BREAKING NEWS: Tua out, Skylar in

I really doubt TB would look at Miami... especially after the whole dipshiite Ross Tampering thing... but who knows?

I am hopeful that Tua gets a clear bill of health and gets another year in the same offense with the same major weapons and and an improved Oline, but... the whole concussion thing is disconcerting to say the least.

And I sincerely hope Grier is not dumb enough to trade picks and/or players for Jimmy G, but Grier loves him some oft-injured players, so who knows?

I still think Tua with one of those extra-padded helmets is the way to go next season. Then as Hal suggests, if the results are no better, get another QB and start over in 2024.

finfanatic wrote:
I do disagree with JMP on letting Skylar cut it loose though. The only way the Phins win this is by limiting Josh Allen's touches and that means long sustained drives using the running game and the short passing attack. But with the state of the Oline... I doubt it is going to matter.

Also, I HOPE the Phins D can do something, but... After what we have seen from the Phins D on the road...it ain't looking real good. If they could get some pressure on Allen WITHOUT letting Allen be the Bills leading rusher, they might have a chance to hold the Bills to 20 or so...

That's assuming the Phins special teams does not look like StumbleBums-R-US!!  

What I mean about Skylar cutting it loose is this: our two best players are Hill and Waddle - and it isn't even close. Last week, both receivers were complete non-factors because Skylar didn't attempt deep passes. Buffalo is going to come out stacking the box IMO, because they are not afraid of Skylar throwing deep. So I'm going to counter that by getting the ball out quick to my TEs, and then take chances deep when I can and hopefully open up the run game in the process. If we come out looking to run against 8 and 9 man fronts, it's game over right out of the gate. If Hill and Waddle aren't involved - again, game over. Establishing a running game would be huge, but I don't think it can happen until we get them to back off with the pass.

On D, it's all about turnovers for me. Of course, this D almost never gets turnovers...so that's why I'm suggesting a change in philosophy. Stop with the constant blitzing and off-coverage!! Play man and just cover, cover, cover. Don't give Allen easy throws. Keep a spy in the box so if Allen can't find open receivers, he also can't run. Make this Buffalo offense work for every inch...don't make it easy on them.

And special teams...yeah...that's a tall order. Just don't give up big returns!!

finfanatic wrote:I really doubt TB would look at Miami... especially after the whole dipshiite Ross Tampering thing... but who knows?

I am hopeful that Tua gets a clear bill of health and gets another year in the same offense with the same major weapons and and an improved Oline, but... the whole concussion thing is disconcerting to say the least.

And I sincerely hope Grier is not dumb enough to trade picks and/or players for Jimmy G, but Grier loves him some oft-injured players, so who knows?

I still think Tua with one of those extra-padded helmets is the way to go next season. Then as Hal suggests, if the results are no better, get another QB and start over in 2024.

Agree with all this.

Tua will be back, and yes I think he'll have the special helmet. The key for Miami is finding an adequate backup. We'll find out Sunday if Skylar can realistically be that guy, or if we need to look elsewhere.

Zero chance of Tom Brady in Miami - we don't have the money he'll want, and I'm also convinced he's going to retire and take that cushy Fox job that is waiting for him at a reported 10 years, $375 million.

Also zero chance of Jimmy G coming to Miami. He's going to look for a starting job, and he isn't getting that in Miami. He's locked in to the Raiders or Jets IMO...and I think the Raiders get him, while Carr ends up with the Jets.

Tua wont be back. He's done in Miami.

You guys still don't get it. The media and the NFL are on a mission here. It's already decided that Tua cannot be allowed to play any longer. Mark my words, the NFL will publicly threaten the Fins with significant punishment if they "allow" Tua to play again. It'll be the first league-mandated retirement in NFL history. Does the NFL have any right whatsoever to do this, legally or otherwise? HELL no. But look around you, every major societal institution is now blatantly and openly doing things to people they have no right to, and getting away with it while the media cheers them on for being the good guys.

And then, WHEN the Tua-less Fins win 3-4 games next season because Skylar makes Davis Mills look like prime Marino, the same NFL will punish them for "tanking".

Sorry, but my refusal to be a wet blanket only goes so far.

DolFan 316 wrote:You guys still don't get it. The media and the NFL are on a mission here. It's already decided that Tua cannot be allowed to play any longer. Mark my words, the NFL will publicly threaten the Fins with significant punishment if they "allow" Tua to play again. It'll be the first league-mandated retirement in NFL history. Does the NFL have any right whatsoever to do this, legally or otherwise? HELL no. But look around you, every major societal institution is now blatantly and openly doing things to people they have no right to, and getting away with it while the media cheers them on for being the good guys.

And then, WHEN the Tua-less Fins win 3-4 games next season because Skylar makes Davis Mills look like prime Marino, the same NFL will punish them for "tanking".

Sorry, but my refusal to be a wet blanket only goes so far.

Is any of that likely? No...but I can't say I'd be surprised if any of that happens. The league really has no rules and everything is subject to King Goodell's whims, so nothing would surprise me.

That said, I do think Tua will be the Dolphins starting QB next season - with a new helmet and an improved OL.

