Just got home from work and I'm rewatching the game from the beginning.
My thoughts:
- The first team defense could not play one more snap this preseason and still be ready to go week one in Cleveland. CB Brent Grimes undercut a route on Houston's first drive and intercepted QB Matt Shaub. I've said it since day one, Grimes is the best corner this team has had in over a decade.
- Cam Wake just doing his thing with another sack. Wake, along with Vernon, pressured Shaub throughout the night. Those two look ready.
- The two concerns I have about this defense right now are in stopping the run, and the pass coverage over the middle of the field. The usually stout unit has been run on well now through all three preseason games, and you've got to think that losing Kevin Burnett and Karlos Dansby has A LOT to do with that. The coverage over the middle of the field has also been suspect, as many of the big plays out of the Texans offense came in the middle of the field.
- Now to the offense. After a shaky first two drives, Ryan Tannehill settled down... BIG TIME. The second year QB orchestrated a beautiful 7 play, 80 yard TD drive, ending in an 11 yard bullet to, drum roll please.... Mike Wallace. Earlier in the Drive, Wallace and Tannehill hooked up for a 15 yard sideline catch, and a 33 yard bomb down the right sideline. Wallace got behind the Houston secondary and Tannehill hit him for the long connection. The big play WR finished the night with three catches for 53 yards, and a TD. Everybody can calm down now.
- Tannehill was good tonight, and was good against a very, very formidable opponent. He finished 10-15 for 141 yards, the TD to Wallace, and a 119.0 QB rating. He also had a couple nice scrambles to evade a would be sack. The one thing he STILL struggles with is holding on to the ball. The kid MUST learn to get rid of the football, because he cannot continue to take sacks like he is.
- WR Brandon Gibson had another good showing tonight. The chemistry between him and Tannehill is growing by the game.
- The running back watch is getting ever so close, folks. Daniel Thomas has clearly gotten better this year, and was a MAJOR factor in the offense tonight. He ran the ball five times for 24 yards, and also had some BIG runs after catches. Lamar Miller ran the ball five times for 10 yards. This competition is tight right now.
And now to the big story of the night. TE Dustin Keller. He's looked so good this year, and the chemistry between him and Tannehill has been spot on. He was primed for a BIG year, and was going to especially important to Tannehill in being that safety net to rely on. Thats why this is such a big injury, folks. If you didn't see it, I advise you to just take my word for it, because it did not look good at all.
Tannehill hit Keller out in the flat, and threw it behind him ever so slightly. The tight end reached back to get it and was hit directly in the right knee, bending it backwards. Keller hit the ground, threw his helmet off, and just lied there. He was eventually carted off the field and is currently undergoing an MRI. It looked really, really bad, folks. Torn ACL type bad. Season ending type bad. This could be a major blow to the Fins offense, not because Tannehill doesn't have other options, because he has plenty, but because the TE position has so many unknowns right now.
Charles Clay has shown flashes, but is inconsistent. Michael Egnew is still a work in progress, as is rookie Dion Sims. Somebody MUST step up now behind Keller, and my guess is it will be Clay. Regardless, this is a crushing blow to Keller, who signed a one year deal with Miami in the offseason, and is coming off an injury riddled season in 2012. Just terrible.
The drive would resume, and end with a Lamar Miller TD run. Another impressive offensive drive for the Fins, but obviously that took the backseat to Keller.
Any updates we get on the tight end will obviously be relayed to you immediately.
Miami currently trails 24-17 midway through the 4th quarter.
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