Tua Tagovailoa is making a strong case for MVP in 2023 with his best season as a pro.

Pressure Point: Miami Dolphins aim for much-needed signature win vs. Eagles

/0 Comments/in , /by

It was following the 2018 season that Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross announced he was committing to rebuilding the team from the ground up.

Unlike previous failed efforts this was not intended as a quick fix. Ross made it clear he wasn’t just aiming for a winning record or a playoff appearance, the objective was top of the heap, a Super Bowl victory.

Seems forever ago. But when you look past all the rough patches, missteps, embarrassments and controversies since then, six games into this season the Dolphins really are tracking toward the objective.

Look at the accumulation of talent and the remarkable achievements of coach Mike McDaniel’s state-of-the-art offense led by Tua Tagovailoa on the way to 5-1, and this is what was envisioned. A team capable of winning the big kahuna, right?

Except that there is still a great gulf to cross. Because these Dolphins, for all of their fantasy league dazzle, haven’t won anything significant yet.

Dolphins seek first win of ’23 over top-tier opponent

Which is why this week’s Sunday Night Football showdown at Philadelphia is a massive opportunity for this franchise. The McDaniel era is in need of a signature win. It’s eagerly awaited and about time.

It’s been a hoot watching Tua and Co. run rings around bottom-feeding Broncos, Giants and Panthers. But if Ross’ vision really is ready to bear fruit, no better way to prove it than to do it on the road in prime time against an opponent that went to the Super Bowl last season.

They appear ready for this moment. They lead the NFL in every offensive category worth mentioning. They’re lapping the field in most of them.

Tagovailoa, finally rising above all the criticism and doubts about his ability and health, is on pace to pass for 5,315 yards and 39 touchdowns.

Yet the seemingly unstoppable Dolphins remain suspects. Because the other time they went on the road this season against a playoff-caliber opponent at Buffalo, the Bills stopped them cold. Humbled them by 28 points.

Dolphins, Eagles gear up for offensive fireworks

Although the Dolphins are one of five 5-1 teams, most of the notable power rankings have them outside of the top two — Pro Football Talk and The Athletic are exceptions, both ranking Miami No. 1. Yahoo Sports has the Fins sixth, one spot behind the 4-2 Bills.

It’s fair, considering their head-to-head result, and it’s inconsequential anyway. If you really belong at the top of the heap, prove it. Start beating the best of the best.

The Dolphins have yet to defeat a team that entered this week with a winning record. Their five wins came against teams that are a combined 5-24.

Sunday in Philly is a major test for the high-flying Fins, and the most intriguing matchup of the NFL season so far. It features Tua matching throws with former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts, who has his own corps of speedy receivers.

The Dolphins and Eagles rank 1-2 in total offense, though Miami holds an edge of more than 100 yards a game (498.7 to 395.0).

Miami’s vulnerability is with a defense that ranks 20th and got steamrolled by the Bills for 414 yards and six touchdowns. The Dolphins have the sixth-worst passer rating (98.9) against and may have to play with their best cover man, Xavier Howard, out or limited by a groin injury.

Eagles big test for high-scoring Dolphins

So it will be up to Tagovailoa to keep Miami’s high-octane offense rolling against the best defense (Eagles ranked ninth) they’ve faced since Buffalo.

That’s the compelling draw for a Sunday night national audience. That and to pick apart any flaw in Tagovailoa’s performance. The referendum on Tua is ongoing, despite the growth he is exhibiting and success he is having in his fourth season.

McDaniel had an appropriately salty response this week to a suggestion that “there are some folks who believe that many quarterbacks … would excel and flourish” in the coach’s creative offensive scheme with an arsenal of elite receivers and backs at his disposal: “My answer to that would be, ‘who the f cares’ because it is a team.”

He went on to say, “It is a team working together, people working together and myself, Tyreek Hill, Tua, cool but what if no one’s blocking anyone? You know what I mean? Like we’re all connected in that way.”

If you want to see what he’s talking about, watch this week’s installment of “The QB School” (see below) highlighting the sophisticated design of McDaniel’s offense in action in last week’s rout of the Panthers.

Former pro quarterback JT O’Sullivan analyzes how the use of deception and presnap motion puts the playmakers in spots to make big-yardage plays and how skillfully Tua makes it all work.

Interesting to see how various plays unfold. On a short touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa actually had a choice of three open receivers. Rolling to his left to avoid an unblocked rusher, he opted for the toughest of the three possible throws and delivered it precisely to Waddle.

Dolphins eager to prove themselves on ‘big platforms’

Can Miami’s “Greatest Show on Surf” produce similar results in a hostile setting against a much tougher opponent?

It’s a question the Dolphins need to answer and the overriding reason to tune in Sunday night.

“I think the bigger thing is that we’re a football team that’s learning to win different ways, finding some balance. And I think a lot of guys are getting better within the respective systems,” McDaniel said this week. “So we’ll be moving forward the way that we would hope, which is with games that matter, on big platforms.”

For Miami, it’s time to turn eye-opening talent into defining wins. It’s the only route to Ross’ Super Bowl vision.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Panthers’ rookie Uvis Balinskis cherishing his NHL opportunity

/1 Comment/in , /by

SUNRISE — At 27-years-old, Uvis Balinskis didn’t think the chance to play in the NHL would come to light — that was until the Florida Panthers came calling. 

 

Born in Ventspils, Latvia, Balinskis played youth hockey in his home country before moving to Germany in 2013  — joining the Augsburger EV junior program. 

 

Balinskis would spend two years in Germany before he returned to Latvia to play with KHL side Dinamo Riga, and their then farm team HK Riga.  

 

After playing five years for Riga in the Russian leagues, Balinskis made the switch to the Czech ExtraLiga in 2020 — joining HC Litvínov.

 

Three years in Czechia went by, and Balinskis, now with Czech side Bílí Tygři Liberec, entered the summer of 2023 with his 27th birthday on the horizon.

 

At this point in his career, it didn’t seem like Balisnkis would leave Europe. 

 

 “I didn’t really think I was gonna make the NHL or sign in the NHL in my life anymore,” Balinskis told Five Reasons. 

 

Despite this feeling, the NHL dream wasn’t over just yet. 

