In Season Finale, Dolphins Get Rex'd Once Again (With Mike Wallace Update)

The Jets recovered a fumble with a little under three minutes left to ice the game..

And I've got to be honest with you, I'm glad they did, because Ryan Tannehill didn't have many more hits left in him.

Seven times Tannehill was sacked today. Seven. That's a Jets franchise record. I believe at one point he was taken down three times in four plays. It was hard to watch, and Dolphin fans should count their blessings it ended when it did, because the kid was holding on for dear life.

What a disaster for the Miami Dolphins today, mainly on the defensive side of the ball.

Geno Smith had a hall of fame performance from the get-go, completing 20-25 passes for 358 yards, and 3 TD's. His passer rating was a perfect 158.3. He was barely touched. His WR's, mainly Eric Decker, were wide open all day long.

The defense is a mess right now. A big, expensive, mess, that I expect will be completely overhauled over the next five months, starting with DC Kevin Coyle.

Look, I like Coyle. His group did a nice job over the first half of the season. But it simply cannot be overlooked just how bad the implosion has been since early November.

Once the backbone of this team, the unit has been their achilles heel over the stretch run this season. It's been so bad that they've given up over 28 points five out of the final six games. It's been so bad that they may very well have saved Geno Smith's job. GENO SMITH.

I don't see Randy Starks returning. I don't see Cortland Finnegan returning. I don't see Philip Wheeler, or possibly even Dannell Ellerbe returning. I also, as I mentioned above, don't see Kevin Coyle returning.

Cornerback, linebacker, interior lineman.. all of these will be priority number one starting, well, now. Expect a completely new unit beginning in 2015.

Now to the offense..

Ryan Tannehill was great in the first half, when he had time to throw. He finished the day surpassing Dan Marino in regards to completions in a season, and also threw for over 4,000 this season. He was fine today, and finished the season with career numbers in every single area.

Lamar Miller also had a career day today, rushing for nearly 180 yards and surpassing 1,000 on the season. He also had a 97 yard TD run in the third quarter, which broke a franchise record.

Brian Hartline had his best day of the year, catching five passes for 97 yards. I don't suspect he'll return next season because he just doesn't fit the new offense. However, you never know.

Somebody who did absolutely nothing today was WR Mike Wallace, who was apparently benched for most of the game. During the first quarter, Ryan Tannehill was seen shouting at the wideouts coach, who then walked over to Wallace and said something to him. Wallace then walked to the bench and remained there for the entire game.

I suspect this could be the last we see of Wallace, who the team may cut given his contract despite his 10 TD's this season. Don't be surprised to see some more dominos fall here shortly as this is a fluid situation.

The offensive line, like Wallace, was a joke today. As I said, Tannehill was sacked seven times and took three times as many hits. Besides Pouncey, Albert, and Ja'Wuan James, expect some serious retooling in this area as well this offseason.

Another domino I expect will fall is the firing of special teams coach Darren Rizzi, who's unit has been awful this season. It may have been at it's worst today, when they brought an all out block on fourth and five from midfield. Rex Ryan, who is notorious for fake punts, called it once again, and the Jets found a wide open Zach Sudfeld over the middle of the field to basically ice the game.

You can say that's on the players, but why call that play in that situation? It doesn't make sense, and, unfortunately for Rizzi, I expect it could have been his final call for the Miami Dolphins.

Another 8-8 season, another collapse to the Jets in the final game, and another long offseason ahead for the embattled team that resides out of South Florida.

Unfortunately, it's groundhogs day all over again.

To the offseason we go.


[UPDATE: Brandon Gibson just stood next to Mike Wallace during post game interviews and answered questions on his behalf. Seriously. Wallace did not say a single word.]

Jets, Dolphins tied at 24 after three quarters

An opening 90 yard kick return by the Jets was followed by a Miami stop on fourth and one.

The next play Lamar Miller took the handoff 97 yards untouched for a Miami touchdown.

The Jets would respond with a 74 yard touchdown to Eric Decker, who's nearing 200 yards receiving today.

Following a Miami failed fourth down try, Nick Folk tied the game with a chip shot FG.

The Jets are currently driving inside the Miami 20.

To the final quarter of the 2014 season. 

Tannehill, Dolphins lead Jets 17-14 at halftime

Don't tell Ryan Tannehill this is a meaningless, because, like most of the year, the kid's come to play today.

Tannehill finished the first half 15-20, 161 yards, and a last second 23 yard strike to Charles Clay to put the Dolphins up 17-14 at halftime.

The other offensive star has been Lamar Miller, who rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries in the first half. WR Brian Hartline, who could be playing his final game in Miami, finished the half with three catches for 47 yards.

Offensively, it hasn't been bad. Defensively though? Yeah, it's been ugly.

Geno Smith, yes, GENO SMITH, finished the first half 9-10, 122 yards, and a touchdown pass to a wide open Chris Ivory. Along with Smith, the Jets running attack has been successful as well, running for 74 yards on 16 carries.

The Dolphins defense did force a Geno Smith fumble, which led to a Daniel Thomas touchdown. But they're still struggling with getting off the field, as the Jets have converted 3-5 third down opportunities.

New York will receive to begin the final second half of the season.. can Miami reach nine wins for the first time in six years?

To the third.

Jets lead Dolphins 7-3 after first quarter

Another frustrating first quarter from the Miami Dolphins.

The opening drive nearly resulted in a safety. Following a missed Folk FG, the next Miami drive stalled inside the Jets 25 after a failed third and one.

After the Sturgis FG, the Jets drove down the field quickly and scored a TD on an end around, which was eerily similar to the one last month they also scored on.

The next Miami drive stalled yet again on ANOTHER failed third and one.

See a pattern?

To the second.

Jets, Dolphins nearing final kickoff; full inactive list

A hot, humid finale today for the Miami Dolphins, as they're just under an hour away from kicking off week 17 from Miami Gardens.

The inactives for Miami:

18 - Matthews

33 - James

35 - Aikens

62 - Coleman

63 - Thomas

65 - Brenner

83 - Hazel

The inactives for New York:

QB Simms, WR Harvin, WR Powell, S Jarrett, G Johnson, C Mangold and DT Barnes.

The Dolphins are in all white, while the Jets are in green tops with white pants.

Live blog begins after the first quarter.

See you there.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

Welcome to the final game day of 2014. Hard to believe, isn't it? 17 weeks, 156 days, and in roughly eight hours it's all over. Just like that.

Today is a big day for the Miami Dolphins. No, they aren't in the playoff race. But a win against the Jets would give them their first winning season since 2008, and for a team dying for some progress that would at least give them some.

But it won't be easy. No, not by a long shot. Remember earlier this month? Remember that nail biting last second win on Monday night in which the defense gave up nearly 300 rushing yards? This won't be a cake walk today, but, as I mentioned yesterday, it should be a victory. Miami is the better team all around, and they should simply overpower the New York Jets.

How do they accomplish that feat though? Well, for one final time, I'm so glad you asked!


1. Set, contain, and tackle: This is, without a doubt, the most important key for the Dolphins today. Set the edge, don't let those quick backs get around you, and when you get them, TACKLE! Wrapping up on the defensive side of the ball will be huge today.

2. Keep feeding him: Him being Lamar Miller, and said feeding being the ball. Lamar needs only a little over 70 yards to reach 1,000 for the season, and, despite a good Jets run defense, I don't see why he can't get that today. In fact, the only person I can see getting in his way is OC Bill Lazor, who has a tendency to go away from the run game in the second half. Keep feeding him today.

