Another take on tonights game . . .

[mannc]

Actually, I thought the 'phins outplayed the Steelers until the last 6 minutes.

 

Miami gave the game away with a play call that had Mularkey written all over it. 6 or so minutes left in 4th Q, Dolphins ahead by 3, Dolphins' ball, 3 and 2 from the Pittsburgh 41. Brown has been flattening Steeler tacklers all second half; all you have to do is hand it to him once or maybe twice and you've got another first down and you're on your way to making it a two possession game. You don't have to make the first down on this play because no way are you going to punt on 4th and short in this part of the field. What does the new genius do? Comes out with four wides and run some kind of gadget fake pitch for a loss of four. Now you have to punt and the Steelers promptly score.

 

I hope Colin Cowherd was watching as "the best football coach on the planet" gave away what could have been a huge win for "the hottest team in football." Didn't someone say that about the Bills, too, after they knocked over a bunch of stiffs at the end of the 2004 season?

[CosmicBills]

Actually, I thought the 'phins outplayed the Steelers until the last 6 minutes. 

 

Miami gave the game away with a play call that had Mularkey written all over it.  6 or so minutes left in 4th Q, Dolphins ahead by 3, Dolphins' ball, 3 and 2 from the Pittsburgh 41.  Brown has been flattening Steeler tacklers all second half; all you have to do is hand it to him once or maybe twice and you've got another first down and you're on your way to making it a two possession game.  You don't have to make the first down on this play because no way are you going to punt on 4th and short in this part of the field.  What does the new genius do?  Comes out with four wides and run some kind of gadget fake pitch for a loss of four.  Now you have to punt and the Steelers promptly score. 

 

I hope Colin Cowherd was watching as "the best football coach on the planet" gave away what could have been a huge win for "the hottest team in football."  Didn't someone say that about the Bills, too, after they knocked over a bunch of stiffs at the end of the 2004 season?

764712[/snapback]

Sure, they played great till the game was on the line, then Daunte did what only he and Manning do best. Choke. Ditto with Mularkey.

 

Maybe that was a bit offsides.

[Dan Gross]

Actually, I thought the 'phins outplayed the Steelers until the last 6 minutes. 

 

Miami gave the game away with a play call that had Mularkey written all over it.  6 or so minutes left in 4th Q, Dolphins ahead by 3, Dolphins' ball, 3 and 2 from the Pittsburgh 41.  Brown has been flattening Steeler tacklers all second half; all you have to do is hand it to him once or maybe twice and you've got another first down and you're on your way to making it a two possession game.  You don't have to make the first down on this play because no way are you going to punt on 4th and short in this part of the field.  What does the new genius do?  Comes out with four wides and run some kind of gadget fake pitch for a loss of four.  Now you have to punt and the Steelers promptly score. 

 

I hope Colin Cowherd was watching as "the best football coach on the planet" gave away what could have been a huge win for "the hottest team in football."  Didn't someone say that about the Bills, too, after they knocked over a bunch of stiffs at the end of the 2004 season?

764712[/snapback]

 

But you see it was the same gadget fake pitch play that the Steelers had just done. Mularkey could not resist the opportunity to show off that it was in his playbook too. Amazing job to get something out of that reverse that was pretty well blown up as well...

[Dibs]

Actually, I thought the 'phins outplayed the Steelers until the last 6 minutes. 

 

Miami gave the game away with a play call that had Mularkey written all over it.  6 or so minutes left in 4th Q, Dolphins ahead by 3, Dolphins' ball, 3 and 2 from the Pittsburgh 41.  Brown has been flattening Steeler tacklers all second half; all you have to do is hand it to him once or maybe twice and you've got another first down and you're on your way to making it a two possession game.  You don't have to make the first down on this play because no way are you going to punt on 4th and short in this part of the field.  What does the new genius do?  Comes out with four wides and run some kind of gadget fake pitch for a loss of four.  Now you have to punt and the Steelers promptly score. 