 

Over the summer, Balinskis’ fate changed  — he would sign a one-year NHL contract with the Panthers.

 

This past September, Balinskis attended Panthers training camp as a 27-year-old rookie — well, rookie in North America. 

 

The blueline battle at camp had a lot of guys competing for limited open spots, but nonetheless there were jobs to be earned during the preseason. 

 

The first few games of the preseason went by and Balinskis survived the first waves of cuts.

 

He didn’t necessarily stand out from the pack at the start, but he continued to improve as the camp went on.

 

Multiple players who were with the organization, and had NHL experience started getting sent down. Yet, the newcomer Balinskis started to climb up the depth chart.

 

“He built through his camp,” head coach Paul Maurice said about Balinskis after training camp.

 

Balinskis kept chipping away and eventually got word that he did it. On Oct. 12 he would be making his NHL debut on opening night in Minnesota.

 

Alongside fellow rookie Mackie Samoskevich, Balinskis hit the ice for the infamous rookie lap — at 27, he made his NHL debut. 

 

“[The] first game was really exciting, fun, I really enjoyed that day,” Balinskis said smiling.

 

In the early stages of this season Balinskis grabbed his chance on the Panthers’ blueline and ran with it. The coaching staff had high praise for him after his first few games.

 

“He has not looked remotely out of  place in his game… some of the things he tries, he’s  got a little risk to his game and I’m not talking about foolish risks,” Maurice said. “He would be the biggest surprise of camp for us.” 

 

The Latvian defenseman plays a fast, and physical game. He’ll throw the body, jump up into the play and as Maurice said, he’s not afraid to take risks.

 

Balinskis is enjoying his time as Panther, an opportunity that he didn’t think would be there at this stage in his hockey career. 

 

He’s living every hockey player’s dream — the NHL dream.

 

“Everyday I just feel better and I think my game is also getting better,” he said. “Just being here and making the NHL, [my] first game, everything is exciting about this.”

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Miami Heat should avoid James Harden

/0 Comments/in , /by

Despite the Miami Heat striking out on Damian Lillard and folding on Bradley Beal, the next best alternative is not seeking the services of the man who has had a problem almost everywhere he’s been.

James Harden’s behavior perpetually plummets his attractiveness to any organization. At this point, it apparently means little that he is number three all-time in three-point makes, a former MVP, and a seven-time All-NBAer. Could it be, this time, that not even one team out there has convinced themselves that the Beard’s disruptions and shrinking in big moments are exactly what they need?

Yes.

President of basketball ops Daryl Morey has scared away suitors, demanding an exuberant return relative to his disgruntled employee’s talents. But Harden likely did more damage to his cause, engaging in a futile scorched earth tactic that only works when you’re still at the top. Last time I checked, he’s not as fast or impactful through residence at the free throw line as he used to be. If anyone brings it up to him, he’ll lean on old faithful: “Next question.”

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly don’t want to part with Terance Mann, a quality role player, in an exchange. This should say enough about others not wanting to put up with an aging headache in spite of him being a slight upgrade on the court. Even with Caleb Martin being eligible for an opt-out in a year, including him with other assets/players is not worth it for the Miami Heat because Harden can’t switch and contain multiple positions. Tyler Herro? Get real. Nobody is trading a nice player on the come-up for a lease.

Additionally, Harden’s catch and shoot frequency (12.8%) is nearly half of Tyler Herro’s (25.4), on a marginally higher percentage.

But Heat Culture can change him…

Oh yea? Did this culture, when it was the mystique for the Purple and Gold, change Maurice Lucas on the ‘86 Lakers? Nope. He was all about himself and believed he was so much better than he was at the time. Like Harden today.

If Pat Riley got upset at Byron Scott’s marriage during All-Star weekend, fearing it was a distraction to his team (per Jeff Pearlman, author of Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s), it’s beyond reasoning that he’d be elated to bring in the peep show enthusiast when everybody today has a portable camera. Harden should have been born 40 years sooner to play on Pat‘s teams.

Has anyone forgotten what Kevin McHale, his former coach, said fairly recently about Harden’s interest level after getting benched in a Playoff win against the Clippers in 2015? “The next year he came to camp, he was fat and didn’t feel like playing, and I got fired [11] games into the season.”

I’ll admit, Harden used to be damned good. In the three seasons he logged over 30 a night, he was playing a shockingly high amount of iso ball and embarrassing defenders. It’s an impossible style to win with because the offense becomes painfully predictable with a lack of ball and player movement. But for those few years, he was as good as a solo act got in the league.

Buyer beware: that guy is never coming back unless he gets traded to NBA Siberia and hijacks the operation.

Last season, Harden led all players in assists (10.7) at age 33. It’s pretty impressive, regardless of playing with the MVP Joel Embiid. But then the 76ers met up with the Boston Celtics, and he played scared in Game 7. He passed up open looks from close-to-mid range and sparsely contributed nine points on three of 11 shots, with seven assists and five turnovers. For the year, his effective field goal percentage was 53.6. In the Playoffs, it dropped to 47.8%.

This man badly wants to escape from the team with the MVP and a new championship coach. It’s unreasonable to think he is serious about winning.

Dolphins continuing to control what they can… and what they can’t

/0 Comments/in , /by

In sports, there’s only so much you can script, and always so much you can’t. Or as Mike Tyson more eloquently stated, everyone has a plan ’til punched in the mouth. That punch can come in many forms, and from any angle, and can sometimes land in spite of all your preparation. Still, the best squads, the ones that stay standing, are the ones that find counters and contingencies, the ones who remain resilient instead of ruffled. The Miami Dolphins of 2023 — who enter Sunday’s game with winless Carolina at 4-1 — are showing themselves to be one of those squads so far. And they must be again, even as they’ve been hit with more unexpected adversity, this time in the form of rookie running sensation De’Von Achane joining projected pillars Jalen Ramsey, Terron Armstead, Connor Williams and others on the sidelines.

They showed their resourcefulness again last Sunday against the Giants, not because the opponent was formidable (it wasn’t), but because not everything went according to expectation. This was evident on the very first drive, a situation that has been a specialty for the coach, Mike McDaniel; his quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the entire offense all season.

