Tag Archive for: Miami Dolphins

Minkah

Miami Dolphins trade Minkah Fitzpatrick as rebuild continues

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Minkah Fitzpatrick is no longer a Dolphin.

We have a late-night trade to tell you about, and it will definitely benefit the Miami Dolphins in the long run. The team has traded defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2020 1st-round pick.

Fitzpatrick has recorded 11 total tackles so far this season. His recent track record had him on pace for a solid year. 2018 was a great year for him. In 16 games, he recorded 80 tackles and two interceptions. One of those interceptions was returned for a touchdown.

In the team’s last game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Fitzpatrick recorded  four tackles. That is the same amount he recorded against Baltimore in the opener last week.

What can he bring to Pittsburgh?

Much like he did for the Miami Dolphins, Fitzpatrick will be able to add a physical brand of football to the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary. This is a team that has prided themselves on defense for years. With guys like TJ Watt and Devin Bush on that side of the football, That doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. This is a team that has a mix of players who are both veterans and younger players

Minkah Fitzpatrick is young himself, so adding him to the Pittsburgh secondary will allow for the Steelers to have a nice core to build around. In this day and age of the National Football League, where passing is king and offense runs amok, this is a great move for the Steelers. This will just add another weapon for them on defense.

What does this mean for Miami?

It is no secret that the Miami Dolphins are in rebuilding mode. Right now, the main goal for them is to collect as many assets as possible. This team certainly has a lot of capital to build around. With Ben Roethlisberger out for the rest of the season, this 2020 draft pick could have significant value to it. We will have to see how it all plays out.

Miami currently has three first-round picks and two second round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

This is also a big move for Reshad Jones. He will continue to be the starting safety. Now, he should become the unquestioned leader of the defense. It’s a lot to ask out of him, but I truly believe he can do it.

It will be interesting to see if Fitzpatrick’s trade from the Miami Dolphins will lead to the exits of more players. We have already heard rumblings about players wanting out of Miami.

Minkah Fitzpatrick is a very good player. However for a rebuilding Miami Dolphins team, it was time to move forward. Both teams won in this deal, With a Pittsburgh Steelers team that can still make a run to the playoffs and a Miami team looking to rebuild, this is a great deal for both sides.

Dolphins trending to be worst team ever

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The sample size for these Dolphins is super small…. and the first two opponents were really good.

Still, how much more do you need to see?

Rather than write another treatise about tanking, one tweet summed up the Miami Dolphins’ situation, having been outscored 102-10, at home, by the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots to start the season.

A week ago, I wondered whether this would be the worst non-expansion team in South Florida sports history. (Spoiler: It is.)

Now the question is whether it will be the worst team in NFL history.

Just click the tweet below….

And hide the kids….

Miami Dolphins Tank is Armed and Dangerous

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After two games the Miami Dolphins tank is gassed up and running full speed.

Fans of the Miami Dolphins have witnessed unprecedented ineptitude so far this season.

To put the carnage in perspective an easy place to start is the box score.

Now box scores don’t always tell the whole story, but these numbers don’t lie.

After another deflating home loss, this time 43-0 to the hated Patriots, we have seen the worst start to a season in their history.

How bad do you say?

 

The Miami Dolphins have been outscored 102-10 after two games.

New England’s DEFENSE scored more points today than Miami has all season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick and the starting offense were again an unmitigated disaster, with the Harvard man showing his usual benevolence to the opponent.

 

That was his second pick-six of the day which finally led to his mercy benching in favor of Josh Rosen.

Down 37-0 Rosen would lead a 10 play drive to try and give the Miami fans at least one moment to savor.

It would end on downs of course.

Rosen stans are ready for the second-year quarterback to try and put out this dumpster fire.

After all, Ryan Fitzpatrick is the third lowest rated quarterback in the National Football League.

But guess who’s last?

Rosen isn’t exactly rallying the troops out there in mop up duty, at this point just keep letting him tag in late to give Fitzpatrick a break.

Say hello to your next Matt Moore.

All Three Phases…

Sony Michel had a workman-like 85 yards on 21 carries Sunday.

Miami has 63 yards rushing this season.

The Dolphins have more turnovers (7) than 3rd down conversions (6).

New England had 381 yards in total offense today. Miami has 384 total yards this season.

You cannot look inside the numbers for a silver lining because it does not exist.

 

What we are witnessing is a tank of historic proportions.

Even the worst NFL teams of the modern era were light years ahead of the 2019 tank Dolphins.

