Tua Tagovailoa made his debut in a brief appearance, but the big story of the Miami Dolphins is their rise as a playoff contender.

THE EXTRA YARD: Tua Tagovailoa named the Starter.

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After Tua Tagovailoa saw some action in mop up duty versus the New York Jets, the questions began on Twitter and elsewhere as to when Brian Flores might make a change at the quarterback position. Brian Flores has since named Tua Tagovailoa the starter, going forward. We do have one other instance in Dolphins history where a coach and quarterback navigate the early part of a NFL schedule till replacing the original starter, Don Shula and Dan Marino in 1983. So how did Shula arrive at the decision to start Marino and how does it compare to what Brian Flores has executed with Tua Tagovailoa? Let’s examine.

Very Different Teams/ starting QB’s.

The 1983 Miami Dolphins were coming off a Super Bowl appearance, losing 27-17 to the Washington Redskins, mainly because of a very ineffective passing game led by David Woodley. Woodley had a 65.7 career passer rating, and had thrown 5 TD’s against 8 Interceptions in 9 regular season games in the strike shortened Super Bowl season. David Woodley was plainly put, one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL on one of the best rosters. The Dolphins were on the hunt for a franchise guy, and found him in the 1983 draft at #26 overall in Dan Marino. The 2020 Dolphins have a much better quarterback at the helm in Ryan Fitzpatrick, and are not a Super Bowl contender like that 1983 Dolphin team was. The only similarity in these circumstances are that both teams took their franchise QB in the first round.

When did Shula go to Marino?

The 1983 season kicks off and Shula starts David Woodley. Dolphins got off to a 2-0 start with a 12-0 win versus the Buffalo Bills and a 34-24 win over the New England Patriots. In those two games, David Woodley was 8-22 for 40 yards, and 11-22 for 218 yards with 2 TD’s,no INT’s. Not terrible, but not spectacular either, and a showdown game was coming against the Los Angeles Raiders,on Monday Night Football.

September 19, 1983.

Raiders, Dolphins. A battle for AFC supremacy. In the 4th quarter, Woodley was 10-18 for 144 yards, with 1 interception, while bein sacked 3 times. The score was Raiders 27 Dolphins 0. Shula goes to Marino against what at the time is considered, the best Defense in the NFL, and let’s it rip. Dan Marino is charged with running a hurry up offense, and goes 11-17 for 90 yards, with touchdowns to Joe Rose, and Mark Duper. Final Score Raiders 27 Dolphins 14. The writing was on the wall. Teh 2020 Dolphins have not been in such a hopeless situation as that 1983 Dolphin team was on that Monday night in September.

Short Leash for Woodley.

The writing was on the wall, but Shula still started David Woodley in week 4 when the 2-1 Dolphins took on the 1-2 Chiefs in the Orange Bowl, and methodically outlasted Kansas City 14-6, with Woodley going 10-17, for 92 yards, (1 TD,2 INT). After the game, talk radio began the drum beat for Dan Marino, and Shula appeased the fans by pulling David Woodley after an ineffective 4-12 start the following week in a 17-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Marino connected with Mark Duper for Miami’s only points that day. The 2020 Miami Dolphins have Ryan Fitzpatrick on an upswing, but on a downswing in play in the second half of his last game. The parallels are not there.

Tua Tagovailoa named the starter for week 8.

Marino is named the starter for week 6, and the rest is history. Brian Flores is now naming Tua Tagovailoa the starter for week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams after a bye week. This had to have been part of his plan. The Dolphins have had some “spotty” QB play, but it hasn’t been fatal in any games. We have long speculated that Brian Flores is not a patient man, but he has been more than deliberate. This is not a “rash” or “hurried” decision. Coach Brian Flores feels as if he has a contender on his hands and he is merely plugging in what he feels is an upgrade at the quarterback position. History was made today, and it was not made as it was in 1983. This wasn’t a case where an obviously inferior QB was holding the team back. This was Brian Flores following his own plan, and upgrading the QB position for a run at the AFC East Divisional crown. That is the belief. There is no doubt. It is Tua Time.

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Tua Tagovailoa made his debut in a brief appearance, but the big story of the Miami Dolphins is their rise as a playoff contender.

Pressure Point: Miami Dolphins’ rise as contender eclipses Tua debut

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Rewatching Tua Tagovailoa’s brief but eventful Miami Dolphins debut in mop-up duty in the 24-0 thumping of the Jets, and my thoughts drift back to a Monday night in September 1983.

Was watching a lackluster Dolphins loss to the Raiders in a bar in Newport, Rhode Island, which would have been lost to memory until it suddenly became unforgettable. That was when Don Shula sent in the rookie quarterback Dolphins fans had been clamoring to see, and Dan Marino began a Hall of Fame career by chucking two touchdown passes to enliven a 27-14 defeat.

