Tag Archive for: Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins' free agent signings fit into coach Brian Flores' scheme. (Tony Capobianco for Five Reasons Sports)

The Miami Dolphins are starting to lose the right way

/0 Comments/in /by

This was closer to the perceived plan prior to the season.

Lose, but with dignity.

Fall, but with pride.

Get closer to franchise changing quarterback Tua Tagliovailoa, but stay reasonably close on the scoreboard.

After an abominable start to the 2019-20, Brian Flores and his increasingly well-organized Miami Dolphins have been doing that lately.

They took a 14-0 lead Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, before dropping the game, 27-14. That dropped their record to 0-7,  and marked the third straight game that they didn’t entirely embarrass themselves. In fact, they covered again — the spread at BetDSI.com and other sportsbooks was 13.5 or 14 at kickoff.

This game turned on a mistake we would be lamenting for weeks if we really wanted them to win — Nick O’Leary letting a ball bounce off his chest, with the carom corralled by former Dolphin defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, the first of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s two interceptions. From there, Miami inexplicably called an all-out blitz on a 3rd-and-20, which caused a short screen to go the distance. The offensive line stopped blocking, and Ryan Fitzpatrick started running for his life. Xavien Howard sat down, a consistent pattern whenever it appears the Dolphins might mess up and win.

And the tank was back on.

The tank that is required to top (or bottom) Cincy, the Jets, and all the other terrible teams this season.

The tank that Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young isn’t so happy about…

Here are some of the tweets that told the story (there’s actually some good in here!):

 

Robert Nkemdiche signing

Robert Nkemdiche promoted to Miami Dolphins active roster

/0 Comments/in /by

The Miami Dolphins have updated their active roster.

The Miami Dolphins have made a decision on Robert Nkemdiche, promoting him to the active roster. It is unclear if he’ll play on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nevertheless, his comeback is quite impressive.

He had season-ending knee surgery a little less than 11 months ago. Now, he is back to playing football.  As many of you know, he began his career with the Arizona Cardinals. He spent three seasons in the desert and came to Miami on a one-year, $1.16 million deal. The new deal came just 11 days after a failed physical designation with the Cardinals on July 28. From tearing his knee last December, to having the opportunity to play in a game, he has certainly come a long way.

For his career, he has 44 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. There is no doubt that the potential is definitely there. He was named to the  All-SEC first team in 2015 as a member of Ole Miss.

The ends are a plus for Miami Dolphins

Nkemdiche joins the likes of Christian Wilkins, Taco Charlton, John Jenkins, and Avery Moss at the defensive end position. This position could definitely be considered a source of strength for Miami. In particular, I’m excited to see the development of Christian Wilkins. The amount of youth at the position combined with the amount of veteran talent makes for a great combination.

Nkemdiche’s development will be interesting to watch as well. As a veteran, he is is trying to get back to what he was before his injury. It remains to be seen if he can do that.  A strong showing for this defense would certainly be a step in the right direction.

The Miami Dolphins have made it clear that they’re going to rebuild this roster. However, just because they are undergoing a rebuild does not mean that they lack talent. As long as Nkemdiche can say healthy, he is certainly a viable piece on the line. I’ll be interested to see exactly how he fits with the Miami Dolphins moving forward. His statistical production in particular is definitely something to watch.

Kenyan Drake’s Top 5 Miami Dolphins Moments

/0 Comments/in , /by

Kenyan Drake has always been a bit of a polarizing player for the Miami Dolphins since he was drafted out of Alabama in the 2016 draft. He has had stretches of fans asking, “why isn’t he touching the ball?!” and flashes of game-breaking ability.

With Drake being traded to Arizona today and we say our goodbyes, we will focus on the ladder of the two. The Three Yards Per Carry Podcast gives us their top five Kenyan Drake moments.

Number one shouldn’t shock anyone…….

Kenyan Drake, and his unfulfilled potential, off to Arizona

/0 Comments/in /by

We knew this one was coming.

The last coaching staff couldn’t figure out how to use Kenyan Drake.

And this one never seemed especially interested in cracking that code either — in a contract season.

So Drake, who could rip off long runs but frustrated coaches in other areas, has been traded to the Arizona Cardinals as part of the Miami Dolphins’ historic purge. This came after Drake was kept home rather than making the trip to Pittsburgh for the Dolphins’ Monday Night Football clash (?) with the Steelers.

So, you see, they didn’t get much. But this adds to their stash, and gives them even more ammunition to move up if they identify players higher in the draft that they want.

So what does this mean?

Well, first, Mark Walton (from the University of Miami) appears to be the starter for now. Kallen Ballage has not impressed this season, and it’s likely the Dolphins will address running back with a couple of their picks.

Also, it means we will likely see Drake thrive elsewhere, at least at first, like Jay Ajayi did briefly in Philadelphia.

