If the Dolphins streak is to continue they must limit the Chargers Offense.
Chargers look to end Dolphins streak by outscoring them.
The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 2014. If they can find a way to win again this Sunday against the Chargers in San Diego, then they will have won 4 in a row, something they have not done since 2008 — Ironically 2008 was the last time this team made the playoffs.
Miami is on the cusp of being a quality team. But, they are also on the cusp of being a mediocre team.
Penalties will be a huge factor in determine how the Dolphins season will turn out
Oddly, there is something positive to be said about all these penalties Miami is racking up.
When Joe Philbin was the Head Coach, the Dolphins were a relatively well disciplined football team. But for all their discipline, they weren’t a very good team. One facet of their pedestrian play was they rarely forced the other team to commit a lot of penalties, which could be attributed to the Fins lack of intensity.
The Dolphins are now playing with an oodles of intensity as South Florida has not seem for quite some time. Through that intensity, they are winning games. But, there has been a negative side to this intensity: a ton of penalties. But frankly, if they keep winning, I can live with the overabundance of penalties. I’d rather win because they’re playing aggressive football, then lose because of heartless, passive play.
But, in order to elevate themselves into a playoff team, they must combine intensity with discipline. If they don’t, they will never beat the best teams, because that’s how the best teams play — as a controlled hurricane.
Streaks will become a consistent feature in Miami when they are consistently disciplined.
Despite their sloppy play at times, this team is also doing something that we have not seen them do in many years: finding ways to win football games. Against the Jets, the Dolphins made one of their usual special teams blunders where Matt Darr botched the snap. The Jets got the ball back on Miami’s own 18 yard line, and quickly scored a touchdown to take the lead with less than 6 minutes left in the game.
The best pay per head websites in the world had the in game live odds with Jets as the -175 Money Line favorite to win the game. Miami teams of yonder years would have choked. However, this 2016 team found a way to win by scoring on the ensuing Kickoff. It was a cruel and beautiful deflation of the Jest hopeful. The play had a tinge of the Fake Spike in its gut wrenching turnaround. I hadn’t felt the warm fuzzes in some time.
Miami proceeded to stop the Jets on a three and out, and even more uncharacteristically got the ball back with 2:54 seconds left on the clock. They then churned out 43 yards and the rest of the game clock to seal the victory.
The stunning part is that Miami has not only found a way to win these last three games, but they have found a way to close out close games in the fourth quarter. The offense also has been particularly adept at avoiding three and outs on the last drives of the game.
But, the Dolphins will need to evolve. They must become a team that doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot, because eventually that reckless gunfire will lead to a loss.I believe Miami will make the adjustment. Adam Gase has shown himself to be a man of controlled aggression, and I think his team will follow his lead. This week would be a great week to prove me right. Go Fins!!!