It would be another three weeks before Marino would get his first NFL start (with another relief effort in between).

Remains to be seen when Tua surfaces again. Safe bet the first start won’t come in two weeks when the Dolphins play host to the 4-2 Rams (who will be coming off a Monday night date with the 5-1 Bears).

Unlike Marino, who got enough time to toss fourth-quarter TDs to Joe Rose and Mark Duper that night at the L.A. Coliseum, Tagovailoa only got five plays Sunday.

He threw two passes, completed both for nine yards. Still, he showed mobility rolling to his left on the sort of play he broke his hip on last November, and completed the first to Patrick Laird.

The second was on the mark to Jakeem Grant for a first down. Notably because it was the only third-down conversion the Dolphins made all day, in nine attempts.

More from Five Reasons: Can the Dolphins follow upward trend of Heat, Marlins?

Only one game back in AFC East

It was a tantalizing taste of Tua that will leave fans wanting much more, and soon.

I was ready for it after the 1-3 start. But circumstances have changed in the past two weeks. The surprising blowout win at San Francisco was a seismic shift.

Now at 3-3, and just a game behind the AFC East-leading Bills, the Dolphins are in position to chase a playoff spot. The way they have played in winning three of the past four weeks shows it is a realistic ambition.

The improvement since the ragged opening losses against New England and Buffalo is profound.

What stands out as meaningful about Sunday was not that Tua got on the field. It was what it revealed about how far Coach Brian Flores has taken the Dolphins as opposed to how previous coach Adam Gates has turned the Jets into the sort of mess he left behind in Miami.

The comparison was highlighted by the CBS studio crew at halftime.

Boomer Esiason on the Jets: “Looking at the Jets’ sideline, it looks dead to me. It looks like a dead team walking. … They look lost.

Bill Cowher on the Dolphins: “They are building a culture, which is about winning football games, holding people accountable and bringing people together.”

Dolphins find togetherness

That togetherness was evident in Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the cheers for Tagovailoa from the sideline. And in Mike Gesicki, who didn’t catch a pass all day, dashing from the sideline to the end zone to celebrate fellow tight end Durham Smythe’s touchdown catch.

Understand, these Dolphins aren’t ready to make a run deep into the playoffs. But they may be good enough to get there.

This rebuilding effort under Flores and GM Chris Grier appears to be well conceived and is much farther along than could have been envisioned a year ago when they were on the way to a 0-7 start.

The offensive line, with two rookie starters, has been solid all season. And when rookie Austin Jackson went down with an injury, they plugged in rookie Robert Hunt with similar results.

But most significant is the improvement in the defense in recent weeks. This is what Flores was supposed to bring, and positive signs are mounting that it’s working.

With the return of Byron Jones and Xavien Howard trending to pre-injury form (four interceptions), the secondary is solid on the corners, and Eric Rowe has been outstanding at safety.

Emmanuel Ogbah is becoming a force on the pass rush and Christian Wilkins has been stout against the run.

Stats tell of Dolphins’ improvement

All of that and more are showing up in the results:

Through Sunday, the Dolphins led the league in third-down defense. They were tied for second in points per game allowed (18.8). Their 17 sacks ranked seventh.

By outscoring their past two opponents 67-17, they pushed their net points to plus-47, third in the AFC behind the Ravens and Steelers.

It is difficult to remember when stats cast the Miami Dolphins in such a favorable light.

“I just feel like it’s a culture change,” said linebacker Sam Eguavoen, who endured the growing pains last season. “We still have a lot of guys from the team last year and then they brought in some more guys this year. It’s just been a culture change. ‘Flo’ is still hard on us but he took it back on us a little bit. We still work hard. I feel like we’re the hardest working team in the NFL. I feel like now we’re working a little bit smarter. Guys are buying in. We don’t dread coming in on Wednesdays like we kind of did last year. We’re just growing better as a team.”

Quite the opposite of what was apparent on the opposing sideline Sunday with Gase and the Jets.

So, if Tagovailoa doesn’t start a game this season it will be because they are doing fine with him on the sideline, which they are right now. That could change.

As intriguing as the prospect of what Tagovailoa may eventually bring to the future of the Dolphins, and as much as many of us our eager to see it, if the team is buying in, the rest of us will just have to trust in Flores.

He’ll let us know when it’s time for Tua.

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

5 Reasons Contributors on Dolphins-Jets “clash”

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The Miami Dolphins are favored for the first time in forever against unintentionally-tanking former coach Adam Gase and the hapless New York Jets.

We asked some of our Five Reasons Sports contributors to assess the matchup.

*****

 

Though matchups between divisional opponents—especially when a head coach is going up against his former team—are supposed to be interesting, this one probably won’t be. The Jets are a dumpster fire this year led by Adam Gase, who should be on the hot seat after starting off this season 0-5 and finishing last year with a 7-9 record and whatever bag of chips you’re rewarded for being 3rd in the AFC East. 

