Week 7 Game Thoughts: Dolphins at Eagles

HORRIBLE!!! TERRIBLE!!! UTTERLY UNACCEPTABLE!!!

No, I still can't let it go.

mercury22nathan wrote:the one where Apple couldn’t keep up with his shallow crossing route was particularly frustrating

dude [33] didn't even try to keep up or pursue a tackle after the catch...

https://x.com/TSV__1/status/1716251165766382049?s=20

he got outrun by a TE. if this isn't enough evidence to have at least given Cam Smith a chance - then something must be really wrong with that draft pick.

Well, what you have to look at here is the whole situation i.e. Kader Kohou. An UNDRAFTED rookie who came in and played right away and is still playing, despite getting torched by one receiver after another.

And now they are attempting to sell...er... tell us that Smith who was drafted in the 2nd round and is supposedly a gifted natural CB... has to progress at his own rate and will EVENTUALLY get on the field???

Pardon me while I shout unequivocally.... "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining!!!"

As needful of some quality corners, especially on the outside as the Phins D is, if Smith cannot make it onto the field, and he is not injured, then there by Gosh has to be a major reason: I am inclined to think the dude must be as dumb as a bag of dead gamecocks!

He is incapable of learning, adjusting to, memorizing, or in any way playing the Fangio Defense??

Kader Kohou can get on the field as a rookie... undrafted rookie mind you, but Grier's second round pick who started out the draft rated in the mid 1st round and then dropped like a rock... for some reason apparently unknown to Grier.... is not able to even HELP out on Fangio's ZONE DEFENSE!!!

This has the unmistakable stench of another Iggy pick by Grier IMO.

SOMETHING has to be up, but it is not what McD said when he answered the media question on why SMith is not playing. Players develop at different rates. PUUHLEEZE!

The only thing it can be is Smith is so cornfused and bedumbed by having to actually think about the defense he is supposed to be playing, that he is an even bigger liability to the defense as a whole than is Eli Apple?

There is a reason Smith dropped it seems. Could it be he does not have the ability to play ZONE??

Great post, FF.  It sure isn't looking good for Cam.

IMO the plan was for him to replace X next season and save us cap space. And that's what you call a FAIL.

LAWD HAVE MERCEH!!! Somebody needs to tell me in advance to bring a hose the next time FF is THIS much on fire!!!

Please let Apple be Cut when Ramsey comes back, I was not a Big Fan of all the swing passes to hill and waddle at the beginning of the game and trying to run up the middle, mostert had a couple of nice runs in 3rd quarter, there were Multiple Times when Smythe was Wide Open in the Middle.

finskev wrote:Please let Apple be Cut when Ramsey comes back, I was not a Big Fan of all the swing passes to hill and waddle at the beginning of the game and trying to run up the middle, mostert had a couple of nice runs in 3rd quarter, there were Multiple Times when Smythe was Wide Open in the Middle.

I'm OK with Apple staying. He's not the greatest corner ever, but he is at least usually in position and he is a good, if inconsistent, tackler. One thing I've noticed is that when he's beat, he's still right there - he really doesn't get toasted the way Kohou does on the outside. When Ramsey is ready, I think Parry Nickerson is the easy cut.

And yes - it is time to start throwing to the TE. Smythe seems to be open a lot, and Julian Hill looked like a beast receiver in preseason. Time to unleash the TEs!!! This would be a good week to do it, because you know Tyreek is going to get shutdown again by Belichick.

ok, so if you've ever wondering how reliable (or not) PFF rating are... Eichenberg (47. was rated 2 spots higher than Jackson (46.9) in overall offense, yet Jackson was rated much higher in both pass blocking and run blocking? how is that even mathematically possible???

https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/lists/dolphinss-pff-grades-eagles-2023/

screw PFF, you don't need them - you got me (no, i am not Shawn):

https://x.com/SyedSchemes/status/1716536542452162740?s=20

plays correspond to the X video in the link. its actually fun to watch and find blame - although i would rather have videos where i am assigning credit for a great play. yeah kids, lets talk blocking!!

Play 1 – Smythe cut his motion to close to the line and let Reddick up field to make a TFL. Fault: Smythe.

