To quote a line from the hit song “All Mixed Up” by the Band 311, the lyric goes “Punk the naysayers because they don’t mean a thing, this is the style we bring!!!
What a perfect reference in relation to how the Dolphins play. Tons of people nationwide thought Miami would be 0-2, but instead they are 2-0 with today’s win over the Colts in Indianapolis 24-20. The Dolphins have done what they needed too, to get wins. The Dolphins don’t care what people say, because they know they can play and play well.
Today, the Dolphins proved they beat a very solid playoff team in the Colts. Last year, the Colts beat Miami 23-20, but today the Dolphins turned the tide and won 24-20.
The Marquee Showdown between Ryan Tannehill vs. Andrew Luck was SIMPLY FANTASTIC, and it was Tannehill and his defense getting the last laugh.
Tannehill went 23-34 (67.6%), 319 yards, TD, 107.4 QB Rating, Fumble lost. Luck went 25-43 (58.1%), 321 yards, TD, 79.7 QB Rating, INT. I predicted that Tannehill would throw for 300 yards. He had it going on with Wallace and Clay..
Research Notes
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Ryan Tannehill was 8-of-9 passing more than 10 yards downfield Sunday, picking up 209
of his 319 passing yards on those throws. Andrew Luck did not have the same success
stretching the field, throwing one fewer completion on 11 more attempts. – Tannehill
was 3-of-3 targeting Mike Wallace more than 10 yards downfield after the duo went
1-of-4 last week. – Luck was 1-of-4 for 18 yards and an interception targeting
Reggie Wayne deeper than 10 yards downfield. Sunday marked the first time in Luck’s
career he didn’t connect with Wayne on multiple attempts at least 11 yards downfield.
Passing More Than 10 Yards Downfield, Week 2
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From: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=330915011
Statistically the Colts had more passing yards (321-319), rushing yards (133-101), first downs (23-21), total plays (72-66), more sacks (5-3), and time of possession (30:34-29:26), but the Dolphins made the plays to snatch victory from the Colts.
Stats provided by: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=330915011
The Dolphins last week couldn’t run the ball, but that changed this week big time. Lamar Miller had a nice game (14 carries, 69 yards, TD; long run of 14 yards). Totals for the day: 27 carries, 101 yards, 2 TD’s.
Coming into this game, the story was: Can the Dolphins get the ball to Mike Wallace? Message delivered big time!!! Right from the opening drive, Wallace was the focus and he delivered. For the game, he catch 9 balls for 115 yards, TD. He was targeted 11 times.
The Colts started the game with a chance to go up 3-0, but Adam Vinatieri missed a 52 yard FG. It hit the left upright. I found the play-calling interesting for the Colts because they had 2 and 1, and 3rd and 1, and they didn’t run it. Luck tried to force 2 passes to Darius Heyward-Bey. Ahmad Bradshaw had 2 solid runs earlier in the drive and the Colts chose not to run it.
The Dolphins took over at their own 42, and after missing his 1st throw to Hartline, 2 plays later at their own 49, Tannehill connected with Wallace on a slant pass on the left side of the field for 13 yards to the Colts 38. 2 plays later, he connects with Wallace for 15 yards. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244703/Week-2-Dolphins-vs-Colts-highlights.
Next play, from the Colts’ 18 yard line, Tannehill threw a beautiful screen to Wallace and the rest was history. Wallace took it to the house to put the Dolphins up 7-0 at the 9:43 minute mark in the 1st half. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244150/Wallace-first-TD-as-a-Dolphin and http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244703/Week-2-Dolphins-vs-Colts-highlights.
In my preview blog this week, I thought the Dolphins could have gotten Wallace more involved with slants, reverses. I felt the coaching staff could have put him in motion to utilize his speed. Well, the coaching staff and I were on the same page, because Tannehill’s 1st 3 completions were to Wallace and he got 1st TD as a Dolphin out of it.
I predicted he would get a TD and I was right.
