Sunday, November 21, 2004
DOLPHINS/SEAHAWKS
[final post 5:55p]
Here's the notes I have. Like the last couple weeks, this will be updated as the game goes on.
In eyebrow-raising news, Jerry Rice started over Koren Robinson...
1ST QUARTER
>> 1st Seattle possession (SEA 30)
Alexander left to SEA 35
Jackson catch right to MIA 48 (17 yd, first down)
Alexander left for 5 (MIA 43)
13:17 right side catch Rice to MIA 34, first down
12:45 Alexander right side of line for 6
12:13 Alexander through the right side for 4, first down
11:36 Alexander dropped in the backfield, loss of 3 (MIA 28)
10:56 Alexander through middle for 16, first down (MIA 12)
10:24 Alexander bumps into Walter Jones, goes nowhere
9:48 false start on Jerry Rice (2nd/19)
***9:19 TOUCHDOWN over middle to Jerry Rice (SEA 7-0)
Hey, I like how that drive ended. Jerry Rice gets his first TD catch as a Seahawk. In other news, Shaun Alexander runs all over the field, even after getting dropped in the backfield twice.
>> 1st Miami possession (MIA 36, return of 27)
Sam Morris left side to MIA 38
pass to right side dropped (it's not just Seattle?!)
Wistrom applies pressure, nearly gets to AJ Feeley, flags (tripping, declined)
Three and out. Good start for the Seattle defense, but Wistrom almost sacking Feeley was a long time coming.
>> 2nd Seattle possession (SEA 18)
8:12 Alexander outside left and out of bounds for 2, flags (late hit on Jason Taylor, ball at SEA 37)
7:41 pitchback Mo Morris right to SEA 40
7:03 pass right side Engram incomplete (near catch/fumble, 3rd/7)
6:48 false start Seattle (3rd/12)
###6:44 Strong left side goes nowhere, fumbles and Miami recovers
Whatever happened to holding the ball breadbasket-style?
>> 2nd Miami possession (SEA 35)
6:37 Feeley forever to throw, over middle to Marty Booker for 15 and a first down (SEA 20)
6:04 Wistrom drops Sam Morris in the backfield for a loss
5:31 Morris breaks tackle right side for 13 and a first down (SEA 9)
5:07 Morris drilled by Lucas left, 2-yard gain
4:30 Feeley hits as throws right incomplete, flags (illegal formation declined, 3rd/G from SEA 7)
***4:26 Feeley with wide open field runs straight through to the end zone (7-7)
First damn rushing touchdown of the year for AJ Feeley. Wistrom really had the only good play defensively on that drive. Wistrom was the Dolphins themselves (penalties) were the only things preventing the Dolphins from scoring sooner.
>> 3rd Seattle possession (SEA 28, 18-yd return for Kerry Carter)
4:16 Alexander for 3, flags (holding on Chris Gray)
3:49 Dilfer runs forward for 11 yards (SEA 29), drilled as he goes down (2nd/9)
3:15 Alexander right side into pile, gains 4
2:34 Jackson catch right side for first down, gains 14 (SEA 48)
2:08 Dilfer down right sidelines incomplete to Jackson (pass interference/illegal contact, arm pull)...35-yd penalty, MIA 17
2:03 Alexander through left line for 3
1:22 ball incomplete over middle to Engram (good coverage by Pat Surtain, 3rd/8)
1:22 Seattle timeout
1:18 knuckleball pass over middle incomplete to Jackson, Rice doubled on the play
***1:13 Brown from 33 (14 straight for him, SEA 10-7)
Well, that's mildly frustrating at the very least. A huge pass interference penalty, and they go three plays and a field goal after that. They gave the ball to Shaun once, at least.
>> 3rd Miami possession (SEA 36, 32-yd return...UGH)
1:01 pass incomplete, flags (roughing the passer on Chike Okeafor, 15 yards, SEA 49)
0:57 Morris right side for 2
0:24 pass to Conrad right side off his hands (3rd/8)
0:19 a pass rush!! Pass incomplete toward left side
Well, it's a three-and-out. That's always a good thing.
>> 4th Seattle possession (SEA 24, nice Seahawk bounce)
0:01 right side Itula Mili to the SEA 28
Well, it's a decent start except for the Strong fumble, a few too many penalties for my liking, and not being able to cash in after the pass interference penalty. Other than that, the Seahawks are whupping up in the time-of-possession department.
2ND QUARTER
14:57 Dilfer right side to Rice, incomplete (decent coverage, 3rd/6)
14:52 Dilfer overthrows Jackson left side
Three and out the wrong way this time. Shaun Alexander didn't get the ball once in this possession...
