Miami Dolphins
2011 PFF All-AFC East Team
The postseason is still ongoing, and it’s too soon to really get into free agency. So how are we to amuse ourselves until we can get back to talking about ongoing games or discussing the moves to be made?
Well, in the first of eight installments to be released over the next two weeks, we’re going to be naming our All-Division Teams, and today we start with the AFC East. Now, as with all these teams, we’re being liberal in what type of personnel we use on offense or defense to create a lineup that involves the most talented players from each division where possible.
Will that disclaimer go down well? Does it matter? Here’s PFF’s All-AFC East Team for 2011:
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Re-Focused: Jets @ Dolphins, Week 17
The last spot in the AFC playoffs was still in reach for the NY Jets, but to get there they needed to win and have some help. They were taking on a Miami Dolphins team that just came off a second-half collapse against the Patriots. The Dolphins, out of the playoffs themselves, would surely have liked nothing more than to keep their rivals from advancing.
The game turned out to be a defensive battle, with the teams combining for less than 600 yards, but the deciding factor was a few drive-killing turnovers from the Jets. After another Super bowl promise by Rex Ryan, the Jets ended up not even making the playoffs. I think there is going to be some major changes in New York for next year because this group of players has proven they can’t get it done. Let’s take a look at some of the notable standouts in this game.
Three to Focus on: Jets @ Dolphins, Week 17
Last year the NFL schedule-makers decided in order to help give teams the motivation to play their starters in the last game, to make the last week of the season have just divisional matchups. This was one of the best ideas the NFL has had in recent years, as it gives us a matchup like this.
On one side, we have the New York Jets who are fighting for their playoff lives. They need a win and help in order to qualify and square off against Houston. The Dolphins only have pride to play for, but that has been true for most of the second half of the season and it’s worked well for them. They were on a three-game winning streak in the middle of the season, and have been winning every other game since.
These two teams have a bit of history, and the Dolphins would be more than happy to be the ones to eliminate their rivals. The question is can they do it, and here are the matchups to watch to find out if they can.
Re-Focused: Dolphins @ Patriots, Week 16
Home field advantage is a three-team race in the AFC between the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens. The Patriots will secure it if they can win out, but they were up against a hot Miami Dolphins team this week who is notorious for upsetting the Patriots. In their first meeting this year New England won a 38-24 shootout in which there was 1110 total yards of offense.
Only one team showed up in each half this week. The 1st half Miami outscored New England 17-0, and in the 2nd half New England outscored Miami 27-7. The Steelers and Ravens both won this week also, so New England is going to have to beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. The Bills however are the only AFC East team to beat them this year
This game was not quite the offensive shootout that we saw in Week 1, but there were still some notable standouts. Lets take a look at some of them.
Three to Focus on: Patriots @ Dolphins, Week 16
The late season matchups for the Miami Dolphins on the road against the New England Patriots haven’t yielded the best results in their franchise history. In the Brady Era, the Dolphins have travelled to New England six times and have lost all but one game. The one game they did win, was the last game of the 2005 season where Matt Cassel and Doug Flutie had significant playing time because the Patriots had already locked up their playoff seed. With their win in the snow last week in Buffalo, however, the Dolphins could be better prepared for the inclement conditions then they normally are.
For the Patriots, their focus is going to have to outweigh the Dolphins’ pride. Owning the number one playoff seed after everything fell right last week and controlling their own destiny, the Patriots will have to remain focused to beat the Dolphins who have won five of their last seven playing for little more than pride. This week is one of two remaining chances to answer the yet unanswered question: can this defense lead them to playoff victories?
Here are three things to look for in this game:
Re-Focused: Dolphins @ Bills, Week 15
A matchup between one team in a free fall and one team playing their first game since their head coach was fired–two teams nursing disappointing seasons. This game promised and delivered little in terms of quality as both sides were guilty of sloppy football in some inclement weather in Buffalo. When the Miami Dolphins established a three-score lead with less than six minutes remaining, this game appeared to be over. The Dolphins came out on the ensuing drive believing that to be the case as well and consequently the game sprung into life as the Bills mounted three scoring drives but came up a touchdown short of halting their losing skid.