3. Stay on, get off the field: Third down's will be huge today, and I'm not sure which Dolphins team we're going to get. Last week the offense had one of their better performances of the season, as they converted 9/13 third downs. However, the defense, as they have for most of the season, struggled getting off the field once again. Rex Ryan loves a good ol' TOP battle, and it's one of the few ways he can beat you today. Don't let it happen, on either side of the ball.

4. Red zone success: The offense did an excellent job of turning red zone trips into touchdown's a week ago, and they'll have to continue this today. Defensively, don't let Geno Smith beat you inside the twenties, that's just not good for anybody.

5. Don't get caught napping: This is Rex Ryan's final game (most likely) as head coach for the New York Jets. You don't think he's going to throw everything at this Dolphins team? Keep your guard up on special teams, watch for the wild cat plays, be prepared for reverses, and trick plays, and, well, everything in the book. Rex may be going down, but I can assure you he' not going down without a loud, obnoxious BANG.


PREDICTION

I told you back in August that this team would finish 9-7 this season, and I'm a man of my word. There's no reason they shouldn't win today, and I expect nothing less than one. But proceed with caution, Dolfans, we all remember what happened not one year ago today...

Final: Dolphins 27 Jets 16


Final inactives list of the year coming up later. That will be followed by the live blog throughout the game.

See you there.

Four hours.

Week 17 in the NFL: Picks and predictions

This is it. The grand finale. Time to put up, or shut up. Time to separate the men from the boys, the contenders from the pretenders. All or nothing. The final countdown.

Alright, you get the picture. To the picks!



Last week's record: 9-5

Overall record: 153-72


Browns @ Ravens: Connor Shaw is a starting QB in this game.

Pick: Ravens 24 Browns 7

Cowboys @ Redskins: Dallas’ entire second team is better than Washington’s first. That’s not opinion, that’s fact.

Pick: Cowboys 30 Redskins 16

Colts @ Titans: “Back to the good ol’ AFC South. Thank goodness. They were starting to figure out how bad we are.” - Andrew Luck.

Pick: Colts 27 Titans 14

Jaguars @ Texans: Gun to my head I couldn’t tell you the Texans starting QB this week. But with that defense I don’t think it matters.

Pick: Texans 17 Jaguars 10

Chargers @ Chiefs: Chase Daniel. How’s that for a throwback? Yikes.

Pick: Chargers 24 Chiefs 13

Bears @ Vikings: Nobody put’s Jay in the corner. Nobody.

Pick: Vikings 24 Bears 20

Bills @ Patriots: We’re so close to another devastating January loss for Tom and the Patriots I can practically taste it. I just get so warm and fuzzy inside when thinking about it!

Pick: Patriots 27 Bills 17

Eagles @ Giants: What an epic collapse by the Eagles. Quick, which would you rather: being a Philadelphia sports fan, or getting a root canal?

The latter? Me too.

Pick: Eagles 27 Giants 24

Saints @ Buccaneers: The decline of Drew Brees hasn’t gotten enough publicity this year. Seriously, what’s going on there?

Pick: Saints 23 Buccaneers 16

Panthers @ Falcons: This is it! This is for all the marbles baby! Bring it home, Cam. Bring that historically bad division title home! I love it.

Pick: Panthers 26 Falcons 20

Lions @ Packers: Just a nice little tune up for Aaron here before him and Olivia head off for their two week vacation. What a life.

Pick: Packers 24 Lions 17

Raiders @ Broncos: #PrayForTonyAndDerrick

Pick: Broncos 35 Raiders 13

Cardinals @ 49ers: If Jim Harbaugh’s going down (and he is), there’s no way he’s going down without a fight. Go get em’, Jimmy!

Pick: 49ers 20 Cardinals 16

Rams @ Seahawks: Oh look, the Seahawks are an elite powerhouse again… Who woulda thunk it?? Oh yeah, um, I did. Come on, world, don’t back a dog into an unnecessary corner. When will we learn?

Pick: Seahawks 23 Rams 13

Bengals @ Steelers: If Andy Dalton wins two primetime games in a row the world will undoubtedly explode.

I’m pretty confident we’ll still be spinning come Monday morning.

Pick: Steelers 23 Bengals 20


I'll have all your game day coverage tomorrow morning, followed by any last minute news and the inactives right before kickoff.

Then, I'll have your final live blog of the year beginning after the first quarter.

See you then.

Inside Look at Dolphins, Jets Finale; other notes

Well, the end is upon us, folks.

Today is the final inside look at a Dolphins matchup until September 2015. Enjoy it. Cherish it. Remember it. Because this is it. This is the big one. The real one. The last one. 

To the final matchup of 2014:

Look, the Dolphins should dominate tomorrow. I said it last month, and I'll say it again now— offensively, and defensively, Miami has the upper hand in this matchup.

Offensively, the matchup to watch tomorrow is Ryan Tannehill vs. the New York secondary. Tannehill is in a groove right now, and has the Miami passing offense up to 15th in the league, averaging nearly 235 yards per game. The Jets secondary is the weakness of their sixth ranked defense, as they rank 15th against the pass, while ranking fifth against the run.

What does this tell me? Expect Miami to attack this unit early and often tomorrow, especially with the way Ryan Tannehill is playing. He needs only four touchdowns, and only 213 yards, to surpass 30 TD's and 4,000 yards on the season, and with that depleted secondary I don't think either are out of the realm of possibility. 

Defensively, the obvious problem Miami will face is against that New York rushing attack, which ranks third in the league with 145 yard per game. If you remember ( and how could you not?), Miami's feeble run defense (24th in the NFL, 124 yards per game) was torched earlier this month by this unit.. Torched so bad that the Jets had over 200 yards on the ground after the first half! 

I expect more of the same tomorrow, as nothing has really changed since the last meeting— Miami's secondary is still really good (4th), Geno Smith is still really bad (31st), the Jets can still run, and Miami still struggles to stop it. 

This will be the game changing matchup tomorrow, folks. If Miami can stop the run, and force Geno Smith to throw, then look for a route. If not, expect another tight one heading into the final quarter. 

INJURY REPORT

The Dolphins released the final injury report of the 2014 season yesterday, and, for the most part, the team is healthy heading into tomorrow's finale.

LB Jelani Jenkins (foot), RT Dallas Thomas (foot), and DE Derrick Shelby (ankle) are all listed as questionable.

TE Charles Clay (hamstring, knee), CB Cortland Finnegan (ankle, knee), LB Jonathan Freeny (hamstring), S Don Jones (shoulder), LB Koa Misi (hamstring, knee), DT Earl Mitchell (back), DT Jared Odrick (ankle), RB Daniel Thomas (knee) and WR Mike Wallace (back) are all listed as probable.

Picks and predictions coming up later.

Ryan Tannehill Awarded 2014 Dan Marino MVP Award; Wake, Fox Recognized as Well

First off, a very Merry Christmas to all of our readers.. 2014 has been another record breaking year for page views, and, of course, it's all because of you guys— the readers. So thank you for all the views, comments, likes, and shares. It's very much appreciated!

Now, to some news out of Miami..

QB Ryan Tannehill has been awarded the 2014 Dan Marino Most Valuable Player award, which is voted on by the South Florida media and the organization, for the first time.

Tannehill has shown major improvement this season, his third in the NFL, and seems to have clearly cemented his place under center in Miami for the foreseeable future. As of today, his numbers look like this:

He's started all 15 games, going 369-of-55 for 3,786 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He's also completing 67.0% of his passes, and is on pace to be the second-highest in a season in franchise history.

His 311 rushing yards are also a career high, and second most for a quarterback in a season in franchise history.

