Dolphins Franchise News Wire
Year 1 Mike McDaniel Era Begins
Mike McDaniels a former long time assistant to Mike and Kyle Shanahan has been hired to become the 14th coach in Miami Dolphins history. A Yale graduate McDaniel’s is known for his innovative west coast wide zone running scheme. He started his career as an intern for the Denver Broncos on 2005. He served as an assistant coach for the Houston Texans, Washington Redskins.Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and most recently the 49ers. He held his very first OC position in 2021 in San Francisco and parlayed that into his first HC job with Miami.
McDaniels has a very unorthodox style and the players have already taken a huge liking to Mike’s approach. The Dolphins are hoping he can bring out the best in 2020 5th overall pick QB Tua Tagovolia. They also went out and made some very big moves in free agency this off-season grabbing All Pro LT Terron Armstead, C Connor Williams, RB Chase Edmonds and making a big trade for ALL Pro WR Tyreek Hill from KC. Hill along with 2nd year WR Jaylen Waddle, pending free agent Mike Gesicki, free agent WR Cedric Wilson and RB Edmonds are expected to drastically improve the Dolphins fortunes. The Dolphins had a strong 2021 Draft with Jalen Phillips, Javon Holland and Jaylen Waddle all expected to take an even bigger leap towards stardom in their 2nd years respectively.
“I love South Florida and feel we have something special brewing here”.
The Dolphins also brought in veteran and hometown hero Teddy Bridgewater as Tua’s backup....make no mistake though. If Tua starts slow out of the gate thru the first 4 games (New England, At Baltimore, Buffalo, at Bengals) Bridgewater will be breathing down his neck.
Get ready Dolphins fan for an exciting but critical year for the future of this franchise!!
Dolphins GM Michael Sword Sends TE Mike Gesicki to The Saints and Preston Williams to the Texans as 2 disgruntled players have new homes.
5th year TE Mike Gesicki coming off his best season as a pro was dealt to the New Orleans Saints for Center Erik McCoy. The Saints wanted to have a big target at TE and the Dolphins are still looking to keep beefing up their OL for Mike McDanile’s Wide Zone Run West Coast scheme. McCoy also in the last year of his rookie contract was a natural fit and target for the Fins. Disgruntled WR Preston Williams who made the team as the 6th WR was dealt to the Texans along with a 7th round pick in 2023 for the Texans 2023 5th Rounder.
GM Michael Sword then promoted Rookie QB Skylar Thompson from the practice squad to the 53 man roster. Thompson tuned a lot of heads in the organization and around the league with his stellar preseason. They did not want to take a chance on Thompson being snaked off the Practice Squad. He will no serve as the 3rd QB but will challenge Teddy Bridgewater for the backup job according to some Fins insiders. The 7th round pick out of KSU may get some opportunities as the Fins are not 100% sold on Tua Tagovaloia.
Year 1 Week 1 vs The Patriots
Dolphins Prevail Over the Patriots 21-13
The Dolphins opened their season at home vs their AFC East Rivals. The first half saw the Dolphins take a comfortable 15-0 lead as Tua Tagovailoa tossed a TD to newly acquired Tyreek Hill. Jason Sanders would miss 2 Extra Points in the first half. The Dolphins Defense had it’s way with Mac Jones and the Patriots offense all day. A late score as time expired actually made the score closer than it seemed.
Tua - 18/23 227 yards 2TD 2 INT
Jones - 25/41 216 yards TD 3 INT
Edmonds - 19/104 TD FUM
D-Harris - 11/68
Hill - 8/100 TD
Waddles 7/73 TD
H Henry 8/67
K. Bourne 5/63
D Harris 7/34
Baker 9 TAK
Howard 7 TAK INT
B Jones 2 TAK 2 INT
R Davis sack
Coach Mike McDaniel was pleased with his defense but said the offense has some work to do.
The Dolphins head to Baltimore for a tough Week 2 Matchup.
Year 1 Week 2 At The Baltimore Ravens
Dolphins Pull Off Last Second Win 33-30 Over Ravens!!!
The Dolphins and Ravens went toe to toe in Land over Maryland. And absolute instant classic. The teams traded TD’s in the first quarter and then the Ravens took a 21-7 lead midway thru the second quarter. However Tua battled back and hit Jaylen Waddle with a deep dime for a 65 yard TD. At the half is would be 21-17 Ravens. The Fins would then jump out with another TD but Sanders would miss his 4th XP of the season. 23-21 Miami. The Ravens would then go three and out and Tua would get a chance to drive em....but a Marcus Peters pick would give the Ravens great field position. The Dolphins defense would hold and the Ravens settled for a FG to make it 24-23 Ravens. Two more Tucker FG’s would give the Ravens a 30-23 lead. Tua would then drive the Dolphins quickly down the field and cap it off with his 4th TD pass of the game to Cedric Wilson. The Ravens then would get the ball back and force the the Dolphins to use 2 of their 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. Then.....a massive hit on a 3rd down reception to Rashod Bateman by LB Andrew Van Ginkel would jar the ball loose and the Dolphins would recover!!! This opened the door for the Dolphins to drive for a potential winning FG. And Tua would deliver driving the Dolphins inside the 5 yard line where they could take a couple of knees to set up Sanders game winner as time expired. 33-30 Final.
