Dolphins Watch: 16 Days
August 25th, 2017
Mike Pouncey returned briefly and Jay Cutler showed his colors in the Dolphins’ dress rehearsal last night.
Yeah, two preseason games remain for the Bucs, but it’s all about opening day on Sunday, Sept. 10, against Miami in South Florida. Daily, Joe will bring you a nugget to two on the Dolphins to prime you for the big day (and/or the night before). Of course, Joe watched a good chunk of the Dolphins-Eagles preseason game last night.
Yes, Jay Cutler is the subject of all kinds of misguided optimism in Miami. Whatever. He hasn’t been anything close to a special quarterback in many years — and he’s 34 and just unretired.
The Dolphins put up 24 first-half points on the Eagles last night, but it wasn’t any kind of special offensive performance.
Cutler came out and got strip-sacked on the opening series. In the second series, he threw a near pick on third down. Bad throw.
Seventy-two of Cutler’s 105 yards passing went to a well-placed 50-50 jump ball to DeVante Parker. It was a nice catch and run in 1-on-1 coverage. His strong arm was on display on an accurate 56-yard, end zone throw to Kenny Stills that was incomplete but pass interference was called.
That play set up the Dolphins’ third touchdown, after an interception and a return to the Eagles’ 1 yard line led to the second Dolphins score.
Three-time Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey returned for Miami, his first preseason appearance after a hip injury. Pouncey didn’t play much and his replacement was pretty darn solid.
It’s obvious Miami is going to win games pounding the football on the ground and via talent on its defensive line. Cutler also has a speed at receiver is going to take deep shots when he’s not making bad decisions.
Overall, Joe wasn’t overly impressed by the Dolphins (their secondary sure had issues). But manbeasts Pouncey and Ndamukong Suh had limited snaps.
August 25th, 2017 at 11:40 am
Not sure what game you were watching joe, Dolphins and cutler looked razor sharp. This could easily be a trap game if we’re not careful. Hell even there kicker looked good, drilled a 57 yarder with ease.
Razor sharp? What game were you watching? Jiminy Christmas. Go back to the first three series of the game. Dolphins lose fumble. Eagles march the field for a touchdown. Cutler throws very near pick. –Joe
August 25th, 2017 at 11:41 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You are sleeping on the Dolphins if you think that we are just going to head into Hard Rock and push them over… and that has little to do with the QB position.
The Dolphins went 9-2 after Jay Ajayi took over lead back duties. 9-2…. and one of those losses came against the eventual world champs. Ajayi also had not one, not two, but THREE 200+ yard games during that stretch. If our run D doesn’t come to play on Sept. 10, it’s going to be a very, very long day.
August 25th, 2017 at 11:54 am
I wouldn’t down play cutler Joe. Again it’s these type of qbs that shreds bucs yr in and yr out
How we far against the their power run is a concern. This is a playoff team
August 25th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Trap game… trap game? Did you say trap game?! These guys were in the playoffs last year. Their running back is all world. They’re a good team overall and Cutler is a good QB with a better surrounding cast. Bucs will be lucky to eek out a win there.
August 25th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Its gonna be a hot muggy game down in Miami…i dont see miami slowing down the bucs offense but I dont see the bucs slowing down miami’s offense either, definitely will come down to turnovers and kicking game…years past I would put this game at a 14-10 game either way with ol buc ball….but o/u is 47 this year so 28-21 game
August 25th, 2017 at 12:12 pm
We’re not ready.
Did anyone watch the panthers v jags game last night? The panthers made it look way too easy. The jags but their best players on the field including Ramsey and the panthers walked all over them. 10 play drive 9 runs and an easy pass to kb for a TD.
The Bucs played hard against the jags and our starting WR couldn’t score against their second string CBs. Not sure if our dline even got a sack.
Comparing the two teams vs the jags, I think we have a lot of work to do. Miami is no Jacksonville jags.
August 25th, 2017 at 12:15 pm
4 turnovers for Cutler in game 1.
3 picks and a fumble.
That “Love” that Jay is getting atm down in Miami is gonna turn to loathing pretty quickly. He’s like the anti-Winston. Constantly walking around with a surly attitude and a scowl on his face the second offensive production starts heading south.