He's also in sixth place all-time when it comes to how many passing yards a quarterback has produced in their first three seasons (10,993). If he throws for 307 passing yards on Sunday he'll pass Carolina's Cam Newton for fifth place, which would put him behind Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino and Andy Dalton.

I don't have a vote, but if I did, the obvious choice for team MVP was Tannehill. Had LT Branden Albert remained healthy all year he may have won, however, Albert's been out since early November while Tannehill has started every single game for three straight season's now.

Is Tannehill there yet? No. He still needs to clean up certain areas– deeper passes and pocket presence come to mind— and he still needs to lead this team to the postseason. However, the strides he's made this season cannot be overlooked, and one has to believe another year in this offense could put him in the top 10 tier of starting QB's in the NFL.

Not too shabby for someone who was almost benched in September, huh?

Cameron Wake won the Don Shula Leadership Award for the second year in a row, which is voted on by Dolphins players, and Jason Fox is your Nat Moore Community Service Award winner, which is given to the Dolphins player recognized for his involvement in the South Florida community.

The final Dolphins practice of the year is under way right now.. a full injury report will follow later.

See you there.

Grimes, Wake Make Pro Bowl; other notes

We're back...

Yes, it's been another long layoff between posts. What can I say, when you have no service in the stadium after the third quarter ends, then you have to drive home in Miami traffic, then you have to finish up last minute Christmas shopping two days before the clock strikes midnight, you're going to have to make sacrifices..

Anyways..

The official Pro Bowl rosters were announced earlier tonight, and the Dolphins have two familiar representatives in the dance: CB Brent Grimes and DE Cameron Wake.

This is Grimes' third pro bowl, and second in a row with Miami. For Wake, this is his fourth pro bowl, all with Miami.

Grimes is second in the league with five interceptions, while Wake has recorded 11.5 sacks this season.

Two other Dolphins who could have made it were LT Branden Albert, and SS Reshad Jones. Why didn't they?

Well, methinks that Albert's injury had an awful lot to do with it (obviously), while Jones probably would have made it (or come pretty darn close) had he not missed the first five weeks because of his suspension.


PHILBIN STAYS, BUT DO COORDINATORS?

First, my thoughts on Joe Philbin returning next season..

I think it's the right move for owner Stephen Ross. Why? Well, I'll answer that question with another question: If not Philbin, then who else?

The only reason I would have fired Philbin would be if you were 100% certain you could have signed Jim Harbaugh. Obviously, Stephen Ross, like the rest of us, knows this was never going to be the case. In fact, I doubt Harbaugh would have ever really considered Miami with Michigan and Oakland also on his radar.

Knowing this, who else would you have signed?

Seattle DC Dan Quinn?

Auburn HC Gus Malzan?

Rex Ryan?

No, no, and no. Stephen Ross is a loyal man, and he's a man who really, really likes Joe Philbin. He also really, really likes continuity.

What does retaining Philbin for a fourth season bring?

Yes, continuity. Continuity for the organization, and, most importantly, continuity for Ryan Tannehill, who's made significant strides in his third season.

So yes, I have no issue with Philbin returning. If Miami wins on Sunday they'll finish 9-7 and have a winning record for the first time since 2008. Philbin's tenure would look like this:

7-9

8-8

9-7

Is it progress? Yes. Is it small, baby step progress? Yes. But it's progress nonetheless, and I believe you give him and Ryan Tannehill one more year to see if they can really build something in Miami.

As for the coordinators, that's a different story.

I believe OC Bill Lazor will undoubtedly return next season. The offense has improved this season, folks. You cannot deny that. The numbers cannot deny that. Ryan Tanehill's play cannot deny that.

So yes, I believe Lazor returns.

As for DC Kevin Coyle, this is a bit more murky to me.

Coyle's unit has severely underperformed during the second, most critical half of the season. The run defense has been an achilles heel, and the defensive line, once a strength of this team, has regressed mightily this year.

Some even go as far to say that Coyle isn't getting the most out of the talent he has on the defensive side of the ball.

So when it comes to Coyle, I believe this could be a little more tricky come January. Joe Philbin obviously declined to answer one way or another when asked about this yesterday.

GM Dennis Hickey is also confirmed to be back in 2015. Like Philbin, I believe this to be the right move. Hickey had a solid, if not impressive, first season at the helm, bringing in the likes of Jarvis Landry, Ja'Wuan James, and Cortland Finnegan.

Hickey deserves another season, and another draft, to get this thing in the right direction.

Jets week begins tomorrow.

See you then.

Vikings leads Fins 17-14 after third

An excellent third quarter from the Miami Dolphins..

Ryan Tannehill hit Mike Wallace on the opening drive for a touchdown... Wallace juggled it, brought it in, then sprung across the goal line for the score.

The following drive ended in a tipped Derrick Shelby interception.

The Dolphind currently have the ball at the one yard line, facing a third and goal. 

Vikings lead Dolphins 17-7 at halftime

Joe Philbin is under fire right now.

If he loses one of the final two games, he's most likely out, even though Stephen Ross reportedly doesn't want to fire the embattled head coach.

If the first half, and more specifically, the end of the first half, is any indication, then Ross may have no choice.

With Miami trailing 14-7, and the ball inside the Minnesota 50, the offense faced a third and two with over a minute to play and two timeouts left...

And they passed. And they threw an incompletion.

And then, at 7-7, and at home, they punted. 

Then Minnesota took over, looking content to run the ball and drain the clock.

The only problem? Miami took their final two timeouts, only to set up a Vikings first down, followed by another, and another, and another.

The drive ended at the Miami 1 yard line, resulting in a Blair Walsh FG to put the Vikings up 17-7 at halftime.

Yes, it was an absolute debacle. A disaster. A botchery.

It was as bad as an end to a first half as I've ever seen.

Minnesota will get the ball to begin the second half. 

And Joe Philbin's seat is hotter than ever.

To the third.

Vikings lead Dolphins 7-0 after first quarter

Another "blah" first quarter for the Dolphins.

The opening drive went down inside the Minnesota 40, only to be ruined when Ryan Tannehill was sacked on third down and Caleb Sturgis came up short on a 55 yard field goal.

The ensuing MIN drive ended with a Matt Asiata one yard TD run. Asiata torched the Fins on the drive... It appears that leaky run defense is, um, still not fixed.

The next Miami drive ended with a Fields punt when the drive stalled, again, inside Vikings territory.

To the second.

Dolphins, Vikings ready to go; full inactives

Beautiful South Florida day, as the Fins and Vikings are a little over an hour away from kickoff.

The inactives for Miami:

Rishard Matthews, Daniel Thomas, Dallas Thomas, Nate Garner, Don Jones, Chris McCain, & Matt Hazel.

For Minnesota:

• CB Shaun Prater
• FB Zach Line
• LB Anthony Barr
• OT Carter Bykowski
• G Charlie Johnson
• TE Kyle Rudolph

Miami is in all white. Minnesota in the purple and white.

The live blog starts after first quarter.

See you there.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

Welcome to another gameday, as the Dolphins and Vikings are just under three hours away from kicking things off at Sun Life Stadium. 

Here are the keys to a Dolphins win: 

1. Make the rookie beat you: as I told you yesterday, the Dolphins are 2-0 against rookie quarterbacks this year, and they happen to be facing one today in Teddy Bridgewater. Kevin Coyle's unit must take away the prominent Vikings run game and make Bridgewater beat them. My guess is he can't. 

2. Keep taking shots: Bill Lazor opened up the playbook for Ryan Tannehill for the first time last week, and it led to generally positive results. Lazor must continue to let Tannehill find the long ball and put the offense in position to make big plays down field, because with that Vikings stout defense I don't see Miami dinking and dunking up and down the field today.

