Talking Dolphins vs Commanders (Week 13)

There are still six to go. And yes, I fully understand that the average Commanders fan would prefer the season to end and the Draft 2024 to begin.

Much of the talk this week has been who might Washington take if a top five pick is there’s come 25 April 2024. Left Tackle? Generational WR? Or even a new QB?

For now, however, we look to the near-future and a daunting match up vs the explosive OFF of the Miami Dolphins.

UKHTTC founder Christian Burt took time out with Miami sports writer for the Guardian, Chris Smith, to discuss the fortunes of the Fins, who the Commanders will face (and let’s face it, fear) on Sunday at the FedEx.

Chris, Miami are heading towards their fourth winning record season in a row. But this year seems a significant jump under second-year HC Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins ready to go deeper into the post season than the single play-off game in 2022. What’s the ceiling for the Fins this season and can they win a third SB, and the first since 1974?

“And when you say Miami, you’re talking Super Bowl!”

Listen man, I don’t want to put a ceiling on this team. I think they have the potential to put it all together. But potential is different to belief. The Dolphins have lost three games this season – against the Chiefs, Bills, and Eagles. One senses a Super Bowl win would require Miami to beat maybe all three of those teams.

So, the ceiling and the expectations don’t quite align right now. An AFC East divisional win – a first since 2008 in a year Tom Brady mostly sat out – would be a start. However, considering the toughness of our remaining schedule, the #1 AFC seed is a tough ask.

Securing at least one home playoff game for Fins fans to enjoy, and then winning a playoff game, which I have not seen since I moved to Miami in 2010, would satisfy me.

However, it’s going to take some wins against contending teams to inspire believe in further progress. We end the season Cowboys, Ravens, Bills. A single win against one of those three might see me raise the ceiling.

Tyreek Hill: the man has 1324 yards *already* in 2023. Often this dude seems to be on some sort of cheat mode, and I am predicting another 150 for Hill om Sunday. How does any opponent stop this top three (minimum) outstanding WR in the National Football League?

Speed kills, dude. No Defense has found a cure, yet.

You can double on Tyreek, but Jalen Waddle will make use of that space and kill you too. Bill Belichick held Hill to 40 receiving yards, but that’s just what he does. He takes away your key offensive weapon. However, ol’ Bill didn’t have the talent elsewhere on the field to really threaten. And, you know, Mac Jones is their QB.

Considering the Commanders are ranked 29 in defensive yards allowed and last in TDs allowed, the only remedy seems to be to get to Tua. But his release speed is lightning right now, so good luck.

Hill is not at his healthiest and is carrying some knocks. The Cheetah pulling up lame is your best hope of stopping him.

Whilst the Dolphins are on the crest of a wave, for the Commanders 2023 has been a major disappointment and it is now to a high draft pick that the burgundy & gold fanbase look too. In this sense, losses are wins! Have you experienced as similar vibe as a Dolphins fan where a win is secondary to a higher draft pick?

Definitely. For more than a decade the Fins straddled that dreaded NFL purgatory where you’re not bad enough to get a high enough draft pick to alter the team’s trajectory. As a Washington fan, you’ve experienced Fitzmagic, right? There were times during the ‘Tank For Tua’ season that Fitz worked a little too much magic.

However, in hindsight, it worked out. Acquiring Tua, the team’s top target all along, at #5 isn’t looking like that bad a deal compared to Joe Burrow at #1. We have a QB in the MVP conversation and we’re the most fun team to watch in the NFL. What more could you want?

Tua is getting the ball out his hands much faster, meaning the fears over more brutal hits and subsequent concussions are reduced – if not negated. We know we’re one terrible hit away from it all falling apart. That’s on my mind every week.

Tua Tagovailoa was a first-round pick (fifth overall) by the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft. Looking back I would have loved the Commanders to take Tua, but with Haskins here, the FO went ultra safe and chose Chase Young with the second pick. After some initial concerns, and doubts of his durability, it seems Tua is very much THE MAN in Miami?

I’ll echo what I said above. The doubts remain over his long-term health. Life comes at you fast but as long as he continues to release ball this quickly and can rely on good protection from the offensive line, we can worry less.

However, I still have flashbacks to the harrowing scenes of 12 months ago. And another bad concussion would raise serious questions about whether it’s in the player’s best interests to keep him out there. However, I’m just enjoying this right now. I’ve waited 15 years to see this Fins offense and it’s joyous, my friend.

In Mike McDaniel, we have the perfect head coach for our QB and the perfect head coach for the vibe of the city. He empowers Tua to be Tua, come what may. And the offense is reaping the benefits.

The Commanders thankfully saw the departure of Dan Snyder who walked away with a cool $6b for his tenure of scandal, zero success and all-round ineptitude. How have you viewed the changing of the guard in D.C and new ownership that includes even the great Magic Johnson?

I’m happy for Washington fans they were able to lance off the septic wart of the Snyder ownership group. Unfortunately, it’s the American way that enables a bad person to oversee a failing organisation and scandal after scandal and still walk away as one of the richest men in the world. Under his leadership, the organisation was impossible to root for.

I haven’t paid too much attention to the new ownership group, but you have to give them the chance to chart a positive course for one of the league’s most iconic franchises. Still not sure about that ‘Commanders’ name though.

Lastly, anyone who you fear in burgundy & gold come Sunday and score prediction?

The Fins have beaten every team they were expected to beat this season. I don’t fear playing the Commanders for this reason. I fully expect Miami to win by 20 points. Score prediction is 34 – 17.

However, in my weekly NFL picks game, the Commanders are my kryptonite. I have a terrible record in predicting their games. This, and this alone, worries me.