 

Not to mention that the Jets somehow managed to waive Le’Veon Bell, arguably one of the best runningbacks in the league and almost certainly their best player, instead of trading him and getting at least something for him. Bell walks away with a cool $28 mil and the Jets walk away with… another bag of chips? Don’t ask Adam Gase about Bell though; those questions are “irrelevant.”

 

Without Bell and QB Sam Darnold, who is still nursing a shoulder injury, New York will have to hope veteran backup Joe Flacco can put something together. Flacco was 18 of 33 for 195 yards and a single touchdown in last week’s embarrassing 30-10 loss to Arizona.

 

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have started to show some grit with a big 43-17 win over last year’s Super Bowl contenders, the San Francisco 49ers, last week. Though the 9ers were decimated by injuries, the Fins showed some true potential on both sides of the ball, totaling five sacks and two interceptions on defense and 444 total yards of offense led by Ryan Fitzpatrick’s best performance of the season (including a QBR of 99.1, the highest of any quarterback this year). 

 

The only way this game could get interesting is if Bell signs with Miami, considered as of now to be one of his top three landing spots. There’s nothing better than a revenge game, right?

— Kylie Wang

*****

 

The Miami Dolphins are preparing to take on a division rival in the New York Jets this Sunday, bringing back an old face in Adam Gase. And with Sam Darnold out,  Joe Flacco, an old Dolphins nemesis, will be under center for the Jets once again this week. 

Flacco has been very successful against the Dolphins with a total of 7 wins and 0 losses. — six wins in the regular season and one in the postseason.

His regular season numbers over those 6 starts against Miami include completing 71 percent of his passes with 10 TD’s to 3 INT’s and adding 1 rushing touchdown. In his last start in 2017, the Dolphins got embarrassed 40-0 even as Flacco’s outing ended early on the controversial hit by then-Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso.

Fast forward to Sunday’s game, though, and times are different for the former Super Bowl MVP. His best days are behind him and he is currently on the worst team in the NFL.

The Dolphins are favored by eight. Don’t expect Flacco to keep it that close.

— Jaccare Givens 

 

*****

With an annihilation of the 49ers on the road comes some expectations.

We have learned that Miami can win and play good teams tough with “Fitzmagic”.  They have little to no hope with “Fitztragic”.  In this case, Miami has a decided talent advantage, are home, and confidence is riding high.  The last time I said this team had real expectations, was the Thursday night beat down of the Jaguars.  I expect much of the same.  It is required.  No letdowns allowed.

Miami Dolphins 30  NY Jets 16

— Alfredo Arteaga

 

*****

 

Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has shown that with inferior competition he can devise strong game plans. That will continue. I expect the Dolphins to take an early lead behind the arm of Ryan Fitzpatrick attacking downfield to DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and Preston Williams. Once the adrenaline starts to fade, an ugly, punt filled late afternoon will take place with whichever team can establish the run coming out on top. I trust Coach Flores to take advantage of the early lead and let his pass rushers like Emmanuel Ogbah, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jerome Baker and maybe the banged-up Kyle Van Noy go to work. Jason Saunders will also extend his consecutive streak of field goals to start the year and in the process break Olindo Mare’s record for overall consecutive field goals of 19 to his 20.

Dolphins 27 Jets 13

— Juan Cardona 

Lomachenko vs. López: Throwback SUPER FIGHT

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Where to watch: Saturday, October 17, 2020, MGM GRAND Conference Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, Available on ESPN+ PPV.

The lightweight division in boxing is not known for it’s “Super Fights”, as the division has usually been a wait station for young lightweights making their way toward paydays in the Welterweight division. But in this case, we have one guy in Teófimo López, the hot shot young star who may make a run at a division or two higher, due to his frame, and another in Vasyl Lomachenko, who is a throwback to great lightweights of years past in Pernell Whitaker and Roberto Duran, combining slick boxing with killer punching power.

The contrast in styles is stark and will make for an action fight, unless too much respect is paid. López, puts straight punches together, as well as any on the division, his power punching is consistent and accurate. His flair and showmanship as what sells him as well, but make no mistake, it’s his killer instinct that has gotten him here.

For Lomachenko, it’s his pure boxing skill, and his next level anticipation, of incoming combinations, that allow his creative counter punching. “Loma” is the rare unicorn in boxing, where by his pure boxing style entertains, for it’s pure mastery. The difference between “Loma” and a Floyd Mayweather for instance, is that Loma is slick, and skilled offensively, while Mayweather’ built his legend on his defensive prowess.

