When the clock hit 0:00 and Jason Sanders hit the 52-yard field goal for the win, a euphoric feeling that only winning could bring washed over my Dolfan body. Since Sanders had his all-pro season, he has become a bit of an up and down kicker, missing some kicks that he should have made. Yet, he has still delivered in some high-pressure moments for the team, and I had no worry that he would make the kick and the Dolphins would win. The Miami Dolphins were involved in a dog fight with their in-state rival Jacksonville Jaguars. In fact, immediately after the game it felt like one of those wins that had you feeling guilty for not enjoying the win as much as you should have because of the nagging concerns in the back of your brain caused by what you witnessed in the game. Then I watched the rest of the league play their respective games and some of my concerns were abated. The whole league played poorly. Execution was bad across the board. This was not a unique situation to the Dolphins and in fact when you look at it in terms of that context, the Dolphins played very well as compared to their counterparts around the league.
No Preseason Reps
In this era of players not playing at all during the preseason, this is a new normal that is taking some getting used to. The first month of the NFL regular season is now the preseason because that is when teams are truly working out their identity, having their offensive lines gel, and building chemistry amongst the different position groups on the team. If it seemed like Tua and Tyreek were just a step off chemistry wise in the first half and that perception was indeed made a reality as Tua missed Tyreek on several throws. The first half felt like a sputtering diesel engine choking on a limited gasoline supply. Mistakes and overthrows kept the Dolphins from achieving their normal offensive efficiency. The Dolphins were unable to run the ball outside against the Jaguar rush ends. The Jaguar defensive line constantly penetrated up field. Finally, the passing game was not working because the Dolphins receivers were not using motion as much to create separation and windows for Tua to throw into.
The Good and the Bad
De’Von Achane only had 24 yards on 10 carries and there was a long period in the game where Tua Tagovailoa was the leading rusher on the team with 11 yards. The concerns about the offensive line play seemed to be confirmed in the first half of the game, especially the interior offensive line. Liam Eichenberg was on the floor breakdancing per usual and Robert Jones was busy getting flagged for untimely holding penalties that negated positive plays and killed drives. However, in the 2nd half the offensive line played much better as a unit against an athletic defensive Jaguar front that bites and loves to penetrate to create disruption. This directly resulted in the Dolphins being able to extend drives in the second half by running successful inside zone run plays and opening up the big plays for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who absolutely balled out in the 2nd half. Their play produced the big play moments that we have become used to seeing this Mike McDaniel offense produce.
The momentum swung on the play of the game which was produced by Jevon Holland who saved the team with one expertly placed punch. Holland stated that he studied film on defenders who were great and creating fumbles and he also watches film on how guys run with the ball in the open field and after contact. His precision studies led to a game changing turning point play because Jacksonville was 2 yards away from having Travis Etienne put the nail in the coffin of that game. Had Jacksonville scored that touchdown, it would have been 24-7 and the game would have been over. Instead, the momentum shift woke up Hard Rock stadium and led to Tyreek Hill catching an 80-yard bomb that had to feel to the Jaguars like a summer avalanche. Suddenly, the defense was pitching a 2nd half shutout, and the offense was cooking in ways that looked familiar to us Dolfans. The bottom line is, if this is the worst that Tua and the Dolphins have to show, then the signs could be good as the offensive execution and chemistry will improve from here. Tua still led the league in passing yards, still had a 100 rating, still had two 100-yard receivers, looked more mobile than last year, protected himself, and got the win while staying healthy.
Getting Ready for Buffalo
The Dolphins have a short turnaround time as they invite division rival Buffalo to Miami for a Thursday night showdown that could have the same major early season ramifications as to who will be the AFC East Kings at the end of the campaign. The fact that the NFL has made an effort over the last two seasons to negate the Dolphins’ September heat advantage is not lost on me considering how publicly the Buffalo Bills were with their complaints to the league about the heat. The Buffalo Bill had their own struggles against the Arizona Cardinals and needed a comeback as well to secure the victory. Josh Allen’s status is a little up in the air as the dynamic triggerman sustained an injury to his wrist and we will see if he plays on Thursday. The Dolphins need to win this game and start to defenestrate this Buffalo boogeyman out of their domain. Josh Allen has owned the Dolphins since he has been drafted, with a 10-2 record against our favorite marine mammals. It’s time to lay down and marker and for Tua to start to show that he can surpass Allen and fill the void as the perennial champs of the AFC East now that Brady and the Patriots are no more. Go Dolphins!