 

I hope Colin Cowherd was watching as "the best football coach on the planet" gave away what could have been a huge win for "the hottest team in football."  Didn't someone say that about the Bills, too, after they knocked over a bunch of stiffs at the end of the 2004 season?

764712[/snapback]

3rd Quarter

2-9-MIA21 (9:28) R.Brown left end to MIA 23 for 2 yards (T.Polamalu; J.Farrior).

1-10-PIT25 (8:08) R.Brown right tackle to PIT 20 for 5 yards (I.Taylor; R.Bailey).

1-10-PIT13 (7:08) R.Brown right end to PIT 5 for 8 yards (R.Clark, C.Haggans).

3-2-PIT5 (6:16) R.Brown right end for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th Quarter

1-10-MIA38 (9:56) R.Brown to MIA 33 for -5 yards (T.Polamalu). FUMBLES (T.Polamalu), recovered by MIA-C.Chambers at MIA 38. C.Chambers to MIA 43 for 5 yards.

2-5-PIT44 (7:44) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 41 for 3 yards (J.Farrior, T.Kirschke).

3-2-PIT41 (7:07) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 43 for -2 yards (I.Taylor, A.Smith).

 

R.Brown 2nd half Stats

7-16 2.3ypa 1TD 1Fumble

Flattened them!!!

[nodnarb]

I have to agree that cowherd's pimping of saban has been curiously over the top, and it's sickening. What has saban done in the nfl? Last year he was really 8-8; remember the pats literally gave them that game. Come to think of it, he was 7-9, cuz Mularkey gave him one too. They didn't win that game; Mularkey lost it.

 

Saban is a good coach and I would have been happy had TD hired him instead of mularkey but the degree of praise he's received this offseason is not commensurate with his achievements in the NFL.

[mannc]

 

3rd Quarter

2-9-MIA21 (9:28) R.Brown left end to MIA 23 for 2 yards (T.Polamalu; J.Farrior).

1-10-PIT25 (8:08) R.Brown right tackle to PIT 20 for 5 yards (I.Taylor; R.Bailey).

1-10-PIT13 (7:08) R.Brown right end to PIT 5 for 8 yards (R.Clark, C.Haggans).

3-2-PIT5 (6:16) R.Brown right end for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th Quarter

1-10-MIA38 (9:56) R.Brown to MIA 33 for -5 yards (T.Polamalu). FUMBLES (T.Polamalu), recovered by MIA-C.Chambers at MIA 38. C.Chambers to MIA 43 for 5 yards.

2-5-PIT44 (7:44) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 41 for 3 yards (J.Farrior, T.Kirschke).

3-2-PIT41 (7:07) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 43 for -2 yards (I.Taylor, A.Smith).

 

R.Brown 2nd half Stats

7-16 2.3ypa 1TD 1Fumble

Flattened them!!!

764725[/snapback]

 

 

I don't care what his stats were; if you watched the game you could not help noticing that he consistently picks up yardage after the first contact. He's the kind of back who can wear down a defense. Fortunately, with Mularkey calling the shots, there is little chance he will be used properly.

[BuffOrange]

Actually, I thought the 'phins outplayed the Steelers until the last 6 minutes. 

 

Miami gave the game away with a play call that had Mularkey written all over it.  6 or so minutes left in 4th Q, Dolphins ahead by 3, Dolphins' ball, 3 and 2 from the Pittsburgh 41.  Brown has been flattening Steeler tacklers all second half; all you have to do is hand it to him once or maybe twice and you've got another first down and you're on your way to making it a two possession game.  You don't have to make the first down on this play because no way are you going to punt on 4th and short in this part of the field.  What does the new genius do?  Comes out with four wides and run some kind of gadget fake pitch for a loss of four.  Now you have to punt and the Steelers promptly score. 

764712[/snapback]

 

So Mularkey gave the game away with a play that had previously worked for a TD which - if called differently - may or may not have led to a 1st down. Right.

