Thoughts on the Eagles loss 2023.

[Dave Gray]

I had this game as a 0%er at the start of the season, so this was expected.  I don't think the game mattered.

Also, here's just the reality.  Some of it was us being dumb (I don't know how many times you can just put your hand offsides right next to the ball, but we kept doing it), but the penalty discrepancy was insane last night.  Yes, there were egregious facemasks and holds not called, but just in general -- Eagles were never called on anything all game, despite holding a lot.  Just one of those could've swung the game, honestly.  It's not even complaining about the refs.  Home cooking is a thing and your own play is responsible for some of it.  But 10 to 0 is an insane number and you just can't overcome it.

We had drives hampered by penalties all night, some of which we played through.  They had none.

Also, we are just incredibly injured right now.  It's not an excuse and you gotta play with who you have on the field, but all I'm saying it that we can expect better corner play later in the year and our line is just completely in shambles right now.  I'm less confident that will be fixed since Armstead seems to be perpetually hurt, but I believe we are missing 3 guys on the left side alone.

It's kind of a cold take, but everyone was saying how big of a game this was and it just wasn't.  This game was a scheduled loss from the start, we played it relatively tough despite all the adversity of injuries and penalties and didn't get it.

What I just can't put up with is this "we haven't beaten anyone good" talk.  It's the NFL.  Everyone is good.  Tell the Bills we haven't beaten anyone good, while they have multiple in-division losses.

So, get healthy, start to get calls -- probably need to send some tape to the NFL this week because it was egregious -- fight this in the playoffs instead when you have your players back.

[CF DolFan]

I think Adam Beasley nailed it after the game last night. Dolphins were down five starters on offense (including Achane) and three on defense, had the officials wearing Kelly Green and had the ball with a chance to tie in the fourth quarter.

Let's not act like they got boat raced here, people. Sometimes you just lose.

One thing no one is mentioning is I think our offense is much more limited in a hostile environment and the silent count. We definitely weren't motioning like normal and communications seemed to struggle at times. Our offensive line isn't nearly as good as their defensive line but that shouldn't have affected our pre snap
motion.

[Brian Fein]

I wanted this to be a "show me" game, not to show the world that the Dolphins are for real, but to show ME and maybe themselves.  I wanted them to at least take them to task and go toe-to-toe with them, slug it out and show the world that we're here to play.  It doesn't matter to me that they lost, it matters to me that they seemed to not play with heart and effort.

Sadly, I think we showed the world that we are pretenders.

Ten offensive points isn't enough to win NFL games.  I have seen so many Dolphins teams in my life that start off 8-2 and finish 9-7 and miss the playoffs.  I just hope this isn't the next chapter.

[Phishfan]

The Dolphins have been given two tests and failed both. There isn't much more to say..

[MaineDolFan]

I’ve always hated blaming the officials for a game, or even part of a game. However, in this case, I’m absolutely going to. Miami was utterly hosed in this game, on critical calls.

Lane Johnson held, all night. Critically on two scoring drives (and blatantly). Long Jr was literally horse tackled, also on a scoring drive. These calls would have turned 3rd and short (that stupid “tush push” play) into a longer situation. They are game changing calls. Additionally, Tua’s interception was a PI.

I have no issues when Miami gets handled. I don’t discuss the refs because, frankly, they are usually absurd for both sides. When Miami got punked by Buffalo they just got punked. No words from me. Last night was embarrassing, I don’t know how the NFL allows this to happen. It’s awfully hard to overcome your opponent and the zebras.

This being said, I’d like to talk about the “Miami hasn’t beaten anyone” THING. I don’t agree.

San Diego was the next big thing, opening weekend; I don’t think they recovered after Miami went in to their pad and beat them on the road.

 England has the NFL‘s #10 defense. That’s an elite defense, Miami went in and won on the road.

The Jets are another elite defense. They’ve allowed ten touchdowns all year. Miami beat them. On the road.