’s passes on the opening drive for 46 yards, including an 18-yard catch-and-run on a bubble screen for his first touchdown in a Dolphins uniform. He had a lane to zip through with his track speed and found the end zone for a 7-0 lead, which was a sign of things to come.“We had a great plan going into the game and we executed it early,” said Wallace, who set a career-high with 144 yards in his only other visit to Lucas Oil Stadium two years ago. “It kind of slowed down in the middle a little bit but for the most part we did a good job out there today. I knew it was going to happen for me but I just had to be patient and get to the next week.”Well, 2 plays into their second drive, Tannehill threw a strike to TE Charles Clay for 67 yards. It was almost picked by S Antoine Bethea. It went right through his hands, and Clay spun around and caught it. He took off and was tackled at the Colts’ 10 yard line. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244231/Tannehill-to-Clay-for-67-yards
In my preview blog, I wrote that Tannehill needs to utilize Charles Clay. Clay is the main Tight End and he can make plays like that. Clay seems to be the forgotten man on offense. Defenses are not picking him up. Tannehill has called his number and he has delivered. Clay caught 5 balls for 109 yards; 1 carry, 1 yard, TD.
Clay’s 67-yard pass reception was the longest by a Dolphins tight end since Ferell Edmunds hauled in an 80-yard touchdown at the New York Jets on November 27th, 1988 and the longest of his career. He had a 46-yarder as a rookie in 2011 against Buffalo at home on November 20th. … By going over 100 receiving yards, Clay gave the Dolphins two 100-yard receivers in a game for the first time since last September 30th at Arizona when Brian Hartline set a career-high for 253 yards and Davone Bess added 123. … Late in the third quarter, Clay scored his first rushing touchdown on his first career carry to allow Miami to regain the lead at 24-20. http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/article-1/NOTEBOOK-Wallace-Has-A-Career-Day-Again-In-Indy-Other-Notes/b89645cf-23df-47c4-afc3-a4914b888dd5
On the very next play, Lamar Miller showed the world his speed by running off the left edge and sprinted to paydirt for a 10 yard touchdown at the 2:54 minute mark in the 1st quarter to put the Dolphins up 14-3. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244206/Miller-around-the-end-for-the-TD
After the Dolphins took a 14-3, Luck found his college teammate Coby Fleener twice. Once for 40 yards, and then for a 3 yard touchdown pass to make it 14-10. The Dolphins’ DT Derrick Shelby sacked Luck in the drive, and the ball came loose. Shelby couldn’t grip it and it was recovered by RB Donald Brown. Imagine if he would have fielded it cleanly. In my preview blog, I was worried about Fleener doing damage because last week Jordan Cameron smoked the Dolphins’ pass defense. Sure enough, Luck exposed that.
With 4:09 left in the 1st half, the Dolphins’ failed to convert from 2nd and 2, and 3rd and 1. That drive stalled, and after the punt, the Colts took over their own 22. Luck connected with T.Y. Hilton for 18 yards. Then Luck on 1st down from their own 40, threw it down the right side, and T.Y. Hilton leaped over Brent Grimes, who tried to go for the interception, and caught it for 47 yard gain, all the way down to the Dolphins’ 13. Grimes should have tried to knock it down, but Hilton made one heck of a play. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/0ap2000000244321/WK-2-Can-t-Miss-Play-T-Y-Hilton-shows-off-his-hands.
4 plays later, Bradshaw punched it in from 1 yard to put the Colts up 17-14.
Not to be outdone, with 1:26 in the 1st half, Tannehill marched his team down to the Colts’ 36 yard line. He connected with Hartline for 7 yards. Then Wallace for his 7th catch for 8 yards. Then connected with Clay for 21 yards. 2 plays later, connected with Clay for 8 yards. Then, he spiked with 0.02 seconds left. Caleb Sturgis comes in and drills a 54 yard FG down the middle. 17-17, right? Not yet, Coach Pagano barely got his timeout in to ice Sturgis. That didn’t faze Sturgis, because he drilled it again from 54 yards. Now 17-17.