 

What about Batch taking a horrible 10 yard sack to knock his team out of FG range in the 2nd Qtr when he had all day to throw.

Or Batch fumbling on the 1 yard line after an 80 yard drive.

Or the Steelers DB dropping a sure int in the endzone which lead to Miami's go-ahead score.

Or the fact that the Steelers running game was vastly superior (unless you go by fantasy scoring).

Or Miami's defense not making any stops in the 2nd half.

 

But yeah, Miami was the better team and Mularkey gave the game away. ROFL.

 

For the record, I do agree that Ronnie Brown can play and Saban is overhyped.

[nodnarb]

tell you what...finheaven's message board is hilarious tonight.

 

enjoy

[Pyrite Gal]

 

3rd Quarter

2-9-MIA21 (9:28) R.Brown left end to MIA 23 for 2 yards (T.Polamalu; J.Farrior).

1-10-PIT25 (8:08) R.Brown right tackle to PIT 20 for 5 yards (I.Taylor; R.Bailey).

1-10-PIT13 (7:08) R.Brown right end to PIT 5 for 8 yards (R.Clark, C.Haggans).

3-2-PIT5 (6:16) R.Brown right end for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th Quarter

1-10-MIA38 (9:56) R.Brown to MIA 33 for -5 yards (T.Polamalu). FUMBLES (T.Polamalu), recovered by MIA-C.Chambers at MIA 38. C.Chambers to MIA 43 for 5 yards.

2-5-PIT44 (7:44) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 41 for 3 yards (J.Farrior, T.Kirschke).

3-2-PIT41 (7:07) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 43 for -2 yards (I.Taylor, A.Smith).

 

R.Brown 2nd half Stats

7-16 2.3ypa 1TD 1Fumble

Flattened them!!!

764725[/snapback]

Be careful. Facts just get in the way of folks strongly held opinions.

[I 90]

A personal thanks goes out to Boomer Esiason who put Culpepper in the Pro Bowl with the Fins leading 17-14. Good broadcaster IMHO, and good with the voodoo as well.

 

.

[generaLee83]

A personal thanks goes out to Boomer Esiason who put Culpepper in the Pro Bowl with the Fins leading 17-14. Good broadcaster IMHO, and good with the voodoo as well.

 

.

764753[/snapback]

 

Esiason is one chromosome short of "retarded" if you ask me.

 

I didn't see the game but Dante's stats look horrible. Did he suck up a storm or what?

[ThePebble19]

I think the Phins played well for 3 quarters tonight. They hung in there, but when it mattered the most, they didn't run the football. On that particular toss play, there was no excuse for that. Grow some nuts, put your head down, and run it off tackle, and pick up 2 yards. You can't carry the ball 15 times and expect to win a football game.

 

I don't think the Steelers D is nearly as good as last year. I think that their secondary is completely suspect, and they do nothing but try to lay out big hits, and end up giving up big plays because they don't tackle. Their run D was pretty tight, but Brown still moved the ball alright on them, when he was actually given the chance.

 

Bottom line of this game is that Miami had the game in their back pocket and let Pittsburgh steal it from them. No excuse for the crappy playcall on that third down, no excuse for letting Zach Thomas cover Heath Miller, and certainly no excuse for either of the two passes that Culpepper had picked off when it really mattered. Shoot, my Grandma could have picked off those passes.

 

This division is going to be a bad one this year...I really think that the winner of the AFC East is going to be 9-7 or 10-6. As for Pittsburgh, if they continue to play like that on defense, teams like Baltimore and Cincinnati will tear them up.

[I 90]

I didn't see the game but Dante's stats look horrible.  Did he suck up a storm or what?

764756[/snapback]

 

He was reasonable until Heath Miller went off. Two fourth quarter picks later conferred major early "hand" to Marv Albert in that radio booth. To their credit they don't parrot each others opinions.

 

.

[eball]

Pro football games are four quarters long. A "great" coach like Saban should know that.

 

The Mularkey play call on 3rd and 2 was hilarious, I agree.