On each side, players played hero and villain in the same game, at the same time pulling off great plays and great drives then a few drives later making catastrophic mistakes to nuke their team’s momentum. For Miami, Reggie Bush rebounded well from an early fumble (that came from lax ball handling and gifted the Bills possession for their first scoring drive), by rounding-off his performance with a 76-yard strike to seemingly put the game away before the Dolphins took their foot off of the gas. This marks the Dolphins’ fifth win in seven games, a streak as good as any in the league. Can they maintain this momentum into next season? Can they spoil the party for division rivals New England and New York in the final two weeks and disrupt their playoff preparations? Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus on: Dolphins @ Bills, Week 15
This divisional rematch finds two teams who are used to playing for nothing more than pride and a paycheck at this point in the season, once again doing just that.
The 5-8 Buffalo Bills looked like contenders early with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick piling up yards and points while the defense generated plenty of turnovers. Since a Week 8 shutout win over the John Beck-led Washington Redskins they haven’t won a game though, including three divisional losses, the worst being an 8-35 loss in Miami to these Dolphins. Last week’s blowout loss to the San Diego Chargers makes their early-season triumphs look like a distant memory.
The 4-9 Miami Dolphins were once contenders for next year’s first overall pick, starting 0-7, but seemed to right the ship after that, rattling off dominating wins and playing the Dallas Cowboys close on Thanksgiving. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Focused: Eagles @ Dolphins, Week 14
Who would have thought at the start of this season that this matchup would feature two teams still in search of their fifth victory of the year? Despite being given a two year contract extension in the offseason this would turn out to be the last game for Tony Sparano as a head coach. Even with the victory there is still doubt over the long term security of Andy Reid. It would have seemed improbable, to put it mildly, to envision either scenario but that’s the reality of the situation for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Miami Dolphins and the entire league.
The Eagles rode a hot ten minutes in the second quarter to victory as the Dolphins dropped only their second game in six after an 0-7 start. The Dolphins had an early edge in this game but after missing a long field goal with a one touchdown lead things started to unravel. By the time they had stopped the bleeding they were facing an insurmountable three score lead. The Dolphins wasted a strong defensive effort holding LeSean McCoy to just 38 yards rushing (1.4 yards per carry) and holding Michael Vick to just 208 yards passing with a 50% completion mark. The missed field goal was where the game turned so let’s take a look at some other key moments and pivotal performances that allowed the Eagles to escape with their fifth victory of the season and keep their hopes for a .500 season alive.
Three to Focus On: Eagles @ Dolphins, Week 14
Remember when the Miami Dolphins were 0-7 and everyone was picking them to draft Andrew Luck? Well, now the Dolphins are arguably one of the hottest teams in the NFL having won four of their last five games – three of which were by over 20 points. The defense is playing at the same level as 2010 and Matt Moore is managing the offense very well.
Their opponent this week is the Philadelphia Eagles. What a mess it’s been so far for a team that was predicted by many to make it to the Super Bowl. Michael Vick has had a big regression from last year and the defense has not come close to living up to the hype. A few players on the team even appear to have all but given up, including DeSean Jackson.
Will the Dolphins keep this hot streak rolling and take down the struggling Eagles? Or will Philadelphia show some life? Here are a few focal points that will help dictate the outcome.
Re-Focused: Raiders at Dolphins, Week 13
It wasn’t meant to be like this for the Oakland Raiders who were in the drivers seat for the AFC West. They visited Miami with everything to play for and left battered and bruised after the Dolphins took them to task with a relentless display on both sides of the ball. Oakland was outrushed 209 yards (with a 4.8 yards per carry) to 46 (3.3 per) and this was the fourth time in the last six games they were flagged at least 10 times.
The final score flattered Oakland with two consolation touchdowns which were two more than they deserved. Given how the Raiders found themselves manhandled on both sides of the ball, they have a lot of soul-searching to do. Will they simply get better when players return? Or has the momentum that at one time made them favorites for the AFC West run its course? Read the rest of this entry »
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