5 things we learned from yesterday’s game
DOLPHINS NEED TO CONSIDER BRINGING BACK ALBERT
Miami traded Branden Albert, who was due $8.4 million in 2017, to the Jaguars this offseason, but Albert’s relationship with Jacksonville ended when refused to report to training camp and briefly retired. Albert is working out and wants to make an NFL comeback and the Dolphins need to consider signing him and playing him at guard.
GASE MAY BE PRESSING AS MIAMI’S PLAY-CALLER
There’s a lot that goes into being a head coach of an NFL team, so when you add the title of offensive play-caller to that list of responsibilities it makes things even more difficult. Miami’s offensive play-calling wasn’t good for a third consecutive game Sunday.
THOMAS’ DEMOTION NEEDS TO CONTINUE
Anthony Fasano started his first game this season, replacing Julius Thomas as Miami’s starting tight end. But Thomas played the bulk of Miami’s offensive snaps. Thomas continued to be a liability, routinely failing to provide adequate blocking. He also dropped a first down pass in the third quarter. Thomas did have a catch that set up a fourth-quarter score for Miami, but his play has been disappointing through four games.
WHAT A MASSIVE 14-POINT SWING IN THE FIRST QUARTER
The Dolphins had some calls go against them during their 1-2 start, but Sunday’s game turned on two decisions by the zebras that could have gone either way and had massive consequences. With 33 seconds left in the first quarter, Titans quarterback Matt Cassel lobbed a deep ball that hit tight end Delanie Walker in stride for an apparent touchdown to make it 6-3 Titans. However, tight end Jannu Smith was called for offensive pass interference on what appeared to be mild, incidental contact. Two plays later, Cassel was blasted by Kiko Alonso and the ball spit forward. Everyone on the field stood around, figuring it was an incomplete pass. Everyone except Reshad Jones, who returned the ball 38 yards for a touchdown.
THAT WAS AN ALL-PRO PUNTING EXHIBITION
The Dolphins’ Matt Haack, after a poor first three games, came alive, pounding out nine punts for a Pro Bowl-caliber 49.4 net average. On the other side, Tennessee’s Brett Kern was somehow even better, continually punting from in or near his end zone for a net of 50.2 on 10 punts.