Game 3 thoughts: Dolphins at Jaguars

As NFL Network’s lovely and talented Colleen Wolfe said at the start of the postgame show: “And The Beard prevails!”

Yep, that’s right – in the battle of the facial hair, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard beat Gardner Minshew’s mustache. Final score: Beard 31, Mustache 13.

It was a night of classic FitzMagic, as the veteran Dolphins’ QB began the game by completing his first 12 passes and finishing an astounding 18 of 20 with 2 TDs and a passer rating of 133.3.  Fitz also provided some tough runs, including a battering ram style TD.  He also threw a block on a running play early in the game.  The energy Fitz brings to the game is infectious.  He’s fun to watch, his teammates love him and he is the ideal mentor for Tua.

A lot of negative things have been said about Dolphins’ offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, but tonight Chan was an offensive guru, designing a first-half gameplan that featured lots of creativity that kept the Jags’ defense completely off-balance, and he was simply on the money on nearly every play.  The Dolphins scored TDs on their first 3 drives for the first time since 2011, and that is a testament to Gailey’s genius tonight.

I can’t say enough about DeVante Parker.  To see where he is now compared to where he was two years ago…it’s just night and day.  He is on his way to becoming elite.  Watching him play his heart out with what is clearly a bothersome hamstring injury was amazing to watch.   He has definitely shaken the “soft” tag that he carried his first few years in the league.

Speaking of wide receivers, I have to give much respect to Preston Williams.  After dropping a TD pass last week, Williams redeemed himself with a very tough TD catch on the opening drive on a dart from Fitzpatrick.

Jakeem Grant played well tonight, making a beautiful catch-and-run for 19 yards, showcasing his speed on a 29 yard end-around and adding two solid punt returns.

Myles Gaskin was a workhorse running back tonight, banging out 22 carries and catching 5 passes.  While Gaskin only averaged 3 yards a carry overall for the game, he did run hard and had a big hand in the win.  Matt Breida gave him a breather a couple of times and Jordan Howard was the goal-line specialist, but this is clearly Gaskin’s backfield right now.

Mike Gesicki had just one catch, but it was an amazing grab for a 15-yard TD.  He is really becoming a weapon.

The OL was excellent in pass protection.  I am absolutely loving what I see from rookies Austin Jackson and Solomon Kindley. These guys can already play, and they are only going to get better.  

Negatives on offense: the running game just can’t get going.  I think it will improve in time, but right now it is ugly.  The Phins had trouble running out the clock, at least until a nice 15-yard burst from Gaskin on 3rd down with just over a minute left, and that can’t continue.  And the short-yardage running game just isn’t good enough, despite another 1-yard TD from Howard.  The OL really needs to figure out the run game.  The offense as a whole pretty much went into sleepwalk mode for the entire second half, scoring just 3 points after halftime.  I do get the feeling that the passing game could have scored more points if needed – it was that good tonight.

The defense played by far its best game of the year, but it was still a bit shaky at times.  Too many wide-open receivers and too many missed tackles.  But, on the plus side, the Phins held the Jags to under 75 yards rushing and made three impressive 4th down stops – two coming on sacks by Kamu Grugier-Hill and Andrew Van Ginkle.

I have to give credit to Coach Flores and the defensive staff.  Less than a week after getting torched by the Bills, Flores and his staff made some adjustments and came out with softer coverage, some creative blitzes, and a focus on stopping the run game and keeping all pass plays in front of the defenders – and it worked.  Minshew didn’t complete any deep passes and the Dolphin D managed to generate some solid, if inconsistent, pressure all night, racking up 4 sacks.

The defensive play of the game was a trifecta from Kyle Van Noy.  Late in the 3rd quarter, Van Noy had a sack-fumble-fumble recovery that set Miami up deep in Jacksonville territory to set up the team’s 4th TD.

Xavien Howard still looks hurt and had some bad plays tonight, but he did seal the game with a late INT.   He appeared to grab his leg after the INT, but seemed OK.   Rookie Noah Igbinoghene got away with an awful busted coverage play that should have been an easy TD, but overall he played better as the coaches played him more to his strengths tonight.

Matt Haack continued his excellent season with a textbook punt that died at the one yard line.

