(SportsNetwork. Cheap Air Max .com) - Mike Zimmer is approaching the waning days of what he hopes is the first of many years as the Minnesota Vikings head coach. Joe Philbin is likely in the death throes of his three-year stint in Miami. Such is life in the NFL where 6-8 is considered progress in one city and being a tick better at 7-7 is a disappointment in another. The Dolphins and their lame-duck head coach will try to halt a two-game losing streak on Sunday when they host a Vikings team excited about the development of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, a Miami native. Philbins ultimate fate was probably sealed last weekend when Miami faltered in the second half and was doused by AFC East-rival New England, 41-13, in Foxbrorough. Tom Brady threw a pair of touchdown passes during a 24-point third quarter, as the Patriots clinched their sixth straight division title. Ryan Tannehill completed 29-of-47 passes for 346 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for Miami, which had beaten New England in the season opener 33-20 but saw its already slim playoff hopes dashed further with the second straight loss. The Dolphins outscored the Patriots 23-0 in the second half back in September but had the tables turned this time to the tune of 27-0 in the final 30 minutes of this one. We have to play 60 minutes of football, Philbin said. You cant make the mistakes that we made. Miami is technically still alive in the postseason race but must win its final two games -- against Minnesota and the New York Jets -- and receive plenty of help elsewhere to get in. I believe in the players, Philbin said. I have confidence in the players. We have an outstanding locker room. The Vikings, meanwhile, had 10-4 Detroit on the ropes last weekend but faltered thanks in large part to a blocked, fourth-quarter field goal. The Lions Matt Prater hit his late field goal to lift Detroit to a 16-14 victory over Minnesota in the NFC North matchup. Bridgewater went 31-for-41 for 315 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Vikings, who had won their previous two coming into the game. Leading by one Minnesota went on an impressive long drive that covered 75 yards over 18 plays and ate up 11 minutes, but the team came away empty as Blair Walshs 26-yard field goal was blocked by Jason Jones. Detroit then countered with the march that won the game, culminating with Praters 33-yard field goal for a 16-14 lead with 3:38 to play. The Vikings had chances, getting the ball back near midfield thanks to a big return from Cordarrelle Patterson, but Patterson fell on a fourth down passing play to give the ball back to Detroit. Minnesota forced a punt and got the ball back with 45 seconds, but they were only able to get to midfield and Walshs 68-yard field goal attempt fell well short to end the game. We led almost all the way, but we cant turn the ball over twice and we cant miss field goals, Bridgewater said. Were just going to continue to try to get better. The Dolphins lead their all-time series with Minnesota by a 6-4 margin, winning the last two. The teams havent played since Sept. 19, 2010 when Miami edged the Vikings, 14-10, in Minneapolis. They havent tussled in South Florida since 2006. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Philbin has been the definition of mediocre as the Dolphins coach, compiling a 7-9 record in 2012 and upping that to 8-8 last season before settling in at 7-7 with two weeks left in the current campaign. A 5-3 start and some improvement by Tannehill has many thinking Miami was ready to take the next step this season but thats been tempered in the last two weeks as the Dolphins have been outscored by a 69-26 margin in losses to playoff- caliber teams, Baltimore and New England. Players were disappointed. Coaches are disappointed. Owners are disappointed. I think thats understandable, Philbin admitted. The main issue has been the offense which cant get the running game going and hasnt topped 16 points in any game during the month of December. The Dolphins have mustered only 71 yards on the ground per game this month, making the team one-dimensional and easy to figure out especially when it falls behind. With opposing defenses content to pin their ears back Tanneheill has been sacked 10 times during Miamis two-game skid. The Vikings strength, meanwhile, is its defense, not a surprise considering Zimmers reputation as a blitz doctor. Minnesota has improved from 31st in the NFL to 11th in defense in one-year under Zimmer, who is on the verge of turning young players like defensive end Everson Griffen, defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, linebacker Anthony Barr and cornerback Xavier Rhodes into stars. Safety Harrison Smith, meanwhile, is already entrenched as one of the NFLs best. The unit has continued to be stingy despite being without Floyd and Barr recently due to knee injuries, holding Detroit to a season-low 233 yards. Offensively Minnesota isnt very dynamic because of the year-long absence of Adrian Peterson due to off-the-field issues. Things are starting to click for Bridgewater, though, who will be aiming for a third straight game with a completion percentage over 70.0 and more than 300 yards passing. The good thing is Teddy is getting a lot of these experiences, Zimmer said. The on-the-job training hes getting I really believe will bode well for him in the future and for us as an organization and as a team. Bridgewater, meanwhile, is excited for his chance to play in South Florida. Im pretty loved back home in Miami and a lot of people tell me that Im a role model in my community, Bridgewater said Wednesday. So itll be amazing to see how many turn out there and get to see me play in person for the first time for some people. The Vikings may have found something in first-year receiver Charles Johnson, a lengthy and speedy target who has an innate feel for running routes and creating separation. Johnson has quickly become Bridgewaters favorite target, snaring 20 balls for 355 yards and two TDs over his last five games. The Dolphins defense is talented but has stalled recently, forcing just five turnovers in the past six games as the pass rush has slowed. Miami has also struggled against the run in recent weeks because of injuries at the linebacker position. Part of my job is to get the team to play up to their potential each and every week, Philbin said. To that degree, certainly I feel like we could do better. OVERALL ANALYSIS The Vikings are headed in the right direction but still havent figured out how to close in tight games. Figure on the growing pains to continue here on the road as Miami wins a field-gal game late. Right now whats relevant is getting our team to play up to their potential for 60 minutes against the Minnesota Vikings, the embattled Philbin said. Thats really all that is important to me right now. Sports Network predicted outcome: Dolphins 20, Vikings 17 Discount Air Max .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player. Cheap Authentic Air Max . Re-signed by the club to a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract on July 5, Bass appeared in three preseason games with Columbus prior to breaking a bone in his hand on Sept. https://www.airmaxchina.us/ . Still, Milan remained five points behind city rival Inter Milan in the race for fifth place and the final Europa League berth, after Inter beat 10-man Parma 2-0. Meanwhile, Paul Pogba led the way as Juventus stayed on course for a third consecutive title with a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Bologna.TORONTO - Outfielder Darin Mastroianni was recalled by the Toronto Blue Jays from triple-A Buffalo on Saturday. Toronto optioned left-handed pitcher Rob Ramussen to the minor-league Bisons to make space for the right-handed outfielder. Mastroianni has gone 0 for 13 in eight games with the Blue Jays and Minnessota Twins this season. Cheap Air Max Free Shipping. Hes hitting .293 this season in the minors with four home runs, 18 runs batted in and 15 stolen bases. Ramussen has struggled coming out of the bullpen for Toronto. He has a 6.00 earned-run average with seven strikeouts over six innings pitched for the Blue Jays. ' ' '  |
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