[Nanker]

MM's Miami Offense: 18 rushing plays for 38 net yards

Way to go Mikey!

 

Stealers Offense: 38 rushing plays for 143 net yards

Way to win a foosball game!

[MadBuffaloDisease]

The Dols were the beneficiaries of some insane luck last night...and STILL lost. First Roethlisberger is out, replaced with the great Charlie Batch. Then the missed PI call before the Dols' first TD drive, which was a 10 point swing at least. Then the Batch fumble at the goalline, then that botch Mularkey call that SHOULD have resulted in a turnover, but the ball bounces right to Chambers.

[MDH]

I don't care what his stats were; if you watched the game you could not help noticing that he consistently picks up yardage after the first contact.  He's the kind of back who can wear down a defense.  Fortunately, with Mularkey calling the shots, there is little chance he will be used properly.

764739[/snapback]

 

He had two decent runs where he picked up yardage after contact. I'm not sure how that equates to "flattening" the Steelers. The Dolphins OL looked pathetic run blocking last night. I have no idea how anybody got the idea that they were running over them. Had Mularkey handed the ball to Brown on that 3rd and 2 it would have ended up 4th and 4.

[Rico]

Actually, I thought the 'phins outplayed the Steelers until the last 6 minutes. 

 

Miami gave the game away with a play call that had Mularkey written all over it.  6 or so minutes left in 4th Q, Dolphins ahead by 3, Dolphins' ball, 3 and 2 from the Pittsburgh 41.  Brown has been flattening Steeler tacklers all second half; all you have to do is hand it to him once or maybe twice and you've got another first down and you're on your way to making it a two possession game.  You don't have to make the first down on this play because no way are you going to punt on 4th and short in this part of the field.  What does the new genius do?  Comes out with four wides and run some kind of gadget fake pitch for a loss of four.  Now you have to punt and the Steelers promptly score. 

764712[/snapback]

Meathead is an idiot!

[silvermike]

 

3rd Quarter

2-9-MIA21 (9:28) R.Brown left end to MIA 23 for 2 yards (T.Polamalu; J.Farrior).

1-10-PIT25 (8:08) R.Brown right tackle to PIT 20 for 5 yards (I.Taylor; R.Bailey).

1-10-PIT13 (7:08) R.Brown right end to PIT 5 for 8 yards (R.Clark, C.Haggans).

3-2-PIT5 (6:16) R.Brown right end for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

4th Quarter

1-10-MIA38 (9:56) R.Brown to MIA 33 for -5 yards (T.Polamalu). FUMBLES (T.Polamalu), recovered by MIA-C.Chambers at MIA 38. C.Chambers to MIA 43 for 5 yards.

2-5-PIT44 (7:44) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 41 for 3 yards (J.Farrior, T.Kirschke).

3-2-PIT41 (7:07) R.Brown up the middle to PIT 43 for -2 yards (I.Taylor, A.Smith).

 

R.Brown 2nd half Stats

7-16 2.3ypa 1TD 1Fumble

Flattened them!!!

764725[/snapback]

 

Those are crummy numbers for Brown, but it's entirely Mularkey's fault on the play calling: the -5/fumble was that broken double reverse, and the -2 was on that pitch out. So take away those two plays, and he's 5-23-TD, averaging 4.6 ypc and no fumbles.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

The Mularkey play call on 3rd and 2 was hilarious, I agree.

764796[/snapback]

 

I warned the brother-in-law about that. He didn't believe me.

[bluv]

I don't think the Steelers D is nearly as good as last year.  I think that their secondary is completely suspect, and they do nothing but try to lay out big hits, and end up giving up big plays because they don't tackle.  Their run D was pretty tight, but Brown still moved the ball alright on them, when he was actually given the chance.