As with many teams, the opening drive is typically carefully orchestrated. It is typically a unit’s best foot forward, and the Dolphins have been exceptional in these situations this season, even if they win the coin toss and defer, and take the ball after the other team changes the field position or even takes a lead. Coming into last Sunday against New York, the Dolphins had scored 17 points on their four prior starting salvos, and it would have been three or seven more if not for a fumble on the Chargers’ 2. Tagovailoa was completing more than 75 percent of his passes, easily pushing the ball down the field with tempo and precision.

And he did it again.

On this drive, he completed six of seven passes, for 65, to four different targets, finishing in a Jaylen Waddle 2-yard reception for the score.

“I’m very comfortable, regardless of what Mike has,” Tagovailoa said of the success at the start of games. “Whether it’s on script, off script, of plays that we like. Or plays that are ‘OK, we’re calling this play, I didn’t really like this play throughout the week, but I put myself in the playcaller’s mind frame, and if they go out there, that’s how it ends up happening with how I see the field…..'”

Still, you would think, watching how he did see the field, and saw his receivers break free, that the Dolphins had practiced all week against the identical alignments the Giants had shown.

“It’s so much work, accumulated by players,” McDaniel said. “All the things that are happening, they’re executing, they’re prepared to do it against multiple looks. That speaks to their preparation and their ownership of when we go through, the openers, they’re the ones executing it. And sometimes we get what we were practicing again. Like, today, we saw absolutely, positively an extreme version of the antithesis of the defense that we prepared for.”

Wait, what?

“They came out in a different personnel package and play coverages than they have ever played before, and to be able to do that and have players not even blink, means that they are super prepared,” McDaniel continued. “On top of the fact that their coaches have taught them the appropriate way to digest the defense, so if there is a defense that you haven’t prepared for, they are still able to execute their job. It’s a group effort, and whatever plays that I call, if the players don’t really, really invest in what they’re doing, those plays suck.”

And so, for the Dolphins of late, the plays don’t suck even when they’re not the right play.

Like that 69 yard pass from Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill, just 54 seconds into the third quarter.

When a reporter mentioned that Tagovailoa had executed it by seeing single high coverage, the quarterback couldn’t keep up the ruse anymore.

“Did it look like single high?” he replied. “Like from the beginning of it? It did?”

Then the laughter, of a kid caught with his hands in the candy jar.

“Yeah, um, well that… that was the wrong play call,” he said. “That was the wrong play call. And you can ask Mike about that. I don’t think I should be saying. That was the wrong play call. I just called the wrong play. So you guys might want to ask Mike about that one…”

More reporter repartee….

More honesty.

“Yeah,” Tagovailoa said, smiling. “That sounds weird, just taking the credit for that one… He said a play…. I told him I misheard him. As I was looking at it, I was like, ‘Oh.’ I did mishear him. I did. Yes. Yes.'”

So we did ask McDaniel.

“Yeah, apparently he stole my thunder,” McDaniel said, in his sardonic style. “I wanted to unveil that he’s now a playcaller. No, that’s one of the moments that in his journey, that is indicative of where he’s at. I just know that the way we were able to move the ball a little bit, and then those turnovers, the picks, it would have been hard to get him out of that, just how mad he would be at himself. But the disciplined work that he’s done with mind, body and soul to be in a moment like that, and just take the game into his own hands, that’s what you’re trying to build.”

All for a play like that.

“It was a really cool moment that when you’re watching the formation set up, I am not composed. ‘What, what?” McDaniel said. “You just don’t know. It was hard to actually visualize what play he actually called, because you just think that nine people are messed up. And then that’s the type of stuff you can’t manufacture, to be able to have the wherewithal to say, ‘You know what, let’s put it in mine and Tyreek’s hands.’ I’m just very very proud of him. Sometimes, the messy games are my favorite, with that stuff.”

It was a play reminiscent of Dan Marino, feuding with his coach Jimmy Johnson, once ignoring a call and just telling Oronde Gadsden not nearly as fleet as Hill — to just “f—– go deep” and hitting him for a one-point win against the Colts way back when. Except, this coach and this quarterback are aligned. And Tagovailoa and this offense are doing Marino-like things.

Will it continue today, against feeble Carolina?

It should.

Be sure, McDaniel and Tagovailoa have a plan for it.

Be sure, the plan will go awry at some point. A play will “suck.” A pass will float. A kick will miss.

For a change, when off script, the Miami Dolphins appear capable of staying on track.

 

Ethan Skolnick is the CEO of Five Reasons Sports Network.

Miami Marlins: Grades for the 2023 season from our team

/0 Comments/in , /by

Consistently, the Miami Marlins were underdogs throughout the season. Whether it be due to expectations, due to their opponent, or due to the many, many injuries their team succumbed to, they were consistently seen as the lower team. Yet, you look at the Fish at the end of the season, and there they are. 6 games over .500, and a playoff birth. Both of which, were completely unexpected and unprecedented for a young, scrappy team in Miami. Even with the quick boot in the postseason, the Marlins had exceed every possible expectation laid out for them, and more. Here is how the team at 5R graded the Marlins performance this past season.

 

@KMiller_305 – Grade: A-

The Marlins exceeded nearly every expectation set for them this past season by finishing with an 84-78 record (should have been 85-77 but I digress), resulting in their first full season playoff berth since their World Series run in 2003. Meanwhile I had the Marlins finishing with a 77-85 record coming into the season, which at the time, I mentioned as “being optimistic” and “aiming high.” So, what else got them to an A-? 

Well, for me, having a massive bounce back year from Jorge Soler was a HUGE reason without question. Likewise, the addition of Luis Arraez prior to the start of the season, coupled with the deadline acquisitions of Jake Burger and Josh Bell, all of whom had incredible seasons with the Marlins in their own regards. To round out what helped them get to their A- lies within the pitching staff. Factors such as the emergence of Braxton Garrett as a mainstay in the rotation, the flashes of ace potential and the breakout for Jesus Luzardo, and the debut of future Cy Young candidate in Eury Perez. Likewise, the outstanding year from their pen, specifically from Andrew Nardi and Tanner Scott. All of that is great, but what kept them from an A or an A+? 

