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I just got off the phone with a colleague who follows the Rams, and we both remain baffled over why the Rams would give away the farm for a player as average as Matt Stafford. I told him that as a Dolphin fan, I would consider giving up a 6th-round pick for Stafford…but only IF Fitzpatrick does not come back.  Stafford is not young.  He’s never really won.  He doesn’t elevate the play of his teammates.  When the Lions have made it to the playoffs under Stafford (3 times), they lost all 3 times.  Some nice individual stats and a strong arm, but he’s essentiallyRead More →

A few random thoughts on Super Bowl LV, and I’d love to hear what you guys think as well.  So happy the Bills aren’t going.  I know most of my readers hate the Jets the most, but for me, it’s always been the Bills.  Their fans have been intolerable since the team was founded, and it is nice to know they won’t be winning the title. Speaking of teams we hate, I’m rooting against Brady too.   I didn’t suddenly like the guy just because he quit the Patriots.  I respect his incredible accomplishments, but I don’t want to see him win.  Throw obnoxious Gronk intoRead More →

Just for fun, here are some of my columns from when he was named our head coach:   Some initial thoughts on the new coach Fights at Practice and fights at Dolphins Truth Dolphins and Dolfans need to give Dan Campbell a chance    Read More →

First of all, Adam Gase is interviewing to be the Offensive Coordinator for the Seahawks.  Too late.   If only Adam were calling plays when the Seahawks decided to try a goal-line pass instead of just handing off to Marshawn Lynch…Oh wait, Gase woulda called a pass there too. The Baltimore Ravens had the NFL’s worst game plan in history during Saturday’s loss to the Bills, and the result speaks for itself.  On a night of bitter cold, swirling winds, and a staunch Bills pass defense, the Ravens’ game plan was to pass pass pass.  Lemar Jackson is an incredible runner when they call his number,Read More →

The Jets announced Robert Saleh as their new head coach, and Dolphin fans will not have Adam Gase to kick around any more.  But we do have Saleh.  He was the 49ers defensive coordinator.   A man whose calls blew a late 11-point lead in the Super Bowl vs. Kansas City.   A man whose defense gave up 43 points to the Dolphins midway through our last season.  A man whose defense was last place in their division, lagging behind the Cardinals.  He also has the kiss of death upon him, as pundits are saying how ready he is and how great he is.   His former boss,Read More →

With former Dolphin Doug Pederson (the  winning QB in Don Shula’s record-setting game) available now, I have to add him to the list of candidates to become Miami’s new OC. Anthony Lynn is another intriguing option. This is a hugely important hire, and I’m glad the Dolphins haven’t rush into anything already.  Stability is vitally important this time around, and whoever we hire, we need to give him a 5-year deal to stop the revolving door OCs.  Tua and the other young players simply cannot learn a new offense every year.  It’s ludicrous.  Even if the offense is bad at first, at least there willRead More →

I’m more excited about the April draft than any of the games this weekend.   Just like last year when the season ended, I immediately shifted into “Draft Tua” mode.  The excitement was real. This year, we “only” get two first-round picks instead of three, and that is what I’ve been studying and looking forward to.  But…there are also some non-Dolphins game this weekend, and I thought I’d share my thoughts and ask yours. Note, these are not predictions on who I THINK will win…just on who I WANT to win. First, I hate the Bills, so I automatically root for the Colts.  Frank Reich returningRead More →

Man, the Dolphins can’t even fire a guy right. One day he’s gone and then he’s gone and then back, and now gone. I hate this turnover, as it’s impossible to build on anything.  “learning a new offense” is a phrase a young team should go through once a decade.   Not annually.   He we go again…Read More →

Let’s face it.   It was a dismal day all around.  We had 4 different scenarios to make it into the playoffs, and none of them occurred.  Meanwhile, the teams that only had one scenario or two…they made it. I was tied up today with a move and missed my first Phins game in about 5 or 6 years.  Looks like I didn’t miss much.  I watched my DVR just now, and it was embarrassing.   Too much to cover, but let’s give the main points.  When your playoff life comes down to a 1-15 team beating the division leader, you’re always in trouble. The Jags madeRead More →

