The Minimum Wage GM – December 20, 2017

Inconsistency reared its ugly head again as the Dolphins went down to Buffalo. Cutler did a complete 180 symbolizing the very problem Miami has faced throughout the season. Consistency. It’s how teams win and win often. It’s how teams compete and make it to the playoffs. It’s how teams stay relevant. Sure, Miami still has a remote playoff chance but so what? Cutler produced 274 yards but tossed 3 interceptions. That’s pretty bad, worse with no touchdowns to balance it out. And given the final score (16-24) this game was very winnable. Very, winnable. The divisional loss is even more frustrating due to the team being previously able to defeat teams like the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots, those guys aren’t nobodies they were last year’s Super Bowl contenders. The talent is there no doubt about it, but for one reason or another without consistency, it’s just potential. Yes, the potential to be good, the potential to even be great but with games like these that’s all its going to be, potential. Dreams and what ifs. And in the pros that isn’t good enough, it never is neither for the fans, the players or the ownership. Which leads me to return to the notion of the playoffs, we still have a shot but does it really matter? We were a better team last year and we still got thumped out of the first round. Who is to say it won’t be the same? I hate to say it but without Tannehill, we are an inferior team this time around.

In the year 2018, the messiah had risen, leading the Miami Dolphins back to the promise land. pic.twitter.com/XsF5xAstIg

— josh houtz (@Houtz) December 20, 2017

So with our season technically all but over (It’s over don’t even kid yourself) what should we do the final two games? We face the Chiefs and then play at home against the Bills. As coach Adam Gase put it, the players are playing for their jobs. In other words, we could see guys end up like Jay Ajayi: Outta here. So what about the quarterback? Should we just shut down Cutler and bring in Moore or resort to David Fales and see what he can do?

Here’s exactly what must happen for Miami Dolphins to make playoffs https://t.co/yRDS28PGoW pic.twitter.com/aTLXUPiYk5

— Miami Herald Sports (@HeraldSports) December 18, 2017

For those who don’t know, Fales was a sixth-round draft pick out of San Jose State in 2014 bouncing around the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens organizations before landing here. When Cutler went down with fractured ribs, he became the backup to Matt Moore. In his two seasons with San Jose State, he threw 66 touchdowns and 22 interceptions, a dead-on 3:1 ratio. He got some very brief playing time towards the backend of the game against the Broncos but with our season down the drain maybe we should give him a few drives. Alternate between him and Cutler if it makes you happy.

Going with two older quarterbacks, or even two in general, can be risky in the NFL and one would always want to have a good idea of what their third-stringer is capable of in case of injury or downright ugly performances from the guys ahead of him on the depth chart. What better chance than now to see what the kid can do in a live game setting. Who knows, maybe he is good enough to replace Moore as the Number 2 next year when we give Ryan Tannehill a big welcome back. No offense to Cutler but he really did make me miss Tanny more than ever.

Just think #Dolphins fans, if Miami had beat Tampa Bay and Oakland, 2 winnable games, they’d be 7-5 and in middle of playoff hunt. Heck, Jets in week 3.

— Chris Sciria (@csciria) December 3, 2017

You can’t have a good offense without a good signal caller and all that hinges on a good O-line to begin with. And so we will end the season back to square one with a talented team that for one reason or another just couldn’t replicate their past successes without relapsing. As for the reason why, the top brass has no answers. Even the players have no answers. It can’t be chalked up to just one or two issues, but it can be summed up as it just wasn’t our year. Until next time, keep the faith fins fans 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.