Mattingly

Don Mattingly Named Sporting News Manager of the Year

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The Miami Marlins season may have come to an end last week. However, the team still finds itself as part of the national baseball discourse. On Thursday morning, Sporting News announced their 2020 MLB awards, and among the recipients was Marlins manager Don Mattingly.

After enduring a COVID-19 outbreak which cost him more than half of his Opening Day roster, Mattingly led the Marlins to the club’s first winning record since 2009 and its first playoff berth since 2003. The Marlins earned a Wild Card spot and summarily dumped the NL Central winners, the Chicago Cubs, in a two-game sweep. Miami ultimately fell to the Atlanta Braves, but the team earned the respect of the baseball world in the process.

Mattingly Earns Manager of the Year

The Marlins lost 18 players in the COVID-19 outbreak and that was just the start of a tumultuous season for the roster. Even in a truncated 60-game schedule, Miami made 174 roster moves. The team used 61 different players over the 60 games. Miami’s nine different starting pitchers in their first nine games of the season set a new MLB record. Of the 61 players who appeared in a game for the Fish this season, 21 were rookies. 18 of those were making their MLB debut.

The fact that Mattingly navigated the team through that uncertainty and kept them competitive was not lost on most.

“He’s a great person,” said Marlins shortstop and de facto captain Miguel Rojas. “He’s a great human being before being a baseball player or manager. The communication he has with the players, the confidence he gave the players is unbelievable.”

Rojas and Mattingly both inked extensions with the Marlins in September and they’ve come together to help lead this young club forward.

“Donnie believes in our vision,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said in September. “He believes in our direction, and he’s all in. He has shown a lot of patience with our young, developing team.”

That development was clearly evident this season. The Marlins bucked every prognostication that said they’d finished last in the NL East for a third-straight season. Mattingly became the first-ever National League manager in the Modern Era to lead his team to a playoff appearance after losing 100 games the previous season.

“The great thing about Donnie is he understands what we’ve been building here as an organization,” Jeter said. “He keeps our guys competing on a daily basis.”

Mattingly is the 15th manager in franchise history. This season, he became not only the longest tenured, but also the winningest. Mattingly’s 307 wins as a manager are most, as he passed Fredi Gonzalez (276) Jack McKeon (281).

Mattingly was no stranger to award as a player, winning an MVP and three Silver Sluggers, as well as nine Gold Gloves. He becomes the third Marlins manager to win the award from Sporting News, following Gonzalez (2008) and Joe Girardi (2006).

Could Le’Veon Bell end up in Miami? Flores won’t say no.

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Today is the day free agent running back Le’Veon Bell will be wined and dined (from a distance) by potential NFL teams.

Could the Miami Dolphins be interested in Bell’s services? That I can’t say for sure.

However, I will make a case as to why I think he would be a welcomed addition.

But first, a word from our good friend Adam. #FreeRapoport

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Miami Dolphins were at least in talks about the playmaking RB before his release.

No one truly knows how deep these talks were between the Dolphins and Jets. But after listening to the video, I get the feeling New York may have been a bit desperate?

But I don’t care. Let the speculation commence!

Flores won’t say ‘no.’ 

Yesterday, Flores didn’t really speak on the 28-year-old RB. Except he did, when he snuck this little nugget into his discussion on the Jets running back room without their Pro Bowl RB.

Look, Le’Veon Bell is a great player. I think we all know that. He’s had a lot of production in this league – run, pass and just a dynamic player.

Today, when asked what he thought about Bell and a potential new home in Miami, Flores dropped another nice little quote.

Where does Bell fit into the offense?

No disrespect to Myles Gaskin, who is proving to be an NFL RB and a key piece to Miami’s backfield, but Bell is a different breed of running back. And while the Jordan Howard experience may have failed or the team continues to struggle to get Matt Breida involved, the Dolphins could use something a little bit more.

Enter 28-year-old Le’ Veon Bell, hungry AF to prove to the doubters wrong. Most importantly, to prove Adam Gase wrong.

Bell had success in a similar offense in the past. And despite his recent woes in New York (and even his later years in Pittsburgh), I’m not convinced the book is closed. His patient running style would be effective behind Miami’s newly revamped offensive line and adding a weapon like him to an offense already averaging 27.2 points per game–watch out.

