Relegation, legitimacy, popularity: What should MLS do to grow in America?

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Soccer, or more commonly known around the world as Futbol, is the most popular sport in the world. When the World Cup is on, people worldwide stop what they’re doing and watch. However, in the United States, it’s just that. For the World Cup, everyone in the US watches, but most don’t take a second to look at the MLS. Fans in the US follow other leagues and more popular teams, such as, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool FC, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United, Juventus, and the list could go on and on. 

The question we ask when looking at the lack of popularity in the MLS starts with how it’s set up. When you look at the structure, you can ask yourself, what is the MLS lacking? Truthfully it’s simple, a relegation system and legitimacy. In every major league worldwide, there is a relegation system. Finish last? You’re dropped to the second-tier league. Finish with the most points? You win the league. Cut, dry, and straightforward. However, it’s unlikely that the MLS goes through with a second league or a relegation system. 

This is unfortunate, but here is why a relegation system would prompt more fans in the US and worldwide to take the MLS seriously and not just as a retirement league. For this argument, I’m going to use the system that is in German football, the Bundesliga. 

As it currently stands, there are three major leagues in German football with several other leagues down below, which also hold the possibility for promotion and relegation. The same applies in various other leagues worldwide, but with less or more “major leagues.” For example, the Premier League in England has four major leagues, and La Liga in Spain has two. Let’s break the Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga, and 3. Liga down piece by piece and show examples of how this might work in the MLS. 

 

Bundesliga

-Top German league

-Current champion: Bayern Munich

-The first place wins the league, 17 & 18 place get demoted, 16 plays a playoff game to stay up top.

The Bundesliga doesn’t compare to Spain’s La Liga or England’s Premier League when it comes to worldwide stature. However, German giants Bayern Munich won five trophies, including the Champions League, during 2020. The 2020 UCL win put Bayern as one of four clubs to win six or more UCL titles. The German league is also still considered one of the top five leagues in the world. Unless you go to Twitter, where everyone calls it a “farmers league,” I guess they haven’t seen Serie A yet. When we evaluate the table from this season, this is how the standings in the bottom-3 look like on Matchday 9. 

As we currently stand just eight games in, if the season had to end today 1. FC Koln and FC Schalke 04 would be automatically relegated down to the 2. Bundesliga as they hold the 17 & 18 spots on the table. This would also mean that Arminia Bielefeld  would also face a playoff relegation fight to stay up top. The MLS likes to make things complicated when it comes to standings, but if we took all of the teams and found the bottom three teams from this past season, FC Cincinnati and the Houston Dynamo would be automatically relegated with D.C United fighting to stay afloat. 

 

  1. Bundesliga

-Second-tier German league

-Current champion/promoted: Arminia Bielefeld 

-Follows similar rules to the Bundesliga

I ask you to stay with me a little here as the names start to get a little harder to pronounce. The top two leagues in Germany have played the same amount of games at seven ahead of Matchday 9. If we took the table as it is now, Hamburg SV and Grether Furth would be instantly promoted in place of Mainz and Schalke, and Vfl Osnabruck would play Bielefeld in the playoff to decide who goes up or stays put. There isn’t much to compare directly to the MLS with the bottom two German leagues. However, they’re essential for developing and promoting Germany’s young talent, which is key to the leagues success. Young talent developing in a separate professional league bodes well for the five major leagues, it could do the same in the MLS. 

 

  1. Liga

-Last hope for teams in the major leagues before a demotion to the amateur leagues

-Current champion/promoted: FC Bayern Munich II (the Bayern Youth Team…)

It had the same situation as the first two leagues. Winners go up, and losers go down. In this case, the losers would be demoted to the fourth tier of German football. The only difference is that the bottom four of the 20 club league go down to the fourth tier. No playoffs for them to stay. It’s an automatic relegation. The top two teams do get automatically promoted, and the third team would face off for promotion. We did see an abnormal table last season when FC Bayern Munich II, the youth team for Bayern, won the league. However, due to rules from the governing soccer body in Germany, they’re not allowed to be promoted any further than the third division.

What benefits does a relegation system provide?

Why does it matter if a team gets relegated? Essentially why should you care about relegation or promotion. Well, It’s a situation that would be uncommon to major sports leagues in the US and something that even LAFC coach Bob Bradley would welcome. 

There is a certain passion, as most fans of teams in these worldwide leagues will tell you. The feeling of having the last matchday of the season mean relegation, promotion, or winning the title is a feeling like no other. This goes from fans to the players. The fans build a connection with their team. They embody the club and everything it stands for. The passion they hold for each match is important no matter what the competition.

If the MLS requires the playoffs, then create a separate cup for the top four teams. Running each game as a two-legged affair (except for the final) with teams getting one home and away game. With away goals making the difference as they do in every league worldwide. 

When we related this to the 2019 MLS season, LAFC would’ve won their first MLS title, and the “MLS Cup” would be played between LAFC, NY City, Atlanta United, and the Seattle Sounders. LAFC would’ve faced the Sounders in a 1 vs. 4 seed matchup both home and away. NY City and Atlanta facing off in the 2 vs. 3 seed matchup with the same home and away fixture. Also creating more money, just saying. Make teams earn their spot in the league’s history and don’t allow a 7th place team into a playoff while undeserving.  

Breaking it all down:

For this same situation as the German leagues, we would be breaking down the MLS into three (or four) separate leagues instead of their one-tier league. Each team would play each other twice, and at the end of the season, the team at the top of the table wins the MLS title. It makes each game important during the season and, as the season progresses, leaves little room for error.

The USL Championship already has a system in place with multiple leagues. The MLS could adopt the USL into its system while replacing the youth teams for each MLS team and make a youth league for the MLS. They could even keep the four league system. 

