Tua Tagovailoa left on a cart with bruised ribs in the first quarter of the Dolphins' 35-0 loss to the Bills.

Pressure Point: Progress of Miami Dolphins’ rebuild suspect after demoralizing defeat

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This was always the biggest concern with this Miami Dolphins rebuilding project.

That Tua Tagovailoa would get hurt?

That’s always a possibility with any NFL quarterback — though it was a valid question with Tua when they drafted him given his injury history in college.

But the demoralizing aspect of the Dolphins’ 35-0 whipping in their home opener by the Buffalo Bills is the evidence it provided to this:

What if the Dolphins tear down their roster, build it back up with an abundance of draft picks, then when they think they’re playoff ready they discover they’re still not close to competitive with the best in their own division?

Because, man, was that ever obvious in Sunday’s debacle. The Dolphins aren’t in the same league with the Bills by any measure.

Truth is, the 1-1 Bills haven’t even played their best in their first two games. But they’ve won the past six meetings with the Dolphins.

Buffalo’s advantage in the past two (the 2020 finale and Sunday) is 91-26.

Dolfans have reason to feel gut-punched

The Dolphins, after eking out a win at New England let their fans down mightily with an inept and undisciplined showing in the home opener. But the punch to the gut for Dolfans is the likelihood that this is who they are right now against a top-tier team.

Most glaring was the ineptitude of the offensive line, which allowed six sacks.

It caused Tagovailoa to get knocked out early.

The Dolphins have invested seven draft picks in the line in the past three years. Yet this vital unit remains a liability. Adding to the woes, Jesse Davis, their most experienced lineman, went out with a knee injury Sunday.

How about the receiving corps, a supposed strength? DeVante Parker dropped a touchdown pass. Albert Wilson dropped a first down. Jakeem Grant fumbled.

Then their highly touted first-round pick, receiver Jaylen Waddle, fumbled away a punt just before the half — he had a couple drops as well.

The tally was three turnovers (the fumbles by Grant and Waddle and Jacoby Brissett also threw a pick) in the first half, which ended 14-0 and still within reach.

Miami had seven unproductive drives in the opening half, including two that ended with turnovers.

Xavien Howard saves Dolphins from gut-wrenching defeat in season opener at New England

Offense inept with or without Tagovailoa

The report on Tagovailoa is bruised ribs, so probably not a long-term injury. For now the offense is in the hands of Brissett, who looked like what he is: a serviceable backup.

The defense gave up touchdowns on the Bills’ first two possessions. That included a 46-yard scoring run by former Florida Atlantic running back Devin Singletary, who had a massive hole to run through.

It is the longest rushing touchdown the Dolphins have allowed in more than five seasons.

After playing respectably through the second quarter, the defense offered little resistance on a 75-yard touchdown drive in eight plays to open the second half. It unraveled from there.

Lopsided defeat reveals Dolphins’ shortcomings

The Bills ran right over the Dolphins with a 143-71 advantage on the ground.

Not to bail on the Flores/Grier regime after a 1-1 start. But this had the look of a lot more than a bad day.

Can’t help but question the progress of the so-called rebuild at this point in year three.

The Dolphins have been butting into a glass ceiling for two decades. They haven’t put a crack in the glass yet.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Goldie’s Picks: Play the Chargers, Bills, Bengals, more

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Goldie’s All Time Record: 135-61          Vs. Spread: 98-95

Goldie’s Week 1 Record : 9-6                 Vs. Spread: 9-6

Goldie’s Guarantee All Time: 10-5         21-22 Season: 1-0

Goldie’s Upset All Time: 10-4                 21-22 Season: 1-0

Crazy Uncle Jeff All Time: 17-2              21-22 Season: 1-1

 

Goldie’s Guarantee

Minnesota Vikings (0-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-0)

Vegas Picks: ARI -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Cardinals Win 31-21

Both of these teams showed the football world a lot during week 1. The Vikings showed us that they might not be as good as we thought, and the Cardinals showed us that they’re much better than we thought. Zona’ is the real deal this season on both sides of the football. Cards roll through the Vikes this weekend. I GUARANTEE IT!  

 

Goldie’s Upset of the Week

Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) @ Chicago Bears (0-1)

Vegas Picks: CHI -2.5

Goldie’s Take: Bengals Win 24-22

Joey Burrow looked great last week coming off a terrible injury that ended his rookie year. A big momentum boost to come back and win that one in overtime last week over the Vikings. Burrow and the Bengals will have some swagger coming into this one, as the Bears look like they’re treading water. I’m still baffled by their decision to stick with Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback. He wasn’t even good when he was in his prime, and the redheaded QB hasn’t been relevant in years. He’s costing Chicago wins and not letting the rookie Justin Fields develop. I don’t get it. Bengals UPSET the Bears in the windy city!

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff Lock of the Week: GB -11

Detroit Lions (0-1) @ Green Bay Packers (0-1)

Vegas Picks: GB -11

Goldie’s Take: Packers Win 30-24

Crazy Uncle is doubling down on Green Bay after a rare miss last week! Jeffy has concluded that last week was nothing but a fluke, and the Packers are locked in and ready to put a hurting on the Lions this Monday night. Rodgers may have not totally been in it last week, but he’s sure to put on a show for the home fans. If there’s something you can always count on in this world it’s: Death, taxes, and the Lions losing in Green Bay

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff Lock of the Week: DAL +3.5

Dallas Cowboys (0-1) @ Los Angeles Chargers (1-0)

Vegas Picks: LAC -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Chargers Win 27-24

Dak Prescott looked phenomenal in their last minute loss to the Bucs last Thursday. Jeffy thinks the Cowboys high powered passing game is going to be enough to avenge that loss with a big performance this weekend. However, I personally don’t they’re not going to win games until they figure out their run game. Zeke couldn’t get anything going in Tampa, and if that continues it’s going to be very difficult for the ‘Boys to stay competitive. Give me the Bolts in a close one. 

