VERO BEACH-- The clock is quickly approaching midnight on this 2011 Miami Dolphins season. When it hits all zero's on Sunday against the New York Jets, owner Stephen Ross will immediately jump into the most important off-season in this franchise's storied history, one that will impact South Beach for years to come.
Before turning the page on this year's team, however, Ross still has some unfinished business to attend to Sunday at Sun Life Stadium, where he'll have a special eye on a certain man under center.
Before turning the page on this year's team, however, Ross still has some unfinished business to attend to Sunday at Sun Life Stadium, where he'll have a special eye on a certain man under center.
Yes Matt Moore, I'm talking to you. You're under the microscope starting Sunday afternoon in what will be your most important start not only of this season, but of your career.
The fact that we're even having this discussion says a lot about the Miami Dolphins QB, but still, that may not be enough.
Take Saturday's heart breaker against the New England Patriots for example. Moore looked like the answer for the first 30 minutes, entering halftime with a QB rating well into the triple digits and torching the Patriots secondary for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns.
Then he came back down to earth.
Up until a 15 yard 'too little too late' TD pass to Davone Bess in the 4th quarter, Moore fumbled twice and threw a back breaking interception in a disastrous 3rd quarter meltdown that led to 17 unanswered points by Brady and company, and an eventual 27-24 Patriots victory.
Moore was simply not good enough on Sunday. He finished with three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards passing, but for the tenth time this season the Miami Dolphins found themselves on the losing end of a football game, and with the season down to one game, Matt Moore is quickly running out of time to prove he's the answer at QB.
In Sunday's season finale, Moore not only has to lead the Dolphins to a win, but has to do it in such a fashion that convinces owner Stephen Ross and GM Jeff Ireland that he's the long term answer in Miami.
Anything less than brilliant won't do.
If Moore comes up short like he did against the Patriots, then he's out of there. If he has another mid-game meltdown like he did in that horrendous third quarter on Saturday, then he's out of there. Even If Moore throws for five touchdowns and over 400 yards, but throws that one backbreaking, should-of-been touchdown, interception like he did last week, then he's out of there.
Stephen Ross wants perfection out of the QB position, and if Moore doesn't show that on Sunday, for the ENTIRE game, not just for 30 minutes, then he'll be taking the backseat next season to somebody who Ross believes can. And why shouldn't he?
Didn't we just go through three years of consistently inconsistent play from Chad Henne? That's exactly what Matt Moore has been this season folks, a more exciting, less robotic form of good ol' number seven. He's been brilliant at times, and then he's been terrible at times. He'll throw a perfect 18 yard touchdown strike to a tightly covered Brandon Marshall, then under throw a wide open Brian Hartline in the end zone. Sounds an awful lot like Chad Henne, doesn't it?
Is that really what we want next season? A more polished form of Chad Henne?
I can promise you Stephen Ross doesn't.
Starting next season, anything less than 60 minutes of perfection will be deemed a failure in the eyes of the Dolphins owner. Gone will be the days of third quarter meltdowns and under thrown touchdown passes. Starting next season there will be a new head coach on the Dolphins sidelines, one ready to bring a Super Bowl back to South Florida.
The question is, will Matt Moore be along for the ride?
He's got 60 minutes left to prove that he will be.
Tick, Tick, Tick..
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