Although the Miami Dolphins are in third place within the AFC East standings, trying up at Buffalo and the hated New York Jets, they will take consolation understanding issues are nonetheless trending in the proper course general.
This Dolphins crew (6-3) isn’t taking part in in addition to you hope it is going to be taking part in in late December and January, nevertheless it’s taking part in pretty effectively general. They’re taking part in complementary soccer on a extra constant foundation, profitable the video games they need to win, and displaying admirable willpower and focus all of the whereas.
Yes, there are actually considerations, and taking part in unhealthy groups helps ease a few of these considerations.
For instance, previously two weeks the Dolphins have gone all the way down to the wire to beat a few the NFL’s 98-pound weaklings in hard-fought highway video games.
On Sunday, it was a 35-32 victory at Chicago.
Last week it was a 31-27 determination at Detroit.
Combined, these groups are 5-12 (although Detroit defeated Green Bay on Sunday).
But who cares that they had been slender wins?
The most necessary issues to know are that the Dolphins are profitable and enhancing.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa mentioned he’s discovered a number of issues about this crew the previous couple of weeks.
“The resiliency of our team, the resiliency of our guys to continue to fight, to continue to not give up on the game,” he mentioned. “Regardless of how close the game is or how out of hand it may be, we continue to fight. So that’s what I’m proud of with our team up to this point.”
Here are a number of different causes for the Dolphins to be pleased with themselves:
* For the previous two weeks the offense is scoring factors the best way it hoped to do when this crew was put collectively within the offseason. The Bears victory means the Dolphins have now sandwiched their second three-game profitable streak of the season round that injury-riddled three-game dropping streak;
* The protection continues getting well timed stops although it doesn’t all the time play a 60-minute sport. It allowed Bears quarterback Justin Fields to hurry for 178 yards, an NFL file for a QB in a regular-season sport (the all-time file is 183 yards by Colin Kaepernick in a 2013 playoff sport). But the protection bounced again to make a stand within the sport’s last two minutes;
* Special groups joined within the game-winning enjoyable with a blocked punt by linebacker Jaelan Phillips that fellow linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel returned for a landing. Yeah, there was a missed 29-yard discipline aim try, however, hey, no one’s good.
Besides, the Dolphins ultimately recovered from that miscue in complementary trend.
“What I’m just happy about,” mentioned coach Mike McDaniel, “is when the offense wasn’t able to score points, the defense found their best play, and that’s what we’re going to build on moving forward.”
There are different issues to construct on, too, after all.
Tagovailoa has the look of a Pro Bowl participant. He was 21 of 30 for 302 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a blinding 135.7 passer ranking. He’s had his two greatest profession passer ranking previously two weeks. He posted a 138.7 ranking in opposition to Detroit.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill had seven receptions for 143 yards and one landing. He surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 9 video games and has 1,104 receiving yards on the season.
And operating again Jeff Wilson Jr., considered one of two latest commerce deadline acquisitions, had 72 yards from scrimmage on 12 touches with 9 carries for 51 yards and three receptions for 21 yards.
Even edge rusher Bradley Chubb made an enormous contribution, in accordance with McDaniel. Chubb, the most important commerce deadline acquisition, solely had one deal with however McDaniel mentioned the actual fact that they had an additional physique within the rotation saved guys recent. He pointed to the blocked punt and ensuing landing for example.
“Maybe that doesn’t happen if that group isn’t as fresh, and we can’t use them as much on special teams,” McDaniel mentioned.
Things aren’t good with the Dolphins. They’re nonetheless at minus-3 in turnover margin, and so they stay considered one of three groups, together with Tennessee and the Los Angeles Chargers, to have a profitable file however be the other way up in level differential (the Dolphins are minus-11).
The offense is getting fats on unhealthy groups, the protection is spotty, and particular groups stay a difficulty. There’s nonetheless room to query a few choices by McDaniel, the rookie head coach, comparable to not kicking a 32-yard discipline aim Sunday although it was into the wind. Bettors will inform you it’s the second time in three weeks such a McDaniel determination has meant the Dolphins didn’t cowl.
And you may legitimately query whether or not the Dolphins’ efforts the previous two weeks can be adequate in opposition to groups it’ll face in a number of weeks, groups comparable to San Francisco, the Chargers, Buffalo and, sure, the Jets.
But you may fear about that when the time comes. As McDaniel mentioned, you may’t dominate everyone.
Again, a very powerful issues to know concerning the Dolphins proper now could be they’re profitable and so they’re enhancing. At this level, that’s pretty much as good as you could possibly hope for.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com