PHINMANIACS.COM
Menu

The Importance of This Win

12/21/2020

0 Comments

 
By: Chip Turner
 
In the thick of  the 2020 NFL playoff race, Miami desperately needed a win Sunday against their nemesis, the New England Patriots. They went into the game without DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, and Mike Gesicki. And as pundits were happy to remind everyone, a rookie QB starting his first game against Belichick hadn’t won since the Cretaceous Era.
 
And then, in a change of pace from what has been a series of surprise endings, weird twists and thrill rides in this series, the Dolphins just went out and beat the Patriots. There was no desperation in their play; they simply executed their game plan, didn’t beat themselves, and figured out how to do something their opponent couldn’t stop.
 
In other words, they out Patrioted the Patriots. Moving forward, that’s one of the most encouraging things I’ve seen from this team, and this was the most important win Miami has had in years.
 
Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. Down 6-0 at halftime, this was a game that Miami would lose in years past. Miami had outplayed New England for all but three or four plays, but they were still being shut out. But instead of frustration, the mood seemed to be one of patience. It certainly looked like Miami’s game plan was working; that if they stayed the course, it would be okay. They did, and it was. Miami beat New England and knocked them out of the playoffs in a game that started feeling like an inevitability with a quarter left to go.
 
It was supposed to be Tua saving the day, right? His second-half heroics last week against Kansas City last week were a sign of things to come, right? Sure, almost all of his receiving options were partially deceased, but that didn’t matter, right? Miami was going to put all of the responsibility on his shoulders, right? It was going to be Tua vs. Newton to see who could continue on a playoff run, right?
 
Wrong.
 
Instead, Brian Flores drew up an absolutely brilliant game plan despite an offense that was literally made up of castoffs and spare parts. In reviewing the Patriots defensively, they realized something, and then they exploited it.
 
Picture

New England can’t stop the run.
 
So the Dolphins ran it. And then they ran it. And then they ran it some more. 42 rushes. 250 years. Nearly 6 yards per carry. They controlled the ball, played conservatively, and kept their playoff hopes alive.
 
Moving forward, that’s a very bad sign for the rest of the league. Because for all of the excitement of this year, and all of the hype of the 2020 rookie QBs, there’s one question that should (and I suspect does) concern a lot of people.
 
“If Miami’s playing this well by simply out-executing their opponents…what’s going to happen when Tua has weapons?”
 
For now, we’ll have to be content with a playoff push into Las Vegas, where Miami looks like they’ll be a smart bet.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Latest Dolphins News

    Story Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014


    RSS Feed

Picture
  • Home
  • Miami Dolphins Articles
  • PhinManiacs on YouTube
  • PhinManiac Phun
  • About Us
  • PhinManiacs PodCast Network
  • Player Profiles
  • Player Highlight Videos
  • PATCHVIBES
  • Home
  • Miami Dolphins Articles
  • PhinManiacs on YouTube
  • PhinManiac Phun
  • About Us
  • PhinManiacs PodCast Network
  • Player Profiles
  • Player Highlight Videos
  • PATCHVIBES