Every game remaining is “must win” for the Dolphins. On Sunday they played well and recorded their best win of the season. Miami scored seven on their opening drive then held Las Vegas to just a FG on first and goal. The Dolphins then scored a TD on their first three drives of the second half. Sunday vs the Raiders was also the first time Miami has broken thirty all year. The Dolphins have a difficult stretch next week with two games, Sunday vs the Pats and Thanksgiving at Green Bay. If they’re Christmas shopping on Friday at .500, they will be a legitimate playoff contender.
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Coaching: (A-); I have screamed from these pages for years how much I loathe field goals. My dislike for them has always existed. Watching Marino light up the ’80’s sky, I didn’t see many or at least they didn’t register. It wasn’t until the Johnson days I began to take notice. Slow slogging games scrapping for inches and kicking like b*tches. Then Dave Wannsuckdt thought the goal of a long drive was a twelve yard field goal. Followed shortly by Sparano who wasn’t even aware the end zone existed. My hope was that coach McDaniel would be much different; however, he chooses to kick much more than fight. Those are your options; kick or fight for a first down. Yesterday on the opening drive facing a fourth and goal at the one; I truly believed he would kick. He didn’t and it set up the mindset for the rest of the game. Miami’s next drive in the second quarter, fourth and two, just passed mid field, he fought again and converted. Achane didn’t lead the team in targets. Coach MnM reeled in the screens a touch. It was an effective game.
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Running Backs: (B); Achane was the only back to see significant touches. He finished with 17 carries for 73 yards, 4 receptions for 32 yards, and a score. Solid game for De’Von. The rest of the group didn’t add much; 9 carries between them for 9 yards. If Achane can stay healthy, Miami won’t need a second back. However, that is an “if.”
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Receivers: (A-); The “minus” is for Waddle. Something is going on; his targets are down, his receptions. He has become an after thought in the offense. Hill had a solid game; especially by 2024 standards. He grabbed 7/8 targets for 61 yards and a score. It was Jonnu Smith that stole the show. He caught 6/8 for 101 yards and two scores. It was his final reception that sealed the win. Jonnu unattended in the middle of the field turned a 15 yard gain into a 57 yard TD! It was fun to watch.
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Defense: (A); They held the Raiders to under twenty points. It was the fifth time this year they’ve kept an opponent under 20. They added three timely sacks and a Ramsey INT to an overall effective game plan. Las Vegas only managed 60 yards on the ground and finished under 350 total yards. It wasn’t “elite” work, but it was high quality.
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Special Teams: (A+); Sanders didn’t miss a kick and Bailey didn’t have to kick.
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Quarterback(s): (B+); I posted this on X during the Rams game. Tua taking a horrendous sack instead of throwing the ball away. Tua struggles to get rid of the football under pursuit. In the first quarter he took a bad sack and fumbled. Miami recovered, but these plays are costly. Tua now has 18 fumbles in his last 18 games. Not a stat that provokes confidence. Other than his sacks, he played well. created off broken plays, completed nearly 80% of his throws, threw for 3 scores, and didn’t turn the ball over. Needs to hold onto the ball and avoid large losses when possible (out of the pocket sacks).
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Officials: (C); This my philosophy. C is their baseline and unless they did something atrocious it stays here. Atrocious for gets them bumped up, atrocious against gets them bumped down.
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Overall: (D); The Dolphins have their first winning streak of the season! I hope they do not look past Sunday. They MUST WIN every game. That is the razor’s edge on which they are balanced. The Patriots are playing better and Miami needs to come with the same focus they had against the Raiders. If they play as sloppy vs New England as they did the Rams, they will lose. After that on Thanksgiving night, they get a Prime Time game against a quality Packers team. Two years ago in late December a struggling Green Bay team came in almost crushed Miami’s playoff dreams. A loss on Thanksgiving would very likely do the same. It will be cold. You will be away from family on a holiday. Who cares. Just win.
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POLITASPORTS 