>> 4th Miami possession (22-yd return on terrible coverage, flags for face mask, SEA 47)...Miami averaging own 47 for field position
14:31 Chris Chambers catch for 12 right side, first down (SEA 35)
14:00 Travis Minor left side run for 3
13:23 Feeley pressured in backfield, runs out of bounds right for loss of 1 (3rd/8)
###12:58 Feeley pressured, absolutely drilled by Rocky Bernard as he threw, ball picked, Feeley in visible pain, carried off field
Hey, pass rush! Welcome back!! We missed you.
>> 5th Seattle possession (SEA 28)
12:50 Alexander right side for 2
12:07 Dilfer right side to Mili for 11 and a first down (SEA 40)
11:50 Alexander down in backfield for loss of 2 (they read it perfectly)
11:15 pass over middle to Mili to SEA 45 (7-yd gain, 3rd/5)
10:38 over middle dropped by Jackson, fourth Seattle drop today, their 34th of the season (working off the Kevin Harlan stat)
Okay, this is getting frustrating. Almost as frustrating as last night when I discovered that the West Bremerton Taco Bell had upped the price on Grilled Stuft Burritos. They used to be $2.38 after tax, now it's $2.49. Infuriating.
>> 5th Miami possession (MIA 36, downed)
10:23 Randy McMichael catch from Fiedler for 1 yard
9:43 Minor right side for no gain
9:02 Fiedler pressured by a ton of guys, he is eventually dropped, fumbles, and Miami recovers well short of chains
Another three and out. Capitalize, people!!
>> 6th Seattle possession (SEA 38, 31-yd punt, return of 6 after a Miami touch)
Alexander for 9 yards (cable went out for a second)
7:45 Strong for 4 yards through the middle and first down
7:15 flags everywhere on Strong for false start
6:51 Alexander through right side to SEA 47, flags (15-yd face mask on Surtain, MIA 38)
6:29 Alexander dances around for no gain
5:54 Dilfer right side to Jerramy Stevens (MIA 34, 3rd/4)
5:15 Dilfer over middle to Engram, who runs to MIA 4
***4:36 Alexander through middle almost to goal line, red flagged by Coach Holmgren...well, if I'd known about the elbow, I wouldn't have red-flagged this...BUT IT'S A TOUCHDOWN. Referee Mike Carey really does explain these plays and penalties well (SEA 17-7)
Way to cash in. Of course, the big face mask penalty helped, but the big play was the pass to Engram. Let's all pray that Engram stays healthy for the rest of the season.
>> 6th Miami possession (touchback, MIA 20)...gimp-ass Feeley put back into the game
4:34 Fiedler pass to McMichael over head right side
4:28 big rush, big pressure for Morris on a 6-yd loss, with flags (MIA illegal formation, declined, 3rd/17)
4:08 Feeley hit by Marcus Tubbs, in pain once again, pass left side to nobody, flags (intentional grounding, MIA 5)
Fourth punt of the day for Miami, and another three-and-out. Good times.
>> 7th Seattle possession (SEA 48, 2-yd return)
3:51 Alexander right side no gain
###3:08 Dilfer picked right side...intended for Jackson, picked by Arturo Freeman
Yup. That was not good. Dilfer threw it into double coverage.
>> 7th Miami possession (MIA 17)
3:05 Morris left side to MIA 22
2:36 Minor handoff right, flags (5-yd face mask on Marcus Trufant, first down, MIA 29)
2:16 pass right side Booker for 5 out of bounds
1:55 Feeley right side for Chambers for first down
1:38 McMichael catch over middle to midfield and gain of six
1:18 McMichael circus catch out of bounds for first down and 15, flags (illegal contact on Seattle, SEA 34))
1:05 pass down right sideline for 27-yd to Chambers, flags (illegal contact on Trufant, declined, SEA 5)
1:00 wide-open pass to Chambers in end zone, flags (illegal shift Miami, 5-yd penalty)
###0:50 Feeley pressured, fumbles, Seattle recovers
Well, the defense saved their own butts there. Feeley and the Dolphins were moving down the field pretty well.
>> 8th Seattle possession (SEA 20)
0:41 Alexander left side for a loss of one
0:32 Dilfer pressured, runs left to SEA 22 out of bounds (3rd/7)
0:27 Engram right side for 12 and first down (SEA 34)
0:24 Seattle timeout
0:18 Dilfer pressured right, throws to nobody
0:11 Alexander through middle to SEA 43 (3rd/1)
0:04 pass left side off Strong's hands, tipped to Surtain, flags (defensive holding on Miami, first down)
0:00 pass in end zone nearly picked by Jason Taylor, right foot stepped out of end zone
Well, it's 17-7 at half. The defense has looked better, and it seems that Grant Wistrom's mere presence makes a world of difference when it comes to the pass rush. Shaun Alexander's had a couple of good runs, but a couple of runs for no gain or less also. It seems that Jim Bates is trying to make Seattle beat his team through the air with Trent Dilfer and any receiver that actually holds on to the ball.