3. DON'T ABANDON THE RUN GAME: I said it last week, I said it the week befire, I've said it all season long... The run game works! STOP GOING AWAY FROM IT IN THE SECOND HALF. 

4. Don't beat yourself: penalties, turnovers, blocked field goals- they've all killed Miami over the past two weeks. This team isn't strong enough mentally to get through things like this, especially with nothing to play for. If they happen today it will be a huge problem.

5. Play with pride: Look, this team isn't making the playoffs. They may not even finish second in their own division. But a winning record is still attainable, and that's saying something for a team who hasn't had one in over a half decade. Just come out and play with some fire, some passion, and some heart. That's all we're asking.

PREDICTION

I don't know what to expect today, I really don't. But Miami is the better team, with the better QB, and they're at home. Even with the way they've played lately I can't go against those odds.

Final: Dolphins 24 Vikings 20

Inactive list and and last minute news coming up.

2.5 hours. 

Week 16 in the NFL: Picks and predictions

Only two weeks left, folks. Cherish it. Enjoy it. Bask in it. Because it's almost over.

Ps: I picked the Eagles to win earlier, and the 49ers to win tonight. You can read those picks here.



Last week's record: 12-3

Overall record (including earlier game today): 144-67


Ravens @ Texans: Is David Carr looking for a job by chance?

Pick: Ravens 20 Texans 13

Lions @ Bears: The only good thing about this game is that it nearly completes a timeless Wizard of Oz song.

Pick: Lions 30 Bears 9

Browns @ Panthers: Two of the more polarizing players in college football history will be on the same field. Good lord, if Tim Tebow makes an appearance Bank of America Stadium could very well explode.

Pick: Panthers 23 Browns 16

Falcons @ Saints: Each night I pray that a six win team hosts a playoff game and runs the table. For my prayers to be answered, I need a Falcons win here. That’s my logic.

Pick: Falcons 30 Saints 27

Packers @ Buccaneers: #PrayforTampaBay

Pick: Packers 38 Buccaneers 17

Chiefs @ Steelers: The Steelers are playing a win-and-get-in game, in December, at home. Even they can’t screw that up, can they?

Pick: Steelers 23 Chiefs 20

Patriots @ Jets: This would be the most Jets win of all time. Seriously, think about it. What better, more fitting way for Rex Ryan to go out than to shock the red hot Patriots? I love fantasy land.

Pick: Patriots 27 Jets 10

Giants @ Rams: I traded for O’dell Beckham in week six.. Everybody laughed at me. Why? Because I was giving up Brandon Marshall. I’m in the championship game this week.. Why? Look up the soon to be rookie of the year’s stats from last week and you’ll find an answer.

Pick: Rams 20 Giants 17

Bills @ Raiders: The fact that the Bills are in the playoff race and the Dolphins are not makes me question everything about myself.

Pick: Bills 21 Raiders 13

Colts @ Cowboys: Have the Colts beaten a good team yet this season? Throw them in any other division (NFC South aside), and they’d struggle to even be .500.

Pick: Cowboys 30 Colts 23

Seahawks @ Cardinals: I’ve never felt so confident in an 11-3 team, who’s undefeated at home, losing than I do this week. Apparently I’m not alone, though, because Vegas has the Seahawks as a NINE POINT FAVORITE. Yikes.

Pick: Seahawks 20 Cardinals 10

Broncos @ Bengals: Cincinnati just keeps on keeping’ on, huh? Every year it’s the same story.. Good, but not nearly good enough. A win here, however, could spark a potential playoff run. Yeah, lets cross that imaginary bridge when we get to it.

Pick: Broncos 28 Bengals 21


I'll be heading down to Miami tomorrow for the game, so I'll have updates all throughout the day. Make sure to check in tomorrow morning for all your pre-game coverage, and then come back before the game for the full list of inactives.

And, as always, follow the live blog throughout the game, beginning after the first quarter.

15 hours.

Two Trends Fans Should Hope Dolphins Keep Up

The Dolphins and Vikings are just under 24 hours away from kicking things off from Sun Life Stadium, and, to be honest, I'm not sure what to expect. I know what you're saying, "Zach, it's the NFL, nobody ever does," but that's not true in this situation. Why?

Well, I know this team pretty well at this point. After all, I have covered them since MAY this season.  Going off of that, I can usually have a good idea of what's going to happen in each game. For instance..

I had a bad feeling last week, and, well, you saw what happened.

The Baltimore game went exactly as I expected it to.

So did the Detroit game.

So did the first Buffalo game.

So did the Jets game.

You get the picture. My point? I usually can feel this team, and their matchup, out in the days leading up to the game. But this week? This team? With the way they've played?

I have no idea what to expect tomorrow. Not. A. Clue.

The offense hasn't played well in a month. Neither has the defense. The coaching staff is on the hot seat right now, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if these players will play for Joe Philbin with nothing but pride to play for.

I do know this, though— regardless of what the mood of the team is tomorrow, they will have one HUGE advantage over the Vikings...

The QB position.

Minnesota is led by rookie Teddy Bridgewater. How has the Miami defense done against rookie QB's this season?

Week four, Raiders QB Derek Carr: 16-25, 146 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (returned for a TD).

Week eight, Jaguars QB Blake Bortles: 18-34, 221 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT (both returned for TD's).

Yeah, those numbers don't exactly jump off the screen.

Here's another stat that Miami has well in it's favor: The Dolphins are 4-0 this season against team's under .500. The Vikings are 6-8 entering tomorrow's game.

Between that fact, and the numbers against rookie QB's this season, we should see a good Dolphins showing tomorrow. In reality, we really should see an easy Miami win.

But, as I said earlier, you just don't know about this team right now. The players and coaches are saying the right things, but at the end of the day the facts still remain the same— this team is out of the playoffs and coming off two really bad performances.

Let's hope tomorrow doesn't make three.

Picks and predictions coming up later.

Inside Look at Miami, Minnesota Matchup PLUS Injury Report

We're back..

Apologies all around for the silence this week, as I've been traveling home for the holiday's for a majority of the week. Also, let's be honest, the Miami Dolphins' season, for all intense and purposes, is over, folks.

There will be no playoffs this year. There will be no do-or-die week 17 game. There will be no scoreboard watching over the next two weeks. It's just over. Had this not been the case I probably would've been a tad more diligent in posting during my travels, but, well, it wasn't.

But, there is still much to play for this season, despite being out of the playoff race..

A 9-7 record would be Miami's best since 2008, when they finished 11-5. It would show progress, it would give Ryan Tannehill his first winning season as an NFL QB, it would, possibly, provide momentum for the Dolphins heading into next season.

Winning the final two games would also give coach Joe Philbin hope for next season (although I believe he's all but gone), so you better believe he'll be coaching harder than he ever has.

Ryan Tannehill stil has much to play for as well. He's a few touchdown passes away from having the second most in franchise history, and he's also playing for a possible contract extension next season.

There are also several players coming up on free agency in the offseason, so jobs will be on the line over the final two weeks as well.

So while the playoffs are all but out of reach this season for the Dolphins, don't expect them to lay an egg in the final two games. A winning record is within reach for only the second time in six years (2013), and while it won't come with a playoff spot, it still means a lot for a franchise trying to shake that "mediocre" label that's followed them around for a decade now.


INJURY REPORT

The second to final injury report came out yesterday, it reads:

Expect Misi and Jelani Jenkins to remain questionable for Sunday's game when today's report comes out as well. I wouldn't be shocked if they played, but it's still iffy right now. Expect both Cortland Finnegan and Charles Clay to play.

A LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS

Miami hold's a significant advantage over Minnesota in one key area— pass defense.