Play 2 – Waddle wasn’t quick enough into his crackback block and allowed Reddick up field to make a TFL. Fault: Bad play call given Reddick has already shown his was exploding forward regardless of play motion.

Play 3 – Eichenberg either didn’t know his responsibility or plain just didn’t peel off his double team block on the DT quick enough to pick up the gap shooting ILB. Fault: Ecihenberg. Note everyone else was PERFECT on this play that otherwise would’ve been a TD (even Ingold who had a key pick up of the OLB crashing down line).

Play 4 – Both Lamm and Eichenberg were overpowered and allowed the defender to leak too much into the lane. Cotton had a choice of ILBs to block. He chose the wrong one as the play appeared to be designed to shade to the left. It really didn’t matter as Lamm and Eichennerg had already doomed the play. As an aside, Smythe’s block on the crashing OLB was pretty crappy but it really didn’t matter as Ahmed was quick enough to get past it. Fault: the entire left side of the line including the center.

Play 5 – Cotton was beaten so bad off the snap it allowed his man to affect the play such that the OLB who was overpowering Smythe made the tackle. Fault: Mostly Cotton as Mostert may have been quick enough to get by the weak block of Smythe, but really both of them.

Play 6 – Very similar to Play 4. Lamm and Eichenberg overpowered. Cotton chose the right ILB. Ingold doesn’t do enough against the OLB narrowing the hole. And Smythe gets pancaked by the right ILB (this tells me Cotton made the correct choice in his blocking assignment – on this play anyway). Fault: All of the above (especially Lamm and Eichenberg) except maybe Cotton.

Great work again, merc.

Scary to see how bad Cotton and Eich are. It seems like Wynn is done for the year, so we have to pray that Robert Jones gets healthy and can actually play at high level. And Williams can't get back in the lineup quickly enough.

Also concerning to see how up and down Lamm was in that game. I think he's been good overall, but he obviously has a low ceiling.

Merc seriously needs to find a way to get hired by the Fins as an O-line scout! Yes, I'm completely serious.

Yeah the outside zone runs just did not work.

I did notice the Phins TRIED to run more to the right side, that didn't work either.

The Iggles D line and front seven is just too good and had been well coached to ignore the motion and crash the gaps. If it was a run, they could stop the runner, and if it was a play action fake, make Tua get rid of it in a hurry.

I wonder if a speed threat using the wide zone runs would have worked? I think the Iggles D is just too fast, but it would have at least allowed the Phins Oline to "get in the way" of the Iggles D linemen as they tried to get wide.

With a Dline more powerful than your Oline, those inside and outside zone runs are going to get stuffed like we saw.

McD or someone is going to have to devise some sort of rushing attack that will force a powerful D to have to commit to stopping the running attack.

Or, maybe, perhaps, just as a general idea, get a more powerful Oline?

sigh

finfanatic wrote:Yeah the outside zone runs just did not work.

I did notice the Phins TRIED to run more to the right side, that didn't work either.

The Iggles D line and front seven is just too good and had been well coached to ignore the motion and crash the gaps. If it was a run, they could stop the runner, and if it was a play action fake, make Tua get rid of it in a hurry.

I wonder if a speed threat using the wide zone runs would have worked?  I think the Iggles D is just too fast, but it would have at least allowed the Phins Oline to "get in the way" of the Iggles D linemen as they tried to get wide.

With a Dline more powerful than your Oline, those inside and outside zone runs are going to get stuffed like we saw.

McD or someone is going to have to devise some sort of rushing attack that will force a powerful D to have to commit to stopping the running attack.

Or, maybe, perhaps, just as a general idea, get a more powerful Oline?

sigh

Great post. It really is amazing how one player can destroy a whole OL. The OL is just fine when Eich isn't playing. But when he's in there, the entire unit just flat-out stinks. Sure, he played well against the Panthers - but it's no coincidence at all that he started in the the team's two losses, both blowouts against good teams where the offense couldn't do much of anything. I kept trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but that's over - he's just not good, and he has become an offense-killer.