He’s an explosive player but can be an exasperating one too.

The concern here is that the Dolphins have traded so much of their core — think Minkah Fitzpatrick, who faces them tonight — that it’s hard to know what they’ll do with the next batch of “promising players.”

Now we see what Arizona does with him.

Last man who was part of the Miami Miracle, turn off the lights.

Ryan Tannehill is turning the corner… for Tennessee

/0 Comments/in /by

Maybe he just needed another seven years.

Or another month?

Either way, this is the most Miami Dolphins thing ever.

They have spent 19 years looking for Dan Marino’s replacement, so much so that executives and coaches accepted seven seasons of slightly-above-mediocrity from Ryan Tannehill, making excuse after excuse for his inconsistency, simply because he was better than some of the impostors who preceded him.

Finally, everyone, from owner Steve Ross on down, had enough. So, after Tannehill lost the last remaining argument for retention — durability — they let him walk, and he went to Tennessee ostensibly to back up Marcus Mariota. Mariota, however, has his own issues, and so Tannehill has replaced him.

And now Tannehill is 2-0, after beating Tampa Bay, 27-23, on Sunday.

Sorry, we had to get the Adam Gase mockery in there.

Tannehill, who had his best previous stretch under Gase in 2016 before getting hurt, has been sharp for the Titans.

What about the fade pattern he struggled to throw with the Dolphins?

Even our Luis Sung is impressed…

He seems to be enjoying himself, after South Florida got stale…

Look how comfortable he appears at his post game presser. He was a bit, shall we say, stiff, here.

 

And they love him in Tennessee…

So, are they getting suckered, or is this for real?

Is Tannehill, at last, on the fringe of elite?

Are we bored, during this lost Dolphins season, to be asking these questions?

Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins partner with GENYOUth and Miami Super Bowl Committee to battle food insecurity

/0 Comments/in , /by

If there’s one thing the Miami Dolphins are good at, it’s making an impact off the field. That’s precisely what they did on Tuesday morning, as the Miami Dolphins teamed up with GENYOUth and the Miami Super Bowl Committee to provide 100 grab and go breakfast cart systems to South Florida school districts.

The event celebrates the 100th anniversary of the National Football League, along with the start of the Florida Super School Breakfast Initiative. That initiative is what will deliver the 100 Grab and Go breakfast carts, increasing access to 10 million school meals for South Florida students.

“This is part of the legacy that we are leaving behind.” said Janelle Prieto, Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Community Partnerships for the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee. “We really go beyond the game, that’s one day. But it’s all the work that happens leading up to that, and this is just one of those legacies.”

As part of the celebration, kids were able to enjoy a good lunch, and the opportunity to participate in football drills hosted by Dolphins alumni Twan Russell, Troy Drayton, and Ed Perry.

But in truth, through all the celebration, this event also brings to light a very real problem not many know about. Evidently, many children in South Florida actually don’t get enough to eat. Research shows some disturbing statistics that further show the need for events like this.

  • 20% of children in Florida live in poverty.
  • 18% of children in Broward County live in poverty.
  • 22% of children in Miami-Dade County live in poverty.
  • 19% of children in Palm Beach County live in poverty.

In a country so rich in resources, that’s simply unacceptable. Kids need to be able to eat to function properly in school. Working on an empty stomach only makes learning that much harder. That is why the Dolphins and their partners put so much emphasis on this particular cause.

“The fact of the matter is that of course, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” said Magdalena Prieto, the General Manager for school food service in Palm Beach County. “And of the children can’t have breakfast, they can’t concentrate. This will give us an opportunity to reach more kids throughout the day with breakfast.”

“Think about it this way,” said Dolphins alumni and Youth Programs Ambassador Twan Russell. “I always believe you never know who you’re impacting. These kids have a destiny that was created for them before they were even born. And sometimes those destinies get derailed because kids are not performing at a high level in the classroom. By providing them a meal, now they ‘re coming into the classroom in better spirits. And who knows? What if we’re feeding the person that’s gonna cure AIDS, cure cancer, and we had a say in it because we’re providing them a meal?”

It’s hard to say what long-term impacts these efforts will have. Indeed, only time will tell. However, there’s no doubt that the kids who benefit from the team’s efforts are not looking at Miami’s on-field record. They are just thankful that the Dolphins’ off-field record has no equal.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Dolphins Select LSU QB Joe Burrow in Latest Tankathon Mock Draft

/0 Comments/in , /by

Another week, another Tankathon mock draft

For those keeping track at home, each week I continue to document the latest draft order and mock draft at Tankathon.com. And although the Miami Dolphins have not had the first-overall pick in quite some time, the fine folks at Tankathon continue to make things interesting, to say the least.

