All may not be lost this week

We need a little optimism:

1) We're back at home

2) Minnesota has had defensive issues of their own. 29th in yards per pass play and 16th (seven spots below us) in yards per rush.

3) Not exactly an unstoppable juggernaut on offense either, 14th and 21st.

I mean, Andy Dalton and Justin Fields broke 20 points against them. They looked really impressive week one against Green Bay, and they have one of the league's best WR's, but I don't see them as unbeatable this week. They do have my former Owl Greg Joseph kicking for them, but if we can beat Devin Singletary's team at home, we can beat Joseph's.

I love the optimism! But after reading the thread title, I thought you were going to tell us that Jefferson, Thielen, Osborne and Cook were going to be out on Sunday!

Seriously, I don't see any way of holding the Vikes to under 40 points, not with no CBs, no pass rush and no ability to force turnovers. I think it will be ugly early, and uglier later.

The Vikes defense has allowed 102 points, about 20 points a game. With Skylar Thompson at QB, garbage at LT and RT, and gimpy Hill and Waddle, I don't see how we even get to 20 in this game.

The Dolphins D has allowed 131 points so far, about 26 points a game...almost a full TD more per game than the Vikings D.

Tua is out. Skylar might get the start. Bridgewater is still in concussion protocol and needs to be cleared by the league.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to the field and throw on Wednesday as part of his progression through concussion protocol, per sources.

Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol as a result of the injury he suffered Sept. 29 and could be cleared from protocol before Sunday's game against the Vikings, though he's highly unlikely to play since he is just now returning to practice and meetings. But sources say he has made great strides in recent days and is headed in the right direction toward an eventual return to play.

Dolphins backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is also in concussion protocol and his status for Sunday's game is up in the air as well.

https://www.nfl.com/news/dolphins-tua-tagovailoa-return-field-timeline-for-return-tbd-concussion

McDaniel said on Monday that Bridgewater is not exhibiting signs of a concussion but is in the league’s protocols and will not be able to return to practice until Thursday.

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article267181871.html

so what's better: a full week of practice Skylar or a couple days of practice Bridgewater? or with the Phins' o-line and lack of defense, it really doesn't matter either way?

"Concussion protocol" = all Dolphins players must miss a minimum of 2 games if the league spotter "feels" they "wobbled" when getting up from the ground even if they don't actually have a concussion. All other players' actual concussions get ignored.

I'm going to keep saying this: the Dolphins need to get attorneys involved, because they have a slam dunk case of selective enforcement that's not being applied to any other team.

mercury22nathan wrote:
so what's better:  a full week of practice Skylar or a couple days of practice Bridgewater?  or with the Phins' o-line and lack of defense, it really doesn't matter either way?

It really doesn't matter - our defense can't hang with the Vikes' offense either way.

If I had to choose I'd rather go with Skylar since he's been getting all the first team reps this week. Plus, it'll be good to see what he can do with a full week under his belt against a fairly mediocre defense. But I do fear that Hill and Waddle will be wasted with Skylar. His deep throws weren't good against the Jets, but at least his underthrown, off-target passes were able to cause the Jets to get 3 huge pass interference penalties.

I'd love to see the Phins go run-heavy in this one, but I don't think the scoreboard will allow it.

DolFan 316 wrote:"Concussion protocol" = all Dolphins players must miss a minimum of 2 games if the league spotter "feels" they "wobbled" when getting up from the ground even if they don't actually have a concussion. All other players' actual concussions get ignored.

I'm going to keep saying this: the Dolphins need to get attorneys involved, because they have a slam dunk case of selective enforcement that's not being applied to any other team.

I'm still trying to figure out how and why Bridgewater is in the concussion protocol when he didn't sustain a concussion. This asinine "concussion spotter" garbage is just another way for non-players to determine the outcome of games.

mercury22nathan wrote:

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to the field and throw on Wednesday as part of his progression through concussion protocol, per sources.

Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol as a result of the injury he suffered Sept. 29 and could be cleared from protocol before Sunday's game against the Vikings, though he's highly unlikely to play since he is just now returning to practice and meetings. But sources say he has made great strides in recent days and is headed in the right direction toward an eventual return to play.

Dolphins backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is also in concussion protocol and his status for Sunday's game is up in the air as well.

https://www.nfl.com/news/dolphins-tua-tagovailoa-return-field-timeline-for-return-tbd-concussion

Great news about Tua. I'm really hoping I'll get to see him when I'm in Miami for the Steelers game!

JMP wrote:Great news about Tua.  I'm really hoping I'll get to see him when I'm in Miami for the Steelers game!

So the world can see Flores ordering his LBs to do everything they can to put Tua out of the game and give him an actual concussion? Because you know that's going to happen.

DolFan 316 wrote:

JMP wrote:Great news about Tua.  I'm really hoping I'll get to see him when I'm in Miami for the Steelers game!

So the world can see Flores ordering his LBs to do everything they can to put Tua out of the game and give him an actual concussion? Because you know that's going to happen.

That wouldn't surprise me at all.

