POLITASPORTS

This game felt like a crotch kick after a gut punch. In the grand scheme of the season, it was not a “must win” game; however, the loss feels catastrophic. Miami still maintains their hold of the last playoff spot, which means they can sneak into the playoffs by winning their last two games (one of which will be on the road in the cold). If so, they will travel to either Kansas City or Buffalo in round one. This is a team that hasn’t won a “cold” weather game with Tua as their quarterback, including Sunday at home vs. Green Bay when game time temps were in the forties. It will likely be much colder in either of those cities come January. If Miami stumbles against either New England or New York, they’ll be fueling their sport fishermen. I mentioned weeks ago that Miami had created expectation, they’d lifted our spirits; I asked and pondered what they would do:

…there is no reason to think Miami can’t win out. Yes, tough division games remain, but the expectations have increased. This is what success brings. Miami for too long has not lived up to created expectation.

The last two seasons are prime examples. In 2020 having just drafted an injured QB at the top of the draft, most fans knew it was going to be a building year. The team however began to play above their station raising expectations. Did I believe in the summer of 2020 that the Miami Dolphins would win ten games? No. But they did, and had an opportunity in the final game to grab a spot in the playoffs. They came out completely flat and laid an egg. Was Buffalo the better team? Yes. But Miami played them within three points earlier in the season, a win would have been incredible, but a tough hard fought game was not asking too much. They collapsed. The following year, 2021, started with huge expectations which quickly died after a seven game losing streak. However, even in the ’21 season the Fins were able to reignite hope only to vomit all over the pitch against Tennessee. Again, the Titans were the superior squad, but a 34-3 shellacking would have been avoided with just a mediocre effort. Standing at 8-3 with six games remaining, anything less than 12 wins would be a disappointing finish to the regular season. The ceiling this team has set through eleven weeks, goes beyond week 18.

https://politasports.com/2022/11/29/texans-dolphins-week-xii-grades/

The news coming out since the loss against Green Bay, is that Tua is in concussion protocol. Reviewing the tape, most analysts believe it came late in the second quarter after a short completion to Smythe when he was brought down by Packers’ Enagbare and bumped the back of his head against the grass. Perhaps. I hope he is ok and that he doesn’t have continued life long ramifications from these concussions. However, even if he was playing woozy, that doesn’t excuse the three interceptions. Tua has not played well for most of this losing skid. But now we have an excuse for why he didn’t play well for one half in the latest losing effort? I advocated early in the second half to bench Tua. He didn’t look right and wasn’t playing well. Every other sport, players get subbed out all the time. NFL has these “unwritten” philosophies that starters can’t be pulled without crushing their ability to play the next week. If that is the case, they aren’t going to be “franchise” caliber players so it won’t matter anyway. Would Miami have won the game with Teddy finishing in place of Tua? Maybe not, but at least they wouldn’t have given it away.

Coaching: (B-); Drive killing turnovers can’t be placed at the coaches feet. Nor can penalties as happened late in the 2nd quarter after holding Green Bay on 4th down. But Miami turned a first and goal into a FG. This is the time to be “aggressive,” not going for it on 4th and very short at midfield. That is not aggression, that is just making the correct call.

Running Backs: (C-); Both Mostert and Wilson averaged over four yards per carry; however, Mostert fumbled giving Green Bay three points at the end of the half.

Receivers: (B+); There are no “A’s” in a losing effort, but this group played well. Two wideouts surpassing one hundred yards receiving, many of which were YAC, seven different receivers with at least one reception. It was a nice day to be a Miami WR.

Defense: (B+); I started off angry at this unit, but throughout the day they made winning plays, including an end zone interception. I can’t penalize them for the QB giving the ball back on the next play in his own Red Zone. They added two sacks and multiple fourth and short stops. They gave Miami’s offense ample chances to win the game.

Special Teams: (F); Sanders missed a FG, a makeable FG that would’ve given Miami back the lead on the very next drive after Green Bay tied it up. These are the kind of momentum moments when quality teams capitalize. Instead Sanders shanked it worse than I do off the 1st through 18th T boxes. They also gave up a 93 yard kickoff return, again, giving momentum right back to Green Bay after scoring. The only bright spot was snuffing out an imbecilic fake punt that the Packers attempted to catch Miami sleeping. It was not a great effort.

Quarterback: (D+); The first half keeps him from failing, the “plus” is a bit extra for sympathy. As I stated, I hope he is and/or gets healthy. But I am glad he most likely is done for the season. He is better than Skylar and Teddy; the three game losing streak earlier in the year is proof. But I do not believe Tua is a “franchise” quarterback. Yes, that is a subjective adjective; what is a franchise QB? Marino never won a Super Bowl, should Miami have moved on from him? To me, a franchise QB is that extra pebble you have in your back pocket when the scale is balanced. When all is dead locked, you simply place that pebble on the scale and watch as it teeters in your direction. Marino never won because more often than not during his career in Miami, the Fins were several pebbles short, and he did everything he could to have them be playoff competitive almost every season. Consider Tom Brady this year, even at age 45ish. Tampa Bay is not the team they were the last two seasons, but in games when they are fairly evenly matched Tom has been that extra pebble to tilt the scales. As he did in Week 16 in Arizona, Week 13 vs New Orleans, and Week 9 vs the Rams. This is why the LA Rams moved on from Goff for Stafford; they believed they had a team on the cusp, and needed only a piece of gravel to tip the balance.

Overall: (F-); Is that a real grade? This game stung. Not from a little bee or even a wasp. This was a giant scorpion tail to the heart. I hope Miami wins out and makes the playoffs, but my confidence in that outcome has dropped from a ten to a two.