Another non-winning season for the Dolphins after falling to 49ers 27-13

Dec. 10 News and Notes 7 comments ---Bill

The Miami Dolphins took the field on Sunday and were hoping to pick up more than just a morale victory.  Unfortunately, the Dolphins were unable to do so and fell to 5-8 on the season, essentially eliminating them from playoff contention.  The loss also means that the Dolphins will post a 4th straight season at or below .500 after winning the AFC East in 2008.   And getting to .500 would require them winning their next 3 games….this, after losing 5 of their last 6.

Photo Courtesy of Dolphins.com

Give the Dolphins credit, they played hard and definitely put a scare into the 49ers through most of the game.  Heck, they only trailed 6-3 at halftime.  But, the 49ers eventually played like the 49ers and the Dolphins again showed that they lack the playmakers to win games against good teams.  A crucial fumble by Marcus Thigpen in the 3rd quarter proved to be the turning point in the game, as it set the 49ers up inside the Dolphins red zone and allowed them to stretch their lead to 13-3.  The Dolphins aren’t built to come back from 10 point leads, especially against excellent defenses, like the one the 49ers have.  The teams exchanged scores, but the 49ers sealed the deal on a 50 yard run by quarterback Colin Kaepernick to make it 27-13.

What I liked

Ryan Tannehill – Tannehill’s stats weren’t great, as he only posted a quarterback rating of 74.1 for the game.  But, he’s starting to use his legs to pick up yardage and first downs.  He looked very good in the first half, despite not getting much help.  The 4th quarter drives where we saw incompletion after incompletion cannot all be pinned on him.  His receivers, simply, weren’t open.  Tannehill finished the day going 17 of 33 for 150 yards and 1 TD.  He did not turn the ball over, which is progress, especially against a very good 49ers defense.

It is almost impossible to evaluate Tannehill this season, because the team around him lacks talent.  Some people point to the Dolphins ineffectiveness in the red zone as something Tannehill must improve on. I admit, he does need to continue to get better in that area.  BUT, look at the Dolphins first scoring drive and you’ll see what I mean.  The Dolphins have the ball, first and goal at the 7.  False start….False start.  Now it’s first and goal from the 17.  After a couple of plays, including a sack that saw Jonathan Martin get, literally, run over, the Dolphins were forced to kick a field goal.  Is that lack of red zone execution Tannehill’s fault?  No. Yet his stats will show that he failed to convert that drive into a touchdown.

Dolphins Offensive Line – It’s sad that I have to put this in as a like, but the truth is that the 49ers and Aldon Smith, only sacked Tannehill twice in the game.  Considering how good their defense is, that is a lot better than I expected. Jonathan Martin struggled in the first half, but did better in the second half against the best pass rusher in football this season.  This was a tough spot for Martin to make his first start and all things considered, it could have been worse.

Cameron Wake - Wake is simply the most talented player on the Dolphins team….and it’s not even close.  Wake registered 3 sacks on the day and now has 14 sacks on the season.  He is an absolute beast up front and on plays that he doesn’t get to the quarterback, he draws holding…which should be called more than it is!  If only the Dolphins could find another pass rusher that could be a factor, it might help their suspect secondary.  (cont’d on page 2, click below)

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  • Miami Jules

    Can anyone explain to me why in the 4th quarter (again) Henne… I mean Tannehill went for the bomb on 3 consequitive plays, when 1, we had more than enough time left on the clock, and 2, we just need one first down to keep the drive alive? Why not the shorter pass to the slot receiver or a screen to Bush… or any other higher percentage play like the 2 mentioned above…we just needed a first down… this happened earlier in the season and last year… under different coaches, different QB… What’s in the air that makes morons out of whoever came up with that play… we just needed a first down… and then, yes maybe another unless we scored 6 before another 1st down was needed… discipline, focus, THAT’S what we are LACKING…. since Shula… that’s what you get, when you have people who CHOKE…. just like a wimp with a gun.. they close their eyes and shoot… that’s what happened in the 4th quarter on Sunday… somebody just closed their eyes and shot… never mind what we hit… we just can’t bare the preassure and don’t want to look anymore… this has happened before, we seemed to have corrected it and had even come from behind against Seattle, but to do it again is unforgivable… even an INT would have been preferrable. Forget skilled players… start out with staff and players who don’t CHOKE!!!!!!!!!!

    • brewbear

      Because we have a dick head OC

      • Miami Jules

        …Yes brew… we need to reconsider the play calling issues among other things.

  • Miami Jules

    I’m sorry… I think I maybe a bit more relaxed now and promise to be more composed.
    Look my fellow beloved Dolphans, we can all sit around and say, hey we fought a potential Superbowl contender gallantly and hard… Tannehill is just a rookie who didn’t get a lot of starts in college… Jake lLong is out and Smith was too much for Martin, it was this or it was that, but when you have the same reoccurring scenario, you know, 4th quarter (again) and we need to either 1, protect a small lead or come from behind and instead of keeping the ball in play, we put ALL our eggs in the long bomb basket for THREE PLAYS IN A ROW, and we don’t even see it, then we (collectively) are just plain stupid and don’t know the game period. Don’t be getting all “Chess game” about it and disect the game unti;; the sun comes out, because then we’re missing the obvious. The 49ers were rushing and covering deep, the screen could’ve worked, the almost always sure pass to Bess from the slot position or a simple sideline pass to Bush could’ve worked too. The 49ers made adjustments during halftime, we failed to do the same or even foresee the adjustments the 9ers could’ve made… it all just stinks.. it’s not about developement and maturity, it’s about BRAINS.

  • Irish phin

    I agree again that the play calling was really poor. We seem to give up running the ball too easily in so many games and become one dimensional. Penalties and fumbles are also killing us. Disappointed with the result yet I feel we are not that far away from something here, before we really were just useless but now I still have a little hope, coaches need to step it up though as well as the players

    • T.B.

      The first thing that needs to happen on black Mon. Is Ross fires Ireland,Philbin fire’s our OC

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Camilo-Olmeda/1189179034 Camilo Olmeda

    That It is, because the coach have his head in his As…., thinking about his dead son, tanehill Thinking how his wife look, and whom will F her after losing another game and the season and be fired as QB, Dolphins not have the guts and heart of Win no more, need a real Coach oveeall, Deffence and Offence and Head Coach need to take his mind of his As , or leave NFL and take care his family, and Miami Need real WRs , yes real Wrs more than 2 , not one, anfd need to put Moore if The Fa…. Tanehill no performe ,F his wfe, any awy F his wife that the only good in Miami, because Tanehill SUCKS.