draggled (adj) – not clean
This is my intro. Please proceed to the body of the text.
Another strong start
Obviously the big headline for the Miami Dolphins against the Arizona Cardinals was the heralded return of Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback.
The offense’s first drive with Tua in charge looked great. Except he almost fumbled once. And so did Julian Hill, who continues to get opportunities and make the least of them.
But the Fins went 64 yards on 10 plays and punched in a touchdown on the legs of Raheem Mostert.
Then the defense followed that up by smothering the Arizona offense, forcing a 3 and out after holding them to 4 yards.
The home crowd in Hard Rock Stadium felt electric with Tua’s return. Anticipation was through the roof and the team was delivering.
This was the team everyone expected at the start of the season.
Some young players showed a little something
Not only were the team’s core pieces playing well, but a few of the newer additions got some reps. While they weren’t setting the world on fire, they were contributing while being worked into the game plan, just like fans would hope to see.
Cam Smith played on the boundary and, while I didn’t watch every snap on All-22 or anything, I didn’t hear his name called much and didn’t see him get burnt to a crisp, so that’s nice.
Chop Robinson harassed Kyler Murray throughout the day, generating pressure and forcing him to move around (which, sadly, Murray’s very good at) while nearly nabbing his first career sack. I dare say if it wasn’t such a gifted quarterback on the other side, Chop would have gotten one.
I saw Dee Eskridge catch a pass and Malik Washington handle returns. Baby steps.
Again, not any Rookie of the Year stuff, but more involvement and positive involvement from younger guys.
The offense was night and day, as expected
Skylar Thompson, Tyler Huntley, and Tim Boyle: Tua, they are not. Love or hate Tua, think he’s over or under-rated, or think he shouldn’t even be on the field anymore; he runs the Fins’ offense to its potential.
He was decisive and accurate (though he didn’t look downfield much and his one deep pass was, let’s be polite and say, suspect), showed the command we’ve come to expect, and finished 28/38 (74%) for 234 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT.
Mike McDaniel’s playcalling was varied, reasonably balanced between run and pass, and spread the ball around to different players. He even called his famous fullback dive on 2nd and short instead of 3rd!
There weren’t many penalties, Jason Sanders made his field goal attempts, and the team went into the second half up 13-7.
This version of the offense, with Tua back in form, looked on its way to being the juggernaut we Fins fans have come to love.
They are who we thought they were
Then: nonsense.
With 6:15 left in the 3rd quarter, Miami had 2nd and 10 from its own 13 yard line.
Tua was in the shotgun. Center Aaron Brewer snapped the ball, Tua wasn’t having it, fumbled, attempted to slap it out of the back of the end zone like Will Smith at an awards ceremony, and it eventually made its way out of bounds for a safety.
Was that the play that ended everything for the Dolphins?
No. It cut their lead to 20-12.
But, boy, did it look bad. That’s some Benny Hill gobbledigook. Get that under control.
Anyway.
Despite the clown show of that one play, the team still had an 8 point lead. In fact, with 12:22 left in the 4th quarter, their lead had become 11 points at 27-18.
Alas, the defense wasn’t interested in stopping the Cardinals anymore. Kyler Murray can play like one of the top QB’s in the league. Marvin Harrison Jr. looks like a stud. Trey McBride is present.
All it took was those three players to run roughshod over Miami’s defense through the entire second half until the game winning kick sailed in as time expired.
Anthony Weaver’s group folded like a Gambler who does, in fact, know when to fold ‘em. Too bad they should have been holding them. Arizona moved the ball at will all half long. They had a couple lucky bounces, but that’s going to happen. The defense just completely failed to find an answer.
In a game when the offense finally showed some life, the defense played possum.
So what’s the deal?
Falling short is becoming endemic
If this was a 28-27 nailbiter loss to a great team (Arizona might be at least good, but they aren’t great) to take Miami to, say, 5-3, I’d be feeling a lot differently.
A 28-27 nailbiter loss to a maybe good team to take Miami to 2-5 feels, sadly, like a season ender.
While that might seem dramatic, I think it’s realistic. The Fins have 10 games remaining and I suspect they will have to go 7-3 over that span in order to make the playoffs. Nothing so far this season has pointed to their ability to do so.
The offense came back from the dead with Tua, but the spectre of an injury perpetually looms over him. The defense proved it can surrender a comfortable lead, no problem. Each group has individually played well this year, but almost never at the same time. That can occasionally be enough to beat bad teams, rarely be enough to beat good teams, and never be enough to beat great teams.
Losing close games, being throttled by injuries, falling short of expectations: it can all feel a bit predestined after 24 years of it.
So what’s the deal?
Is it a lack of preparation, poor game planning, dearth of talent, no motivation with a 2-4 (now 2-5) record?
I genuinely don’t know. I’m sure it isn’t just one thing. But whatever it is, it puts the Dolphins in a tough spot.
With big contracts structured as they are, players heading to free agency, and other personnel considerations, the front office may think that their window to compete only extends one more year. If that’s the case, is it most prudent to sit Tua for the rest of this season, effectively pack it in by Week 8, and retool for one more run with this core group next year?
Maybe.
I don’t know. I don’t really know anything. I just think things.
And I think the rest of this season is going to be rough.
Feel like the Dolphins are going to give Buffalo what for next week? Feel like the year is already finished? Feel nothing because Miami has rendered your pain centers obsolete? Search for meaning in the comments below.
