Duke Johnson averaged 7 yards per carry and got benched.
Myles Gaskin averaged 4.6 yards per carry, and he got benched.
On a day when the running game was outstanding, Brian Flores decided to stop running the ball. Instead, the Dolphins decided to keep riding a struggling and ineffective Tua.
The results were not surprising. Flores acted like being down 7 and then 14 was like being down 40. He went pass-happy, including ridiculous trick plays that went nowhere. When he wasn’t fumbling or throwing interceptions, Tua was missing wide open guys all day. He was ineffective. And yet apparently the coaching staff saw something different.
It’s one thing if Johnson and Gaskin were ineffective, but they weren’t. They were gashing through the Titan defenders. Did I mention Duke was gaining NINE yards per carry?
Instead of giving him the ball, let’s run a triple reverse and then ask Mike Gesicki to throw a pass into triple coverage. Yeah!! That will work better than a nine-yard gain to Duke Johnson.
Brian Flores (and his coordinators) came up with the worst game plan of the year, and they cost our team.
You’re right. Duke has 7 runs for 49 yards and Gaskin had 5 for 23. I’m not sure what they were thinking other than to get a “big” play of some sort to inspire the team? . 🤷♂️ I had a bad feeling about this game once the second half started. And yeah the trick plays were lame and seemed predictable.
You have one chance with trick play, and that is to fool the DBs and have a man wide open. If that man is NOT wide open, then you just tuck the ball in and run for a few yards.
Spot on. The Titan defense is good enought that it requires a well thought out plan to defeat them. You cant waste any plays on nonsense trickery because this creates 3rd and long and Tua cant succeed in this situation. Tua was utterly dissapointing yesterday (I am also a Tua apologist) but the blatant missing of wideopen receivers, the late decisions, and the lack of any semblance of accuracy killed us. Would I get rid of him at this point, no, but I would look to either sign a younger free agent or draft someone (if available).
Love the upside down image! I missed the game (not on local broadcast), but i did watch Ja’marr Chase tear it up for the Bengals and seal rookie of the year award.
Titans played basic football and field position control, which Flores & staff seem to averse. Patriots will watch the film of this game, so expect same game plan
so it is back to earth and reality and the speculation around Tua as our QB of the future 🙁
Yes, the Titan offense was very basic, yet effective. Vrabel knows the limitations of Tannehill, and he outcoached Flores. Rushing 3 men vs. Ryan Tannehill? Does Flores even know who he was up against this week. Tannehill panics when he faces a 4-man rush, let alone 5 or 6 or 7. But, noooooo. Let’s give him all day to pass and then give the RBs gaping holes.
I am in Rochester, NY so Fins games rarely shown. I watch from my phone and screen mirror with my Roku to my tv with the DofuSports app
This was definitely a team loss including the coaches as well as the refs. Tua wasn’t great but it’s not all on him. Running game was working they abandoned it. Refs missed two PI’s with one actually on the titans when the game was only 7-3. May have not been the difference but sure didn’t help the cause.
Need to fix the oline and balance the offence with a consistent running game. They have the cap and picks but will they finally do it?
I’d like to see a better game next week in or out they need to end the season better than todays game.
Tua played like garbage, and he got no help from anyone. The RBs gave us a burst of life and energy, but then Flores and the OC Twins took that away from us. Gotta reiterate that one: Tua is not the man who abandoned Duke Johnson and Myles Gaskin. The coaches did that. Tua needs to protect that ball better and understand his line sucks.
Yep agreed I can’t believe that Duke only got 7 carries guy had 49 yards give him the damn ball when it’s shit weather out there. Right away one of those bastard OC’s should be fired. Have to keep one so they finally have continuity but the threat should be made.
Hey, FFF. What is the CFL rule about challenging plays and your timeouts? In the Cowboy game late, the Cards fumbled, but the refs said he was down. (Replay clearly showed a fumble, and he was NOT down, but Dallas could not challenge because they had no timeouts left.