So DLP is a Texas Instruments technology. I wonder if my TI-83 graphing calculator has DLP. Doubtful, but Tetris on that TI-83 killed endless hours when I was in high school.
3RD QUARTER
>> 8th Miami possession (MIA 33)
14:48 pass left side intended for Booker, "caught," stripped, Ken Lucas recovers...challenged and overturned, incomplete pass (ball hit the ground)
14:45 Minor left side for gain of 1
14:13 pass right side broken up by Ken Hamlin
Another three-and-out. This is encouraging.
Ben Wallace only got a six-game suspension? I'm sorry, but that's abhorrent. It should be at least double that. Part of me wants to say it's like a chicken-before-the-egg sort of thing, that if Wallace doesn't shove, none of it happens.
>> 9th Seattle possession (SEA 33)
13:57 Alexander outside left for 4
13:22 Mili right side to 35
12:45 Dilfer pressured, runs backwards, sacked for huge loss of 11
>> 9th Miami possession (MIA 44)
12:09 Feeley right side to Johnson? broken up
12:03 Chambers catch left side for 6 to midfield
11:35 pass over middle to Minor for first down (4 yd)
11:15 McMichael down the sideline right, through the hands
11:10 Feeley right sideline to Chambers, who stays in bounds, 13 yards and a first down (SEA 33)
10:57 Minor through the middle and left for 17 and a first down (SEA 16)
***10:33 pass right side to McMichael, who stays in bounds and gets the pylon, flags on Trufant for a face mask, touchdown (SEA 17-14)
The Seahawk defense does their best Swiss cheese impersonation. I didn't much like it.
>> 10th Seattle possession (SEA 26, 20-yd return)
10:24 catch right side Strong for 1
9:53 Alexander through left side for 3 (3rd/6)
9:14 Dilfer pressured, runs around a bit, sacked at SEA 28
This is not good at all. A three-and-out. Miami having some momentum. A 1-8 team has momentum on the Seahawks' home turf, and they're only down three with a ton of time left in the game. Disturbing, disturbing, disturbing.
In another disturbing note, Dilfer has been sacked on third down on each of the last two possessions.
>> 10th Miami possession (MIA 27, punt nearly blocked)
8:34 Trufant with very close coverage down the right sideline on Booker
8:31 pass left side to Chambers incomplete (3rd/10)
8:26 pass right side to Thompson, but short of first down (SEA 35)
A three-and-out is what they needed right there. Thank goodness. They've got to cash in on the next possession though.
>> 11th Seattle possession (rekicked on Miami illegal touch, SEA 24, fair catch)
7:31 pass right side incomplete, Dilfer throws away before getting drilled
7:26 Alexander through middle for three yards...Randy Cross is noting the predictability of the Seattle offense...
6:43 pass left side to Rice overthrown
Well, if the Seahawks keep going three-and-out, let's just hope that Miami keeps doing the same thing.
>> 11th Miami possession (MIA 42)
6:28 Minor right side for 3 (MIA 45)
5:53 Minor right side for 2 (3rd/5)
5:13 pass down right sideline incomplete to Chambers, drilled by Bierria
Third straight three-and-out for Miami.
>> 12th Seattle possession (SEA 4, bad decision by Morris to let the punt go)
4:59 Alexander right side for 2
4:14 left side pass Rice for big yards after catch to MIA 37 (WOW), first down
3:39 Alexander middle for 2
3:00 Alexander right for loss of 1 (3rd/9)
2:16 Strong over middle 1-yd short of chains (4th/1)
1:33 flags, delay of game Seattle
>> 12th Miami possession (flags, Kris Richard plows the fair catch man, MIA 26)
0:47 pass over middle incomplete
0:40 Chambers left on the end around for 7 (3rd/3)
0:02 pass right to McMichael for 7 and a first down
The Seahawks are letting this team hang around. I have a really bad feeling about this; the Dolphins are only down three with a quarter to go, and the Seahawk offense hasn't done a freakin' thing (other than Rice) in the second half. Sickening.
4TH QUARTER
14:54 Forsey left side run for 2 yards
14:15 pass left Hadnot for nine yards and first down (MIA 49)
13:53 Minor up middle for 2
13:05 Minor left to SEA 47 (gain of 2)
12:22 Rocky Bernard plows Feeley, who throws away to nobody, flags for grounding on Feeley again (MIA 43)
The pass rush picked a good time to come through. Thank goodness they got that stop. AJ Feeley will have nightmares about Rocky Bernard in the very near future.
