If Bam is the Engine, Jimmy is the Steering Wheel

/0 Comments/in , /by

When Jimmy Butler spoke about Bam Adebayo in his media session, he said, “He’s the engine.”

This has been a statement that Jimmy Butler has been saying since he arrived in Miami, and it clearly is the truth. He’s the heart and soul of this Heat team, which is why he’s the centerpiece of the franchise.

But if Bam is the engine, Jimmy is the steering wheel.

Bam may be the one who “makes this team go,” but he also needs his leader to push him in the right direction. If Jimmy sees something on the floor or even in film, the team rallies behind him since they value his decisions.

Then of course you’ve got the tires, which sometimes could be new, but also could be used. Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and others represent that, since even though they’re going to milk the use out of the used tire, a new tire will ultimately replace it in the long run.

The point is that every part of the car is needed for the thing to run, and that is what the Miami Heat represent. They hold each other accountable for a reason, and it’s because every piece of the team is necessary for the team to win games.

The media sessions with players is a circle effect. The leaders of the team praise the role guys, while the role guys praise the leaders. And that is exactly how it should be, especially since Coach Erik Spoelstra mentions chemistry in the locker room is one of the most essential elements.

And of course you have Pat Riley, who is the mechanic. If there is an issue with the roster going forward, a change will be made for the better, just as the mechanic improves the well being of the car.

And the well being of the car begins with the main elements. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo seem as ready as ever to start this season, since that run to the Finals was not just a “fluke.” It was a product of hard work, which was just a glimpse of what the future holds.

Miami Dolphins: Week 13 Stock Report

/0 Comments/in , /by

Stock Up & Stock Down

 

Welcome back to another installment of Stock Up & Stock Down. In Week 13 of the NFL season, our Miami Dolphins hosted the Cincinnati Bengals and came out on top with a score of 19-7. A closer game than the score shows, we had to fight both literally and figuratively for our W to get us to 8-4 for the first time since 2003. With so much to dissect let’s dive right in:

Stock Up

Gesicki:

Who would have known that Mike Gesicki was allowed to be a focal point of the offense with Tua at QB? Whether it was a lack of chemistry between Tua and Mike or if it was a lack of calling plays with Gesicki being the number 1 option, the weeks with Tua at QB always made him feel like a distant second option when in reality DVP and him are our best offensive players at the present time. Exacerbated more after Devante got ejected, we fed Gesicki to the tune of 11 targets for a career high 9 catches 88 yards and 1 TD. As I mentioned during our live stream & post game, Mike and DVP are our most impactful offensive weapons and we need to get them involved early and often moving forward to have any chance to beat teams that can score the ball like the Chiefs and Bills.

Myles Gaskins:

Going into the game we were down Breida, Washington, Ahmed, and activating Myles made me feel like we were going to struggle mightily but Myles had different plans. All afternoon Myles was able to gain positive yards before popping a long one for 26 yards that unfortunately ended in a fumble. Myles also was able to show some chemistry with Tua on the first drive of the second half as he scrambled, Myles immediately went up field (as you should) and Tua hit him in stride for 35 yards and a first and goal. The catch ended up being our most explosive play of the day.

 

Kyle Van Noy:

I must admit that by the end of the game I was shocked to see that Kyle had got 3 full sacks by himself. KVN has turned it up in recent weeks after missing a game due to injury. Kyle was everywhere on the field all afternoon as the ultimate chess piece for Flores and the stats definitely back that up. 8 total tackles (all of them solo!), the 3 sacks, 5 TFL, and even 1 PD. KVN was a complete beast and someone we need to play at this level to have any sort of chance against the Chiefs.

