Yes, the headline is a masterpiece. I know.
Anyway, as we've reached the 24 hour mark until tomorrow's pivotal week seven matchup, something has been weighing on my mind for, well, the entire season now. I've mentioned it nearly every week. I've harped on it. Preached it. Lost sleep over it. And it must end tomorrow.
The Miami Dolphins cannot produce a solid start to a football game.
And it's absolutely killing them.
Against New England it looked all too promising. Chris McCain blocked a punt. Tannehill and the offense capitalized with a TD. It seemed this team was off to the races. And then...
Fumble. interception. Fumble. Field Goal. Downs.
20-10 halftime deficit.
Things only got worse against Buffalo. Punt, blocked punt, punt, punt, punt, end of half.
9-0 (somehow) halftime deficit.
How about Kansas City in week three? Punt, punt, punt, missed FG, FG.
14-3 halftime deficit.
Things were all ham and eggs against Oakland, though. I thought they finally figured it out. FG, TD, TD, TD.
24-3 halftime lead.
But no, they didn't. Because last week you saw more of the same. FG, downs, INT, punt, INT, punt.
10-3 (again, somehow) halftime deficit.
In 28 first half drives, the Miami offense has scored four touchdowns. Three of those came in one game. In that same time they've kicked four field goals, fumbled twice, thrown three interceptions, and failed to convert on fourth down once.
28 first half possessions, and only EIGHT have ended in points. That's not going to work. That hasn't worked.
It needs to change starting tomorrow. Scratch that, especially starting tomorrow. You never want to start slow on the road, but you really, really don't want to do it at Soldier Field, against an offense like the Bears.
They got away with it against New England, and Buffalo, and Kansas City. Those offenses aren't exactly prolific, folks. But if this offense comes out of the gate slow once again tomorrow, I don't know if the defense, which has bailed them out time and time again, can hold down the fort against guys like Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery. I just don't see it happening.
My suggestion? Get your playmakers involved from the very first possession. I'm not talking about Mike Wallace, he's been plenty involved this season and will be covered closely by the Chicago secondary. No, I'm talking about guys like Brian Hartline, Charles Clay, and Jarvis Landry. Guys who, with the exception of Landry, have been near non factors this season.
Get the ball to Hartline on the outside. Find Charles Clay over the middle and let him make a play. Everybody wants the ball to go to Mike Wallace, and I understand that, but ask yourself this:
When is Ryan Tannehill at his best?
When he's throwing to Brian Hartline every other play, when he finds Charles Clay over the middle, and, most recently, when he finds Jarvis Landry, well, anywhere on the field.
This offense can ill afford another slow start tomorrow, and getting crucial playmakers involved early on could get this offense going before, like so many times this season, it's simply too little, too late.
Picks and predictions are on deck.
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