Phin Phanatic
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Dolphins’ Adam Gase is “pissed” but should look in mirror first

By Brian Miller

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Adam Gase of the Miami Dolphins looks on against the New York Jets during the second half of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on September 24, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The New York Jets defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-6. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Adam Gase of the Miami Dolphins looks on against the New York Jets during the second half of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on September 24, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The New York Jets defeated the Miami Dolphins 20-6. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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The Dolphins know their schedule (2016) but are they prepared to play them? The tunnels outside the Dolphins locker room at Hard Rock Stadium – Image by Brian Miller
The Dolphins know their schedule (2016) but are they prepared to play them? The tunnels outside the Dolphins locker room at Hard Rock Stadium – Image by Brian Miller /

Preparedness

Or lack thereof. Miami isn’t prepared to play these games. The game plans are atrocious or are they simply not being executed? It’s hard to tell from the outside. When Gase tells the media that the running backs are missing their blocks is that because the offensive line is playing so badly or is it because the play calling is horrible? Both.

The players have to prepare themselves for the games. It is their responsibility to do the extra film work and study at home when not at the facility. And to be clear, those thinking that if the team spent the time getting ready instead of worried about social injustices, it should be pointed out that Kenny Stills and Michael Thomas are not the problems with the Dolphins.

On both sides of the ball players are out of position. The defense struggles to make tackles consistently, and the Dolphins are not winning the turnover battle because they are not creating turnovers. They won two weeks in a row on game sealing takeaways but where are the takeaway’s during the game?

Missed assignments, bad angles, missed tackles, poor field positions, mental errors, mental errors, and more mental errors. It all adds up as the game goes on.

The right mix can taste very good but the wrong one leaves a bitter and biting taste. One of the bars at Hard Rock Stadium – Image by Brian Miller
The right mix can taste very good but the wrong one leaves a bitter and biting taste. One of the bars at Hard Rock Stadium – Image by Brian Miller /

Personnel

No one said that Adam Gase was a personnel guy. That shows this year for sure. Cutler was his choice and while he doesn’t have a lot of time, Cutler simply doesn’t try to make much time either by trying to extend a play. He seems to give up too early. Jakeem Grant was Adam Gase’s draft pick in 2016 according to reports following that draft but Grant has shown nothing close to his college talent.

Julius Thomas has been a disaster and that too is on Gase. Gase bringing in players that he is familiar with is smart football but when you bring in a player that is lazy and doesn’t seem to care, then that is on the coach. Thomas is that guy. He has little effort and when he makes a one-handed catch he will quickly turn around and drop two passes, run a short route, or miss a blocking assignment.

Not all of the players on this roster are Adam Gase’s choices and some of them will be gone at the end of the year but Gase needs to do a better job of asserting himself with Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier. He has to recognize the weaknesses on his team and demand they get fixed.

Then of course there is punter Matt Haack. This was Gase’s decision and while it saved the team about $200,000 in cap space, Haack has been a mistake. He is inconsistent and when the team needs out of a bind, Haack doesn’t often deliver. Makes you wonder what Gase saw in Matt Darr that he wanted a change. That too is on Gase.

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