Coach Flores:

The first half of the game can probably go down as one of, if not, the sloppiest first half in Coach Flores tenure as the Miami Dolphins Head Coach. The whole team played out of character as Tua was inaccurate, the defense wasn’t its usual dominant self, penalties that never get called and finally an ejection of Xavien Howard, left me concerned heading into half time down 6-7. What I would have paid to have been a fly in the locker room as I’m sure Flores chewed every and anyone out. The results were immediate as the first drive resulted in a TD by the offense and a lead we would not give back. Obviously, the talking point of the game is that Coach Flores ran across the field to let Zac Taylor know how he felt about the second catch interference by the same player that resulted in his return man getting hit with no defending himself. The fire that Coach exhibited for his players (even calling them his kids postgame) really does more than people think because it shows the players that their leader is someone who will go to war for them. Which wall you want me to run through coach?

Tua Tagovailoa:

Skipping right into the final drive of the first half, I believe we finally saw Tua and Gailey get into sync together. Tua really showed a level of comfortability running a more up-tempo brand of football that I struggle to think why it even took so long to get to that. Coach Flores obviously saw the same thing I saw as I’m sure he told Gailey to run more of that tempo because on the first drive we got right back into it and never looked back the rest of the game. Tua spent most of his afternoon targeting Gesicki with 11 and DVP with 8. He also finished 4 yards shy of hist first 300-yard game but who cares, we’re here for wins not stats (lol)

 

****

Trust the Flocess

****

Stock Down

 

Jakeem Grant:

My biggest disappointment of the game has to be the continued futility in using Jakeem Grant on offense. At some point it begins to feel like square peg into round hole where it just doesn’t fit and doesn’t work. As talented as Jakeem has been with the ball in his hands, the problem has always been actually getting it into his hands. Jakeem also has a couple of young pups snarling for his PT in Lynn Bowden and Antonio Calloway. When do we stop forcing it and just let Jakeem be great at what he is, an elite Return Man with some gadget style plays on offense.

 

RedZone Offense:

Seems kind of ironic that we are talking about RedZone Offense being an issue, but we were able to move the ball fairly well all afternoon long but uncharacteristically couldn’t punch it in. Whether it was 3 straight runs within 5 yards, or a plethora of inaccurate fade throws we need to see more from Gailey and the playbook. Hell, special teams showed more creativity at the goal line than the offense did!

 

Overall, we took a huge step forward on Offense and hopefully is something we can build on. This team is starting to build a certain aura for itself that really makes you root for them as they exhibit a camaraderie that is infectious and shows from the head coach to the last man on the roster. Looking forward, we have the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes coming in to play at 1pm (for now) and for us to have any chance we will need a solid week of practice, a great game plan, and excellent execution. Till next time, Fins Up!

 

 

 

 

Jimmy Butler: “I’m Here To Win”

/0 Comments/in /by

Jimmy Butler got to speak with media this afternoon for the first time in quite a while.

He started off by looking back at his performance in the bubble, saying “We play this game to win and we didn’t do that. That’s all that matters…We get another crack at it now.”

He then got asked a follow up question, which was if losing in the Finals made him want it even more. He responded, “I didn’t have to make it to the Finals and lose it to realize how bad I wanted to win it.”

It’s pretty clear that this media session was Jimmy Butler at his finest, which was every answer having to do with winning, since that truly is all he cares about.

When asked about how he feels after the short off-season, he said “Nobody really cares. I have a job to do…Still go out there and compete, still go out there and win.”

He then began talking about specific players, starting with Bam Adebayo. He said, “That guy is what makes us go.” This is a statement he has said since his arrival and he’s sticking to it, especially since it’s even more viable this season.

He also spoke about Precious Achiuwa, mainly about giving him any advice. He said, “I try to give my knowledge to everyone I can, but I also like to ask others questions because I don’t know everything.

Then he finally got into this team as a whole. When asked about the past season being called a “fluke,” he responded, “I don’t pay attention to the outside, they don’t wear the word Heat across their chest…Me of all people, I couldn’t care less about what the outside thinks.”

He closes the session saying, “I hope we all learned that we belong, because we’re one of the best teams in the league.”

And when he says that, he truly means it. He’s as confident as ever with this Heat roster, no matter the uniqueness of this NBA season.