For one, they did not win a playoff game. Unfortunately, the season came to an end at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card Series. Not being able to advance out of the first round or even win a game in the playoffs certainly hurts. Besides that, the injuries and subsequential struggles were scattered throughout the roster. All in all, despite the ugly bits to the season being, admittedly, pretty ugly, the Marlins did have a very successful season, which is something absolutely nobody can take away from them. There is reason to be excited and optimistic for the future if you’re a Marlins fan, which is truly something special. There may not have been a World Series championship or any franchise altering moment in the season, but 2023 will definitely be a season Marlins fans will remember for a while.

 

@JonAndersen_5R – Grade: A

For the first time since 2003, the Miami Marlins made a postseason birth in a full season. The Miami Marlins were competitive and fighters until the end of the season. Sadly, that didn’t transfer into the postseason series against the Phillies, where they looked rather dead in the water in Citizens Bank Park. However, if going into this season, you had told us that the Fish would not only have a winning record, but have a stretch where they’re 14 games over .500, make the Wild Card, and have someone win a major award across the National League, yet tell me that this is all done with Sandy Alcantara pitching poorly for half the season, Jazz Chisholm Jr. missing 65 games, and going through 4 different closers throughout the season, I would’ve thought you were crazy.

Every little thing that could’ve gone wrong for the Marlins, did. Yet somehow, every little thing that we couldn’t even have imagined to go right, did. Luis Arraez winning the batting title for the second year in a row, Eury Perez debuting and providing meaningful innings for the major league squad, Jorge Soler hitting 30+ home runs, and having meaningful and impactful acquisitions at the deadline. This team showed grit and showed determination, no matter how many times it felt like the season was at death’s door. 

Regardless of the result of the postseason, the Miami Marlins far surpassed any expectations that were set for them at the beginning of the season. They beat the teams they needed to beat, and also beat teams that they were expected to lose to. The Fish reversed the 1-run game curse they had last year, and ended up being the best team in baseball in 1-run games. Going from a team that dealt with so many setbacks and adversities, yet still succeeding in the way they did, I have no other option than to grade the season as an A. 

 

@AidanGallard0  – Grade: B+

The Miami Marlins did what no one expected them to do and that was making it to the postseason. Although they got swept in the Wild Card round against the Philadelphia Phillies, this team really played winning baseball all year which is something that fans aren’t used to seeing. From Luis Arraez winning the batting title to Jake Burger really showing a different side of him since being acquired by the Marlins at the trade deadline, there were a lot of positive takeaways from the season. But of course, with every team in baseball, it’s not all positive. Last year’s Cy Young winner, Sandy Alcantara, really didn’t pitch to what was expected of him this season. He struggled at times on the mound but every now and then, he’d have a great outing. To make matters worse, he won’t be able to pitch next season because of Tommy John surgery. So yeah, there’s that. The reason I don’t give the season grade an A is because I felt like they could’ve made some noise in the postseason. The talent they were showcasing throughout the season just couldn’t catch up and a lot of that has to do with injuries and how the season’s longevity really took a toll on the guys, especially on the pitching staff. But, there’s a lot to be happy about with the Fish and next season might just be even better.

 

@JSportsMiami – Grade: A

Although the unfortunate loss in the wild card round to the Phillies, this season was a tremendous success for Miami. For a team many projected to end near last place of the division, and one of the worst in the NL, they showed promise and grit. Skip Schumaker arrived and did a complete flip on the team’s culture. The postseason was  a dream at the start of the spring training, if everything went perfect, just maybe it could happen. Instead, things were far from perfect and they still were able to accomplish it. Most fans and people of the sport had them around 70-74 wins. Instead they got 84 (or 85 with that Mets game) and a wild card berth. Just an outstanding job by Kim, Skip and the entire team to make this year work. 2023 being a memorable season is an understatement. 

Takeaways from Panthers’ 2-0 loss to Wild

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Florida Panthers were back for another NHL season tonight in Saint Paul, opening the year on the road against the Minnesota Wild.

 

Despite having a plethora of chances with over 40 shots on goal tonight, the Panthers couldn’t find the back of the net. They were shutout by the Wild in a 2-0 loss.

 

Here’s some takeaways from tonight’s game.

 

Filip Gustavsson stood on his head for Minnesota

Florida was peppering the Wild net for pretty much the entirety of the game, nearly doubling Minnesota’s shot total by the end of the night.

 

The final shot total leaned heavily in Florida’s favor at 41-21, but that wasn’t reflected in the final score. 

 

Despite the onslaught of chances, Minnesota’s goaltender Filip Gustavsson slammed the door shut — stopping all 41 shots he faced.

 

Gustavsson faced a ton of shots tonight and stopped them all for the shutout. What was even more impressive was his rebound control. Florida didn’t have many second chance looks at goal because Gustavsson killed the play instantly. 

 

The Panthers were only shut out once all of last season. This year it happened in game number one.

 

Rookie Mackie Samoskevich looked solid in his NHL debut

We’ve probably talked more about Mackie Samoskevich this preseason than anyone else on the Panthers’ roster — and for good reason. 

 

The 20-year-old was one of two Panthers to make their NHL debut tonight — Uvis Balinskis being the other. 

 

The rookie forward got up to NHL speed quickly, not looking out of place whatsoever on a line with Anton Lundell, and Sam Reinhart. 

 

Samoskevich had more than one quality chance tonight to score his first career NHL goal, with the best look off a shot that beat Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson before ringing off the crossbar. 

 

His speed, and puck carrying ability was extremely noticeable tonight — and his shot release is already looking elite. 

 

For his first game in the NHL, Samoskevich put together a quality performance, and showed flashes of what he can bring to this Panthers team. 

 

New Panthers fit in well in Game 1

I already mentioned Samoskevich and his fairly good first NHL game. However, he wasn’t the only Panther that looked comfortable in their first appearance with the team.

 

Florida had eight skaters in the lineup tonight who weren’t on the team last season. Of those eight, I thought Oliver Ekman-Larsson (OEL) looked like he’s been here for years.

 

OEL led all Panthers skaters in ice-time with 26:32 tonight. The defenseman was also in on the offense, getting four shots on goal. 