 

  1. MLS
  2. MLS Championship
  3. MLS League One
  4. MLS League Two (Or just a youth league with their own cup but no relegation)

 

This would allow the MLS to keep a top tier league and include the chance for poor placing teams to be relegated to the championship. Not only this, but the US Open Cup already includes both USL teams and MLS teams. Why have a cup that is including both leagues but no relegation? 

There are currently 26 teams in the MLS, with expansion on its way with four more teams, and realistically we’d want the league to be around the 17-20 team range. All of this would be extremely difficult to accomplish, and it would be hard to break down the monetary distribution for the league(s), but it’s possible. 

Interest in the MLS is low in the states and worldwide. Again, it’s considered a retirement league to just about every country in the world. Wayne Rooney came here and essentially retired before moving to Derby County as a player-manager. David Beckham retired with the LA Galaxy, Thierry Henry with the NY Red Bulls, and the league thought it claimed its most recent victim in Zlatan Ibrahimović. The latter played two seasons with the Galaxy before returning to A.C Milan for a second stint in the winter transfer window. Star players from Europe come here to chill out, relax, score some goals, make some money, and retire. Even Gonzalo Higuaín and Blaise Matuidi have no European future and are now Inter Miami C.F. players. 

In an excellent article by Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, he mentions that money is starting to entice the world and, most notably, South American players to come to the MLS and eventually move on to Europe. Let’s say the MLS moves from a retirement league to a developmental league with more reputation and prestige than before. Well, it’s had its success in players like midfielder Miguel Almiron and winger/full-back Alphonso Davies who both moved to Europe in the last few years from the MLS. Almiron moved to the Premier League from Atlanta United and Davies to the Bundesliga from the Vancouver Whitecaps. Davies, a Canadian international, is 19 years old and the starting left-back for Bayern. The MLS can do it, but the biggest question is whether they can keep the casual fan. 

Popularity issues:

When Zlatan made his move to the Galaxy, he was on nightly talk shows, and he instantly became the face of the MLS while players like Carlos Vela and Josef Martinez had better overall seasons. Zlatan was the star with the Galaxy and even mentioned he was, “a Ferrari amongst Fiats”. He left, and now outside of LA who is truly following the Galaxy, or even better, did you hear anything from them at all this season?

They brought in Chicharito to replace that star talent they lost in Zlatan but still lack defense, which was a significant flaw the Galaxy had last season. Which is another problem the MLS faces when building teams. There is too much focus on star power and not the team. What more could Zlatan do without a team around him? They continued their lackluster performances this season without Zlatan, who is back in great form with A.C Milan scoring two-goals against Napoli this past weekend. 

To use the City of Miami as an example of why the MLS lacks in its popularity, I ask you to take a second and think about the types of jerseys you see in stores. What are the team jerseys most commonly worn? The top two teams are, without a doubt, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Ask any kid who loves soccer what their favorite team is, and it’s most likely one of those two top teams in La Liga. You could honestly throw in Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool F.C, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Paris Saint Germain to the mix. Especially with most of those teams collaborating with shoes, clothing lines, etc. They’re more popular in the US than the MLS is by a mile. 

All of these teams do US tours, and each time they get ideal audiences. Barcelona and Madrid played an El Classico game in Miami, and the crowd was huge. Mind you, it was just a preseason game. Relegation is not why these teams are popular, but their league gets credit for the competition and how every single game matters. The same with the Premier League and the Bundesliga. Each dropped point matters, each mistake, every missed goal, they all provide context for what happens in a team’s season. Currently, the MLS has no reason for teams to panic or even care what happens if they finish last. Adopting a relegation system will ultimately provide more competitive games, bring legitimacy to this “retirement league,” and make each game matter more. 

Helping United States soccer grow:

Finally, we finish with one of the bigger issues. In the United States there is a big issue with the men’s team producing soccer stars. This is an issue in the MLS and how soccer is treated in the states. As it currently stands, the US team has many promising players, and most of them are playing in the Bundesliga (or have before). Top young prospects like Giovanni Reyna and Josh Sargent play in the Bundesliga right now. Reyna just recently signed a new 5-year deal with Borussia Dortmund and Sargent played a huge roll in the 1-1 draw against Bayern this past weekend. 

One of the most popular and successful of the current young stars, Christian Pulisic, plays with Chelsea in the Premier League after moving last summer from Dortmund. Even Weston McKinnie moved on loan from FC Schalke 04 to Juventus. US soccer prospects are moving to Germany to make a living for themselves, and rightfully so. The US gives them no path to make a name for themselves here. 

Top US prospects have grown and have shown the ability to get their name out there and make the most of their opportunities. All are playing outside of the country without any clear development provided in the US right now. They’re also learning the system they will hopefully play through for the rest of their lives. Having a league in their backyard that provides quality football and is respected worldwide would help a younger generation of players fall in love with soccer and develop at an earlier age. 

There is a need for an ability to show a younger generation of people in the US that they can be a successful star in soccer and allowing them to do it in their backyard is the chance of a lifetime. We had Dempsey, Donovan, and Howard in recent years, but none were as successful internationally as Pulisic is now. Create a relegation system, bring legitimacy into the league, and give young stars the chance to succeed here. 

Tua Tagovailoa experienced his first NFL loss and benching on Sunday. (Craig Davis for Five Reasons Sports Network)

Pressure Point: Tua one of many Dolphins who played poorly in loss to Broncos

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This will go down as Tua Tagovailoa’s first NFL defeat after wins in his first three starts.

Also, his first time pulled from a game for ineffectiveness.

All of which he summed up succinctly as: “It just sucks to lose.”

A lot of blame will be directed the rookie’s way in the Miami Dolphins’ 20-13 loss Sunday at Denver which ended a five-game winning streak.

But the Dolphins were beaten the old fashioned way in this one. They got soundly whipped up front.

This was a big change from what we’ve seen throughout Miami’s streak. The Broncos were too physical on the line of scrimmage. On offense and defense.