JMP wrote:I kept trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but that's over - he's just not good, and he has become an offense-killer.

He STANK! And continues to be STANK!

Dallas Thomas is the only comparison you can make. At least Thomas wasn't traded up to get in the 2nd round.

i was also really disappointed in Smythe too. he had some really bad blocks and got overpowered as well. if he's not gonna be used in the passing game and can't block, what's the point in continuing to trot him out on the field?

mercury22nathan wrote:https://x.com/SyedSchemes/status/1716536542452162740?s=20

Play 2 – Waddle wasn’t quick enough into his crackback block and allowed Reddick up field to make a TFL.  Fault: Bad play call given Reddick has already shown his was exploding forward regardless of play motion.

So I’d like to take another look at Play 2 above. This time from the endzone. I now have questions as to what specific players might have been at fault. Somebody messed up and without being in the huddle, its impossible to know who for sure (but I have my thoughts) – and I suspect it was a pre-snap miscommunication as to the play being run.

https://x.com/finsfilmstudy/status/1716893117457293399?s=20

Yes, Reddick blew up the play as Waddle’s crackback block was ineffective. At first, it seems Waddle’s assignment is an impossible ask, but was it? Let’s start by looking at the motion of Smythe and the path of Ingold. Both round the end of the line to ostensibly pick up blocks downfield on the secondary/ILBs creating a seal along the sideline. Waddle’s blocking down on the Reddick as well as Smythe and Ingold’s movement would imply this play is designed to run wide. I would argue this is further supported by Hunt taking a blocking position to the outside shoulder of the DT (he did a really good job). Also note how Jackson moves into the second level to pick up the ILB. He’s also taking an outside blocking position. However the block appears to be completely ineffective as the ILB moves forward right past him (much in the same way Reddick crashed forward of Waddle’s block). But I don’t believe that’s Jackson’s fault as the ILB is reading where the play is going – and Jackson is blocking where the play is supposed to go. So we have 5 Dolphins (Waddle, Smythe, Ingold, Hunt and Jackson) all blocking outside wide, but where does Mostert run? He immediately takes the toss and heads for off tackle – right into Reddick who is being pushed by Waddle into that gap. If the play was designed to go there, I don’t think all those blockers would’ve taken such an exposed outside blocking angle (and Waddle wouldn’t have been asked to push the OLB there). And certainly, Ingold would’ve picked up Reddick instead to create a crease between Reddick and Hunt’s block. If Mostert had run wide (as I suspect he should’ve), he would’ve gotten around Reddick to the outside and had both Smythe and Ingold as lead blockers with the O-linemen sealing the interior from pursuit. Now I suppose its possible that Ingold ran the wrong play and should’ve picked up Reddick, but then why is Waddle pushing him inside? And why is Tua tossing him the pitch (usually used on outside runs) instead of extending the ball for an off tackle handoff (note how Tua immediately looks to the sideline as if to ask, “Was that the play?”) And then who is supposed to pick up the other ILB (52) not being blocked by Jackson – he would’ve stopped the play it was supposed to go off tackle. Based on all the evidence of everyone else being on one page and Mostert apparently being on another, I gotta think he was at fault for running the wrong play. So I don’t now believe it was a poor play design – it actually would’ve worked quite well had Mostert run where I believe he supposed to. Fault: Mostert.

That's awesome stuff, merc - great "deep dive" on that play design. What you say absolutely makes sense. And as we know, a play usually fails because one player doesn't execute it properly. In this case, it does seem like it is on Mostert.

And now, let’s talk about some positive plays.

https://x.com/finsfilmstudy/status/1716893120758260178?s=20

Let’s start with the formation. Notice how Julian Hill is lined up as the leading FB. Note how Mostert is lined up aligned on Hill’s outside left shoulder. Tua in pistol aligned equal to Hill’s back foot. Smythe motions from the right towards the left of the formation. This is a classic inside gap run on the left. Cotton will double team an interior DT with Eichenberg and Hill will block inside leverage on the outside DT with Lamm. Smythe will seal the left end crashing down the line. And Mostert will shoot that inside left gap. Even the defense is reading the formation and aligning to stop it. Note the DL shifted to the offenses left (their right) with the NT shading Eichenberg left shoulder at the C/G gap. The ILBs are shaded to the offense’s left (their right) too. This play is going power left, there is no way it can go right. WRONG!!!