 

New Orleans Saints (1-0) @ Carolina Panthers (1-0)

Vegas Picks: NO -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Saints Win 26-21

NOLA had a serious statement win last week, blasting the Green Bay Packers 38-3. Carolina on the other hand, had a hard time putting away the Jets. The Panthers offense is too McCaffrey centric in my opinion and that tends to often be their downfall. Saints keep the train rollin’ with a win in Carolina this weekend.

 

Houston Texans (1-0) @ Cleveland Browns (0-1)

Vegas Picks: CLE -12.5

Goldie’s Take: Browns Win 35-19

Even though the Texans did look pretty good last week against the Jags, I feel they’ll come back down to earth this Sunday. Tyrod Taylor is going to have a much tougher time against the stingy Cleveland defense than he did against the Jags. Plus the Browns are looking to get back to .500 early in a season that has high expectations on them. Yes, you read that right, high expectations for the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland steamrolls the Texans in the Dawg Pound this Sunday. 

 

Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0)

Vegas Picks: Steelers Win 23-22

Goldie’s Take: PIT -6.5

Both of these squads pulled off impressive close upsets last week. In this one, I expect another close game controlled by defense. The Steelers defensive unit is no joke, evident last week by only allowing Josh Allen and the Bills 16 points. Although I think the line in Vegas is highly underestimating the Raiders, I do still expect the Steelers to win this one at home. Venue call. 

 

Buffalo Bills (0-1) @ Miami Dolphins (1-0)

Vegas Picks: BUF -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Bills Win 35-20

As a Dolphins fan this pains me to write, but the bottom line is Miami has never been a good matchup for the Bills. The last time these two teams played, the Bills absolutely destroyed the Fins, knocking Miami out the playoffs in the process. Plus, the Bills are going to be coming for blood after getting upset by Pittsburgh last week. Bills by multiple scores. 

 

Los Angeles Rams (1-0)  @ Indianapolis Colts (0-1)

Vegas Picks: LAR -4

Goldie’s Take: Rams Win 28-23

The Rams looked like a machine in their rout of the Bears last week, and they’ll try to bring that momentum right into this one as well. There isn’t a defense in the league that is stronger than the Rams, plus the addition of Matt Stafford seems to have the offense working pretty well too. Indy will put up a good fight at home, but in the end expect the Rams to prevail in this one. 

 

San Francisco 49ers (1-0) @ Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Vegas Picks: SAN -3

Goldie’s Take: Niners Win 27-17

After getting up huge on Detroit last week, the Niners ALMOST dropped the ball and blew that game. I feel they’ll learn from the bullet they dodged last week, and do a better job of closing this one out. Also, the Niners D will do a much better job of containing Jalen Hurts than the Falcons did. Niners win this one on the road to improve to 2-0. 

 

Denver Broncos (1-0) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

Vegas Picks: DEN -6

Goldie’s Take: Broncos Win 26-17

This could be another long season for Jags fans as their week one matchup with Houston didn’t show many signs of life. The rookie QB and head coach tandem is still getting adjusted to the NFL, and it might take some time. Broncos win a snoozer. 

 

New England Patriots (0-1) @ New York Jets (0-1)

Vegas Picks: NE -6

Goldie’s Take: Pats Win 22-17

Bill Belichick is 22-7 in his career when facing a rookie starting quarterback. Expect that trend to continue this weekend as I can’t see the Pats losing 2 consecutive divisional games right off the bat. Defense rules and Pats get a gritty victory in Metlife this Sunday. 

 

Atlanta Falcons (0-1) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0)

Vegas Picks: TB -12.5

Goldie’s Take: Buccaneers Win 31-20

The Atlanta Falcons are a mystery, and they’ve been mystery ever since I started last season with Goldie’s Takes. No doubt in my mind the Bucs are going to win this one, but I expect Matty Ice and the Falcons to at least cover the hefty point spread this Sunday. 

 

Tennessee Titans (0-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (1-0)

Vegas Picks: SEA -6

Goldie’s Take: Seahawks Win 35-31

I don’t think last week’s loss to Arizona is a true representation of the Tennessee Titans. They had a bad week all around, but it’s going to be tough having to follow up a bad week like that with a tough road game in a hostile environment. I think these two teams are pretty even on paper but Seattle’s home field gives the ‘Hawks a slight advantage. Seahawks in a venue call. LET RUSS COOK!

 

Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) @ Baltimore Ravens (0-1)

Vegas Picks: KC -3.5 

Goldie’s Take: Chiefs Win 31-26

Mahomes versus Lamar on primetime is not one you’re going to want to miss. Expect a back and forth game throughout, but the Chiefs historically have been the more clutch team. Give me Patty and the Chiefs to win and cover this Sunday night. 

 

Dolphins

3 Bold Predictions for the Dolphins against the Bills

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The Miami Dolphins won in a nail biter against the New England Patriots in Week 1. Here are three bold predictions as the Dolphins face off against the Bills this Sunday.

Tua Tagovailoa balls out

Call me crazy, but I think Tua Tagovailoa will have flashes of brilliance against a talented Bills defense. Last week against the Patriots, Tagovailoa was average working through pressure and had some errant throws. Admittedly, he knows he needs to clean up some stuff. It was only Week 1 where everyone was rusty.

With all the criticism stemming from the offseason, Tagovailoa will need to silence his critics. It could come against the bills.

In an Offense designed for Tua and Tua only, he is comfortable knowing where he needs to throw the ball and who he needs to throw to. It is a timing based offense catered to his biggest strength. Timing and accuracy.

In a critical moment of the game, Tua checks out of the run play and throws a dart to DeVante Parker on a 1st and 14 to move the chains and close the game with a win.

