The Miami Dolphins Doomsday Meter: Chris Grier is so hot right now
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By: Marek Brave
“It’s deja vu all over again.” – Yogi Berra
Another NFL weekend has come and gone, and the number in the loss column of the Miami Dolphins’ record has once gain grown by one. I’d like to say that this was a shocking development, but alas, I cannot.
Some of you may know that multiple journalists on The Phinsider record their game predictions on a website entitled Tallysight each week. Well, before Sunday morning’s game against Jacksonville kicked off, I switched my official prediction to a Jaguars victory over Miami due to the fact that DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Xavien Howard and Byron Jones were all going to be out for the contest. Side note: I’m tied for the most correct predictions out of any journalist participating in the nation, so excuse me while I give myself a pat on the back for that one
Point being, I saw this one coming.
Okay, I’ll fess up. I’d be lying if I said that my prediction was solely based on the fact that multiple starters would be missing the game. In reality, the 2021 Miami Dolphins are not a very good football team. Well, actually, that’s an egregious understatement. This is a bad football team – a very bad football team – and there are clear culprits to blame.
Seats are getting hotter. Some, I’d argue, are just about as hot as they can possibly get before one is relieved from his/her duties as a professional. Oh, yes, heads are surely going to roll. The question is, how soon?
Let’s take a look at this week’s edition of the Miami Dolphins’ Doomsday Meter to find out.
Brian Flores – HC
MDDM level – 9.0
Last week, Head Coach Brian Flores checked in at a 7.0 on the MDDM – and then Sunday happened.
Not only did the Dolphins lose to the once winless Jacksonville Jaguars, but Brian Flores greatly mismanaged multiple important moments in London which allowed Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence to get their first victories in the NFL.
Between silly, damn-near unwinnable, challenges, wasting timeouts, and not preparing his defense to properly defend the Jaguars’ final offensive play before kicking the game winning field goal, Head Coach Brian Flores once again looked over-matched in this one, despite facing off with a rookie coach and a rookie quarterback on the opposing side of the field.
Enough is enough, and it’s time for a change, however making that change during the season would probably not be in the best interest of this franchise. There isn’t a coach on this staff who could do a better job than Flores in this current moment, which is actually another indictment on Flores and his poor decision making. The other coaches – who he picked – are just as bad as he is!
After this season is mercifully over, do not be surprised to see Brian Flores get handed his “walking papers.”
Tua Tagovailoa – QB
MDDM Level – 8.25
In the debut of this column just a few short weeks ago, Tua Tagovailoa checked in at a 6.0 on the MDDM due to the many rumors swirling around Miami’s interest in Houston Texans’ QB, Deshaun Watson.
Those rumors have reached a fever pitch in the past 24 hours as just yesterday, very prominent and highly respected reporter for the Houston Chronicle, John McClain, wrote an article stating that Miami and Houston could have a deal done for Watson as soon as this week.
This past Sunday, Tua returned to action, having himself a nice game – despite what many Twitter analysts would tell you – against the Jaguars in London. If his rating in this column was solely based on his play as of late, he would find himself sitting at no more than a 4.0.
70.2% completion percentage
329 yards passing
22 yards rushing
2 touchdowns
1 interception
Oh, and he checked in as Miami’s highest graded player on PFF. I’m sorry, but this loss wasn’t on him.
Tua’s return coincided with Mike Gesicki’s best game in 2021, as number 88 snagged 8 receptions for 115 yards. Jaylen Waddle also had his best game as a pro, catching 10 balls for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Tagovailoa’s interception was of the mind-boggling variety, but I’d be willing to attribute that to the fact that he was playing with fractured ribs and wasn’t able to get as much power behind his throw to the left sideline as he would have liked. Despite that poor throw, I’m happy with Tua’s performance overall and I’m excited to see if he can build on his good day going forward – if he isn’t replaced by Watson. Sending five high draft picks for Watson reeks of desperation for a GM in Chris Grier who is very much on the hot-seat himself.
Speaking of…
Chris Grier – GM
MDDM Level – 9.5
Someone has to be the “sacrificial lamb” within this organization, and many people believe that person is going to be the team’s general manager, Chris Grier. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t deserve to lose his job, because let’s face it, he does.
Who is responsible for drafting a terrible left tackle – who has now become a subpar left guard – with the 18th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft? Chris Grier.
Who is responsible for using another first round draft pick to draft an inexperienced cornerback who can only find himself on the playing field when Miami’s two starting cornerbacks are both injured? Chris Grier.
Who is responsible for trading away Miami’s best guard from last season, Ereck Flowers, while still paying him millions of dollars to not play for the Dolphins despite the fact that he would be an upgrade over all of the current guards not named Robert Hunt? Chris Grier.
You get the point. Time and time again, at almost every turn, Chris Grier has made devastating decisions which have set this franchise back to pre-rebuild levels of ineptitude. While earlier I mentioned that firing Brian Flores mid-season would be an unwise move due to the fact that no one on the staff is qualified enough to replace him, the same cannot be said about Grier.
Assistant GM, Marvin Allen, has an impressive resume. He was a national scout with the Buffalo Bills when they selected Tremaine Edmunds and Josh Allen in the 2018 draft. Before that, he spent four years with the Kansas City Chiefs as director of college scouting. During his tenure there, the Chiefs drafted Dee Ford, Marcus Peters, Chris Jones, Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes, among others.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to hand Allen the keys to the crumbling castle right now, especially since Grier seems poised to severely deplete Miami’s future assets in a Hail Mary attempt to save his job.
Gun to your head today, who gets fired first, Brian Flores or Chris Grier? If Miami is indeed searching for a new head coach after this season is over, who tops your personal list to take the job? Do you believe that Tua Tagovailoa can prove himself to be the QB of the future by season’s end or will Miami be acquiring Deshaun Watson in the near future? Let me know on Twitter at @MBrave13 or in the comments below! Fins up!
Originally posted on The Phinsider