Miami Heat Training Camp: “Getting Everybody Physically Right”

/0 Comments/in /by

In the Miami Heat’s first day of training camp, Erik Spoelstra reiterated a few times that it is all about making sure the player’s bodies are right. And well, it seems as if everybody is ready.

For starters, Erik Spoelstra mentioned that “It felt more like a practice of continuation than starting over,” and that’s a huge advantage for Miami. Some of the teams that didn’t make it to the bubble haven’t played in 9 months, and that’s a worse scenario than a short off-season.

When the players would discuss their bodies after a short off-season, it seems as if there was a mutual response, which was that they’re all ready. I don’t believe there will be any issues in that regard for the start of the season, but I do think Coach Spoelstra will be mindful with veterans.

There’s uncertainty of what Goran Dragic’s status will be by the first game, while Jimmy Butler missed the first day of camp with an excused absence.

But lucky for Miami, they have a great mix of youth and veterans, which means that Spoelstra will adjust if he sees an advantage with one over another.

Kelly Olynyk also seemed excited about the team following the first day of camp, saying “Seeing what this team can do and has in store for this upcoming season is exciting.”

There’s a different level of confidence there since he actually is watching what is going on behind the scenes. And actually everybody seems very confident with the guys on this team, mostly since they retained most guys, while plugging in Avery Bradley and Moe Harkless who can play in any system.

Conditioning is priority with this team, which is no surprise, but the overall consensus is that everybody is ready to go since it didn’t even feel like a real off-season.

Tua, Dolphins Bounce Bengals after Brawl, now 8-4

/0 Comments/in /by

Just when you think the Miami Dolphins are back to the same old team you’ve agonized over for the last 20+ years, they get into a benches-clearing brawl with the Cincinnati Bengals, lose 3 players to ejection, and turn into a completely new team at halftime. Stephen Ross may as well rename the team because these boys ain’t the same.

The first half of the Dolphins’ home game versus the Bengals was a hot mess. Even with Cincinnati starting their backup quarterback, Brandon Allen, who isn’t exactly known for his grace under pressure, the Dolphins looked absolutely lackluster opposite them. Both the offense and defense struggled enormously. The one TD, a sneaky trick play that punter Matt Haack ran in on the field goal attempt, was called back due to penalties. A team usually touted for their lack of penalties ended the day with eight for 54 yards, and penalties weren’t the only mistakes being made.

The one bright spot of the first half was Xavien Howard, who picked off Brandon Allen on his second possession of the game. But then Howard was ejected for a couple of playground-style blows exchanged with Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd (who was also ejected), and the Fins lost their best player down 7-6 at the half. Boyd was arguably the only bright spot of Cincy’s offense up until his ejection. He snagged the only score for the Bengals off a catch and run TD that went for 72 yards—and don’t give Brandon Allen any credit for that, please.

Kyle Van Noy was the only productive defensive player that didn’t get into trouble in the first half, handing out a couple of sacks on Allen. It was a poor outlook for the Dolphins, with many calling for Tua to be benched and replaced with Ryan Fitzpatrick.

We don’t know what Bill Belichick used to say to his team after bad first halves during the Patriots’ dynasty, but whatever it is, Brian Flores apparently knows. The Dolphins opened up the second half on a beautiful no huddle drive that totaled 75 yards in eight plays and three and a half minutes. Tua looked vintage, Alabama-style, slinging balls to Mike Gesicki in between and over the heads of a totally lost Bengals’ secondary. From there, the Dolphins scored two more field goals to secure the game and held the Bengals to 0 points (although kicker Randy Bullock did miss one from 53 to end the first half).

Just as the offense stepped up, Brian Flores’ defense did the same, totaling six sacks, 11 QB hits, and two interceptions. Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins teamed up on a strip sack touchdown that was ultimately called back, something Christian Wilkins is apparently still upset about. Shaq Lawson had two sacks himself and Kyle Van Noy added a third in the second half, along with Zach Sieler.

