DOLPHINSIDER

Miami Dolphins, Mike Wallace Need to Mend Fences

2015-01-21T17:17:00.002-05:00

Mike Wallace is a winner, plain and simple.

He won in Pittsburgh in 2008, and nearly did it again in 2010. He's made a career on long, highlight-reel touchdown catches. He's known for his speed and his ability to get open on any given play.

So what happens when the winning, and the being wide open, and catching sixty yard bombs, suddenly goes away?

Well, in Wallace's case, and in Miami's case, nothing good.

My how times have changed in South Florida.

Wasn't it nearly two years ago now that everything was great in Miami? Remember that March day, when then GM Jeff Ireland inked Wallace to a five-year, $60 million contract? Remember how great it felt to finally have that deep ball threat? To finally have that type of player?

Everything was rosy. Everyone was on the Miami Dolphins bandwagon.

Until the 2013 season opener in Cleveland. Ironically, it was his first game as a Dolphin where the relationship started going downhill.

One catch, 15 yards, and a visibly upset Wallace walking off the field following a Miami victory.

Fast forward to last month, where the embattled receiver reportedly refused to play in the second half of a 37-24 loss to the New York Jets, and it appears the roller-coaster marriage could be headed towards an unthinkable conclusion.

Do the Dolphins cut Mike Wallace?

That's the hot topic swirling around South Beach right now, and it's one that's been met with great debate.

On one hand, you have a receiver who led the team in touchdowns this year with 10. You have a gifted player, with all-world speed, who can change the course of a game at any given moment.

On the other hand, you have all the drama and friction that comes with him. You have a guy who gets angry when you win, and refuses to play when thing's aren't going right.

What do you do?

To answer that question, I'll ask you one in return: Can you find a guy to replace Wallace's 10 TD's? More importantly, do you have the money to find a guy like that?

The answer to that is no. It's a resounding NO.

This isn't the 2013 Miami Dolphins who had all the money in the world. This is the 2015 Dolphins, who are now going to have to make some difficult financial decisions.

Think of it like this: Jeff Ireland used a credit card to sign all those players in 2013, and now it's time for Dennis Hickey to pay the bill.

Brian Hartline has a huge contract that will either be restructured, or cut. The same concept applies to guys like Brandon Gibson, Dannell Ellerbe, and Philip Wheeler.

It's not different for Wallace, either.

If the Dolphins want to trade Wallace they'll be hard-pressed to find a team willing to take on his $12.1 million in 2015.

If they want to cut him they'll have a decision to make: If they do it before June 1 they'll save $6.9 million in cap space and carry over $5.2 million. If they cut him before then they'll carry a $9.6 million cap hit against only a $2.6 million savings.

But that's just the financial side of it. What about the football side?

Let's not sugarcoat it here, the Mike Wallace/Ryan Tannehill connection isn't where it needs to be after two seasons together. It stinks.

Tannehill can't hit the deep ball, and that's what Wallace does best. Why do you think Jarvis Landry saw the success he did this season? Because he's perfectly suited to Tannehill's strengths, which are short to medium range passes.

But even with all of that in mind, Mike Wallace STILL had 10 touchdowns this season, which tied a career high (2010). Think about that for a second—a speed receiver, who was turned into a possession receiver (something he's not known for), still produced double-digit touchdowns for the season.

Mike Wallace is simply too talented to just cut ties with. This isn't a Brandon Marshall situation from three years ago, where the supremely gifted Marshall was traded away following his second season.

Marshall was a cancer in the Miami locker room; he didn't get along with the quarterback, and he didn't get along with some of the coaching staff either.

That's not Mike Wallace. I've covered Wallace up close, I've talked to him, heck I've even stood in the lunch line with him after practice.

Players love Wallace. The media loves Mike Wallace. Even though he's most definitely frustrated with him, he still has yet to publicly say anything bad about Ryan Tannehill.

The guy works harder than anyone else on the team. Again, I've seen this up close, when he stood in front of a jugs machine catching balls for an hour after practice ended every single day this summer.

Mike Wallace is a winner, and he hasn't won yet in Miami. Some of that is on him, some of that is on Ryan Tannehill, and some of that is on the coaching staff.

But it can all be fixed. Now is not the time to be cutting your star receivers. Not when you're in win-now mode. Not when next year is a must-win year for everybody, and I mean everybody, in that locker room.

The Miami Dolphins/Mike Wallace marriage hasn't gotten off to the best of starts, not even close.

But that doesn't mean you quit; not when there's so much at stake, and so much on the line.

With the status of their star receiver in limbo, now is not the time to cut ties with Mike Wallace.

Now is the time to strengthen them.

My Take: No Problem with Tannenbaum, but Chain of Command Concerning

2015-01-07T09:59:00.001-05:00

Can everybody just calm down for a second?

Here I am, trying to enjoy my final week of vacation, and I have people calling me, texting me, and tweeting me, all because Stephen Ross promoted Mike Tannenbaum to VP of Football Operations.

Seriously, the way people are talking—and I'm including the South Florida media in this as well— you might as well forgo the entire 2015 season already.

What did Aaron Rodgers say earlier this season? Oh yeah:

R-E-L-A-X.

Everybody just relax for a minute. Please. For the sake of my own sanity, please, just step back from the ledge and rethink this for a bit.

First of all, let's get one thing straight— I have no problem with Mike Tannenbaum. I think he's a football minded guy who had some successful years with the Jets, had some spot on draft picks (Revis, Mangold), and made some mistakes along the way (who hasn't). Having another smart football guy in the room will not cripple the Miami Dolphins, folks.