In perfect timing Smythe gets all the way to the left C/G gap (where the defense thinks the play is going) and reverses motion. At the snap, all the O-linemen explode right in unison (such beauty!!!) and Julian Hill breaks left to seal the outside defender from crashing down. Cotton and Eichenberg let the NT split them into the backfield. It’s by design (I think) as the NT isn’t quick enough to disrupt the handoff and he’s not catching Mostert from behind. But as luck would have it, Lamm gets so overpowered by his backside play block that he gets pushed into the NT causing him to trip (sometimes its better to be lucky than good). Eichenberg and Cotton now target backside play ILB (is it odd that they are both going after the same second level player?), but Cotton seems to get him from the side and almost pushed him off Eichenberg’s block (which is decent on this play until Cotton gets involved). I’m now wondering if Cotton was supposed to engage the NT or if he just got a bad angle on what was supposed to be a combo block on the ILB – cause he really didn’t effect the play and kind pushed the ILB towards it (he almost got to Mostert at the 40ish). Hunt takes the playside DT and removes him from the play (really, really nice). Jackson engages the end OLB just enough to allow Mostert to get to the edge.

And now is wear I totally get a boner (sorry). Smythe coming out of motion identifies the CB (I think its Slay) and completely removes him as a downfield threat. That one block added about 15 yards to this play. Oh, you think I’m done? Watch Cedrick Wilson. Yes, its not a text book block – its really not even that good as he missed the playside ILB. But damn, the way he was willing to throw his body in there and let ILB trip over him probably kept that ILB from making a play. In the end, Cedrick’s attempted effort was just as good as a perfectly executed block – and that’s probably the most you can hope from most WRs. A nifty move from Mostert downfield and its about a 23 yard gain. Nicely done boys. With Hunt and Smythe getting extra credit and Wilson an honorable mention.

Want another one?

qhttps://x.com/finsfilmstudy/status/1716893123903988093?s=20

Looks like a power formation with both TEs on the right – Hill in traditional off tackle set and Smythe in a tight end slot. Hmm, the slot WR on the left motioned out from the end and settled wider and Tua turned his head and watched the whole time. This forces the OLB to move out of the off tackle gap and into zone coverage. Again perfectly timed, J Hill starts his motion to the left a millisecond before the snap. Why those tricky Dolphins – show power right, motion the OLB out and then run off tackle left. Look, even Darius Slay (right side CB) has recognized what’s going on and is pointing his ILBs to the left side off tackle gap (which is exactly where they are headed). WRONG AGAIN!!!

Oh, its going left alright, but it ain’t off tackle – its WIDE!! Jackson and Smythe seal the backside with Jackson doing a particularly fantastic job of getting inside his man (nice job). Eichenberg does a nice job of getting off quickly enough to get to the play side shoulder of the NT to his left. He’s eventually taken to the ground, but he did his job (atta boy). Hunt does a real nice job of exploding to the second level (almost too good as he almost overran his block) and disrupts the backside ILB just enough so he’s not a factor. Lamm and Cotton do nice job of combo blocking the playside end DL with Lamm doing a superb job of getting perfect blocking position to seal him off from the play. Oh Cotton, you peeled off the combo block and made the right move of going after the play side ILB, but you just didn’t have enough umph going forward and completely whiffed on the block. And yes, it was a really nice play by this ILB that eventually tripped up Mostert. If Cotton had made this block (I’m pretty sure Wynn could) the play would’ve been a TD.

You remember that left slot WR that motioned out – why its Chase Claypool. Look at that! That play side OLB has now realized what’s going and is in position to stop it cold. (WARNING – another boner alert) Claypool just laid the mother all WR crackback blocks on that OLB. Claypool made this play work and knocked that OLB into next Tuesday. And here comes J Hill leading the freight train looking hungry as f**k for a block. Kind of a wimpy effort by CB Bradberry, but Hill made sure to stay to his inside shoulder and keep him out of the play. Cedrick Wilson does the same downfield to the safety and I am certain Mostert would’ve cut inside and been off to the endzone had it not been for Cotton’s ILB tripping him up.