The Final Yard

I won’t lose sleep if the Dolphins miss out on Le’Veon Bell. But, rarely, a player that has eclipsed over 6,139 yards and 38 touchdowns falls from the sky. And while he’s proven to be an exceptional runner, it’s his ability to line up in the slot and split out wide that admittedly intrigues me most.

How would a defense stop DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, Preston Williams, Jakeem Grant/Isaiah Ford, and Le’Veon Bell when all split out wide? Then, think of the different packages, whether it be (Gaskin/Bell, Bell/Breida, Gaskin/Breida, Bell/Howard, etc..) or even Lynn Bowden-Malcolm Perry.

I need a cigarette.

Miami’s offense is already scary. But adding a player like Bell would turn the Dolphins offense into a Megazord. An unstoppable force. And for a team already averaging 27.2 PPG, that’s scary.

He might not sign in Miami, but Le’Veon Bell would be a great signing for the Miami Dolphins.

Best of all, we could go around and tell anyone who listens, Gase swapped Bell for Ballage

A Long Shot Signing, But There’s Still A Shot

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There has been a lot of speculation about what Miami can do this off-season via trades or free agent signings. A lot of big names have come up, but is that exactly what Miami needs right now?

A Christian Wood signing may seem a little unrealistic, but it’s not out of the picture.

For one, there’s a low chance that Detroit will let Christian walk, since he’s still evolving and has great upside. He will also be searching for a 3-year deal, which is something that Miami won’t look to offer. But once again, if there’s anyone that could pull it off, it’s the Miami Heat.

It’s also pretty obvious that the only young stars who get recognition are those on winning teams. Even guys like Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker don’t get the recognition they deserve since they are on such low seeded teams. But Miami could fix that for Christian, since it seems as if winning is a priority right now…

The only issue that Christian seems to have is that he’s a bit scrawny for the center position. But what better team than the Miami Heat to get your body in the best possible shape.

He shares some similarities with Bam Adebayo, since he is 6’11 who plays like a guard at times. He’s an energetic force on both sides of the floor, who uses his length to his advantage. He’s also a good screen setter and floor spacer. This could definitely take some weight off of Bam’s shoulders.

And now to the Miami Heat’s point of view. Miami could clearly use another big, especially since Bam had such a burden throughout this run since nobody could replicate some of the things he does. And well, Christian could do some of those things, even stretching the floor to shoot the three ball. That also means that Miami could insert both of them into the starting lineup, which also deepens Miami’s depth.

If Miami had a Christian Wood to come off the bench in game six of the NBA finals when Bam was struggling, I have no doubt that Miami would’ve pushed it to seven.

And his story seems a little familiar to a couple of Heat players…

Obviously this is all speculation, but he could just fill so many holes on this current Heat roster. And once again, Detroit letting him walk does not seem like a viable option for them.

Miami may not need a home-run signing right now. Instead a guy like Christian Wood may be the better fit.

Stock up, Stock down vs San Francisco 49ers

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Welcome back to another installment of Stock Up Stock Down. In Week 5 of the NFL season, your Miami Dolphins came out on top against the San Francisco 49ers in a surprisingly dominant fashion with only a few things to nitpick at. We took control of the game from the first drive and did not let up throughout the game. With so much to dissect, let’s dive right in

Stock Up

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan must have a couple of burner Twitter accounts and saw all the calls for Tua to start because he came out on fire from the very first play. All last year we praised Fitz for his ability to give his receivers a chance to make plays on the ball by throwing the 50/50 balls, which he has done this year but only to Gesicki and DVP, and it was apparent starting the game with a deep shot to Preston for 47 yards and culminating with a 3 yard TD pass to Adam Shaheen.

Ryan led an efficient offense all afternoon long, finishing with not just the stats (22/28 350 yards 3 TD) but also scoring on 9 of the 12 drives the offense was on the field (1 was the final drive to kill time and in the game). Overall, because of his play, I doubt we hear anything else about Tua starting until we after we play the Jets at home in Week 6.

Preston Williams

All season long, Fitzpatrick has shown a level of confidence in DVP and Gesicki, but this week it appears the level of trust extended to Preston and showed what it could result in. Preston, from the first play, took the extra trust and earned more with a 47-yard deep catch to start the game, and he did not let up the rest of the game leading to the first 100-yard game of his young career. He finished the afternoon with 4 catches for 106 yards and a TD in what I would call the most complete game of his career. The key here is going to continue to see this effort and attention to detail from the Unicorn because if we do, the sky is the limit for him.