Last year, he lacked the ability to signal his WRs to get out of bad plays, and he took the blame for that by saying it was because he didn’t know the playbook well enough. At a crucial point in the game, he signaled to get out of the bad play and put the ball into a position where only DeVante Parker could succeed.

From his former OC in Steve Sarkisian:

“Tua, very instinctual. He can make RPOs work. He’s the best signaler I’ve ever been associated with. This guy will signal things that didn’t even practice, but he’ll signal it, and it works.”

He will have several “gotta have it” moments against the Bills.

His Stat line: 350 Yards, 3 TDs.

Jevon Holland is the Josh Allen Killer

Jevon Holland played only 24 snaps and was the highest graded rookie per PFF, he had an 82.5 overall grade. I expect that to change against the Bills.

Buffalo comes into Miami with a potent aerial attack led by Josh Allen who haunts the Dolphins. Allen is 7-1  against Miami in his career.

However, Josh Allen struggled against Pittsburgh and looked like his old self in 2018 and 2019. The Steelers employed a heavy usage of two-safety looks and showing man coverage. Instead they played a lot of Cover 3 buzz and had safeties dropping into the middle of the field, not deep. This led to Josh Allen holding the ball longer, facing pressure and not converting his plays.

Miami’s corners handled the deep ball against the Patriots in Cover 3 and Tampa 2 but they have to face Stefon Diggs who can take passes to the house. Albeit, I believe Xavien Howard is equipped to handle Diggs.

The issue is that Miami’s LB corps cannot cover the middle of the field well, this is where Holland comes to play.

Minkah Fitzpatrick played a fantastic game as a deep and intermediate safety and did not allow players to get deep very often. Holland replaced Fitzpatrick, and is a better fit in Brian Flores’ scheme.

With over 800 career snaps in the slot, more than 300 as a free safety and 300 more in the box, Holland could be tasked in securing the Middle of the field and not allowing players to move upfield.

Josh Allen runs for over 100 yards

Josh Allen can destroy offenses with his arms and his legs. If Miami could do some of the same things Pittsburgh did, Allen could look to do some damage with his legs.

The Dolphins Defense have had issues with many Mobile QBs and Allen is the biggest name of them all.

If Miami is able to hold up in coverage but not put any Pressure on Allen, it will be a tricky day for the Defense as Allen can move the chain with his legs on critical third downs. Gassing the Defense.

His stat Line just running against Miami? 340 rushing yards and 3 rushing TDs.

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Wherever he goes next, Goran Dragic should eventually reside in rafters

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Pat Riley has a habit of honoring the difference makers.  So much that he even graced Michael Jordan by retiring #23.  A player who — wore a different set of black, red and white while crushing the Heat on more than one occasion.

 

There was also the time the Heat hung Dan Marino’s #13 up in the rafters, even though his armor was cloaked in aqua and white, and his arena was a football field.  

 

The others Riley glorified are the pillars of the organization.  Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.  Additionally, there are three names also deserving, but nothing can be done for them yet because they are active players.  LeBron James is the “king of both coasts.”  Udonis Haslem is still barking invaluable instructions from the Heat bench.  Finally, Goran Dragić is a member of the Toronto Raptors. 

 

As far as Dragić and James, the Heat could never say anything publicly now due to the tampering headache that would hypothetically arise if they mentioned any plan to celebrate these two.  It’s inevitable that James gets his commemoration sometime when he’s retired, but the Dragon’s tale should always be remembered like myths carved in stone.  

 

The Dragon represented the Heat in the All-Star Game in 2018, and maintained that level of play whenever he was not burdened by injuries.  Dragić showed the ultimate allegiance to his former club.  His role shifted from being a captain and go-to scorer into the team’s sixth man and back again as a starter in the bubble.

 

Dragić has said the lineup change wasn’t easy when Coach Spoelstra suggested playing behind undrafted rookie Kendrick Nunn, but he handled it gracefully while excelling in his new mantle. Dragić possessed the emotional intelligence to allow Spo to tinker with the lineup during the 2020 regular season to maximize the group’s chances of winning later, and that’s a significant reason why the Heatles buried their eastern opponents. 

 

For three rounds in the bubble, Dragić was merciless on drives to the hole and shooting from the perimeter.  Miami’s lucky #7 was the squad’s leading scorer in the sweep over Indiana and in the eastern conference finals against Boston. 

 

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In Game 1 of the championship round, misfortune struck as Dragić tore the plantar fascia in his left foot, which sidelined him the next four games.  The lasting image of Dragić sobbing on the bench after his failed pregame warmup before Game 4 is ineradicable from memory.  He shouldn’t have tried to practice, but love for the game can cloud even the clearest minds.

 

The wounded Dragon made his courageous, albeit foolish, return to the court in Game 6, but the Heat got beat, and the Lakers were crowned champions.  

 

Dragić’s final year in Miami was the 2021 campaign in which the Heat never found their edge, amid a plague of injuries and size concerns.  The season ended in a sweep at the hands of a team (Bucks) who got pantsed by Miami in the bubble.

 

This summer, the Heat successfully pursued their latest white whale, Kyle Lowry. Yet, the indifferent Riley had to ship away Dragić and Precious Achiuwa to Toronto in a sign-n-trade to make the salaries work for both teams.

 

With less than three weeks until the start of training camp (Sept. 28), Lowry, who previously wore #7 in Toronto, still has not announced his jersey # for the Heat.  Considering the quality of player Dragić was during his time in Miami, and how he sacrificed his body for the club, it would be uncharacteristically tasteless for the Heat to give their new lead guard the same jersey # as their beloved Dragon.

 

One day #7 should hang in the rafters, but the back of the shirt should read Dragić, written in black.

 

 

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Tua Tagovailoa greets Kyle Van Noy after the Dolphins' win at New England.