After one of Lawson’s sacks Brandon Allen was ruled out with a chest injury and Ryan Finley stepped in for the rest of the game. He was immediately pummeled by the Dolphins’ defensive line and secondary when Nik Needham came up with the Fins’ second interception of the day.

It was a game to remember, primarily because of a brawl that Brian Flores himself instigated and ended with four players ejected. After an early hit by Mike Thomas on Jakeem Grant, who was violently laid out while returning a punt, Flores had to be physically restrained by his own players, which then resulted in a benches-clearing brawl. Devante Parker and Mack Hollins were both ejected for the Dolphins after exchanging blows with Shawn Williams and William Jackson III. Surprisingly, Grant returned to the game just a few plays later.

The biggest takeaways from this game are the sheer grit of this team, which bounced back after an incredibly disappointing first half performance (something you could never say about the Dolphins before), and the unity in the locker room. Multiple players were quoted calling the team “a family,” and insisting that they stand up for their teammates.

The Heat might not have a monopoly on “culture” in Miami anymore, thanks to Brian Flores.

5 Takeaways from Miami-Duke

/0 Comments/in , /by

1. Jaelan Phillips might have only three games left with Miami 

 

It’s no secret that Miami has a top-5 defensive line in the country and a big part of that is Phillips. The UCLA-transfer has been on a tear in his first season with the Canes and had yet another dominant performance against Duke: 4 tackes, 3.5 TFL’s, and 1.5 sacks. Duke really had no answers for him all night and JP had many reasons to dance.

I’m not trying to leave out Quincy Roche’s performance (6 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.5 sacks) but man, it’s crazy to realize how far Phillips has come. Since medically retiring in 2018 due to injuries from a scooter accident, he arrived in Coral Gables weighing around 225-230 to 255-260 now. There’s not much left that he has to prove and it’s looking like the Canes will have three defensive ends (Phillips, Roche, and Greg Rousseau)  drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.

 

2. Tackling has improved tremendously

 

At times this season, it seemed as if the defense was in position to make plays a ton but there were too many arm tackle attempts or just an inability to wrap up. The defense had much better technique on Saturday and as a result, Duke’s yards at the initial point of attack and after the catch were very limited. To give you an idea of this in statistical form, if you were to base Duke QB Chase Brice’s performance off of completions/attempts, he had a really good day. Brice completed 20 of his 25 passes, but only threw for 94 yards. 

 

 

The Canes dealt with a lot of short passes but a lot of credit goes to not only the players (Bubba Bolden’s 9 tackles, Amari Carter’s 7 tackles, Keontra Smith, Bradley Jennings, Waynmon Steed) but also to DC Blake Baker and coach Diaz for making proper adjustments during the long, problematic layloff.

 

3. Miami’s future is bright at LB

 

The Canes were without four linebackers on Saturday: Sam Brooks, Zach McCloud, Avery Huff, and Patrick Joyner. That meant more time for a couple of the true freshmen: Corey Flagg and Tirek Austin-Cave. They did not disappoint by any means, as Flagg’s instincts and speed were on full display. As our own Jazz Santana on Saturday’s Sixth Ring post game show, there was a period of time in the second quarter where it seemed like even if he didn’t make the tackle, he was always around the ball or play. He finished with 5 tackles and one fumble recovery.

Tirek Austin-Cave had a solid game as well and finished with three tackles. 

 

Even with the Canes short-handed at the position and thinking this could be a long day because of it, Flagg and Austin-Cave as well as the rest of the linebackers really showed up to play.

 

4. The running game is absolutely capable with Navaughn Doanldson on the field 

 

The senior left guard made his season debut after opting to use 2020 as a redshirt year to nurse a nagging injury and get in better shape for 2021. He did not start but it’s clear from this play alone that he might be the best run blocker out of Miami’s other options at left guard, who are Jakai Clark and Ousmane Traore. He seals the Duke DT, which opens up a huge hole for Cam Harris. 