Jason Sanders

Last week I placed Jason Sanders in the stock up as a slight to Flores’s inability or unwillingness to make tough decisions, but the start to the year that Jason has had is truly something to marvel at. Jason has started the year 14/14 on field goals and another 10/10 on extra points. It is a piece of mind to know that your kicker is perfect on every kick each time you send him out there.

Defense

This must be what it feels like to have a defensive-minded Head Coach because the D was flying around all afternoon long. Throughout the game, we saw players like Jerome Baker, Eric Rowe, Xavien Howard, Byron Jones, and even Andrew Van Ginkel. Jerome finished with 8 tackles and a huge sack at the end to ice it. Rowe shut down Kittle to a tune of 4 catches for 44 yards. Xavien got an interception, which is his third game straight with an interception. Byron Jones seemed to be the missing piece that solidified the rest of the defense as Noah was not tasked with an impossible task. Lastly, one of my personal gems through my analysis of his tape, AVG. AVG was a wrecking ball off the edge all afternoon long, totaling 6 tackles 1 sack, 1 FF, and 1.5 TFL. For more in-depth on AVG.

Coaching Staff

The Coaching Staff all should get some credit for the game plan and adjustments made throughout the game by getting an early lead after a 4th down stop. After that momentum swing, it was all downhill for the 49ers. On the defensive side, the coaching staff placed their players in positions to succeed by eliminating the 49ers offense from ever getting in rhythm through the air. We realized early on that their secondary was extremely small, with the lone exception was Brian Allen, who was just activated this week. All game long we attacked a beat up and weak secondary. Preston being single teamed all game led to us hitting him early and getting him his 100-yard game as well as getting another huge game from Mike Gesicki.

Stock Down

Jordan Howard

I find it hard to imagine seeing Jordan Howard in a Dolphins uniform for very much longer. A random and surprise coaching decision to not dress Jordan for the game led to more of Breida and Myles taking over goal-line duties. I still am of the opinion that if Howard was given the same role and opportunity as Myles, he would more than show the skills that have made him a 1,000-yard RB in the league.

Rushing Attack

It seems counterintuitive that we would sit a talented RB while still averaging only 2.8 yards per carry before the game. That is unacceptable and by looking at the tape Myles is only getting whatever the offensive line is getting for him. I don’t see any explosive moves or ability to make a man miss and take it to the house and while Coach Flores has bromance for Myles, but we need to start getting the ball to Breida and even Jordan Howard. Think about this, Myles had a 21-yard run (his longest on the year) and had a total of 57 yards rushing on 16 carries. My math is funny sometimes but 15 carries for 36 yards equals 2.4 yards a carry. Unacceptable.

Jesse Davis at Right Tackle

It’s becoming harder to see a world where Jesse Davis comes back to have his job on as the Right Tackle once Austin Jackson comes back from IR. Seeing both Solomon Kindley and Robert Hunt move bodies around all game long really showed that we have a solid foundation to build on and one which needs as much playing time as possible, even if it comes at the cost of veterans who are mere stopgaps for the future. By all indications our investments this past draft have been fruitful and eventually we will have an OL with 3 rookies playing and based off the early results, we have no need to feel nervous about saying that.

Rush Defense

I really have a tough time understanding how a team that finished with 26 less points than us still manages to average 6.8 yards per carry totaling 131 for the day and 1 TD. Somehow while being up the entirety of the game, we still allowed San Francisco the ability to run the ball when they wanted to even though they had to throw it all game to try and get back into it. If this had been a closer game or even a game that San Francisco got a lead in, are we talking 200+ yards rushing being given up? It does little to play the what if games, but this is a trend that still has not been broken and with the potential loss of Davon Godchaux we lose one of our most experienced run defenders to an already porous rush defense.

Overall this team pulled off a great win which should show guys that these types of results are possible when everyone is playing together, mistake free and discipline brand of football. Coach Flores constantly preaches about each player starring in their role and if everyone can buy in to that we may be able to go on a little win streak here with the lowly but still rival New York Jets coming into town.

 

 

 

The Game that Showcased the Miami Heat’s Full Potential

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59 seconds on the clock.

Down 117-111.

Trae Young just proclaimed the game over.

But was it?

The answer is no, because it’s never over when you have the amount of firepower that the Miami Heat have on this roster.

A Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler three sent the game to overtime, which was the beginning of a 22-0 run.

Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson exploded in overtime to give Miami a win.

Not only did this game show what this Heat team can do as a team, it was also a game that showcased many player’s personal abilities.

Bam Adebayo achieved his first career triple-double, while scoring 30 points for the first time in his career.

Jimmy Butler also put up a triple-double, grabbing a career high 18 rebounds.

Duncan Robinson scored a career high 34 points, knocking down 10 threes.

Kendrick Nunn also with a career high 36 points.

This was just the beginning of what these guys are truly capable of doing. This was the first game that Bam showed his full offensive package, and obviously he still has room to improve. It was also the moment that people realized he has the ability to take over a game if needed, which is what he did in overtime. And it’s also what he did throughout Miami’s playoff run.

That Jimmy Butler triple-double wasn’t really out of the norm, since he began to do that on a regular basis in the finals. Grabbing 18 rebounds though is impressive in itself, especially since he emphasized on rebounding so much against the Los Angeles Lakers.

This also put a stamp on the shooting excellence of Duncan Robinson, since it’s not everyday that a player makes 10 threes in a game. But since so many other guys were clicking on that night, it opened up the floor for him.

And of course Kendrick Nunn. This was when Kendrick was playing at Rookie of the Year levels, since his scoring abilities were off the charts. Obviously some of the lows throughout these playoffs made some people forget about this, but it’s clear he has the ability to do it. He began to show some glimpses in the Finals, but this game was the beginning of the increase in his value.

And this was on a night where Tyler Herro scored 0 points, which may be more surprising than any of the other player’s records.

It also showed that this team was full of a bunch of dogs, who are hungry to win. After seeing their will to win in this game approximately 10 months ago, it isn’t surprising what Miami did in the playoffs.

This team is full of young and evolving talent, which is why it’ll be very interesting how much they improve by the start of the 2021 season.

The Jimmy Butler-Paul George Debate is Over, But Now There’s a New One

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There has been an ongoing debate for a while now about Jimmy Butler and Paul George. Both are two-way guys that are top players in the league. But it seems as if one of those guys may have set themselves apart.

After the Los Angeles Clippers meltdown in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, where they blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets, it was clear that Paul George would take some heat.

It also didn’t help his case that Jimmy Butler took his team on an incredible run to the finals, stepping up when it really mattered, which is what has continually been in question when discussing Paul George.

Now that this debate is pretty much settled, it seems as if there’s a new one to discuss.

Bam Adebayo has proved himself once again in this playoff run, and it seems as if there is more similarities between these two, than Jimmy Butler and Paul George.

Paul George averaged 2 more points in the playoffs this season, while Bam averaged 4 more rebounds. Both of these guys were second options on their respective teams, but only one stepped up when it really mattered.

And it’s obvious that Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of a two-way guy, since his energy is contagious on both sides of the floor.

Paul George had a better regular season than Bam Adebayo statistically, but that’s clear since that is when Paul George does most of his damage.

Bam Adebayo, on the other hand, is a proven winner who will be a handful for opposing playoff match-ups for many years to come.

It’ll be interesting to see where the majority of people rank these guys in the top players in the league, but for it to be this close with Bam being 7 years younger than Paul is absolutely insane.

Jimmy Butler proved his placing among the top players in the league, and it’s only a matter of time for Bam to do so as well.

A Brief History of Women’s Baseball

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Everyone knows that baseball is a huge sport played by men but what about the women’s equivalent? Is there even such a thing? The truth is women’s baseball was around in the 1860’s but went through much tougher and sadder times than the men’s game.

 

In 1866 Vassar College organized the first two women’s baseball teams. Over the next few years other colleges followed suit. Then in a similar way that women’s basketball later faced problems women’s baseball was mostly gone by the mid 1870’s. It faced a backlash not only from the press and the general public but also from the girls’ mothers.

 

Two teams competed in 1875 and were the first women to actually be paid for playing the sport. Unfortunately early teams were considered a novelty and anytime they tried to be taken seriously they were shut out. In the 1890’s things improved and teams started to become more prevalent. Because of the style of uniform these players were known as bloomer girls.

 

The beginning of women’s professional baseball

Ironically there were more opportunities for women to play baseball in the 1940’s and 50’s than there are now. In 1943 The All American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed. The league lasted 12 years and was very popular for a few reasons including a momentous event that happened two years earlier.