Pressure Point: Xavien Howard saves Miami Dolphins from gut-wrenching defeat

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This is why the Miami Dolphins had to pay Xavien Howard and make their star cornerback happy.

Their best player saved them from a gut-wrenching loss Sunday at New England.

The Patriots avoided throwing in his direction all day. Then, with a one-point lead slipping away, Howard dislodged the ball from Damien Harris and dug it out at the Miami 9 with 3:31 remaining.

Thanks to the timely takeaway in the red zone, the Dolphins ended up with an uplifting if somewhat unlikely 17-16 victory.

It was nice to see Bill Belichick in the role of Charlie Brown with the football yanked away at the last instant, for a change.

But it was a victory to leave Dolfans feeling somewhat queasy.

Patriots’ Jones impresses in first NFL start

Consider the Patriots’ lopsided advantage in yards gained, 393 to 259, and in time of possession by nearly 13 ½ minutes.

And that they didn’t have an answer for rookie Mac Jones, who played like a seasoned veteran in his first NFL start.

Jones led an offense that converted 11 of 16 third-down situations.

Tua Tagovailoa gets the W in the Battle of Bama quarterbacks. But Jones had the advantage. He completed 29 of 39 passes for 281 yards, a touchdown and passer rating of 102.6.

As the afternoon turned to dusk, it felt like many Dolphins-Patriots games throughout the Tom Brady era. Except it was Mac Jones playing pitch-and-catch with his receivers. Making every correct decision. Stepping up to avoid the rush or letting it go just in time — on time and on target. Time and time again.

Even though Miami held the lead most of the second half, a New England victory seemed inevitable until Howard’s heroics.

Tagovailoa wasn’t bad. He led impressive touchdown drives on the first Miami possession of each half. He capped an 80-yard drive with a three-yard keeper for the early lead. Then connected with rookie Jaylen Waddle from three yards out to end a 75-yard drive in nine plays for a 17-10 Miami lead after halftime.

Tagovailoa can’t quiet critics

Tagovailoa’s performance won’t quiet his doubters in Twitter land, though.

He ended the day 16 of 27 for 202 yards and a passer rating of 79.6. In addition to the touchdown to Waddle, he made a horrendous decision in throwing a desperation pass on the run that was picked off late in the fourth quarter.

That set up New England for a would-be winning drive until Howard intervened.

Tua would have gotten savaged on Twitter this week if that pick had cost the Dolphins the game. He still may. Not that it matters.

What does matter is that more flaws were revealed than Dolfans would have expected after a busy offseason, especially on offense. After that sublime opening drive, it was crickets from the offense for most of the rest of the half.

The Dolphins went a stretch in which they gained 17 yards over a span of 11 plays. Three consecutive possessions lasted less than a minute and a half.

Somehow tight end Mike Gesicki was targeted only twice all game and finished without a catch.

Dolphins leave much room for improvement

The offensive line still looks suspect. Pass protection was shaky and there wasn’t a lot of space for the running game.

Rookie tackle Liam Eichenberg got beaten badly for a sack and was flagged for a penalty that wiped out a gain. Guard Solomon Kindley got caught downfield on a pass, negating a first-down reception.

But credit the men up front on the final possession when they ground out the first down needed to kill the clock. Tua also had a first-down toss to DeVante Parker on that drive.

The most positive sign of the day was rookie Waddle showing evidence of the dynamic weapon envisioned when Miami selected him sixth overall in April. He finished with four catches for 61 yards, including a leaping grab for 36 yards. That made up for a bad drop on a third-down pass that killed one possession.

On the short touchdown catch, Waddle did a nice job slipping the ball inside the pylon.

Defensively, the Miami pass rush was lacking except for Emmanuel Ogbah, who looks like a monster.

Xavien Howard saves day for Dolphins

Overall the defense gave a lot of ground but on three occasions made the Patriots settle for field goals after lengthy drives. They had two takeaways, extending their streak to 23 games with at least one, longest active in the NFL.

Then Xavien Howard showed why he is indispensable by making the kind of play it takes to win at New England.

Any win at Gillette Stadium is an accomplishment not to be taken lightly.

It’s always preferable to be trying to fix shortcomings coming off a win. Especially when the other three teams in the AFC East lost on Sunday.

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Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

Road to the Orange Bowl: Oregon upset paves playoff path for Pac-12

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The Pac-12 has been left out of the college football playoff picture for many years. The only two teams from the conference to reach the playoff have been Oregon in the first edition and Washington in 2016. 

Yet after five years on the outside looking in, there may finally be hope for the Pac-12 in the form of Mario Cristobal’s Ducks. 

There were originally some concern after beating Fresno State by only a touchdown but Oregon’s 35-28 upset win over No. 3 Ohio State has the newly ranked No. 4 Ducks in the CFP hunt as the Pac-12’s flagship program. 

Ohio State hasn’t lost a regular season game since 2018 against Purdue but the Buckeyes’ were shown to be vulnerable to the ground game. Minnesota senior running back Mo Ibrahim ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns against Ohio State last week.  

The Ducks were carried by junior running back CJ Verdell, who ran for 161 yards and two touchdowns and also caught three passes for 34 yards and a score. 

“We saw the Minnesota running back was having a good game, and we wanted to do the same thing,” Verdell said after the game.

It seems like an entire NFL big board could be compiled of running backs on Ohio State’s schedule. 

It’s not quite a fatal loss for the Buckeyes, but it does leave with running the conference table as their only remaining path. Ohio State, now on the outside looking in at No. 9, will take on a Tulsa team that nearly defeated Oklahoma State after losing to UC Davis of the FCS ranks the week before. 

As for Oregon, all that’s left is to win the Pac-12 title. The Ducks have a good chance of running the table but a midseason matchup with No. 13 UCLA, led by former Ducks coach Chip Kelly makes for an interesting obstacle. 