How does Teófimo López win?
He is 23 years old, and “Loma” is 32. For one, you can hope the age difference works in López favor, in energy and strength. Realistically, Teófimo must crowd Lomachenko as often as he can, and he must use his jab to steer “Loma” into range to be able to crowd him. It is clear to all who have seen both guys fight that López cannot win a “points” battle with Lomachenko as Lomachenko, is an expert at winning exchanges, and anticipating combinations from range. So you must get rid of that range and turn this into a brawl, then use your youth and punching power to beat Lomachenko in closed quarters, getting a finish to the fight within the 12 rounds/win the judges over with your aggressiveness.

How does Vasyl Lomachenko win?
Being a southpaw and facing a power punching conventional fighter, Lomachenko must resist the urge to circle and jab left. “Loma” must step right and into exchanges by first throwing range finding jabs, to keep the fight at a distance. Pace will be important as well, and bailing out of López in-fighting exchanges will be key. Keep moving right and reset after your combinations. Repeating these patterns should frustrate the young challenger into possibly opening himself up for the right combination, that could lead to a TKO.

PREDICTION: Vasyl Lomachenko wins by Unanimous Decision.

All Odds cited are via SPREADS

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Five Players The Miami Heat Should Target

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Miami has become the new sexy pick for best free agency destination after the Heat’s run at the NBA championship in the bubble this season. With the new-found popularity, the Heat will have some tough decisions to make when looking to improve the roster.

5. Demarcus Cousins

Despite being injured for the better part of the past two seasons, when healthy, Boogie Cousins is one of the most skilled big men in the league. His ability to shoot, pass and be a presence in the post should all be attractive lures for Miami. If Cousins buys into the now famed Heat culture and improves his fitness level and conditioning, the Heat could grab a steal. A year in the Heat organization could also help Cousins recoup some of the value he has lost due to injuries. He was in line for a max contract that never materialized after he ruptured his Achilles in 17-18 while playing for the Pelicans.

 

 

4. Victor Oladipo

Oladipo has made it apparent that he wants to win now. He has also expressed, albeit less overtly, his love for the city of Miami. At his peak, Oladipo is an all-star level two-way player that adds scoring, defense and some playmaking ability to a team. However, according to Ethan Skolnick on the Five on the Floor Podcast, Oladipo’s behavior in the bubble has raised some eyebrows about whether or not he is a winner. His injury history is also an area for concern — returning from a torn quad tendon in January. He averaged 14.5 PPG on 39 percent (32 percent from 3) shooting in 19 games.

3. Christian Wood

Brady Hawk has already detailed everything I wanted to in his article on Wood’s fit with Miami. Over Detroit’s final 13 games as the starting center, he posted numbers of 22.8 points and 9.9 boards on 56.2 percent shooting and 40.0 percent from three. Prying Wood away from Detroit will not be an easy task considering his breakout season following the trade of Andre Drummond. However, there is a chance and that is all Miami can ask for.

2. Jrue Holiday

Point of attack defense has been an area of concern for the Heat dating back to the beginning of the season. Holiday is an immediate upgrade in that area and many more. Not only is he an elite perimeter defender, but also a capable combo guard that can both facilitate the offense and score the ball. The 30-year old’s averages of 19.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists will fit in nicely with the current Heat squad. Holiday has also recently been recognized by several of his peers on various platforms as one of the most underrated player in the league. We all know where those types of guys can find a home.

1. Giannis Antetokoumpo

The reigning back-to-back MVP is at the top of every team’s wishlist. Rightfully so. His gawdy averages of 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game and recent earlier-than-expected playoff exits (you’re welcome) have GMs around the league salivating at the opportunity to acquire his services. Miami is believed to be amongst the frontrunners to land him should he decide to part ways with Milwaukee, along with Dallas, Toronto and Golden State. What the Heat offer Giannis is a ready-made championship contender that fits his style of play. In turn, Giannis gives the Heat another star to pair with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

 

Royal Shepherd (@RoyalAShepherd) has written for several major newspapers, including the Tallahassee Democrat and the Augusta Chronicle, and now contributes to Five Reasons Sports.

Pressure Point: Can Miami Dolphins follow upward trend of Heat, Marlins?

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In a year dominated by disease, division and disaster, the unexpected runs of the Miami Marlins to the playoffs and Miami Heat to the NBA Finals have been most welcome diversions for beleaguered South Florida fans.

OK, so the magic ran out. Both fell to earth with a thud. It doesn’t take away from the collective high.

And what happened Sunday in Santa Clara, California, sure felt like the possible passing of a torch for another improbable development that just might carry us through the rest of this godforsaken year, at least from a sporting perspective.

Dolphins 43, 49ers 17: Who saw that coming?