August 25th, 2017 at 12:33 pm
Trap game? Lol. U need to find the definition first. Its the first game of the season. No way in hell the bucs look past their very first opponent. Fins looked ok last night, bout it. They all have to be played. Trap game? Trap game? Lol. Go Bucs
August 25th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Db55 if Evans doesn’t drop bomb from winston our wr would’ve scored. Newton threw 2 passes and the Td came on a pick play. They weren’t lighting it up through the air. Very next possession they went 3 and out. How many times did our starters go 3 and out?
August 25th, 2017 at 12:40 pm
I don’t get all the cutler hate. I’m not saying he is great but I can think of at least 10 teams that would take him as a starter no questions. Not to mention we got beat by a case keenum led team and have been dealt losses by far worse qb’s so to assume we are just going to run over dolphins is crazy. Not to mention cutler needs to protect ball but on a rush from blind side where the rusher is untouched often leads to fumbles not just on cutler.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:04 pm
Can we contain jarvis landry and the running game
Gase is not going to let cutler lose the game
Going to decoy parker and stills deep and let cutler throw easy short crossing routes to landry all day
Cutler will not decide the game. Thats what gase does best. No pressure to cutler because gase will call plays for the ball of his hands fast. Look at the cutler/chicago with gase as oc 2 years ago
Both fronts of miami are better than our bucs
Jameis will decide the game. Good jameis we win, bad jameis we lose
Prediction – jameis will be pressured all game long
August 25th, 2017 at 1:12 pm
supersam
leave the qb judging to others you have proved time and time again you are incapable of understanding quarterbacks… nice to see mariota let you off your knees to post.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:13 pm
Db55 did youe ven watch our game against the Jags lol? Hard to take you seriously right now
This is what happened:
1st drive offense- drive down and score a TD
1st drive defense – Jags get 1 1st down then forced to punt (McCoy hits Bortles on this drive)
2nd drive offense – drive down and score a FG
2nd drive defense – 3 and out – punt
3rd drive offense – march down again and should have scored (ME drop) – still get a FG
3rd drive defense – Jags get 1 1st down via penalty. Then punt (we sacked Bortles on 2nd down)
4th drive offense – 3 and out (penalty killed us)
4th drive defense – 3 and out and a FG (they had a good punt return)
5th drive offense – killed by penalties / sacks and time.
So our defense shut down the Jags every drive. Our offense moved the ball in 4/5 drives; and scored on 3/5; for what should have been 13 total points. If ME catches his TD it’s 17 – 3 at half time and we’re on pace to put 30+ on them in a route.
The Panthers had an opening TD drive just like the Bucs did; but then they pulled their starters so we don’t even know how the full half would have played out. With DA and all of the starters (KB/Olsen/McCaffery/etc) they went Punt / Punt / FG / Interception the rest of that half.
The Jags put up 10 points on Carolina. A long TD drive and another drive for a FG. If not for a good punt return we would have held the Jags to 0 points and like 2 total first downs…
So the Bucs as a team easily outplayed Carolina in the 1st half. Both in scoring and in moving the ball and on defense.
So once again – did you watch the game or are you just a Panthers fan lol?
August 25th, 2017 at 1:15 pm
They pulled Cam* i meant not all the starters
August 25th, 2017 at 1:17 pm
o the Bucs as a team easily outplayed Carolina in the 1st half.
—–//——-
Crazy talk! They were so efficient they didn’t need to play a whole half. I like the rose colored glasses you got on, do they come in blue?
August 25th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
Idk if Shep makes the team. He was like 5th string yesterday and couldn’t catch a pass. Smh
August 25th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
DB55
Did you miss the part where the Bucs did the exact same freaking thing and score don their very 1st drive with ease?
So basically Bucs were JUST as good and efficient in an apples to apples 1st drive comparison; and were better on defense throughout the entire 1st half compared to the Panthers D. It’s not even debatable the stats and drive charts are there for you to look up.
Bucs fans are f*cking weird sometimes man
August 25th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
McPouty will find a way to “turnover” the game to the Bucs.
As a former 40 yr Bears season tickets holder I speak from experience.