Well the play was about a nice 17 yard gain with Claypool getting double extra credit and honorable mention going to Lamm (and Slay for misreading).

Hopefully we see more of these kinds of plays against the Patriots and less of the aforementioned 6 play screw ups. (sorry, i tried to figure out how to embed these X videos so it was easier to follow along - but i'm technologically inept. anyways, you have the links).

Man, this is truly awesome work merc!

The second link didn't work, but I found it from the previous link.

Two things I want to point out:

1. Julian Hill has turned into a MONSTER blocker. This guy is so impressive when you watch the replays. One of these days, they may actually let him catch a pass too!

2. So great to see Chase Claypool contributing. I do think he will be a factor down the stretch this season, as he gets more comfortable with the offense.

Awesome stuff and makes me really hopeful this team IS BECOMING a much more physical team than we are used to.

I do think the Pats defense is light and built on speed - we ran all over them in game 1 and I hope to see that happen again. That, and our defense taking the soul from Mac Jones

Yeah, after watching the whole game (just the first half and 2nd half highlights prior)... (lowlights I guess from the Phins perspective)...

A few things become immediately apparent:

One - The Phins Oline was hideously over-matched. They could do absolutely NOTHING with Jordan Davis or Jalen Carter. I doubt it would have helped if Armstrong, Wynn, and Williams were all starting either. BUT... as merc has shown, the Phins had SOME success when they schemed outside runs and EVERYBODY executed correctly. Personally I would have gotten Berrios and Chosen or anyone who is quick and not Waddle or Hill and ran toss sweeps, jets, and quick swing passes to force the Iggles DBs and LBs to run the width of the field. A steady dose of that MAY have opened things up in the middle...maybe... who knows?

Two - The Dline did not get poleaxed like I had at first thought. Sure, they did not get to Hurts as quick as Fangio was hoping, but the "best Oline in the NFL" did not thoroughly whip them either. If this D had one GREAT pass rusher I think things would be much different.

THREE - Asking Kohou and Apple to cover Brown and Smith was doomed to failure. Especially with Hurts ability to buy time by moving. But Fangio had no choice since the 2nd round rookie is starting to look like an Iggy!

The Iggles were the better team for sure, but I came away thinking, "The Phins had three backup Olinemen playing, were down a Pro Bowl CB, two if you count Ramsey, were missing their phenom rookie RB, playing on the road on a Sunday night national TV game, and were tied with the Iggles late in the 3rd qtr. All after getting hosed by some horrible penatly calls too."

The Phins are what they are, and I still think the Oline is a major problem area, but maybe Hal is correct and the Phins are not the frauds some are saying.

Now if they go out and lay an egg against the Belichecks....

I know that a lot of people took some good things away from the game, but for me the bottom line is this: our offense scored 10 points, and our defense allowed 31 points (38, if you consider that the Eagles would have scored on their final drive if they didn't choose to show mercy). Yeah, it's cool that it was close late, and we did get hosed by the refs, but in the end we couldn't score and couldn't stop them from scoring. Really, it's exactly like the Bills' loss: if you dive in, we actually didn't play awful - yet we lost 48-20.

That's just not good enough, and looking for positives from either game is, to me, an exercise in futility. Sure, we get a participation trophy - great. But if the Dolphins are really a playoff team, we're going to be facing this same caliber of opponent in the postseason. And at that point, keeping the game close and still losing by multiple TDs really won't matter - you lose and you're done.

I have literally lost all confidence in this team to compete - legitimately compete - with the big boys in the league. It's pretty easy to forecast another blowout loss next week against KC, and we end the season against three contenders in the Cowboys, Ravens and Bills - not to mention two games against a great Jets' defense. Unless the coaches and players can figure out how to beat a good team, the playoffs might fall off the table completely.