JMP wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how and why Bridgewater is in the concussion protocol when he didn't sustain a concussion.  

or why QB's on other teams who took even more vicious hits - even those that drew a flag - weren't also removed from the game? i fear the Dolphins were targeted before the game even began.

mercury22nathan wrote:

JMP wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how and why Bridgewater is in the concussion protocol when he didn't sustain a concussion.  

or why QB's on other teams who took even more vicious hits - even those that drew a flag - weren't also removed from the game?  i fear the Dolphins were targeted before the game even began.

Sure seems that way.

This new concussion protocol is so fraudulent. Bridgewater doesn't take a hit to the head and doesn't have a concussion but is pulled from the game and placed in the protocol, and can't practice this week. Cam Akers takes a hit to the head, visits the mysterious blue tent, is allowed back in the game and is not in the protocol. On what planet, aside from Roger Goodell's mind, does this make any sense at all??? Yeah, I know...the spotter saw Bridgewater stumble (even though that never happened) and that's why he's in the protocol. But there was no head injury AT ALL...so how is he in the protocol??? If someone hurts their knee and stumbles, are they then placed in the concussion protocol???

Same thing with roughing the passer: call it consistently. Chris Jones tackles Derek Carr in textbook fashion and gets flagged. Josh Tupou bodyslams Tua and doesn't get flagged. How are defensive players supposed to tackle???

There's no rhyme or reason to these rules. I know the refs and concussion spotters are "trained" to make these decisions, but the training obviously leads to subjective calls that vary every single time. Too much grey area, and too much power in the hands of people that aren't involved in the actual playing of the game.

Sorry, just needed to rant.

Getting back to Hal's thread title, this will help:

Barry Jackson
@flasportsbuzz

Xavien Howard said he's feeling a lot better and will play on Sunday against vikings

Hopefully X is actually ready to play at his usual high level, because when he was playing hurt the last few games he was awful.

I ain't real hopeful, but...

Maybe Boyer grows a pair and starts letting the defense do all that wild stuff that apparently Flores was calling when they started winning games last year.

And MikeMc needs to start using the RBs on dumps, screens, and wheel routes, like a long handoff. Nothing will slow down edge defenders like having a RB get past them for a long gainer.

We shall see, but I agree with JMP. After what the Phins showed versus the Jets, the Vikes ought to birch-slap the Phins, steal their lunch money and comment loudly about the Phins mothers being ladies of ill-repute!

finfanatic wrote:I ain't real hopeful, but...

Maybe Boyer grows a pair and starts letting the defense do all that wild stuff that apparently Flores was calling when they started winning games last year.

And MikeMc needs to start using the RBs on dumps, screens, and wheel routes, like a long handoff. Nothing will slow down edge defenders like having a RB get past them for a long gainer.

We shall see, but I agree with JMP. After what the Phins showed versus the Jets, the Vikes ought to birch-slap the Phins, steal their lunch money and comment loudly about the Phins mothers being ladies of ill-repute!

They can probably do more of the exotic blitzes with Howard back (if he's healthy), but there's still a gaping hole on the other side and that will continue to make those wacky formations feast or famine. You can only do so much when your choices at boundary corner are a slot corner (Needham), an undrafted rookie (Kohou), a journeyman (Crossen), and a bust (Iggy). Not a good situation right now, and unfortunately we don't know if Jones will ever see the field this season.

well, I think I would rather go out fighting than hoping the other team makes a mistake and throws one into our zone.

If the offense can just do their part, that bend but don't break crapola defense might work. But with the rookie QB and the Oline problems... I am not confident.

I expect this game to be almost exactly like the last Fins-Vikings game, only without the random, fluky 75 yard TD run by a player who averaged 3.1 yards per carry in his career and never had another run longer than 17 yards.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201812160min.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BallKa00.htm

DolFan 316 wrote:I expect this game to be almost exactly like the last Fins-Vikings game, only without the random, fluky 75 yard TD run by a player who averaged 3.1 yards per carry in his career and never had another run longer than 17 yards.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201812160min.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BallKa00.htm

I had kinda blocked that game from my memory, but yeah, I'd expect the final score to be something along those lines. Hope I'm wrong, of course, but I'm not feeling this one.

I may be crazy, but if Howard is ready to go I see this game as doable. Vikings are no better than we are, really. They had an impressive Game 1 dominant win that doesn't look quite as impressive now (Packers just barely survived injury riddled Patriots at home far weaker than the NE team that came here week 1 and just lost to the Giants) and since they've been surviving close games against the likes of Detroit and Chicago.

So I say we can do this, especially at home.

Or, we can heed the words of Bret Maverick's wise old Pappy, who said "in the face of overwhelming odds, run!"

Austin Jackson could be back as the starting RT for this game. That could be great news, considering that Little has seemingly gotten worse each game after impressing early.

It's a Small Sample but the Defense seems to Plays better at Home, Tackling and Coverage has to Improve to Win another Game this Year. Plus we Need to get 91 & 15 off the Milk Carton and start Playing some Ball.

finskev wrote:It's a Small Sample but the Defense seems to Plays better at Home, Tackling and Coverage has to Improve to Win another Game this Year. Plus we Need to get 91 & 15 off the Milk Carton and start Playing some Ball.

Yes! We need our pass rushers to show up...get Kirk Cousins rattled, and he will throw INTs. Hope the D enjoys some home cookin'!