And now, let's get a second thing straight.. This isn't surprising. It's just not. I told you last summer that Stephen Ross brought Tannenbaum in as an advisor. I told you last summer that I sat not thirty feet away from the guy at lunch one day in the team's training facility.

So let's stop acting like Ross' promotion of Tannenbaum is completely out of left field, okay?

What is puzzling to me, however, is the new chain of command at Dolphins headquarters.

In it's simplest form, it looks like this:

Head coach Joe Philbin reports straight to Stephen Ross, and has full control over who plays, and who coaches.

GM Dennis Hickey now reports to Tannenbaum, but still has full control and final say with personnel decisions, meaning he controls who they draft and who they sign.

CEO Tom Garfinkel remains the team's president and will run the business side of things.

Tannenbaum, now the VP of Football Operations, reports to Ross, and has the responsibility of tying all of these moving pieces together into one nice, big, pretty bow.

Got it?

This is where I have a problem... It seems that GM Dennis Hickey is getting cut off at the kneecaps here, and I strongly disagree with that.

Hickey, in his first full year as a GM last season, had a strong draft. Don't think so? How many team's in this league can say they have two legitimate ROY candidates on their team right now?

Ja'Wuan James has been spectacular wherever you put him. Jarvis Landry led the team in receptions. Those two don't just grow on trees, folks. And they weren't just handed to Hickey, either. He had to scout them, find them, and take a chance on them.

For a first year GM, I thought Hickey did a wonderful job last May. He also didn't do too bad last March either, when he brought in Branden Albert, who would've been an All Pro this year had he not tore his ACL in November.

So no, I do not agree with the new chain of command. Hickey is said to still have full power and control over the personnel department, but he still reports to Mike Tannenbaum now. That just seems like it's going to be an issue, no?

But back to the beginning.. It's January 7, 2015. September is a looooooooooong ways away right now. Free agency is still to come. The draft is still to come. OTA's, minicamp, and training camp are still to come.

So let's stop with the whole 'the world is ending, the season is already over' act, okay?

The season is not over. The world is not ending. Before crucifying this organization, let's just let this thing play out a little more. Deal?

Okay, back to vacation. The offseason blog will begin in the coming weeks...

You know, barring any more apocalyptic events in South Florida.

In Season Finale, Dolphins Get Rex'd Once Again (With Mike Wallace Update)

2014-12-28T16:30:00.001-05:00

The Jets recovered a fumble with a little under three minutes left to ice the game..

And I've got to be honest with you, I'm glad they did, because Ryan Tannehill didn't have many more hits left in him.

Seven times Tannehill was sacked today. Seven. That's a Jets franchise record. I believe at one point he was taken down three times in four plays. It was hard to watch, and Dolphin fans should count their blessings it ended when it did, because the kid was holding on for dear life.

What a disaster for the Miami Dolphins today, mainly on the defensive side of the ball.

Geno Smith had a hall of fame performance from the get-go, completing 20-25 passes for 358 yards, and 3 TD's. His passer rating was a perfect 158.3. He was barely touched. His WR's, mainly Eric Decker, were wide open all day long.

The defense is a mess right now. A big, expensive, mess, that I expect will be completely overhauled over the next five months, starting with DC Kevin Coyle.

Look, I like Coyle. His group did a nice job over the first half of the season. But it simply cannot be overlooked just how bad the implosion has been since early November.

Once the backbone of this team, the unit has been their achilles heel over the stretch run this season. It's been so bad that they've given up over 28 points five out of the final six games. It's been so bad that they may very well have saved Geno Smith's job. GENO SMITH.

I don't see Randy Starks returning. I don't see Cortland Finnegan returning. I don't see Philip Wheeler, or possibly even Dannell Ellerbe returning. I also, as I mentioned above, don't see Kevin Coyle returning.

Cornerback, linebacker, interior lineman.. all of these will be priority number one starting, well, now. Expect a completely new unit beginning in 2015.

Now to the offense..

Ryan Tannehill was great in the first half, when he had time to throw. He finished the day surpassing Dan Marino in regards to completions in a season, and also threw for over 4,000 this season. He was fine today, and finished the season with career numbers in every single area.

Lamar Miller also had a career day today, rushing for nearly 180 yards and surpassing 1,000 on the season. He also had a 97 yard TD run in the third quarter, which broke a franchise record.

Brian Hartline had his best day of the year, catching five passes for 97 yards. I don't suspect he'll return next season because he just doesn't fit the new offense. However, you never know.

Somebody who did absolutely nothing today was WR Mike Wallace, who was apparently benched for most of the game. During the first quarter, Ryan Tannehill was seen shouting at the wideouts coach, who then walked over to Wallace and said something to him. Wallace then walked to the bench and remained there for the entire game.

I suspect this could be the last we see of Wallace, who the team may cut given his contract despite his 10 TD's this season. Don't be surprised to see some more dominos fall here shortly as this is a fluid situation.

The offensive line, like Wallace, was a joke today. As I said, Tannehill was sacked seven times and took three times as many hits. Besides Pouncey, Albert, and Ja'Wuan James, expect some serious retooling in this area as well this offseason.

Another domino I expect will fall is the firing of special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who's unit has been awful this season. It may have been at it's worst today, when they brought an all out block on fourth and five from midfield. Rex Ryan, who is notorious for fake punts, called it once again, and the Jets found a wide open Zach Sudfeld over the middle of the field to basically ice the game.

You can say that's on the players, but why call that play in that situation? It doesn't make sense, and, unfortunately for Rizzi, I expect it could have been his final call for the Miami Dolphins.

Another 8-8 season, another collapse to the Jets in the final game, and another long offseason ahead for the embattled team that resides out of South Florida.

Unfortunately, it's groundhogs day all over again.

To the offseason we go.