The 2017 Cleveland Browns (0-16) are the most recent comparison to this experiment.

Statistically they were at the bottom of the league on both sides of the ball.

Take a closer look and there was a lot more to work with in Cleveland.

They were only outscored 45-28 in their first two games and had six games which they lost by less than seven points.

Cleveland also lost four games by just a field goal in that winless season.

There were signs they could come out the other side.

The Browns parlayed that campaign into the top pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, selecting Baker Mayfield.

They would finish last year 7-8-1 and are a sexy playoff pick this year, despite a humbling loss to open the season.

Miami looks nowhere near that competent in defeat.

 

Their defense has simply been decimated by talent attrition, distraction, and outright atrocious performance.

To be fair they have been hung out to dry by an offense that has been on the field for just 43:23 compared to 76:37 for their opponents.

The defense has literally been on the field for over five quarters in just two games.

With so many more questions than answers on both sides of the ball, where does Brian Flores even start?

It doesn’t get easier next week when the Dolphins face their first road test of the season.,

 

Fans may be buying into the “process” for now, but the jokes may not be as funny as this tank continues into battle week after week.

Follow us on Twitter @SportsWaveDave and @5ReasonsSports.

 

 

Dolphins

Bettor has $3,400 on Dolphins going 0-16

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It takes a lot of confidence to predict a team’s record. It takes guts to make a bet on a team’s record. But it may be insanity to go as far as one gambling individual just has. According to reports, at least one bettor has placed $3,400 on the Miami Dolphins going 0-16 in 2019.

It’s no secret the Dolphins aren’t going to do much winning in 2019. Their talent is depleted, coaching unproven, and drama permeates the locker room. But to assume that Miami is destined to not win a single game all season long, even by accident, is a bit of a stretch. It’s also hard to believe that anyone would be willing to place over $3,000 on that outcome. This means that if the Dolphins manage to win just one game all year, this person loses all that.

Perhaps this person can afford to make reckless gambles like this. However, it does speak volumes about the state of the franchise that people have this level of confidence in Miami’s destined fate on the field. As it stands, their next three games are against the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Chargers. Given their current state, it’s hard to imagine the Dolphins coming out on top during any of those matchups.

However, there is a saying: “Any given Sunday.” This undisclosed bettor either has a crystal ball, or has money to burn if they’re willing to spend that much. But if they’re right, and this leap of faith pays off, the payout will be staggering. It would also mean Miami’s plan worked. Maybe, this will all work out for the best for everyone.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Minkah Fitzpatrick seeking trade away from Miami Dolphins

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After the rout at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, multiple reports came out that several Dolphins players wanted out. The locker room emptied out almost instantly. Players contacted their agents desperately seeking help to find an escape route. Now, at least one player is confirmed to be part of that group. 2018 first round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick has been granted permission to seek a trade, per ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

A Dolphins official informed ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe that while the team is not actively shopping Fitzpatrick, they have not denied his agent, Joel Segal, permission to talk with other teams. So if some teams offers up a king’s ransom like the Dolphins got for Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills, it’s likely Fitzpatrick will be the latest casualty of Miami’s tanking process.

Miami is reportedly looking for a return on their first round investment on Fitzpatrick. Teams seem unwilling to part with such a valuable asset for the former Alabama standout, but stranger things have happened.

Fitzpatrick is highly regarded for his versatility. However, Miami’s desire to use him in multiple roles has been a point of contention for months. Back in August, Fitzpatrick’s mother came out to express her displeasure over her son being misused. Fitzpatrick himself later confirmed he felt the same. He had hoped that a new regime would offer clarification on what his position in the defense was. Instead, things got even cloudier.

As a result of this position juggling, Fitzpatrick has been unable to settle in. His level of play is diminishing as he cannot focus on one thing at a time. He played four different positions against Baltimore, including linebacker. That sort of responsibility is too much to ask of almost anyone, let alone a second-year player.

Potential Consequences

Under these circumstances, it’s hard to imagine the Dolphins’ plan working out. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reports that at least one other veteran wants to leave. That player will never admit it publicly, but it’s easy to speculate. Reshad Jones, Kenyan Drake, Albert Wilson, they all have something to offer contenders. Minkah Fitzpatrick is an elite level nickel cornerback. Miami doesn’t want to let him sit there, despite uprooting Bobby McCain from there to supposedly let Fitzpatrick take that role.

No matter which way you slice it, this is a bad look for the Dolphins. This comes just days after players like Davon Godchaux and Jerome Baker took to social media to support “trusting the process,” so to speak.