 

In 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked and America was drawn into the Second World War. Star players across all the teams enlisted or were conscripted to go and serve their country. The men’s league continued to compete but with a much lesser array of talent. Interest dwindled and so did the crowds.

 

The Lipstick League

Philip K Wrigley was the owner of the Chicago Cubs and their home was Wrigley Field. A big ballpark that needed to be filled. The Cubs General Manager at the time worked with Wrigley to devise options to raise revenues. They looked at softball and even light opera according to some sources. However it was the women’s league that became a reality.

 

Over 500 women would play in the league over the next dozen years. For the initial tryouts in Chicago nearly 300 women travelled from Canada and all over the states. Clearly there was a demand there to play. Four mid-west teams formed the initial All American Girls Baseball League (the word Professional was added later). The South Bend Blue Sox, The Racine Belles, Kenosha Comets and the Rockford Peaches.

 

Femininity was a big part of this league. They didn’t want women to act like their male counterparts and the league became known as the Lipstick League. The players were sent to charm school by Wrigley where they had to learn the right way to apply makeup and get out of a car in a feminine manner. They were encouraged to wear skirts at the hotel and slacks were frowned up.

 

This isn’t to say the league was a novelty. Far from it. The girls wore skirts but they were talented professional ball players. The popularity of the league grew and at its peak in 1948 it had a million paying fans. Like men’s baseball the women’s sport was segregated and only white players could compete in the AAGPBL.

 

The rise and fall and rise of women’s baseball

Sadly the sport didn’t survive long. In the 1950’s crowds dwindled and revenues dropped. More people were starting to get televisions in their homes and travelling to a stadium was not the only way to watch a game. The league collapsed and there were very few opportunities for women to play baseball. The Bloomer Girls had gone and the Lipstick League disappeared. Players packed up and returned home.

 

It would take decades for women’s baseball to rise again. Many sports witness league collapses and teams disappearing. Basketball is no stranger to this but women’s baseball seems particularly hard done by.

 

In 1984 Bob Hope attempted to bring women’s baseball back with a minor league team but was shot down by the Florida State League. He tried again in 1994 this time backed by Coors Beer. They established the Colorado Silver Bullets who would travel the states and play minor league and men’s college teams for the next few years.

 

2004 saw the first US Women’s National Team formed by US Baseball and there are signs for optimism with women’s baseball continuing to grow albeit slowly. Many young players end up switching to softball instead.

 

Betting on women’s sports

If you are a fan of women’s sports you may also like to have a flutter sometimes. Not surprisingly you cannot really gamble on women’s baseball. Online kaszino allow for a multitude of different ways to gamble though and include sports betting. You should check the regulations in your state or region to make sure online sports betting is allowed as there are different laws in place for each state. Women’s basketball is a popular way to bet women’s soccer is getting bigger too.

 

Before choosing a casino to play in, read the reviews to see recommendations and choose which games you want to play. Many land-based casinos will let you place sports bets on site and basketball season is very popular in Las Vegas. Search out your favorite games in Wazdan kaszinójátékok such as poker, blackjack and roulette and find the best odds for your sports bets. Online casinos are a great way for sports fans to stay entertained.

 

Future of women’s baseball

It is to be hoped that women’s baseball will continue to grow. The Peaches were immortalized in the Tom Hanks and Madonna movie; A League of Their Own. A story of the Lipstick League and the struggles those players faced and also their achievements. It is sad to see that 80 years on since the league was formed there isn’t now a professional established league like the NBL. If a girl or woman wants to play baseball it seems that they are encouraged to switch to softball instead.

Top 5 Moments from the Miami Heat’s Playoff Run

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This Miami Heat playoff run was filled with historical performances and plays in some of the biggest games. Here are the five best moments from this stretch…

Number 5:

Bam Adebayo’s 32/14/5 in the Closeout Game Over Boston

The Miami Heat were up 3-2 in the series against the Boston Celtics, and had to play an intense game six. Many proclaimed this game as a must win for Miami, which seems ridiculous due to the amount of talent on this roster. But when Miami needed a big game, Bam Adebayo showed up big. His stat-line in this closeout win is clearly impressive, putting up 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 assists, but that doesn’t even explain what he did. He took over down the stretch of that game, proving that he can be the best player on the floor when he wants to be. A huge And-1 late in the fourth quarter gave Miami a huge boost to send them to the finals, which was an outstanding performance from Bam.