[UPDATE: Brandon Gibson just stood next to Mike Wallace during post game interviews and answered questions on his behalf. Seriously. Wallace did not say a single word.]

Jets, Dolphins tied at 24 after three quarters

2014-12-28T15:24:00.001-05:00

An opening 90 yard kick return by the Jets was followed by a Miami stop on fourth and one.

The next play Lamar Miller took the handoff 97 yards untouched for a Miami touchdown.

The Jets would respond with a 74 yard touchdown to Eric Decker, who's nearing 200 yards receiving today.

Following a Miami failed fourth down try, Nick Folk tied the game with a chip shot FG.

The Jets are currently driving inside the Miami 20.

To the final quarter of the 2014 season.

Tannehill, Dolphins lead Jets 17-14 at halftime

2014-12-28T14:33:00.000-05:00

Don't tell Ryan Tannehill this is a meaningless, because, like most of the year, the kid's come to play today.

Tannehill finished the first half 15-20, 161 yards, and a last second 23 yard strike to Charles Clay to put the Dolphins up 17-14 at halftime.

The other offensive star has been Lamar Miller, who rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries in the first half. WR Brian Hartline, who could be playing his final game in Miami, finished the half with three catches for 47 yards.

Offensively, it hasn't been bad. Defensively though? Yeah, it's been ugly.

Geno Smith, yes, GENO SMITH, finished the first half 9-10, 122 yards, and a touchdown pass to a wide open Chris Ivory. Along with Smith, the Jets running attack has been successful as well, running for 74 yards on 16 carries.

The Dolphins defense did force a Geno Smith fumble, which led to a Daniel Thomas touchdown. But they're still struggling with getting off the field, as the Jets have converted 3-5 third down opportunities.

New York will receive to begin the final second half of the season.. can Miami reach nine wins for the first time in six years?

To the third.

Jets lead Dolphins 7-3 after first quarter

2014-12-28T13:38:00.001-05:00

Another frustrating first quarter from the Miami Dolphins.

The opening drive nearly resulted in a safety. Following a missed Folk FG, the next Miami drive stalled inside the Jets 25 after a failed third and one.

After the Sturgis FG, the Jets drove down the field quickly and scored a TD on an end around, which was eerily similar to the one last month they also scored on.

The next Miami drive stalled yet again on ANOTHER failed third and one.

See a pattern?

To the second.

Jets, Dolphins nearing final kickoff; full inactive list

2014-12-28T11:58:00.001-05:00

A hot, humid finale today for the Miami Dolphins, as they're just under an hour away from kicking off week 17 from Miami Gardens.

The inactives for Miami:

18 - Matthews

33 - James

35 - Aikens

62 - Coleman

63 - Thomas

65 - Brenner

83 - Hazel

The inactives for New York:

QB Simms, WR Harvin, WR Powell, S Jarrett, G Johnson, C Mangold and DT Barnes.

The Dolphins are in all white, while the Jets are in green tops with white pants.

Live blog begins after the first quarter.

See you there.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

2014-12-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the final game day of 2014. Hard to believe, isn't it? 17 weeks, 156 days, and in roughly eight hours it's all over. Just like that.

Today is a big day for the Miami Dolphins. No, they aren't in the playoff race. But a win against the Jets would give them their first winning season since 2008, and for a team dying for some progress that would at least give them some.

But it won't be easy. No, not by a long shot. Remember earlier this month? Remember that nail biting last second win on Monday night in which the defense gave up nearly 300 rushing yards? This won't be a cake walk today, but, as I mentioned yesterday, it should be a victory. Miami is the better team all around, and they should simply overpower the New York Jets.

How do they accomplish that feat though? Well, for one final time, I'm so glad you asked!

1. Set, contain, and tackle: This is, without a doubt, the most important key for the Dolphins today. Set the edge, don't let those quick backs get around you, and when you get them, TACKLE! Wrapping up on the defensive side of the ball will be huge today.

2. Keep feeding him: Him being Lamar Miller, and said feeding being the ball. Lamar needs only a little over 70 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, and, despite a good Jets run defense, I don't see why he can't get that today. In fact, the only person I can see getting in his way is OC Bill Lazor, who has a tendency to go away from the run game in the second half. Keep feeding him today.

3. Stay on, get off the field: Third down's will be huge today, and I'm not sure which Dolphins team we're going to get. Last week the offense had one of their better performances of the season, as they converted 9/13 third downs. However, the defense, as they have for most of the season, struggled getting off the field once again. Rex Ryan loves a good ol' TOP battle, and it's one of the few ways he can beat you today. Don't let it happen, on either side of the ball.

4. Red zone success: The offense did an excellent job of turning red zone trips into touchdown's a week ago, and they'll have to continue this today. Defensively, don't let Geno Smith beat you inside the twenties, that's just not good for anybody.

5. Don't get caught napping: This is Rex Ryan's final game (most likely) as head coach for the New York Jets. You don't think he's going to throw everything at this Dolphins team? Keep your guard up on special teams, watch for the wild cat plays, be prepared for reverses, and trick plays, and, well, everything in the book. Rex may be going down, but I can assure you he' not going down without a loud, obnoxious BANG.

PREDICTION

I told you back in August that this team would finish 9-7 this season, and I'm a man of my word. There's no reason they shouldn't win today, and I expect nothing less than one. But proceed with caution, Dolfans, we all remember what happened not one year ago today...

Final: Dolphins 27 Jets 16

Final inactives list of the year coming up later. That will be followed by the live blog throughout the game.

See you there.

Four hours.

Week 17 in the NFL: Picks and predictions

2014-12-27T22:20:00.001-05:00

This is it. The grand finale. Time to put up, or shut up. Time to separate the men from the boys, the contenders from the pretenders. All or nothing. The final countdown.