The Dolphins pose the league's 4th ranked pass defense, while the Vikings and Teddy Bridgewater are ranked 27th in passing offense. What does this tell me?

The Vikings are going to run, run, run the ball on Sunday.... and they should.

Miami's run defense has been, um, bad over the past month. They've gone from ranked 8th in the beginning of November to 21st now, giving up over 120 yards a game. The Vikings are a much better running team, ranking 15th in the league and rushing for nearly 112 yards a game.

These will be the key match ups to watch defensively on Sunday.

Offensively, well, it's almost the same.

Miami ranks 14th in rushing, averaging nearly 115 yards a game. The Vikings have struggled against the run, giving up 124 yards a game. Adversely, Minnesota has dominated against the pass, ranking sixth in the league. 

What does all this tell me? Sunday's game will be a ground and pound day, for both teams. 

More to come later.

Patriots lead Dolphins 38-13 after third quarter

A comical third quarter for the Dolphins. 

I told you this team didn't have much fight when they got down... And, unfortunately, they've proved me right.

An opening drive NE touchdown. Followed by a three and out. Followed by a FG. Followed by a Tannehill interception. Followed by another touchdown. 

17 points. Four minutes.

On to 2015.

On to the fourth quarter.

Pats lead Dolphins 14-13 at halftime

The Dolphins are playing for their season today..

And, so far, it's showed.

Ryan Tannehill has been money, with the exception of one bad pass. He finished the first half 14-22, 197 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The touchdown came in the final seconds of the half, when Miami got the ball inside the NE 35 following a long Jarvis Landry punt return.

On the next play Tannehill hit Mike Wallace in the end zone, who made a one handed grab that was initially ruled incomplete.

However, the call was reversed and put Miami within one.

The Dolphins have ran 40 plays for 271 yards. They've had the ball for nearly 70% of the game.

The problems have all been self inflicted.

Penalties have been killers. A blocked FG was a killer. An interception led to a touchdown.

Defensively, the Dolphins have dominated to the tune of only giving up 102 total yards. They've stopped the run, they've pressured Brady, they've tipped three balls (one for an interception).

Miami has run the ball well, they've passed it aggresively, and they've pressured Tom Brady.

Can that pull it off?

To the third.

Pats lead Dolphins 7-3 after first quarter

The Miami Dolphins have dominated this game so far.

They opened with a 50 yard bomb to Mike Wallace..

They intercepted Tom Brady.

They have over 150 yards of offense.

They trail 7-3.

How? Caleb Sturgis had a FG blocked, and NE returned it all the way for a touchdown.

Jamie Collins had the block.

Miami had a drive stall inside the red zone yet again, which led to the Sturgis FG.

To the second.

Finnegan, Taylor return as Fins, Pats Near Kickoff; full inactive list

Miami could not have asked for a better day here in New England.

40 degrees. Sunny. No wind. 

Doesn't get much better than that I'm December.

The inactives for Miami:

RB James, LB Jenkins, LB Misi, LB Freeny, LB McCain, OL Garner, OG Turner.

Jamar Taylor, Cortlmd Finnegan, and Charles Clay will all start today.

The inactives for New England:

Devey, Dennard, James White, Chris White, Zach Moore, Easley, Fleming.

Miami is in all white. The Pats in the blue and silver.

Kickoff is an hour away.

The live blog starts soon after.

See you there.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

Beautiful day for football up here in New England, as the Dolphins and Patriots are just under three hours away from kicking things off here in week 15.

Today is an absolute must win for Miami if they want to get back in the playoff race, and it's also their toughest of matchup of the season. So yes, it's going to take an A+, picture perfect performance all around for them to pull this thing off.

How can they do it? How can they keep their season alive?

Glad you asked:


1. Start Fast: This is an absolute must today for Miami. You're on the road, in New England, in December, where they haven't lost at home in years. You're also a fragile team that could break at any moment. With all that in mind, you MUST get off to a fast start. If New England comes out strong, I fear this team could quit today.

2. RUN THE FOOTBALL: I'm yelling this because Bill Lazor seems to always forget to do this in the second half. Last week against Baltimore the Dolphins ran the ball THREE TIMES in the second half. Three! Give Lamar Miller the football early and often today, and let that running game get you into manageable third down situations.

3. Replicate the week one pressure: Cam Wake and Olivier Vernon has been nonexistent over the past month. Sorry, but it's true. These two can literally change the course of a football game, Wake in particular, and the Dolphins need them to return to that form today. Remember week one? Wake was in Brady's face all day long. All day. He needs to do it again today if Miami wants to have any shot at winning.

4. Red Zone success/third down success: These are two key areas for Miami today on both sides of the football. Offensively, this team must put itself in manageable third down situations. No third and 11's today. They also must score touchdowns in the red zone. They absolutely cannot afford field goals today, because that doesn't cut it. Defensively, get off the field on third downs (meaning you have to cover Gronkowski), and hold stiff in the red zone (again, meaning you have to cover Gronk). These are two areas Miami MUST be perfect in today.

5. Put em' on: It's a big boy pants day, and every member of the Dolphins 53 man roster must be wearing them if they're going to pull this off. I was extremely disappointed in this team's effort last week, particularly the way it appeared they just quit in the second half. I haven't seen that out of a Miami team in a long, long time. It's going to take an A+ effort from this team to win today, and they must maintain a high level of play for all 60 minutes. With the season on the line, I expect to see a lot of fight out of this team.


PREDICTION

You all know that I can't pick Miami to win today, right?

New England is the better team, and they're at home. The Dolphins are a fragile, feeble unit right now, and I fear that they just don't have the fight in them to pull this off. Could they do it? Sure, it wouldn't completely surprise me if they somehow won this game. But with the way they're playing, and the way New England is playing, I just don't Christmas coming early for the aqua and orange.

Final: Patriots 31 Dolphins 17


Come back in an hour or so for any last minute news, including today's inactives.

THEN, come back during the game for the live blog.

2.5 hours.

Week 15 in the NFL: Picks and predictions

A strong showing last week... Time to repeat.


Last weeks record: 12-3

Overall record: 132-63


Steelers @ Falcons: Monday night reminded everyone that Matt Ryan is still a pretty darn good QB, and I think he continues to remind us this weekend.

Pick: Falcons 27 Steelers 24

Redskins @ Giants: Holy cow the Redskins are a dumpster fire.

Pick: Giants 34 Redskins 20

Raiders @ Chiefs: Just when ol’ sunglasses himself is ready to throw in the towel, BAM, he goes out and fist pumps the Raiders to a shocking win. Do you, Tony. Do you.

Pick: Chiefs 28 Raiders 17

Texans @ Colts: So the Texans are still kickin, huh? Time to put them to bed, Andy.

Pick: Colts 26 Texans 19

Jaguars @ Ravens: Moving right along.

Pick: Ravens 27 Jaguars 10

Packers @ Bills: See above.

Pick: Packers 35 Bills 21

Buccaneers @ Panthers: Nothing like waking up to a solid T & P sesh on twitter the other morning for Cam Newton. “Thoughts and Prayers to Cam” all over the place. Time for Superman to put the cape back on and keep the cats in the DIVISION RACE with a win.

Pick: Panthers 24 Buccaneers 20

Bengals @ Browns: FINALLY! I’ve been calling for him all season long, and finally it’s Johnny Football time! Whoever thought Brian Hoyer was the answer is a psychopath, plain and simple. Show em what ya got, kid!

Pick: Bengals 20 Browns 17

Jets @ Titans: Geno Smith saying he can be a pro bowl QB might be the funniest, yet saddest, thing I’ve ever heard.