>> 12th Seattle possession (SEA 18)
###12:07 pass left side in the middle of three defenders, Pat Surtain picks
Yuck. That's infuriating. I'm really worried.
>> 12th Miami possession (SEA 36)
11:55 McMichael left side for 6
11:21 Minor left side for 2 (SEA 28)
10:42 pass left Chambers wide open with Lucas three yards away for first down (SEA 22)
10:04 Minor left for gain of 1
9:21 pass Minor over middle for 2 (3rd/7)
8:38 Minor catch right to 16, short of chains
###8:06 Olindo Mare from 33 WIDE LEFT
Said Randy Cross a few plays before the attempt, "Olindo Mare is automatic" from around that range.
>> 13th Seattle possession (SEA 24)
8:02 Alexander up the middle for 2
7:21 Alexander up the middle to the 41, a 17-yd gain and a first down
6:41 Alexander through the middle again for 7 to the SEA 48
6:03 Strong through the middle for 2 (3rd/1)
5:24 Seattle timeout
5:18 Alexander goes nowhere on the left side
I'm sick. Absolutely sick.
>> 13th Miami possession (holding on Seattle, declined, ball at MIA 32 with three timeouts)
4:29 pass over middle to Minor bobbled and incomplete
4:25 Ken Lucas with great coverage on a pass to the left side, Cochran and Kacyvenski get licks in on Feeley
4:20 Thompson over the middle for 25...YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU CAN'T GET A STOP ON A FREAKIN' THIRD-AND-10?!!?!?!!!!?!?!!!
3:47 Minor right side for no gain, staying in bounds
3:08 Thompson over middle, breaks a couple tackles, runs out of bounds with first-down yardage (SEA 25)
3:04 Chambers overthrown left side
2:58 Minor catch over middle for four (3rd/6)
2:25 Feeley overthrows Gilmour, who had a step on Richard
2:29 Mare from 39 doesn't miss this time (17-17)
>> 14th Seattle possession (SEA 30)
2:11 Rice underthrown right side
2:07 Alexander overthrown left side on a screen
2:01 Dilfer sacked
Dilfer's throwing some bad passes, but he's taking some stupid sacks too.
You know what? Screw this game. The Seahawks could pull this off and win, and I wouldn't even care. This team sucks.
Where's the Jim Mora "playoffs?!" speech?
GO SONICS!!!!!
I hate myself.
>> 14th Miami possession (MIA 47, nice field position)
1:48 Minor through the middle to the MIA 48
1:14 McMichael catch, runs out of bounds right to SEA 48
1:09 first-down catch to Chambers, SEA 42
###0:56 pass right intended for Chambers picked by Michael Boulware, who runs it all the way back!! (SEA 24-17)
>> 15th Miami possession (MIA 28)
0:42 Feeley dropped, and fumbles, Chad Brown recovers and runs, down at MIA 15
0:40 knee
0:38 Miami timeout
0:38 knee
0:36 Miami timeout
0:36 knee
SEAHAWKS 24, DOLPHINS 17
It's a win, yes. It's a heavily tarnished win, though. It seems in the second half that the offense would get one big play on a lot of their possessions (the big Rice catch or a big run by Alexander) and then they'd just tank it. Dilfer wasn't the sharpest knife in the cutlery either today, and especially in the second half. I guess the problem in some ways was that Miami wasn't playing like the 31st-ranked run defense in the NFL today. They did have quite a few stops on Shaun Alexander today for measly one-yard gains, no gain, or losses.
How quickly the fortunes turned though. I think Mike Holmgren already punched his ticket out of Seattle with last week's loss in Saint Louis, but if Michael Boulware doesn't run back this interception, then there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that Holmgren is gone next year. But the Seahawks escaped with the W.
Where does this leave us? Well, the pass rush looks a lot better, at least, in the fact that it exists again. AJ Feeley is going to be one sore mofo tomorrow morning. But there were some third-down gaffes and stupid penalties (by both sides of the ball) that made it hard on the Seahawks. The delay of game the Seahawk offense had on a 4th-and-1 when they were going for it was memorable, as were a face mask or two on the Seahawks. Offensively, well, there was no offense in the second half, with many three-and-outs and that left the Dolphins within reach to win this game. Michael Boulware saved the Seahawks' butts, because Olindo Mare would have been in field goal range to win the game.
Once again with the Seahawks, we're left with some answers and even more questions.