I won’t bore you with what we already know.   The Dolphins will make the playoffs 4 different ways.  A loss by Browns, Ravens, or Colts or a Dolphin win. The troubling part is that all 4 of the teams we need to win will be big underdogs.  The Steelers were our best shot, and they (correctly) will rest their starters.  In years past, you might as well look onto 2021.  The Dolphins NEVER ever seem to get help when we need it.  But 2020 is insane, and good things happen to us. Just last weekend, the Jets beat the Browns, which was miracle #2 afterRead More →

Go Bengals! Go Giants! Go Falcons! Go Steelers! Go Jets! Go Packers! Go Patriots!  Read More →

As I said when this was first reported last month, the NFL is placing the Dolphins in a major disadvantage this weekend.  The Dolphins-Raiders game was moved from Sunday to Saturday, and less-informed bloggers and reporters were spouting how great it is to have a prime time game.   Uhhhh, nope. The Dolphins just played a game Sunday, and now have to travel on Friday.  Given the union rules for mandatory days off, that means the Dolphins only get one classroom day and one full practice to get ready. The Raiders don’t have to travel, so they get an extra practice.  PLUS–and this is more important–theRead More →

First of all, how about those Jets!?!?   We may not have to face Trevor Lawrence twice a year after all.  I am not utterly shocked, because the Rams are incredibly overrated.   Look how easily we beat them.  The Bills beat them too.  Sean McVay is just as cocky as Adam Gase and I will never understand why he gets credit.   He had no game plan in the Patriots Super Bowl, and they never recovered from that loss. We had the C-list announcers calling our game on CBS, and they were adequate, not spectacular.   But one thing they didn’t give us credit for is starting aRead More →

Well, as I predicted, Brian Flores messed with the Patriots’ preparations.   Rather than ruling out Gesicki and Parker early, Flores waited until the last ppossible minute to rule them out. I guarantee that he knew 6 days ago that these guys couldn’t play.    Kept it secret, and that is good. But the good news ends there.  For the second game in a row, we face a good defense without any main offensive weapons.    None.   So who will step up? It starts with the D.   If they can hold Cam Newton down like many other teams have done this year, then theRead More →

Last Sunday, we saw the NFL’s most dynamic quarterback attempt to complete a pass over Xavien Howard.  X won that battle. It was a baffling decision for Patrick Mahomes to even try that pass, given the success he had against the other folks in our secondary on the field at the time, namely Kavon Frazier and Clayton Fejedelem. I’m not making those names up.  Those were the safeties on the field due to injuries.  Earlier, Fejedelem had given up a long-bomb TD pass.  And Frazier was in coverage on KC’s 4th-and-one play that sealed the game.  Both men failed on big plays. Oh…and both wereRead More →

If not for the Dolphins’ special teams not showing up today, Miami won the game 30-26.   Think about the math. The Dolphins’ offense outscored the Chiefs’ offense. The Chiefs’ defense won 2-0. The Chiefs special teams won 7-0, and an ugly punt return TD where the Dolphins seemed to make zero effort. Usually reliable Jason Sanders missed a makeable field goal.   We should have easily ended up with 30 points today. Woulda been 40 if Jakeem Grant didn’t drop two easy passes that hit him in the numbers (one of which went for Tua’s first interception). All those little things added up. The safety thatRead More →

I’ve been preparing to move, and I’ve been a bit behind on our Dolphins commentary. Tomorrow brings the KC Chiefs to town.  Seems like no one can stop Patrick Mahomes and that offense, but the Dolphins defense has quickly developed into a strong unit, and they can spell problem for Mahomes.  TE Travis Kelce has hurt many opponents, but the Phins have done a better job covering TEs this year, plus I think Kelce is overrated.  Yes, he’s a big formidable target to cover, but the Chiefs are so good on offense that everyone seems like a star.   Even former Dolphin Damien Williams (who isRead More →