That was evident in the difference in yardage, 459 to 223, advantage Denver. And in the Broncos’ six sacks to zero for a Dolphins defense that has been so impressive in applying pressure in recent weeks.

Miami’s offensive line, featuring two rookies starting and three seeing action — rookie Solomon Kindley left with an injury and rookie Robert Hunt came in at tackle with Jesse Davis moving to guard — had its poorest game of the season.

Dolphins offense struggles

Often Tagovailoa had no time to set up. When there was time, Tua often took too long to find a receiver. That was due in part to receivers struggling to get open — the absence of Preston Williams, on injured reserve, is apparent.

Coach Brian Flores mentioned the trifecta of inadequacies — Tagovailoa, the line and the receivers.

He made the switch at quarterback to Ryan Fitzpatrick with 10:44 remaining because, “At the end of the day we weren’t moving the ball effectively and I just felt like we needed to give ourselves a spark.”

Flores said Tagovailoa wasn’t injured (he’d been on the injury list with an undisclosed foot issue during the week). He also nipped any quarterback controversy in the bud.

Tagovailoa will start next week against the Jets. As well he should.

Without a doubt, the rookie quarterback played poorly Sunday. The Dolphins punted on six of eight possessions with Tua. The only touchdown drive was 22 yards, set up by Xavien Howard’s interception.

“I felt like I was holding the ball a little bit too long,” Tagovailoa said.

Fitzpatrick provides spark but throws clinching interception

Veteran Fitzpatrick came in and provided a spark, leading the Dolphins to a field goal. Then, after Andrew Van Ginkel forced a fumble at the Miami goal line, driving the Dolphins from their own 1 to the Denver 15.

It was vintage Fitzpatrick. The ol’ gunslinger can come in and lead a dramatic comeback or he can take you to the brink and throw the interception that seals defeat.

The later is what happened as Denver free safety Justin Simmons read Fitzpatrick’s intention on a post to DeVante Parker and cut across to pick it off.

It was a bad day all around for the Dolphins in Denver.

Adding to the frustration, a win would have pulled them even with the Bills atop the AFC East at 7-3. It would have been Miami’s best start in 19 years.

Sure, it’s disappointing. But it’s going to happen on the road in the NFL that a team playing well gets outplayed by one that has been struggling.

Dolphins outplayed, outcoached

The Broncos, now 4-6, not only outplayed the Dolphins, they outcoached them.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio is a heck of a defensive mind. His game plan appeared to confuse Tagovailoa and his defense outmuscled Miami.

Tagovailoa finished 11 of 20 for 83 yards. He still has not officially thrown an interception in the NFL. A penalty negated one Sunday.

The accuracy that Tagovailoa had shown in previous games wasn’t there. When he did look deep, he overthrew speedy Jakeem Grant three times.

His most impressive completion of the day was the three-yard fade to Parker for the only Miami touchdown in the first quarter. Tua has been very good in the red zone. But he was unable to get them there again.

Tagovailoa said the right things about his fourth-quarter benching, saying he recognized it was for the good of the team.

Flores said he isn’t concerned about how the loss and benching will affect Tua: “He’s a confident kid. … I think he’s dealt with a lot of adversity. I think he’s fine.”

Tua said he viewed it as a learning experience.

“It’s one way hearing from Fitz when I come to the sideline. … It may seem like [a receiver is] covered to you. It’s another seeing him going out there and kind of doing it.

“For me, a lot of the time I’ve seen guys were covered but they’re not necessarily cover, if that makes sense. Just being able to see a lot of what Fitz was doing when he got in … a lot of it [was] learning lessons for me.”

Reality check for Dolphins

It was also a reality check for a Dolphins team that perhaps is not as good as it may have appeared during the winning streak.

But for perspective, it was the first loss in two months for a rebuilding team that wasn’t considered ready to compete for a playoff spot this year. And Miami remains very much in the race with winnable games the next two weeks.

Also a reminder that a rookie quarterback in his fourth NFL start, no matter how highly acclaimed, has a lot of learning to do and growing pains to go through.

It could be worse. The Cincinnati Bengals, who play the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in two weeks, lost prized rookie quarterback Joe Burrow to a season-ending knee injury on Sunday.

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

E:5: Best Sports Video Games of 2020

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Whilst sporting events may have taken a hit over the course of 2020, sports video games have gone from strength to strength.

It has been a tough year for physical events, with cancelations and postponements of fixtures peppering the calendar with uncertainty. The NHL season was postponed, as was the NBA and a host of other sports. To fill the void, some fans turned to online video games instead.

MLB was one organization which turned to an online competition to keep fans amused, with MLB The Show event pitting players from real clubs against each other in competition. Other sports, such as Formula One, followed suit and whilst the world emerges, slowly, from the shadow of 2020, those games have remained popular.

Sports video games have been big business for some time now, with some great titles and some a little less than inspiring. Whether it is an officially licensed game such as the soccer game FIFA or something a little zanier like Mario Tennis Aces, sport makes a great platform for drawing in players. Some developers even use sports themes in titles not directly linked with the game, such as in online slots or puzzle games. There is a diverse collection of titles dedicated to the sports genre on Foxy Games, including 24 Hour Le Mans and Football Star, whilst some big console sports titles encompass puzzle games, such as FIFA’s squad building challenges. Sport, whether played with a ball, racquet or engine, will always find a potential market, whatever the genre.

With such a variety of sports games available, how do you know which ones to buy and which to avoid? The market is choked with great simulations, but these four are arguably the cream of the crop in 2020.

Madden NFL 20

The latest Madden release, Madden 21, is hitting the shelves as we speak, but most players have been focused on Madden 20 through the year. With a franchise such as this, a new game hits the market every year, but that means the old one reduces in price. If you have not played Madden before and want to test the water, you can grab a bargain with the 2020 release. The highlight of the game was the QB1 story mode which offered you the opportunity to create your own quarterback, controlling their rise from College Football into the NFL.

