POLITASPORTS

Game Overview

In my Week VI Jags Demerits column I said “when you lose to the worst team in the league, you become the worst team in the league” and now they’ve lost once again to a bottom tier team. If you’re reading this piece, you most certainly follow the Phins, we know how many consecutive losses they’ve compiled. It is difficult to judge this team on the prior two games. Both the Jags and the Falcons should not be used as barometers, unless you’re striving for the first overall pick in the draft. If that is the case, the Phins are looking very close to clinching; just need those pesky Lions to stumble down the stretch and get a W. However, for a team that had playoff aspirations, measuring yourself against them is not where you intended to be 7 weeks into the NFL season. They played well enough to almost win, two weeks in a row against two very poor teams. This concept “played well enough to win” is foreign to a championship caliber team. “You play to win the game” not almost win the game. Tua for his part contributed more to the loss than the win. Yes, his slash looked amazing, again, until you get to the INT portion. These are not “bad picks” this are atrocious decisions that took points off the board. One killed the defenses’ will, coming the very next play after X’s first INT of the season, deep in Falcons’ territory, the other towards the end of the half in the endzone. Atlanta scored 10pts off these picks, but as mentioned they both came deep on the right side of the 50, meaning at a minimum it is a 16pt swing, at the top end 24pts. Flores again settled for a cowardly FG inside the 35 yard line on 4th and 3 that was blocked and resulted in the Falcons’ first score. The Phins’ head coach and starting QB potentially cost their team a combined 21 points and lead directly to the opposition scoring 17, an incredulous 38 point swing in a game decided by 2 points. If I’m Ross, and Flores attempts one more FG (in any situation other than game winning/tying with no time remaining), he’d be gone before the final whistle.

Coaching

Please see my last sentence above, and read my previous Demerits columns. Flores has coached with more timidity than ferocity all season. From the dump and run passing attack that is more Wimpy Coach than West Coast, to his love of FGs that surpasses even the great Sparano!, to a porous defense that can’t stop a runaway model train he needs to rethink everything. Not one aspect of this team is functioning properly.



Demerit(s): (I can’t say it better than the principal from Billy Madison)

Receiving

Once again, the pass attack was led by Gesicki. He also accounted for the longest play from scrimmage for the second consecutive week finishing 7/85/1TD. Gesicki is quickly becoming a top tier TE and with Fuller and Parker still slowed or out due to injuries his ascension should only continue. Mike is one of the few bright spots on this roster. Waddle is suffering from the same comparisons as Tua, the other top receivers chosen ahead of him that Miami could’ve had, if they’d chose to not trade away a first round pick to move down three spots in the draft. For his part, his performance has not been bad, and for a rookie he has down quite well. Compared to Chase however, his limitations are glaring. Not just Chase (35/754/6TDs/21.5avg) though, compare Waddle to other recent rookie WR seasons: Justin Jefferson, MN 88/1,400/7TDs/15.9avg, CeeDee Lamb, Dallas: 74/935/5TDs/12.6avg (without Dak), A.J. Brown, TN: 52/1,051/8TDs/20.2avg, D.K. Metcalf, Seattle: 58/900/7TDs/15.5avg. Even Kyle Pitts has an average reception yards of 15.2; compare that with Waddle’s 8.7avg. Sure, he is racking up some reception numbers; 44, but his yardage is paltry 87 yards less than Pitts with 13 more catches. If the Dolphins won’t use Waddle as their number one return man (kickoffs and punts) with a green light to exit the endzone, how can anyone justify taking him #6 overall? As for yesterday, Waddle played well. They also mixed up it nicely with Ford and Hollins catching TD passes in the absence of Fuller and Parker. Preston was a non factor.