As of this moment, Fitzpatrick is still scheduled to play against the New England Patriots, in the same role he’s been in so far. If what happened last week happens again, the locker room mutiny could continue to grow out of control. Brian Flores needs to find a solution, and fast.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Patriots RB James White looking to show out against Dolphins

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Local product James White is coming to town, hoping to lead the New England Patriots to victory.

As the New England Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, a familiar face will be recognizable from the opposing sideline. New England Patriots running back James White will undoubtedly be a part of the game plan for New England. A Florida native, this is sort of like a homecoming game for him. Given that the Patriots and Dolphins are division rivals, he has been back several times as a member of the opposition.

Playing high school football at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, White certainly excelled. In three years of varsity football, he accumulated 1,679 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Averaging 9.1 yards per play, he accumulated 57.9 rushing yards per game. His best season came in his senior season of 2009-10. As some may remember, he had a great year. Playing 11 games, he carried the ball 102 times for  979 yards and 11 touchdowns. Averaging 9.6 yards per carry, he averaged 89 yards a game.

A different type of running back

So far in his tenure with New England, White hasn’t really been a pure running back. In fact, he has become one of their best receiving backs. Take for instance his 14-reception, 110-yard receiving game against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. A Super Bowl MVP award was the result of what was an incredible display of pass-catching. New England patriots Fans had obviously seen what he can do. The Super Bowl performance was a coming-out party for him on the national level.

He has made a living of catching the ball out of the backfield for New England. Fantasy owners love him, and the Patriots have been able to find the perfect niche for him in their game plan. The last time New England played Miami, White rushed the ball four times for 13 yards. He also caught the ball two times for 15 yards. With how crowded the New England backfield is, it’s important for each player to make the most of their snaps. White has certainly done that over the years.

He is the perfect type of running back for this era of football. Running backs that are pass-catchers are often times even more valuable than one-dimensional running backs.

In the New England Patriots season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, White had a great game. he rushed the ball four times for 26 yards, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

He will certainly need to keep up that level of production against a Miami team that has given New England trouble at home. Wherever your rooting interests lie, there is no denying that it is great to see a local kid make it.

 

Tom Brady needs to feel heat from Dolphins pass rush

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The Dolphins need to bring defensive pressure to the New England Patriots in the passing game.

It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins have a tough task this weekend with the New England Patriots coming to town. After all, New England demolished the Pittsburgh Steelers by a 33-3 score. With a stout defense and Tom Brady at the helm, they did whatever they wanted last Sunday. Oh by the way, Antonio Brown should join the team in Miami just in time for the game. It is safe to say the Dolphins will have their hands full.

This may seem like an obvious statement, but the Dolphins need to get pressure on Brady. Last weekend, Lamar Jackson was pretty much free to do whatever he wanted. He burned the Dolphins for 378 passing yards and four touchdowns. Tom Brady will do the same if the Dolphins do not get to him quickly. A receiver like Josh Gordon can beat you with pure speed, while a receiver like Julian Edelman is great at improvising routes and getting an initial first step on his defender. The running backs are huge part of the passing game as well. They can catch screens, wheel routes, and even line up as receivers. They are extremely versatile and add another wrinkle for the defense to look out for.

Sam Eguavoen  and Jonathan Ledbetter each recorded a half sack last week. With one sack in total, the Miami defensive line did not get to the quarterback enough. If the Dolphins have any chance of beating the Patriots, they need to create a consistent pass rush. If you give Tom Brady time to throw, he will make you pay. Even at 42 years old, he can still throw the football extremely well. it’s fascinating to see quite frankly. However, he always seems to struggle in Miami. Whether it be the heat or the crowd noise, a New England Patriots-Miami Dolphins game in Miami is always a good one.

New England Patriots need to feel the heat

Bringing pressure up the middle often makes Tom Brady think a little bit in the pocket. I used to see it a ton with the New York Jets defenses in the early part of this decade. They would bring pressure up the middle, and also bring a little bit of pressure off the edge. They constantly stumped Brady and rushed him into making throws he didn’t like.

Those New York Jets defenses were very good. I’m not asking for the 2019 Miami Dolphins defense to play like those just defenses. The formula of getting pressure up the middle and making Brady think is something that they can do on Sunday. I like to see a little bit more out of Christian Wilkins in this game. He can do a little bit of everything. He can clog up running lanes, but he can also rush the passer. I would love to see him be able to get pressure on Brady. Getting pressure on the quarterbacks was something he did at Clemson, and his skill set should translate well to the National Football League.