I shall now return to listening to the Sonics currently losing to the hack-ass Boston Celtics.
Here's the notes I have. Like the last couple weeks, this will be updated as the game goes on.
In eyebrow-raising news, Jerry Rice started over Koren Robinson...
1ST QUARTER
>> 1st Seattle possession (SEA 30)
Alexander left to SEA 35
Jackson catch right to MIA 48 (17 yd, first down)
Alexander left for 5 (MIA 43)
13:17 right side catch Rice to MIA 34, first down
12:45 Alexander right side of line for 6
12:13 Alexander through the right side for 4, first down
11:36 Alexander dropped in the backfield, loss of 3 (MIA 28)
10:56 Alexander through middle for 16, first down (MIA 12)
10:24 Alexander bumps into Walter Jones, goes nowhere
9:48 false start on Jerry Rice (2nd/19)
***9:19 TOUCHDOWN over middle to Jerry Rice (SEA 7-0)
Hey, I like how that drive ended. Jerry Rice gets his first TD catch as a Seahawk. In other news, Shaun Alexander runs all over the field, even after getting dropped in the backfield twice.
>> 1st Miami possession (MIA 36, return of 27)
Sam Morris left side to MIA 38
pass to right side dropped (it's not just Seattle?!)
Wistrom applies pressure, nearly gets to AJ Feeley, flags (tripping, declined)
Three and out. Good start for the Seattle defense, but Wistrom almost sacking Feeley was a long time coming.
>> 2nd Seattle possession (SEA 18)
8:12 Alexander outside left and out of bounds for 2, flags (late hit on Jason Taylor, ball at SEA 37)
7:41 pitchback Mo Morris right to SEA 40
7:03 pass right side Engram incomplete (near catch/fumble, 3rd/7)
6:48 false start Seattle (3rd/12)
###6:44 Strong left side goes nowhere, fumbles and Miami recovers
Whatever happened to holding the ball breadbasket-style?
>> 2nd Miami possession (SEA 35)
6:37 Feeley forever to throw, over middle to Marty Booker for 15 and a first down (SEA 20)
6:04 Wistrom drops Sam Morris in the backfield for a loss
5:31 Morris breaks tackle right side for 13 and a first down (SEA 9)
5:07 Morris drilled by Lucas left, 2-yard gain
4:30 Feeley hits as throws right incomplete, flags (illegal formation declined, 3rd/G from SEA 7)
***4:26 Feeley with wide open field runs straight through to the end zone (7-7)
First damn rushing touchdown of the year for AJ Feeley. Wistrom really had the only good play defensively on that drive. Wistrom was the Dolphins themselves (penalties) were the only things preventing the Dolphins from scoring sooner.
>> 3rd Seattle possession (SEA 28, 18-yd return for Kerry Carter)
4:16 Alexander for 3, flags (holding on Chris Gray)
3:49 Dilfer runs forward for 11 yards (SEA 29), drilled as he goes down (2nd/9)
3:15 Alexander right side into pile, gains 4
2:34 Jackson catch right side for first down, gains 14 (SEA 48)
2:08 Dilfer down right sidelines incomplete to Jackson (pass interference/illegal contact, arm pull)...35-yd penalty, MIA 17
2:03 Alexander through left line for 3
1:22 ball incomplete over middle to Engram (good coverage by Pat Surtain, 3rd/8)
1:22 Seattle timeout
1:18 knuckleball pass over middle incomplete to Jackson, Rice doubled on the play
***1:13 Brown from 33 (14 straight for him, SEA 10-7)
Well, that's mildly frustrating at the very least. A huge pass interference penalty, and they go three plays and a field goal after that. They gave the ball to Shaun once, at least.
>> 3rd Miami possession (SEA 36, 32-yd return...UGH)
1:01 pass incomplete, flags (roughing the passer on Chike Okeafor, 15 yards, SEA 49)
0:57 Morris right side for 2
0:24 pass to Conrad right side off his hands (3rd/8)
0:19 a pass rush!! Pass incomplete toward left side
Well, it's a three-and-out. That's always a good thing.
>> 4th Seattle possession (SEA 24, nice Seahawk bounce)
0:01 right side Itula Mili to the SEA 28
Well, it's a decent start except for the Strong fumble, a few too many penalties for my liking, and not being able to cash in after the pass interference penalty. Other than that, the Seahawks are whupping up in the time-of-possession department.
2ND QUARTER
14:57 Dilfer right side to Rice, incomplete (decent coverage, 3rd/6)
14:52 Dilfer overthrows Jackson left side
Three and out the wrong way this time. Shaun Alexander didn't get the ball once in this possession...
