Over-Time Win Feels Like A Loss
The Over-Time win was sealed by an Ajayi run.
“Surprisingly”, It took over-time to seal the deal.
The bottom line is Miami Dolphins beat the Cleveland Browns in an over-time win.
Outside of all the negative context attached to this win, Miami still has a theoretical chance at having a successful 2016 season.
Unfortunately, when you analyze the context, that “theoretical” shot looks more and more like a pipe-dream.
Unless things change, and change fast.
Many will harp on Ryan Tannehill‘s opening pick. It was bad. The throw was high and a former teammate, who had practiced against T-Hill since 2013, made a calculated guess and jumped the pass.
Others will say pass-blocking, run defense, Corners or Linebackers.
I say coaching.
As much as it hurts me to say, because of how much I like Adam Gase and Vance Joseph personally, both have been the main cause of the Dolphins poor play in the first 3 Weeks.
Week 1: Gase was nervous and called an uneven three quarters. Joseph carried the team with an excellent game-plan.
Week 2: Gase called a poor first half and Joseph was eviscerated when Belli used motion on nearly every play to break the Press-Zone. Joseph couldn’t adjust until late in the half. Gase rebounded with a great second half. Joseph went soft vanilla in back peddle and was beaten by a third string QB.
Week 3: Gase had his “best game”, although there was still too much uneven play calls and a few “head-scratchers”.
But, it was Joseph who fell apart and looked shell shocked most of the game.
Jackson used counter-action and reverse flow plays, as a build off the motion from the previous week, to set Joseph and the D in back peddle mode again. Joseph had few answers.
Too many times Byron Maxwell, who is a totally different player in press, was playing off only to be victimized. Too many times blitzes were sent and the vacated spot targeted. Too many times defenders were huddled together in one zone leaving other zones empty.
Jackson was always a step ahead of Joseph.
Many of the best pay per head fans won’t believe this, but Joseph was bailed out by Miami’s talent advantage — as well as those 3 missed field goals.
Belichick and Jackson are seasoned and talented coaches, and they out coached Gase and took Joseph’s lunch money.
I get it. Joseph is especially is raw. At least Gase is an experienced Offensive Coordinator. Joseph was a position coach. The difference between position coach to coordinator is vast. But, his learning curve is costing Miami — and it might even cost them the 2016 season.
Miami’s coaching staff has been schooled in their beatings with the kitchen sink. These can be great lessons — if said coach has the talent to learn from them. Time will tell if Gase and Joseph can. Gase has shown indications that he can, and he has a resume to prove he has. Joseph doesn’t have history on his side, so his case is a big question mark.
We have seen for two weeks opposing coaches scheme up their team…
…and for two weeks Miami coaches have schemed flat-line or down their team. That’s not good coaching — not even close. On the NFL level that means in big exclamation marks, “Not For Long”.
A short week, a tired defense, a road game and a tough team awaits Gase and Co. The Dolphins coaching staff had nearly every edge in Week 3. In Week 4, most of the edge goes to their opponent.
The one glimmer, and at this point it might be a year away (if we are lucky), is if Gase and Joseph can begin to elevate their players through coaching. It will take something special from this staff to wake up –one can hope, can’t one? At the very least, this over-time win buys a small bit of space for this “coaching epiphany” to happen in time to salvage the 2016 season. Go Fins!!!
I don’t know what to expect tomorrow. Tanny is unable to play consistently for a whole game thus far in his career, why would that change now, especially on the road? 13-20 career road record, why would that change? Again, here I am saying that this is Tanny’s moment, this may define if he stays or if he goes in 2017.
If we don not run the ball and at the very least be 50/50 on time of possession, we will not win. Our defense has been on the field a LOT, too much. Coming off a short week, the “D” needs to be on the sideline as much as possible for us to have a chance. The offense needs to win this game one way or another, close game, low scoring game, shoot out, blow out, offense has continued to put our defense in very tough situations every game this season. It is time for the offense to step up and play a complete, controlled game. If not, can you say 1-3.