Alright, you get the picture. To the picks!

Last week's record: 9-5

Overall record: 153-72

Browns @ Ravens: Connor Shaw is a starting QB in this game.

Pick: Ravens 24 Browns 7

Cowboys @ Redskins: Dallas’ entire second team is better than Washington’s first. That’s not opinion, that’s fact.

Pick: Cowboys 30 Redskins 16

Colts @ Titans: “Back to the good ol’ AFC South. Thank goodness. They were starting to figure out how bad we are.” - Andrew Luck.

Pick: Colts 27 Titans 14

Jaguars @ Texans: Gun to my head I couldn’t tell you the Texans starting QB this week. But with that defense I don’t think it matters.

Pick: Texans 17 Jaguars 10

Chargers @ Chiefs: Chase Daniel. How’s that for a throwback? Yikes.

Pick: Chargers 24 Chiefs 13

Bears @ Vikings: Nobody put’s Jay in the corner. Nobody.

Pick: Vikings 24 Bears 20

Bills @ Patriots: We’re so close to another devastating January loss for Tom and the Patriots I can practically taste it. I just get so warm and fuzzy inside when thinking about it!

Pick: Patriots 27 Bills 17

Eagles @ Giants: What an epic collapse by the Eagles. Quick, which would you rather: being a Philadelphia sports fan, or getting a root canal?

The latter? Me too.

Pick: Eagles 27 Giants 24

Saints @ Buccaneers: The decline of Drew Brees hasn’t gotten enough publicity this year. Seriously, what’s going on there?

Pick: Saints 23 Buccaneers 16

Panthers @ Falcons: This is it! This is for all the marbles baby! Bring it home, Cam. Bring that historically bad division title home! I love it.

Pick: Panthers 26 Falcons 20

Lions @ Packers: Just a nice little tune up for Aaron here before him and Olivia head off for their two week vacation. What a life.

Pick: Packers 24 Lions 17

Raiders @ Broncos: #PrayForTonyAndDerrick

Pick: Broncos 35 Raiders 13

Cardinals @ 49ers: If Jim Harbaugh’s going down (and he is), there’s no way he’s going down without a fight. Go get em’, Jimmy!

Pick: 49ers 20 Cardinals 16

Rams @ Seahawks: Oh look, the Seahawks are an elite powerhouse again… Who woulda thunk it?? Oh yeah, um, I did. Come on, world, don’t back a dog into an unnecessary corner. When will we learn?

Pick: Seahawks 23 Rams 13

Bengals @ Steelers: If Andy Dalton wins two primetime games in a row the world will undoubtedly explode.

I’m pretty confident we’ll still be spinning come Monday morning.

Pick: Steelers 23 Bengals 20

I'll have all your game day coverage tomorrow morning, followed by any last minute news and the inactives right before kickoff.

Then, I'll have your final live blog of the year beginning after the first quarter.

See you then.

Inside Look at Dolphins, Jets Finale; other notes

2014-12-27T14:08:00.000-05:00

Well, the end is upon us, folks.

Today is the final inside look at a Dolphins matchup until September 2015. Enjoy it. Cherish it. Remember it. Because this is it. This is the big one. The real one. The last one.

To the final matchup of 2014:

Look, the Dolphins should dominate tomorrow. I said it last month, and I'll say it again now— offensively, and defensively, Miami has the upper hand in this matchup.

Offensively, the matchup to watch tomorrow is Ryan Tannehill vs. the New York secondary. Tannehill is in a groove right now, and has the Miami passing offense up to 15th in the league, averaging nearly 235 yards per game. The Jets secondary is the weakness of their sixth ranked defense, as they rank 15th against the pass, while ranking fifth against the run.

What does this tell me? Expect Miami to attack this unit early and often tomorrow, especially with the way Ryan Tannehill is playing. He needs only four touchdowns, and only 213 yards, to surpass 30 TD's and 4,000 yards on the season, and with that depleted secondary I don't think either are out of the realm of possibility.

Defensively, the obvious problem Miami will face is against that New York rushing attack, which ranks third in the league with 145 yard per game. If you remember ( and how could you not?), Miami's feeble run defense (24th in the NFL, 124 yards per game) was torched earlier this month by this unit.. Torched so bad that the Jets had over 200 yards on the ground after the first half!

I expect more of the same tomorrow, as nothing has really changed since the last meeting— Miami's secondary is still really good (4th), Geno Smith is still really bad (31st), the Jets can still run, and Miami still struggles to stop it.

This will be the game changing matchup tomorrow, folks. If Miami can stop the run, and force Geno Smith to throw, then look for a route. If not, expect another tight one heading into the final quarter.

INJURY REPORT

The Dolphins released the final injury report of the 2014 season yesterday, and, for the most part, the team is healthy heading into tomorrow's finale.

LB Jelani Jenkins (foot), RT Dallas Thomas (foot), and DE Derrick Shelby (ankle) are all listed as questionable.

TE Charles Clay (hamstring, knee), CB Cortland Finnegan (ankle, knee), LB Jonathan Freeny (hamstring), S Don Jones (shoulder), LB Koa Misi (hamstring, knee), DT Earl Mitchell (back), DT Jared Odrick (ankle), RB Daniel Thomas (knee) and WR Mike Wallace (back) are all listed as probable.

Picks and predictions coming up later.

Ryan Tannehill Awarded 2014 Dan Marino MVP Award; Wake, Fox Recognized as Well

2014-12-26T12:35:00.002-05:00

First off, a very Merry Christmas to all of our readers.. 2014 has been another record breaking year for page views, and, of course, it's all because of you guys— the readers. So thank you for all the views, comments, likes, and shares. It's very much appreciated!

