Hyde10: Ten thoughts on Packers 27, Dolphins 24





Why did the Dolphins call timeout there? Why give Rodgers time to think? Joe Philbin said it was to assure all the defenders were doing what they wanted. But it gave Green Bay time to select the match-up it wanted.

The Packers' two wide receivers went to the left side, taking cornerbacks with them. Tight end Andrew Quarless went out wide to the right, covered by linebacker Philip Wheeler. Rodgers saw that match-up, yelled out to Quarless and threw it to him.

Touchdown. Balll game. Three seconds left.

2. Why didn't the Dolphins offense run out the clock? It got the ball with 4:09 left and leading 24-20. First play; Incomplete. Even with a first down from a defensive hands-to-the-face penalty when Tannehill was being sacked, the Dolphins offense punted the ball back with 2:15 left. The Packers defense was without its starting cornerbacks by then. They were wilting in the second half under the heat. This was a place for the offense to take over the game. Every second mattered. Green Bay, remember, scored with three seconds left.

3. Player of the day: Rodgers. Who else? He completed 24 of 42 passes for 264 yards and a 99.7 quarterback rating. All nice. But the touchdown-winning drive provied why he's the game's best right now.

4. Cameron Wake had himself a big game. Four years ago, Wake's coming-out party in the NFL was a three-sack game at Lambeau Field against Green Bay rookie tackle Bryan Bulaga. On Sunday, Wake had a similar game against four-year veteran Bulaga. His speed rush to the outside was just too much for the Packers right tackle. Wake had a sack and three hits on Rodgers in the first half to set the tone for the defense. After a first series in which he was five-for-five for 69 yards and a touchdown, Rodgers became uncomfortable in the pocket due to the pass rush. That kept up right to the final series when Wake threw Rodgers to the ground on third down and Rodgers fumbled but Green Bay recovered. This was a major ingredient to happen for the Dolphins to have a good game. It came through - but probably came up one play short on the final drive.

5. The one thing the Dolphins were expected to do well Sunday was run the ball. They entered as the fifth rated rushing team. Green Bay was the NFL's worst-rated rushing defense. So, naturally, the Dolphins had 10 carries for 10 yards in the first half, a paltry number considering the Dolphins also were getting Mike Pouncey back (he started at right guard, as expected). But then the second half came and the picture went back to normal. It started on the first possession when Tannehill went around end for a 40-yard run. The Dolphins had 93 yards rushing after their first two possessions. They began battering the Packers on a nDine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that tied it at 17-17.

6. A tale of two fourth downs. Joe Philbin had fourth-and-3 at the Packers 43 with 30 seconds left in the half. He punted when a first down could've meant a field goal attempt.  Mike McCartney had fourth-and-1 at the Packers' 49 midway through the third quarter and went for it. Aaron Rodgers made a play that shows why he's Aaron Rodgers. He rolled out the right side and Wake came after him. With Wake in his face, Rodgers threw a tough pass to Randall Cobb that was ruled a catch. It would have been replayed if defensive holding wasn't called on Cortland Finnegan for a first down.

7. You know the scary Ghost of Christmas Future that Scrooge is visited by? The Dolphins had a Dickens-esque vision of that when left tackle Brandon Alberts went down briefly at the end of the first half. Rookie Ju'Wuan James went to left tackle and Dallas Smith went to right tackle. That tells how important Albert is. You can rank him, Brent Grimes and Cameron Wake as The Irreplaceables.

8. The attendance was 70,875 for Sunday's game. That was a good crowd, but it's noteworthy in light of what's going on in South Florida this sweekend. The University of Miami had an announced crowd of 43,000 that appeared a third of that in the seats. The Florida Panthers had their home opener and had just over 11,000. It's tough selling for teams that aren't winning and, right now, no South Florida team has a big winner. The Dolphins are helped on games like his by a substantial Green Bay crowd.

9. The Dolphins special teams has had some uncharacteristic play this year. But on Sunday they made some impact plays that gave this team a chance. After Green Bay's opening touchdown, Jarvis Landry returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards to the Packers 49. The Dolphins got a field goal out of that. After Green Bay's next possession, Jonathan Freeny blocked the Packers punt ot set up the offense at the Green Bay 16-yard line. That resulted in no points when, on fourth-and-1 at the goal line, Knowshon Moreno was stuffed for a 2-yard loss. Those were opportunities that got away from the Dolphins, ones the offense had to cash in for more than three points.

10. Next week: Dolphins at Chicago. The 2-3 Bears play Atlanta in a late-afternoon game Sunday. Like the Dolphins, they're a team you don't know what you're getting from week to week. They beat San Francisco. They also lost to Carolina.