NHL 2020

The NHL games do not gain as much traction in the market as the EA cash cows of Madden and FIFA, but it is an incredibly playable and fun game well worth your time and effort. It does lean on Madden for the superstar abilities mode, but also has a challenge where players can earn rewards for defeating featured squads, assembled by stars, not unlike the popular Ultimate Team mode in FIFA.

UFC 3

Combat games have formed a key part of the video game market for many years, from titles such as Mortal Kombat and Tekken right through to the present day. Boxing titles have always struggled due to the limitations of the combat, but with MMA, the gloves are off (pardon the pun). There are so many options and game modes to choose from, such as customizable fighters and a career mode, that even non-UFC fans will find this title engrossing and long-lasting.

Everybody’s Golf

Everybody’s Golf might not pack the licensed punch of TGC 2019 featuring PGA Tour, but it is an instantly accessible and enjoyable version of the real thing. It was formerly known as Hot Shots Golf and boasts features such as character customization, online play, and the ability to wander around golf courses as a tourist.

Kim Ng Marlins

What Kim Ng Means for the Marlins

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It has been quite a rocky road for women in sports. Just ask Kim Ng, the new General Manager of the Miami Marlins. Although her resume speaks for itself (30 years in the sport, two Assistant GM roles, three World Series championships), she has consistently found herself on the short end of the stick. Finally, a team has given her a chance, and as a Miami native, I couldn’t be more proud that the Marlins were the team to pull the trigger. 

Let’s first set the record straight. This is not just a breakthrough for women in sports, it is a breakthrough for the Marlins. Kim was far and away the best choice for the job. With her experience and inherent comfort working in baseball front office, the choice was easy. Within her press conference yesterday, these sentiments were expressed to the fullest extent. Let’s take a look at what Kim Ng talked about and what this means for a promising Miami Marlins future. 

Kim Ng

There were over 100 people at the press conference yesterday. This is not just a local news story, but one that has garnered national attention. Early on, it was clear that Kim has a special bond with both Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly, which will allow her transition to be smooth and effective. As questions rolled in about her past and what led her here, she gracefully expressed her humble origins. Stickball in the streets of Queens growing up, applying a positive mindset to the seemingly insurmountable odds that laid ahead, and her failure is simply an opportunity for growth mentality helped to show her poise in this situation. We got to learn a lot about her and her talents. 

“When I got the job, I felt a huge weight of pressure lift off of my left shoulder. But after 30 minutes, I felt it transition to my right shoulder,” she said. Ng understands that getting this job is the first step. There is plenty more that has to be done to make the Miami Marlins a championship-level team. She expressed that she will continue to utilize everything that she has learned to do this.

What this means for the Marlins

Because of the national attention that this signing received, there was a lack of questions revolving around where Kim will actually take the team. Her personal story of triumph highlighted the day. And although this is clearly deserving, we are left wondering what route she will take to achieve that aforementioned success.

In our recent Youtube video, David, Alejandro, and I talked about where she can take this team. The conclusion we came to was clear. If she trusts the Farm System that has been developed, Kim can potentially put together a winning team internally. Otherwise, she will have to make deals involving our younger talent to win now. Based on our previous year (which was most likely not determinant of how good this team actually is), she will be forced to either accelerate the timeline or simply continue on the path that was originally set. If she decides to do the former, we will go over all of our free agent/trade options in an upcoming video.

All in all, we most likely will not know what is next until Kim Ng makes her first tangible move as GM. Until then, we wait.

Houtz Special: Yes, you should use a waiver claim on Dolphins’ RB Salvon Ahmed

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Miami Dolphins RB Salvon Ahmed has looked impressive in Myles Gaskin’s absence. Here’s why you should pick him up in fantasy this week.

Most years, I strut around my fantasy leagues like Connor McGregor, knowing damn well I’m the big dog at the top of the mountain.

But not in 2020. I’ve done terrible this year. Maybe I can blame injuries or unexpected illnesses, but at the end of the day, I just suck.

Which brings me to my point.

I don’t care if you’re in first or last place. PPR or a Tyrannosaurus standard league.

The Franchise

STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING!

Go to your nearest fantasy league app and search the name ‘SALVON AHMED’. Then decide who on your roster is the weakest link, and smash that claim button without hesitation. Now do this for all of your fantasy leagues.

(NOTE: For those of you who are in dynasty leagues, you probably should’ve picked him up last week. But if you mistakenly passed on him, it’s probably not too late.)

Sure, there are a few other players you could consider.

Chargers fans would suggest Kalen Ballage. And though I do think he’s playing better, I’m not falling down that rabbit hole again. Some other free agent running backs to consider are Rex Burkhead and Devontae Booker. Obviously, every league is different. But you should be able to acquire one of these players, and Ahmed happens to be at the top of my list. (surprise)

But this isn’t rocket science.

If you’re a contender, who knows what might happen where you might find yourself in need of a running back down the stretch.

And if you’re not a contender, why not pick up one of these players to prevent one of your opponents from getting help down the stretch?

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather make things difficult for others than sit by the wayside and watch the weeks slowly pass by. Again, I’m not saying completely burn a nice waiver spot. But if you have the chance to improve your team AND make life difficult for those around, please do. There’s also a very good chance if you’re reading this, you’re a Dolphins fan, which gives you even more of a reason to make a move.

Salvon Ahmed is playing well.

Last week, Ahmed carried the ball 7 times for 38 yards–which was the best we’ve seen from a Dolphins’ rookie running back in his NFL debut since Jay Ajayi in November 2015. Ahmed then followed that up by playing 44 (76%) of the team’s offensive snaps vs. the Chargers, on his way to 22 touches for 90 yards and his first career NFL touchdown. What’s most exciting to see is how quick and decisive he’s been with the football in his hand. Yes, Matt Breida could be back this week, and De’Andre Washington might get more involved in the passing game, but as we saw last week, Flores continues to ride the hot hand.