Now, to some news out of Miami..

QB Ryan Tannehill has been awarded the 2014 Dan Marino Most Valuable Player award, which is voted on by the South Florida media and the organization, for the first time.

Tannehill has shown major improvement this season, his third in the NFL, and seems to have clearly cemented his place under center in Miami for the foreseeable future. As of today, his numbers look like this:

He's started all 15 games, going 369-of-55 for 3,786 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He's also completing 67.0% of his passes, and is on pace to be the second-highest in a season in franchise history.

His 311 rushing yards are also a career high, and second most for a quarterback in a season in franchise history.

He's also in sixth place all-time when it comes to how many passing yards a quarterback has produced in their first three seasons (10,993). If he throws for 307 passing yards on Sunday he'll pass Carolina's Cam Newton for fifth place, which would put him behind Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino and Andy Dalton.

I don't have a vote, but if I did, the obvious choice for team MVP was Tannehill. Had LT Branden Albert remained healthy all year he may have won, however, Albert's been out since early November while Tannehill has started every single game for three straight season's now.

Is Tannehill there yet? No. He still needs to clean up certain areas– deeper passes and pocket presence come to mind— and he still needs to lead this team to the postseason. However, the strides he's made this season cannot be overlooked, and one has to believe another year in this offense could put him in the top 10 tier of starting QB's in the NFL.

Not too shabby for someone who was almost benched in September, huh?

Cameron Wake won the Don Shula Leadership Award for the second year in a row, which is voted on by Dolphins players, and Jason Fox is your Nat Moore Community Service Award winner, which is given to the Dolphins player recognized for his involvement in the South Florida community.

The final Dolphins practice of the year is under way right now.. a full injury report will follow later.

See you there.

Grimes, Wake Make Pro Bowl; other notes

2014-12-23T22:21:00.001-05:00

We're back...

Yes, it's been another long layoff between posts. What can I say, when you have no service in the stadium after the third quarter ends, then you have to drive home in Miami traffic, then you have to finish up last minute Christmas shopping two days before the clock strikes midnight, you're going to have to make sacrifices..

Anyways..

The official Pro Bowl rosters were announced earlier tonight, and the Dolphins have two familiar representatives in the dance: CB Brent Grimes and DE Cameron Wake.

This is Grimes' third pro bowl, and second in a row with Miami. For Wake, this is his fourth pro bowl, all with Miami.

Grimes is second in the league with five interceptions, while Wake has recorded 11.5 sacks this season.

Two other Dolphins who could have made it were LT Branden Albert, and SS Reshad Jones. Why didn't they?

Well, methinks that Albert's injury had an awful lot to do with it (obviously), while Jones probably would have made it (or come pretty darn close) had he not missed the first five weeks because of his suspension.

PHILBIN STAYS, BUT DO COORDINATORS?

First, my thoughts on Joe Philbin returning next season..

I think it's the right move for owner Stephen Ross. Why? Well, I'll answer that question with another question: If not Philbin, then who else?

The only reason I would have fired Philbin would be if you were 100% certain you could have signed Jim Harbaugh. Obviously, Stephen Ross, like the rest of us, knows this was never going to be the case. In fact, I doubt Harbaugh would have ever really considered Miami with Michigan and Oakland also on his radar.

Knowing this, who else would you have signed?

Seattle DC Dan Quinn?

Auburn HC Gus Malzan?

Rex Ryan?

No, no, and no. Stephen Ross is a loyal man, and he's a man who really, really likes Joe Philbin. He also really, really likes continuity.

What does retaining Philbin for a fourth season bring?

Yes, continuity. Continuity for the organization, and, most importantly, continuity for Ryan Tannehill, who's made significant strides in his third season.

So yes, I have no issue with Philbin returning. If Miami wins on Sunday they'll finish 9-7 and have a winning record for the first time since 2008. Philbin's tenure would look like this:

7-9

8-8

9-7

Is it progress? Yes. Is it small, baby step progress? Yes. But it's progress nonetheless, and I believe you give him and Ryan Tannehill one more year to see if they can really build something in Miami.

As for the coordinators, that's a different story.

I believe OC Bill Lazor will undoubtedly return next season. The offense has improved this season, folks. You cannot deny that. The numbers cannot deny that. Ryan Tanehill's play cannot deny that.

So yes, I believe Lazor returns.

As for DC Kevin Coyle, this is a bit more murky to me.

Coyle's unit has severely underperformed during the second, most critical half of the season. The run defense has been an achilles heel, and the defensive line, once a strength of this team, has regressed mightily this year.

Some even go as far to say that Coyle isn't getting the most out of the talent he has on the defensive side of the ball.

So when it comes to Coyle, I believe this could be a little more tricky come January. Joe Philbin obviously declined to answer one way or another when asked about this yesterday.

GM Dennis Hickey is also confirmed to be back in 2015. Like Philbin, I believe this to be the right move. Hickey had a solid, if not impressive, first season at the helm, bringing in the likes of Jarvis Landry, Ja'Wuan James, and Cortland Finnegan.

Hickey deserves another season, and another draft, to get this thing in the right direction.

Jets week begins tomorrow.

See you then.

Vikings leads Fins 17-14 after third

2014-12-21T15:20:00.001-05:00

An excellent third quarter from the Miami Dolphins..

Ryan Tannehill hit Mike Wallace on the opening drive for a touchdown... Wallace juggled it, brought it in, then sprung across the goal line for the score.

The following drive ended in a tipped Derrick Shelby interception.

The Dolphind currently have the ball at the one yard line, facing a third and goal.