 

 

Miami might be out of contention for the ACC Championship but there’s still a lot to play for with two games left, including a possible Orange Bowl berth. Donaldson’s performances right now can also build a lot of momentum for next season, where the Canes will get ready to take on Alabama in the season opener. 

 

5. This team is capable of blowing teams out

 

I don’t even need to bring up what Miami’s biggest problem has been in the past few years and it’s been playing down to the competition. Miami has either barely squeaked by or lost to many teams that were absolutely inferior from a talent standpoint and it’s reassuring to know that this team is capable of dominating teams that are not on the same level as Miami. A big takeaway from this is that there absolutely is a culture shift in how coaches and players approach game preparation.

 

Be sure to look out for another episode of The Sixth Ring on Tuesday as we recap Miami-Duke and get into the need-to-know on recruiting as the Early Signing Period is right around the corner.

 

Stay tuned to @5ReasonsCanes and @PaulAustria_ on Twitter for the latest in Hurricanes news and catch us on The Sixth Ring show twice a week as well pre and post-game.

 

Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

Bundled-Up NBA Games Favor the Miami Heat

/0 Comments/in /by

It’s pretty clear that this upcoming NBA season will be one like no other, and that includes bundling up games.

The NBA decided to do this to limit travel as much as possible, which ultimately means that teams will play an opponent twice over a short stretch.

When Meyers Leonard was talking about it, he said it’s just about “locking in,” and there are not many teams better at staying focused or locked in.

The reason I believe this favors Miami is mostly to do with Heat star, Jimmy Butler. One of his biggest strengths is that he is very dangerous when he can lock in on one team in a playoff series, by overloading on film and breaking them down.

And well, although it will only be a regular season game, nothing is stopping him from doing it once again.

Obviously there will be bundled up games that are on back-to-back days, like the Milwaukee Bucks match-up in the third and fourth game. But there will also be times when they play the same team over the course of a few days.

Another person that will have a field day with this concept is Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. It was clear that he is very good at making adjustments on the fly after he put it on display in the bubble. And now he gets to adjust yet again, but this time to his advantage, since similar to Jimmy, he can focus on one team over a short period of time.

Another thing that Meyers Leonard mentioned when speaking about it was “Less travel is beneficial for player recovery.” This one benefits Miami since they have a lot of key veterans on this team, including Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, who could use any advantage given to keep their bodies rested.

But with all of the back-to-backs, the young guys will be needed heavily, and Miami has plenty of them.

It will be interesting to see Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra use this unique circumstance to their advantage, which will result in altered game-plans from one day to the next.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re beginning to get prepped today, since it is the first day of team training camp.

Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia Main Card Pick & Predictions

/0 Comments/in /by

Main Event: Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia for WBC & IBF Welterweight Title 

 

Pick: Errol Spence Jr

By: Decision

Fight Goes the Distance: Yes                                                                                                                                                                      

Breakdown: Errol Spence Jr. makes his long awaited return to face the tough Danny Garcia for both the WBC and the IBF Welterweight titles. On one side you have potentially the pound for pound greatest boxer today in Spence Jr. taking on a very game Danny Garcia who’s only two losses have come versus Shawn Porter and Keith Thurman, two of the best in the division. Spence is a southpaw who likes to work behind his jab. He starts off with a jab to gauge distance, then proceeds to add to it with body hooks and then uses his footwork to back you into the corner. Garcia has that excellent counter left hook, which will be interesting to see if he is able to figure out the puzzle of Errol. Garcis is undoubtedly a great fighter however it seems like the days of his prime are behind him. His last two fights have shown that he still has the ability to get the win and his ring iq is very high, however, it’s a different game when you’re facing someone such as Errol Spence. He is too defensive and is way better at controlling distance and pace. What makes Errol one of the pound for pound greats is his striking diversity, while most other fighters look to headhunt, Errol prefers to keep you guessing which allows for more holes. We see this in his fight against Carlos Ocampo when in the first round he won with two perfectly placed body hooks. The ability for Errol to wear fighters down and get better as the fight goes on is one that gives him an edge. At times we have seen Garcia just look to bide his time and try to work just enough to get a decision win, instead of going for the kill. And sure that makes you get knocked out less but versus fighters whose volume is very high such as a Spence Jr, you cannot allow yourself to get behind in the cards and just look to throw 1 or 2 punches for every 5 or 6 from Spence Jr. If Garcia wants any chance to win this fight, he will need to start first early and often and get a lead on the scorecards. However with his excellent timing and distance management, look for Errol to outbox Garcia over the course of the fight and get this one by decision. 

