Long day yesterday, and paying for it today as I try and recover from another devastating loss by the Dolphins and an incredible Sunday night game between the Broncos and the Patriots.
I told you that the Dolphins were in a position to make a statement this week against the Carolina Panthers. The only statement they made is that they are definitely not even close to being ready for prime time. The Fins blew another 10-point halftime lead, still cannot run the football behind a decimated offensive line, and the $60 million man cannot come up with a difficult catch. I don’t want to just lay it on Mike Wallace, but the elite wide receivers in the NFL make the difficult catches when needed. Rishard Matthews and the other receivers can make the catches they have to make. Wallace and Brian Hartline are paid like elite wide receivers. They need to start playing like they belong in that category.
Some of the responsibility also has to fall on the shoulders of QB Ryan Tannehill. He has to grab the bull by the horns and start making plays, if not just with his arms, with his running ability. This guy runs the 40 in 4.57 seconds. He is a gifted runner that can make plays when the crappy offensive line shows its wares. It is incredible that the guy has survived the beatings he takes week in and week out.
Some blame also has to land on the desk of the offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, and the head coach, Joe Philbin. Sherman has to make adjustments in his play calling to take advantage of his team’s strengths and cover some of their glaring weaknesses. When your running backs average just over one yard per rushing attempt, and your QB is going to set a record for number of sacks, it shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that there is a problem. Six straight games in which your offense doesn’t score in the fourth quarter should also raise some concerns, shouldn’t it?
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is still looking for his first winning season since he took over ownership of the team. More and more, it looks like he isn’t going to get it this season, although they still have a chance, albeit a remote chance. This team cannot afford to go into next season with general manager Jeff Ireland at the controls. Mr. Ross needs to bring in a new GM immediately, and start evaluating everything NOW, including the present coaching staff. With five regular season games left, four of them in your division, you have a chance to look at everything and make an intelligent decision for the future of this franchise. Please get a good football guy in here, preferably one with a hall-of-fame pedigree as a QB. A competitive guy with a fire burning in his belly to show that if John Elway can do it in Denver, he can do it in Miami. Get the message?
Here is the remaining schedule for the Fins:
12/01 @ NY Jets 1:00 pm CBS
12/08 @ Pittsburgh 1:00 pm CBS
12/15 New England 1:00 pm CBS
12/22 @ Buffalo 1:00 pm CBS
12/29 NY Jets 1:00 pm CBS
Here’s more on the Dolphins:
More on the Dolphins from Armando Salguero:
Here are the results from around the NFL this past weekend. I’m 4-2 so far this week, getting the Saints, Dolphins, Steelers, and Arizona games. A last second win by the Cowboys and the incredible comeback by the Patriots handed me the two losses. Tonight, the 49ers visit the Redskins in the Monday Night Football extravaganza on ESPN. last week, and still under the .500 mark. I’ll try and take care of that this coming week. Record this season on my picks is 40-39-4 against the spread, and 48-35 straight up.
By the way, as much as Dolphins’ fans hate to hear this, there is no better coach in the NFL than the Patriots’ Bill Bellichik. No one out-coaches Bellichik, and no one has his team better prepared and makes adjustments on the fly more effectively than him.
THURSDAY
New Orleans 17 Atlanta 13
SUNDAY
Carolina 20 Miami 16
Pittsburgh 27 Cleveland 11
Arizona 40 Indianapolis 23
Dallas 24 NY Giants 21
New England 34 Denver 31 OT
San Diego 41 Kansas City 38
Baltimore 19 NY Jets 3
Jacksonville 13 Houston 6
Tampa Bay 24 Detroit 21
Minnesota 26 Green Bay 26 TIE OT
St. Louis 42 Chicago 21
Tennessee 23 Oakland 19
MONDAY NIGHT
San Francisco @ Washington +6 ½ 8:30 pm ESPN
After taking the NFL by storm last season, both Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III have struggled this season. Another one of those hunches that Washington is due to have a strong game against a quality opponent. I’ll take the Redskins at home, plus the points.
Here’s ESPN’s NFL Nation Blog, with more news from all around the league:
Of course, we can all continue to sleep at night, knowing full well that Aaron Hernandez remains in jail, where he belongs.
In baseball, some free agent movement this weekend.
The Yankees solved their catching situation by signing free agent catcher Brian McCann to a five-year deal, with an option for a sixth season. The 29-year old is an All-Star and his left-handed bat will benefit from the right field porch at Yankee Stadium.
Other free agents on the move:
In case you missed it last week, here again is the latest from the bizarre, eccentric, freakish, freaky, flaky, off-the-wall, outlandish Jose Canseco:
More rumors:
In college football, the University of Miami Hurricanes beat Virginia on Saturday, 45-26. It wasn’t easy, but at least they didn’t lose to Georgia Southern. The Canes will close out their season this Friday, November 29th, in Pittsburgh, against the Pitt Panthers.
Manny Navarro and Susan Miller Degnan have more from Coral Gables:
The FIU Panthers are now 1-10 this season, and will mercifully close out their season in Boca Raton on Friday, the 29th, in their annual crosstown battle against Florida Atlantic. A victory against the Owls could make FIU’s season A LOT BETTER. The game will be televised on Fox Sports 1 on your cable or satellite system.
Here’s all the latest from FIU, courtesy of David J. Neal:
Here’s the latest from Tallahassee and #2-ranked FSU:
From Gainesville and the University of Florida:
Here are the NCAA Football rankings for this week:
Here is the complete schedule in College Football for week 12, including TV listings:
Moving to the hardwood,
The Heat take on the Phoenix Suns tonight at 7:30 pm at the AAA. The Heat has not lost to the Suns in Miami since November 3, 2009. Miami is on a roll right now, having won six in a row and nine out of their last ten. You can watch the game on Sun Sports on your cable or satellite system.
TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: The Heat are 10-3 going into tonight’s encounter with the Phoenix Suns here at the AAA. What was their record the last three seasons after 13 games? The answer comes later, alligator.
More Heat coverage:
Here is the Heat’s complete regular season schedule:
On the NHL ice, George Richards has all the latest on the Panthers, as they conclude their road trip against the Calgary Flames tnight. The team will be back home to take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
In boxing, Manny Pacquiao dominated Brandon Rios on Saturday Night. ESPN’s Dan Rafael brings us his take:
Here is Santos Perez’ weekly boxing spotlight column from the Miami Herald:
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I’m selling three lots totaling a little over five acres in the beautiful North Carolina mountains, overlooking the New River, a quick 35-minute drive from Boone and Blowing Rock. Click here to see some photos and feel free to contact me if you have any questions:
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THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION: The Heat are 10-3 going into tonight’s encounter with the Phoenix Suns here at the AAA. What was their record the last three seasons after 13 games?
2012-2013 10-3
2011-2012 9-4
2010-2011 8-5
By the way, in 2005-2006, when they also won the NBA title, the Heat were 7-6 after 13 games.
Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.
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