JMP wrote:I know that a lot of people took some good things away from the game, but for me the bottom line is this: our offense scored 10 points, and our defense allowed 31 points (38, if you consider that the Eagles would have scored on their final drive if they didn't choose to show mercy).  Yeah, it's cool that it was close late, and we did get hosed by the refs, but in the end we couldn't score and couldn't stop them from scoring.  Really, it's exactly like the Bills' loss: if you dive in, we actually didn't play awful - yet we lost 48-20.  

That's just not good enough, and looking for positives from either game is, to me, an exercise in futility.  Sure, we get a participation trophy - great.  But if the Dolphins are really a playoff team, we're going to be facing this same caliber of opponent in the postseason.  And at that point, keeping the game close and still losing by multiple TDs really won't matter - you lose and you're done.

I have literally lost all confidence in this team to compete - legitimately compete - with the big boys in the league.  It's pretty easy to forecast another blowout loss next week against KC, and we end the season against three contenders in the Cowboys, Ravens and Bills - not to mention two games against a great Jets' defense.  Unless the coaches and players can figure out how to beat a good team, the playoffs might fall off the table completely.

Welcome to my world, Jmp. It took you a long time to get here but I always knew you would. That's why I've prepared to show you all sorts of amenities. Most people think this world is all bad but it's actually BETTER in some ways than the one you just left because now the burden of expectation is completely gone. That's why you feel so much lighter now. Well, that and me arranging for all your luggage to be carried by someone else. I'm pulling out all the stops for my newest resident. Like that old Eagles song goes, you can check out any time you like but you can never leave Take me for example, I've been here since the '86 opener.

Again, welcome aboard

DolFan 316 wrote:

Welcome to my world, Jmp. It took you a long time to get here but I always knew you would. That's why I've prepared to show you all sorts of amenities. Most people think this world is all bad but it's actually BETTER in some ways than the one you just left because now the burden of expectation is completely gone. That's why you feel so much lighter now. Well, that and me arranging for all your luggage to be carried by someone else. I'm pulling out all the stops for my newest resident. Like that old Eagles song goes, you can check out any time you like but you can never leave Take me for example, I've been here since the '86 opener.

Again, welcome aboard

I don't want to be aboard! LOL But thanks for the welcome.

This Eagles game was a sobering dose of reality for me. Obviously I heard all the chatter about the Dolphins beating up on bad teams and being unable to beat good teams. I didn't believe it, despite the evidence. But after watching us get destroyed by the Eagles and Bills, and then watching those teams struggle against bad teams, it just made me realize that we are just not ready for greatness.

Why can the Bucs and Giants hang with the Bills (and, really, both teams should have beaten them), and why can the Jets and Pats beat the Bills? Why can the Pats, Commanders and Vikes play well against the Eagles, and why can the Jets beat them?

On paper, the Dolphins are significantly better than the Bucs, Vikes, Giants, Commanders, Jets and Pats. Yet, when we play the Eagles and Bills, we get blown out of the water. I get it - the NFL is impossible to predict, and "any given Sunday" and all that. But why can't we ever beat a good team??

The simple answer: maybe we're just not that good. I love this current Dolphins team - I really do - but the sad truth is, we are not competitive against good teams. That being the case, how the hell can we be a Super Bowl contender?

Now, there's a lot of games left and things can change. Maybe we beat the Chiefs next week. Maybe we go on to beat the Cowboys, Ravens and Bills, and even advance in the playoffs. But I'm trying to be realistic, and I've seen no evidence that any of those things will happen.

To be clear, I am not giving up - I'll fight for this team till the inevitable bitter end. But - my expectations have lowered, a lot.

JMP wrote:To be clear, I am not giving up - I'll fight for this team till the inevitable bitter end.  But - my expectations have lowered, a lot.  

Ah yes...that's exactly how it started for me in '86. Even after my personal "we're not in Kansas anymore" moment after the opener (and really, this franchise hasn't been the same since when you really think about it) I STILL had hopes that somehow, some way, they'd still at least barely scrape into the playoffs following the glorious 45-3 MNF destruction of the Jets.

That's why the Falcons loss the very next game--Atlanta's only win in a 9-game stretch after starting 4-0--still irks me to this day. Well, that and it was their first ever win over the Fins and I got a nail stuck in my foot, I've told this story probably a hundred times by now.