 

Tonight Ekman-Larsson, 32, played on the Panthers’ top power-play unit while also appearing on the penalty kill.

 

The Panthers will continue to rely upon Ekman-Larsson this season — especially with Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour out of the lineup for the start of the year.

OEL paired up with his fellow Swede Gustav Forsling tonight on the Panthers’ top d-line. Those two will easily eat up the most minutes on the blueline to start the season.

 

Looking at the forwards, Evan Rodrigues was another noticeable new face. 

 

Rodrigues played just under 20 minutes tonight, drawing in on the top power play unit and the Panthers’ first-line alongside Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe. 

 

He had 5 shots on goal tonight, and was very active in the offensive zone. The pucks didn’t find the back of the net tonight, but the opportunities were there, and Rodrigues will continue to get those chances. 

 

He’s a fast, smart player, that fits in well with Florida’s play style.

Next Game

The Panthers will be back on the ice Saturday in Winnipeg for a 4 PM (ET) start against the Jets.

Tyreek Hill tries to get the ball to his mother after a touchdown against the Giants, but fans intervene.

Pressure Point: Dolphins speeding at record pace, but tougher challenges ahead

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Dolphins’ 31-16 rout of the New York Giants reaffirmed that they are the best track team in the NFL.

First it was De’Von Achane hitting 21.76 mph on a 76-yard TD run, then Tyreek Hill reaching a season-best 22.01 mph on a 64-yard gain.

Speed in abundance led to the Dolphins racing to 524 net yards in a bounce-back win from last week’s trouncing at Buffalo.

In doing so, the Dolphins showed they are capable of outrunning their mistakes — two interceptions by Tua Tagovailoa and a lost fumble — at least against poor to middling opponents.

Aside from a dazzling display of offense and solid performance by the Miami defense, which recorded seven sacks, dominating a bottom-feeding Giants team didn’t provide the big-picture answer about where the Dolphins stand among the NFL’s elite.

Dolphins first in AFC East after Bills’ loss

At an AFC best 4-1 (along with Kansas City), their record places them in that group.

This is the Dolphins’ best start in 20 years, when Dave Wannstedt was coach and Jay Fiedler the quarterback. With Buffalo’s surprising home loss to Jacksonville, Miami is back alone in first place in the AFC East.

It should be noted, though, the Dolphins’ four vanquished opponents have a combined five wins.

Their ugly loss to the Bills stands as a glaring blemish at least until they show the ability to defeat quality opponents. That opportunity will come in two weeks at Philadelphia and in the Nov. 5 match-up with defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City at Frankfurt, Germany.

In anticipation of those challenges, the Dolphins finally have a team built for success in the NFL of the moment, with offense, offense and more offense.

Dolphins have most yards ever in first five games

More, in fact, than any team has ever generated through the first five games in NFL history. Their 2,568 yards topped the mark of the “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams’ 2,527 yards in 2000.

“Mission accomplished,” was coach Mike McDaniel’s glib response to that news. “Our whole goal this entire offseason was statistical output through five games.”

The objective would be better defined as “catch us if you can.” It’s all built around a bevy of speedy options.

According to Next Gen Stats, Dolphins have posted the seven fastest speeds on offense this season — three by Hill, three by Achane and the other by Raheem Mostert.

Later Achane disputed Hill’s claim to the top spot because he got run out of bounds on the play, contending, “22 but don’t matter cuz he got hawked.”

While Hill continues to be a runaway threat at wide receiver, Archane is putting up historic numbers at running back. In the past three games the rookie from Texas A&M has 455 yards rushing on 37 carries, eight catches for 63 yards, and seven total touchdowns.

The much-improved offensive line is doing its part to provide openings for the running game and to give Tagovailoa time to throw. Kendall Lamm appeared solid filling in for injured Terron Armstead at left tackle.

Lamm, Isaiah Wynn and Durham Smythe opened the running lane that Achane bolted through virtually untouched (one defender got a tap on his shoulder pad) on the long TD gallop.

Dolphins’ offense brilliant but shows blemishes

The Dolphins’ opening touchdown drive, spanning 89 yards in eight plays, was worthy of hanging in a gallery. It involved an array of McDaniel’s pre-snap motion, misdirection and trickery. Five different players advanced the ball, culminating with Tua’s 2-yard pass to Jaylen Waddle.

The day was not all picture-perfect. The three turnovers that came later were troubling, especially the 102-yard pick-6 by Tagavailoa that enabled the Giants to score their first first-half touchdown of the season.

Such mistakes could have been game changers against a better opponent. Considering the Giants never posed a serious threat, it was easy for McDaniel and Tagovailoa to shrug them off.

“Sometimes the messy games are my favorite,” McDaniel said, noting the teaching moments that come out of mess-ups.

Look at it like every great relay team drops a few batons on the way to setting records.

Achane finished the day with 151 yards rushing, Hill with 181 yards receiving and Tua with 308 yards passing.

This Dolphins team is still getting revved up. Sunday it continued to deliver record numbers and high entertainment value.

Don’t mess with Tyreek Hill’s mom

Perhaps most entertaining was Hill climbing into the stands after a 69-yard touchdown to deliver the ball to his mother. Another fan intercepted but then completed the pass to Hill’s mom after being informed what he was trying to do.

Apparently that was wise, as Hill later explained: “Some guy took it. But my mom, she’s a bulldog, she’s like give me my ball, boy.”

It turned out that Tagovailoa called that pass to Hill on the opening drive of the second half rather than the play McDaniel sent in. Supposedly Tua “misheard” the play that McDaniel wanted.

McDaniel said: “The story is whatever we say it was, huh? If Tua has a better thought than I do, I prefer that. He executes, I’m not mad. I’m not upset.”

The story of this day was a convincing Dolphins win against a struggling opponent, with a few stumbles along the way.

It is always fun to watch your favorite team win in lopsided fashion. But this Dolphins team has more serious work ahead in the next month that can bring much more rewarding results.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Takeaways from Panthers’ final preseason game

/0 Comments/in , /by

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers wrapped up their eighth and final preseason game Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena, losing 4-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

 

With preseason play now over, the Panthers will have to get their active roster down to 23 before the the regular season opener.
 