Vikings lead Dolphins 17-7 at halftime

2014-12-21T14:36:00.001-05:00

Joe Philbin is under fire right now.

If he loses one of the final two games, he's most likely out, even though Stephen Ross reportedly doesn't want to fire the embattled head coach.

If the first half, and more specifically, the end of the first half, is any indication, then Ross may have no choice.

With Miami trailing 14-7, and the ball inside the Minnesota 50, the offense faced a third and two with over a minute to play and two timeouts left...

And they passed. And they threw an incompletion.

And then, at 7-7, and at home, they punted.

Then Minnesota took over, looking content to run the ball and drain the clock.

The only problem? Miami took their final two timeouts, only to set up a Vikings first down, followed by another, and another, and another.

The drive ended at the Miami 1 yard line, resulting in a Blair Walsh FG to put the Vikings up 17-7 at halftime.

Yes, it was an absolute debacle. A disaster. A botchery.

It was as bad as an end to a first half as I've ever seen.

Minnesota will get the ball to begin the second half.

And Joe Philbin's seat is hotter than ever.

To the third.

Vikings lead Dolphins 7-0 after first quarter

2014-12-21T13:35:00.001-05:00

Another "blah" first quarter for the Dolphins.

The opening drive went down inside the Minnesota 40, only to be ruined when Ryan Tannehill was sacked on third down and Caleb Sturgis came up short on a 55 yard field goal.

The ensuing MIN drive ended with a Matt Asiata one yard TD run. Asiata torched the Fins on the drive... It appears that leaky run defense is, um, still not fixed.

The next Miami drive ended with a Fields punt when the drive stalled, again, inside Vikings territory.

To the second.

Dolphins, Vikings ready to go; full inactives

2014-12-21T11:47:00.001-05:00

Beautiful South Florida day, as the Fins and Vikings are a little over an hour away from kickoff.

The inactives for Miami:

Rishard Matthews, Daniel Thomas, Dallas Thomas, Nate Garner, Don Jones, Chris McCain, & Matt Hazel.

For Minnesota:

CB Shaun Prater

FB Zach Line

LB Anthony Barr

OT Carter Bykowski

G Charlie Johnson

TE Kyle Rudolph

Miami is in all white. Minnesota in the purple and white.

The live blog starts after first quarter.

See you there.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

2014-12-21T10:39:00.001-05:00

Welcome to another gameday, as the Dolphins and Vikings are just under three hours away from kicking things off at Sun Life Stadium.

Here are the keys to a Dolphins win:

1. Make the rookie beat you: as I told you yesterday, the Dolphins are 2-0 against rookie quarterbacks this year, and they happen to be facing one today in Teddy Bridgewater. Kevin Coyle's unit must take away the prominent Vikings run game and make Bridgewater beat them. My guess is he can't.

2. Keep taking shots: Bill Lazor opened up the playbook for Ryan Tannehill for the first time last week, and it led to generally positive results. Lazor must continue to let Tannehill find the long ball and put the offense in position to make big plays down field, because with that Vikings stout defense I don't see Miami dinking and dunking up and down the field today.

3. DON'T ABANDON THE RUN GAME: I said it last week, I said it the week befire, I've said it all season long... The run game works! STOP GOING AWAY FROM IT IN THE SECOND HALF.

4. Don't beat yourself: penalties, turnovers, blocked field goals- they've all killed Miami over the past two weeks. This team isn't strong enough mentally to get through things like this, especially with nothing to play for. If they happen today it will be a huge problem.

5. Play with pride: Look, this team isn't making the playoffs. They may not even finish second in their own division. But a winning record is still attainable, and that's saying something for a team who hasn't had one in over a half decade. Just come out and play with some fire, some passion, and some heart. That's all we're asking.

PREDICTION

I don't know what to expect today, I really don't. But Miami is the better team, with the better QB, and they're at home. Even with the way they've played lately I can't go against those odds.

Final: Dolphins 24 Vikings 20

Inactive list and and last minute news coming up.

2.5 hours.

Week 16 in the NFL: Picks and predictions

2014-12-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

Only two weeks left, folks. Cherish it. Enjoy it. Bask in it. Because it's almost over.

Ps: I picked the Eagles to win earlier, and the 49ers to win tonight. You can read those picks here.

Last week's record: 12-3

Overall record (including earlier game today): 144-67

Ravens @ Texans: Is David Carr looking for a job by chance?

Pick: Ravens 20 Texans 13

Lions @ Bears: The only good thing about this game is that it nearly completes a timeless Wizard of Oz song.

Pick: Lions 30 Bears 9

Browns @ Panthers: Two of the more polarizing players in college football history will be on the same field. Good lord, if Tim Tebow makes an appearance Bank of America Stadium could very well explode.

Pick: Panthers 23 Browns 16

Falcons @ Saints: Each night I pray that a six win team hosts a playoff game and runs the table. For my prayers to be answered, I need a Falcons win here. That’s my logic.

Pick: Falcons 30 Saints 27

Packers @ Buccaneers: #PrayforTampaBay

Pick: Packers 38 Buccaneers 17

Chiefs @ Steelers: The Steelers are playing a win-and-get-in game, in December, at home. Even they can’t screw that up, can they?

Pick: Steelers 23 Chiefs 20

Patriots @ Jets: This would be the most Jets win of all time. Seriously, think about it. What better, more fitting way for Rex Ryan to go out than to shock the red hot Patriots? I love fantasy land.

Pick: Patriots 27 Jets 10

Giants @ Rams: I traded for O’dell Beckham in week six.. Everybody laughed at me. Why? Because I was giving up Brandon Marshall. I’m in the championship game this week.. Why? Look up the soon to be rookie of the year’s stats from last week and you’ll find an answer.

