Dolphins’ Coach and Kicker to blame for loss to Jets

Sep. 24 Post Game 4 comments ---Bill

THEN, when Reggie was sidelined, the coaches turned to Daniel Thomas.  Thomas finished the day with 19 carries for 69 yards (3.6 yards per carry).  WHY?  Last week, Lamar Miller showed that he can run the ball effectively and has the ability to break a long run.  In limited action on Sunday, Miller rushed 9 times for 48 yards (5.3 yards per carry).  WHY NOT USE LAMAR MILLER MORE???

I also HATED the fact that Philbin went ultra-conservative following the 41 yard pass to Hartline in overtime.  The Dolphins were at the 35 yard line and called 2 off-tackle runs with a deep pass towards the endzone in between.  The Dolphins made little to no attempt to advance the ball and make Carpenter’s field goal a little easier.  Again, they played scared and didn’t want to make a mistake.  But on a wet field, you need to get your field goal kicker closer.

There were a number of reasons to blame the Dolphins rookie head coach for Sunday’s loss.  However, I can’t blame him for the would-have-been blocked field goal at the end of the game.  I’ll admit I hate the icing the kicker timeout call. Not just in this game, but always. If you want to ice him, call the timeout well before the ball is snapped so something like….I don’t know….a block, can’t happen.  Truthfully, the Jets might have heard the whistle and not blocked as they normally would have.  We’ll never know.  So it’s  hard to blame Philbin because we really don’t know if the block would’ve occurred if the timeout wasn’t called.

The other person that takes a good portion of the blame for Sunday’s loss is Dan Carpenter.  I like Carpenter, I do.  BUT, when you are paid $2.3 million to make field goals, you can’t miss 2 field goals, even if they were from 47 and 48 yards on a wet field.  Carpenter practices in Miami and has surely kicked off of a wet ground before.  He pulled both of his misses to the left.  There were a lot of missed opportunities in Sunday’s game for the Dolphins, but Carpenter could’ve made up for all of them if he would have just made the 48 yarder in overtime.

To his credit, Carpenter took the blame for the loss.  He answered questions after the game like a man and owned up to his misses.  It’s ironic, however, that Tony Sparano’s favorite player from his time in Miami, would miss 2 field goals that could’ve won the Dolphins the game.  By the way, did anyone notice the band-aid on Carpenter’s left arm?  Did he donate blood before the game?  Was he wearing a new style of nicotine patch?  Did Tony Sparano stab him before the game?

I have to  say that I had to wait about 7 hours before attempting to write about this game.  This loss hurt and it felt like a punch in the stomach.  I felt physically sick after the Jets kicked the winning field goal in overtime.  In fact, that feeling started shortly after Dan Carpenter missed the 48 yard field goal that would’ve won it.  That kick would’ve moved the Dolphins to 2-1 and into a share of the AFC East lead.  It wasn’t meant to be and now the Dolphins  must travel to Arizona to take on the 3-0 Cardinals who looked impressive again on Sunday.

The Dolphins currently sit 1 game behind the Jets and Bills for 1st place in the AFC East.  Surprisingly, the Dolphins are tied with the Patriots for last place in the division.  It’s clear that there is a lot of work to be done.  The Dolphins pass rush is non-existent, which leaves the cornerbacks exposed in coverage.  The Dolphins receivers, namely Anthony Armstrong, are still dropping WAY too many passes.  There’s no doubt, there is a lot to fix with this team…..But Joe Philbin needs to do and do it quickly……

Still angry about the loss?  Head over the Phins Forum and vent. The best rant will get featured in an upcoming post on PhinNation.com.  Trust me, there are other Dolphins fans feeling the same pain.

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  • J.J.

    Give him credit he did not come unglued.This is his 20 something stat so he has a lot to learn. But for Philbin that was one bone head call.

  • Jose Mesa

    If you replay the game before the halftime you might have missed the decision that happened several plays before the handoff to Bush.The dolphins had the ball deep in their own part of the field close to their own goal line with less that a minute to go.I was watching the game with a couple of friends, and I commented that they could run out the clock without even a risky punt with the punter standing on the end line of his own end zone.How? they had a third down and all they had to do was run the ball and then run the next play clock down to zero, and take a penalty and never punt.What they did was attempt a throw down the sideline which is not that risky but the incompletion stopped the clock and the snap to the punter was low and a lot could of happened on the punt.They (Jets) roughed the punter and the Dolphins received a new set of downs and in that series is where Bush was hurt.If you dont believe me watch the replay Im very sure because like I said deep in my own part of the field with a 10-3 lead and getting the kick after halftime I commented that strategywise I told my friends I would run the ball on third down and burn the clock and get the ball in better position hopefully after halftime.

    • http://www.phinnation.com Bill

      Jose – You’re right, it was after the roughing the kicker call..I must have been thinking it was a new drive b/c that extended the drive. Thanks for catching that!

  • chirs

    Hey…..I’m just glad we’re blaming someone else other than Ireland. While we’re at it, I blame him for the refs, the poor economy, illegal immigration and cheap beer.