Pick: Jets 17 Titans 14

Broncos @ Chargers: So Peyton just casually has a running game now, huh? What is this, 2002? Where’s Edgerrin James?! What’s going on here!? Somebody wake me up!

Pick: Broncos 30 Chargers 24

Vikings @ Lions: How about the Vikings being a game under .500 all of a sudden. Teddy Ballgame does what Teddy Ballgame wants. Period.

Pick: Lions 24 Vikings 16

49ers @ Seahawks: I’ve been saying it for months now… Counting out the champs was the worst decision we’ve, as a society, made in a long time.

Pick: Seahawks 23 49ers 14

Cowboys @ Eagles: The Eages just lost at the Linc’ for the first time all season long, and Mark Sanchez looked quite terrible along the way. Don’t panic though, that’s nothing the Cowboys won’t fix.

Pick: Eagles 27 Cowboys 24

Saints @ Bears: Scheduling committee in April: “What a great game! This could be a championship preview!”

Scheduling committee now: “Crap.”

Pick: Saints 27 Bears 23



Game day morning starts tomorrow as I'll have all your Dolphins coverage, including my prediction.

After that, make sure to come back before the game for any last minute news, including the inactives..

AFTER THAT, come back throughout the game and follow the live blog.

16 hours.

Dolphins Final Injury Report PLUS Week 15 Dolfan Viewer Guide

The Dolphins and Patriots are just under 24 hours away from their week 15 kickoff tomorrow afternoon. This is a must win game for Miami. As I wrote earlier this week, everybody is down on this team right now, and tomorrow is their last chance to salvage this season.

On the injury front, there's good news and bad news for Miami.

The good news first: It appears both Jamar Taylor and Cortland Finnegan will return tomorrow and provide much, MUCH needed help to a secondary that's already missing Louis Delmas. Finnegan hasn't played since the Detroit game a month ago, while Taylor hasn't played since Denver.

TE Charles Clay, who's battled a knee injury all year long, is also expected to play.

Now, the bad news, which, unfortunately, overshadows the good..

Both Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins are listed as doubtful and are not expected to play. For the Dolphins  this could not have come at a worse time, as Jenkins is by far this team's best coverage linebacker. Kevin Coyle is now going to have to come up with another way to defend Rob Gronkowski with him out, and I'm not sure what the answer is here.

Reshad Jones is an option.. Dion Jordan is an option. But those are two worrisome options, folks. If Bill Belichick schemes the way I know he will, then expect a lot of Rob Gronkowski coverage mismatches tomorrow.


WEEK 15 VIEWER GUIDE

Last week's loss was a backbreaker, and there's no way around that. However, if Miami can somehow, someway pull of the upset here then the Dolphins will be right back in the thick of the wild card race.

The best scenario, and the most likely, for Miami to regain control of the sixth seed is this:

A MIA win + PITT LOSS + HOU LOSS + CIN LOSS + SD LOSS.

Seems unlikely, right? Well, not exactly. In fact, the most grim possibility there is Miami actually winning, because most of the other scenarios are very plausible. Why? Well, here's a look at the opponents:


Pittsburgh @ Atlanta (CBS, 1:05): The Falcons are coming off a hard fought loss in Green Bay, but still remain tied for the NFC South lead. They're at home and facing an inconsistent Steelers team that's coming off an impressive win on the road. This one's a toss up, but the Dolphins badly need a Falcons win.

Raiders @ Chiefs (1:05, CBS): Kansas City is in the middle of the meltdown I predicted they'd be in week ago, however, they get a reprieve this week with the Raiders. A Chiefs loss would end any playoff hopes they have, just like a Miami loss would, so expect them to get it done here.

Texans @ Colts (1:05, CBS): Houston has snuck up on some people in the past month and remain in the wild card chase. In fact, this is one of the game's Miami needs to go in their favor tomorrow, as a Houston win, coupled with a couple other things happening, could vault them into that sixth seed. I don't see them going into Indianapolis and winning, though, so expect this game to go Miami's way.

Jaguars @ Ravens (1:05, CBS): Baltimore is in a great spot right now with their schedule the rest of the way. Don't be surprised to see them win out. Root for the Jaguars in a miracle here.

Packers @ Bills (1:05, FOX): Buffalo is another one of those teams hanging around, however, this should end tomorrow.

Bengals @ Browns (1:05, FOX): If Johnny Football can help out the Dolphins any possible way, beating the Bengals would be a good place to start. This is a huge game to monitor tomorrow if Miami can do their part.

Broncos @ Chargers (4:05, CBS): The Chargers are a game up on Miami right now, but they are in the midst of a brutal stretch of games. A loss here would be huge.


As you can see, while some of the scenarios may not play out, a lot of them are very likely. But it all doesn't matter if Miami loses.

If this team wants to vault back into contention, they need to win and not worry about everything else. Winning puts them right back in the discussion with two games remaining, even more so considering the end of seasons schedule's for a lot of these teams compared to Miami's.

But a loss would all but end the Dolphins' playoff hopes, and, effectively, probably end these viewer guides as well.

So yeah, there's a lot at stake tomorrow, but if I'm watching these games tomorrow, the only two things I hope for is this..

A Miami win and either a Baltimore loss or a Pittsburgh loss. If that somehow happens then it's a race to the finish for the last two weeks.


Picks and predictions coming up.

With Playoff Hopes Faint, Miami Dolphins Get One Final Chance

The loss to Baltimore on Sunday has left the Miami Dolphins more feeble than ever with three games remaining.

They currently sit at 7-6, and trail the Chargers, Ravens, and Steelers all by a game. On any other week, against any other opponent (Denver and Green Bay aside), this wouldn't be as grim of a scenario as it's made out to be.

However, this isn't any other week, and this isn't any other opponent.

This is Tom Brady, at home, in December.

Brady's career home record? 89-14.

His career December record? 46-7.

This is the New England Patriots, and not the Patriots the Dolphins have beaten twice in a row, either.

These are the Patriots that have won eight of their last nine games. These are the Patriots that haven't lost a home regular season game in nearly two years to the day. These are the Patriots that currently hold the first overall seed in the AFC.

So yes, in a must win, do or die, 'season's over if you lose' game, this isn't an ideal opponent, or location, for the Miami Dolphins.

To make matters more grim, this is a severely hobbled Miami team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where both Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins are nursing injuries that could keep them out of Sunday's game.

On top of all of this, you have a third year coach in Joe Philbin who's facing a three game audition for  his future in Miami. Anything but a 3-0 finish could send Philbin packing come January 1st, and leave the Dolphins, once again, in a state of disarray.

So yes, thing's aren't exactly rosy in South Beach right now. Players are doubting the coaches, coaches are losing the trust of the owner, and the owner is losing the trust of the fan base.

And another loss on Sunday will only make things darker, as it will almost certainly eliminate the Dolphins from yet another playoff race.

But, as we sit here today, it's not over quite yet. While these Dolphins may be on life support right now, they haven't quite flat lined yet.

There is some good news. Cortland Finnegan and Jamar Taylor will return this week after missing most of the past month. Next to that, one has to assume that, at some point, this once "elite" defense will regain it's form.

With their backs against the wall, and the whole world doubting them, wouldn't it make sense to do it this week, against a team they've had success against before?

Offensively, Ryan Tannehill is a much better quarterback than he was thirteen weeks ago. So is Jarvis Landry. Heck, the entire Miami offense is better than they were in September. And hey, Dallas Thomas can only get better, right?

There are two types of dangerous teams in sports: the elite one's who own home field advantage, and the underdogs with their backs against the wall.

On Sunday, those two worlds are set to collide. With a win, and some help, Miami could vault right back into the playoff picture for the final two game stretch.

