The Minimum Wage GM – December 13, 2017

You know what’s better than winning? Winning twice in a row and that’s exactly what the Dolphins have achieved since we last spoke. The spanking we gave the Broncos was very good, the Monday Night glory over our hated rivals on primetime was extraordinary. The best victory of the Dolphins this season. This, ladies and gentlemen, is our apex. It’s not a lot in the grand scheme of things (Our weaknesses remain, our season over) but who cares man. When you beat Brady and SACK him hard enough for a referee to give him a hand, it’s a good game. The fact that Jay Cutler outclassed him was also icing on the cake. And what did I spy with my little eye? Was that Jay Jay smiling? Maybe I was imagining it but for a guy who is usually notoriously neutral maybe he finally feels like he’s part of the team. He went 25 for 38 with 3 TDs, 0 INTs and 263 yards. Though the defense didn’t sack Brady as much as I would’ve liked, they kept him under control and caused two turnovers. Did I mention they completely shut down the rush? Our defense held the Patriots to less than 30-yards on the ground, no small feat. While Cutler shined, so did Kenyan Drake and Jarvis Landry. Drake rushed for 114 yards while hauling 79 more through the air. Landry for his part caught 8 passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns. An all-around great night.

I can’t see to well, is that Danny Marino back there??? #FinsUp #MNF #MIAvsNE #🐬⬆️🏈 pic.twitter.com/1VnsxK57vL

— Lemon City Live (@LemonCityLive) December 12, 2017

So I usually move on and give the whole ‘what needs fixin’ spiel but Miami was indeed effective on all sides of the ball. We’ve generally given the Pats more than they can handle at home and our rather bright tradition thankfully keeps on rolling. So in light of this sweet victory, it is time to briefly relive some of the victories we had against Brady in recent years. Without further ado here we go:

Date: December 15, 2013  Final Score: 24-20

Now this was one to remember. The game stayed close throughout as Ryan Tannehill connected with Marcus Thigpen for a 14-yard score with less than 2 minutes to go. But the real glorious moment was yet to come. Tom Brady marched his team downfield looking really unstoppable, putting fans at the edge of their seats. Then Michael Thomas, fresh from the 49ers practice squad, made the game saving interception. Oh yes, Patriots fans suffered this day.

Week 15 great moments: Dec 15, 2013 Michael Thomas picks off Tom Brady in end zone to preserve 24-20 victory. pic.twitter.com/3bttFSjr2D

— Dolphins History (@DolphinsHistory) December 11, 2017

Date: September 7, 2014 Final Score: 33-20

Now this was OUR comeback. Down 20-10 at the half, it looked as if the Pats were going to run away with the season opener. It began with a field goal in the third quarter by Caleb Sturgis, he’d hit two more before the day was through. Then Tanny found Mike Wallace for a 14-yard score followed by a Knowshon Moreno 4-yard rush to the end zone. In the first half, it was all New England, in the second it was all Miami. For one glorious week, we were the kings of the AFC East and in dramatic fashion.

#OTD in 2014, the #Patriots were upset by the #Dolphins 33-20. Knowshon Moreno’s 134 yards and MIA’s tough defense stifled NE pic.twitter.com/8o4oNQr4jA

— Pats Historian (@PatsHistorian) September 7, 2017

Date: January 3, 2016 Final Score: 20-10

In this one, Brady went down again and again and while he was not laid out, he was sacked twice and knocked around at least a half-dozen times. In his own words after the game: “I’m pretty sore.” That will do it. Brady was held to just 12 completions and zero touchdowns as the Patriots missed out on both the AFC’s number 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. It would be our seventh consecutive season without entering the playoffs, finishing a division-worst 6-10, but playing spoiler can feel great sometimes.

https://youtu.be/aJg7Wk6QqMg

With these lovely trips down memory lane aside, in each disappointing season, my one saving grace was besting the Patriots at least once. I prefer sweeps but if we beat them I’d want it to be an ass kicking, and at home. Brady on the floor is a plus. Now don’t get me wrong, I never want the guy purposefully hurt, ever. But it is nice seeing him get sacked a lot. As we move on from this well-needed victory we travel to the frozen north to face off against the Buffalo Bills. At 6-7 our season is over, but if we can secure a couple more wins then so be it, especially against our division rivals. And what better team to rattle than the perennial super bowl losers, we face them twice in the last 3 weeks of the season after all. Given the blizzard last week against the Colts, this might be another winter wonderland of a matchup. Until then, keep the faith and stay frosty.

Minimum Wage GM is a weekly column expressing one fan’s hope and despair as he embarks on a journey with the Miami Dolphins. Be bold, be good, be you. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.