Outside of Stanford, who avenged its lopsided loss to Kansas State with a convincing win over then ranked No. 14 USC, the Pac-12 North Division is entirely winnable. Whoever comes out of the South Division to meet in the Pac-12 title game maybe a harder challenge. As of now it’s race between UCLA and No. 19 Arizona State, who took care of UNLV. The two teams face off on October 2 in the Rose Bowl.  

Rat poison proof

After dismantling Miami last week, No. 1 Alabama mauled Mercer 48-14 on Saturday. As seemingly customary during the week against an outmatched opponent, head coach Nick Saban goes on his yack-fest calling the media and other outside influences “rat poison.” 

The schtick is getting old, especially coming off a season in which the Crimson Tide won the national championship playing an all-conference schedule. With Mercer, Southern Miss and New Mexico State slated this season, maybe the schedule is the rat poison. Why waste money scheduling those teams when there are fourth other conferences littered with worthy opponents (in name only)?

As usual, there seems to be no stopping Alabama this season. At least the upcoming games against No. 11 Florida, No. 17 Ole Miss and No. 7 Texas A&M will make for interesting potential roadblocks. 

Closing the gap

There has been a growing trend this season of Power 5 teams having trouble against lower level counterparts. 

The first week of the season saw FCS beat six FBS opponents including Montana upsetting Washington, who were ranked No. 20 at the time. The opening week also saw Washington State, Duke, Cal, Illinois and Georgia Tech fall to FBS opponents. 

There weren’t as many upsets this week but there were a lot of close calls. No. 22 Miami almost followed up an embarrassing loss to Alabama with an even more embarrassing loss to Appalachian State. It took a game winning field goal to save the Hurricanes’ hide. 

No. 12 Notre Dame also needed some fourth quarter magic to topple Toledo 32-29. South Carolina needed a game winning field goal just to beat East Carolina. Same goes for Vanderbilt against Colorado State. Oklahoma State and Minnesota both won by only five points against Tulsa and Miami OH. Kansas State had a harder time with Southern Illinois than it did against Stanford the week before. 

There was one upset and if involved Florida State. Jacksonville State shocked the Seminoles  20-13 by scoring 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Florida native Damond Philyaw-Johnson’s only catch in the game was a 59-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the game. 

Just goes to show in 2021, you can’t take a victory over a G5 or FCS team for granted. 

Welcome to the SEC

The season started with the shocking news of Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the SEC, making the already power packed conference even more powerful. 

While the move won’t happen until 2025, Texas got an early look at what its new life will be like with a Week 2 matchup against Arkansas. It wasn’t pretty as the Razorbacks stampeded over the Longhorns 40-21. 

Arkansas ran for 333 yards against Texas. The last time the Razorbacks had a run game that prolific was in 2016, which was also their last winning season. 

Texas started the Steve Sarkisian era with a win over then ranked No. 23 Louisiana but a blowout loss to one of the SEC’s weaker teams brought the Longhorns back down to Earth.

“This was not a performance I was anticipating,” first-year coach Steve Sarkisian said.

“Welcome to the SEC, I guess,” Arkansas linebacker Hayden Henry said. 

Despite the loss, the Big 12 may still be a race between Texas and Oklahoma. 

Potential party crashers

No. 23 BYU hast started the season with wins over Arizona and No. 21 Utah and could crash the playoff party this season before entering the Big 12. 

The Cougars already snapped their long losing streak against their arch rivals with a 26-17 win over the Utes. A win over Arizona State would position them nicely for a potential perfect season ending with a trip to USC.

BYU is certainly taking advantage of its independence this season with seven Power 5 opponents on the schedule. Running the table this time around could give the Cougars their best chance at the playoff since leaving the Mountain West Conference a decade ago.

Dolphins

Dolphins 3 keys to the Season: Defense

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As the Miami Dolphins prepare to begin the regular season, hopes are undeniably high among the fan base.

So with this in mind, here are the three keys to defensive success this season.

Scoring Defense

The Dolphins were ranked the majority of the 2020 season ranked near the top of several key defensive categories. The most important category, points per game (PPG), Miami finished sixth in the league, giving up only 21.1 PPG. 

 

Miami recorded 41 sacks ranking in the top half of all NFL Teams, 10th overall. The Dolphins led the NFL with 29 takeaways and continued their takeaway streak from 2019 to 22 games last season. Currently, it is the longest active streak in the NFL and third longest streak in team history.

Miami’s 3rd down defense was the best in the NFL last season, limiting opposing teams to a 31.2 conversion rate. That is the best mark since 1999 (28.8%). 

 

Not to mention they did not allow a touchdown in three different games in 2020. Two coming against the New York Jets and against the New England Patriots.

If the Dolphins defense was able to accomplish this while starting three different rookies in 2020, having this defense return along with new rookie additions we should expect this defense to continue their dominance.

Raekwon Davis and the DL

Defensive tackle Raekwon Davis was one of the league’s best rookie defensive linemen in 2020, earning All-Rookie team honors. Despite primarily playing the nose position in Flores’ defense he collected 40 tackles, the second most by a rookie D-lineman in 2020. 

The Dolphins beefed up front by adding DL Adam Butler and DT John Jenkins. In 63 career games with the New England Patriots, Butler has 15 sacks.  Jenkins enters his ninth NFL season and had 34 tackles for Miami in his first stint with the team in 2019. Jenkins and Butler will add extra depth and keep Wilkins and Sieler’s legs fresh in crucial moments.

Davis, Wilkins, and Sieler are stout run defenders, per PFF they were three of the Top 5 run defenders on the team last season. These 3 will be critical in helping to stop the run and allow Linebackers to clean up tackles and make plays in space.