 

Co-Main Event: Habib Ahmed vs. Sebastian Fundora

Pick: Sebastian Fundora

By: TKO Round 7

Fight Goes the Distance: No                                                                                                                                                                  

Breakdown: We have an interesting fight at welterweight when we will see Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Sebastian is the way bigger fighter at a towering 6’6 compared to Ahmed’s 5’8. This fight is going to be very hard for Ahmed to win due to the fact that he will always be out of range when Fundora is in range. Fundora has great boxing abilities and the winner of this fight will get a shot at the Super Welterweight Champion. For Sebastian to win this fight, he will have to work the jab to continue to make Ahmed keep his distance. He will need to make sure that he avoids the counterpunches from Ahmed to win this. Look for Fundora to capitalize on Ahmed overextending himself to get into range. Fundora by TKO Late

 

Fight #3: Francisco Santana vs. Josesito Lopez

Pick: Josesito Lopez

By: Decision

Fight Goes the Distance: Yes 

Breakdown: Josesito Lopez does what more boxers should do. Regardless of his record, he continues to try and line up the best possible fight and continues to show his guts. Having faced Keith Thurman and Canelo Alvarez, He has great experience coming in. Santana Has not faced anyone at the level of Lopez nor has he shown the ability to get the win. Lopez has much better footwork and pace in the ring, whereas you will see Santana get sloppy and not be able to lead the dance. Look for Lopez to have a masterpiece in this fight where we will get to see him showcase his abilities and work in and out of range to get the win. 

 

Fight #4: Miguel Flores vs. Eduardo Ramirez

Pick: Eduardo Ramirez

By: Decision

Fight Goes the Distance: Yes 

Breakdown: Ramirez is coming in as the underdog in this fight, but watching his film, it shows that he is able to elevate himself to another level at times. He is a boxer that does carry some risk with his aggressiveness and volume at times, but if we see the best Eduardo Ramirez come in, it is likely we can see him take this fight. In the other corner, we have Miguel Flores who’s’ coming off of a loss vs Leo Santa Cruz. As we know, Santa Cruz is one of the greats at his weight so no shame in that loss. But we did not see the Miguel Flores that we wanted to see in that fight. He was slow and it was clear that the speed of Santa Cruz was too much. Look for Ramirez to dance around Flores and get the win in the cards. 

 

Parlay of the Week: Spence Jr., Fundora, Lopez

 

You can follow Johnathan on Twitter  @ThreePieceCombo 

Dolphins Cardinals

Tua’s agent may have just leaked who the Dolphins starting QB will be

/0 Comments/in , /by

The 2020 NFL season has been anything but ordinary.

Which could explain why the Dolphins have won 6 of their last 8 games and currently hold the 6th seed in the AFC.

Again, this has been a crazy year. But being a Dolphins fan never comes easy.

And after patiently waiting for The Franchise Tua Tagovailoa to supplant Ryan Fitzpatrick as the team’s starting quarterback, we’re now right back where we started.

Tua was unable to play last Sunday vs the New York Jets. And despite countless Twitter doctors misdiagnosing this as ‘JuSt A JaMMeD tHuMb’ , it appears that there is legit uncertainty surrounding who Miami’s quarterback will be Sunday vs Cincinnati.

Friday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Tagovailoa’s status was in doubt for Sunday’s game.

Looking for the perfect gift for your hairy friend or significant other? Head on over to Manscaped and use the Promo code: 5RSN to save big!