Miami’s RB coach Eric Studesville had nothing but praise for the rookies’ work habits.

Final Yard

In the end, this Dolphins backfield is hard to predict from a fantasy perspective. Some would say it reminds you of the stable of backs in New England and how they can attack you in a number of different ways. And I’d imagine that’s exactly the way Flores and his staff want it. So, while we all sit here and wait for the inevitable rookie running back in 2021, let’s enjoy what we have.

If you’re a fantasy football contender, put a claim in for Salvon Ahmed. If you’re not, you should too.

It should also go without saying, but if you have Myles Gaskin stashed on your roster, you should add Ahmed as a handcuff. No questions asked.

You can ultimately decide when and where to put Salvon Ahmed in your fantasy lineup, but this late in the season with very few options, he’s worth a dart throw for the Dolphins and your Fantasy football team.

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Please take the time to read Jon’s story and remember, any donation helps!

 

Tua Tagovailoa is 3-0 as a starter for the Miami Dolphins. (Craig Davis for Fivereasonssports.com)

Pressure Point: Dolphins find more than a QB—they find how to win

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The Tua train rolls on.

That would be the simplistic take on the 6-3 Miami Dolphins. It tells only a piece of the story — albeit an important one — though of a team that won all of five games a year ago and now in this very different season is on a five-game winning streak and stands a mere one-half game out of first place in the AFC East.

Much was made ahead of Sunday’s 29-21 Dolphins win over the Los Angeles Chargers about the first meeting between the quarterbacks drafted one pick apart this past April. So give the decision to Tua Tagovailoa (taken at No. 5 by the Dolphins) over Justin Herbert, if you must.

A better gauge is to look at how two teams that finished 5-11 in 2019 have done since that draft.

It is apparent that both teams have found their quarterback. Of greater significance, the Dolphins in their second season under coach Brian Flores have found how to win.

The Chargers, led by Herbert, have piled up impressive stats. Their offense came into Sunday averaging 420 yards a game, nearly 100 more than Miami (322.9).

But they left Hard Rock Stadium with a 2-7 record, all of their losses by a combined 29 points.

Tua puts up numbers that count

Some Dolphins fans seem bothered that Tagovailoa doesn’t have more gaudy numbers after three starts. They want 300-yard games (he has yet to produce one). They want Marino numbers.

What they are getting with Tagovailoa is of greater consequence: efficiency, effectiveness.

On Sunday, two touchdown passes, 169 yards, 106.9 passer rating, no interceptions.

In three starts, he has thrown five touchdown passes — to five different receivers — and has yet to throw a pick.

Tua joined Carson Wentz (2016) as the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to win their first three starts without throwing an interception.

There were no sacks Sunday. A reflection on the pass protection, to be sure, but also on Tua displaying a quick release and ability to escape the rush.

After Sunday’s win Flores was asked about whether this is the style of play he’s seeking from his team — the implication being that the Dolphins are winning without dazzling.

“I’m not really into style, fashion … but playing team football — offense, defense, special teams — if that’s what you mean, everyone involved, everyone’s role is important, good fundamentals, good technique, and just trying to grind out wins in a tough league, every game’s hard.”

Regarding Tagovailoa, Flores said:

“We’ve talked about this. We have a lot of confidence in all our draft picks, that they’re going to develop and improve. He’s no different. That’s what we’re trying to do, develop and improve, and take it week-to-week.”

Many names add up to Dolphins’ win

On Sunday, the Dolphins won again not just because Tua did his part, but also because of names with less recognition like Andrew Van Ginkel (blocked punt that put them on the doorstep of the first touchdown) and Salvon Ahmed, an undrafted rookie who rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown in his first start at running back.

Jakeem Grant had a game-high 43 yards on four receptions and a touchdown, helping fill the void with Preston Williams in injured reserve. He also contributed to favorable field position by averaging 19 yards on three punt returns.

There was unheralded Zach Sieler, a waiver wire pickup last December, continuing to stand out on the defensive line. He had two tackles for loss. On one, he pressured Herbert, who threw short to a back. Sieler hustled back and made the tackle.

There was cornerback Xavien Howard, flagged four times for pass interference a week ago, with a fourth-quarter interception that took the starch out of any Chargers comeback hopes.

There was defensive back Nik Needham, another undrafted player who has forged a key role in his second season. Needham had a sack and broke up a deep pass for three-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen.

The Miami secondary kept standout Charger wideouts Allen and Mike Williams mostly in check (combined five catches for 77 yards and a meaningless TD to Allen in the final two minutes).

Defense leads Dolphins’ resurgence

It was no accident Herbert had his worst statistical day in eight starts. The Dolphins defense kept him off balance by disguising their intentions on blitzes and coverage.

It is evident that while Tua may be the conductor, the Flores/Josh Boyer defense is the driving force in this run of seven wins in the past eight games.

“I think defensively we played, … We made it hard for them early in the game, getting off the field on third down. A lot of guys played well. I thought there was good communication, really across the board defensively, the kicking game, offensively,” Flores said.

Also notable was the response of center Ted Karras in standing up for the botched exchange with Tagovailoa as the Dolphins were on the verge of taking a 21-0 lead. Karras said his hands were wet with sweat in explaining why the ball squirted out like a greased pigskin and took full responsibility.

That one play swung the momentum to the Chargers and led to the outcome being in doubt until Howard’s interception.

It was Tua who chased down Nick Vigil and made the tackle on the fumble return.

“Well, that’s a gutsy play and one of the plays of the game and something that is just great team football and not on my part, on that play, and that hurts,” Karras said. “You want to always be the guy to be old reliable, but this team is so fun to play with and there’s a brotherhood here and I think that’s why it hurt me so much. But we rallied … We won the game and we’re going to keep rolling.”

Just another indication that these Dolphins are buying into Flores’ message of everyone doing whatever it takes to grind out wins, whatever it takes.