Furthermore, it should open up avenues for the pass rush to get better with the addition of first round rookie Jaelan Phillips. He’s fundamentally sound and has the toolkit to wreak havoc against opposing offensive line in Brian Flores’ scheme.

Emmanuel Ogbah was able to become one of the league’s most productive pass rushers in 2020, his first season as a Dolphin. If Ogbah can continue the same success, the Dolphins Defense could look scarier compared to last season. He saw a six-game sack streak come to an end in Denver. The streak was tied for the second-longest in team history behind Hall of Fame LB/DE Jason Taylor’s eight-game streak in 2002. 

Brian Flores and Josh Boyer create pressure through exotic schemes and blitzes, but with the addition of new talent and returning players it may become effortless.

Weapon X

Cornerback Xavien Howard led the league with 10 interceptions last year, earning a Pro Bowl selection and being named first-team All-Pro. He became the first NFL player since 2007 to record double-digit INTs in a season. He also bailed out the Dolphins countless times, at times leading them to wins.

 

Howard had two interception streaks during the season, one being a four-game streak and the other a five game streak, which is tied for the longest in team history. Howard was limited to five games in 2019 and 12 in 2018 due to injury. Currently, he still leads the NFL in interceptions dating back to 2017.

 

In 2020, his 20 passes pass breakups were a career high and also led the NFL. It was the most by a Dolphins player in a single season since CB Patrick Surtain had 21 in 2000.

Having Howard back for this season amid an offseason controversy regarding his contract is huge as the secondary would have taken a big blow without him.

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at everythingtradeshows.com or call 954-791-8882

 

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Chris Bosh: The Struggle and Power of Closing a Chapter

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With the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Saturday, Chris Bosh will finally be closing a chapter of his basketball career he wasn’t expecting to write this early.

Letting go of a part of your life and walking towards the unknown of whatever is next can be terrifying. Whatever is next can be both exciting and nerve-racking. The scariest part of it all is knowing something is ending. For Chris Bosh, it was more frightening and even more unknown than he could have ever imagined.

For many basketball players of Bosh’s caliber, ending their playing careers is almost always on their terms. They realize when the game has passed them by or when their bodies have had enough. But that’s where we come to understand that life is as cruel as it is beautiful. Chris Bosh’s career didn’t end on the floor after his team’s final regular season or playoff game. It didn’t even get a tearful goodbye speech in front of the press. Bosh’s playing career ended inside a doctor’s office without a fan or media member to be found.

This couldn’t be how the career of someone who had become so beloved in South Florida would end. Someone who, by all accounts, was one of the most likable players anyone had the pleasure of interacting with. It didn’t make any sense to basketball fans, people who rooted for him, and to Chis himself. It had felt like a gut punch to the basketball universe that we’d no longer get to witness the joy and unbridled enthusiasm Bosh played with every night. He was only getting started writing in the final quarter of his career, and before anyone knew it, there was no more ink left.

At first, Chris kept trying and trying to come back to the game, thinking he could still get through this. Rumors kept swirling about a possible return to a team here and there. But the risk was way too high for a man who had a growing family that loved him, wanting to see something much more than a career be extended. Bosh had given so much to the game of basketball and, without warning, was taken away in an instant. Snatched away while still being on the verge of even more greatness ahead. More time to build an even more impressive career resume was gone in the blink of an eye.

I could only imagine the frustration felt by Bosh knowing the game was finally getting to where he would have been playing well into his late 30s. He was literally an All-Star the first time he had a sign of anything troubling. Everyone knew Chris still had so much left in the tank, and he knew it too. Why do people think he kept trying to come back and play? He knew he had so much more to give and more to build with the Miami Heat. He saw that All-Star caliber Point Guard in Goran Dragic Miami had just acquired and wanted to play alongside him. The dreams of pick-and-pops that Dragic had so much success with Channing Frye in Phoenix were dancing in everyone’s minds. But that’s all they would be; just dreams. Hopes dashed overnight so casually cruel.

Nothing about the entire end of Chris Bosh’s career felt fair to anyone. But then again, any kind of abrupt ending rarely is. This didn’t make it any less gut-punching for everyone involved. It’s now been 5 years and 7 months since Chris last played in a professional basketball game. He’s seen his old team go through several changes with a variety of different players, some of which Bosh had played with not too long ago. We saw Chris get his jersey lifted on the rafters of what is now known as FTX Arena between that time. He gave a wonderful speech that was appropriately ended with a patented “Bosh Roar.” He knew that the circumstances that led to the end weren’t up to him, but he’s making sure the final few speeches he’s giving about his playing time are memorable.

These moments were the ones Chris Bosh dreamed of happening once he left the game; they were just happening a lot earlier than he had hoped. But Chris was no longer thinking about what could have been. He had moved on to saying goodbye, even if it wasn’t on his terms. But how often do our goodbyes actually come at “the right time?” It’s about what we do in those closing moments that matter. And a guy as smart and thoughtful as Chris Bosh is always going to make sure they matter. Sulking and standing in the corner isn’t going to do anything. Moving forward with a head held high is the only way Chris knows.

When you see him up on that podium accepting his Hall of Fame enshrinement, it’ll be the closing of a chapter but not the end of his story. The man will be producing music, helping kids achieve goals, mastering a new instrument, teaching code, or simply being the best dad he can be. Basketball was a beautiful part of Bosh’s life that I, and so many others, were lucky to witness. I know he’s going to give a speech that is suited for such a great career. The ending may have been unexpected, but he’s making the most of what is now the coronation. The flowers that he deserved to get when he was playing are rightfully being given now. The importance he played in the league’s growth and the Miami Heat franchise is getting the shine it deserved for so long.