The Dolphins got the momentum back and went into the locker room feeling good considering they gave up 14 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter. Sturgis’ field goal made them better. Wallace had 7 catches for 70yards and TD in the 1st half.
The 1st drive of the 2nd half ended poorly because Tannehill fumbled as he was hit by LB Jerrell Freeman. Freeman mishandled it, but it was recovered by his teammate S Joe Lefedged. The Replay Assistant of the Colts, challenged that it was a fumble and it was upheld. The Colts took at the Dolphins’ 39. 2 plays into the drive, Luck connected with TE Dominique Jones for 13 yards all the way to the Dolphins 21. Then, he connected with Jones for 20 yards, but Jones as he was tackled to the ground, the ball came loose. Never fully had control. Dolphins’ challenged it, and won the challenge.
2 plays later, Luck appeared to have connected with Fleener again for a 15 yard touchdown, but a penalty on Reggie Wayne negated that scored. Wayne was called for an illegal shift for a 5 yard penalty. When the ball was snapped, Wayne was still moving. He never came to a complete stop. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244703/Week-2-Dolphins-vs-Colts-highlights.
The Colts settled for another Vinatieri FG. This time from 38 yards. 20-17 Colts.
With 7:07 left in the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins seized control of the game. They stopped the Colts on 3rd and 1 to get the ball back. Both times Donald Brown got stopped.
2nd and 7 from their own 31, Tannehill connected with Hartline down the left side for 20 yards to the Colts’ 46. Then, Tannehill connected with Wallace for 11 yards to the Colts’ 35. 2 plays later, Tannehill and Wallace connected for 34 yards down the right side to the 1. Holding penalty on Colts’ CB Greg Toler. Penalty declined. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244703/Week-2-Dolphins-vs-Colts-highlights.
Then on the next play, Charles Clay barreled in from 1 yard. His 1st career rush. The ball broke the plane and put the Dolphins up 20-17 with 4:46 left in the 3rd quarter. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244456/Clay-TD-from-1-yard-TD
1st drive of the 4th quarter, the Dolphins gambled on 4th and 1 from the Colts’ 39. Tannehill called his own number, but was stopped by DE Robert Mathis. Tannehill thought he had it, but came up short. The Colts’ challenged the 1st down ruling, and won the challenge.
So, with 8:40 left in the game, ball at the 34 of Miami, Luck tries to go for it all and gets picked off by Brent Grimes in the end zone. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244506/Grimes-picks-off-Luck
Grimes got redemption for letting a big play happen earlier to T.Y. Hilton. I initially missed the pick because we had just gotten our food, and I put my head down to take a bite and the waiter Chad, who is a huge Dolphins’ fan like me, taps me on the shoulder and says, “Dolphins’ picked off Luck”. I swallowed my food, and saw the replay. Grimes snatched that ball away from Reggie Wayne. Beef O’ Bradys went nuts.
That was Luck’s first pick in his last 165 passing attempts.
After the Dolphins’ drive stalled at their own 48, Luck gets another shot with 3:57 left.
Luck starts with a 12 yard scramble. Cameron Wake just missed sacking him. 2 plays later, he hooks up with Griff Whalen for 22 yards. 2 plays later, he gets sacked by Reshad Jones and Olivier Vernon. Next play, he connects with Wayne for 18 yards to Miami’s 23.
1st and 10, Luck tries to go deep right to Hilton, but incomplete. 2nd and 10, he tries to find Fleener over the middle, but it was almost intercepted by S Chris Clemons. That ball was gift-wrapped for him and he couldn’t corral it. 3rd and 10, he tries for Whalen, but incomplete.
On 4th and 10, Luck met Mr. Philip Wheeler for a sack and a loss of 5 yards. Watch here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000244703/Week-2-Dolphins-vs-Colts-highlights.
Lamar Miller iced it on 3rd and 8, with an 8 yard scamper for a 1st down. Tannehill, then took a knee.
Ball Game!!!!!!!! 24-20..
All times were from: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=330915011&period=4
What a great game to watch. Beef O’ Brady’s in Edgewater loves me.
