Game 13 thoughts: Patriots at Dolphins

In one of the most unlikely come-from-behind victories anyone could ever dream up, the Dolphins stunned the Patriots with a last-second miracle play to get to 7-6 and stay alive in the playoff race. The 34-33 win will go down as one of the most exciting finishes in the history of the franchise.

On this day, the Miami Dolphins offense carried the team. They put up over 400 yards of offense and scored 5 TDs. Ryan Tannehill, benefiting from an excellent performance by Frank Gore, was very good – with 3 TDs and 0 INTs. He did leave some plays on the field and held the ball too long on occasion and his numbers would have been very pedestrian without the miracle TD, but he did what he had to do to win. Tannehill suffered an ugly ankle injury when Ja’Waun James stepped on and dragged his foot, but Tannehill toughed it out and put forth a gutsy effort. Gore was excellent, punishing the Pats for 92 yards on just 12 carries (almost 8 yards a carry). He also added a key 24-yard reception. Gore was simply unstoppable. Kenny Stills had an excellent game as well, catching 8 passes for 135 yards and a TD, and he set the miracle play in motion (more on that later.) Stills did make a boneheaded play early in the 4th, when he caught a pass on 2nd and 16 and for some reason decided to go down without contact a yard shy of the first down marker. The next play resulted in a sack. That Stills play would have earned him ‘Goat of the Game’ honors despite his big day…but fortunately, the Pins overcame it. Branden Bolden, special teams player and #4 RB, got a chance to contribute and he destroyed his former team with 2 TDs – including a beautiful 54-yard power run early in the 2nd quarter. Newcomer Brice Butler showed up as well, with a nice TD catch.

The OL was hit and miss. They did great in the running game, but were very sketchy in pass protection. The Pats had 4 sacks and hit Tannehill numerous times. It seemed like the line had a lot of trouble any time the Patriots ran stunts or blitzed a LB.

The defense was horrendous in the first half, getting absolutely shredded by Tom Brady and giving up 27 points. Brady feasted on Torry McTyer, Cornell Armstrong, Minkah Fitzpatrick and the entire LB corps. Somehow, though, the defense made adjustments and allowed just 6 second-half points, and actually pitched a shutout in quarter 3. I was all set to kill the defense, but they stepped up and got the job done late. Holding the Patriots to a field goal on that final drive was HUGE.

Special teams was a nightmare, with Matt Haack getting two punts blocked and failing to pin the Pats deep. Fortunately, the Patriots STs were terrible too, with kicker Stephen Gostkowski missing an extra point and a field goal – misses that ended up costing the Patriots the game.

But this game was really all about one play. Trailing 33-28 and getting the ball back with just 7 seconds left, it looked like the Patriots’ win was secure. But then the miracle happened: Tannehill hit Stills about 20 yards downfield. Stills lateraled to DeVante Parker. Parker seemed to have some room to run, but he instead lateraled to Kenyan Drake. Drake then somehow managed to run through the entire Patriots’ defense to score the winning TD, and mayhem erupted on the field as the team and fans celebrated the victory. Truly a Miracle in Miami, and one that will live on throughout history regardless of how this season finishes.

So now the Dolphins hold their destiny in their hands. They really can’t afford to lose another game, and with trips to Minnesota and Buffalo ahead, it won’t be easy to run the table. But if nothing else, it is good to still be talking about playoff hopes on December 10.


Beer of the Game: none. I was nursing a major hangover after a night of drinking Heinekens and doing shots of Knob Creek. Still feeling the aftermath today. Ugh.

Hero of the Game: Kenny Stills and Frank Gore are deserving, but I’m giving the honor to Kenyan Drake for the game-winning TD. Drake had a quiet game before that, but his unbelievable effort on the miracle play was the stuff of legend.

Goat of the Game: I’m giving it to Minkah Fitzpatrick, who seems to be getting worse each game. Hitting the rookie wall, perhaps? Fitzpatrick was dreadful in coverage all day. The Phins need him to play much better next week against one of the league’s top receiving duos in Minnesota.

All I want is for that final play to mean something. Getting this team into the playoffs, costing the Pats a first round bye, whatever, as long as it has some sort of significance other than really random fluke. Because otherwise what was the point?

this was an improbable, exciting win. only time will tell if this win means anything in the long run, possibly good (if Miami makes a playoff push) or bad (if this win saves Gase's job). thankfully Gostkowski blew a PAT and FG - and Brady inexplicably took a sack to end the half. with those points on the board, the Miami Miracle is a meaningless footnote. Rizzi needs to figure out what went wrong with the punt protection and fix it. Tannehill had some superstar looking throws (TD to Butler and long one to Stills) in an otherwise pedestrian 14 comps for 265 yards stat line. the Stills slide short of the sticks was almost (and i mean almost) unforgivable. did anyone else notice that Miami was still a pathetic 1 of 7 on 3rd downs? but hey, the Phins won!!

I forgot about that Brady sack at the end of the half...that was a killer for the Patriots.