We later heard from Brian Flores that the team would not be making a decision until IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE MET WITH THE MEDIA. Flores is treasure and is very much at the forefront of the Coach of the Year race. But this left a lot of Dolphins fans wanting to know more. And after roughly 24 hours, we may finally have our answer.

RUMOR: Tua Tagovailoa to start for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday (Not confirmed)

Minutes ago, Tua Tagovailoa’s agent Leigh Steinberg posted this on Facebook. And thanks to many diehard Dolphins fans, we may now have our answer as to who the quarterback is for Sunday’s game.

He later edited his post to say “Dolphins” instead of “Tua”. This was later confirmed by Twitter detective, Jimmy. Thank you, Jimmy.

What does this all mean? I really don’t know.

Maybe, Flores is trying to get back at Steinberg for leaking the news that Tagovailoa was going to be the starter earlier in the year. (Note: This has not been confirmed but we can all see the writing on the wall) Or, and more likely, Tua is going to be the starting quarterback Sunday vs the Bengals. A matchup that many believe Miami should win convincingly. But as we saw a few weeks ago in Denver and countless times throughout a league year, Any team can win on any given Sunday.

The Franchise

Final Yard

I’m not going to sit here and tell you with 100% confidence that Tua Tagovailoa will be the team’s starting quarterback Sunday, but it definitely seems that way. If reports are true that he practiced all week, why wouldn’t he be ready to go Sunday vs the Bengals? We’ve heard time and time again this is Tagovailoa’s team and if your plan is to have him play the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills with the playoffs on the line–you have to let him get back out there vs the Bengals.

Furthermore, if you want to allow Tua to develop and build chemistry with the wide receiver, live game reps are of the upmost important. Oh, and can we please open the offense up a bit more and #LetTuaCook?

I don’t know if Tua will be the Dolphins starting QB tomorrow afternoon, but I do know one thing. Brian Flores is on his way to the airport to have a ‘talk’ with Leigh Steinberg.

**********************************************************************************************************************************

A word from a sponsor of Dolphins content on FiveReasonsSports.com….

Been in an accident? Not sure if you have injuries? In Florida, you have 14 days to be evaluated for injuries related to an accident otherwise insurance won’t pay for your medical care.

If you were in an accident, don’t wait to get evaluated by a doctor, even if you don’t think the accident was serious. Getting the right care after an accident can save you thousands of dollars in medical bills and prevent future pain and suffering.

If you don’t want to go to the doctor, contact Dr. Chung for a virtual consultation and it will ensure that you can use your auto insurance benefits for your future medical care.

Contact us at 561.246.0044 and get a complimentary consultation when you mention “Josh Houtz” or visit us at Keystone Chiropractic for more information.

Dolphins Bengals

5 Keys to Dolphins-Bengals in Week 13

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Dolphins (7-4) enter Week 13’s contest against the Cincinnati Bengals (2-8-1) largely in control of their playoff destiny. Miami may have quarterback questions, but regardless of who starts for the ‘Phins, he’ll be better than his Bengals counterpart.

The Dolphins look to build on last week’s successes against the Jets and solidify their postseason position. Here are five keys to the Dolphins-Bengals game in Week 13.

Dolphins-Bengals: Continue Defensive Dominance

The Dolphins sport one of the league’s top defenses. Miami’s D trails only the Pittsburgh Steelers in points-per-game, allowing a paltry 18.6 per contest this season. The Dolphins are tops in third-down D. Opponents convert just 32.8 percent of their those tries. Miami comes in third in takeaways with 19.

The main weakness for Miami has been defending the run. The Dolphins are in the bottom third of the league, allowing 129.9 rushing yards-per-game. But Sunday, their match up is with a Bengals squad missing starters at running back (Joe Mixon) and quarterback (Joe Burrow).

Cincinnati rushed the ball just nine times in their Week 12 loss to the New York Giants. They relied heavily on backup QB Brandon Allen to little affect.