In the CFL it’s the same except they have a 3 minute rule where they can automatically review it. But the big difference is that you can challenge any call so on that atrocious OPI gaff Flo could have challenged it and titans would have punted. Same on Parkers missed DPI would have kept that drive alive. Was a difference of potentially 14 points by crap amateur refs. Best league in the world and we get that…
At first I thought Parker was just whining. But the replay showed the DB literally hugging Parker’s right arm for the last 5 yards of his route. Patriots always get that call. We rarely do.
That’s the problem is that certain teams always get that call while some never do. It’s become a popularity contest. My friends a titans fan he complains every week about his team getting shafted I heard crickets on Sunday until I brought up those bad PI calls. His only comment was that the crack back call was 50/50 so it all evened out. BS I said they still had 1st/10! Every week there’s missed calls but when you get two game changing calls against you that’s tough on the road especially. Now if replay was there to keep them in check we wouldn’t see nearly as much of this BS. I feel 100 times more confident in the CFL refs because of it.
Well we knew this team was leaning on stellar defense and mistake free execution on offense. And we knew all season that the offense needs substantial upgrades.
A bruising offensive lineman or two to replace Jessie Davis will go a long way. Not some rookie project. Pay some dudes from other teams.
Very few defenses in history have been elite enough to allow a team to rely on them alone. The one that comes to mind was the 2000 Ravens and maybe several Seattle teams but Miami does not have that type of defense. A team gets the lead on us and we’ve lost and thats because our coach has no clue about offense. They did try to use play action early on, when our running game was effective, but Tua cant roll out and throw accurately. This limits us tremendoulsy as it limits the run game.
I’d like to mention that Tanny was also having issues throwing in the wind yesterday. Some throws were doing strange things even within 10 yards. My point is that it obviously affected both QBs. We’ve seen Tua make accurate throws all year I don’t believe yesterday was all him weather played a part. Does he have to learn to play in it yes! Should he learn to play in gloves yes! Does it mean he all of a sudden can’t throw a ball….uh no!
Let’s don’t overreact here titans understood this and ran the ball more whereas Miami OC’s decided to pass more even though the run was working. You tell me who’s fault this was…
I agree with most of what you said, however, most of Tua’s problems throughout the year has been the inability to see open guys not his accuracy (which the stats prove he is efficient in). Missing wideopen players on 3rd down cost us the game not his fumble, which is a fluke and can happen to anyone. That’s my main concern with Tua. Will he or can he improve, surely, but its no guarantee. Many guys fall out of this league for this very problem and most who have this problem never become game changers but remain game managers.
Most definitely he needs to get better but guess what? He’s theoretically in his first season of games. Most QBs make the leap in year 2. Do you bail on him after one full season? Do you bail on anyone at this point? Of course not unless the coaches know more than what we’re seeing. I expect him to improve next year as well as the oline and run game. The offence has to get better it can’t possibly be worse. The D may improve as well with more experience. No excuses not to make the playoffs next season. In saying all this you either need to bring in a better backup qb or draft another to groom. I say grab a vet because if Tua’s not the guy next year is a good QB draft from what I’m hearing get one then with all those picks.
IN your statement “… need to bring in or draft another QB…” I agree completely. This is my solution to the observation that his problem of missing open receivers my never improve. I would not dump him, as many suggest, but would consider the possibility that this is my be all well ever get from him.
Even going back to the Tanny days I always said draft another QB behind him. Hedge your bets. What a problem to have two good QB’s. Some people say two good QB’s leaves you with no good QB’s but they forget that you can trade one for a lottery of picks. Why not play the QB lottery after all its the most important position? You could say it’s a lottery but so is the draft especially when you get past the 3rd round. Take a flyer on a guy with potential as you never know.
In the Fins case I’d lean towards a capable backup next year as you don’t want to ruin the season if Tua goes down again. But if he doesn’t turn out the following season in a good QB draft you have no choice but to try again in the 1st round whatever it takes. I’m not high on going after an older good vet because of the cap loss but somehow the Rams make it work. They give away all of their picks every year and take on high salaried players but I guess eventually they’ll have to pay the piper and stink better win now!