Playing Tom Brady and the New England Patriots is not going to be easy. The odds are certainly stacked against the Dolphins, but they can at least make life for Brady in the new England patriots difficult.  Getting pressure on Brady would be a nice step toward keeping this game close. keeping this game close and general would certainly be a moral victory for Miami.

Rookie receiver Preston Williams provided the Dolphins with a small victory against Baltimore

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Preston Williams gave Miami its first victory of the year.

Nobody expected the 2019 season to be pretty for the Miami Dolphins. At the same time, nobody expected a 59-10 blowout by the Ravens in week 1.

The Dolphins, the NFL’s youngest team, was expected to have a few bright spots while tanking away the 2019 season.

Preston Williams, an undrafted rookie from Colorado State, is continuing to make a case as a diamond in the rough.

After an impressive preseason and training camp, Williams finished his first regular season game with three catches for 24 yards, including this saucy touchdown grab before halftime.

“If you’re looking for small victories, that’s about it,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said of the catch.

Fitzpatrick, the 16-year NFL vet, finished his first start by going 14/29 for 185 yards including one touchdown and one interception. Look for Fitzpatrick to continue to target Williams as the Dolphins will play from behind for most of the season.

 

Follow what probably will be the worst team in Miami professional sports history with us at FiveReasonsSports.com. Let’s go through it together, as we all suffer in the 15 games that are left, until get Tua, right?

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According to Vegas, losing Tunsil and Stills did not hurt the Miami Dolphins

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Tunsil and Stills are gone and some Miami Dolphins fans can’t still believe it.

The Dolphins have continued to be the model of mediocrity for the last 20 years.

They’ve struggled to find success in the playoffs. Yet, have refused to bottom out.

The Dolphins are embracing the tank under first-year coach Brian Flores in 2019. As a result, Vegas had Miami winning 4.5 games in the 2019 season. BetOnline still had a line of 4.5  after trading away left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills.

Robert Duff, on sportsbettingdime.com dove into how this move may impact the Dolphins here.

Duff, whom taught a course on the history of sports at Elder College, highlighted how a mutiny could develop in Miami’s locker room after trading away their cornerstone left tackle. According to Duff, what doesn’t help Miami’s situation is that Brian Flores is starting to look as “cold-hearted” as his previous boss, Bill Belichick.

Flores is quickly losing the faith of a team. Like every team, Miami put plenty of work in the offseason, just to fall to Baltimore by 49 points on opening day.

While the first-year coach has preached that his team is going to be competitive, it isn’t looking that way early in the season. Miami’s struggles are at a point in which players don’t want to suit up for a team that will be dominated on a week-by-week basis.

Per Mike Florio, of ProFootballTalk, members of the Miami Dolphins are reaching out to their agents in hopes to get traded from the team. This could potentially make an already diminished roster even weaker.

Early mutiny in Miami

Things will get worse in Miami before they get better. The Dolphins have only won four-or-less games just twice since 1970. The 2019 roster is looking as bad as the 1-15 team from 2007.

Vegas doesn’t see the Dolphins getting any worse, especially after losing Stills and Tunsil. Keep in mind, they are most certainly not getting any better.

The 4.5 line is looking like a pretty appealing line to bet the under on. Especially for a team that is clearly tanking with their sights on Tua Tagovailoa.

Jerome Baker

Jerome Baker is ready to fight through tough times

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Jerome Baker will embrace the situation and fight along all season.

Hours after the 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, ProFootballTalk reported that players wanted out of Miami.
Whispers spread that players were contacting agents with the hope of escaping the 2019 Miami Dolphins. Jerome Baker wasn’t one of them.

Shortly after, the Miami Herald reported that the Dolphins have not heard from any agents.

As a result, Jerome Baker took to Twitter to make it known that he is ready to battle through the tough times in Miami.

Baker played 71 of 76 total defensive snaps for the Dolphins in the first week of the regular season. Keep in mind, he was also named a captain for the 2019 Miami Dolphins.

Hopes are high for Baker in his sophomore season as people expect him to take a huge leap in his second year under coach Brian Flores. Despite the hollow roster surrounding him.

 

 

Join the discussion following us on Twitter and get the best Miami Dolphins content in the market with us here, or at DolphinsMaven.io

By the way, go ahead and buy your Tank For Tua t-shirt and tank top right now clicking here!

Also, you can go ahead and check our new YouTube channel or our video section here in FiveReasonsSports.com