You probably don't want to stay long because you've been fooled into believing this is a world of nonstop misery when in fact it's the best way to deal with misery--far better than always ignoring the bad Pollyanna-style. Those are the people wearing constant Stepford smiles who always snap one day and go off the rails. But if I was *really* as miserable all the time as some people back in the day loved to say I was, don't you think I'd have killed myself long ago? NOBODY could be THAT angry and unhappy for THAT long without doing it. This world allows all negativity to simply flow right through you instead of bottling it up inside. That way you aren't denying it until you eventually boil over. Nobody's saying you can't be happy anymore or appreciate the good, but now you know not to EXPECT the good, and that makes all the difference. Now when good happens it's every bit the treat and bonus it was and should be all along, as opposed to something you expect to be normal. And the irony is, it will make you much happier than you ever were about it before

Welcome to the analysis I have been running for a few weeks now, with some help from a friend.

Here are our initial conclusions, which I kinda/sorts stated after the Iggles loss.

Why are the Phins losing to good teams: the short answer is it is all because of the schemes they run.

On Offense, that zone blocking, zone running game can be blown up by Defenders who are bigger and stronger than the Phins Olinemen and crash the gaps or do not allow themselves to get sealed off, or in the case of someone like Hassan Reddick, are fast enough to beat the blocker to the angle.

When the opposing defense is able to stuff the Phins offensive foundation, the running game, the passing game can be limited by clogging the middle seams and focusing on containing Hill. Waddle, nor Smythe, nor anyone else has proven they can carry the offense when Hill is not making big plays IMO.

On Defense: If the Dline can get consistent pressure and force the QB to throw before the receiver has recognized the zone and settled into an open spot, the defense works. But if the QB can evade the pressure and buy time, the zone defense becomes Boyer like. You ever wonder why we never see a Phins DB making a face the QB step in front INT? Because the matchup zone quarter coverage is not working IMO. The DBs are not getting to where they CAN INT a pass much less defend one.

The short answer is as JMP states, the team is just not good enough to out execute a teams as good or better than the Phins running the Phins schemes on offense and defense.

I was really hoping McD would make some changes to face the Iggles, but other than trying more right side runs, I saw nothing different.

So, the short answer to the question "Will the Phins win today?" depends on:
ONE - How good the opposing QB is at buying time in the pocket? Allen, Hurts - Phins loss.
TWO - Can the Opposing Dline dominate the Phins Oline and shutdown the Phins Running game?
THREE - Can the opposing Defense take away Hill and stop the Phins running game at the same time?

I think if you look at it in this light, you have to say that there are not many teams that can do that. The fact the Phins face a murder's row of teams that can down the stretch is not a good sign for sure. I am kinda/sorta hoping that some of these factors will be mitigated by the Phins playing at Home.

Pats - Dolphins should win.
Chiefs - Mahommes will probably roast the Phins D and the Chiefs will shut down the Phins running and Hill IMO.
Raiduhs - Phins should win a close one IMO.
Jets - This all depends on if the Phins can run the ball on the Jets D IMO. Hopefully it is not the same Oline playing for the Phins that played in the Iggles game. I lean Jets here.
Commanders - Their D is stout but has not been playing great. Phins win.
Titans - May be facing Tannehill who could roast the Phins with some deep bombs but I am gonna says Phins win.
Jets - In Miami, payback time - Phins win.
Cowboys - In Miami, and I think the Phins D will play well versus Dak, but the Boys D is tough. Phins in a close one.
Ravens - Nope, Miami gets routed by Lamar.
Bills - Lets hope this is for the AFC East crown. Miami at home and McD has shown the film from the first game and showed Allen and Diggs insulting the Phins. I say Phins get payback and hopefully eliminate the Bills from the playiffs.

Everything depends on the lack of injuries of of course.

EDIT to add: I emailed this post to my friend and he says I am drinking the Phins kool Aid. He thinks the Phins will lose to the Chiefs, Titans, Cowboys and both Jets Game
and if Allen plays in the last game, the Phins will lose that one too.