The Miami Dolphins earned their second straight win on Thursday night after their 22-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. This has allowed fans to go into the Sunday games in good spirit, knowing the win is already in the bag.
This underdog victory not only gives the players a boost, but it also showed why any criticism of head coach Brian Flores earlier this season was unjust.
[pickup_prop id=”13634″]
Back-To-Back Elite Defensive Performances
One of the staples of Flores’ coaching last year was how good the defense was. Only five teams allowed fewer total points than Miami in 2020. Only the Houston Texans have allowed more total points than the Dolphins so far in 2021, who is also dead last in total yards and total passing yards allowed and is 26th in rushing yards allowed.
Until last Sunday, the defense had struggled, but they got the opportunity to put things right against a Texans team that had last won a game on the opening weekend. The game featured nine turnovers in the 17-9 win for Miami. While five of these came from Dolphins players, the defense managed to force four.
Miami then backed this up in Thursday’s win, with Jevon Holland, Xavien Howard, and both Brandon and Byron Jones particularly impressing.
Flores Overcoming Recency Bias
There is no doubt that the season has not been perfect from a coaching point of view, but it was only a few months ago when the entire NFL world hailed Flores as an excellent head coach. After the start made, those comments seemed to be few and far between.
While it remains to be seen if the draft picks in 2020 and 2021 were his or Chris Grier’s picks, the win on Thursday has reminded everyone why he is an excellent coach and why he absolutely should be in the role for a long time.
Whatever Baltimore threw at Miami, the defense handled. They were quick off the edge. Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh didn’t know what to do.
The NFL is often referred to as a “What have you done for me lately?” league. Flores oversaw a difficult start to the 2019 season before turning it around down the stretch, and there are similar signs in 2021.
The term “Hot seat” was widely off the mark. Flores is the guy moving forward. If personnel is to change, the last place people should look is the head coach position.
Critique of Flores has been justified. Why did it take 9 games for Flores to adapt? What is he doing with Tua? If Tua was not “The Guy”, why was he drafted? – I presumably think whatever weaknesses they discovered in Tua, were there for the scouts to see prior to draft? Why wasn’t the Oline addressed with some experience? It was clearly a weak spot last year. Be it Flores or Grier someone f’xed this year up and the blame is rightly placed.
Unfair…. 3-7 in the 3rd year of a rebuild. You must be joking?
Flores said “the rebuild is over” during the offseason LOL. If he’s retained, he must at the very least bring in an experienced OL coach
Fire Grier and let the new GM clean house if need be.
WHAT’S THIS BS COMING FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT…
#1. THE COACH GETS RID OF OLINE EXPERIENCE. GONE ARE ERECK FLOWERS (doing well now), ALEX KARRAS (ALSO DOING WELL WITH PATS) AND ANOTHER CENTER. KEPT IS DAVIS WHOSE EXPERIENCE IS THREE YEARS WITH AN O-LINE IN DISARRAY..KEPT A BIG DISASTER LIKE AUSTIN JACKSON.
THE BIGGEST BS IS THE CLAIM, FLO DID WELL IN 2019 AND THAT SHOWS HE’S A GOOD COACH. HE WAS LUCKY TO HAVE SHAWN GAILEY A COACH WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND FITZMAGIC AT HIS BEST. I’LL GRANT HIM THE WISDOM TO PICK GAILEY, BUT WHAT HE DID TO FITZ IS SHAMEFUL. , HE SHOULD HAVE KEPT BOTH GAILEY AND FITZ….
LOUSY DRAFTS ; JACKSON, IGNOBENE AND NO RUNNING BACKS UNTIL THE END OF THE 7TH ROUND. DENVER STOLE A DAMN GOOD R.B. WHY DIDN’T WE PICK HM UP ON AN EARLIER ROUND.
HIS DEFENSE SAVES HIM, GIVE HIM ONE MORE YEAR. FIRE GRIER.