Miami Dolphins Week Six Game Balls

It’s hard to give a game ball in a loss but it’s even harder to give them out knowing that they are deserved and that those players played their rear ends off only to come out of it with a loss…while others didn’t do enough on their end to actually help pull out a win. Unfortunately this week the game and the game balls are somewhat mired under the scrutiny of play calling by the head coach. So maybe a few more players may have deserved game balls but don’t get one because of their coach. Of course it’s the NFL and players need to overcome everything. And I’m done rambling.

Cameron Wake was a monster who despite seeing double teams throughout most of the game made a huge impact with his pass rush and his run stopping efforts. There was no question that Cam Wake wanted this game and wasn’t going to let  the “discount double check” man ruin his day. Unfortunately the end result was exactly that but it doesn’t take away from a very solid game by Wake.

Olivier Vernon surely can’t be forgotten if you are going to hand one to Wake. Vernon also did a very good job from other end of the defensive line and he too contributed 1.5 sacks and five tackles as he controlled that side of the line. Vernon has been up and down this season but he was up this past weekend and the Dolphins bookend pass rushers came up with the pressure that kept Green Bay from walking away with the game and holding Aaron Rodgers in check for 57:06 minutes of the game.

Reshad Jones and Koa Misi both came back after missing most of the season for various reasons and both played well considering their absence so they get to split a ball.

Jarvis Landry must not like having pressure on him to perform. Oh wait, he doesn’t. Jarvis Landry does not like making mistakes and he works harder than most everyone else on the team to correct those mistakes. Landry actually gets two game balls this week. His performance in the return game garners him one as he put the Dolphins in great field position not once but twice with his legs on returns. His longest return was over 54 yards. The other ball he earned as a wide-receiver where he now starts over injured Brandon Gibson. Landry had his best day receiving thus far and scored his first pro-touchdown. He went six for 71 yards.

Jelani Jenkins doesn’t just do enough to get by this guy continues to improve. He still has work to do but he is all over the field and his vision is getting better each week. On Sunday he posted six tackles and was around the ball on almost every play.

Ja’Wuan James still continues to impress me with his play. This week he again didn’t give up a sack although the DE he was covering ran a delayed stunt blitz inside the guard-center gap that put Tannehill on the ground. Overall James continues to churn out great play.

Who did I miss? Who did you see worthy of a game ball this week?