Number 4:

Jimmy Butler Game Winning Free Throws Over Milwaukee

The Miami Heat faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks in game two of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, which was a wild finish. The game was tied with four seconds left, and Jimmy Butler got fouled on a baseline jump-shot with zero seconds on the clock. And who better to put on the line than the cool, calm, and collected Jimmy Butler, which led to him sinking both of them to go up 2-0. Not only was this an amazing play for Jimmy Butler, it was an insane finish from a viewers perspective. This was a huge moment in the series, which led to Miami winning in five.

Number 3:

Tyler Herro’s 37 Point Game Against Boston

This absolutely amazing game from Tyler Herro was impressive for a couple of reasons. For one, he’s 20 years old taking over a game completely, that involves Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum. Nobody could stop or match Tyler Herro’s offensive play, especially since he was doing it from everywhere on the floor. Another reason it was so impressive was that he did it so efficiently. He shot 14 for 21 from the field and 5 for 10 from three. It’s not everyday that a rookie scores 37 points in an Eastern Conference Finals game, which is why it’s the third best play of the postseason.

Number 2:

Jimmy Butler’s 40 Point Triple-Double in Finals

This game was just a clear representation of who Jimmy Butler is. A winner. He showed that he can play a certain way throughout the entire season, but turn it on when need be. For starters, scoring 40 points along with 11 rebounds and 13 assists in a finals game is absolutely insane. But what made it more special was that he did it without his co-pilots, in Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic. He also had to do it against two of the five best players in the world. This was a perfect example of putting a team on your back to try and get a win. This game also gave Jimmy Butler the respect from national people that everyone else has known for a while now.

Number 1:

Bam Adebayo’s Game Saving Block On Jayson Tatum

And no surprise here, one of greatest defensive plays in Miami Heat postseason history, which there’s a debate it could be number one. Just to focus on the play itself, a block to win a game is outstanding in itself. But doing it on a dunk attempt, which you use your off hand is on another level. And then to think of the stage that it’s on. Not many people have the ability to make that type of play physically, but Bam Adebayo is just a freak of nature. This block gave Miami a 1-0 lead in the series, and also gave Bam the notoriety that is much deserved. Some even began to talk about Bam as a rim protector, but clearly he is much more than that. This play is clearly the number one play of Miami’s hisorical playoff run.

Dolphins Win 49ers

5 Takeaways from Dolphins Win over 49ers

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When the 2020 schedule came out and Dolphins fans saw a Week 5 game against the defending NFC Champs in San Francisco, most chalked that up as a loss. But quite a bit has changed since then, including the NFL’s schedule. And instead of a loss, the Dolphins went into Levi’s Stadium and dominated the 49ers, earning a 43-17 win.

With the win, Miami improved to 2-3 on the season and injected new life into their potential playoff hopes. With the schedule changes, the Dolphins could be favored to win four of their next six games.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Dolphins win over the 49ers.

Aggressive Play-calling Leads to Offensive Explosion

The Dolphins entered Sunday’s game averaging 23.3 points-per-game, a respectable figure despite the 1-3 record. However, a week after settling for five field goals in a 31-23 loss, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey seemed focused on getting his club in the endzone.

Miami opened their first offensive series with a 47-yard connection from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Preston Williams. From there, it seemed like the Dolphins offense marched up and down the field at will, often attacking San Francisco’s secondary.

Miami totaled 43 points on the road in this one, a figure the club hadn’t reached since scoring 45 in 1986. The 436 yards of offense were the most this season and the team’s most on the road since 2016. The Dolphins’ nine scoring drives were Miami’s most since 1991.

The first half offense caught fans off guard for how effective it was. Miami ran 33 offensive plays and gained 281 yards in the half, an average of 8.5 yards-per-play. The Dolphins scored three times from the two-minute warning and finished with 30 points overall. It was just the third 30-point half since 2000 for the Dolphins.

Preston Williams Returning to Form in Dolphins Win over 49ers

Williams went from being an unheralded, undrafted fringe prospect, to one of the league’s most exciting rookie wideouts last season. But in November, Williams suffered a torn ACL which ended his year. Since, he’s been diligently working to regain his form and confidence.

And after an uneven start to 2020, Williams broke out in a big way against the 49ers. Williams caught four passes for a career-high 106 receiving yards and a touchdown. He had pair of plays over 30 yards, including the touchdown, as well as another 19-yard gain.