764757[/snapback]

 

I beg to differ. If the Bills were to, oh God turn things around and made the playoffs, Pittsburg scares me more than the Colts or Bengals as you would have to out physical them on both sides of the ball and their D would confuse a young QB such as JP; hell they did a good job of that on Manning last year. That is why teams such as the Colts struggle in the playoffs for once teams catch on to your scheme that at one point seemed unstoppable when they meet up against strong teams that they can't outscheme and have to out muscle on both sides of the ball they can't get it done. With their strong DL who holds ground and allows their LBs to make plays they will still be tough.

 

Bottom line of this game is that Miami had the game in their back pocket and let Pittsburgh steal it from them.  No excuse for the crappy playcall on that third down, no excuse for letting Zach Thomas cover Heath Miller, and certainly no excuse for either of the two passes that Culpepper had picked off when it really mattered.  Shoot, my Grandma could have picked off those passes.

764757[/snapback]

 

No Miami was lucky to be in this game as the fumble snap caused the Steelers one TD and the dropped INT allow the Dolphins to score another; that is a 14 point swing. As far as Daunte goes, that first pick was unexcusable as it was ill advised and underthrown. The second pick is one that would scare me if they played JP as it would take a veteran QB with much poise to avoid that pick as they set him up big time to look like a rookie when Porter facked a rush and dropped into coverage. It reminded me of one of those Madden plays!

[apuszczalowski]

I don't care what his stats were; if you watched the game you could not help noticing that he consistently picks up yardage after the first contact.  He's the kind of back who can wear down a defense.  Fortunately, with Mularkey calling the shots, there is little chance he will be used properly.

764739[/snapback]

So where was he "flattening" these guys? 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage?

[RuntheDamnBall]

So where was he "flattening" these guys? 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage?

764869[/snapback]

He was mentally flattening them as he was being tackled.

[MDH]

The Dols were the beneficiaries of some insane luck last night...and STILL lost.  First Roethlisberger is out, replaced with the great Charlie Batch.  Then the missed PI call before the Dols' first TD drive, which was a 10 point swing at least.  Then the Batch fumble at the goalline, then that botch Mularkey call that SHOULD have resulted in a turnover, but the ball bounces right to Chambers.

764799[/snapback]

 

 

Also, on Ronie Brown's second TD Chris Chambers had an obvious hold on his man but it wasn't called. I have no clue how they missed it as Brown ran right to the area of the goal line where Chambers was holding.

[dave mcbride]

Also, on Ronie Brown's second TD Chris Chambers had an obvious hold on his man but it wasn't called.  I have no clue how they missed it as Brown ran right to the area of the goal line where Chambers was holding.

764895[/snapback]

Hey - keep quiet! Brown is on my fantasy team.

[Dan Gross]

He was mentally flattening them as he was being tackled.

764883[/snapback]

 

"I crush your head."

[Heitz]

Also, on Ronie Brown's second TD Chris Chambers had an obvious hold on his man but it wasn't called.  I have no clue how they missed it as Brown ran right to the area of the goal line where Chambers was holding.

764895[/snapback]

I caught that one too - the Offensive guy was pulling the Defender BACK into the end zone so he couldn't make the tackle. How could that *not* have been called or seen, it was right in front of the ref!?

 

That missed PI on that long Stillers pass was a big miss for the refs too - the defender hit both of the recievers arms before the ball was even there.

 

I'm not sure why people think either team looked good in the first half. Neither team looked "season ready" in my eyes...

 

Meh, anyway you look at it the Dolphins lost one, which can only bode well for us. As I said last night, if we win on Sunday the media will be ON FIRE!

[Fan in San Diego]

I heard Al Michaels say that Mularky is using Daunte Culpeppers playbook from last year ? I guess they just needed a suit to call the plays not design the plays.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

Hey - keep quiet! Brown is on my fantasy team.

My condolences.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

I heard Al Michaels say that Mularky is using Daunte Culpeppers playbook from last year ? I guess they just needed a suit to call the plays not design the plays.

I thought Michaels said they were using Linehan's playbook. Don't know how they'd get ahold of Culpepper's playbook with the Vikes.