>> 4th Miami possession (22-yd return on terrible coverage, flags for face mask, SEA 47)...Miami averaging own 47 for field position
14:31 Chris Chambers catch for 12 right side, first down (SEA 35)
14:00 Travis Minor left side run for 3
13:23 Feeley pressured in backfield, runs out of bounds right for loss of 1 (3rd/8)
###12:58 Feeley pressured, absolutely drilled by Rocky Bernard as he threw, ball picked, Feeley in visible pain, carried off field
Hey, pass rush! Welcome back!! We missed you.
>> 5th Seattle possession (SEA 28)
12:50 Alexander right side for 2
12:07 Dilfer right side to Mili for 11 and a first down (SEA 40)
11:50 Alexander down in backfield for loss of 2 (they read it perfectly)
11:15 pass over middle to Mili to SEA 45 (7-yd gain, 3rd/5)
10:38 over middle dropped by Jackson, fourth Seattle drop today, their 34th of the season (working off the Kevin Harlan stat)
Okay, this is getting frustrating. Almost as frustrating as last night when I discovered that the West Bremerton Taco Bell had upped the price on Grilled Stuft Burritos. They used to be $2.38 after tax, now it's $2.49. Infuriating.
>> 5th Miami possession (MIA 36, downed)
10:23 Randy McMichael catch from Fiedler for 1 yard
9:43 Minor right side for no gain
9:02 Fiedler pressured by a ton of guys, he is eventually dropped, fumbles, and Miami recovers well short of chains
Another three and out. Capitalize, people!!
>> 6th Seattle possession (SEA 38, 31-yd punt, return of 6 after a Miami touch)
Alexander for 9 yards (cable went out for a second)
7:45 Strong for 4 yards through the middle and first down
7:15 flags everywhere on Strong for false start
6:51 Alexander through right side to SEA 47, flags (15-yd face mask on Surtain, MIA 38)
6:29 Alexander dances around for no gain
5:54 Dilfer right side to Jerramy Stevens (MIA 34, 3rd/4)
5:15 Dilfer over middle to Engram, who runs to MIA 4
***4:36 Alexander through middle almost to goal line, red flagged by Coach Holmgren...well, if I'd known about the elbow, I wouldn't have red-flagged this...BUT IT'S A TOUCHDOWN. Referee Mike Carey really does explain these plays and penalties well (SEA 17-7)
Way to cash in. Of course, the big face mask penalty helped, but the big play was the pass to Engram. Let's all pray that Engram stays healthy for the rest of the season.
>> 6th Miami possession (touchback, MIA 20)...gimp-ass Feeley put back into the game
4:34 Fiedler pass to McMichael over head right side
4:28 big rush, big pressure for Morris on a 6-yd loss, with flags (MIA illegal formation, declined, 3rd/17)
4:08 Feeley hit by Marcus Tubbs, in pain once again, pass left side to nobody, flags (intentional grounding, MIA 5)
Fourth punt of the day for Miami, and another three-and-out. Good times.
>> 7th Seattle possession (SEA 48, 2-yd return)
3:51 Alexander right side no gain
###3:08 Dilfer picked right side...intended for Jackson, picked by Arturo Freeman
Yup. That was not good. Dilfer threw it into double coverage.
>> 7th Miami possession (MIA 17)
3:05 Morris left side to MIA 22
2:36 Minor handoff right, flags (5-yd face mask on Marcus Trufant, first down, MIA 29)
2:16 pass right side Booker for 5 out of bounds
1:55 Feeley right side for Chambers for first down
1:38 McMichael catch over middle to midfield and gain of six
1:18 McMichael circus catch out of bounds for first down and 15, flags (illegal contact on Seattle, SEA 34))
1:05 pass down right sideline for 27-yd to Chambers, flags (illegal contact on Trufant, declined, SEA 5)
1:00 wide-open pass to Chambers in end zone, flags (illegal shift Miami, 5-yd penalty)
###0:50 Feeley pressured, fumbles, Seattle recovers
Well, the defense saved their own butts there. Feeley and the Dolphins were moving down the field pretty well.
>> 8th Seattle possession (SEA 20)
0:41 Alexander left side for a loss of one
0:32 Dilfer pressured, runs left to SEA 22 out of bounds (3rd/7)
0:27 Engram right side for 12 and first down (SEA 34)
0:24 Seattle timeout
0:18 Dilfer pressured right, throws to nobody
0:11 Alexander through middle to SEA 43 (3rd/1)
0:04 pass left side off Strong's hands, tipped to Surtain, flags (defensive holding on Miami, first down)
0:00 pass in end zone nearly picked by Jason Taylor, right foot stepped out of end zone
Well, it's 17-7 at half. The defense has looked better, and it seems that Grant Wistrom's mere presence makes a world of difference when it comes to the pass rush. Shaun Alexander's had a couple of good runs, but a couple of runs for no gain or less also. It seems that Jim Bates is trying to make Seattle beat his team through the air with Trent Dilfer and any receiver that actually holds on to the ball.