It may be faint, but there is still a pulse in the 2014 Dolphins.

This weekend, with all the odds stacked against them, they have one last chance to flip the script.

Unfortunately, if they fail, it'll be time to pull the plug for the final time.

Good News, and Bad, From Dolphins Practice

The Dolphins returned to practice today ahead of Sunday's absolute must win game in New England.

Well, most of them did.

The notable absences took place within the LB department, as Koa Misi, Jelani Jenkins, Chris McCain, and Jonathan Freeny were all rehabbing on the side.

This is worrisome, especially the Jenkins injury.

Jenkins is by far this unit's best pass defender, especially when it comes to covering tight ends. Um, I think the Dolphins are playing a pretty good one this week, no?

So this is something that will be watched with a microscope over the course of the week, not only in Miami, but in New England as well. If Jenkins cannot go, well, this unit is going to have major problems on Sunday.

Misi suffered a hamstring injury vs. Baltimore, and was on and off the field all day. McCain suffered an ankle injury in practice last week and miss the game on Sunday all together. Freeny hasn't played in a month with a hamstring injury.

The only healthy starting LB right now is fan favorite Philip Wheeler. Gulp.

There was some good news, however, as both Cortland Finnegan and Jamar Taylor practiced today. Taylor has been hurt since the Denver game, and Finnegan hasn't played since Detroit over a month ago.

Finnegan will play on Sunday. Not my words, his. So expect at least one, if not both, cornerbacks back in the lineup against New England.

Dolphins lose 28-13, season on life support

It simply just wasn't good enough today. 

The defense wasn't good enough after the first quarter.

The offense wasn't good enough at all.

The coaching wasn't good enough.

It just wasn't a good day. 

Let's start with the offensive line. They were awful. Just brutally awful today.

Awful to the tune of six Ravens sacks. Dallas Thomas has to go, and had to go four quarters ago. Why Joe Philbin refuses to put Jason Fox in the game may be the biggest head scratcher of the year.

Ryan Tannehill had no time to throw today. None. Zero. Zilch.

The Dolphins, as I said they would, also abandoned the run game in the second half, after having success with it in the first half.

Again, why Bill Lazor does this week in and week out is, um, befuddling.

The offense also had a first and goal at the BALT 4 yard line.... And settled for a field goal.

Not good enough.

Defensively, it wasn't much better.

The run defense, good at first, was gashed when it counted. 

The pass defense, good at first, was gashed when it counted.

The pass rush was nonexistent for the third straight week.

Not good enough. Not good enough. And definitely not good enough.

The Dolphins fall to 7-6 and need to win out to have any shot at the postseason.

Oh yeah, they're in New England next week too.

Life support. 

Ravens lead Dolphins 14-10 after third quarter

A bruising, battering third quarter for Miami.

Jarvis Landry got injured but has since come back.

Jelani Jenkins is hurt. So is Louis Delmas.

This was all centered around a Baltimore touchdown to put them up.

However, the Dolphins are inside the Baltimore 25 as we speak.

Season on the line.

To the fourth. 

Dolphins lead Ravens 10-7 at half

A quick first two quarters from Miami. But am exciting two quarters as well.

Miami 10 Baltimore 7.

Ryan Tannehill has been good, finishing the first half 10-14, 88 yards, and a touchdown to Brian Hartline.

The running game has also been solid. Lamar Miller has 9 carries for 47 yards.

However, the mistakes on offense have been costly.

Brandon Gibson dropped a crucial third down pass.

Mike Pouncey was illegally downfield on a long pass to Mike Wallace. It negated the play.

The offensive line has also begun to ware. Tannehill was sacked twice in the second quarter.

Defensively, Miami started out flawless, forcing three straight three and outs and intercepting Joe Flacco in the endzone.

However, a 97 yard drive for the Ravens ended in a Steve Smith touchdown right before the half.

Miami will get the ball to begin the third quarter.

They'll have to keep up their excellent third quarter play if they want to win.

Dolphins jump out to 10-0 lead after first quarter

Easily the most impressive first quarter of the year for Miami.

Baltimore went three and out on their first drive, and were stuffed on third and one.

Miami followed up with a seven play drive ending in a FG.

The next Baltimore ended with another three and out, and was followed by a Tannehill three yard strike to Brian Hartline for a touchdown.

The next Baltimore also ended with a three and out, again with a third and one stuff.

The Miami defense came to play today.

To the second.

Clay Returns as Dolphins, Ravens Near Kickoff; full inactives

Picture perfect South Florida afternoon, as the Dolphins and Ravens are just over an hour away from kicking things off from Sun Life Stadium.

First, the good news for Miami..

Charles Clay is active today and will return for the first time in three weeks. Clay will pair with Dion Sims, who's been his replacement, to form a nice duo for Ryan Tannehill.

Brian Hartline is also active today after suffering a knee injure on Monday night.

Now, the bad news.. Cortland Finnegan is inactive today and will not play for the third straight game. Jamar Taylor, obviously, is also out.

So that means RJ Stanford will get his second start of the season today.

The other Miami inactives include:

RB LaMichael James, LB Jonathan Freeny, LB Chris McCain, OT Nate Garner, G Billy Turner


For Baltimore:

WR Michael Campanaro, OL Jah Reid, OL Gino Gradkowski, CB Rashaan Melvin, S Terrence Brooks, DL DeAngelo Tyson, TE Crockett Gillmore


The Dolphins are in the all white uni's today. Baltimore is in the purple tops.

Kickoff is an hour away.

The live blog follows soon thereafter.

75 minutes.

Gameday: Five Keys to a Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

Welcome to week 14 in the NFL..

A huge week. A giant, mega, super sized week for the Miami Dolphins.

A week where Ryan Tannehill has to put his big boy pants on. A week where the defense has to put their big boy pants on. A week in which the Dolphins can really, truly solidify their playoff run with three games to play.

How do they do it? How do they beat the Baltimore Ravens for the first time since 2007?

Funny you asked, because I have all kinds of answers!


1. TACKLE TACKLE TACKLE: I'm not going to come out and just say "stop the run." That's an obvious must today for the Dolphins. Instead, I'm going to tell you how to stop the run, and it starts with tackling. This has been a problem area for the Dolphins at times this season, and it's creeped up again over the past two weeks. This cannot happen again today. Not against Justin Forsett and this Ravens offense.

2. Contain the edge: This is something else the defense struggled with last week. Cam Wake, Olivier Vernon, and whoever else is playing out there must be careful not to over pursue, because they will get burned today if they do. Look at that Greg Salas reverse last week.. Look at the Percy Harvin end around.. Think the Ravens weren't taking notes? Must keep containment today.

3. Stay balanced, but exploit: Bill Lazor is going to have a fine line to walk today between how much he passes and how much he runs. Why? Well, the match ups scream pass due to the Ravens terrible secondary. However, this team is at their best when they're running the football and mixing it up on offense. Stay committed to the run, set up the play-action, and don't turn into a one dimensional team in the second half (something Lazor loves to do).

4. Make the big plays at the big times: Last week, the Dolphins missed ample opportunities.. Mike Wallace dropped a touchdown, the defense couldn't recover a fumble inside the five yard line, Tannehill later missed a wide open Wallace. These are plays you can get away with against the Jets. But it won't work today. Not against the Ravens. This team MUST take advantage of the plays when they're there for them. Step up, make the plays, and keep the pressure on.

5. Be more physical: This is the biggest, most important thing today for the Miami Dolphins. Why have they struggled with Baltimore over the years? It's simple.. they're the more physical team on both sides of the football, and especially on both sides of the line. If Miami wants to change this, and they have to today, then they're going to have to establish their physicality early on, and maintain it for the entire game. How do you beat the Ravens? You don't do it with finesse football, you do it with a hard hitting, physical style of play.