His ability to create separation and sore over smaller defenders to secure catches was something unseen from Williams since prior to his season-ending injury.

“I’m getting closer to that year mark with my knee,” Williams said. “I’m starting to get more comfortable out there … just trying to get back into that football shape and get me feet back under me. I know a lot earlier in the year I was falling off some routes. Now I’m starting to feel better every week.”

Pass Rush Gets Home, Helps Secondary in Dolphins Win over 49ers

The Dolphins entered Sunday’s contest with nine quarterback sacks, but they had struggled t contain mobile quarterbacks this season. San Francisco’s starter, Jimmy Garoppolo, coming off a high-ankle sprain, looked hobbled all day, and the Dolphins took advantage of that.

Miami teed off on 49er quarterbacks, bringing pressure and getting eight quarterback hits. That’s the second-highest total this season, behind the 10 QB hits against Jacksonville (the Dolphins other win this season).

Miami tallied five sacks on Sunday, the most in a game since 2018. Five different defenders registered a sack in this one: Jerome Baker, Emmauel Ogbah, Elandon Roberts, Zach Sieler and Andrew Van Ginkel. Ogbah and Van Ginkel each had a strip-sack.

The consistent pressure from the Dolphins defense forced San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan to make a change under center. The 49ers went with C.J. Beathard in the second half in an effort to protect Garoppolo.

This pressure helped the Dolphins secondary find its form in this one as well. The return of Byron Jones certainly helped, too. Xavien Howard picked up an interception in a third-straight game and Bobby McCain added one as well. Miami’s pass rush and secondary limited the 49ers to just 128 net passing yards, the fewest allowed by the Dolphins since 2018.

Jason Sanders Could Be Best K in Dolphins History

One of the clear bright spots through the inconsistent play early this season has been Jason Sanders. After a five-field goal performance in Week 4, Sanders followed that with another stellar effort in this one. He netted all five of his field goal tries and each of his four point-after attempts.

Sanders 14-for-14 start to the season broke a Dolphins record for most consecutive field goals made to open a season. Pete Stoyanovich (1990) and Olindo Mare (2001) shared the previous 13-for-13 mark to open a season for Miami.

Sanders has now netted his last 16 field goal attempts, going back to last season. That’s tied for third among most consecutive makes in franchise history. The record is 19 straight makes by Mare (1999). Sunday’s game marked the third time in Sanders’ career that he’s hit five field goals in a game, which set a new franchise record.

It Might Not Be Tua-Time Just Yet

On Wednesday, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said: “Right now, we feel like Fitz gives us the best chance to go out to California, complete and try to win a ballgame.” Those words seemed prophetic, considering Fitzpatrick’s performance and the Dolphins dominance overall.

Fitzpatrick completed 22-of-28 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns. He posted a passer rating of 154.4, which is the second-highest mark in his 16-year career and the third-highest single-game mark in franchise history (Fielder, 156.0, at Dallas 2003; Tannehill, 155.3, v Oakland, 2018). Fitzpatrick has now thrown over 300 yards in five of his past seven games.

“People hate me, people love me, depending on the week,” Fitzpatrick said.

The Tua-time crowd will likely be silenced for a time after Fitzpatrick’s performance. Coming off an ineffective two interception game in a loss last week, the cries for Tua Tagovailoa grew louder. Some saw Week 5 as the chance to switch to Tagovailoa, but an injury to starting left tackle Austin Jackson may have slowed that momentum. And after his performance this week, Fitzpatrick is likely the starter for the foreseeable future.

Tagovailoa remains the backup for now, in part, because Flores believes Fitzpatrick gives the Dolphins the best chance to win. And with the shuffled schedule putting winnable games on tap, Miami will push for the playoffs.

Flores says he’s confident that should Tagovailoa be forced into a game that he could go in there and be effective, but he doesn’t feel the fifth overall pick is ready to take over as starter.

“I think (Tagovailoa) continues to improve every day,” quarterbacks coach Robby Brown said. “He comes in, he works hard from a mental perspective. He works hard from a physical perspective. He’s sitting under a really smart guy right now that helps him out. He asks good questions during the game sitting there listening to the play. Then when we come over and look at the pictures, he asks good questions, so I think his development, I’ve been pleased with it so far. It’s just … keep doing what he’s doing, and going in to prepare every single day. He’s done a good job with that.”