Miami has beaten teams they should beat, they are winning games on the road. They lost to a divisional rival on the road and a non-conference team (who was in the Superbowl last year). I would say they are doing exactly what they should be doing.

It’ll be interesting to see what level they come out with this weekend at home.

[Dave Gray]

I am also firmly in the camp that the tush push shouldn't be allowed after this year, in the same way that they made "launching" on field goals not allowed.  And sure...it's injuries and all that, but my real reason is that it's just not good football.

Stopping someone on 3rd down is an important part of football.  To miss the line to gain and essentially have a guaranteed 2 (almost 3) yard play in your back pocket every single time in a way that skews the rules unfairly towards the offense just isn't good for the game.  It's like the QB is crowd surfing over a pile of bodies....they aren't running.  It's just not in the spirit of the game and it's bad for competition.

When teams go for it on 4th and 2, there's a "will they / won't they" excitement.   ...not for the tush push.  It robs us of the athleticism of a football play for a rugby scrum and it is essentially guaranteed, if you're built to run it.

[Dolfanalyst]

The problem this team is having is that the advantage over teams it typically displays is sharply diminished against the best teams in the league.  A team that can score 70 points in a game should score more than 20 points (Buffalo) and 10 offensive points (Philadelphia) against the best teams in the league.  There is too much downward variation from their norm offensively when they play the best teams in the league.  There is no reason why the advantage they typically display offensively shouldn't be there in greater abundance against good opponents.  That's a problem.  You don't see this kind of thing with the KC Chiefs, for example -- by and large they play well offensively regardless of the opponent.  They don't vary downward sharply when playing good teams.

[Dave Gray]

I don't disagree, but I think that this Eagles data point is an anomaly.  We didn't play terribly, but it was a freakshow of referee involvement, both in calls they made and calls they didn't that just falls outside of statistical norms. 

And it's OK if we're good but not in the NFL's elite just yet.

[Pappy13]

It's a bad matchup. Just like the Bills are bad matchup. Not saying that we can't beat either of those teams, but when you're not playing with all your starters and it's at the opponents stadium, the odds are not in your favor. Throw in the bads calls in this last game and Miami's chances were slim and none, but that's ok, it's just a single loss in the W/L column at that's still squarely in Miami's favor.

I do think the Dolphins have had somewhat of an easy schedule, easier than I thought they would but you still have to win those games and they've won them easily for the most part. It's still important to win the games you should win, that gives you a chance. If you can't win those, it doesn't matter what you do against the good teams. Win the games you should win and even 50/50 on the others will probably get you to the playoffs. We still have a couple home games on the schedule against better teams. Now we just have to win a couple of those games and keep winning the games we should win.

As far as the injuries go, well I think the team is built a little injury prone. That's kinda what you get with all these speed guys. All those bigger guys out on the field eventually starts to take it's toll. Get used to it. That's how the team is built. Speed kills, but size/strength is more sustainable.

[masterfins]

I started feeling bad about this game a week ago, when the Eagles lost to the Jets.  When teams take a bad loss, like Philly did, they tend to work extra hard and come back the following week with a mission to win.  I think Miami felt some of that last night.  Philly has a great defensive line, and having Cotton play left guard when he is normally a right guard, or center, really hurt the running game when there were also back up left tackles and backup center.

Then on defense you have to rely on Eli Apple and Kohou as your starters is a lot to ask.  If the defensive line wouldn't have given Ramsey those extra couple seconds it wouldn't have been so bad.

[masterfins]

For an even deeper conspiracy thought - the Kelce Bros. have been generating a ton of free positive press for the NFL, which I think is great.  Hence the NFL wants the Kelce Bros. teams winning, and making the playoffs, if not the SB again.  The Chiefs even more so because of Mahomes.

[Downunder Dolphan]

For an even deeper conspiracy thought - the Kelce Bros. have been generating a ton of free positive press for the NFL, which I think is great.  Hence the NFL wants the Kelce Bros. teams winning, and making the playoffs, if not the SB again.  The Chiefs even more so because of Mahomes Taylor Swift.

Edited.