Pick: Rams 20 Giants 17

Bills @ Raiders: The fact that the Bills are in the playoff race and the Dolphins are not makes me question everything about myself.

Pick: Bills 21 Raiders 13

Colts @ Cowboys: Have the Colts beaten a good team yet this season? Throw them in any other division (NFC South aside), and they’d struggle to even be .500.

Pick: Cowboys 30 Colts 23

Seahawks @ Cardinals: I’ve never felt so confident in an 11-3 team, who’s undefeated at home, losing than I do this week. Apparently I’m not alone, though, because Vegas has the Seahawks as a NINE POINT FAVORITE. Yikes.

Pick: Seahawks 20 Cardinals 10

Broncos @ Bengals: Cincinnati just keeps on keeping’ on, huh? Every year it’s the same story.. Good, but not nearly good enough. A win here, however, could spark a potential playoff run. Yeah, lets cross that imaginary bridge when we get to it.

Pick: Broncos 28 Bengals 21

I'll be heading down to Miami tomorrow for the game, so I'll have updates all throughout the day. Make sure to check in tomorrow morning for all your pre-game coverage, and then come back before the game for the full list of inactives.

And, as always, follow the live blog throughout the game, beginning after the first quarter.

15 hours.

Two Trends Fans Should Hope Dolphins Keep Up

2014-12-20T15:06:00.000-05:00

The Dolphins and Vikings are just under 24 hours away from kicking things off from Sun Life Stadium, and, to be honest, I'm not sure what to expect. I know what you're saying, "Zach, it's the NFL, nobody ever does," but that's not true in this situation. Why?

Well, I know this team pretty well at this point. After all, I have covered them since MAY this season. Going off of that, I can usually have a good idea of what's going to happen in each game. For instance..

I had a bad feeling last week, and, well, you saw what happened.

The Baltimore game went exactly as I expected it to.

So did the Detroit game.

So did the first Buffalo game.

So did the Jets game.

You get the picture. My point? I usually can feel this team, and their matchup, out in the days leading up to the game. But this week? This team? With the way they've played?

I have no idea what to expect tomorrow. Not. A. Clue.

The offense hasn't played well in a month. Neither has the defense. The coaching staff is on the hot seat right now, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if these players will play for Joe Philbin with nothing but pride to play for.

I do know this, though— regardless of what the mood of the team is tomorrow, they will have one HUGE advantage over the Vikings...

The QB position.

Minnesota is led by rookie Teddy Bridgewater. How has the Miami defense done against rookie QB's this season?

Week four, Raiders QB Derek Carr: 16-25, 146 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (returned for a TD).

Week eight, Jaguars QB Blake Bortles: 18-34, 221 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT (both returned for TD's).

Yeah, those numbers don't exactly jump off the screen.

Here's another stat that Miami has well in it's favor: The Dolphins are 4-0 this season against team's under .500. The Vikings are 6-8 entering tomorrow's game.

Between that fact, and the numbers against rookie QB's this season, we should see a good Dolphins showing tomorrow. In reality, we really should see an easy Miami win.

But, as I said earlier, you just don't know about this team right now. The players and coaches are saying the right things, but at the end of the day the facts still remain the same— this team is out of the playoffs and coming off two really bad performances.

Let's hope tomorrow doesn't make three.

Picks and predictions coming up later.

Inside Look at Miami, Minnesota Matchup PLUS Injury Report

2014-12-19T11:40:00.001-05:00

We're back..

Apologies all around for the silence this week, as I've been traveling home for the holiday's for a majority of the week. Also, let's be honest, the Miami Dolphins' season, for all intense and purposes, is over, folks.

There will be no playoffs this year. There will be no do-or-die week 17 game. There will be no scoreboard watching over the next two weeks. It's just over. Had this not been the case I probably would've been a tad more diligent in posting during my travels, but, well, it wasn't.

But, there is still much to play for this season, despite being out of the playoff race..

A 9-7 record would be Miami's best since 2008, when they finished 11-5. It would show progress, it would give Ryan Tannehill his first winning season as an NFL QB, it would, possibly, provide momentum for the Dolphins heading into next season.

Winning the final two games would also give coach Joe Philbin hope for next season (although I believe he's all but gone), so you better believe he'll be coaching harder than he ever has.

Ryan Tannehill stil has much to play for as well. He's a few touchdown passes away from having the second most in franchise history, and he's also playing for a possible contract extension next season.

There are also several players coming up on free agency in the offseason, so jobs will be on the line over the final two weeks as well.

So while the playoffs are all but out of reach this season for the Dolphins, don't expect them to lay an egg in the final two games. A winning record is within reach for only the second time in six years (2013), and while it won't come with a playoff spot, it still means a lot for a franchise trying to shake that "mediocre" label that's followed them around for a decade now.

INJURY REPORT

The second to final injury report came out yesterday, it reads:

Expect Misi and Jelani Jenkins to remain questionable for Sunday's game when today's report comes out as well. I wouldn't be shocked if they played, but it's still iffy right now. Expect both Cortland Finnegan and Charles Clay to play.

A LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS

Miami hold's a significant advantage over Minnesota in one key area— pass defense.

The Dolphins pose the league's 4th ranked pass defense, while the Vikings and Teddy Bridgewater are ranked 27th in passing offense. What does this tell me?

The Vikings are going to run, run, run the ball on Sunday.... and they should.

Miami's run defense has been, um, bad over the past month. They've gone from ranked 8th in the beginning of November to 21st now, giving up over 120 yards a game. The Vikings are a much better running team, ranking 15th in the league and rushing for nearly 112 yards a game.

These will be the key match ups to watch defensively on Sunday.