A Journey through the NBA Bubble: A Miami Heat Playoff Run

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There were a lot of question marks next to the July 30th NBA return date for multiple reasons. For one, Covid-19 is effecting lives each and every day, so players had to make a decision to pack it up and leave their families. It also felt like basketball wasn’t important at the moment, due to the social injustice that were going on in our country. And lastly, players didn’t know how safe or realistic a bubble situation really was.

There were even more question marks next to this Miami Heat team heading in. Nobody really turning their heads towards this team or giving them any credit. But that’s exactly how they wanted it.

In mid-July, this Heat team was preparing to take that 3-hour bus ride all the way up to Orlando. Only one problem. Miami was facing their own Covid issues.

Bam Adebayo and Kendrick Nunn tested positive for the Corona virus, which put even more unknown on this team. Not only about the timeline of these guys, but how the virus could affect them going forward.

They did indeed battle through, arriving to the bubble late, but just in time for the first game of their 8 regular season games.

Erik Spoelstra’s rotation decision was then put on blast in the first game of the season. He decided to take Meyers Leonard out of the rotation, even though that starting lineup was the most effective lineup in the entire NBA.

Miami ended up going 3-5 through those eight regular season games, ultimately dropping them down to the 5 spot in the East, to play the Indiana Pacers in the first round.

Many were picking the Indiana Pacers to beat Miami for a bunch of reasons. TJ Warren was just coming off an outstanding run through his first eight games, looking like he can’t be stopped. But that was before he had Jimmy Butler matched up with him.

Goran Dragic took the reigns of this Heat offense, scoring 23 points a game in the first round against Indiana, leading Miami to a 4-0 sweep against the four seed.

But then it was time to move on to play the best team in the NBA with MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was clear that Miami had some advantages over this Bucks team, since they matched up with them so well throughout the season.

Miami continued their defensive plan by throwing a bunch of guys at Giannis, and it clearly worked. Jimmy Butler set the tone early in this series with an insane game two finish, after he got fouled with zero seconds on the clock, and hit the game winning free throws. They took a 3-0 lead over the one seed, and then Giannis went down early in game four. Milwaukee battled through to give them a win behind the heroics of Khris Middleton, but Jimmy Butler and company closed it out in five.

Now Miami is on to the Eastern Conference Finals, to play a very young and talented Boston Celtics group. And thus was the emergence of Bam Adebayo. An incredible game one finish, where Bam Adebayo met Jayson Tatum at the rim on a dunk attempt to win the game. He took over the series on both ends of the floor, even though the Bam and Theis match-up was considered a “wash.” He averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists a game in the Eastern Conference Finals.

And in the most pivotal game in the series, where Boston could’ve tied it up 2-2, a 20 year old rookie rose up to the occasion. Tyler Herro dropped 37 points in game four, putting this Miami Heat team up 3-1. They closed out the series in game six, getting this Heat team to an NBA finals.

Now they’re on to face a familiar face in LeBron James. Many story-lines were discussed heading into this one, but ultimately there is only one goal. After some tough sequences in game one, the Miami Heat lost both Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic to injury. When that occurred, many said it’s an obvious sweep and there’s no point of tuning in.

And well, think again.

Jimmy Butler knew he had to step up and be the guy that he’s very capable of being. Miami went down 2-0, but never doubt the guy that’s been doubted his whole entire life. Jimmy Butler got Miami a win in game three, putting up a stat line of 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists in one of the best individual performances this league has seen. And that wasn’t the end of that hungry Jimmy Butler.

After Miami went down 3-1, Jimmy scored 35 points, along with 12 rebounds and 11 assists, to send LeBron James and the Lakers a message that they’re not going away without a fight.

Miami ended up losing the finals series in six games, which was a tough way to go out in a historical playoff run.

This run proved a lot of things for this Heat team.

Jimmy Butler is a straight up winner who hasn’t gotten the respect that he absolutely deserves.

Bam Adebayo’s ceiling is just unknown, since he seems to be getting better and better by the day.

Tyler Herro is doing things at 20 years old that many players have only dreamed of doing.

Erik Spoelstra once again proved his coaching excellence.

The players continually talk about the dogs in that locker room, and this run further proved that. The adversity that this group had to face to get to this point is second to none.

But now it’s time to look forward.

As Jimmy Butler said after their game six loss, “Now I need to win them one next year.”

And with the evolving players that he has beside him after getting this playoff experience, there’s a good chance he could win them one next year.