So DLP is a Texas Instruments technology. I wonder if my TI-83 graphing calculator has DLP. Doubtful, but Tetris on that TI-83 killed endless hours when I was in high school.
3RD QUARTER
>> 8th Miami possession (MIA 33)
14:48 pass left side intended for Booker, "caught," stripped, Ken Lucas recovers...challenged and overturned, incomplete pass (ball hit the ground)
14:45 Minor left side for gain of 1
14:13 pass right side broken up by Ken Hamlin
Another three-and-out. This is encouraging.
Ben Wallace only got a six-game suspension? I'm sorry, but that's abhorrent. It should be at least double that. Part of me wants to say it's like a chicken-before-the-egg sort of thing, that if Wallace doesn't shove, none of it happens.
>> 9th Seattle possession (SEA 33)
13:57 Alexander outside left for 4
13:22 Mili right side to 35
12:45 Dilfer pressured, runs backwards, sacked for huge loss of 11
>> 9th Miami possession (MIA 44)
12:09 Feeley right side to Johnson? broken up
12:03 Chambers catch left side for 6 to midfield
11:35 pass over middle to Minor for first down (4 yd)
11:15 McMichael down the sideline right, through the hands
11:10 Feeley right sideline to Chambers, who stays in bounds, 13 yards and a first down (SEA 33)
10:57 Minor through the middle and left for 17 and a first down (SEA 16)
***10:33 pass right side to McMichael, who stays in bounds and gets the pylon, flags on Trufant for a face mask, touchdown (SEA 17-14)
The Seahawk defense does their best Swiss cheese impersonation. I didn't much like it.
>> 10th Seattle possession (SEA 26, 20-yd return)
10:24 catch right side Strong for 1
9:53 Alexander through left side for 3 (3rd/6)
9:14 Dilfer pressured, runs around a bit, sacked at SEA 28
This is not good at all. A three-and-out. Miami having some momentum. A 1-8 team has momentum on the Seahawks' home turf, and they're only down three with a ton of time left in the game. Disturbing, disturbing, disturbing.
In another disturbing note, Dilfer has been sacked on third down on each of the last two possessions.
>> 10th Miami possession (MIA 27, punt nearly blocked)
8:34 Trufant with very close coverage down the right sideline on Booker
8:31 pass left side to Chambers incomplete (3rd/10)
8:26 pass right side to Thompson, but short of first down (SEA 35)
A three-and-out is what they needed right there. Thank goodness. They've got to cash in on the next possession though.
>> 11th Seattle possession (rekicked on Miami illegal touch, SEA 24, fair catch)
7:31 pass right side incomplete, Dilfer throws away before getting drilled
7:26 Alexander through middle for three yards...Randy Cross is noting the predictability of the Seattle offense...
6:43 pass left side to Rice overthrown
Well, if the Seahawks keep going three-and-out, let's just hope that Miami keeps doing the same thing.
>> 11th Miami possession (MIA 42)
6:28 Minor right side for 3 (MIA 45)
5:53 Minor right side for 2 (3rd/5)
5:13 pass down right sideline incomplete to Chambers, drilled by Bierria
Third straight three-and-out for Miami.
>> 12th Seattle possession (SEA 4, bad decision by Morris to let the punt go)
4:59 Alexander right side for 2
4:14 left side pass Rice for big yards after catch to MIA 37 (WOW), first down
3:39 Alexander middle for 2
3:00 Alexander right for loss of 1 (3rd/9)
2:16 Strong over middle 1-yd short of chains (4th/1)
1:33 flags, delay of game Seattle
>> 12th Miami possession (flags, Kris Richard plows the fair catch man, MIA 26)
0:47 pass over middle incomplete
0:40 Chambers left on the end around for 7 (3rd/3)
0:02 pass right to McMichael for 7 and a first down
The Seahawks are letting this team hang around. I have a really bad feeling about this; the Dolphins are only down three with a quarter to go, and the Seahawk offense hasn't done a freakin' thing (other than Rice) in the second half. Sickening.
4TH QUARTER
14:54 Forsey left side run for 2 yards
14:15 pass left Hadnot for nine yards and first down (MIA 49)
13:53 Minor up middle for 2
13:05 Minor left to SEA 47 (gain of 2)
12:22 Rocky Bernard plows Feeley, who throws away to nobody, flags for grounding on Feeley again (MIA 43)
The pass rush picked a good time to come through. Thank goodness they got that stop. AJ Feeley will have nightmares about Rocky Bernard in the very near future.
