Dolphins’ second act
Gase optimistic about Dolphins’ future outlook
Coach Adam Gase upbeat about rest of season.
DAVIE — Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase struck a relatively optimistic tone Monday, a day after his team came up short in a 27-24 decision to Oakland, saying he thinks the Dolphins (4-4), at the midway point of the season, are close to doing good things.
“I feel like our guys last week prepared the right way,” Gase said. “That’s what has me somewhat excited moving forward.”
Quarterback Jay Cutler had a good game with 311 yards passing, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
“He did a good job of buying some time,” Gase said. “He was good with the ball. I thought a couple of his throwaways were smart.”
The running back situation with Kenyan Drake (104 yards from scrimmage) and Damien Williams (61 yards from scrimmage) showed promise, despite Drake’s second-quarter fumble.
“I like where our running game is heading,” Gase said.
The defense had some crucial late-game errors against Oakland such as the 15-yard unnecessary roughness call
against safety Reshad Jones and the pass-interference call against cornerback Xavien Howard. Overall, though, the defense has carried the team for most of the season.
They had a key turnover in the fourth quarter when defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh caused a fumble on a strip-sack, a Raiders offensive lineman recovered and ran with the ball when linebacker Kiko Alonso caused him to fumble and rookie defensive end Charles Harris recovered.
“That was us,” Gase said. “That’s how we should play. It was 11 guys with their hair on fire trying to do something good.
“We’ve just got to clean some things up. I feel like we’re close to doing a lot of good things. We’ve just got to figure out a way to play together as a team.”
Gase said he didn’t reduce the offensive playbook against Oakland, as he had in previous games.
Gase seemed aggravated by a few things from the game, such as the 11 penalties for 107 yards, including some costly holding calls, and Jones’ unnecessary roughness call in the fourth quarter.
“I’m still kind of trying to figure out what happened on that one,” Gase said of that questionable and pivotal call.
He pretty much disregarded the off-the-field matter of his national anthem rule. Gase previously said players must stand for the anthem if they are to remain on the sideline. If they want to demonstrate their protest of social injustices, players had to go the tunnel or the locker room.
Gase relaxed that rule Sunday at the request of wide receiver Kenny Stills, tight end Julius Thomas and safety Michael Thomas, who all kneeled on one knee during the anthem.
“I’m going to worry about football,” Gase said, ending conversation on the topic.
“I’m not going to get into all of that.”
Miami figures to get left guard Ted Larsen (biceps) and safety T.J. McDonald (suspension) back in time for Monday night’s game at Carolina, which figures to make them better on both sides of the ball.
Still, the Dolphins remain in a state of flux.
Offensively, they scored their second-most points of the season against Oakland (after the 31 they scored in a three-point victory over the New York Jets) as they worked in a pair of new running backs.
With Drake and Williams, yards from scrimmage, not rushing yards, will be the more important total, Gase seemed to say, because of their involvement in the passing game.
But the offense didn’t do enough to get a victory and often held itself back with penalties.
Defensively, the run defense remains strong but the pass defense still requires work.
All that being said, Gase sees reason to look to the second half of the season with hope.
“Everything’s up for grabs,” he said, “and it’s really who wants to do it right? Who wants to keep doing it right week in and week out?
“Our guys have got a great opportunity. This is what the NFL is, this is when you want to be playing. You’ve got a shot. You’ve got eight games, let’s see what you’re made of. If you play well and you prepare well you’ll find yourself in a good spot at the end of the year.”
“Everything’s up for grabs ... and it’s really who wants to do it right?” Adam Gase, Dolphins head coach