In fact, prior to the Jets’ blowout loss to the Patriots on Monday Night, Tankathon posted their three-round mock draft and to the surprise of many, DID NOT have the Dolphins drafting a quarterback. Obviously, that was a mistake. Or perhaps they just weren’t sure which QB Miami might covet with the second-overall pick.

Well after a short deliberation with their trusty friends, and a nice retweet from yours truly, there was one QB that the masses believed to be the clear-cut favorite.

His name was Joe Burrow.

That’s right, folks. In Tankathon’s latest mock draft, the Miami Dolphins select LSU QB Joe Burrow.

Now I know, I know, he’s not the same type of prospect as Tua Tagovailoa. However, no one can argue with how well Burrow has played through seven games in 2019. Furthermore, if he continues to ascend over the next few weeks, while Tua recovers from an ankle injury, it is very possible that an NFL team could deem him the guy to carry their franchise to the promise land.

Tankathon.com 3-round mock draft 10/22

With the remaining two picks in the first round #10 & #22, the Miami Dolphins fill two voids on their depleted roster.  At #10, Miami selects Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb, who will make an immediate impact in Miami’s offense.

At #22, the Dolphins select Penn State pass-rusher, Yetur Gross-Matos.  Truth is, aside from Vince Biegel and Taco Charlton, Miami has struggled mightily to get pressure on the QB.  So, Gross-Matos would instantly fill a void and help fix one of the worst defenses in all of football.

With the 33rd-overall pick, the Dolphins pick arguably the most explosive running back in all of college football, Jonathan Taylor.  Taylor would fill an instant need with Kenyan Drake on his way out and Kalen Ballage seemingly irrelevant.  Mark Walton and Taylor would be a perfect 1-2 punch in Chad O’Shea’s offense.

At pick #62 the Dolphins land Iowa offensive lineman Alaric Jackson, to help sure up one of Miami’s weakest units.  Yes, Miami has $130M+ to spend in FA, but they will absolutely turn to the draft to fix their struggling offensive line.

Lastly, Miami selects Utah CB Jaylon Johnson to start opposite of Xavien Howard in the secondary.

This will change many more times between now and April 23, 2020. With that said, how do you feel with Tankathon’s latest mock draft?

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, and is okay (I guess) with #BlowForBurrow

Christian Wilkins

Dolphins rookie Christian Wilkins remorseful over emotional outburst

/0 Comments/in , /by

Football is an emotional game. When your team is 0-5 and desperately trying to hang onto any semblance of hope, that emotion can be amplified. That was the case with rookie defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who found himself ejected from the game almost the moment it started.

Some would argue that the punch Wilkins threw wasn’t enough to warrant an ejection, but the referees felt differently. Wilkins sat out the rest of the game, watching as the Dolphins came close to pulling off their first victory of the season. Unfortunately for the players, they fell apart in the second half – a recurring pattern – and ultimately lost by a score of 21 to 31.

“I was just really extremely selfish.” Wilkins said after the game. “This is the ultimate team sport. It’s not just about me and I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed in myself about something, especially something that was in my control. It really, really shouldn’t have happened, there’s no place for it in this game and that is not the standard I hold myself to. Because I love this game I try to respect this game as much as possible and play it as competitively as possible. This game is meant to be competitive, not combative at all. I really let myself down and my teammates down in just a selfish moment so early in the game.”

Anyone who knows Christian Wilkins describes him as a humble, fun-loving guy who is passionate about football. Throwing a punch seems so out of character for him. Even Wilkins himself couldn’t believe he’d done it.

“It just happened so quickly, it was only the second play of the game.” Wilkins said. “I just tried to come into the game with some energy on edge and just fired up. It’s an emotional game. So again like I said it all happened so fast but there’s no place for it in this game and just no place for it for me because I don’t want that reputation on myself. That’s not something I’m proud of, that’s not something I intended on doing coming into this game or anything like that.”

Wilkins, 23, has not been the playmaker everyone expects him to be in his rookie year. Through six games, Wilkins has only 18 tackles and a pass deflection. Those aren’t the numbers of a first round draft pick. However, his role at Clemson was to open the way for other players to make players. That, also, isn’t happening. It’s hard to stay positive when losing seems to be the agenda. The level of talent is so low on the roster, there isn’t much anyone can do.

However, this one isolated incident should not be a cause for concern. Christian Wilkins isn’t the type of guy to regularly pick fights. It’s unlikely he’ll become the next Ndamukong Suh, with a reputation for dirty plays. Wilkins is clearly contrite over his mistake, and intends to not make it again.

“You know, it’s just a learning experience, too, you live and you learn.” He said. “That’s just a message to myself. A learning experience for my teammates and also a learning experience for people watching at home, kids watching at home. There’s no place for it, you have to play the game the right way.”

