Game Balls - at Bills

[Downunder Dolphan]

My game ball goes to OL Coach Butch Barry - with a patched up right side, it managed to not only keep Tua's jersey clean, but also to generate some really good rushing lanes. The left side of the line especially looks promising - I'll forgive Jonah Savaiinaea's two ineligible man downfield penalties, they were rookie errors that did not cost us, and he will learn from it.

Honorable mentions to:

Tyreek - lots of energy and effort all night to go along with his catches

Waddle - he didn't look fit, and early on looked more like the third option receiver, but every one of his receptions were key in huge moments

Malik W - has really stepped up to establish himself as the 2nd/3rd receiver, as well as a kick returner

Achane & Gordon II - both ran with real purpose and aggression. Gordon II looks like the proper replacement for Mostert (and also Jaylen Wright, who I suspect is another Grier bust)

McDaniel - overall he had a really solid day. The playcalls came in notably earlier, and there were no delay of game penalties or timeouts burned this time because of him. I wish he would run the ball more when we're consistently racking up around 5 yards a carry - especially in a game like this, when the middle front of the Buffalo defense is a little soft because of two key injuries, plus to keep Josh Allen off the field.

  

[Dave Gray]

^ I agree with your candidates.

I'm going to go with Waddle.  He made a whole bunch of big 3rd down catches.


There are some bright spots here.  Moral victories are bullshit and all that, but we definitely hung in there with the best team in the league on the road.  And we have looked better every single week.  Losing is frustrating and being 0-3 sucks, no matter how you slice it, but I didn't hate watching my team last night, which I can't say for earlier this year.

[Sibster]

Achane and Gordon.   They were running with authority all night.   Combined for 100 yards and would've done a lot more damage had they ran the ball more often than they did.

That being said, moral victories don't mean shit in situations like this where jobs are on the line.  It appears that McDaniel doesn't realize he is on thin ice and Grier should be as well.

[Dave Gray]

I don't think McDaniel did poorly.  Coached a good game, team was prepared, we scored points, we were in a position to win -- he did his part this week.

Maybe we have a lack of talent on defense.  Maybe it's bad scheming.  The defense is giving up more than 30 every single week.  No team is winning like that.

[Sibster]

The defense is giving up more than 30 every single week.  No team is winning like that.

Sound familiar?

[Dave Gray]

Sound familiar?

No.

[Sibster]

No.

The latter Marino/Shula years.  Thanks in large part to your first Ring of Dishonor member.  I finally got around to reading that.   You've got some good stuff there.   But why did you stop in 2006?

[masterfins]

Waddle, made some great catches.

I drove up to the game, had a great time.  The Bills fans were worried, couldn't understand why the game was so close; neither could I for that matter.  Probably about 2% Dolphins fans and 98% Bills fans at the game, they really do a great job of supporting their team.  It's probably going to change somewhat next year with the new stadium because many of the hardcore lifelong ticket holders, the working man type, can't afford the seat license fees and increased ticket costs the Bills are charging.  I have some friends that have had 5 seats for close to 35 years and they are being priced out.

[dolphins4life]

Waddle