Two final observations… First, after Preston Williams scored his TD, Christian Wilkins somehow ended up being one of the first players to join the celebration.  I’ve seen that happen several times going back to last season, and I don’t know how he does it!  It’s awesome – shows what a leader he is.  My second observation is seeing DeVante Parker sitting next to Tua at the end of the game.  I LOVE to see that…hopefully those two are building chemistry and will be all systems go when Tua gets his chance.

So, all is well again in Dolphins land…at least for a week.  This was a very impressive road win, and despite the fact that this team still has a lot – and I mean A LOT – of room for improvement, progress was made tonight and there is something to build on.

Hero of the Game: How could it be anyone other than FitzMagic?  I am so thankful that he is a Dolphin…so fun to watch.  Fitz was dealing tonight – really an amazing performance.

Goat of the Game: Not much to complain about, but watching LB Elandon Roberts whiff on several tackles is just not what I want to see.  Roberts is a favorite of Coach Flores, but he has not looked good in his first two Dolphins’ games.

Beer of the Game: Just water tonight…and no, I don’t mean Coors Light.

Forgot to mention that Fitz caught his own pass on a batted ball. And check this out:

NFL Research
@NFLResearch
Ryan Fitzpatrick is the 2nd player since at least 1948 to have 2+ pass TD, 1+ rush TD, 20+ rush yds, and a reception in a single game.

The other? HOF Walter Payton, in Week 3, 1983 against the Saints #TNF

This rules:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1309388011256209408

BTW - Mack Hollins is quietly having an excellent season. Yep, Mack Hollins. He has been a special teams ace, and last night, with 3rd TE Adam Shaheen out with an injury, Hollins played TE at the end of the game and had an outstanding edge-sealing block that sprang the Gaskin 15-yard run that officially iced the game. Awesome.

Just a great win. I had a good feeling when it was announced that Chark would be inactive, felt it would even up the disadvantage a little of Jones not being available for us.

Lots to work on but Chan Gailey appears to have regained his mojo after a shaky start in New England.

Yeah, it's Jacksonville, but it's also on the road on a short week. Bottom line, I was in attendance for the third game last year in Dallas. This team is way ahead of where they were then.

JMP, i agree with everything you said.

something funny i heard this morning...

while the Dolphin's defense did what they had to do against Minshew and company, it really wasn't fair for the Jaguars. after all, they were playing 11 versus 19. Miami's 11 plus 7 officials and Chris Conley.

mercury22nathan wrote:something funny i heard this morning...

while the Dolphin's defense did what they had to do against Minshew and company, it really wasn't fair for the Jaguars.  after all, they were playing 11 versus 19.  Miami's 11 plus 7 officials and Chris Conley.

LOL

I echo the thoughts about our running game, and along with our rookies on the OL, I believe it will improve with time. I don't know if they are zone blocking or what, but the line working together and the back reading the right spot to go - that is best practiced in live action and we are now 3 games in. With more games, it should get better.

Speaking of the running game, I absolutely love the Jordan Howard short-yardage package with Hunt in as an extra lineman. We've put it on tape enough times, just wait until it starts to morph into a play action pass to a TE or fullback, and similar variations. Sometimes we'll just hand it to Howard and let him have a chance to hammer it in behind the fullback.

My thoughts about the defense remain from last week. Coaches did great by mixing up coverages playing more zone and protecting their young and banged up secondary. We still don't have the talent on the defensive line to really lock down the run and get after the passer without blitzing. Ogbah and Lawson are fine fill-ins, but we'll need to look to next year's draft to start building serious talent on the line. Wilkins appears to be a keeper and Raekwon Davis should be a great space eater if nothing else. We need a couple elite edge-setting players with size and pass rush ability.

I worry a bit about Howard, will his knee ever be right? I hope so. The drafting of Iggy makes me think Grier has his own concerns about long term health. Hoping he is able to get back to 100% and play here for a long time...

white1 wrote:

Speaking of the running game, I absolutely love the Jordan Howard short-yardage package with Hunt in as an extra lineman.  We've put it on tape enough times, just wait until it starts to morph into a play action pass to a TE or fullback, and similar variations.  Sometimes we'll just hand it to Howard and let him have a chance to hammer it in behind the fullback.

Yeah, that's a great look and definitely sets up a variety of different plays later in the season.

Barry Jackson

@flasportsbuzz

...some quick good news: Xavien Howard's issue after his INT last night was only a cramp. And the NFL passer rating in coverage area of Xavien and Noah last night was 0 -- perfect from a defensive perspective.

that good it was only a cramp