from the start.
On Defense the Dolphins played an excellent first half by chasing Rodgers all over the field and only holding him to 10 points even though Green Bay had the ball for ¾ of the 1st half. By the 2nd half the Defense was still fighting tough but any sports gambling fan could see that Rodgers and the Packer’s Offense was wearing on the Dolphins Defense. They had a few chances to seal the game with Rodgers’ fumble, the 4th and 10, and the last play on the goal line, but the Packers were too much to handle. It actually looked like a movie instead of a Football game. The Packers were on their last life multiple times, but miraculously kept keeping the drive and the game alive, and ending with a Rodger’s mimic of the Marino fake spike, and then a game winning touchdown. I think phin fans have seen this movie before, but Tom Brady was the starring role in it.
The Dolphins played hard, but at the end of the day they are 2-3 and appear to be the same old team that looks ready to turn the corner, but unfortunately the steering fluid for this franchise is still on empty. Also the sad reality is that the chance of making the playoffs are beginning to fade very fast. The only way I see the Dolphins making the playoffs is by winning the division, and the Patriots seemed to have found a little bit of a rhythm, so each defeat is one step closer to a new coaching staff and a new regime, which means starting from scratch once again. The endless cycle of mediocrity. Maybe Jim Harbaugh decides to give Miami a second shot at wining and dining him this off-season.
This loss is placed at the feet of the coaching staff, plain and simple. Poor judgement on offense and defense made the difference in the game. Putting the players in bad matchups and making poor decisions for points, play calls and time outs put the team at a disadvantage and failed to capitalize on GB’s vulnerability.
It was the difference in the game.
I have no confidence in this regime especially Philbin.
Jimmy, Unfortunately, I have seen this movie before. I have been a Fins fan since 1970,a and I know how this one ends! You are correct. From the remaining schedule, I don’t believe we will make the playoffs. I said that unless there was a major rash of key injuries, to not make the playoffs would fall directly on Philbin and the coaching staff. We have the talent, but I have NO confidence that Philbin & Coyle can manage a game against better opponents to consistently win. We have been “out-coached 2 of the last 3 games. I am already hearing grumblings in the locker room from the players. I don’t think they believe in Philbin & Coyle! Philbin could be gone by mid-season if things don’t turn around in a hurry! Don’t get me wrong, I like the man as a good decent human being, but I don’t think he has the goods to be an NFL HC. Coyle is not a DC either! With Dan Marino coming to the front office as a “special advisor”, that means, I believe, that one of his primary tasks is to on a weekly evaluate Philbin, Coyle, and Tannehill and see if ultimately they “have what is takes to be successful”. Tannehill has potential, but he is still a work in progress with a new complex offense. The jury verdict however on Philbin & Coyle is much closer to being decided. I live in Colorado, and I refuse to go to sports bars to watch this team unless they can begin to start to string together some good wins. Right now, 8-8 looks like a long shot. We are still feeling the effects of the wonderful Ireland era in which no quality coach, player etc., with options would come to Miami. No one wanted to work with our under Ireland!!! So instead we get a guy who has never been a HC, a DC who never has been a DC, and ever Lazor is a first year OC. Too many moving pieces and too much inexperience. On the bright side, the area that was supposed to be a weakness and real question mark has turned out to be solid, our OL. Kudos to John Benton and his unit!! Not sure what the organization will do, keep Philbin till year end, or jettison him in mid-season? Another disappointing year and it’s only week 6 coming up. Fins up!
I would say unless the Dolphins loss the next 3 or 4 in a row, Philbin will be the coach for the remainder of the season. It is clear the next season Miami and Ross must fill the head coaching spot with a person that has been a head coach in the NFL before. Enough taking shots on coordinators and hoping they can turn into the next Belichick. The problem though is when a new coach comes in then there becomes a big exodus of old players, and I actually think the talent level is there, its just the coaching staff does not know how to get these players to play 60 minutes as a team together. There has been plenty of flashes of potential but no consistency. This I would say needs to be blamed on the coaches. The pieces are there, now an experienced head coach needs to come in and put these pieces into the right place.
Jimmy, you are being too kind! Not taking our points on the 4th & 1 as well as the time management debacle, clearly illustrate Coach Philbin’s inabilty to make good gameday decisions. Our offense did enough to at least get us to overtime. The defense was worn out but were undermined by conservative play calling and poor time management. Philbin needs to improve!
This loss is placed at the feet of the coaching staff, plain and simple. Poor judgement on offense and defense made the difference in the game. Putting the players in bad matchups and making poor decisions for points, play calls and time outs put the team at a disadvantage and failed to capitalize on GB’s vulnerability.
It was the difference in the game.
I have no confidence in this regime especially Philbin.
Jimmy,
Unfortunately, I have seen this movie before. I have been a Fins fan since 1970,a and I know how this one ends! You are correct. From the remaining schedule, I don’t believe we will make the playoffs. I said that unless there was a major rash of key injuries, to not make the playoffs would fall directly on Philbin and the coaching staff. We have the talent, but I have NO confidence that Philbin & Coyle can manage a game against better opponents to consistently win. We have been “out-coached 2 of the last 3 games. I am already hearing grumblings in the locker room from the players. I don’t think they believe in Philbin & Coyle! Philbin could be gone by mid-season if things don’t turn around in a hurry! Don’t get me wrong, I like the man as a good decent human being, but I don’t think he has the goods to be an NFL HC. Coyle is not a DC either! With Dan Marino coming to the front office as a “special advisor”, that means, I believe, that one of his primary tasks is to on a weekly evaluate Philbin, Coyle, and Tannehill and see if ultimately they “have what is takes to be successful”. Tannehill has potential, but he is still a work in progress with a new complex offense. The jury verdict however on Philbin & Coyle is much closer to being decided. I live in Colorado, and I refuse to go to sports bars to watch this team unless they can begin to start to string together some good wins. Right now, 8-8 looks like a long shot. We are still feeling the effects of the wonderful Ireland era in which no quality coach, player etc., with options would come to Miami. No one wanted to work with our under Ireland!!! So instead we get a guy who has never been a HC, a DC who never has been a DC, and ever Lazor is a first year OC. Too many moving pieces and too much inexperience. On the bright side, the area that was supposed to be a weakness and real question mark has turned out to be solid, our OL. Kudos to John Benton and his unit!! Not sure what the organization will do, keep Philbin till year end, or jettison him in mid-season? Another disappointing year and it’s only week 6 coming up. Fins up!
I would say unless the Dolphins loss the next 3 or 4 in a row, Philbin will be the coach for the remainder of the season. It is clear the next season Miami and Ross must fill the head coaching spot with a person that has been a head coach in the NFL before. Enough taking shots on coordinators and hoping they can turn into the next Belichick. The problem though is when a new coach comes in then there becomes a big exodus of old players, and I actually think the talent level is there, its just the coaching staff does not know how to get these players to play 60 minutes as a team together. There has been plenty of flashes of potential but no consistency. This I would say needs to be blamed on the coaches. The pieces are there, now an experienced head coach needs to come in and put these pieces into the right place.
Jimmy, you are being too kind! Not taking our points on the 4th & 1 as well as the time management debacle, clearly illustrate Coach Philbin’s inabilty to make good gameday decisions. Our offense did enough to at least get us to overtime. The defense was worn out but were undermined by conservative play calling and poor time management.
Philbin needs to improve!