Too bad we play the Fins before Cutler kills their team spirit.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:43 pm
ANY NFL team is a threat…but can we stop rewriting history.
These guys were in the playoffs last year.
PUHLEEZE!!! They did not have as good of a season last year as we had!!!
Like us they were coming off a poor 2015 season…6-10…so reversing those numbers to 10-6 seems impressive. It IS improvement but really!!!
They play in the WORST DIVISION in the NFL!!! It’s the Pats and three losers!!
Look at the Fins record last year. Who did they beat. We had some quality wins in our nine victories and played a red hot Dallas team leading into the 4th Quarter in the ‘Boys’ crib!!!
Meanwhile the ‘Fins started the season 1-4 and that “victory” was an OT win at home against the mighty Brownies.
Then they had arguably their only quality win of the year beating Pittsburgh at home 30-15. That was impressive.
They built on that momentum “crushing” the mighty Bills 28-25 at the Hard Rock.
Then they were rolling…beating the “powerhouse” Jets by 4…beating San Diego
the mighty LA Rams by four…San Francisco by 7 for a nice six game win streak.
Oops…then they had to play a real team…Baltimore crushed the Fins 38-6!!!
They won against a good Arizona team at Hard Rock by three…then they beat the mighty Jets and edged the Bills by 3 in OT….they lost their final game to NE which was admittedly peaking for their post season 35-14.
They had what…one or two quality wins in that ten win season. No disrespect to the Fins but they simply are not world beaters. They are a decent NFL team in their own crib so anything can happen. But we have the superior team.
August 25th, 2017 at 1:52 pm
The Bucs vs. Dolphins matchup will be a very good measuring stick regarding the “hype” surrounding the Bucs. The Dolphins are no joke (even with JC). Best bring your “A” game for this one (especially our run D). Go Bucs!!!!!
August 25th, 2017 at 2:07 pm
Man…….I hate what I’m about to say…..but Cutler looked good throwing the rock tonight……so did Miami looked good too as a team.
So either Miami’s first team looked good or the Eagles were just plain bad.
I am very impressed by Miami’s offense and defensive line. …..but their secondary is very suspect. …………hummmm…….sounds very much like the bucs, don’t they?
I believe this game will turn into a slug feast….and if cutler doesn’t get stuck on stupid…….the bucs defense will be in for a long day trying to stop their run game as well.
August 25th, 2017 at 2:17 pm
@ anthem
The Eagles did have one of the worst secondaries in teh NFL last year – although i thought they made upgrades in the offseason
August 25th, 2017 at 2:20 pm
All I know is my first reaction was – well that looked easy. I hope I’m wrong we’ll see what happens but they looked pretty sharp and seemed to be going at 80%. But again wtf do I know?
August 25th, 2017 at 2:28 pm
Jags better had played better against bucs. Didn’t have a joint practice/familiarity w the bucs. I expected to be close. Now playing panthers was another story. As I expected
August 25th, 2017 at 2:36 pm
I’m laughing here. Joe downplays Cutler. The Tampa Bay Bucs cannot afford to overlook anybody in this league. This will be a tough game. The Dolphins will be ready. Don’t matter who they have QB..ing. I never bet on our bucs. I just watch, hope, and pray. We simply are not that good yet to say we know we will defeat a team. And our Bucs have History on losing to teams they are suppose to beat. Just watch..hope..and pray!!
August 25th, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Yes we are ready. Look at all the playoff teams. Look at the points they put on the board. Some don’t even start their starters. Us. 12 points. One game the starters cant even score. But of course if they score big on the Browns you will think they are Miami ready. Don’t bet on it!
August 25th, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Dbs
Don’t hurt them too much and remember to finish with wtf do I know cuz ….
August 25th, 2017 at 6:36 pm
2 teams have yet to throw a touchdown all preseason and we are one of them, we just don’t look ready. Hope I’m wrong.
August 25th, 2017 at 9:46 pm
People here dont know the history of gase
Guy is going to be 1 of the best after 15-20 years
He is offensive genius
Look at tannerhills numbers before he went down
He is a qb whiperer and makes qbs highly effienct without turning the ball over