Here’s some Panthers’ takeaways from the last tune up game.

 

Eetu Luostarinen continued a strong preseason 

Eetu Luostarinen’s value to the Panthers is a high one. He plays up and down the lineup, on special teams, on the wing or at center — he’s everywhere.

 

With Sam Bennett now out with an injury, Luostarinen jumped back up to center, playing on line 2 with Matthew Tkachuk tonight. Depending on how long Bennett is out, he may be getting an extended stint down the middle.


Luostarinen was the best forward tonight in the Panthers’ loss, grabbing a goal and an assist to end off his preseason with four goals. 

 

Like the rest of the team, Luostarinen is ready to get the 2023-2024 campaign started.

 

“We’re really excited,” Luostarinen said postgame. “There’s still some things we can do better but I think overall we’re just ready to go.”

 

 

Depth forwards pushing the offense

Both tonight and Thursday’s game saw quality offensive contributions from players in the bottom-six. 

 

Florida’s first goal of the game was scored off the rush, and shorthanded by Ryan Lomberg. 


In back-to-back games, Florida’s favorite hard hitting winger got on the scoresheet with a nice shot past the Lightning netminder.  

 

Later in the game Florida had another quality chance to get on the board off a rush from Nick Cousins and Zac Dalpe.

 

 

When the final roster comes out, the winners of 12-14 forward spots will be interesting to see. Zac Dalpe, Kevin Stenlund, Steven Lorentz, and Justin Sourdif have all had good showings this preseason.

As for what happens with the final roster, Florida has a few days to sort things out.

“The three days before opening night there’s still a whole lot of things that are involved in the cap and the injury situation,” head coach Paul Maurice said postgame. “The numbers will get back down to one room and we can get back to work.”

 

 

Still no “clear cut” winner for the seventh defenseman spot

The first five names on the blueline to start the year will probably look like this: Gustav Forsling, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Josh Mahura, Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola. 

 

As for the sixth defenseman, Mike Reilly’s play during camp and preseason should have been enough to win him that job. So who gets the seventh spot?

 

After Lucas Carlsson and Matt Kiersted were sent down to the AHL, the two in the running are Casey Fitzgerald and Uvis Balinskis. 

 

Neither of them really stood out in tonight’s game, however Fitzgerald has stepped his physicality up this preseason, compared to what we saw in his limited games last year with the Panthers.

 

 

In this competition for the extra defenseman, Fitzgerald had the “head start” in familiarity, being with the Panthers from mid January through the playoffs. Balinskis on the other hand joined the Panthers organization this offseason after spending his entire career in Europe.

 

If sent down to the AHL Balinskis would be exempt from waivers, Fitzgerald would not.

 

Who will claim the Panthers’ final forward spots?

/1 Comment/in , /by

Later this week the Florida Panthers will have their roster finalized for their Oct. 12 season opener in Minnesota. But, before the final cuts are made the Panthers coaching staff will have two more preseason games to determine who stays and who goes.

 

The next week will be crucial for the bubble players who are still fighting for a job on the regular season lineup. With just a few spots open on the roster, the two remaining exhibition games will be the last shot to make an impression.

 

Before discussing who can grab the final forward spots, let’s go over how the team probably will fill out up front.

 

Forward locks

The forward group — at least the top-9 — is pretty much finalized. All the forwards who picked up bumps and bruises in last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs are fortunately back and healthy for the Panthers. Evan Rodrigues is the lone newcomer who is guaranteed to jump into the top-9 — he’ll most likely start the season on the top line wing next to Aleksander Barkov. 

 

As for losses, Anthony Duclair is the biggest forward departure from last year’s Stanley Cup Final team. Duclair, who was a top-9 winger for the Panthers, was traded to San Jose in the offseason. For line purposes, the loss of Duclair was offset by the addition of Rodrigues.

 

This is how I see the Panthers forward depth chart at the moment. 

 

Centers: Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, X

 

Wingers: Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Evan Rodrigues, Sam Reinhart, Eetu Luostarinen, Ryan Lomberg, Nick Cousins, X

 

* “X’s” are open roster spots 

Projected Lines

 

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Rodrigues

X-Bennett-Tkachuk

Luostarinen-Lundell-Reinhart

Lomberg-X-Cousins

Off these initial projections, I have the third line locked up with Lundell, Louostarinen and Reinhart. The trio were very good together in the playoffs and they’ll stick together to at least start the season — giving Florida a very strong third line.

 

For now, I have Verhaeghe and Rodrigues together on Barkov’s wings whilst keeping the Tkachuk-Bennett duo together. For Bennett and Tkachuk, they found lots of success in the playoffs when coach Paul Maurice inserted Nick Cousins on their line. The trio started the preseason together, however coach Maurice mixed it up in Tuesday’s game against Tampa — putting Cousins on line 4, while slotting Mackie Samoskevich on Bennett’s wing. 

 

Lomberg and Cousins will both be on the team’s final roster and I’d expect their best usage to be in a bottom-six role, so I project they’ll start the season on the fourth line. 

 

Based on my projections, this leaves one top-9 winger spot and the fourth line center job open. Keep in mind, NHL teams can carry up to 23 players on their active roster, so there will be extra skaters who don’t get into the lineup but will be on the team, as well as IR players.

LINE 4 Center

Looking at the fourth line center spot, that’s an unclaimed position still up for the taking.

 

During the early stages of training camp, coach Maurice spoke about this fourth line center battle — saying “there’s some competition for the job” and that having “size and speed” is an important thing for the fourth line.  

 

The following guys fit that mold.

 

Steven Lorentz —  Lorentz came to Florida this offseason on the opposite end of the Anthony Duclair trade. After watching him during camp and preseason, I’ve begun to understand why the Panthers’ brass wanted to get him in Sunrise. The 6’4, 206 pound center is a big man on skates, but he moves surprisingly well for a guy of his stature. In 192 career NHL games, the 27-year-old has put up 40 points between San Jose, and Carolina. The stat that jumps out the most for Lorentz is the 247 hits he has accumulated across those games. He likes to get physical — which is important for someone his size. 