Sure, one can point to some notable 49ers injuries (premier pass rusher Nick Bosa out for the year), particularly at cornerback. Richard Sherman and K’Waun Williams are on the injured reserve. Fill-in Brian Allen, just up from the practice squad, was roasted alive by Ryan Fitzpatrick — much like Dolphins rookie corner Noah Igbinoghene was a few weeks back by Bills QB Josh Allen.

49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, coming back from an ankle injury, was clearly not right and was pulled at halftime.

But the 49ers did come within a quarter of winning the Super Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in this calendar year before the world went on lockdown. Sunday, they still had players who got them there, like All-Everything tight end George Kittle. The Dolphins, who have struggled against tight ends for years, limited him to four catches and nothing longer than 12 yards.

And every prediction I saw going into the game had the 49ers winning handily.

Long time since Miami Dolphins . . .

Consider that the 43 points were the most by a 49ers opponent at Levi Stadium since it opened in 2014.

The Dolphins hadn’t scored 43 points on the road since 1986.

It was certainly unlike anything we’ve seen in 21 games of the Brian Flores era.

“I think it might be right at the top and I think if we just continue to practice and prepare the way we’ve been doing been, hopefully we’ll string some of these together,” Flores said.

Difficult to foresee where this Dolphins season will go from here, but it is instructive to see how far they have come in the past year.

Five games into 2019 they had scored a total of 42 points and allowed 180 while going 0-5 on the way to an 0-7 start before winning four of the last nine.

So this season, in which the objective is to show this roster reconstruction is making measurable progress, is trending in the right direction at this stage.

The other thing Sunday showed is that Tua Tagovailoa is going to be waiting a still-to-be-determined amount of time before he gets the reins to the offense.

Tua Tagovailoa stuck on hold

I was among those advocating the change after last week’s loss to the Seahawks, though I was correct in predicting that Flores would decline and say that Fitzpatrick gave the team the best chance to win.

He’s certainly not going to change his tune — or the quarterback — after Fitz posted a near-perfect 154.5 passer rating while leading an offense that generated 436 net yards and averaged 6.9 yards per play.

So we’ll just have to accept that it’s not Tua time yet.

Tough to argue when FitzMagic is the joy ride he was Sunday — unlike the FitzFlop of the previous week.

Meanwhile, other newcomers are making an impact, particularly on the offensive line, which has been as big of a struggle for this franchise to achieve as the quarterback travails of the past two decades.

Notably, rookie Robert Hunt, in his first start at right tackle, thoroughly compensated for the injury absence of impressive rookie left tackle Austin Jackson (Jesse Davis moved over to the left side). Hunt joined with guard Solomon Kindley, yet another rookie, in showing the Dolphins could have the making of a dominant right side for years.

Credit the additions of solid veterans Ereck Flowers and Ted Karras, plus holdover Davis, for a lot of the line’s success along with the three rookies.

Dolphins starting to jell

The much-maligned Miami defense turned in its best effort with five sacks and two interceptions. The secondary benefited from the return of cornerback Byron Jones, and Xavien Howard had an interception for the third consecutive game.

Second-year linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel continues to have an impact (sack, forced fumble) and Zach Sieler had a sack and stood out on the defensive front.

Overall, the Dolphins appear more cohesive than earlier in the season. Understandable, considering the absence of preseason games and the numerous newcomers playing key roles, that it would take a few weeks to begin to mesh.

It would be foolish just over a quarter of the way into the season to suggest the Dolphins might ride the coattails of the Heat and Marlins to a South Florida playoff trifecta.

But with the winless Jets up next, a .500 mark is within reach Sunday. There are some winnable games among the six that follow before the schedule turns treacherous again in December with the Chiefs, Patriots, Raiders and Bills.

There are signs the Dolphins are trending upward — such as, their plus-23 points differential.

Sunday’s Santa Clara stunner will only matter, though, if the Dolphins build on it. Who knows, if recent results of other local teams are a gauge, they just might surprise us.

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

We, Heat Fans, Just Want Our Damn Respect

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First, I would like to congratulate the Miami Heat organization on a marvelous season. The run made by this team should go down as one of the more remarkable displays of maximizing talent that this league has ever seen. It should. But it won’t.

 

The three reasons it won’t: 

 

  1. LeBron won another title. That will always be the story.
  2. The NBA was robbed of two potential matchups they’ve been pushing because Miami eliminated those teams ahead of schedule (Giannis vs. LeBron and Lakers vs. Celtics).
  3. It’s the Heat.

 

These things all point to the same conclusion — despite the temporary praise, the Heat will return to its all too familiar comfort zone of being underrated. Not by players, who watched as the Heat embodied what most of them believe is the right way to play the game, but to the general public that only listen to the Nick Wrights, Mike Greenbergs and Colin Cowherds of the world. 

 

All of that leads me to as a simple question. Is it too early for Heat fans to feel slighted? 