Offensively, well, it's almost the same.

Miami ranks 14th in rushing, averaging nearly 115 yards a game. The Vikings have struggled against the run, giving up 124 yards a game. Adversely, Minnesota has dominated against the pass, ranking sixth in the league.

What does all this tell me? Sunday's game will be a ground and pound day, for both teams.

More to come later.

Patriots lead Dolphins 38-13 after third quarter

2014-12-14T15:30:00.001-05:00

A comical third quarter for the Dolphins.

I told you this team didn't have much fight when they got down... And, unfortunately, they've proved me right.

An opening drive NE touchdown. Followed by a three and out. Followed by a FG. Followed by a Tannehill interception. Followed by another touchdown.

17 points. Four minutes.

On to 2015.

On to the fourth quarter.

Pats lead Dolphins 14-13 at halftime

2014-12-14T14:41:00.001-05:00

The Dolphins are playing for their season today..

And, so far, it's showed.

Ryan Tannehill has been money, with the exception of one bad pass. He finished the first half 14-22, 197 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The touchdown came in the final seconds of the half, when Miami got the ball inside the NE 35 following a long Jarvis Landry punt return.

On the next play Tannehill hit Mike Wallace in the end zone, who made a one handed grab that was initially ruled incomplete.

However, the call was reversed and put Miami within one.

The Dolphins have ran 40 plays for 271 yards. They've had the ball for nearly 70% of the game.

The problems have all been self inflicted.

Penalties have been killers. A blocked FG was a killer. An interception led to a touchdown.

Defensively, the Dolphins have dominated to the tune of only giving up 102 total yards. They've stopped the run, they've pressured Brady, they've tipped three balls (one for an interception).

Miami has run the ball well, they've passed it aggresively, and they've pressured Tom Brady.

Can that pull it off?

To the third.

Pats lead Dolphins 7-3 after first quarter

2014-12-14T13:33:00.001-05:00

The Miami Dolphins have dominated this game so far.

They opened with a 50 yard bomb to Mike Wallace..

They intercepted Tom Brady.

They have over 150 yards of offense.

They trail 7-3.

How? Caleb Sturgis had a FG blocked, and NE returned it all the way for a touchdown.

Jamie Collins had the block.

Miami had a drive stall inside the red zone yet again, which led to the Sturgis FG.

To the second.

Finnegan, Taylor return as Fins, Pats Near Kickoff; full inactive list

2014-12-14T11:48:00.001-05:00

Miami could not have asked for a better day here in New England.

40 degrees. Sunny. No wind.

Doesn't get much better than that I'm December.

The inactives for Miami:

RB James, LB Jenkins, LB Misi, LB Freeny, LB McCain, OL Garner, OG Turner.

Jamar Taylor, Cortlmd Finnegan, and Charles Clay will all start today.

The inactives for New England:

Devey, Dennard, James White, Chris White, Zach Moore, Easley, Fleming.

Miami is in all white. The Pats in the blue and silver.

Kickoff is an hour away.

The live blog starts soon after.

See you there.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

2014-12-14T10:41:00.000-05:00

Beautiful day for football up here in New England, as the Dolphins and Patriots are just under three hours away from kicking things off here in week 15.

Today is an absolute must win for Miami if they want to get back in the playoff race, and it's also their toughest of matchup of the season. So yes, it's going to take an A+, picture perfect performance all around for them to pull this thing off.

How can they do it? How can they keep their season alive?

Glad you asked:

1. Start Fast: This is an absolute must today for Miami. You're on the road, in New England, in December, where they haven't lost at home in years. You're also a fragile team that could break at any moment. With all that in mind, you MUST get off to a fast start. If New England comes out strong, I fear this team could quit today.

2. RUN THE FOOTBALL: I'm yelling this because Bill Lazor seems to always forget to do this in the second half. Last week against Baltimore the Dolphins ran the ball THREE TIMES in the second half. Three! Give Lamar Miller the football early and often today, and let that running game get you into manageable third down situations.

3. Replicate the week one pressure: Cam Wake and Olivier Vernon has been nonexistent over the past month. Sorry, but it's true. These two can literally change the course of a football game, Wake in particular, and the Dolphins need them to return to that form today. Remember week one? Wake was in Brady's face all day long. All day. He needs to do it again today if Miami wants to have any shot at winning.

4. Red Zone success/third down success: These are two key areas for Miami today on both sides of the football. Offensively, this team must put itself in manageable third down situations. No third and 11's today. They also must score touchdowns in the red zone. They absolutely cannot afford field goals today, because that doesn't cut it. Defensively, get off the field on third downs (meaning you have to cover Gronkowski), and hold stiff in the red zone (again, meaning you have to cover Gronk). These are two areas Miami MUST be perfect in today.

5. Put em' on: It's a big boy pants day, and every member of the Dolphins 53 man roster must be wearing them if they're going to pull this off. I was extremely disappointed in this team's effort last week, particularly the way it appeared they just quit in the second half. I haven't seen that out of a Miami team in a long, long time. It's going to take an A+ effort from this team to win today, and they must maintain a high level of play for all 60 minutes. With the season on the line, I expect to see a lot of fight out of this team.

PREDICTION

You all know that I can't pick Miami to win today, right?

New England is the better team, and they're at home. The Dolphins are a fragile, feeble unit right now, and I fear that they just don't have the fight in them to pull this off. Could they do it? Sure, it wouldn't completely surprise me if they somehow won this game. But with the way they're playing, and the way New England is playing, I just don't Christmas coming early for the aqua and orange.

Final: Patriots 31 Dolphins 17

Come back in an hour or so for any last minute news, including today's inactives.

THEN, come back during the game for the live blog.

2.5 hours.