Coach Philbin had this to say after the game:
Joe Philbin is a planner. He’s a professor. He’s logical. He’s not big on emotion. Basically, he’s a vulcan without the pointed ears.
He definitely showed the media no self-satisfaction in beating the Indianapolis Colts, 24-20, on the road on Sunday despite it being perhaps his best victory as a Dolphins coach. Indeed, near the end of an emtionless press conference, I asked him if he was even happy he won.
“Absolutely, yeah” he said looking away, “real proud of the guys. Can’t you tell?”
His wife, standing off to the side watching the presser, was among those who laughed.
But just before that presser, in the confines of the locker room right after the game, Philbin actually said something that was interesting. Yes, he read his bullet points off his card to the players as he often does in his postgame speech — told you he’s professorial — but when he turned away from his notes he announced to his players:
“We got a helluva team in the making!”
Read that again.
“We got a helluva team in the making!”
Now, it’s one thing if that’s outspoken Pete Carroll saying that because Carroll looks at a Kia and thinks it has a chance to be a helluva Cadillac. That also wasn’t emotional Jimmy Johnson. That wasn’t Rex Ryan bragging as has been his style.
That was understating, undemonstrative, stoic Joe Philbin going all bright future on us.
And that speaks … No, that yells … It yells volumes about what the coach thinks is the celing for his young team.
Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/#storylink=cpy
Brent Grimes had this to say after the game:
Dolphins players said the difference in finishing off the Indianapolis Colts this season was simple: making the big play.
Cornerback Brent Grimes might have provided one of the biggest plays, intercepting Andrew Luck in the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins’ 24-20 win Sunday.
“That’s the difference between winning and losing in this game — creating turnovers,” Miami safety Reshad Jones said. “[Grimes] is a veteran guy who has been around the league for a while now. He’s feisty and a ballhawk. He can go up and make plays on the ball and a guy that can create turnovers.”
Miami held a 24-20 lead when Luck attempted to put the Colts ahead, throwing a jump ball to his top receiver, and University of Miami product, Reggie Wayne, in the right corner of the end zone.
Grimes had inside position and timed his leap perfectly to get his first interception with the Dolphins, and 14th of his career.
“He threw it up there and I had to compete for the ball,” Grimes said. “I had to make sure I timed the jump early. I just made a play. That’s all it was, competing and making a play.”
It was the first interception Luck had thrown in 165 attempts.
“I forced the throw up there,” Luck said. “It was good coverage by Grimes, we knew coming in he was a phenomenal corner. … [Griff] Whalen was wide open underneath and I sort of just missed him in my read and then threw it up there, except I didn’t throw it up to give Reggie a chance.”
Grimes said timing his jump on the interception was critical, after not doing so on a 47-yard catch by T.Y. Hilton in the first half. It eventually led to Ahmad Bradshaw’s 1-yard touchdown run that put Indianapolis ahead 17-14 at halftime.
“He came back after he made [the interception] and said he had owed us one because of the one deep pass completed on him today,” Miami coach Joe Philbin said. “But [the interception was a] very, very good play.”
After his interception of Luck, Grimes immediately delivered the ball to his wife sitting in the stands. She has been one of his biggest supporters during a difficult past year.
Grimes signed a one-year contract in the offseason, spending his first six years with Atlanta. He tore his Achilles in the Falcons’ opening game last year, costing him the season.
“I’m just playing and not worried about individual stuff,” Grimes said. “I going to go out and play football. Plays are going to come, and I made some plays. The injury is in the past, it’s just about going out and playing ball.”
Hilton, a former FIU star, finished with six receptions for 124 yards, all in the first half. Indianapolis had just 80 yards passing in the second half.
“We just played our games,” said Grimes, who also had five tackles and three pass breakups Sunday. “[Hilton is] a good player and made some plays, but we just came out in the second half and did our job and played good defense.”
Grimes now prepares for an emotional week as Miami hosts his former team, Atlanta, on Sunday.
“Obviously I know I’m going to get a lot of questions about that,” he said.