This game is huge in playoff implications. The Stellers are most likely going to win the central, meaning the Bengals will be playing for a wild card in December. Flip side, the Pats are most likely going to win the East, leaving Miami playing for a wild card (hopefully) in December, this tie breaker is monumental, even this early in the season. Believe it!
AFC North that is. Steelers
Good coaches use players to there strengths. Maxwell has been solid when playing press. When he plays off he gets schooled. If he doesn’t play press vs Aj he will be in for a long day along with the entire defense. Thursday games are usually low scoring so the defense has to be strong for us to have a chance. Any small amount of a running game would surely help also
i agree Samson. Belli drove Maxwell off with motion and Joseph never adapted…he’s on his heels and simply blitzing to be aggressive…that’s reckless. Aggressive is not be dictated to. Right now good coaching are scheming him into a corner and he’s just trying to blitz his way out of it…it’s not working.
…tendencies …yikes
…we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel here
…the only hope I see in Cincy is for Tanny to be consistently inconsistent and have four great quarters in a row …that would somewhat balance the nine bad ones so far …otherwise, we’re toast
…thing is, you can talk all day about coaches and defense …but if Tanny yanks his head out, its all moot …great QB play can make poor coaches and defenses largely a sideshow …and Tanny has had a few of them the past 4 years …not many, but enough to prove that he could be great if only his ears weren’t stuffed full of excrement from rectal-cranial inversion
…I’m about ready to say bench him if he can’t …enough is enough, move on
Nah, I think on this one you’re missing it. Miami needs defense. Weeks 2-3, they put enough points up, but the D failed. Belli schooled Joseph by breaking his “zone-press” scheme with motion on like 90% of the plays…even runs. Joseph came into week three on his heels and when Jackson used reverse roll outs, “wildcat” stuff, leaks back side, plus a few other goodies, Joseph was taken to the woodshed. This week Joseph knows the Hc coach (not the O cord) and the players on O…he went against them week in and week out. It’s the same way Taylor jumped the route on Tanny and Landry…tendencies. Tendencies are legit — it’s not some fan made fantasy. That’s how great coaches and players take advantage, through instinct and study they act on tenancies. Now, if Joseph can’t take advantage with all his intimate knowledge of the Bengals, then how can he against players and teams he only knows on tape. This must be his best coached game of the year. Football is taking away what someone can do, and forcing them to do what they don’t want to do. Joseph must coach well this week with this advantage, or in my eyes, you can forget about it.
…tendencies are a consideration, of course
…but its the players who make or break a game
…if Suh, Wake, and Williams earn their money, we have a viable defense regardless of what the DC does …if they don’t, nothing Joseph does will matter
…the DC does matter when it comes to lower caliber players …and so far, Joseph hasn’t cut the mustard …imnsho
…on offense, its Tanny time …its his team …if he can’t consistently get a 1st down, one way or another, regardless of excuses, bench him …we’re three games in and short of a miracle, he’s toast already imnsho
…short of an aforesaid Thursday night miracle, it’s time to bring Doughty up and find out now if we need to use a #1 pick on a QB …Moore is a known quantity, he’s not a future prospect …we won’t learn a thing playing him
…I’ve been a Tanny defender for four years now and I’m done …do it in Cincy or he can play bu on another team …finis
A few other big advantages this Thursday could be as follows:
1) Short week. Lets hope that this shortened week keeps Cincy from changing their offense/defensive base to much. This may help in the preparation for the game and the possibility of facing what Cincy has shown on tape thus far. Especially on offense, it hasn’t taken to much to complicate Joseph to this point, and the less the better.
2) Familiarity. With Joseph being w Cincy for thee last 2 years, maybe, just maybe he may know the defensive and/or offensive tendencies. At least know the players strengths and weaknesses.
Any advantage will help, especially in Joseph’s case.
A win this Thursday and season becomes interesting. A lose and we are chasing uphill the rest of the season, no fun!
you stole my next article…tendencies!!!