Back to the game...

My hope is that the Phins can somehow keep this game close and get to the 4th quarter. In the 4th, maybe they can steal a win with a turnover, trick play, return TD or some other wild play.

Obviously, that's all highly, highly unlikely - if not impossible. But the point is, I want to see a close game, not a wire to wire blowout. If the wheels fall off in the 4th quarter, so be it - but just make it a game for 3 quarters.

I will be putting this Game on Mute don't need to hear Nance & Romo talking about Hamlin & Allen the Whole Game. Radio Broadcast with Cefalo & Rose instead.

finskev wrote:I will be putting this Game on Mute don't need to hear Nance & Romo talking about Hamlin & Allen the Whole Game. Radio Broadcast with Cefalo & Rose instead.

Oh God, Romo is going to be verbally blowing Josh Allen the entire game. Mute is definitely the way to go.

Great call with the radio broadcast - I'll try to get that going.

Tua wont be back. He's done in Miami.

I don't know if CC is right. Possible.

My vote is roll with Tua, upgraded helmet, wait on decision beyond fifth year option. 2024 offseason would be target to change QBs. Maybe trade a player or our 2nd this year for a 1st rounder in 2024, try to collect ammo for a potential trade up.

What is disconcerting to me, and possibly lines up with CC thoughts, is the promotional material the Dolphins have been putting out for the playoff game. Tua is... conspicuously absent.

I know he's not available right now, but without him we wouldn't have made it, so why no Tua?

white1 wrote:

Tua wont be back. He's done in Miami.

I don't know if CC is right.  Possible.  

My vote is roll with Tua, upgraded helmet, wait on decision beyond fifth year option.  2024 offseason would be target to change QBs.  Maybe trade a player or our 2nd this year for a 1st rounder in 2024, try to collect ammo for a potential trade up.

What is disconcerting to me, and possibly lines up with CC thoughts, is the promotional material the Dolphins have been putting out for the playoff game.  Tua is... conspicuously absent.  

I know he's not available right now, but without him we wouldn't have made it, so why no Tua?

Not sure what promo material you are referring to, white, but if it is playoffs-related then Tua shouldn't be in it - he's not playing.

McD has built this offense around Tua's strengths, and it paid off. As I posted elsewhere, here are Tua's rankings in some very important categories this season:
# 1 in Overall passer rating
# 1 in Red Zone passer rating
# 1 in Third down passer rating
# 1 in Completion % on passes covering 15+ air yards
# 1 in Pass TDs per attempt
# 1 in Yards per attempt
# 1 in Yards per completion

You don't dump a QB that has those accomplishments. What you do is continue to build the OL, continue to build a running game, and find ways to protect the QB (starting with a new damn helmet!)

Tua isn't retiring, getting traded, or getting cut. He will be the starter in 2023.

I agree with JMP.

We saw flashes of Tua being Bama Good, but what we did not see was a Bama Good Oline IMO.

Keep Tua and the weapons and focus on fixing the Oline (hopefully without Grier's input!!! ) and get the rushing attack up to good in every game, and I think you will see Tua be Bama Good in most of his games.

The defense... I just don't know what to do with that.

A friend pointed out that the Phins managed to win 9 games and make the playoffs with one starting CB out for the season, one Pro Bowl CB hobbling around playing thru an injury, one starting safety lost early, and the 3rd Nickel DB gone for most of the season. The DBs got hit hard and that tied Boyer's hands on a lot of what he was trying to do.

Go pull up the list of DBs that played for the Phins this season. A lot of them are practice squad guys and/or rookies.

I am still not sold on Boyer, but it is hard to make chicken salad with chicken feathers!!!

Yeah, the injuries in the secondary are certainly a massive factor in how the defense performed this season. But the reason I want Boyer gone is that he could not find a way to overcome it. His solution was idiotic: blitz non-stop while playing 10 yards off the receivers - and then keep doing it every week even though it isn't working. It's just such a bad idea that makes no sense on any level. I've talked about this a million times, so no need to repeat it here, but he deserves to be fired for sheer stupidity.

You look at our front 7 on paper, and it should be excellent - regardless of who is in the secondary. It's criminal to see how bad this defense is. Even with the injuries, it should NEVER be bottom of the league.

So, Mostert is officially out. Armstead practiced today and is hoping to play.

Kenny Pickett Switched to a Bigger Helmet with Extra Padding after his 2nd Concussion, You can see it is Bigger only if You know about it.

JMP wrote:Yeah, the injuries in the secondary are certainly a massive factor in how the defense performed this season.  But the reason I want Boyer gone is that he could not find a way to overcome it.  His solution was idiotic: blitz non-stop while playing 10 yards off the receivers - and then keep doing it every week even though it isn't working.  It's just such a bad idea that makes no sense on any level.  I've talked about this a million times, so no need to repeat it here, but he deserves to be fired for sheer stupidity.

You look at our front 7 on paper, and it should be excellent - regardless of who is in the secondary. It's criminal to see how bad this defense is.  Even with the injuries, it should NEVER be bottom of the league.

White1 cannot get enough credit for pointing this out long before the losing streak began. It's like he's trying to get on my level or something