Including Tua, who ended his postgame media session by declaring, “Go, Fins!”

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

 

Dolphins Rams

Tua, Dolphins Defeat Chargers 29-21 in Action-Packed Performance

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The storyline of this game was all about a rookie quarterback battle between Tua Tagovailoa and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert.

And in some ways, that was exactly what happened. But perhaps more so, this game was about stone cold efficiency on all three sides of the ball. And where the Chargers faltered, the Dolphins delivered.

On the second play of the game, Nik Needham sacked Justin Herbert, setting up a third down conversion the Chargers couldn’t complete. On the punt deep in their own territory, Andrew Van Ginkel stepped up for a key block and recovery that led to the Dolphins’ first TD, a 1-yard run by Salvon Ahmed in the second minute of the game. The scoring drive summary was one play for one yard in four seconds.

That set the tone for the rest of the game with the Fins only punting twice. Tua Tagovailoa put together a number of excellent drives with the help of runningback Salvon Ahmed (85 yards, 1 TD), who got the start with three of the Fins’ top RBs out. Jakeem Grant proved he wasn’t just a return specialist as he averaged almost 11 yards per reception, and even Durham Smythe got in on the party on a beautifully designed touchdown play by offensive coordinator Chan Gailey that saw every member of the Chargers defense run in the exact opposite direction they should’ve been going in.

Los Angeles put up a fight and the Fins looked a bit lackluster after a mishandled snap by center Ted Karras in the second quarter, but they rallied in the third after a huge interception by Xavien Howard. “It changed the momentum,” the star cornerback said simply after the game. Howard and fellow cornerback Byron Jones effectively shut down the Chargers’ star wideout, Keenan Allen, who only totaled 39 yards on the day. He was targeted seven times and only reeled in three, thanks in large part to the Fins’ stellar secondary.

The Dolphins’ defense took Herbert down for two sacks (including one by Emmanuel Ogbah, who has a sack in six straight games) and eight QB hits. Five tackles for loss and six passes defensed ended in a largely dominant performance that the Chargers just couldn’t match.

Perhaps the real stars of the day, the offensive line protected the Fins’ most valuable offensive asset to near perfection and created opportunities all over the field for Salvon Ahmed. Outside of Karras’ misstep, the O-line stood strong and had arguably their best performance of the season. Tagovailoa was only hit once throughout the entire game and not sacked at all. Although he had a couple of lucky throws that perhaps should’ve been interceptions, he ended the day 3-0 as a starter with zero interceptions and five touchdowns on his rookie season. Not bad for a rookie with a bad hip.

The need-to-know in Canes recruiting: Offense

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Since the 2020 season kicked off, Miami’s noise on the recruiting trail has died dow just a tad bit but the momentum is still strong. The 9th-ranked Canes sit with 21 commits for the 2021 class, which is ranked 9th in the nation and 2nd in the ACC. So where does Miami stand with each position and what names should you be familiar with heading into next month’s Early Signing Period? Here’s some updates for you on the offensive side of the ball. 

 

Quarterback

Commits: None

 

Targets: Jake Garcia (Loganville Grayson, GA)

 

As the saying goes, you need a quarterback in every class. Regardless of how many you have on their roster or how many you took in the previous class, YOU NEED A QUARTERBACK. I think everyone can agree that a surplus of QB’s on your roster is better than a shortage.

 

At this point, there’s pretty much only one guy that QBs coach/OC Rhett Lashlee has his sights set on and that’s Valdosta’s (GA) Jake Garcia. Garcia is originally from El Habra, CA but transferred to Valdosta after the state of California pushed back the 2020 high school football season to at least this upcoming spring. That meant no senior season for Garcia and with family living in the Atlanta area, it was a move that both him and his family were up for. However, Garcia’s season was cut short recently. After an ESPN feature story on how his family made the move and how he was cleared to transfer, two neighboring (and rival) schools of Valdosta filed a complaint. Somehow and some way, Garcia was allowed to transfer AGAIN to Grayson High in nearby Loganville, GA and play immediately. 

 

 

Miami’s been on his tail for quite a while, even while he’s been committed to USC, and this will continue to be a recruitment to watch for two reasons: the first is that he is one of two QBs committed to the Trojans (Miller Moss), and secondly, USC recently offered another QB out of Utah. That can only mean that they do not feel comfortable with the commitment status of one of their QB’s (take a wild guess). But according to some of the guests we’ve had on The Sixth Ring (Gaby Urritia of 247Sports and Stefan Adams of CanesInsight), for how long this saga has dragged on, it is concerning that Garcia has not switched his commitment. The situation is definitely fluid at this point.

 

Running Back

Commits: Thaddeus Franklin (Hollywood Chaminade Madonna, FL)

 

The Canes currently have four scholarship backs on the team, including two highly-touted freshmen in Jaylan Knighton and Don Chaney, but there’s a decent possibility that Knighton and Chaney could be the only two backs left in 2021. There’s also junior Cam Harris, who could opt for the NFL Draft, and Robert Burns, who I’m predicting to grad transfer in lieu of more playing time at another program. 

 

It’s looking more likely that they’re going to stick with just Franklin, the 6’2” bruiser back out of Broward County, as their only other target was Miami Central’s Amari Daniels. Daniels recently committed to Texas A&M. 

 

Wide Receiver

Commits: Jacolby George (Plantation, FL), Romello Brinson (Miami Northwestern, FL), Brashard Smith (Miami Southridge, FL)

 

The haul at receiver as of now should bring much excitement for Canes fans moving forward. In my opinion, Brinson is very underrated with solid speed and excellent footwork, even as the 24th-best receiver in the nation. Standing 6’2”, 180 lbs, he’s bound to fight for playing time in 2021 and could be a WR1 in the future. His skill set was on full display against Miami Southridge and five-star Florida commit Jason Marshall.

