Rocky Landing

Back in September, you could understand pundits talking up the Jets-- they addressed their O-line in the offseason, maintained their defense, and looked pretty good on paper. But, the hype surrounding the Dolphins, who did nothing to address their porous O-line, and let some of their best players on defense walk out the door, made zero sense. If anything, they've outperformed what should have been the expectations for that team.

Kittle's a pretty lean guy, and he looked downright bloated out there. I strongly suspect he was wearing a neoprene suit under his uni (I know the 49ers brought them), and that's gotta slow a guy down. Brady runs that jumbo package a lot, including last year. Last year it was Edwards #76.

I'm not usually right about things, but I felt even last season that Rapp was underrated, and I felt confident he would be a solid starter. The biggest knock on him were his penalties-- most of them for being too aggressive (unnecessary roughness, etc). But I felt that was from limited snaps, and could be coached. Better to have someone who needs to be coached down, than coached up. Dude is fierce!

I haven't rewatched the game yet, but at the time I felt like Bishop's hold let Codrington through that gap. I also thought the call was a little tricky-tacky, but I'm biased.

Dalton Kincaid looks a lot like Homelander from The Boys. Which is disturbing... I think it's sucked to be a Raiders fan for quite some time, now. They don't seem to mind, tho...

What a ***** way to lose a game.

I thought for much of the game the Fish's offensive scheme looked very similar to the one they ran last season, that got fully exposed by midseason, '23. At one point, Jason Garret was analyzing a replay, and commented on Tua at the snap, "eyes come up, ball goes out." He actually meant it in complimentary fashion, but for much of the game, it didn't look like Tua was reading the field at all. I will say that Tua has gotten much better at playing off script, but the play-calling wasn't letting him do it. There were more than a few plays where Waddle, or Hill were open, but the timing didn't allow for it. I don't think Tua does a lot of adjustment at the LOS. I'll say this also-- The Packer's D played a clean game. In their (was it five?) sacks, the hits were textbook clean, being careful not to land with their full weight, and in the few times Tua ran, they looked like they were being careful not to clobber him. I don't pay a lot of attention to GB, but they strike me as a classy team with a decent culture.

Jason Garret said it well a little earlier when describing Tua's play (although, he meant it in a complimentary way)-- "Eyes go up, ball comes out." It looks like the same offense that got exposed in the first third of last season.

Dolphins O-line keep looking at their watches

I thought he did too.

When he came to Buffalo, he took a top three defense, and put them in the bottom three. And it’s not as if he was doing a rebuild. He made one change of starting personnel from the previous season.

He owes me money

I was at that game, and I've held a grudge ever since. It's astonishing to me that Late Nate has continued to be employed in the NFL.

There have been a couple players who, after leaving the Dolphins, called the team out for poor work habits, including practices being run "soft." That's something that would clearly not fly with McDermott, or the culture they've created in Buffalo. I question his playcalling, also. Especially halftime adjustments-- It seems like it takes a couple games before he adjusts to what's not working...

I have to believe that Grier's failure to properly address the O-line to protect Tua, and work in McDaniel's system puts him on the hot seat. I think this falls on McDaniel, as well, but there isn't the type of HC/GM marriage in Miami like there is in Buffalo. Tua's biggest flaw, IMO, is his poor ability to work off-script, and keep his eyes downfield when facing pressure. Add in his concussion history, and Grier's failure in this regard is truly unforgivable. And Tua's contract must certainly have raised Ross's blood pressure when half the league was calling for Tua's retirement, after his last concussion. I'll say this also-- go onto one of the Dolphins fan forums, and you'll learn pretty quick that Grier is utterly despised by the fanbase.

I mentioned earlier in the season that for all Worthy’s speed, he is one of the easiest WRs in the league to tackle. I think he’s also one of the easiest to knock out of a timing route. As far as Reid playing him early as a method of “trolling,” I suspect there is some truth to that, and I have zero problem with it. Getting in your opponent’s head is part of the game, and I suppose that includes getting into your opponent’s fanbase’s head as well, when you’re playing in their stadium. And it really shouldn’t be any surprise that his production dropped after the half. Reid know exactly what he has in Worthy, and he got about as much as could be expected in that game.

Refs don’t throw flags with any regard to intent. “I didn’t mean to…” is never an argument. Sure, the guy was trying to punch out the ball. His intent is irrelevant. Punching the QB in the side of the head should be a roughing penalty, regardless of intent.

More of an assault than a cheap shot really...

Gronkowsky is Buffalo's Anakin Skywalker. One might have thought he was cool, coming from WNY, and all. But then he went to the dark side. And he won't find redemption until he's dead. Tre White taking the high road doesn't take Gronk off the low road.

I don't believe they acquired Hollins with the intention of making him a starter. Beane's roster building notwithstanding, I think Hollins' ascension speaks more to Samuel, and MVS underperforming than Beane overvaluing Hollins. I think it's also worth remembering that the Bills are spending over $30M in cap on WRs who are no longer on the team. Of course, all of that is on Beane. But, I think we're lucky that Hollins has stepped up to the extent he has.

He should donate to the University at Buffalo Concussion Management Clinic in Tre White's name. https://medicine.buffalo.edu/departments/ortho/research/labs/concussion.html And the he should GFH.

Maybe people need to start bringing dildos to the stadium again. Smaller ones, of course.

Having some great games bracketed by lousy ones has been his MO for most of his career, hasn't it?

Well, that is a different conversation than "he sucks."