3rd and inches and they ask an ice cold Brissett to enter the game and throw a long bomb?
I mean, why can’t these morons just call a play to gain ONE YARD? Why were so many throws long and downfield?
THAT FALLS UPON THE RIDICULOUS PLAY CALLS BY FLORES’s BOYS.
I understand that the coaches didn’t cover themselves in glory and I agree with your point about abandoning the run game way too often, but we simply lost to a better team. If it was a 1-score game, I would say a few decisions here and there would have made a difference. We got blown out in ALL three phases of the game and never even got into the red zone when it mattered. As tough as this loss feels, it’s actually a good thing in the long run because it will inspire some changes and sober evaluation…instead of a close loss where we buy into the illusion that this team, as currently constructed and coached can contend for a title. The problem with the changes and sober evaluation is the people that will be making them (Ross & Grier). 1) Ross has to get the hell out of the way and hire a solid GM, 2) Grier has to go…he’s had way more than enough time in the organization and we still haven’t won a playoff game in 21 years. 3) If we keep Flores, it must be for only 1 more year for a the new GM to evaluate him AND he must hire a new O-line coach at the very least. My guess is none of the 3 points I laid out will happen because the disease starts at the top with the senile owner.
Nothing you say is wrong. Personally, I think Grier might have earned himself another year, because Holland and Waddle and Phillips appear to be the real NFL deal. None of his other picks panned out. In the past, he bombed early and hit some late rounders.
Flores still makes me wonder about him as a leader. Being outcoached by mediocre coaches like Mike Vrabel and frank Reich, not to mention garbage rookies like Urabn Meyer and Arthur Smith. Things are fine when we play a close game, but when someone is onto us (such as vrabel brilliantly taking Waddle out of the game), Flores had zero answers.
The blitzes and cover zeroes worked to perfection for the last 2 months…and today Flores decided to rush 3 men? Tannehill thrives when he has time, and he is the worst under pressure. So Flores decides to bring no pressure mot of the day. It’s just stupid logic.
Yes, the Tians are a better team, but this one leaves a bad taste in my mouth for so many reasons.
Replace palardy immediately, by the way.
Can’t disagree if ultimately Grier made those decisions especially on his own then get rid of him so be it…but Flo had to be a part of this. He also hired the coordinators and oline coach. for the sake of continuity I’d keep him but on a short leash.
On a good note I believe that the game was closer than Moonbear thinks. It was only 7-3 when they called that ridiculous DPI when it was OPI. Boom 14-3 right after when they would have punted. That allowed titans to play their game and got the Fins out of theirs. Although I still believe you run the ball even down 14-3 that’s another story.
Titans are better right now but that game was winnable no doubt about it. They just need to get over the hump fix that oline finally and have a run game you can lean on when needed. OC that will actually stick to it when working or whatever is working. Titans would get stuffed but they’d call a screen and then go back to the run it works. Flo needs to take notes and slap his OC’s I’d fire one to prove a point.
I don’t comment much but right now, this seems like an appropriate time.
FLYERFINFAN, I like the way you are thinking about things. Bashing Flores for this loss is a quick and easy review of the game. Pointing a finger at Grier is an option that’s convenient because face it, most of us are looking for scapegoats to blame right now because this team had us riding a high that only reality could spoil the party and we were all basically hoping for a miracle. Remember, Grier had to go through the years of “Philbin only answers to me, the owner” crap. Tell me, what other owner says that to everybody in the entire organization he owns? Sure, I didn’t like it that the dolphins had to go on the road and play a monday night game and then go back on the road and play a game that following sunday. That’s not making an excuse for anything but, this whole season had us scratching our heads. But we can take away something from this season.. the Dolphins were the first and only team that won SEVEN straight games after losing seven straight. That is a consolation that I can take into the off-season. The Dolphins scrapped like underdog warriors and dammit, that had a lot of NFL teams afraid to play them! I was so proud of that. Now, I’ll sit back and wait for the last game against the Patriots and hopefully I can have some comfort if the Dolphins beat the brakes off of them!