Demerit(s): 1

Running Backs

Gaskin played well, not just running the ball, but in blitz protection as well. His block sprung Tua for a nice 1st down run deep in Falcon territory late in the game. Even with the Phins down 4, the announcers were talking FG! I don’t get it, this is why coaches continue to make the inexplicable decision to kick for 3, so they don’t get crucified in the media. Flores needs to be more Trump and less Biden. Who cares what the media thinks of you, if you want praise while losing, continue to be a Biden, if you want to win while being ridiculed, be Trump. Make the right call, Phinsnation will appreciate it. Gaskin for his part turned 15 carries into 67 yards (4.5avg) and 2 catches into a TD. If only this coaching staff wouldn’t see-saw between Gaskin (successful) and Brown (atrocious). Please make Gaskin your RB1 and ride him out the remainder of the season so the incoming staff has accurate game film on which determine if they need to upgrade the position or focus on other offensive concerns. Ahmed filled in nicely in spot relief.



Demerit(s): 1

QB

Again, the stat line looks amazing: 32/291/4TDs/80% completion, right up until you get to INT. As previously dissected, these two interceptions could not have been worse and took points away from Miami and gifted them to Atlanta. The first one sent them into halftime deflated, the 2nd squashed all defensive confidence in this offense. If Miami was a top or even 2nd tier team, maybe they can overcome the turnovers, they almost did anyway, but as a struggling team that coming into the season needed 50/50 balls and games to bounce their way, you can’t hand the ball back to your opponents, especially not down near the Red Zone and Goal Line. It CAN NOT happen. The same with Waddle, as you see other 2nd year QBs thriving, Tua’s shortcomings become glaring. Can a team win with Tua? Sure, the Ravens won a Super Bowl with Dilfer, can an average or below team with with him? This season has shown the answer is a resounding, NO, no they can not.

Demerit(s): 3 (inexcusable turnovers)

The Trenches

Miami ran the ball effectively all game. 132 combined rushing yards for a 4.5 avg. They also protected Tua well, giving up only one sack, though we all wish it was two. Last season Tua took some bad sacks that were not the fault of his O-line but his unwillingness to release the football, now he must learn when a sack is better than an errant up for grabs toss down field. That wasn’t a 3rd or 4th down play, that was the first play after your defense made an amazing play on the ball resulting in a turnover. I can not repeat enough how awful that pick was to the game, the defense, and the team.

The Defensive line played well. Thy were stout against the run (72 yards), and forced some early releases due to pressure. Ogbah also forced what we all hoped was the game changing fumble when Ryan tried to sneak out of the pocket for a first down. Phillips was missing all game.



Demerit(s): 2.5

Secondary

They gave up some big plays, including the 49 yard TD to Gage. Howard played better and came up with a great interception stealing the ball out of the receivers hands before he hit the ground. If it wasn’t for a toe, it may have been a “pick 6.” The NFL needs to consider revising their “down by contact” rule. The fact that a players foot can glance an opposing player while they are on the ground is ridiculous. NFL should consider to be “down by intentional” contact. You have to reach out and touch them down. There should be a conscious effort to down an player, not just random contact by an extremity. Holland also came up with the lone sack on a safety blitz. This unit made some plays down the stretch including getting their hands on the ball in key 3rd down situations to give the Phins a chance at a comeback win, but in the end, it wasn’t enough. They gave up two chunk yardage catches on the final Falcons game winning drive.



Demerit(s): 3.5

Officiating

This game was not decided by this group, in the end that is a win for any officiating crew.

Demerit(s): 2

Special Teams

Can’t allow a blocked FG, on the other hand, they never should’ve been attempting that FG. If only they listened when I said: “no more FGs.”

Demerit(s): 4.5

Overall

It is another loss. No matter the positives that this team showed on the field, a sixth straight L doesn’t not a pleasant “Overall” make. Flores needs to coach these remaining games as if his job depends on it, which it should. Playoffs are no longer an option, but perhaps a winning record? With the extra game, that gives this team 2 more losses on the season, not sure they can rattle off even a one game winning streak at this point, but maybe Flores can at least open up the playbook and get more aggressive down the stretch. Build on something for next year if he’s still here. If he continues to play conservatively, please Ross, take that as his resignation letter, and accept it. Grier has worn out his welcome as well. All the trading for picks have not produced a worthy product. He does not even deserve consideration for next season and should be gone the moment the buzzer sounds on game 17, if not now. They didn’t almost have the Falcons, they never had the Falcons.

Demerit(s): 5