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Miami 17 Cincinnati 13: Dolphins Outperform Bengals with a clean game (.507 to .503) and Win
Special to JohnFMurray.com – by John F Murray, Ph.D. – Below is the Actual Performance Chart showing the Dolphin’s total team performance, and performance on offense, defense, special teams, offensive pressure performance, defensive pressure performance, and total pressure performance (MPT-TP). Next is a detailed report of each team’s performance using a large normative comparison sample to draw out most significant findings. This article describes what everyone wants to know – how the teams actually performed regardless of the final scoreboard score which is often grossly misleading.
Offense .467 Defense .519 Special Teams .609 Pressure Offense .423 Pressure Defense .683 Total Pressure .563
Total MPI Score .507
Offense .456 Defense .496 Special Teams .721 Pressure Offense .196 Pressure Defense .536 Total Pressure .366
Total MPI Score .503
The Miami Dolphins had endured two weeks in a row of sheer overtime frustration, losing close games in the finals moments, often due to missed field goals, in which they performed better against the Jets and then Cardinals. This team is now officially 2-3 but could just as easily be 4-1. The hard work finally paid off in this road trip to Cincinnati as they again outperformed their opponent on the field but this time finally got the big W.
The game overall was played at a slightly higher level than most games. Miami won on total performance .507 to .503 in a game in which the Bengals were absolutely horrible in offensive pressure moments of the game (MPI-OP=.196). To their credit, Miami was very dominant in defensive pressure situations (MPI-DPD=.487) and this was perhaps best exemplified by Randy Starks’ amazing interception only several feet from where Bengals quarterback Dalton rifled it. It was for sure a game changing play and earned Starks AFC Defensive Play of the Week.
In addition to very solid defensive play (MPI-D=.519), the offense played a very clean game with only 2 penalties and a +1 takeaway minus giveaway statistic. Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill continued to improve with no turnovers and a 92.3 quarterback rating, his best as a pro and better than Dalton’s 63.5 rating.
Interestingly, both teams did well on special teams but Cincinnati was extraordinary (MPI-ST=.721 compared with Miami’s MPI-ST=.609. Finally, the Bengals did not handle pressure well in this game overall (MPI-TP=.366 compared with Miami’s MPI-TP=.563).
This game had the feeling of a breakthrough for a frustrated but improving Miami team which had been predicted to lose in Cincinnati. The game showed that when rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill takes care of the ball and the defense really steps up, especially in critical moments, Miami can defeat a solid winning team (the Bengals had been 3-2). Miami has been competitive in every game this season except the first game against the Houston Texans, but the Texans have still not lost and look like one of the best three teams in the league.
A Miami win next week at home against the Rams would place Miami at 3-3 and feeling very confident before the one week bye. The key in my view will be continued clean play with few turnovers and penalties, and continued excellent defensive dominance.
Dr. John F. Murray, described as “The Freud of Football” by the Washington Post, is a South Florida native and licensed clinical and sports psychologist in Palm Beach. He provides mental coaching and sports psychology services, counseling, speeches and seminars. He recently authored his second book, “The Mental Performance Index: Ranking the Best Teams in Super Bowl History,” destroying stigmas about the mental game in sports and showing football teams how to perform better and win more games by enhancing team performance assessments and training. For further information call Dr. Murray at 561-596-9898, visit johnfmurray.com or email johnfmurray@mindspring.com.
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