2021 Dolphins vs Patriots pre game thread

[IllegalContact]

First time ever that 2 Alabama NFL QBs face off mano a mano, no?

No

 

[IllegalContact]

I figured Stabler would have faced Namath but I couldn't find it in game logs.....

Stabler vs Richard Todd

Oakland Raiders at New York Jets - October 23rd, 1977 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Oakland Raiders 28 at New York Jets 27 on October 23rd, 1977 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Oakland Raiders at New York Jets - October 21st, 1979 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Oakland Raiders 19 at New York Jets 28 on October 21st, 1979 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Houston Oilers at New York Jets - November 23rd, 1980 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Houston Oilers 28 at New York Jets 31 on November 23rd, 1980 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Houston Oilers at New York Jets - September 27th, 1981 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Houston Oilers 17 at New York Jets 33 on September 27th, 1981 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The "Tua sucks" mantra may be WAY premature. He was amazingly accurate and clutch at Alabama but suffered a really bad hip injury, what would often be career threatening. Then he had to do a lengthy rehab, learn the system by zoom under COVID, then always look over his shoulder for Fitz taking over, while his young coach also had learnng-on-the-job issues.

I'm not saying that he's some superstar or anything, or trying to make stupid excuses for him. I am just sayng that a lot is still to be determined and there is a lot to like with his skill set, if healthy.

 

[Triumph]

No

Someone pointed that out yesterday.

Good work though.

 

[denverpatsfan]

So is Mac Jones even the better Alabama QB?? Didn't Tua beat him out for the starting job back in the day?? Phins should be big favorites in the game. Phins by at least a TD. Jones plays well but an NFL caliber defense is too much for the rookie in his first start.

Also can the Pats secondary handle any set of wide receivers without Gilmore? They have been competing against the Pats pi$$ poor roster all summer. Now they need to go against real NFL talent. This is a bad matchup.

 

[Sicilian]

So is Mac Jones even the better Alabama QB?? Didn't Tua beat him out for the starting job back in the day?? Phins should be big favorites in the game. Phins by at least a TD. Jones plays well but an NFL caliber defense is too much for the rookie in his first start.

Also can the Pats secondary handle any set of wide receivers without Gilmore? They have been competing against the Pats pi$$ poor roster all summer. Now they need to go against real NFL talent. This is a bad matchup.

It remains to be seen who is better, but when they asked Alabama receivers (prior to the draft) who they'd liked catching balls from better, they said Mac. This includes Waddle, though he said it before being drafted to play with Tua.

 

[TheRainMaker]

So is Mac Jones even the better Alabama QB?? Didn't Tua beat him out for the starting job back in the day??

Maybe Mac just wasn’t ready. Mac is clearly a better player and his game translates more to the NFL then Tebow....I mean Tua.

Also can the Pats secondary handle any set of wide receivers without Gilmore?

JC Jackson should be excited for another opportunity with Gilmore out to take on the #1 WR’s for the first 6 weeks. If he does well, he’s cashing in a big check next year.

 

[Kontradiction]

It remains to be seen who is better, but when they asked Alabama receivers (prior to the draft) who they'd liked catching balls from better, they said Mac. This includes Waddle, though he said it before being drafted to play with Tua.

That’s because Tua is a southpaw, though, and the ball comes out differently. The spiral is completely different.

 

[Redman443]

I think this is the first time BB has started a rookie QB week 1. I think hes that confident in Mac's abilities

 

[NG Pats Fan]

This will be a good one. Two closely matched teams in normal circumstances. Right now I really like the Patriots.

QB: Mac < Tua (for now). I think the difference in play here will decide things. How close can the rookie close the gap, or can he actually have a better day? I wouldn't expect it start 1, but it would certainly make things tough on Miami
RB: Pats Core >> Dolphins Core - Gaskin and Ahmed aren't bad, but they aren't a special duo. Gaskin can do a bit of everything so we need to be ready for anything when he's on the field. But the Pats win here in both top liners and depth.
WR: Pats Core > Dolphins Core - This would easily be the Dolphins if they had Fuller. Right now they are hurting. They have the best WR in Parker but not much else after him yet. Waddle in his first NFL start probably won't be a huge factor, next time they play though look out. One of the rare times I expect the Pats have the WR edge.
TE: Pats Core > Dolphins - Gesicki is a good TE. But he can't equal both Smith and Henry.
OL: Pats >> Dolphins - There won't be many times this year that the Pats don't win this match up if they stay healthy. Simply put. One of their better OL men from last year is now a back up for us (Karras). They also lost Ereck Flowers and have a lot of young guys trying to work their way in. Their OL is going through a bit of a transition right now as far as I know and it should have some issues.

The Pats on paper should be fielding a much better offense than Miami, the question is can their rookie QB take advantage?

DL Pats Core < Dolphins Core - The Pats did well adding to this group, but it still isn't the strength we'd like it to be, but it will be improved for sure. The Dolphins have the potential makings of a very good core going forward. Davis in his 2nd year could be very interesting. They also may have found something with Sieler. But in the end the foundation is Wilkins an Ogbah.
LB Pats Core >>> Dolphins Core - Simply put, the Dolphins lost their best LB and we signed him. Add in Judon and Hightower and this isn't even close. I had to look up the names of their LBs. A fair amount of former Pats cast offs and some guys I don't know. A tiny bit of digging didn't change my mind much. This egde is absolutely staggering. Not even on the same planet.
CB Pats Core < Dolphins Core - With no Gilmore this is an easy Dolphins win. They added the still fairly capable Jason McCourty for barely anything, a crime we didn't resign him for that contract looking at it now. Byron Jones has lost some luster from when he was one of the best young CBs in the league, but the dude can still ball and is among the better starting outside guys for sure. Add in their headliner Howards and some potentially nice depth and they look very solid here.
S Pats Core > Dolphins Core. The Dolphins lost their top Safety Bobby McCain and did nothing to replace him. It feels like they are hoping young unproven guys step up. IDK, You tell me if you know something i don't. Try transitioned Eric Rowe here who is okay, but not much behind him.

