For 60 Minutes: Just Go For It

For 60 minutes, Miami needs to just go for it with controlled, all-out effort.

For 60 minutes, Miami needs to just go for it with controlled, all-out effort.

 Only the top teams in the NFL play for a full 60 minutes.

We are on the eve of the Miami Dolphins first regular season game of the 2016 season. It will take a full 60 minuets of all out effort, and likely an occasion or two of brash daring to just go for it in order to pull off a major upset.

The top pay per head bookie software in the world is not giving the Dolphins much of a chance of that happening. Miami initially opened up against the Seattle Seahawks as a +7 point under dog; however, the line has steadily gone up to +10.

The Dolphins will be playing on the road in one of the more difficult stadiums in the league, and will need a Herculean effort if they want a chance to win this game.

Even the most enthusiastic Fin Fans realize that.

The Dolphins are going to have to show that they are finally able to play a full 60 minutes and play with a combination of both intensity and composure. This is a very difficult attitude to manage.

But, if you watch Adam Gase, you see that’s who he is by nature. And a teams attitude is disseminated from the top.

The biggest thing key will be how does Coach Gase handle his first game as a Head Coach? Will we see creativity seeking to attack on both sides of the ball? Or will all the talk about aggressive play be just that, alot of talk? We have had plenty of that and enough is enough.

Can Adam Gase really walk the tightrope of being both controlled and aggressive? Or will he lean to too much one way or the other too often and at the wrong time?

Now, I do not want Miami going for it on fourth and short on their own 20 yard line. However, against a superior team, there will be times that a 4 down mode might be wiser than conventional wisdom…and the difference between winning and losing.

Fortune does favor the bold.

Playing all out for 60 minutes is what separates the good teams from the bad.

Joe Phiblin never coached like this till he was on the cusp of getting canned — by then it was too late.

It wasn’t who he was. In the end it was fear motivating him, not boldness.

Through the Dolphins 4 preseason games, Gase showed a propensity to go for it on fourth downs in an attempt to re-boot his team.

Was it just preseason guts?

We shall see very soon.

It’s highly unlikely that Miami could beat the Seahawks by settling for field goals, time after time.  So, a successful fourth down conversion can offer two things:  it shows your offense you have confidence in them to gain the first down, and then it also shows your defense that if the conversion fails you believe they can get the ball back by making a stop.

Sometimes, a single 4th down conversion can win a game.

Of course, sometimes a single missed 4th down conversion can lose a game.

I hope Miami doesn’t need that big play, earned on a big risk, but I’d rather see them be aggressive than have the formula being set of a slow death by playing it ultra safe.

Will we finally have a team that’s a scrapper, fighting tooth and nail for 60 minuets and is willing be bold when its all on the line? Opening day is almost here…and in less than 24 hours, we see what the 2016 Miami Dolphins are made of! GO FINS!!!


 

13 comments

  • Dunner

    Lets remember who and where they were playing. A team that many have representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. No, we could not run, then again very few teams do against that team. Miami dominated the game as much as Seattle did.

    Lets not forget that we left 13 points on the field, yes 13 points. Gases’ decision to go for the fourth and inches instead of the points early, for me you always take the points on the road, Stills left 7 points on the field literally, got to catch the ball. A blocked field goal, to me was on Franks, that close you have to get the ball up, distance is not a concern. So there is 13 points and the difference to the game.

    I was a bit disappointed in the defense to finish the game, or should I say, the defensive calls. Understand that we don’t want to give up anything deep or behind, but you still need to send someone other than the front 4 to help create some pressure. I don’t want to hear, the D-Line should have done this or that. It was a 2 minute offense, any 4 man front would be exhausted by the end of that drive. It kinda felt like last year’s defense, waiting for the offense to dictate the action. Bummer, considering how well the defense played throughout.

    This roster is good enough to compete for a division or wild card. It was nice to see the staff have and execute a game plan. No we could not run, but did not panic and kept at it.

    When plays are there they have to be made, that was the difference in the game, plain and simple!!!

    Lemmus, next years first pick will be a LBer…

    • admin

      I agree on most except Tunsils split caused the penetration…Franks could have done better, but it was Tunsil who allowed the rusher in. Also, BPA is what I’d want in next years draft LBer, DE, CB, C/G is the 4 main spots. Except if a super stud TE or RB is a much better value pick sitting there. I thought they did well and superseded most opinions. BUT, would have loved to see them turn the corner…sucks the Pats won.

  • Lemmus

    0-1
    0-2 coming soon
    …defense was ok for about 55 minutes
    …offense sucked for about 55 minutes
    …Tannehill barely hit 50% of passes …of course it helps if a wide open receiver catches the TD that landed giftwrapped in his open hands …no one within 5 yds of him, no one between him and the goal line …and he has a moment …game, set, match right there
    …CB will be #1 draft pick, OG #2 …the dbs couldn’t stop Baldwin and the OL couldn’t run block …the final play looked so much like last year I thought for a minute they were showing a tape
    …and yes, clock management reared its ugly head …and no, we couldn’t run on Seattle
    …the game was much more lop sided than the final score …look at the stats, eh
    …and yes, I lost betting on Seattle to cover

    …but damn, it was good to be watching real football on Sunday afternoon again

    • admin

      Defense played okay? Seattle was the #4 offense and number #2 defense last year and are ranked top 3 in power rankings this year. They were given 10 pts…they should have lost 8-11. Defense made a couple of 4th down stops and turnovers. They faded because Williams was out…he seems to be a major cog and Mitchell’s absence left Warmsley having to play and Phillips playing too much…they were sapped by that last drive and still managed to but them in 4th down. Now, Carrol has never lost an opener, so for them to get into position, while a let down, let’s be sober.

