Week 1: New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

[TheKillerNacho]

FOOTBALL IS BACK YALLL!!!!!

Our September schedule is brutal. So much so that our opener versus the Patriots, who have bested us in the first meeting in 9 of the past 10 years, may just be the easiest of the four games. While we have the Miami heat on our side, Bill Belichick has been plotting on how to win this game all off-season. Meanwhile, we are debuting a rookie Head Coach.

Considering how difficult our opening schedule is, this is as close to a "must win" as a Week 1 game can get, lest we want to tumble into an early hole. If we are the playoff-contending team we all hope we are, however, this is a game we ought to win.

My prediction...

New England 24
Miami 26

 

Fins Up!

[FinSting]

Can't wait to see what interesting plays McDaniel designs for the offense. With NE's o-line struggling, Jaelan Phillips could have a good game getting to the QB. 

[Dolphinmeister]

This is my first season since 2008 that I do not have  Directv Sunday Ticket, so If it is not a nationally televised game  I may not get to watch it here in S.W. Virginia. Go Fins!

Miami........31

Patriots.....24

[JourneymanQB13]

Matt Patricia to call plays for the Patriots offense today. 

[TheKillerNacho]

 

[Tetsujin]

Pretty satisfying game. Tua needs to take care of the football. 

[Tetsujin]

And bonus: SF is gonna lose to CHI

[TheKillerNacho]

Also: I had no idea who Kader Kohou was prior to this game other than him being a UDFA who managed to make the roster but MAN - what a game that kid had! Was all over the field on defense.

 

Missing in action, though - Mike Gesicki. Was he even playing?! Didn't see or hear his name called once.

[FinSting]

1 minute ago, TheKillerNacho said:

Also: I had no idea who Kader Kohou was prior to this game other than him being a UDFA who managed to make the roster but MAN - what a game that kid had! Was all over the field on defense.

Which makes sense about Iggy being inactive? Pretty shocked with all the DB injuries and still Iggy gets kicked to the curb. 

[TheKillerNacho]

1 minute ago, FinSting said:

Which makes sense about Iggy being inactive? Pretty shocked with all the DB injuries and still Iggy gets kicked to the curb. 

Iggy is a lost cause. But, I think it's more about Kohou looking really good. There's a role on this defense for Kohou I think even when Byron returns, from what he showed today.

[Emerica]

Game went as I expected it to go.

 

This is going to be the most exciting offense we’ve had in a decade +

[Phinsesq]

3 hours ago, TheKillerNacho said:

Also: I had no idea who Kader Kohou was prior to this game other than him being a UDFA who managed to make the roster but MAN - what a game that kid had! Was all over the field on defense.

 

Missing in action, though - Mike Gesicki. Was he even playing?! Didn't see or hear his name called once.

Gesicki had 1 catch… he clearly is not in their scheme or at least wasn’t this week. 

considering new coach and new offense I like what I saw this week from the offense. Hill and Waddle are weapons no doubt about it. 

[hrubes20]

Defense was really good, although a better QB could have made them pay without Jones at CB.  Run D started off horribly but tightened up nicely.  

Tua looked great in the 1st half; even against a team that specifically made a point of not allowing any deep shots to Hill or Waddle.  That 4th down throw to Waddle was right where it needed to be to allow him to make a house call.  But the OL started getting banged up in the 2nd half and the pressure caused some really bad plays.  No turnovers, but there were a few that easily could have been.  Zero run game.  As most of us said, this OL will determine just how far the team goes.

Also, Mikey McD having the cajones to call that 4th down play in the 2nd quarter was such a breath of fresh air.  We actually have a coach that plays to win, rather than to play to not lose.

[Phinsesq]

1 hour ago, hrubes20 said:

Defense was really good, although a better QB could have made them pay without Jones at CB.  Run D started off horribly but tightened up nicely.  

Tua looked great in the 1st half; even against a team that specifically made a point of not allowing any deep shots to Hill or Waddle.  That 4th down throw to Waddle was right where it needed to be to allow him to make a house call.  But the OL started getting banged up in the 2nd half and the pressure caused some really bad plays.  No turnovers, but there were a few that easily could have been.  Zero run game.  As most of us said, this OL will determine just how far the team goes.

Also, Mikey McD having the cajones to call that 4th down play in the 2nd quarter was such a breath of fresh air.  We actually have a coach that plays to win, rather than to play to not lose.

Line is improved from last year but still a concern. Couple bad throws by Tua but I’m not expecting perfection just improvement.
 

Baltimore will be a battle, I’m expecting Miami to have to score more than 20 to win it. 

[FinSting]

42 minutes ago, Phinsesq said:

Line is improved from last year but still a concern.

The play where Tua was hit and fumbled with 5:00 remaining in the 1st quarter...could be wrong but looked like RG Hunt got confused about the blocking scheme and let his guy run past. Could've been because the TE blocked for a sec then released, leaving RT Jackson to take the guy the TE initially had. So Hunt was sposed to take the guy right in front of him but that didn't happen. Watch that play a few times and you'll cringe. 

The Pats rushed 4 guys, Fins had 5 guys blocking, and yet the defender ran past Hunt. It wasn't a stunt, just run straight ahead into the backfield. 

It would've been worse if Connor Williams hadn't realized the emergency and lunged backwards to slightly slow the guy's momentum as Tua was squished. Then Connor leaped on the ball after the fumble, whew. 

After the play Hunt put both hands on his helmet like "oh man I screwed up bad."