Miami Dolphins Week 15 Stock Report

Welcome back to another installment of Stock Up & Stock Down. In Week 15 of the NFL season, our Miami Dolphins hosted the New England Patriots and Bill Belicheck. Pupil vs Master in round 4 and we were able to even up the overall win loss with the score ending 22-12. Not only was this the first time we had a 100+ rusher in almost 2 years but we were able to finish with a total of 250 yards rushing which is easily our highest total for the year. With so much to dissect let’s dive right in:

Stock Up

RB Group:

Salvon Ahmed and the entire RB group all had their best game individually and collectively to tune of 42 carries for 250 and 3 TDs. Already missing Flowers going into the game and loosing Kindley about halfway through really doesn’t make me believe that this was a coming out party for the OL but instead the holes that have already been there were finally starting to get hit. All afternoon we saw both Ahmed and Breida break off long runs by either following the blocking or finding the open lane and cutting back like the 31-yard run (a season long). If we can get even half of the production we got against the Patriots consistently, we will win a playoff game.

Baker:

Coming off an ELITE 3 sack performance, it was refreshing to see Baker still make such an impact despite both KVN and Elandon being back from injury. Jerome was all over the field from the start of the game to the very end having played all 55 defensive snaps per PFF. Playing the run, defending the pass, and again rushing the passer, totaling 8 tackles (7 solo), 1 sack, 1 TFL and 1 QB hit. Absolutely love to see him put back-to-back performances together and cannot wait for next week to see what he can do against a Raiders that is great at running the ball but are susceptible to giving up blitzes.

Chan Gailey:

Throughout the season I feel like I have seen glimpses of what the ideal Chan Gailey offense and this is what the game plan called for on a week we were missing 3 more WR to the other 87 WR we are missing for the year. All season people have bashed Gailey for being too safe and pedestrian but was that old man Gailey calling another failed trick play with LBJ? Or putting an ex QB in Malcolm Perry in motion to take the direct snap on 3^rd and 1?

Not a bad little play design by Gailey to get an ex qb under center pic.twitter.com/Kx0xGE5WvO

— Juan C 5RSN (@exclusvty) December 21, 2020

Or how about calling a hook and lateral for a 2-point conversion? Gailey and the entire coaching staff understood the importance of this game and left no page unturned on the playbooks this week. With the least amount of weapons Gailey & Tua have had to deal with all year, it is remarkable that we were able to scrape up 22 points without the assistance of our defense scoring or the usually reliable Jason Sanders.

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Stock Down

Jason Sanders:

Even sometimes the greatest players in franchise history have a bit of a rut or a bad game or two. Not something I will harp on too much as he has been the most reliable kicker this year in the entire NFL but last week’s miss vs the Chiefs feels like it would have meant something if made plus this week’s miss would have allowed us to keep momentum and put them away earlier in the game.

Antonio Callaway:

As much as my counterpart at 5RSN Kai https://twitter.com/samuraiiradio?s=21

Wants his Florida guy Antonio Callaway to get some play on the Offense, I find it difficult to expect anything else from him on this team. Seems that if there were ever a chance to play Antonio more would have been this week where we are already down DVP, Preston, and Jakeem. Not to add on but the emergence of LBJ as Tua’s security blanket on 3^rd down also gives him less of chance to play once DVP comes back and if we ever get Preston back.

Edit: He was cut Monday.

Nick Needham:

Nick Needham had been getting his due credit in the past weeks but unfortunately this week he had probably his worst game of the year. PFF had him in coverage vs Jakobi Meyers giving up 2 catches for 61 yards, which on a day that had Cam only threw for 209 yards, really stands out.

Overall, we took care of business and were able to eliminate the New England Patriots from the playoffs. As I’m sure Coach Flores would say if asked about it now, it’s on to the Raiders and the challenge they present regardless if its Derek Carr or Marcus Mariota. Till next time, Fins Up!