      Williams and Parker appear to be key to their sides of the ball.

      Tannehill came up big in the clutch and if you add a dropped pass he would have surpassed Wilson.

      Now, OL couldn’t run the ball, but not many can against Seattle as they were # 1 in run defense. Ol and the running game will be a problem.
      As far as stats, it was three miscues that Miami made which killed the game: dropped pass, handoff instead of QB sneak, and blocked field goal from a Tunsil missed assignment. They would have won just like the Broncos did last year, Defense, no turnovers and close 4th quarter.
      The running game is my biggest concern. Coaches made mostly the right decisions and had the team fighting till the end. I would loved to see them win, but this is what I hoped for as second best and expected.
      My biggest disappointment was that the Cardinals lost…they are chokers though.
      Next week will be huge. And I still think they have the tools to win it…of course we will see.
      But, I do agree OG is super crucial, and as Dunner said SLB.
      To me this is a foundation year. If Tannehill proves he is the QB and they get their coaching chops up, team plays hard and gets better, and along the way they designated those who need to go to be replaced next year, then it’s a good season.

      • Dunner

        Well said. This Pats game is winnable, we need all hands on deck though. If we can come out of the first 4 games 2-2, with one of those 2 wins vs the Pats, theres a chance. I like the staff, seemed as though the team was prepared and looked organized. Good things ahead!

  • Steve

    Keys to winning the 1st 6 OUT OF 8 GAMES THIS SEASON.

    Foster – Pead and Drake will dictate how this game will play out against Seattle.

    Tannehill I cannot put enough emphasis that he has to take charge of the offense. In addition We must move Tony Lippett to wide receivers this season his Skills and toughness, durability will make him a Pro Bowl Wide Receiver.

    Locate a Fullback quick and forget about the Tight end/ Just keep in for blocking assignment’s.

    Defense (Poor Tackling is not and option)

    Wake and Suh Show will dictate how strong our defense will be this season? They are the Core of the Defense we must move them around to create defenses problems.

    WINNING IS BETTER BUT NOT PLAYING 60 MINUTES IS LOSING?

  • Lemmus

    …Cameron has had the dropsies throughout pre-season …Tannehill will be reluctant to go to him and Seattle will know that …watch for him to be open and Tannehill go elsewhere …our other TE is a blocker, decent hands but not so good routes and thus rarely gets open …so I just don’t see a 2 TE set as being more effective than 3 WRs …even with Parker out, WRs remain our strength …watch for Landry …if Foster isn’t getting it done, they will pitch it out to Landry

    …the DL hasn’t shown any dominance so far despite the names composing it …against this OL they might actually do so …but Wilson is elusive when pressured and can throw on the run …thus our CB play will be crucial …our LBs have not shown an ability to stop anyone, much less the FB they will face today

    …and yet, on any given Sunday 🙂

  • Samson

    I think not having Parker will hurt. We probably won’t be able to run on them so we will have to pass. Foster probably won’t have a lot of rushing yds but they can’t completely give up on it. Screen passes and bootlegs along with some designed qb runs could make the difference. To win foster needs over 100 yds from scrimmage and we need zero turnovers along with minimal penalties. And Wake,Suh and Williams need to eat up their o-line

    • admin

      100% agree…Ajayi would have been nice since he is the most powerful back in the line-up. But, unless Albert kills it, the run game will suffer…but, T-Hill can rack up yards. The D-line will be so crucial…they must make plays all day-they simply must kill it!!! Parker out will make the WR core thinner…I’m hearing alot of 2 TE today…in that case Cameron will play a crucial role!!

  • I believe the Dolphins will WIN by scoring in the red zone, that is because they will show a tenacity that a championship team must have to be competitive in the NFL. Tannehill along with his arsenal of receivers and with
    a strong offensive-line Arian Foster will have a (100+) rushing yards. They will be a 9 &7 at the end of the 2016
    season. With a little luck they could reach 10 & 6. They have to believe in themselves and Gases system. Much like Shula’s belief. hard work & finishing a 60 minute game plan, along with minimum penalty’s!! They will hold the Seahawks to less than 100 yards in rushing the ball and show themselves what they have the potential to be as a TEAM…We are going to be the Cinderella team in the NFL.

    • admin

      Dan agree on alot 9-7 or 10-6 would be amazing. The main thing as you said, they play 4 qtrs from start to finish and don’t shoot themselves in the foot constantly. I’m not sure about 100yrds on our end, but if Wilson is contained I can see them holding Seattle to under a hundred…if Alonso and the backers can fight off that 300lb FB…I’m amped and it’s killing me that its a late game!!!

  • Lemmus

    …well I hope you get your wish …never know, we could catch them napping, looking toward the next game …but I’m not putting any money on it …think Seattle will cover, I do …think they stop our run game without having to stuff the box…and I think they can both run on us and beat our pass coverage …might be wrong, it’s happened ?

    …praying the cards stick it to the Pats …that would make my day almost as much as a fins win

    • admin

      That article was Jimmy’s…I toned down his desire to go for it – a tad. He want super aggressive Miami over the 50. I really think due to Seattle be somewhat of slow starters and the issues at line it’s not far fetched to make this a game. Now, if they lose by ten and had kept it close till 5 min mark or so, then I still consider it a positive step. If they lose by 3 it’s a very positive step. A win would be amazing, but for me it’s about character and competence. Be in it to win it…then as more talent comes you step up to the big time. I agreed heavily with Jimmy on this one that 60 mins of play and a clutch aggressive move will likely be needed. But, even if they dont make it, but chose the right moment and fail, at least the character and wisdom is in place…