The Bengals manage 96.3 rushing yard-per-game (29th, but the Dolphins allow 4.8 yards-per-carry, tied for second-most. If Miami can limit the Bengal ground game and make them one dimensional, they’ll be in good shape.

The Dolphins should be able to push their takeaway streak to 18 against Cincy. The Bengals’ 17 turnovers, including three last week, are ninth-most in the league this season.

Attack Allen

The Bengals turned to Allen after Joe Burrow was lost for the season in Week 11. Allen’s offensive efforts resulted in just 155 total yards during the loss to the Giants. The offense managed just 10 points.

Allen completed 17 of 29 passes for 136 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked twice and lost a fumble in the process. The Bengals allow 3.5 sacks-per-game, second-most in the league.

The Dolphins defense, meanwhile, ranks 14th in the NFL, getting 2.3 sacks-per-game. And attacking stationary quarterbacks like Allen has been the team’s bread-and-butter on defense all season.

Consistent pressure on Allen should lead to the fourth year QB, who’s making just the fifth start of his career, to make multiple mistakes.

Dolphins Need to Limit Bengals’ WRs

The strength of Cincinnati’s offense remains their wide receiver corps. Tyler Boyd, A.J. Green and Tee Higgins have played well and managed to stress opposing defenses throughout 2020. Boyd leads Cincy with 72 receptions and 725 receiving yards.

Higgins is having a solid rookie campaign, with 48 catches, 673 yards and a team-leading five touchdown receptions. Green’s bounce back season has seen him make 35 catches (on 80 targets) with just one touchdown.

What helps here is it’s a strength-on-strength matchup. Miami’s secondary remains the top unit on the team. The Dolphins’ 11 interceptions are tied for fifth-most this season, and Xavien Howard’s seven lead the league. Miami comes in fourth in both passer-rating-allowed (84.3) and completion-percentage-allowed (62.3).

The Bengals offense ranks 26th in scoring (20.9 points-per-game), 24th in total offense (331.5 yards-per-game) and 18th in passing yards-per-game (235.2).

Find an Offensive Rhythm

Last week, Ryan Fitzpatrick started in place of the injury Tua Tagovailoa. While there’s been no word yet on who will start Week 13 for Miami, the offense needs to find a rhythm. Against the Jets, Fitzpatrick put up 257 passing yards and threw two touchdowns, but Miami managed just 20 points against the league’s worst defense.

Cincinnati’s D doesn’t scare anyone either. The Bengals allow 26.3 points-per-game (22nd) and 390.5 yards-per-game (26th). They’re 30th in sacks (13) and manage pressure on just 16.4 percent of pass plays.

The Bengals can be run on. They allow 136.7 rushing yards-per-game (30th) and 4.8 yards-per-carry. The return of Myles Gaskin could finally allow the offense to find some balance and rhythm. If Fitzpatrick starts, DeVante Parker may have another busy day. Last week, Fitzpatrick targeted Parker 14 times, resulting in eight catches and 119 yards.

If Tagovailoa gets the clearance to play, hopefully he can demonstrate similar chemistry with the receivers.

Dolphins-Bengals: Keep in Mind the Playoffs

The Dolphins vaulted back into the AFC playoff picture with their win last week. Miami enters Week 13 as the 6-seed and if things break right for the ‘Phins, they could get as high as fifth in the standings. At this point, Miami maintains a hold on their playoff destiny.

The Dolphins need this win, considering the coming slate of games. Miami hosts the Chiefs (10-1) next week, then the Patriots (5-6). After that, they close out the season with pivotal road matchups against the Raiders (6-5) and Bills (8-3).

Miami must enter that final stretch at 8-4. Anything less would jeopardize their playoff chances. The Dolphins are clearly the superior team this week and must dominate Cincinnati. They can’t afford mental mistakes and turnovers. A win this week, and wins against Las Vegas and New England, would all but guarantee a playoff berth.

Don’t Forget to Pick Up on of the Dolphins Tees at FiveReasonsSports.com! Click Here to Shop Now!