ORCHARD PARK http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-oshane-ximines-jersey , N.Y. (AP) — inconsistencies on offense all season long.The quarterback was busy confronting them again following a 24-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday that dropped the Dolphins to 6-8 and all but mathematically ended their already slim playoff hopes.Six days after Cutler threw three touchdown passes in a 27-20 win over New England to enjoy one of his best outings with the Dolphins this season, the 12th-year player was busy trying to explain the three interceptions he threw against Buffalo.“I’m not going to make excuses for the way I’ve played or the three turnovers. I’m responsible for all three of them no matter what the situation was,” Cutler said.“We’ve talked about inconsistencies all year,” he added. “When we win, we do a lot of good things right. And when we lose, wo do things like that.”Cutler’s outing mirrored that of a Dolphins season in which the team followed a 4-2 start with a five-game skid. Then, after winning the past two, Miami endured a familiar meltdown on offense and defense.The Cutler-led offense settled for field goals on its only two drives into Buffalo territory in the first half in a game Miami never led.Down 21-6, Cutler then threw two interceptions on the first two drives of the second half. Then, after punter Matt Haack recovered an onside kick at Miami’s 37 with 28 seconds left, Cutler volleyed a pass that was easily intercepted by Tre’Davious White to seal Buffalo’s win.Running back Kenyan Drake scored Miami’s lone touchdown on a 1-yard run.“It hurts,” offensive tackle Jesse Davis said. “We put ourselves in some bad spots. Got in the red zone twice in and should’ve capitalized on that, so that’s our own fault.”Miami’s defense endured its share of inconsistencies as well.After holding its past two opponents to converting just 1 of 24 third-down attempts, Miami allowed Buffalo to convert 7 of 15. That included two on the Bills opening drive, which running back LeSean McCoy capped with a 4-yard run.“We just made too many mistakes. We allowed them to move the ball, especially early Julian Love Jersey , give them their momentum and we can’t allow teams to do that,” defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said. “We’ve got to be able to get off the field.”McCoy scored twice, including a 16-yard catch, and with 50 yards rushing became the 30th player to top 10,000 yards.Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor finished 17 of 29 for 224 yards passing, and also had 42 yards rushing, including a 9-yard touchdown run.The Dolphins have had little go right for them since starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill was sidelined by a right knee injury in August, leading to Cutler being signed. They were also playing their 14th consecutive game after Miami’s opener was postponed due to Hurricane Irma.“Yeah, I’ll think about that later,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said when asked about the past.Cutler’s inconsistencies are well-documented.He’s never gone more than two games without throwing an interception. And Cutler has had back-to-back interception-free outings just six times — and none since Weeks 2 and 3 of the 2014 season when he was in Chicago.This year, Cutler has 18 touchdowns versus 14 interceptions and been picked off at least once in nine of 12 games.“Good teams find ways to do it game in and game out,” Cutler said. “The young teams and the teams that are struggling to figure it out, they’re going to have to have ups and downs.”131<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Miami Dolphins cheerleadersSteve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports | Steve Mitchell Some fans are shaking their heads in wonderment at the performances of some first-year head coaches who keep on losing. Others are campaigning to get rid of an incumbent.Yet there’s an impressive number of men doing terrific jobs who deserve to be praised as we approach the halfway mark of the NFL schedule.Try Pete Carroll in Seattle. Jay Gruden in Washington (while his older brother’s return has been a fiasco in Oakland). Ron Rivera in Carolina. Anthony Lynn in Los Angeles. Matt Nagy in Chicago. And Bill O’Brien in Houston.The key measurement with that half-dozen is talent. More specifically, none of those six has a ton of talent at his disposal, though all have some star players.But Gruden has a first-place team. So does O’Brien.Rivera’s Panthers look like a solid bet for the playoffs. Lynn’s Chargers are 5-2 and in good position to be in the postseason. Nagy’s Bears are vastly improved over John Fox’s group of 2017, and Carroll — the only Super Bowl winner in this group — might be doing his best job in a highly distinguished career with the Seahawks.In a year when so many coaches are being lambasted http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-darius-slayton-jersey , from newcomers Pat Shurmur in New Jersey to Steve Wilks in Arizona to newcomer/oldtimer Gruden in Oakland, it’s worthwhile and refreshing to take a look at some jobs well done. Very well done.PETE CARROLLWhile the Seahawks aren’t in full-blown rebuild mode, they are remaking the roster and reaffirming themselves as a hard-hitting, run-first (and effectively), aggressive squad that doesn’t back down. Their victory at Detroit was their best in a 4-3 season during which they started 0-2.Carroll is fitting in new parts, particularly in the secondary and at running back. He’s getting strong leadership from Bobby Wagner, Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin, but lots of credit needs to be thrown his way for doing quite a bit with less than usual.BILL O’BRIENWhen the Texans dropped their first three games, people were placing O’Brien on a Lone Star hotseat. Now, he’s sitting atop the AFC South with a club that should win that division of underachievers.Not that Houston is underachieving. The poor start had much to do with returning players such as the Texans’ best, J.J. Watt, and quarterback Deshaun Watson not being back to full strength. Now they are.This is a balanced team when all the parts are available. O’Brien doesn’t panic, he instructs well, and his is a team on the rise.JAY GRUDENIs Washington the most-talented team in the NFC East? Nope.Is it the most consistent? Nope.What the Redskins do is protect the ball (just five giveaways, trailing only Atlanta’s four), stymie opposing offenses Quinnen Williams Jersey , and rely on some excellent veterans such as Ryan Kerrigan, Josh Norman and Alex Smith. Plus, Gruden was willing to reach out to Adrian Peterson, who has shown he has plenty left — so much so he might be the front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year.While there’s turmoil in Dallas and New York, and rumblings fostered by the mediocre performance by the defending champion Eagles, all is going smoothly in D.C. Credit GrudenRON RIVERAYes, in 2015 he guided the Panthers to the NFC title. He still has Cam Newton and Greg Olsen and Luke Kuechly.But these Panthers, who have beaten the Eagles, Bengals and Ravens, aren’t at the level of the team that fell to the Broncos in the Super Bowl 2 ½ years ago. Their offensive line is shaky, their receivers are inconsistent, and they’ve shuffled their secondary.They’re also 5-2 and Rivera has one of the best relationships, on and off the field, with his players of any coach in football.ANTHONY LYNNLynn’s best defensive player, Joey Bosa, has been sidelined all year. The Chargers have relied on rookies — safety Derwin James is among the top defensive newcomers in the league — and a few other youngsters http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jachai-polite-jersey , and it’s working to the tune of nine picks to three allowed, 18 sacks to 10 allowed.Philip Rivers is having one of his best seasons of a borderline Hall of Fame career, in great part because Lynn gives his quarterback lots of freedom.You hear criticism that the Chargers haven’t beaten anyone good. Well, a large number of teams would love their 5-2 record.MATT NAGYEvery week, the Bears play an opponent tough. Their defense is rugged, particularly if Khalil Mack is healthy. Their offense is developing, not rapidly but steadily. Where Mitchell Trubisky has progressed in his second season and first under Nagy is where the Jets, Cardinals, Bills and Browns hope their first-rounders of this year get to in 2019.He’s aggressive with the ball and without it, playing to win rather than playing not to lose. Whether he can keep the Bears in contention in the rough NFC North is problematic, but they certainly are headed in the right direction — and in an entertaining fashion.