Looking at this game now, I'm surprised it ONLY has a 3 point spread. The Patriots have the much better 2-53 man roster. And the Dolphins QB situation doesn't give me much hope that any difference there can overcome that. Bottom line IMO. If Mac Jones plays it relatively safe and doesn't allow a pick 6 to Howard or we have a bunch of fumbles/penalties. I don't see how this game is all that close right now.

Pats 24 Dolphins 16

I stopped reading after this...LOL

devante Parker is way better than anyone we have and Jayden Waddle is so fast he makes our WRs look like they are moving in slow motion

pats 21 dolphins 17

 

[Sicilian]

That’s because Tua is a southpaw, though, and the ball comes out differently. The spiral is completely different.

Is that the reason he cited, or is that just the assumed reason?

 

[Brotherblues]

It's funny they refer to the BB's spending this offseason as a generic spending spree by generic team, like it was Daniel Snyder throwing money around. The reloading of this team was architectural beauty. Debate the Agholor and Bourne signings all you want, but the rest was a sight to behold in roster construction.

 

[Kontradiction]

Is that the reason he cited, or is that just the assumed reason?

He and Smith said as much on Sirius before the draft. Jones is a righty so the ball and the spiral are more what they are used to.

 

[borg]

That’s because Tua is a southpaw, though, and the ball comes out differently. The spiral is completely different.

The reverse spin messes you up
I played beach catch with a former FSU 3rd stringer, lefty QB......and he spun the ball so tight and fast....it was like a foreign object hitting my hands.....and then the ground

 

[zydecochris]

The "Tua sucks" mantra may be WAY premature. He was amazingly accurate and clutch at Alabama but suffered a really bad hip injury, what would often be career threatening. Then he had to do a lengthy rehab, learn the system by zoom under COVID, then always look over his shoulder for Fitz taking over, while his young coach also had learnng-on-the-job issues.

I'm not saying that he's some superstar or anything, or trying to make stupid excuses for him. I am just sayng that a lot is still to be determined and there is a lot to like with his skill set, if healthy.

This. There was a point before his injury where Tua was considered one of the best QB prospects EVER, Trent Dilfer said that as well as the Ringer TheRingeronTua. As you said PBPF, some of those early over-the-top projections don’t look so likely anymore, mostly due to his injury history IMHO. Heck, it remains to be seen if Tua is even the Fins long term QB. But this narrative that he completely sucks is way premature given the circumstances you outlined. At least he has started NFL games and shown flashes.

I’m as big of a Mac fan as anyone (I’m excited that he might really become a great QB in time) but the idea that we have this big advantage at QB when Mac is starting his first game because “Tua sucks” seems questionable at best. I guess we will see, if Mac vastly outplays Tua nobody will be happier than me.

 

[Brotherblues]

The reverse spin messes you up
I played beach catch with a former FSU 3rd stringer, lefty QB......and he spun the ball so tight and fast....it was like a foreign object hitting my hands.....and then the ground

Was it really the spin that messed you up though? Maybe it was just that they were harder thrown, tighter spirals than you're used to as an amateur beach footballer?

 

[Hyped]

Not ready yet to do a break down....but my early read on the fish:

- Tua at QB
- Dangerous receivers in Parker, Waddle, and Preston Williams (later WIll Fuller)
- Good runner in Myles Gaskin.
- Decent offensive line.
- Questionable D-line vs. the run.
- Deep secondary with X. Howard and Byron Jones.
- Possibly a dangerous pass rush...if Jaelan Phillips is the real deal.

 

[NYCPATS4LIFE]

So is Mac Jones even the better Alabama QB?? Didn't Tua beat him out for the starting job back in the day?? Phins should be big favorites in the game. Phins by at least a TD. Jones plays well but an NFL caliber defense is too much for the rookie in his first start.

Also can the Pats secondary handle any set of wide receivers without Gilmore? They have been competing against the Pats pi$$ poor roster all summer. Now they need to go against real NFL talent. This is a bad matchup.

You’re hyping the Dolphins. I don’t think much about their O-line. We finally have some decent tackles in the middle. Should get some pressure on them. I feel Mac will outplay tua in this game.

 

[NYCPATS4LIFE]

Not ready yet to do a break down....but my early read on the fish:

- Tua at QB
- Dangerous receivers in Parker, Waddle, and Preston Williams (later WIll Fuller)
- Good runner in Myles Gaskin.
- Decent offensive line.
- Questionable D-line vs. the run.
- Deep secondary with X. Howard and Byron Jones.
- Possibly a dangerous pass rush...if Jaelan Phillips is the real deal.

Their OL is not decent. It’s weak.

 

[Kontradiction]

The reverse spin messes you up
I played beach catch with a former FSU 3rd stringer, lefty QB......and he spun the ball so tight and fast....it was like a foreign object hitting my hands.....and then the ground

Yep. I played TE and DE in high school and had to play with our freshman back-up who was a southpaw. I think I dropped the ball more times in that game than I had all season. I also got my clock cleaned because the kid tossed me a nice hospital ball, which is really why I even remember this in the first place.