 

Kevin Stenlund — Keeping the theme of big guys on the ice, Stenlund comes in even taller than Lorentz at 6’5, 215 pounds. The Swedish center has 29 points and 125 career NHL games under his belt, splitting that time between Columbus and Winnipeg — also appearing in all five of Winnipeg’s playoff games last season. He doesn’t play as physical a game as Lorentz, but he has had some moments around the front of the net this preseason, which got him in the box score. 

 

Alexander True — One more 6’5 skater for the preseason squad, Alexander True doesn’t have a ton of NHL experience — appearing in just 27 games — but he’s been doing enough during camp to stick around through the first portion of the cuts. Spending most of his North American career in the AHL, True has been very effective in the minors and even had a run with Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers in 2021-2022 when the Seattle Kraken shared the affiliate.

 

It’s Important to note that none of True, Lorentz or Stenlund are waivers exempt, so in the chance that they are sent down to the AHL, they’d have to pass through waivers. 

Top-9 Winger 

With possibly one job open in the top-9, who jumps in for that spot?  Realistically, I think the two options to start the season are as follows.

 

Mackie Samoskevich — The hottest Panthers’ story for the last few weeks has been that of 20-year-old rookie Mackie Samoskevich. In his first NHL preseason, Florida’s 2021 first-round pick has done just about everything he’s needed to have a legitimate shot of playing opening night. 

 

Samoskevich has made the most of his chances to show the coaching staff that he’s an NHL player. He’s picked up three goals and six points in five preseason games — springing himself up the ladder of players fighting for a spot on the 23-man roster. Offensively Samoskevich has shown in these exhibition games that he can play in the NHL. There’ve been some defensive mishaps by him, but you’re going to see that with kids who are adjusting to the highest level.

 

There’s two reasons why I can see Samoskevich not making the team right out of camp. One, is that they want him to get more game time in the AHL before coming up to the NHL. Florida won’t play Samoskevich fourth line minutes — which is smart because his game and development is wasted in a bottom-six role. If that was the only option then the AHL would make sense. However, he’s played himself into consideration for a roster spot this preseason, and I think he’s earned it. The main reason why I could see him going down to Charlotte is because he’s waiver exempt. With the other forwards still on the camp roster not being waiver exempt, it wouldn’t surprise me if Florida decides to not risk sending down a player they like who has a high probability of getting claimed by another team.   

 

Grigori Denisenko — Florida re-signed Denisenko in the offseason on a two-year “prove it” deal. The 2018 first-round pick has shown flashes of his skill and speed throughout his sporadic time in Florida, but the offense has yet to fully translate to the NHL. 

 

The Panthers haven’t given up on Denisenko, who did appear in a Stanley Cup Final game last postseason. The 23-year-old hasn’t played a lot this preseason after picking up an injury last week. Heading into camp it seemed like Denisenko would have a shot at slotting into a top-9 slot to start the regular season, however the lack of exhibition games and emergence of Mackie Samoskevich makes me wonder what the next plan will be for Denisenko when healthy.

 

I don’t think Florida would want to play a game of roulette and see if he clears waivers in efforts to reassign him to the AHL. Does he get that top-9 chance? Could they keep him in Florida as a scratch? If Denisenko is ready to go sooner than later, the final roster moves are going to be interesting.

Depth forward options

Besides the last man out of the fourth-line center competition, here’s a list of possible depth options for the 13th forward.

 

Zac Dalpe — Panthers fans are very familiar with Zac Dalpe, who was part of Florida’s 2023 playoff run. The Charlotte Checkers’ captain spent a large portion of last season in Florida — whether he was getting game time or just skating as a scratch. Maurice knows what Dalpe brings as a depth forward and has trusted him in important moments, like desperation time in elimination playoff games. He’s a reliable guy on your fourth-line that does his job and the guys love him. If he sticks around, I see him back in that 13th forward role.

 

Brett Ritchie — Ritchie, 30, was brought into camp as the lone player on a PTO, and the veteran is still around after a few waves of cuts. The 6’4 forward has been in the league since the 2014-2015 season, playing in 391 games between Dallas, Calgary, Boston and Arizona. Ritchie hasn’t been able to get on the board in his three preseason games this year, and he’s been held out of the lineup in Florida’s last two matches. He may have one more chance to get into a game before the final cuts are made, which will probably be his last shot to get a deal with the Panthers.

 

William Lockwood — Lockwood is the most interesting depth option for me. In his preseason debut against Nashville he looked like one of the best players on the ice — getting a goal and an assist. Weighing in at 5’11, 172, Lockwood is one of the smallest guys on the camp roster, but he hasn’t played like it. It was impressive how he worked in front of the net to create chances, and it lead to quality scoring opportunities. Maurice said after the first set of preseason games against Nashville that he liked Lockwood’s game that night, but that he “also liked his whole camp.” He was a “decision guy” as Maurice put it following the Nashville game last week, and has made it to the 35-man roster. I think when the final 23 comes out, Lockwood will be assigned to the AHL, but if he can clear waivers he’ll be a sneaky good option for an in-season call up.

In Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins might have their Spo

/0 Comments/in , /by

No one entirely understood what they were watching last Sunday, as the Greatest Show on Surf swamped the visiting men from the mountains. But perhaps one man had a bit more perspective, sitting in a Hard Rock Stadium booth with his sons, taking photos with former Dolphins such as Shawn Wooden and all-time sporting greats such as Wayne Gretzky.

“I love watching Mike’s offensive plans,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra texted back, as South Florida’s sports fans everywhere continued celebrating a 70-20 Miami Dolphins victory.

70-20.

70-20!

Even Spoelstra’s Heat — with their 12 playoff appearances, six NBA Finals appearances and two championships since his ascension in 2008 — have never been quite so overwhelming as Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins were last Sunday. Not even during a 27-game winning streak. Not even with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and now Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

But that’s the thing.

It’s not about the short term, no matter how spectacular, as Spoelstra and his new friend McDaniel know.

It’s about what you sustain.

And so that brings us to today, Sunday in Buffalo, against the only squad that stands in the way of AFC East supremacy — with the Jets and Patriots each in some semblance of disarray.

And that brings us to tomorrow, and whether McDaniel can prove as resilient, resourceful and permanent as Spoelstra has proven, just just for a game or season but for more than a decade.