So while his career may have ended when a doctor broke the news 5 years ago, he’s just now writing the final pages of his basketball chapter. We’ll see a close to it this Saturday, and we’ll shed a few tears looking back at all of it. We’ll finally get the closure Miami Heat fans, basketball enthusiasts in general, and Chris himself never got to have. Chris said at his Hall of Fame press conference, “even though losing the game was tough, this definitely gives me closure.” That closure will be on Chris Bosh’s words as he rightfully takes his place amongst the greatest to ever play. We can’t always expect the ends to parts of our story, but Chris has shown that the way you tell those endings means more. Never with your head looking down, but with it looking back fondly and looking forward with optimism.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Tua Tagovailoa should have competition to push him for the Miami Dolphins starting job next season

Pressure Point: Opening at New England perfect gauge for Miami Dolphins

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No NFL team relishes making a road trip to New England — certainly not for the past couple decades. For the Miami Dolphins, facing the Patriots at Foxborough in Sunday’s opener is the perfect challenge to begin one of the most important seasons in franchise history.

The Buffalo Bills are the team to beat in the AFC East, a bona fide Super Bowl contender. But the Patriots are the best gauge for where the Dolphins stand right now and what was achieved during the offseason.

It will be tough as hell. It always is going into Gillette Stadium.

And that’s the point: It will give an indication if the Dolphins really are moving beyond rebuilding mode into not only attaining but being capable of advancing in the playoffs.

It is a prime opportunity for Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins to shred the doubters and begin the season with a significant statement.

The Patriots are coming off their first losing season (7-9) since 2000, their first missing the playoffs since 2008.

Patriots aim for bounce back

Worse, for Bill Belichick, he had to watch Tom Brady win the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. Then he got busy retooling his roster, doling out more than $150 million guaranteed in free agency with particular attention to fortifying a substandard offense, especially the receiving corps and line. Then he went all in on rookie quarterback Mac Jones (drafted 15th overall) and cut ties with Cam Newton.

Most of the so-called national experts are already ranking the Patriots above the Dolphins, who went 10-6 in 2020 and narrowly missed the playoffs.
Nine of 11 of ESPN staff members are picking the Patriots in the opener. Home-field advantage certainly factors into that. But what about the Patriots starting a rookie quarterback in his first NFL game?

Already national sentiment is favoring Jones over Tua Tagovailoa, who preceded him at Alabama.
Michael David Smith, of Pro Football Talk, wrote: “I’m looking forward to the Mac Jones–Tua Tagovailoa quarterback matchup, one in which I see Jones coming out on top.”

The offseason has been rife with silly Tua drama, from a flurry of interceptions in one OTA practice to concern now that him not being voted offensive captain indicates he’s not a leader.

Tua can lead on field

Wide receiver Mack Hollins, who was voted offensive captain, said this week, “Just because you’re a quarterback or just because you’re this doesn’t mean you have to be the captain or you have to be this.

“Tua is an excellent leader, an exceptional leader. The transformation he’s made from last year to this year is incredible. I think you all have seen that in how calm he feels in the pocket now versus last year.

“If you put a clip side-by-side, the changes he’s made are really night and day. That goes to leadership. It’s not like his arm magically got 10-times better. It goes to his confidence, his ability to lead and feel comfortable in the huddle.”

Brian Flores puts Dolphins quarterback controversy to rest

Tagovailoa will have a chance to add validity to all of that on Sunday. He will be on the spot to do so.

He certainly has a lot to prove. Based on what he showed in training camp and two preseason games, I’m confident in Tua — that he will distinguish himself, that the Dolphins can win with him. That he will prove to be the leader of the offense that they need.

And that over the course of the season his performance will provide a serious dose of “Shut the F up” to the critics.

He has more play-makers to work with now. I can’t wait to see No. 6 overall pick Jaylen Waddle unleashed in the regular season.

Offensive line Dolphins’ biggest question

To me, the key to the Dolphins’ success this season — the No. 1 area of concern — is the offensive line. The Dolphins have invested heavily in trying to build that unit with five picks since 2019 on the roster. It remains a bigger question mark than Tagovailoa.

If GM Chris Grier and Co. got it wrong with those players, that will stunt the progress on offense.

The defense is already good enough — the Dolphins allowed the sixth-fewest points in 2020 — and has every reason to be better this season.

Scanning the roster, the lack of star players is undeniable. But there is more quality depth than the Dolphins have had in years.

The 10-6 season gave credence to Grier’s roster building and to coach Brian Flores’ system. But taking the next step to elite will be tougher.

Standing in Miami’s way in the division are those formidable Bills and likely improved Pats.

Certainly, Tagovailoa and the offensive line have to perform a lot better than in the past. But the same can be said for much of the roster.

Dolphins’ mission clear

Judging from all the predictions, there’s not a lot of belief in these Dolphins. It borders on disrespect.

It’s up to them to change the conversation.

If you’re embarking on a mission of “Shut the F Up” in the NFL, can’t think of a better place to start than at New England.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

It’s Bam Adebayo’s Time to Be the Face of the Franchise

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For the 2021-22 season, Miami should focus their attention on passing the torch to the face of the franchise.

We often find ourselves looking around for something that was in front of us the whole time. Sometimes it’s finding the special someone you had only seen as just a friend. That sudden realization can act as a catalyst for a better life than the one you were clawing your way through. The hardest part is arriving at that “aha” moment sooner rather than later. For the Miami Heat this upcoming season, it’s time to look at the star-in-the-making they have in front of them and turn the keys completely over to Bam Adebayo.

In the past handful of seasons, the fans and the team have been privileged to watch their late lottery pick improve in numerous ways to the player he is now. Bam has gone from a rim running big with some impressive defense into an All-Star big man perfect for the modern NBA. But those seasons have been as either the passenger of a team belonging to a Dwyane Wade in his twilight or to Jimmy Butler. Bam Adebayo has never truly felt like the team was his to take. Who would blame him? Wade, a literal Heat legend, was in his final days with Miami, and Adebayo was a young raw center still finding his way. Jimmy Butler was the max acquisition looking to take the team back to the NBA Finals.