 

The reason I’m asking is because it hasn’t been 24 hours, but casual basketball fans and the national media are already trying to bury one of the greatest accomplishments in the Miami Heat’s history. In an effort to cheapen this team’s accomplishments, several commentators have credited our wins to the shortcomings of other teams. Conversely, talking heads have also used Miami as a punchline to try and poke fun at the validity of this championship.

 

Skip Bayless discredits Miami, per the usual, by claiming Miami should have been swept. 

 

He isn’t alone. CBS NBA reporter Sam Quinn predicted that Miami won’t return to the Finals again during the Jimmy Butler era because the circumstances surrounding the run aren’t sustainable. He doesn’t take into account the roster flexibility Miami will have with the number of free agents we have coming off the books or the amount of cap space the Heat will have to be major players in the 2021 market. 

 

In other tweets, he suggests Milwaukee and Dallas are more attractive free agent destinations because the Luka Doncic/Kristaps Porzingas duo is better than Bam and an aging Jimmy Butler.   

 

 

 

 

And then we have ESPN and their way too early Power Rankings where they have Miami listed 9th. 9th?!?!? There are some things in the world that cannot be explained. The placebo effect, Alf954’s uncontrollable hatred for Tony Brother’s eyebrows, Hassan Whiteside and this shit. How are the NBA’s first runner up behind two teams they beat (Milwaukee and Boston), a fully healthy team that didn’t push the Lakers nearly as hard as Miami with injuries (Denver), one of the biggest super team disappointments in recent memory (Clippers), a team that lost in the first round (Dallas), a non-playoff team (Golden State) and THE FUCKING 76ers.

 

 

Whatever, some things will never change. But some things do, like the trajectory of this franchise moving forward.

 

Royal Shepherd (@RoyalAShepherd) has written for several major newspapers, including the Tallahassee Democrat and the Augusta Chronicle, and now contributes to Five Reasons Sports.

PrizePicks

Week 5 NFL: Players to Watch in PrizePicks DFS

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Week 5 of the NFL slate is here and PrizePicks has a ton of options to get you in the win column.

 

Offense is king in today’s NFL and the 2020 season has taken that to another level. Teams are putting up ridiculous totals each week and the defenses have yet to catch up. Will Week 5 finally be where the scales balance?

With many divisional matchups this week there are a lot of teams that know each other very well. This could lead to some surprising results, particularly with players not hitting their projections.

Ezekiel Elliott (Under 23.5)

Dallas is an 8.5 point favorite and should be able to pick up their second win against a Giants’ team that cannot score points. New York has a decent defense but Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott has been lighting it up this year. The G-men will try to take away something, and that could be Elliott. If the Cowboys are up big in the second half they could perhaps rest Elliott which would lower his chances of going over his projection.

 

Miles Sanders (Under 14.5)

The Eagles travel across the state to face an undefeated Steelers squad that has not allowed more than 21 points in any game this season. Meanwhile the Philadelphia offense has yet to eclipse 25 points and rank 28th in the NFL in yards. The Eagles pass defense is also an issue and this one could get ugly quick. If Philadelphia falls behind early that could take Sanders out of the mix somewhat, at least in terms of carries. Sanders is 4th on the team with 19 pass targets, but has only hauled in nine receptions this year.

Zach Ertz (Over 11.2)

 

While Sanders may be underutilized due to the score, Zach Ertz remains one of the few healthy receiving options on the Eagles. DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffrey will be out, so Carson Wentz will be looking in Ertz’s direction early and often. Ertz has not seen the volume of red zone targets (2) so far, but has caught both thrown his way and converted one into a touchdown. I expect him to at least double his red-zone target share in this one alone and is due for a solid outing.

Go to www.prizepicks.com and sign up with promo code: five.

 

Nesta Jade Silvera Miami Hurricanes

Five Reasons the Hurricanes can Shock Clemson

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The Miami Hurricanes prepare for their biggest regular season test in years when they travel to face No. 1 Clemson.

Momentum is such a subjective thing to interpret.

Does it carry over, or slowly fade as the days become weeks in between competition?

After a thorough dismantling of Florida State 52-10 nearly two weeks ago, the Hurricanes must regain it in a hurry.

Clemson sits at the summit, where Miami has been before and could (perhaps) be on the precipice of reaching again.

We have sat here, waiting for The U to be “back”.

The quarterback question seems to be answered, and slowly the Hurricanes have built a team with both elite skill and improving depth.

What does it mean against a Clemson team that is the new standard.

Can the Hurricanes compete?

Clemson has separated themselves not only from the ACC pack, but most of college football as well.

There are very few weaknesses on the Tigers roster.

They probably have the two best players overall in Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne.

So how can Miami not only punch above their perceived weight, but land a knockout?

Here are five reasons for Hurricanes fans to have hope Saturday.

