Miami is 2.5 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot with 5 games remaining. The game on Thanksgiving was a disaster. Miami’s first possession ended the moment it began, with a muffed punt. The Packers regained the ball inside the ten yard line. They never looked back and the Dolphins never looked suited. Miami can’t play outside a terrarium. Many of us shrugged off this notion. Yet, the facts don’t lie: 0-11 in games below 40°.1 The locker room in showing signs of cracking. According to the “Sporting News2” players are calling the team “soft.” Even suggesting it starts with the Head Coach, Mike McDaniel. And accusing him of standing in front of a space heater at halftime. None of it bodes well for Miami. That now must win every game to have an outside chance to make the post season. They don’t control their destiny as they did with 6 losses. A 7 loss Dolphins team needs much help.
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Coaching: (F cubed); The game showed an ill-prepared Dolphins team. Preparation is the head coach’s number one job. I don’t care if you have to rent a frozen box truck, prepare your team to withstand adverse conditions. Early in the game, down 14-0 after the horrific muffed punt start, Miami kicked a FG on 4th down. The kick was good and Miami now trailed 14-3; however, there was a penalty called. Coach MnM elected to accept the penalty and go for it on 4th and short. Miami converted when Tua found Waddle across the middle for a nice gain. On first and goal, Coach effectively called a reverse to Achane who was flanked out wide. Loss of 6 yards. The following play he called a screen pass for no gain. McDaniel transformed a first and goal from the 9 yard line into a 3rd and goal from the 15. Then kicked a FG putting 3 points back on the board. Green Bay then scored two more times before the half to lead 24-3 at the break. If you’re willing to remove points off the scoreboard, you need to be pot committed and go all in. Especially when you have a history of losing “cold weather” games.
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Running Backs: (F+); This group combined for only 33 yards. They averaged under 3 yards per carry. The early brilliance of Achane from last season is a distant memory. Mostert has not found the groove of last season. Whether that is age or struggling to return to form after injury, is a for the front office to determine.
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Receivers: (D); Jonnu Smith had another quality game catching 10 of 11 targets for 113 yards. Hill had his best game sine week one. He caught 6 or 9 targets and added a score. Waddle and Achane both had over 50 yards receiving and a touchdown between them. With the short passing game McDaniel has relied on this season, this unit will have to turn lead into gold. Miami needs to sweep their last five games to have a chance at the playoffs. The passing game is their only real hope.
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Defense: (D-); This group allowed the Packers to convert nearly 50% of their third downs. Forced zero turnovers and recorded no sacks. Green Bay broke more tackles than Hunter did laws, but no pardon was given. Holding the Packers to only 6 second half points saves this from being an F.
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Special Teams: (F squared); The muffed punt turnover after Green Bay’s first drive sealed this game. Washington signaled for a fair catch, but misjudged the trajectory. Instead of letting the ball bounce harmlessly out of bounds, he tried to make an off-balance catch. Giving the Packers new life at the 9 yard line. Three plays later it was 7-0.
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Quarterback(s): (C); Tua’s final stats lift his grade. His first half was pedestrian at best. McDaniel and Grier do not trust him to call audibles. If he could, he never should have allowed the two plays to go forward on 1st and goal early in the 2nd quarter. The sack he took on 4th and goal while Miam still had a sliver of hope was atrocious. Put the ball in play. Give your teammates a chance to make a play. Taking that sack is hard to forgive.
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Officials: (F); They missed two clear penalties. A late hit on Tua and a pass interference against Jonnu. Miami finished the game with 75 penalty yards to the Packer’s 44. Miami isn’t solid enough to overcome the cold and the officials.
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Overall: (F); Thanksgiving did not eliminate the Dolphins, but Ethan Hunt received a self destructing package from Stephen Ross. Miami must be perfect down the stretch, something they have struggled to do. Since 2022 Miami is 3-6 in December. They are 4-10 in December and January in the same time span. With only 1 win against a team with a winning record. The hill they have to climb is Everest and they don’t have a Sherpa. If they do reach the summit, they several teams to trip down mole hills. The only bright spot is they only have one team remaining with a winning record.
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