That’s not really Bam or the team’s fault, seeing as no one expected the jump a late lottery pick made in the past few seasons. We really do forget that Bam was playing as a backup for his entire first 2 seasons and had a limited role that barely showcased his inevitable talents. This is another problem I have with Heat fans who forget just how far the guy has come from his rookie season when he was as raw as prospects can be.

Not only was Bam playing as their support but dealing with the constant talk of another possible superstar joining the Heat. It was constant talk of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s then-impending Free Agency or the James Harden rumors last season. That can give off the idea to some players that they aren’t enough for winning a title, especially when you helped lead them to the Finals just a season ago. I’m not saying this got to Bam, but I can see why this would help affirm his passenger status.

But now the rumors are done with, and Miami is no longer looking for the next whale. They signed Adebayo to his max deal last offseason and have surrounded him and Jimmy Butler with win-now guys. No longer are they thinking about the “pipe dream” player who might not arrive. They started to look at the unicorn in front of them. One of the few players in the league who can do what he does on a nightly basis. The same player who was able to hold Giannis Antetokounmpo to 4-15 shooting in the first round while the rest of his playoff opponents scrambled to keep the Finals MVP in check. The Heat are on their way to make him the face and force of the franchise.

For players like Bam Adebayo, who may have a tougher time with that final push of being “number one,” it’s important to give him as much of the wheel as possible. Adebayo is more wired the same way a guy like Chris Bosh was, where he was more than willing to play support for the team’s betterment. Recently in a wonderful piece by Michael C. Wright, it was revealed that Bosh had this type of mentality dating back to when he wasn’t even considered the number one guy in High School.

 

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It took Bosh a while to realize what he could do once he did have to lead a team himself. Bosh even recently talked with the Miami Herald about what advice he’d give the young All-Star big man. “Shoot it. That’s it. Shoot it. That’s all he needs to do is shoot it, I’m telling you. I did it for 13 years in the league, man, and it never steered me wrong.” He’d go on to say, “it’s wonderful that he’s a team player. But for him to get to where he wants to go, he’s going to have to shoot the ball.” Coming from a player like Chris Bosh, who knows a thing or two about alternating from sacrificing for the good of the team and knowing when to become the head of the household.

I’m sure this isn’t anything Bam Adebayo hasn’t heard before or won’t hear again. And it’s not as simple as taking more jumpers will improve his game and the team’s chances overnight. It’s way more complicated than that. Heat fans need to realize it wasn’t that long ago when Adebayo wasn’t taking any shot outside the paint. He went from that shot being a non-factor into shooting the same % on similar attempts from midrange as guys like Jayson Tatum. As a collective fanbase, we have not put into proper perspective the improvements he’s made since he entered the league.

Every summer, Bam has come back with something else in his arsenal that, for some reason, we fail to recognize with proper appreciation. Adebayo has constantly shown that he’s more than capable of adding weapons and new tools to his belt. Players with the type of mentality and skill to get better year after year the way he has should not be taken for granted.

Now another offseason will shortly come to an end, and we’ll have the next phase of Bam Adebayo to look forward to. This chapter should be even more fun to see because it will undoubtedly be Bam Adebayo’s time to shine. I think he’ll finally have that sense of being the conductor leading the train. Bam has always been compared to Kevin Garnett for a bit, and you can see why when you look at the numbers. Their season-by-season numbers look virtually identical from seasons 3 and 4. The difference is that Kevin Garnett had room to spread his wings and was an undoubted face of a franchise from day one.

Now it’s Bam Adebayo’s time to get that proper label of Face of the Franchise. Kyle Lowry will be there to push him further along on that trajectory everyone knows he’s destined for. Jimmy Butler won’t be far behind as he’s constantly referred to Bam as their most important player. Lowry and Adebayo’s two-man game will develop as their Dribble Handoffs flow smoothly into pick and rolls. The vertical threat of Bam, along with Kyle’s pull-up 3 pointer game, will be a treat to the eyes like a summer sunset. All of this will have Bam in so many more positions to succeed than ever before. The effect this will have for Bam cannot be understated. People can talk about Adebayo needing to be more aggressive, but the system has to play to his strengths to transition into this next phase of his career.

So while taking more shots is something I’ll also be keeping an eye on, don’t forget what type of shots they’ll be and how much easier they’ll come for him. The jumper will be there, and he might even stretch it further out to the 3 point line for all we know. Why would that surprise anyone if he did that? Did everyone expect him to come back from the 2020 season pause with a midrange jumper for the Bubble Playoffs? The guy never stops improving, and who’s to say that he won’t be pulling up from the top of the key soon.

Everything is lining up for the beginning of Bam’s true ascension. The Heat looks as if they realize that it’s time. And maybe I’m just naive in thinking this; if so, the organization needs to wake up and smell the roses. This is your new Dwayne Wade. Stop having Dwayne Wade jerseys on the front page over Bam Adebayo ones. Tyler Herro isn’t the young Kentucky late lottery pick to push on everyone. Please don’t wait until the final 2 weeks of the season to push for his Defensive Player of the Year candidacy (especially this year when I think he has a shot of leading a top 3 defense to where this will be a real possibility). Bam Adebayo is your franchise — let everyone, including Bam, know. When you instill the power to someone on his upward trajectory like Bam Adebayo, it’s only a matter of time before you reap the rewards.

The star you were waiting to add to the roster the past 2 seasons is right in front of you, ready to take his next step. The heir to the Dwayne Wade throne is ready for his crown. Everyone is ready for the next page of this team’s story to be led by Bam. Hand over the keys to your franchise and watch him drive you into the future full throttle. Bam’s ready, and we’re all ready to witness it.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882