And yes, the Dolphins offense still sucked on third down...that seems to be an issue Gase will never solve.

Taking a step back, this was yet another game the Dolphins should have lost. I'll take the win, but realistically this game doesn't mean we've turned the corner. In fact, I expect us to lose 2 of the next 3 and of course miss the playoffs.

JMP wrote:I forgot about that Brady sack at the end of the half...that was a killer for the Patriots.

And yes, the Dolphins offense still sucked on third down...that seems to be an issue Gase will never solve.

Taking a step back, this was yet another game the Dolphins should have lost. I'll take the win, but realistically this game doesn't mean we've turned the corner. In fact, I expect us to lose 2 of the next 3 and of course miss the playoffs.

3rd down will continue to be a mess as long as we don’t throw for the sticks!

Brandon Bolden? Who?

What happened to Ballage?

I got stuck watching Colts and Texans....(sigh)

JMP wrote:I was nursing a major hangover after a night of drinking Heinekens and doing shots of Knob Creek. Still feeling the aftermath today. Ugh.

Remember when a hangover used to last a morning?  Ah, youth.

It's great to win another game we should have lost, but we lost two we should have won as well, so maybe it's just evening out in the wash.

Great write up, JMP

Check this out...hilarious!!

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1072136816885669888

Degarmo wrote:

JMP wrote:I was nursing a major hangover after a night of drinking Heinekens and doing shots of Knob Creek. Still feeling the aftermath today. Ugh.

Remember when a hangover used to last a morning?  Ah, youth.

It's great to win another game we should have lost, but we lost two we should have won as well, so maybe it's just evening out in the wash.

Great write up, JMP

Yeah, hangovers are days now. My fault for doing a bunch of shots...gets me every time.

JMP wrote:Check this out...hilarious!!

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1072136816885669888

I saw this yesterday.

After about the 30 second point when the old man starts to lose his proverbial shit, I came out of the chair laughing.

As with the majority of Dolphins new toys, Minka Fitzpatrick hasn’t been used properly. I think he’s in his third or fourth position change. That would be tough on a seasoned veteran let alone a rookie.

CarsonChris wrote:As with the majority of Dolphins new toys, Minka Fitzpatrick hasn’t been used properly. I think he’s in his third or fourth position change.  That would be tough on a seasoned veteran let alone a rookie.

Yep. Seems like they think he's a boundary cover corner now...which he isn't. He's way too slow, and he doesn't react well when the ball is in the air. I really wish they'd make him a full-time free safety, but I guess that's not happening any time soon. He looks really bad as a boundary corner, and opposing teams are well aware of it.

CarsonChris wrote:As with the majority of Dolphins new toys, Minka Fitzpatrick hasn’t been used properly. I think he’s in his third or fourth position change.  That would be tough on a seasoned veteran let alone a rookie.

This statement and JMP's rookie wall statement I believe are true. I think the kid will be fine next season, but you never play 16 games at any level before you get to the pros, and there are no "gimme" weeks against Appalachian State Institute for the Recently Deceased where you can coast. He's probably beat the hell up and tired because he's not used to it.

Just like you get so many injuries today to key positions because they refuse to practice anymore because of the union. No practice, no build up against injury, no longevity.

Degarmo wrote:

JMP wrote:Check this out...hilarious!!

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/1072136816885669888

I saw this yesterday.

After about the 30 second point when the old man starts to lose his proverbial shit, I came out of the chair laughing.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Seriously, that dude is the oldest baby I've ever seen. At least my granddad could take losses like a man.

New England sports fans are bitches through and through.

If Fitzpatrick is made a full time FS for the 2019 and allowed to play every snap there, he will be a Pro Bowler. Needs to happen.

Meanwhile, Derwin James looks fantastic for the Chargers.

Admittedly, I wasn't sure what to make of James in the draft, but he has been a big-time playmaker for San Diego.

I think Fitzpatrick will have a fine career, but I'm not sure how high his ceiling really is.

there is a reason was Saban tried Fitzpatrick at corner and then quickly moved him to safety almost exclusively for his senior year. but no, Gase and Burke just have to find out the hard way.

Now that everyone has settled down from the Miami Miracle and getting back to normal the coaching staff sort've practiced this play. Meaning in crunch time, game on the line and needing a big play they had to take the ball out of Tanny's hand and needed 2 laterals and 10 missed tackles to move the ball down field and score the game winner instead of letting Tanny throw a INT or incompetition. Just something to remember for the future.

Dude, that was the only play to make. He would have had to have thrown the ball 75 yards to reach the end zone, and nearly no one can do that.

I know you loathe Tannehill, and I get it, but you're not getting a decent hail mary from anyone at that point. The arc required on the ball to even have a chance at it means that you would have to throw a normal pass nearly 85 yards. He's not doing that. No one is.

Lets put it like this he would be able to throw the ball to the 25 yrd line and it would have to be batted back for another WR to catch it......still a miracle play