Live game thread - @ Texans

[Spider-Dan]

Tua is still trying to dive headfirst.
McDaniel seriously needs to bench him for a series for him to get the message.

[Pappy13]

Tua is still trying to dive headfirst.
McDaniel seriously needs to bench him for a series for him to get the message.

He tries way too hard to do it all himself in games where he thinks he needs to play well for the Dolphins to win and ends up making bad plays. He had a receiver open on that play and could have avoided any contact and decided instead to run it himself. Same on his fumble held onto it too long, just throw it away. Just trying to do too much.

[Pappy13]

Tua choking big time now. It's all well and good to have no turnovers against bad teams, it's something completely different to have several in big games. He's not the franchise. I wish he was, but he's just not.

[Denver2]

Terrible

[Denver2]

What the hell haopened?

[Denver2]

Ok it’s a game still

[Denver2]

Sanders can not be on the team next year

[Denver2]

That will likely do it. Awful game from Tua

[Denver2]

That’s game and that’s the season.

What an awful and disappointing performance from Tua, just awful.

[Dave Gray]

Tua had a one-off bad game.

Out o-line gets no push.  We are so bad.

[Denver2]

Tua had a one-off bad game.

Out o-line gets no push.  We are so bad.

I will not say he sucks or isn’t the franchise QB because he’s played lights out for weeks but he isn’t shaking the narratives around him any time soon.

We might have to make some moves next year to get better on both lines because this..is unacceptable no matter who you are you won’t win when you can’t get any forward momentum.

It’s disappointing. Maybe the broncos or someone else will implode and we can limp
In at 9-8.

As much shit as I talk I’ll never abandon Miami but I’ll pay less attention every year. At least it’s basketball season now.

[Pappy13]

Tua had a one-off bad game.

Out o-line gets no push.  We are so bad.

The problem is these tend to happen at the worst possible time and I fear it's because he's trying to put the team on his shoulders. Most of Tua's issues come from his desire to be superman at times when he thinks that's what he needs to do. We would have had a chance in this game if he's just average. That's a mental mistake and those are the ones that seem to give him the biggest problem. He gets caught up in the moment too often.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Tua had a one-off bad game.

Tua was diabolically bad against Buffalo this season before the concussion, and pretty bad for the first three quarters against Jacksonville. I wouldn't exactly say he was that good against the Rams either...

So let's call this a rare bad game (instead of a one-off) 

[Downunder Dolphan]

Game thoughts:

A strange game to watch, and a bit of a grind. Remember that exciting, lightning fast deep game we were known for? Yeah, I've almost forgotten it too. Lots of dink and dunk again today. Our deep threats seem to have a real issue getting open, and Hill is bordering becoming a non-factor. Losing Waddle with what appeared to be a knee hyper-extension obviously didn't help (he didn't look too bad on the sidelines, so hopefully it's a quick recovery).

Achane was very busy (particularly early) but really had little assistance in the way of blocking for rushing. It was strange how Mostert was basically unsighted early, then seemed to get a lot more ball after half time. What's going on with that?

I thought our substitute tackles weren't too bad overall in protection (especially Paul who I thought was excellent), but when things go wrong, boy does it ever go wrong! Eichenberg being blown up on a play for a big loss, Brewer almost giving away a safety committing a hold in the end zone (saved by half a foot), and the strip sack when they managed to get around Carman (after Eichenberg was initially pushed into Tua).

Tua has been strip sacked often enough by now that he should know he can't extend the play the way Ben Roethlisberger could - why he bothered to try when he should have known the pocket was breaking down (especially with two fill-in tackles) is beyond my comprehension. As was another head first dive to try and get a first down - the coaches have to get it out of his system for his own sake! At best I would describe his passing today as erratic. There were some good throws, but aside from the INTs, some very poor ones too. Two of the INTs were diabolically bad (as was potentially another in the second quarter that was dropped). The second one was basically the fatal blow to our chances.

Equally frustrating was what happened at the end of the first quarter - Achane finishes the play for a gain just in bounds with 30 seconds left on the clock. McDaniel takes 20 seconds to get the play in to Tua, and by the time they line up and have two players motion, the remaining 10 seconds have expired and the quarter ends. It's just another example of the lack of attention to detail that has marred us all season - maybe it didn't cost us this time, but it's clear we haven't learnt much in three years.

Speaking of not learning much, while our defense was reasonably solid all game (apart from a few missed tackles first quarter) our zone coverage for the two Nico Collins touchdowns had me swearing like a sailor. Ramsey had done a decent job on him in man coverage all game, but let him go to be covered by Poyer (who did nothing of the sort) and cover what was vacant space. The first time was annoying. The second time (where Ramsey left him for Poyer, who left him to LB Walker) was infuriating!

While the defense got very lucky with the Brooks fumble recovery, it's basically a proven bend but don't break model. It's second to last in the league in sacks, and in the bottom third in INTs, so it can't afford to make fatal mistakes like this.

Another frustration has to be special teams. Sanders kicking two FG and missing another PAT seems to sum up our season (two steps forward, one large step back). One top of Tua's INTs, the other major game changing moment had to be Houston's fake punt. The personal foul by Campbell after the play had ended (knocking off an opponents helmet) is just another example of lack of discipline in the team, which has to be tidied up before we really get anywhere.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Tua is still trying to dive headfirst.
McDaniel seriously needs to bench him for a series for him to get the message.

He should be fined every time he does it for openers, maybe he'll get the message before seeing the bench?

He also should be forced to wear one of those foam guardian caps while he puts himself in danger. I don't care that they look dumb, or that statistically about it's only about a 10% reduction in concussion risk. If he continues to be a dumb-ass in regard to his safety, it's better than nothing.