McDaniel had more working against him than Spoelstra did when each was hired, even though he was roughly the same age. While the Heat have been the model of stability since Pat Riley’s arrival in 1995, with Spoelstra just the third official head coach in that time, McDaniel is the 9th, and 12th if you include the interims. The Heat have been the sturdy ship while the Dolphins have been a pool float over the past quarter-century, and so any hire is met with skepticism, as this one was. Yes, McDaniel was touted as a genius by many who had encountered him, but so was Adam Gase. He hadn’t played professionally, nor did he look the part, not for anything but the IT department. And unlike Spoelstra, whose rise was also unconventional in that he came up from the Heat video room, McDaniel didn’t have anyone of the gravity of Riley, someone who had seen him day after day, anointing him.

But McDaniel and Spoelstra, while somewhat different in terms of personality — McDaniel, for starters, enjoys silly media repartee while Spoelstra loathes any such small talk — share some qualities that may have been overlooked by many initially. It’s not just the willingness to innovate, norms and critics be damned, from Spoelstra’s Pace and Space to McDaniel’s “Cheat Motion” that will is now an NFL rage.

It’s their relatability — each self-deprecating in his own way, each willing to take the bullet for those under their command.

And, mostly, it’s their empathy.

Spoelstra has shown that in spades since he’s become the Heat’s singular voice during the season, with the way he speaks about and treats his players, others in the organization, opponents and even reporters — I have too many stories I could share. I’ll never forget the lengthy message Spoelstra sent a media colleague after his son passed, a message that turned my friends to tears as he showed it to me at the memorial.

McDaniel seems the same.

That quality has allowed his quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, to shrug off all the skeptics and take this satisfying star turn, following all the negative reinforcement from prior coach Brian Flores. McDaniel did more than just believe in Tua. He was vocal and adamant about such belief — again, critics be damned. And he was consistent with his support, not only for what Tua was doing and would do, but what had been done to him by the doubts of the prior regime.

That is a rare quality for a coach, and maybe that’s why McDaniel and Spoelstra have become so chummy so quickly.

A year ago at this time, I was in the Bahamas for Heat training camp and pulled Spoelstra aside to get his view of McDaniel, who was less than a month into his first NFL season. Spoelstra smiled broadly. He likes this stuff more than talking about tired NBA narratives, for sure.

And it was clear how much he liked McDaniel’s approach, from a visit to the Dolphins’ 2022 training camp.

When I noted that McDaniel was about the same age as Spoelstra was in 2008:

“It’s amazing. And he’s way more advanced. And just understands the picture and dynamics of building a team. I was really impressed. Our whole staff was impressed. By the whole vibe up there. During training camp, when we saw it, they were working really hard. And it was one of those South Florida hot days. But they had fun out there too. So they were trying to get something accomplished, they were doing it with joy, I really enjoyed that day, and came away impressed with him. Yes, he looks young. He fits right in. But his maturity and understanding of how to teach football, it belies his years.”

Of their shared unconventional path, Spoelstra said he related, “Just even talking to him. The sports are different. But how you think, I always find that really interesting in talking to people. I tend to now, at this point of my career, learn more from people outside the industry….. You tend to look at things a little bit more differently when you go outside our sport. That’s why I’ve enjoyed those kind of visits….. We had a terrific day, and he was very gracious to give us a couple hours afterwards, and just talk some shop. And you can kind of see how he in general thinks differently, and that leads to innovation. When you’re questioning things, and questioning the norm, and being open to new possibilities. It may be obvious but because it’s not what everybody else is doing, we all tend to fall into that trap sometimes.”

What did McDaniel want to know from Spoelstra?

“You know, I get that a lot of what it’s like to coach teams that are ready,” Spoelstra said. “And to take that real step. That was probably a decent amount of the conversation. He was probably getting frustrated with us, because every time he turned it to us, we flipped it and we were asking more questions about what they do and how they got to that point. I might not understand all the schematics of how they do it, but I loved seeing the process of ‘OK, how did you start with this, and why did you think of it differently to get it to that?’ And if the whole league is zigging and you may be zagging in different pockets, how can that create a competitive advantage.”

Sp9elstra found ways to create plenty of competitive advantages with an undermanned Heat roster this past season, particularly in the postseason, and McDaniel was there to see it, sometimes with Dolphins GM Chris Grier, sometimes with others, watching warmups, sitting in a courtside seat — with Spoelstra strolling and stomping right in front of him — and then spending time in the back tunnels, politely and earnestly chatting up Spoelstra, players and the staff.

Friday, I mentioned that Spoelstra not only was in attendance for the Dolphins’ scoring deluge against Denver, but praised McDaniel on his plan.

Why does McDaniel believe the men — leading two organizations that haven’t always felt aligned — have bonded so much?

Have they spoken about strategy?

“No, I think we’ve talked about the commonalities which we share, and different ways to look at the game,” McDaniel said. “And really the biggest commonality that we’ve shared is we’re in a business where our job is to motivate and curate and get the best out of the players that we have. And you know, it’s a complicated life of the professional athlete, where you have so many people in your ear, there are so many people making money off of you, and to be able to take these highly successful individuals and make them a team, I think there’s a shared experience that we have mostly focused on when we’ve talked. Because it’s some of the biggest problem solving that you really need to undertake.”

No matter the sport.

“I use basketball references all the time, and I think watching the Heat play gave me all sorts of motivation in the offseason, just by team over everything, and what is the saying, ‘The sum is greater than the parts… or whatever,'” McDaniel continued, in his typically folksy style. “That’s what I see from them. And I think that pretty much applies to professional football in general, because you always have talented players across the board, but working together is what generates results. We have a cool relationship. It’s not direct X’s and O’s. Like I can’t help watching basketball and following the ball. And I know that to be wrong from a coach’s perspective, because when I watch football I see all the things moving at once, I’m not just staring at where the ball is going. But I can’t do it in basketball. So I would be very little help. It would be very one-sided. Like, ‘Tell me how you do things again.’ And we have a more equitable friendship, I would say.”

He need not follow the ball in Spoelstra’s sport.

Just the success, and then sustain.

It’s been quite a start.

 

Ethan Skolnick is the CEO of Five Reasons Sports Network.