Well bashing Flores only comes into play when ALL THREE phases of our team hurt us. Tua and the offense stunk it up. I still think the play-calling was the culprit, as it never allowed him to get into a rhythm. But I don’t excuse his horrendous passes all day long. And that whiff when the ball went backwards as his arm went forward? That’s not Flores’s fault.
On defense, we could do nothing. Were the players not trying? No, that wasn’t it. Again, it was play calls. Rushing 3 men against Tannehill…the King of Panic Under Pressure? Just a poor poor time to get away from what has been working for the past 2 months.
And the kicking game. Another miss from Sanders that would have given us momentum. A dozen short kicks from Palardy, who has to go. Our first two series stalled around midfield, and Palardy punted. BOTH times, Tenn got the ball on their own 35 or so. You do the math, Cut him.
“bashing Flores only comes into play when ALL THREE phases of our team hurt us”
“Tua and the offense stunk it up. I still think the play-calling was the culprit, as it never allowed him to get into a rhythm”
“But I don’t excuse his horrendous passes all day long. And that whiff when the ball went backwards as his arm went forward? That’s not Flores’s fault”
ADMIN, check yourself before you wreck yourself…
Announcer Trent Green pointed out Flores’ mistakes (indirectly) about 7 times yesterday. When you’re in 4-down territory facing a 3rd and 7, you do NOT have to get all 7 yards on one play, for example. The Dolphins kept trying longer passes over and over again, and failed each time.
Green pointed out how much time Tannehill had because Flores continually rushed only 3 men.
You can’t have tv announcers knowing Football 101 better than your head coach.
I heard TV announcers also sounding bewildered when they saw Tua rolling out to his left and not completing an easy throw that’s only five to seven yards long. I also saw Tua throwing over his receivers heads multiple times. I saw lanes where Tua could’ve ran the ball and picked up either first down or at least seven or eight yards. I saw receivers drop passes that Tua could’ve done no better than walked up to them and put the ball in their hands. Tell me something.. is all that fuck up Flores’s fault because he doesn’t know football 101?
I could go on an on an on about the mistakes I saw in the game against the Titans but it doesn’t change a thing. TV announcers are just that, “TV announcers.” Their jobs are as cushy as you sitting in front of your TV eating doritos and watching the game.
Yes, you make my point for me. When Tua is missing 3-yard passes and when he consistently overthrows his WRs by 10 yards, do you keep trying more of the same?
Do you double-down on Tua and keep relying on him?
Or do you hand it off to a guy who picks up 9 yards per carry?
Flores chose to stick with Tua’s arm the entire game, even when we were only down 7 and then 14. Duke Johnson rode the bench from the 2nd quarter on.
So the Dolphins would’ve won the game just by running the ball.
ADMIN, if I were you, I really wouldn’t give up my day job.
Yes, you are right!! We would have absolutely won the game if we ran the ball. Did you not see Duke Johnson gashing through their D for 9 yards a pop? Why run the ball for 9 yards per carry when instead you can have Tua throw grounders?
I believe the point wasn’t to run on every play but balance it out more. They asked Tua to throw it 38 times in ice rain. Even asked Gesicki to throw deep. This is flawed especially when they were able to run it on Sunday. It’s like these OC’s don’t adjust and Flo doesn’t say anything to them to change things. You’d think a defensive coach would be pushing for the run. We saw BB run it all game in buffalo only 3 passes and win I’d take a 50/50 split in bad weather!
You guys know me, and I am a HUGE believer in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Our short dink-and-dunk passing game worked to perfection over 7 straight wins, but then last Sunday, they kept calling long passes over the middle in a wet, windy, icy field. The running game was outstanding Sunday (again, Duke Johnson averaged nine yards a carry, and Gaskin averaged nearly 5). But instead of continuing that, we decided to “mix it up” and throw long passes instead. We do not need balance. We need successful plays. If our most successful plays on any given day is to rush the ball, then do that. If we are successful with short passes, then do that. If we end up with 90% rushing plays and get a win, then that is what you do. Flores fell into that ridiculous trap of trying to “mix it up.” It has been correctly pointed out here…The Pats beat Buffalo a few weeks ago by passing the ball three times. 3. Three passes, and they won the game. Flores must not have learned anything from Belichick after all.
