Dolphins won a big one vs struggling 49ers team to keep playoff hopes alive
The Miami Dolphins beat the 49ers 29-17 to keep their hopes alive and Steven Ross was excited! Slim or not the Dolphins have a shot late in the season to make the post season for the third time in a row. Yeah, they need tons of help and despite the win, this team isn’t close to being good enough to go on the road and win one against a playoff caliber team.
Of course, anything can happen and after an ugly letdown of a season, a postseason appearance would add a little sweetness to all the bitterness of this year.
Playoffs & the possible negative of beating the 49ers
The worst part of this playoff hope is with the Browns and Jets on deck the easiest part of the whole equation seems to be our end of the deal in winning out. I still think the Jets game will be tough, but they have players dropping like flies and might be in full quit mode by then. So, the 2024 hope likely will rest on what other teams do… and that’s never fun. Winning out only to have other teams do their part and boot us out would add salt to the wound.
Salt in the wound is the last thing a Dolphins fan needs.
While the massive rushing smack down on the 49ers felt great and the post season possibility has me very interested, I had a little voice in the back of my head chirping concern over the victory. Yes, I hate to say it, while always want Miami to win, the pragmatic side felt a tad bit of dread after the win.
I still hold a deep grudge from Marino’s Super Bowl defeat nearly 40 years ago, so I never tire of watching the 49ers lose especially in a Dolphins win. Yet, despite loving the win, part of me squirmed because I was hoping like no one’s business that Chris Grier would finally get the pink slip by season’s end. But after seeing Ross so publicly jubilant after the Jets game and 49ers game, it appears it will be a 2025 runback with the whole regime. To compound this growing eventuality, with the Browns and Jets up next we will likely be 9-8 and if it plays out like that you can bet with the best pay per head that Grier’s return will almost all but be cemented.
Love him or hate him, Grier might be a lock to return with two more wins
If you are unhappy about the direction of the team in part or parcel and hoped for new leadership with a shiny new GM, I’d advise you to get yourself prepared for another go with Grier at the helm in 2025. While I despise the thought of it, should we win out, make the postseason and win at least one game, then I couldn’t deny the reasoning considering all the money invested. But even if we win the next two and don’t win a playoff game, I think it’s insanity by Ross to bring Grier back.
Grier mocked fans on their concerns of the offensive line publicly and was wrong clearly proven wrong last year. Instead of humility and showing wisdom, Grier doubled down this year in his public rhetoric of the offensive line and his talent acquisition on the group, outside of drafting Patrick Paul. And again–how many years have we said this–the offensive line played a major role in crippling the season. Grier also banked on Skylar Thompson and had to scramble for Huntly at the last minute and our back up QBs dropped 3 of 4 putting us miles behind the 8-ball. Yes, some will say he had some excellent moves this offseason, but again all the good done was overwhelmed by the poor offensive line and backup quarterback none moves.
The bottom line: If you add up all Grier’s poor decisions over the years, the failure outweighs the good moves. Grier needs to go!
I can’t help but feeling while we may win some nice battle over the next couple of weeks, in the end, we might have lost the war. Time will tell and I hope I’m wrong, but at least the next few weeks will be very interesting. Go Phins!!!