Just a huge road win and a 2-0 start for the Dolphins.
Tua - 24/31 326 yards 4TD (1 rushing) INT
Jackson - 21/24 219 yards INT
Dobbins - 16/72 TD
Jackson - 11/62
Edmonds - 14/38
M Andrews - 8/120
T.Hill - 8/114 TD
J.Waddle - 3/82 TD
R. Bateman - 6/74
C.Wilson - 5/67 TD
D.Smythe - 4/44
J.Phillips - 8 tackles, Sack
A.Van Ginkel - 8 tackles, Sack
M.Pierce - 7 tackles, 2 sacks
M.Williams - 7 tackles
The Bills comes to town in Week 3
Year 1 Week 3 Vs The Bills
Bills Thrash Fins 45-14 Send Early Season Message In The AFC East
If the Dolphins wanted to send a message to the 2021 AFC Eat Champion Bills....it failed to deliver. From the opening whistle Josh Allen and his Bills went up and down the field while his defense stifled Tua, Waddle and Hill all day. Tis managed 1TD and although he went 15/20 for 194 yards he tossed two interceptions (one pick 6) and had a fumble returned for a TD. It was a miserable day for Tua taking care of the football. Chase Edmonds and R.Mostert would combine for just 60 yards on the ground.
Josh Allen scorched the Fins going 27/32 for 269 4TD Devin Singletary would rumble for 70 yards and a TD. Diggs would haul in 7 for 83 and TE Knox killed the Dolphins with 2TD and a 6/52 day.
Coach McDaniel was not happy at all. “We gotta be better than this at home. If we expect to win this division we need much better QB play than what we saw out there. Just unacceptable”
The road does not get any easier as the Fins head out on the road to face Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase and Joe Mixon and the Bengals.
Year 1 Week 4 at The Bengals
Burrow and Company Too Much For Dolphins Defense as Fins Drop 2nd Straight 30-20 To The Bengals
Looking to bounce back from a crushing loss to the Bills in week 3 the Dolphins felt they had to make a statement vs the 2022 Super Bowl Runner Up Bengals. Burrow got the Bengals off to a quick 10-0 first quarter lead but Tua lead his squad back to tie things up at 10 in the 2nd quarter. The Bengals would then kick a field goal heading into the tunnel to take a 13-10 halftime lead.
Burrow in the 34d quarter would lead them to a TD and heading into the 4th quarter The Bengals led 20-13. The game was within reach. However a costly Tua pick would then lead to another Bengals TD and a 27-10 lead. Another FG made it 30-10 and the Dolphins would score a meaningless TD to make it look more respectable.
This was the Joe Burrow show with Mixon mixing in some key runs. The Dolphins were quite ordinary on offense as was Tua who struggled for the second straight week.
Coach McDaniel felt his offense simply lacked a physical running game today as Chase Edmonds only ran for 30 yards on just 9 carries. Sony Michel added 4 carries for 22 yards. Edmonds however did have 2 rushing TD’s. But the lack of a consistent ground game really hurt the Dolphins this week.
Here are some key stats from Week 4:
The Bengals outgunned Miami 462 to 272 and this was really exemplified in the passing game as Burrow ripped apart a strong Miami secondary for 374 passing yards.
The Bengals had 29 first downs......29. Miami had just 13.
The Dolphins won he turnover battler 2 to 1 but that did not matter as the Bengals owned TOP 34:12 to 17:48
The Dolphins defense was simply exhausted.
Some individual stats:
Burrow 34/43 393 TD INT (2 sacks)
Tua 19/26 237 INT (3 sacks)
J.Mixon 24/89 2TD
C. Edmonds 9/30 2TD
S.Michel 4/22
H.Hurst 8/112
T.Boyd 10/102
J.Chase 7/80 TD
T.Higgins 5/68
J.Mixon 3/20
L.Wilson 10 TAK Sack
G.Pratt 6 TAK Sack
J.Bates 4 TAK INT
J.Holland 13 TAK
J.Baker 11 TAK
N.Needham 7 TAK INT
A.Van Ginkel 8 TAK SACK FF