It’s clear that the tank is taking its toll on the players. Their desire to win does not coincide with the front office’s roster moves. No doubt, they will keep trying to compete and avoid the dreaded 0-16 season. If they can hang on until 2020, their suffering, hopefully, will be rewarded.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Do you believe in FitzMagic?

/0 Comments/in , /by
FitzMagic Believes he’s the ‘Perfect Man’ to Help Lead Young Dolphins Through Rebuild

When Ryan Fitzpatrick joined the Dolphins earlier this year, he was just thankful for an opportunity to start.  And although it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses, the 36-year old QB continues to show the world why he was given the nickname #FitzMagic.

Last week, Fitzpatrick was brought in late in the third quarter to try and spark Miami’s offense-and that’s exactly what he did.  His impressive performance earned him the starting QB spot for Miami’s Week 7 match-up vs Buffalo.  And the man known as #FitzMagic, didn’t disappoint.

Fitzpatrick looked sharp on Sunday, completing 21/31 for 282 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.  It wasn’t a perfect game but the offense looked light years ahead of what we’ve become accustomed to throughout the first five games of the season.

That’s what he said

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get the win.  But Brian Flores liked what he saw from Fitzpatrick so much, that he named him the team’s starting QB for Monday Night’s game vs the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I thought he played well. I thought he moved the ball well offensively. I thought he made some good throws. I thought he got out of some trouble. They got a good pass rush, he got out of trouble a couple times and made some plays for us. We got to continue to build and get better, and finish a game. We gotta finish the game.”

When asked if Fitzpatrick did enough to warrant the start Monday at Pittsburgh, Flores kept things short and sweet.

“I mean, yeah, he played well. So, yes, he did.”

The Dolphins will take on the 2-4 Pittsburgh Steelers in Northwest Pennsylvania next Monday Night.  And if there was ever a game the Dolphins should be invested in winning, it’s this one.  After all, the Steelers traded their first-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for DB Minkah Fitzpatrick.  The more games Pittsburgh loses, the better the draft pick.

So is it possible for the win-less Dolphins to overcome all odds and defeat the superior Steelers’ on prime time? Ryan Fitzpatrick was asked what he could do to help turn an 0-6 team around, much like he did a previous 0-8 team.

“Well, and I said this at the beginning, I think I’m the perfect man for the job, because I’ve been through it, I have zero ego, and all I want to do is go out there and win. I want to bring an energy. I want what I’m doing out there to be infectious to other guys. We have a lot of young guys that haven’t really played much at this level, and we have some guys that are a year or two into it. But I want to be that ‘stable guy’ that they can look to when things get a little shaky, and I’ve been in this situation a lot before. It’s something that I embrace. I’ve had a different career than a lot of different quarterbacks, but this has been a career that I’ve loved and a position that I like being in.”

In #FitzMagic We Trust

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, and believes in #FitzMagi

Should the Dolphins Trade RB Kenyan Drake?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Heading into the 2019 season, it seemed as though Dolphins’ RB Kenyan Drake was in-line for a bigger workload in Chad O’Shea’s offense.

Unfortunately, that did not happen.

And despite playing second-fiddle to Kalen Ballage throughout much of the offseason, he still remained the most explosive player on Miami’s offense. Truth is, he was not only the team’s best RB between the tackles, he had the most value as a pass-catcher and in a NE-style offense, this was just as important.

However, once Chris Grier began to purge the roster, Drake’s name immediately became involved in trade talks.

Prior to Miami’s 43-0 loss to New England, Fox Sport’s Jay Glazer reporter Drake asked for a trade, which angered the 25-year old RB.

Reports from Drake and ‘sources’ around the team suggest he never asked for a trade, and wasn’t overly concerned with what the future entailed. But all of that has changed in recent weeks. And with the emergence of Mark Walton as the heir apparent and current RB1, trade rumors have once again started to circulate.

What can Miami expect in to get in a trade?

Which begs the question, what would it take for the Dolphins to part ways with the RB most known for his improbable run that will forever be remembered as the ‘Miami Miracle’?

Ideally, a player of his skill set and youth would fetch a third-round pick. Unfortunately, the Dolphins are unlikely to see a team part with a day two pick. After all, if reports are true, Miami already tried to lock Drake up long-term. And if he is indeed on the trade block, the price tag may be too rich for any team long-term.

So what is fair compensation?.

Personally, I think if a team offers the Dolphins a fourth-round pick, Chris Grier would be ecstatic. This should also appeal to the handful of teams that need a RB. A RB that has the skills as both a runner and pass-catcher.

In the end, no one knows if Drake will be traded before the October 29th deadline. But what we do know is his future in Miami is bleak. And for a front office looking for every and any, opportunity to land draft capital, it would be in both sides interest to strike a deal.

Time will tell, but for now it appears Kenyan Drake’s days in Miami are numbered.

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, and will miss Kenyan Drake if traded.