PREDICTION

So much is on the line today for both teams. Is this a true elimination game? No. They're still four week left. However, lets not sugar coat it here folks..

Miami plays in New England next week. IF they lose today, then that games become a must win...

Um, that ain't happening.

So yes, in a way today is an elimination game of sorts for the Miami Dolphins. They're at home for the first time in three weeks where they haven't lost since October, and they've won five of their last seven games, so everything seems to match up up for them, right?

Unfortunately, I just don't see it. I think the Dolphins are the better team, and I think they could absolutely win this football game. But I don't pick against the Ravens when it comes to Miami. I need to see it first, and I haven't seen it in seven years. Hopefully that will change today.

Final: Ravens 24 Dolphins 20


Come back in an hour or so for any last minute news, including the inactives for both teams.

Then, come back for the live blog, beginning after the first quarter.

2.5 hours.

Week 14 in the NFL: Picks and predictions

As I said earlier today, this is a mega week in the NFL. With only four games remaining, the stakes are higher, the wins taste sweeter, and the losses are that much more demoralizing.

Tomorrow could either be a banner day for the Miami Dolphins..

Or it could be the beginning of the end.

The picks:


Last week's record: 8-5

Overall record: 120-60


Steelers @ Bengals: The Bengals have won three in a row, while Pittsburgh is in a downward spiral. Logic says Bengals here, right? Wrong. Never use logic with the Bengals. Never.

Pick: Steelers 26 Bengals 23

Rams @ Redskins: Colt McCoy vs. Shaun Hill is your matchup here. Fedex Field should be rocking on Sunday.

Pick: Rams 27 Redskins 17

Giants @ Titans: Odell Beckham Jr. is the only reason to even ponder the possibility of flipping over to this game.

Pick: Titans 20 Giants 13

Panthers @ Saints: Are the Carolina Panthers the worst team in the NFC? Are the Saints really tied for the division lead at 5-7? These are questions that shouldn’t be asked in December.

Pick: Saints 30 Panthers 13

Jets @ Vikings: This is a miserable, miserable football game. I hope Rex Ryan comes out and runs 45 straight kneel downs just to spit the front office. That would turn this unwatchable game entertaining pretty darn quickly.

Pick: Vikings 20 Jets 10

Colts @ Browns: Remember about seven weeks ago when everybody hopped on the Brian Hoyer bandwagon and said he was the greatest thing since sliced bread? Remember how I laughed at that and told you he was a terrible QB? Remember earlier this week when the Browns made a terrible decision to not start Johnny Manziel this week? Sigh.

Pick: Colts 23 Browns 16

Buccaneers @ Lions: I rolled the dice with you last week, Tampa. I took a shot and put all my eggs in your basket. What did you do? You screwed up a game that Andy Dalton gift wrapped for you in every possible way. Never again, Buccaneers. Never. Again.

Pick: Lions 33 Buccaneers 17

Texans @ Jaguars: Is it possible for JJ Watt to be any more of a bro? If you don’t know the answer to that question, go watch him mic’d up from last Sunday. You’ll quickly realize the answer is “no.”

Pick: Texans 27 Jaguars 13

Bills @ Broncos: And so begins the yearly Buffalo collapse. But hey, it’s a solid two months later this season, so you have that going for you, right?

Pick: Broncos 30 Bills 10

Chiefs @ Cardinals: This is easily the toughest game of the week to pick. On the one hand you have the Cardinals at home, where they’re virtually unbeatable. But on the other hand, you have Drew Stanton, who’s thrown somewhere around 5,000 interceptions in the past few weeks (it’s a ballpark number). So what do I do? Go with the home team, and the better defense.

Pick: Cardinals 23 Chiefs 20

Seahawks @ Eagles: I’m so on the Seahawks bandwagon right now I’m damn near driving the thing. Mark, meet Richard. Richard, meet Mark.

Pick: Seahawks 27 Eagles 23

49ers @ Raiders: That Oakland Raiders loss last week was the most demoralizing thing I’ve ever watched in the history of television. I can only imagine that that’s what football game’s in hell are like.

Pick: 49ers 28 Raiders 7

Patriots @ Chargers: The Chargers may be the trendy pick here, but, in my experience, you don’t go against a pissed off Tom Brady after a loss and come out alive. You just don’t do it.

Ps: Gronk taping 69 on his back during practice is the Gronkest moment of all time.

Pick: Patriots 27 Chargers 24

Falcons @ Packers: If the Falcons win this game I’ll personally sprint to Green Bay from Boston while wearing nothing but a block of cheese on my head. Yep.

Pick: Packers 35 Falcons 14


Come back in the morning for all your Dolphins pre game coverage, including my prediction.

Then, after you do that, come back before the game for any last minute news, including the inactives for both teams.

THEN, after you do that, come back after the first quarter for the beginning of the live, quarter by quarter blog.

16 hours.

Week 14 Dolfan Viewer Guide: Who to Root For

I've covered a lot of games for this team over the past few years, but I can't remember a bigger game, on a bigger NFL weekend, that this team has ever played before.

Playoff implications are everywhere.

In Cincinnati.

In Cleveland.

In Arizona.

In Denver.

In San Diego.

And, of course, in Miami.

Here's how the current AFC playoff picture looks:

Division Leaders	W	L	T	DIV	CONF
Patriots	9	3	0	2-1	6-2
Broncos	9	3	0	4-0	7-1
Bengals	8	3	1	2-1	5-3
Colts	8	4	0	4-0	6-3

Wild Card	W	L	T	DIV	CONF
Chargers	8	4	0	2-2	6-3
Dolphins	7	5	0	3-1	6-3

In The Hunt	W	L	T	DIV	CONF
Chiefs	7	5	0	1-3	5-4
Bills	7	5	0	3-2	4-5
Ravens	7	5	0	2-3	3-5
Steelers	7	5	0	2-2	6-3
Browns	7	5	0	2-2	4-5
Texans	6	6	0	2-1	5-3

I can assure you it will look much, much different come tomorrow night.

The games:

Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati (1:00, CBS): Massive game in the AFC right here. The Bengals could put some distance between them and the rest of the AFC North with a win, and I think that's what the Dolphins root for. Even though the Steelers have been reeling as of late, they still pose more of a threat to Miami than Cincinnati does. Root for them here. Miami needs some more distance between them a Big Ben.

Colts @ Browns (1:00, CBS): This one's much easier.. The Colts are winning the division and pose no threat to the Dolphins. Time to officially KO the Browns tomorrow.

Texans @ Jaguars (1:00, CBS): Houston just won't go away. The Jaguars are coming off an impressive comeback win. An upset could be in the making here, and it would close the book on any Texans wildcard run.

Bills @ Broncos (4:05, CBS): Same story with the Bills. They just won't go away. Root for the Broncos to put them out of their misery.

Chiefs @ Cardinals (4:05, CBS): Kansas City has gone from division contender to out of the playoffs in just three weeks, and the schedule only gets tougher for them. A loss here would be huge for the Dolphins.

Patriots @ Chargers (8:30, NBC): This one is tough for Dolfans.. On one hand, a Patriots loss, coupled with a Miami win, would set up winner-take-first showdown between the Pats and Fins in New England next weekend. On the other hand, San Diego is a game ahead of the Dolphins right now at 8-4, but faces a daunting end of the season schedule. As much as it pains me, I say root for the Pats here. Miami has a better shot at the wild card then they do the division. 

Picks and predictions coming up.