King and the offense limit mistakes

In order for the Hurricanes to pull off the upset they will need to play a near perfect game.

Virginia hung with Clemson despite two early turnovers and it was a 27-17 game in the third quarter.

Miami has a far superior team and D’Eriq King so far has taken care of the football.

 

The Hurricanes will need even more out of the running game as Clemson allows just 90 yards per game on 2.3 YPC.

For Miami to have a chance they will have to try and control the clock in order to keep Lawrence and the offense on the sidelines.

King must stay calm under pressure and take what the defense gives him, if he does so then…

Big plays could be there

If Clemson does have one area of concern it may be giving up big plays on defense.

They don’t give up a lot in terms of yards-per-game, but have allowed 13.89 yards-per-completion so far which ranks near the bottom of college football.

Miami has plenty of weapons and Clemson will have to guard sideline to sideline against the speed of the Hurricanes.

Look for Will Mallory and Brevin Jordan to be involved early, especially if King sees pressure from the Clemson front seven.

Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is as aggressive as they come, Miami will have opportunities on the outside against single coverage.

 

Miami can actually run the football

So far Clemson has faced Wake Forest and Virginia in ACC play, two of the worst rushing offenses in the country.

Not surprisingly the Tigers held both in check, especially Wake Forest who managed just 37 yards in their matchup.

Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee has leaned on the ground game when necessary and may do so again.

The Hurricanes rank 12th in the nation with over 232 yards rushing per game, and 6th with a 5.86 YPC average.

 

Clemson has not seen a running game anywhere near what Miami brings, and the Hurricanes have three backs that can lead the effort.

The Miami offensive line is much improved and will need to bring it for 60 minutes against a tremendously deep Clemson defensive front.

If the up-tempo Hurricanes’ offense can keep Clemson from rotating in certain situations, perhaps they could wear them down some as the game progresses.

As long as the game is close in the second half, there is no reason to abandon the run game.

Pass rush and containment

One thing all quarterbacks hate is pressure, especially from the middle to collapse the pocket.

Trevor Lawrence has elite arm talent – accuracy and strength.

What may be nearly as difficult to contain is his ability to scramble and throw outside the pocket.

Miami has the athletes on the defensive side to set the edge but must remain disciplined at all times.

Lawrence has been sacked five times in two ACC games and was able to move the ball with his running ability against Virginia.

The Miami pass rush must be a factor and defensive coordinator Blake Baker will need to be aggressive like his counterpart Venables.

Clemson has not faced a defensive line that can do this:

 

One or two appearances by the Turnover Chain are a must for Miami to keep the game within reach.

Lawrence has yet to throw an interception this season, Miami has to force him to rush his decisions and make him feel the heat.

Hurricanes have nothing to lose

Miami enters the game as a double-digit underdog and if they can play a competitive game with Clemson it will not tarnish their standing much.

Manny Diaz has shown early in the season that he can have the team prepared and energized for big games. Rhett Lashlee has unleashed a high powered offense that balances the scales and the Miami special teams unit is much improved.

The Hurricanes are not expected to win by many and the pressure of victory is squarely on the Clemson side. Both Lashlee and Baker need to put the players in position to succeed and the team has to remain focused. Penalties have been an issue in their last two games that Miami was able to overcome, they cannot afford many mistakes Saturday.

Photo credit miamihurricanes.com.

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We will have a preview show for Miami and Clemson Thursday night at 7:30PM EST.

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Houtz Special: ‘Tua Time’ on hold as Dolphins keep Ryan Fitzpatrick starter

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Dolphins name Ryan Fitzpatrick the team’s starting QB vs. San Francisco. But how much longer must fans wait before it’s Tua Tagovailoa Time?

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s play is better than a year ago, but the team expects more out of the grizzled veteran.

Through the first quarter of the 2020 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins currently sit with a mediocre 1-3 record.

Some might find the good in losing by 10 points to New England, 3 to Buffalo, and 8 points to Seattle. Yes, the team is probably better than its record leads us to believe. But at the end of the day, your record is everything. The Dolphins realize their hopes of being a playoff contender are slowly slipping away. We can definitely talk about the different issues with the secondary and pass-rush, and I’ll do that another day.

But Miami’s offensive woes currently fall on the shoulders of two individuals: Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. And the team’s 37-year-old gunslinger Ryan Fitzpatrick.

If you’re someone that likes to look at numbers, Fitzpatrick’s stats in 2020 are as follows:

98/142 completions for 998 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions

Those numbers are not good. But when you compare them to his stat line through four games last year, where he was benched for Josh Rosen off and on, we can all say; statistically, he’s playing much better. We also need to take into account the whacky offseason these players have had to deal with. But for a guy that knows the offense as well as anyone, he needs to play better. And Ryan Fitzpatrick would be the first person to admit that.

