The Miami Dolphins lost to the Saints in London made me ponder how bad can it get for this team?
Here is an update summary of the last two months:
Ryan Tannehill injured.
Jay Cutler signs with the team.
Hurricane Irma.
Lawrence Timmons goes AWOL
Dolphins play their home opening game October 8th.
Then it got worse.
Offensive line coach Chris Foerster resigns after video surfaces of him snorting the slang terminology “yayo.”
The Dolphins won their home opener, not in the most convincing fashion but a win is a win. Awaken middle of the night-morning to the most embarrassing controversy in Miami Dolphins history is a lost.
It hurts the brand and Dolphins fans. More to come on that.
The game itself at home for the first time this season was meaningful for the fans. However, their hard earned money deserved better. In the first half alone the Dolphins fans booed each moment Jay Cutler walked on and off the field with the added chorus of “we want Moore” as in back up quarterback Matt Moore.
“I didn’t know what they were saying, and I don’t think anyone was going to tell me what they were saying,” Cutler said. “I just kept going about my business.”
Cutler eventually silenced them for a moment leading Miami to a 16-10 win over the Tennessee Titans.
“Piss poor,” Cutler stated about the offensive performance of the team.
Miami began its two opening drives inside the five and did not move from any true distance. The offense literally could not do anything. Entering the game Dolphins were 2-22 on 3rd down since the New York Jets games. The offense totaled 178 yards in the game. I pleaded no more wildcat, they tried the wildcat in the second quarter, and even that flopped again — tight end MarQueis Gray took the snap, faked a handoff and threw incomplete intended for Jarvis Landry.
Thank God almighty for the defense and a little luck. Titans quarterback Matt Cassel fumbled with his arm cocked when hit by Kiko Alonso, and the ball squirted forward 14 yards. Reshad Jones scooped up the ball and ran untouched to the end zone. Jones kept playing after everyone else stopped to give the Dolphins their first touchdown. Referee Bill Vinovich eventually announced that the loose ball was a fumble and Miami had scored. Following a replay review, the call was upheld, giving the Dolphins a 10-0 lead.
“Our defense held it down all game.” Offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod stated. “They gave us opportunities. I like the progress we made in the second half. We were able to have success but we have to close it out more.”
Cutler went 12 for 26 for just 92 yards, but Gase said his QB wasn’t the problem.
“If guys would do their jobs — catch the ball, block the right guys, give the quarterback a chance to do something…” Gase said. “Jay is way down the list of things going wrong.”
The running game is where I saw some light on the offense. It was not a pro bowl performance for Jay Ajayi however it helped. Ajayi carried the ball 25 times for 77 yards. The running game is the hope for the Dolphins who are 2-2 now and in prime position for a post-season birth if they can build off the success and let Cutler’s repetitions in the offense look better.
I will not dwell much on the Titans. They were without starting quarterback Marcus Mariota because of a left hamstring injury suffered a week ago. Replacement Cassel went 21 for 32 for 141 yards and was sacked six times. Minus the defensive touchdown by Miami the Titans would have won this game.
Miami travels to Atlanta next week Falcons are coming off a bye.
