Dolphins lead Bucs 19-6 to start 3rd quarter

The Dolphins are getting good play from their defense, bad play from Tampa Bay, and some breaks from the officials.

The result is Miami leads the Bucs 19-6 as they prepare to start the third quarter.

The Dolphins got their last touchdown -- a 5-yard pass to Kory Sperry -- after Jason Taylor set Miami up deep inside Tampa Bay territory. That interception, by the way, was a gift from the officiating crew after a replay review that clearly showed the Bucs had a completion from Josh Freeman to Mark Clayton.

Anyway,

The Dolphins have a sack from Cameron Wake. They have two catches from Sperry, a tight end activated only yesterday. And some excellent play from Taylor.

Join me in the comments section for the third quarter continuation of the live blog.

Comments

[Rdiorio75]

Smith didn't get burned. He misread the throw. Rookie mistake.

[D-dense]

Ness

[JBfishman]

4th quarter, time to FINISH the game!!!!

[Angry Fin Fan]

finally the refs saw the penalty!!!!!

[Adventuretom]

Just can't give up on Ted can we ...

[Richard3000]

Losing Ronnie is the worse. Ronnie is leader and MVP

[superPHIN]

where is KORY SPERRY AT???

[FB]

We're gonna lose this game today, watch! Total shift of momentum.

[Chewyphins]

Well that was crap

[Primetime]

Horrible throw

[FB]

That was a very bad throw by Henne, I don't know why he would make that throw. We just got bailed out by that call. We suck!!!

[D-dense]

We can't convert on 3rd down? Good thing for penelties

[superPHIN]

break 2!!!

[Primetime]

I'm sorry I do not like Henne's accuracy.

[Adventuretom]

We are lucky this is a really bad team we are playing.

[Chewyphins]

Is it me or do the dolphins look totally uninspired

[FB]

Henne should be benched for Thigpen. At least he can throw and make things happen with his feet. Henne sucks!!!!!!!!

[superPHIN]

henne needs more time and better weapons, give him a break!!!

[JBfishman]

Is no one gettin open! Or what ?!!?

[FB]

I disagree; he had 2 chances on this drive. He got bailed out by the call earlier.

[Primetime]

You are right he does need better weapons.

[Adventuretom]

Thigpen? LOL

[D-dense]

Henne's had time in the pocket, but no ones open or their dropping passes.

[FB]

Oh and the Jets are now leading the Jaguars.

[Primetime]

Why does the defense game plan change so much in the 4th quarter. What is Sparano and company telling these guys?????

[Adventuretom]

Tampa Bay needs to screw up. We aren't going to stop them. They know we have no pass defense.

[nando]

where can i watch the game?

[D-dense]

What the heck, loss of 6?

[nando]

where is the game being played online?

[Adventuretom]

Run the ball!!!

[FB]

How about Sperry? He's our best receiver right now, by far.

[Adventuretom]

I'm worried about the Panthers now, and the bad thing is I live in Charlotte, it's the only Fins game I get to see.

[FB]

Once again, our play calling should cost us the game today. F' u Sparano. You are the worst!!!!!

[venom]

WETS ARE GOING TO LOSE!!!

[Beerndrums]

Go to ILEMI.COM....they give you a password to type in

[Phintim]

Hey adventureTom- I live in charlotte too and I am a dolphan too- looks like the panthers are getting better each week and the fins continue in a downward spiral

[Phintim]

Jets go down in flames!!!

[Adventuretom]

Phintim. Yeah, the Cats are waking up and the Fins are still asleep. Thursday could be bad.

[Adventuretom]

Here's one for you Ted!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40264963@N08/4107087448/

[Phintim]

Let's hope not. Hope brown is able to go

[Adventuretom]

Wow. Who the hell called that?

[Adventuretom]

Would not want to be in that locker room. Way to GIVE a game away.

[Phintim]

Run Ricky run

[Phintim]

Ugly,ugly,ugly!

[miamitoby]

Wow, nearly an EPIC FAIL. Today started really well with us harassing a rookie QB but somewhere along the way, poor play, chronic problems, bad coaching and horrible play by Chad Henne was nearly enough to sink us.

1) Sloppy play by the receiving corps-again. How many deep balls did Ted Ginn fail to bring in...3 by my count

2) Inconsistent play versus the pass highlighted by yet ANOTHER 100 receiving day by the other team's tight end-that makes what about 5 times this year?

3) Piss poor coaching decisions.
a)The first has been ongoing in not giving Cameron Wake more playing time. The guy had another sack in limited action today.
b) Running a reverse on 3rd and about 5. Just plain stupid. It's a low percentage success play that usually has a negligible gain or a loss about 2/3 of the time it's run in the NFL. In third and medium you need either a short pass or a quick hitting run that doesn't go wide and allow speed defenses (like TB) the chance to react.
c)Heavy use of the blitz and mixed coverages in the first half was great. Almost using zero blitzes and playing straight 3-4 or 4-3 and basic deep cover 2 in the second half says we're trying not to lose rather than playing to win on defense. It an effing rookie, confuse him, harass him, and pound him. His passer rating went to almost 120 in the second half because we laid back. Inexcusable!
d)Getting the ball back with just over 2 minutes and we couldn't kill the clock, couldn't convert 3rd down, and Henne turns brain dead throwing a horrible pass when he could have kept it and run for the first or at least been close. Even if it's close and not a first, we can punt and play defense with a long field to defend. He should have had someone in his ear before that snap reminding him of this matter and how to properly play the odds. That's a coaching failure not just that of the player.
e) Run plays were almost completely abandoned because Ronnie got hurt. What, we don't have another RB? Wasn't Ricky effective when he was given the ball? What the problem, feed him the damn ball.

4) Converting 3rd down was atrocious today

5) Henne is actually regressing. He should have had a career day today against a shoddy pass D in Tampa. They're still transitioning to a press 4-3 defense from the historically laid back cover 2 zone defense. Henne should have lit them up like a pinball machine. Instead, he barely eeked out enough yards to bail us out after his colossally stupid interception in the 4th.

All that and we still won because we were the better team but truthfully, this reflects very poorly on Sprano and company that this team underachieves so much, makes moronic mistakes in play at critical junctures and has the record it has. It is a testament to the heart of the players that we even have our 4 victories. At least they show some grit even if it's buried in stupidity and lax execution.

We're not growing as a team, we're just stagnating. This should have been a win walking away. What huge disappointment.