MIAMI ALL AT SEA

Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse the Dolphins sink to a whole new level of ineptitude. The Cleveland Browns aren’t a very good football team, coming into the game their record suggested it, but then the Dolphins brought with them the same mark. The difference being, in the NFL points mean prizes, the more you can score the higher you chance of success, and the Browns, up to week six had been averaging thirteen points a game, whereas the Dolphins were managing 22.3. So, as the theory suggests, even with a better than average defense the Browns would struggle because they wouldn’t be able to generate enough points.

The weather didn’t help, but both teams had to deal with it, and it wasn’t actually as bad as the forecast had suggested. It actually improved as the game rolled on but unfortunately the Dolphins outlook got gloomier. The first quarter was a fairly boring affair, the highlight being a forty-six yard run by De’Von Achane followed by a fifteen-yard reception by Jaylen Waddle. The two plays meant Miami found themselves in the Browns redzone, but, even facing one of the worst redzone defense’s in the league the Dolphins had to settle for three points.

Shortly after that it looked as if the Miami D had come up trumps as Minkah Fitzpatrick stepped in front of a pass intended for Harold Fannin Jr., however he was flagged for pass interference and the Browns kept hold of the ball. It was a bit of a ticky tack call but either way it was called. On the very next play the Dolphins defense parted like the seven seas and rookie back Quinshon Judkins ripped off his own forty-six yard run, the difference being it finished in the endzone, and just like that Cleveland were up 10-3.

Not to worry, a seven-point deficit isn’t a deal breaker, but the next play was. Dee Eskridge took the kick-off and fumbled the ball back to the Browns and with the help of a roughing the passer call on Jaelen Phillips Cleveland marched down the field and added a further seven points on a wild cat play from Judkins. 17-3 and the Dolphins didn’t really look in the game, and now they had to climb out of a two-score hole. Just before the half they managed to add three to their total, but it didn’t make up for the standard of play just witnessed.

Little did we know the first half was a taster of the second, and if you weren’t happy with the first thirty minutes then you sure as hell weren’t going to be impressed with what was to follow. On the first possession Tua threw a ball out to Achane in the flat, it was catchable but high, it went through his hands and was pick sixed by Tyson Campbell. For the rest of the third Miami couldn’t get out of their own way, a punt and a failed fourth down attempt was all she wrote.

The fourth quarter was pitiful as Tua threw his second and third interceptions in very quick succession. The first was picked off at the Miami nine and returned to the two, another direct snap to Judkins saw the rookie run in for his third score of the day. A couple of plays later Tua gifted the ball back to them and that was his day done as McDaniel had seen enough.

Quinn Ewers came out in relief but didn’t make a difference and the Browns came away with the win in what was one of the worst performances by an NFL team in current history, not just Dolphins history but league history. It wasn’t as if Cleveland were playing that well in reality, it was more that Miami was playing undisciplined, error strewn football, a pee wee team would have given them a run for their money.

Tua’s stats were horrendous for a second straight week, he finished with one hundred yards from twelve completions, two sacks and the three picks, with a passer rating of 24.1. Is he in a slump or regressing before our very eyes. The offensive line isn’t helping, they can’t block and can’t open holes. And then there is the play calling, Waddle was targeted four times with one reception, how can that possibly a good thing, he is supposed to be WR1, surely there are ways of getting him open.

How did the Dolphins lose to the lowly Browns, well if you hadn’t already realised it Miami are what their record suggests, a bad team, not quite the Jets but not that far away. Things aren’t about to get any better as they are now facing a brutal four game stretch before their bye.

 If you had to look for a positive you could argue the run defense played a lot better as a whole. Did anyone else notice that aside for Judkins forty-six-yard scamper and a seventeen yarder they held the point of attack pretty well. The rookie back finished with eight four yards on twenty-five carries, which means if you take those two runs out of the equation he averaged 0.56 yards per carry.

Kenneth Grant has been one of the worst performing draft picks this season but in this game he was credited with five combined tackles, one being for loss. Are we starting to see signs of growth from the rookie, let’s hope so, as up next is Bijan Robinson who spear heads the Atlanta Falcons offense and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry, it will be a challenge.