 

 

Miami also has Jacolby George committed, who’s also a four-star recruit, is probably the best receiver in Broward County and is not that far behind Brinson in the rankings. George only weighs in at 161 so he probably needs a year or two to add weight to see substantial playing time. 

 

To finish it off, Brashard Smith is on the shorter end of the stick at 5’8” but he is the ideal fit for Rhett Lashlee’s offense in the slot. 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins describes him as “a menace in the slot that’s capable of scoring anytime he touches the ball.”

 

Tight End

Commits: Elijah Arroyo (Independence Frisco, TX), Khalil Brantley (Miami Northwestern, FL)

 

Miami’s set, pretty much. The Canes should expect to lose Brevin Jordan after this season and possibly Will Mallory, which would leave them with just two scholarship tight ends in Larry Hodges and Dominic Mammarelli. Arroyo is a four-star prospect, ranked as the third-best tight end in the nation according to 247Sports and he’s been a star for Frisco so far this season. Through the first 3 games, he’s had 15 catches for 321 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Brantley is one of three Miami Northwestern commits in the fold and is a key piece of the Bulls as they are considered to be the best high school team in South Florida. 

 

Offensive Line

Commits: Laurence Seymore (Miami Central, FL), Michael McLaughlin (Parkland Stoneman Douglas, FL), Ryan Rodriguez (Miami Christopher Colombus, FL)

 

Targets: Austin Barber (Jacksonville Trinity Christian Academy, FL)

 

Yeah yeah, you’ve heard the concerns about Miami’s OL from the past couple of years. For the most part, there’s still a lot of youth and inexperience but as it stands, Miami has a great trio of linemen committed and they’re the best of the best in South Florida. The highest-rated commit is Laurence Seymore, who is rated as the 10th-best guard in the country. Seymore is also Miami’s longest-tenured commit, having been committed since March of 2018. The 6’7” McLaughlin has since added good weight since committing to the Canes earlier this year and is hitting close to 300 pounds. Rodriguez looks to be the center of the future for Miami and is next in line to replace Corey Gaynor after this season. 

 

One name to watch going forward is Austin Barber out of Jacksonville. He recently backed off his pledge to Minnesota and OL coach Garin Justice has made frequent contact with him. However, as Adams reported on our show, it’s still relatively early in Miami’s chase for Barber and considering Miami now has 3 spots open, I would not be surprised if things heat up in Miami’s favor. 

 

https://twitter.com/Andrew_Ivins/status/1322229032012959745

 

Be sure to look out for another episode of The Sixth Ring on Friday night as we preview the Canes taking on Virginia Tech. Stay tuned to @5ReasonsCanes and @PaulAustria_ on Twitter for the latest in Hurricanes news and catch us on The Sixth Ring show twice a week as well pre and post-game.

 

Also, sign up for an account on Prizepicks.com, where you can pick the over/under on fantasy projections on some of your favorite players. Enter the promo code “five” to double your initial deposit.

 

The Rise of the (Miami) King

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Manny Diaz didn’t hesitate.

The Miami Hurricanes had come out flat against North Carolina State. The Wolfpack had gone 89 yards in 6 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The last thing Miami wanted to do was punt the ball back to NC State.

So no, Manny Diaz didn’t hesitate. Instead, he put the ball in the hands of his best player, D’Eriq King. That faith paid off when King galloped 42 yards for a 1st down.

When Miami finished the drive with a TD, we knew that King’s run had lifted the Canes back into the game, providing a platform from which to build.

What we didn’t know is that for the next 4 quarters, D’Eriq King would put on a performance that would put him in the same breath of any of the great QBs that ever played at QB U.

Miami’s defense crumbled against the precision passing of backup QB Bailey Hockman. But every time the Wolfpack would threaten to separate, there was King and the Canes, answering back.

NC State’s strategy was simple. They didn’t respect King’s ability to connect on deep passes. And they had reason. Miami had struggled to connect downfield all year. So they loaded up on the run and dared Miami’s maligned, COVID-depleted receiving corps to get open. Dared King to beat them with his arm.

And in a gutty all-around performance from the Canes’ passing game, the Miami WRs got open and King hit them over and over again. King finished 31-41 for 430 yards and 5 TDs, spreading the ball around to Mike Harley, Mark Pope, Will Mallory, and Dee Wiggins, all of whom stepped up repeatedly to make big plays.

Despite all of this offensive explosion, Miami played from behind much of the game.  When Chris Dunn nailed a 53-yard FG at the beginning of the 4th quarter to put the Wolfpack up 41-31, he gesticulated towards the Canes bench, crudely suggesting that they fellate him.

What Dunn and the rest of the Wolfpack didn’t know is that the Canes were about to rally late like Joe Biden with mail-in ballots.

We must give the Canes’ defense some credit here. After an abhorrent first 3 quarters , Miami’s defense would hold NC State to 6 yards and also intercepted a pass in this miraculous 4th quarter.

Still, it fell to King to erase the deficit. After a 54 yard FG drive, the Canes drove again, this time for what appeared to be a tying TD. Twice, the Canes entered the end zone, and twice the refs denied them. Once again, they settled for a FG, cutting the lead to four.

When Miami got the ball back, an intentional grounding penalty (a rare King mistake)  put the Canes 92 yards from the end zone. With under 4 minutes left, this was it. 92 yards. 2nd and 18. The pressure on King was immense. He had to deliver or the season might well unravel.

King did what he did all game. He lifted his team and elevated his program. First, he hit Harley for 35 yards to get the Canes out from their own end zone. 3 plays later, on 3rd and 7, he hit Harley again, this time for 54 yards and the go ahead TD. Those 2 passes totaled 89 yards.

After an interception, Miami still needed to run the clock out. They ran twice for a total of 4 yards. With 2:20 left, and NC State out of timeouts, Miami needed just 6 yards for an improbable comeback. There was only one player to get the ball to, and the Canes exploited one of the great ironies of the game. NC State entered the game hoping to load up on the run, and force King to win the game throwing the ball. And King did that. But NC State also failed to stop King on designed runs. And on this critical 3rd and 6, King ended the game the way he started it…on a designed run for a critical 1st down.