>> 12th Seattle possession (SEA 18)
###12:07 pass left side in the middle of three defenders, Pat Surtain picks
Yuck. That's infuriating. I'm really worried.
>> 12th Miami possession (SEA 36)
11:55 McMichael left side for 6
11:21 Minor left side for 2 (SEA 28)
10:42 pass left Chambers wide open with Lucas three yards away for first down (SEA 22)
10:04 Minor left for gain of 1
9:21 pass Minor over middle for 2 (3rd/7)
8:38 Minor catch right to 16, short of chains
###8:06 Olindo Mare from 33 WIDE LEFT
Said Randy Cross a few plays before the attempt, "Olindo Mare is automatic" from around that range.
>> 13th Seattle possession (SEA 24)
8:02 Alexander up the middle for 2
7:21 Alexander up the middle to the 41, a 17-yd gain and a first down
6:41 Alexander through the middle again for 7 to the SEA 48
6:03 Strong through the middle for 2 (3rd/1)
5:24 Seattle timeout
5:18 Alexander goes nowhere on the left side
I'm sick. Absolutely sick.
>> 13th Miami possession (holding on Seattle, declined, ball at MIA 32 with three timeouts)
4:29 pass over middle to Minor bobbled and incomplete
4:25 Ken Lucas with great coverage on a pass to the left side, Cochran and Kacyvenski get licks in on Feeley
4:20 Thompson over the middle for 25...YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU CAN'T GET A STOP ON A FREAKIN' THIRD-AND-10?!!?!?!!!!?!?!!!
3:47 Minor right side for no gain, staying in bounds
3:08 Thompson over middle, breaks a couple tackles, runs out of bounds with first-down yardage (SEA 25)
3:04 Chambers overthrown left side
2:58 Minor catch over middle for four (3rd/6)
2:25 Feeley overthrows Gilmour, who had a step on Richard
2:29 Mare from 39 doesn't miss this time (17-17)
>> 14th Seattle possession (SEA 30)
2:11 Rice underthrown right side
2:07 Alexander overthrown left side on a screen
2:01 Dilfer sacked
Dilfer's throwing some bad passes, but he's taking some stupid sacks too.
You know what? Screw this game. The Seahawks could pull this off and win, and I wouldn't even care. This team sucks.
Where's the Jim Mora "playoffs?!" speech?
GO SONICS!!!!!
I hate myself.
>> 14th Miami possession (MIA 47, nice field position)
1:48 Minor through the middle to the MIA 48
1:14 McMichael catch, runs out of bounds right to SEA 48
1:09 first-down catch to Chambers, SEA 42
###0:56 pass right intended for Chambers picked by Michael Boulware, who runs it all the way back!! (SEA 24-17)
>> 15th Miami possession (MIA 28)
0:42 Feeley dropped, and fumbles, Chad Brown recovers and runs, down at MIA 15
0:40 knee
0:38 Miami timeout
0:38 knee
0:36 Miami timeout
0:36 knee
SEAHAWKS 24, DOLPHINS 17
It's a win, yes. It's a heavily tarnished win, though. It seems in the second half that the offense would get one big play on a lot of their possessions (the big Rice catch or a big run by Alexander) and then they'd just tank it. Dilfer wasn't the sharpest knife in the cutlery either today, and especially in the second half. I guess the problem in some ways was that Miami wasn't playing like the 31st-ranked run defense in the NFL today. They did have quite a few stops on Shaun Alexander today for measly one-yard gains, no gain, or losses.
How quickly the fortunes turned though. I think Mike Holmgren already punched his ticket out of Seattle with last week's loss in Saint Louis, but if Michael Boulware doesn't run back this interception, then there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that Holmgren is gone next year. But the Seahawks escaped with the W.
Where does this leave us? Well, the pass rush looks a lot better, at least, in the fact that it exists again. AJ Feeley is going to be one sore mofo tomorrow morning. But there were some third-down gaffes and stupid penalties (by both sides of the ball) that made it hard on the Seahawks. The delay of game the Seahawk offense had on a 4th-and-1 when they were going for it was memorable, as were a face mask or two on the Seahawks. Offensively, well, there was no offense in the second half, with many three-and-outs and that left the Dolphins within reach to win this game. Michael Boulware saved the Seahawks' butts, because Olindo Mare would have been in field goal range to win the game.
Once again with the Seahawks, we're left with some answers and even more questions.
I shall now return to listening to the Sonics currently losing to the hack-ass Boston Celtics.
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