 

Whether or not he has the same velocity he once had and can make the same throws as The Left Arm of God is a discussion that needs to be had sooner rather than later. But I don’t think anyone believed heading into Sunday’s game vs. San Francisco; Brian Flores would make a change at quarterback.

Although, for a second, it did seem like it was possible.

Brian Flores is asked about the Miami Dolphins Quarterback situation after Monday’s loss to Seattle.

The very first question the Miami Dolphins head coach was asked at his Monday press-conference was simple. ‘Who’s going to be your quarterback on Sunday?’

“We’re still going through corrections of the game from yesterday. As a staff, we normally start talking about this this evening. ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) – I thought we moved the ball pretty efficiently yesterday. Look, I understand where everybody’s coming from with Tua (Tagovailoa). I get all that. At the same time, he’s a young player, he’s coming off the injury. So we’ll make the decision on the starter, but I would presume it’s going to be Fitzpatrick.”

Flores was later asked why he paused when asked the vital question about the team’s looming quarterback controversy.

He said this.

The pause was – we haven’t even gone through the corrections from the game. We’re actually in the middle of that right now, so it wasn’t based off of anything in the game. I hope you guys don’t take that the wrong way; but every week we come in on Monday evening after we make all the corrections. We’re a quarter of the way through the season now, so we’re going to obviously do an evaluation of our team from that standpoint. We try to play the guys we feel are going to help us turn this thing around and play better in situations that like red zone and two-minute and the fourth quarter; and that’ll be at all positions. So that was kind of a conversation we just had as a staff, so I guess that’s what gave me some pause. Not something from the game. We just talked about reevaluating everything – every position, every grouping and we always do that after every quarter, let’s say, and try to, moving forward, do the things that we’ve been doing well and try to continue to build on those and obviously improve anything where we haven’t had as much success.”

And then at 8:56 AM, before I even got to take a sip of my morning coffee, the Miami Dolphins official Twitter account answered the burning question.

BREAKING NEWS: Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the Miami Dolphins’ starting QB vs San Francisco

 

This news isn’t really a surprise to anyone.

I mean, look around. Things aren’t exactly normal. No one knows what’s going to happen over the next month. And at 1-3, Ryan Fitzpatrick shoulders the blame for 2/3 losses. But he also had a lot to do with Miami’s lone win of the season. We always knew it was a story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde with Fitzpatrick. One week he’s making unbelievable throws, like a magician. The next week he’s throwing two picks as the offense snails along to five field goals.

In Flores’ eyes, Ryan Fitzpatrick earned another chance to prove he gives the Dolphins the best chance to win. But for how much longer?

Before I go on my soapbox about Tua Tagovailoa, we need to address how wreckless Fitzpatrick has been when running the football. We all realize when Tua is eventually the starting QB, his success depends on his ability to stay healthy and elude hits. So, WTF is Fitzpatrick teaching Tua? You’re paying Jordan Howard a nice chunk of money to be your short-yardage back, let him take a beating.

Tua Time is right around the corner.

Some fans and analysts might be upset with Flores’s decision to keep Ryan Fitzpatrick, and that’s okay. I do think Tua gives this team the best chance to win. But once you hand the keys over to Tagovailoa, there’s no turning back. Fitzpatrick has put his ass on the line every opportunity he’s got in Miami and appears to be the perfect teacher for Tua. Maybe he does deserve another chance against a San Francisco team with injuries throughout the roster.

But what if Fitzpatrick starts the game with two costly mistakes? What if the team has no choice but to make a change at halftime. They sure AF are not going to call upon Jake Rudock, right. That would mean Tagovailoa isn’t healthy and according to Brian Flores himself, Tagovailoa has checked all the boxes from a medical standpoint.

No. He’s checked all the boxes from a medical standpoint. He has. Look, the honest thing from me is if he was my kid and he had a serious injury like that, I wouldn’t want his coach to be in a rush to throw him in there because of media pressure or anything like that. That’s kind of how I approach this situation and really all situations, the players. Essentially they are my kids. No one is going to pressure me into doing anything. When we feel like he’s ready to go, we’ll put him in.”

Final Yard

I know we’re all excited because we see what Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert are doing with their new NFL teams. And we are eager to see what Tua Tagovailoa can do not only for this offense but for this team. The entire franchise is relying on Tagovailoa to be the star quarterback he was at Alabama. The fanbase, everyone has waited 20 years for the Dolphins to have a QB with this type of talent; this type of ability to move around in the pocket. His pinpoint accuracy.

Tagovailoa has the potential to be the next great quarterback for a team that has had nothing but hope since #13 rode off into the sunset.

We’ve waited 20 years, what’s another week(or two) going to hurt?

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Check out this week’s episode of Yard Work with Alfredo Arteaga: 

https://youtu.be/6mjcL7fgBeE