After traveling 430 yards through the air and 105 yards on the ground, the King could finally rest, having carried his team to victory in perhaps the best individual performance in school history. As this virtuoso performance was unfolding, the game continued to hang in the balance, with the Canes trailing for much of it. Which made it difficult to appreciate in the moment.

But in retrospect, the unique magnificence of this performance is unbelievable, even to those of us who witnessed it. We’ll likely never see something like this again. Miami is now a Top 10 team again, having recovered from the Clemson loss with 3 consecutive wins. But it was the singular figure of the undersized transfer QB who came to Miami to elevate the program and did so in a spectacular fashion that we’ll remember long after this season is over.

For one game, D’Eriq King was the finest QB to ever line up under center for the University of Miami.

Vishnu Parasuraman is a contributor for @FiveReasonsSports and generally covers the Miami Hurricanes. You can follow him on twitter @vrp2003

Tua Tagovailoa says the Dolphins did what they had to against a tough Cardinals team.

Pressure Point: Dolphins are Tua’s team now

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The rush to judgment on Tua Tagovailoa after a debut start with training wheels on was not only premature it was laughable.

Coach Brian Flores made that clear at midweek when he brushed off as nonsense the notion that the Dolphins were giving the quarterback they supposedly tanked to get in the draft a 10-game audition to determine whether they should draft another quarterback in 2021.

If it is an audition, Tagovailoa passed with flying colors Sunday in his second start.

The Dolphins not only pulled off a remarkable comeback win, 34-31, on the road against a tough Arizona Cardinals team, they can confirm to have indeed found their quarterback. The outside noise can stop right there.

It was entertaining and exhilarating to watch. How long has it been since the Dolphins not only kept pace in a wide-open shootout but came out ahead?

It sure conjured memories of Danny Boy flinging it in his prime.

Tua made plays down the stretch

Tua got his first win last week on the coattails of an opportunistic defense. Afterward Flores said that one day Tua would bail out the team. Sunday he did just that in leading his first comeback win with 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Make that Tua-and-0.

“I thought he made a lot of plays for us, a lot of big plays for us, especially down the stretch. We needed it,” Flores said. “They made plays, we made plays. The stage wasn’t too big for him tonight. He played well. But we had a lot of guys play well. … It was a team effort.”

Kudos to the defense for producing the first touchdown and making a vital fourth-down stop. And for field goals of 56 and 50 yards by Jason Sanders, who set a franchise record with 20 consecutive made kicks.

But the 10-play, 93-yard drive to the tying touchdown made it clear this is Tua’s team now.

The drive, which began with the Dolphins down by a touchdown, gained impetus with Tagovailoa, in the shadow of his own end zone, converting on third-and-9 with a 14-yard completion to DeVante Parker.

It featured Tagovaila twice scrambling for first downs. The first he converted on third down by juking past a defender. The second was a stunning escape from pressure for 17 yards to the Arizona 11. The following play he tossed a pinpoint strike to Mack Hollins to tie the game.

Then, following a fourth-down stop by Zack Seiler, Tua moved the Dolphins close enough for Sanders’ decisive 50-yard field goal.

Tua dazzled on the run

The runs were eye-opening, especially considering the hip injury that ended Tagovailoa’s college career.

“I think the dolphins organization, with everyone from the medical staff, if they felt that they would be putting me in a bad situation if I had to go and make a play on the run, I don’t think they’d let me go out there and play.

“I had self-confidence I would be able to go out there and if I needed to make a play with my legs, I would.”

He added with a laugh: “That was probably the slowest I ever felt. Oh, my goodness, I felt like I was running in quicksand.”

The Tua and Kyler Show, a renewal of college rivals, delivered beyond expectations. Tagovailoa and Arizona’s Kyler Murray combined for 672 yards.

Tua did his part in matching skills and scores with the superlative Murray, whose accuracy and ability to evade tacklers is uncanny.

The No. 1 draft pick in 2019, Murray has been performing for a season and a half the way he did Sunday. He threw for 283 yards and three touchdowns with a passer rating of 150.0.

Tua keeps pace with Murray

Tua? Frankly, it was uncertain what to expect other than that he would be asked to do a lot more than in his first start.

All he did was complete 20 of 28 passes for 248 yards, two touchdowns and a 122.3 passer rating. His 35 yards on seven rushes were second on the team.

But the passing was what everyone wanted to see, and Tua delivered on every type of throw that could be asked of him.

He did it with a limited receiving corps. Preston Williams left with a foot injury in the first half after catching a touchdown pass and getting jumped on by man-child defensive lineman Christian Wilkins.

But Tua not only made effective use of his best receiver, Parker, who made all six of his receptions after Williams left, he threw that spot-on tying touchdown to Hollins, who had no previous receptions as a Dolphin.

Tagovailoa show he can setp up in the pocket and deliver completions. He threw accurately on the run.

In the first half, he made a deep throw to Williams for 35 yards on the first touchdown drive. On the second scoring drive, he found Williams on third down near the goal line for a touchdown.

He found tight end Durham Smythe over the middle on the third look for 19 yards and a first-and-goal that set up Miami’s first touchdown.

Just the beginning for Tua

“Tua did his part. It wasn’t a perfect game. He made some mistakes like we all did,” Flores said, but added, “He fought back, we fought back as a team and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end.”

The Dolphins have now won four in a row for the first time in four seasons. At 5-3, they are very much in the playoff chase, perhaps a season sooner than expected.

When you look at the bigger picture, the future comes into much brighter focus. Just two starts into his career, Tagovailoa has already demonstrated he can be the quarterback of the Dolphins’ hopes and dreams.

And he is going to get better than he was Sunday.

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