I have been super critical of Tua, but he is showing improvement, so I am willing to give Tua one more year. But yes, he needs to improve is finding of those open receivers. I wonder if his short height is part of this reason.
I only saw the condensed game highlights, and it looked like Dolphins were in a lot of 3rd and long situations, which is not our strength
What I have observed over the course of this year is that Flores and staff usually come up with decent game plan via pre-game preparation (during the week). But they fail to make in-game adjustments and this is where Flores sucks, quite frankly.
An exception was this last Titan game: their pre-game plan was to pass a lot, because the Titans have a stout run defense. This did not work out too well. this strategy ended up getting us into a lot of 3rd and long. The running game was showing some results, but the coaching staff stuck with their pre-game plan.
FlyerPhin, Yes. We threw long passes on virtually every single first down, and Tua had a bad day. That set up 2nd and long. As always with the Dolphins, we ran the ball in that situation for 3 yards, setting up a lot of third and 7s or 3rd and 8s. All day long.
On some first downs, they fed Duke Johnson the ball, and he ran well. He averaged nine yards a carry. Gaskin had nearly 5 YPC. As expected, the Flores apologists claim that we HAD to abandon the run because we fell behind. Yeah, we fell behind by 7 whole points. Time to panic and pass it long every single play. 🙁
The play calling looks much like Gase’s in that there is no compliment, nothing sets anything else up. They pass when they’re supposed to and run when they’re supposed to. That’s why you always see a 2nd and 10 run for 2 yards. I am not calling for an end to the running game but more set the defense up, dont be so predictable. This team also doesn’t seem to audible. On 2nd and long, the Titans stacked the box in anticipation for the standard run. You gotta check out of this play, they never do.
My concern with Tua is whether or not he has leadership skills. His decision making and accuracy can improve (i.e. Josh Allen), but if he lacks leadership skills, the Dolphins need to start looking elsewhere.
Asked if there were regrets about not rushing Johnson more in the second half, Flores said: “Duke ran the ball well. Probably could have stuck a few more runs in there.”
See, this is where Flores needs to mature as a coach and improve immediately. He’s been in this league too long to not grasp the concept “sticking a few more runs in there.”
This is NOT a case of hindsight. Flores was there–front and center–and watched the Duke run through the Titans. No overnight analysis was needed. No hindsight. Flores cannot wait 24 hours to realize that he should have run the ball.
And let’s not forget that Tua is not the one who used rookie sack leader Jaelan Phillips on only 23 out of 75 plays. Again, Flores waited until the most important game of the year to start tampering with success.
I guess Flores liked the way our defense handled unknown 4th stringer RB D’onta Foreman. Why insert a stud like Phillips when instead you can watch your lesser players get blown up all afternoon?
Dude, this is my last time commenting about this game.
The Dolphins had to face two (2), powerhouse teams just to have a slimmer of hope to get into the playoffs.. and they had to do it with starting to play a game Sunday on the road, after playing a game on the road that previous Monday. And the weather didn’t do the Fins any favor. The odds were nearly impossible and it was going to take a miracle for the Fins to have any chance of making the playoffs. All the whining about what you saw doesn’t change those facts. I’ll bet if you didn’t whine about the game against the Titans, you’ll be whining about the game next week against the Patriots. The Dolphins are not the only team that won’t make the playoffs. I wish some people will stop looking at that like they’re really shocked!
After the years 2020 and 2021 plus all the other shit this team went through, it’s a wonder the Dolphins looked as good as they have. So I’ll just put my Dolphin stuff away, get ready for the playoffs and Superbowl, and wait to see what happens next year.