Will The Dolphins Win Streak Continue
If the Dolphins streak is to continue they must limit the Chargers Offense.
Chargers look to end Dolphins streak by outscoring them.
The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 2014. If they can find a way to win again this Sunday against the Chargers in San Diego, then they will have won 4 in a row, something they have not done since 2008 — Ironically 2008 was the last time this team made the playoffs.
Miami is on the cusp of being a quality team. But, they are also on the cusp of being a mediocre team.
Penalties will be a huge factor in determine how the Dolphins season will turn out
Oddly, there is something positive to be said about all these penalties Miami is racking up.
When Joe Philbin was the Head Coach, the Dolphins were a relatively well disciplined football team. But for all their discipline, they weren’t a very good team. One facet of their pedestrian play was they rarely forced the other team to commit a lot of penalties, which could be attributed to the Fins lack of intensity.
The Dolphins are now playing with an oodles of intensity as South Florida has not seem for quite some time. Through that intensity, they are winning games. But, there has been a negative side to this intensity: a ton of penalties. But frankly, if they keep winning, I can live with the overabundance of penalties. I’d rather win because they’re playing aggressive football, then lose because of heartless, passive play.
But, in order to elevate themselves into a playoff team, they must combine intensity with discipline. If they don’t, they will never beat the best teams, because that’s how the best teams play — as a controlled hurricane.
Streaks will become a consistent feature in Miami when they are consistently disciplined.
Despite their sloppy play at times, this team is also doing something that we have not seen them do in many years: finding ways to win football games. Against the Jets, the Dolphins made one of their usual special teams blunders where Matt Darr botched the snap. The Jets got the ball back on Miami’s own 18 yard line, and quickly scored a touchdown to take the lead with less than 6 minutes left in the game.
The best pay per head websites in the world had the in game live odds with Jets as the -175 Money Line favorite to win the game. Miami teams of yonder years would have choked. However, this 2016 team found a way to win by scoring on the ensuing Kickoff. It was a cruel and beautiful deflation of the Jest hopeful. The play had a tinge of the Fake Spike in its gut wrenching turnaround. I hadn’t felt the warm fuzzes in some time.
Miami proceeded to stop the Jets on a three and out, and even more uncharacteristically got the ball back with 2:54 seconds left on the clock. They then churned out 43 yards and the rest of the game clock to seal the victory.
The stunning part is that Miami has not only found a way to win these last three games, but they have found a way to close out close games in the fourth quarter. The offense also has been particularly adept at avoiding three and outs on the last drives of the game.
But, the Dolphins will need to evolve. They must become a team that doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot, because eventually that reckless gunfire will lead to a loss.I believe Miami will make the adjustment. Adam Gase has shown himself to be a man of controlled aggression, and I think his team will follow his lead. This week would be a great week to prove me right. Go Fins!!!
Agree Dunner. Last year they beat Miami soundly and knocked them down will a high volume of the run game. they are injured but still dangerous. They have given up 22 sacks so that’s 2-3 sacks a game, making them vulnerable to Miami’s rush and their pass d isn’t hot, so if Miami does everything right they could blow them out like 2014. But, if they don’t it could end up like 2015. Running is an obvious key, but composure and discipline will be very crucial this week. Penalties and turnovers will add extra chances…and with Rivers that is a bad thing. Down a score or two Miami could slip away from the run and have T-hill bear the burden…and that would likely be a bad thing. Not saying he could lead Miami, but he could also implode. This will be a big game as it could expose Miami feeling how “good” they are and come in too cocky. They should take this — but will they?!!! Can’t wait to see.
This may well be the game of the season for the Fins, wait a second-quietly please, “at least for their playoff hopes”! This game is much tougher than it appears on the outside. The Chargers are a quality team, unlike our current streak (finding ways to win), they have managed to find ways to lose games (lets hope it continues).
They can run, they can pass, they can defend the run, and they turn you over quite often. Playoff teams win on the road, we are 0-3 thus far (Seattle, Pats, Bengals). we need to start wining road games, a 7-1 home record, compiled w a 4-4 road record sets the team up quite nicely. For those that struggle in arithmetic, that would be 11-5 record, winning the remainder of the home games (49ers, Cardinals, Pats), while losing 1 road game (Chargers, Rams, Ravens, Jets, Bills). I like our chances with the remaining home games (Pats will have nothing to play for). The road games are a bit more challenging, especially the back-to-back divisional games in December. The first of back-to-back road games starts Sunday and the outcome is so important, win and that could carry right into a favorable match-up vs the Rams, lose and that could carry over to that same favorable match up.
Sundays game vs Chargers will indicate if we are as close as many of us believe or are still pretenders in ’16.
Very tough game this week. Across the country to play a very good team. Penalties will have to be down and Ajayi will have to be at the top of his game. And Tannehill might have to have that kind of game we get every now and then when he looks like a pro bowl qb. Will need a better game than the one we just played to leave with a w
Yeah Samson…Miami needs to go 6-2 at least!! Someone brought it to my attention that even 6-2 doesn’t necessarily guarantee Playoffs. Miami is right now #7 in seeding, but Chiefs, Raiders and Broncs make it a tough race. The lowest point the Chargers put up was 19 against the Broncs, so this will take everything — and sloppy play could haunt Miami if they don’t clean it up…of course, our D could always knock Rivers out and that would make things easier…wink, wink.
Well I said Tannehill might need one of those games and he did. Passer rating around 130 and qbr around 93. But it was a complete team win. Wake is balling and Alonso has people forgetting about the”bad trade”. Still to many penalties, I think we gave them 7 first downs. Need to focus on next week. Staying there for the week…. The Jay Train will need to be full steam ahead because the 49ers actually looked like a football team today… Go Fins!!!