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Dose: Calvin Can't Hold On

Jeff Brubach recaps news and notes from around the NFL, including the retirement of Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson dropped the ball this week. Literally.

For a second, it looked like the Lions were about to win their first game of the season. With Seattle clinging to a 13-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, Megatron caught the ball and was streaking toward the end zone. When that happens, it usually results in six points.

Not this time.

When it seemed like all hope was lost, the Legion of Boom came through with a game-saving play. The trio of Cary Williams, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor charged Johnson from behind, knocking the ball from his hands at the one-yard line. Chancellor, who sat out Seattle’s first two games over a contract dispute, was the one who punched it loose.

Fearing Johnson or one of his teammates would scoop it up for a touchdown, linebacker K.J. Wright got to the ball first and punched it out of bounds. According to Rule 12, Section 4, Article 1 of the league’s rulebook, it was illegal for Wright to bat the ball out of the end zone. The play should have resulted in a first down for Detroit at Seattle’s one-yard line. Instead, the referees called a touchback, giving Seattle first and 10 at their own 20. After that, all Seattle needed to seal the win was a long third-down conversion to Jermaine Kearse on a 50-yard catch-and-run.

Anyone else getting déjà vu? You should be. Seattle’s victory Monday night was eerily similar to the “Fail Mary” game that happened on this same field three years earlier. The Seahawks won that contest after a group of clueless replacement officials credited Golden Tate with a touchdown on a pass that was clearly intercepted by Packers safety M.D. Jennings. Tate, now a member of the Lions, found himself on the losing side of Monday’s controversy.

After dropping their first two games, Seattle’s defense has looked unstoppable since getting Chancellor back in the lineup. Seattle’s last two opponents have punted on 18 of 20 possessions with only a field goal to show for it. The Seahawks have now won 10 straight Monday night games including five in a row with Russell Wilson under center. Wilson boasts an impressive 28-2 record in 30 career games at CenturyLink Field.

Now the Lions are left to pick up the pieces after another tough loss. At 0-4, they’re the last remaining winless team in the NFL. If Detroit loses next week against Arizona, a likely outcome given how well the Cardinals have played this year, they’ll have as many losses as they did all of last season.

Meanwhile, Megatron is on pace for 1,020 yards, which would be his lowest receiving total since 2009. He managed seven catches for 56 yards Monday against the Legion of Boom.

Fantasy owners who streamed Thomas Rawls (myself included) were treated to a disappointing effort. After going off for 104 yards against the Bears in Week 3, the undrafted rookie came back to Earth with 48 yards on 17 carries. Rawls might not be the workhorse for long. Marshawn Lynch ran well in pregame warmups and could return from his hamstring injury as early as next week.


Philbin Canned

Whenever I hear of a coach getting fired, I always think of this exchange from Seinfeld:

BOSS: I’m sorry, there’s just no way we can keep you on.

KRAMER: I don’t even really work here.

BOSS: That’s what makes this so difficult.

For the Dolphins, firing Joe Philbin was not difficult. Philbin has quickly become the Shia LaBeouf of failure, taking each miserable game and turning it into elaborate performance art. As RotoPat pointed out in his Morning After column, the Dolphins had nine plays inside the 12-yard line late in Sunday’s loss to the Jets and threw the ball on every single one. Sometimes my five-month old puppy will try to stick his head in the garbage but he’s not tall enough to reach it. He’ll never get there, but he keeps trying. This is Joe Philbin coaching a football game.

When you add Ndamukong Suh to a front seven that already includes Cameron Wake, Koa Misi and Olivier Vernon, there’s a reasonable expectation that you’re going to have one of the league’s better defenses. Yet here we are, four weeks into the season, and the Dolphins are dead last in rushing yards allowed and 30th in total yards. That’s not to mention Miami’s dismal 1-3 record with the one victory coming against Washington, a perennial bottom feeder. You can blame it on the players all you want but don’t say Philbin’s culture of underachievement didn’t have something to do with it.

Miami needed a leader. What they got instead was a passive, throw-it-under-the-rug guy who refused to take control. Philbin’s handling of Bullygate was embarrassing and rumors of Ndamukong Suh freelancing on defense speak to how little faith the team’s best player had in his own coach. The latest mini-scandal—a feud between Ryan Tannehill and the practice squad—perfectly illustrates the circus atmosphere that prevailed under Philbin.

Like a substitute teacher who has lost control of the classroom, Philbin lost his team and couldn’t get it back. Now tight end coach Dan Campbell will grab the reigns and try to steer the Dolphins out of the AFC cellar. My advice: good luck.


Quick Hits: Bills coach Rex Ryan said he has “no idea” if Sammy Watkins will play against the Titans in Week 5. Watkins missed Sunday’s game with a strained calf … Cowboys third-down back and return specialist Lance Dunbar is done for the year. He tore his ACL against the Saints on Sunday night … Knile Davis has been moved down to third on the Chiefs’ running back depth chart. Charcandrick West is the backup to starter Jamaal Charles … That guy from the Lincoln commercials, Matthew McConaughey, gave a speech to the Redskins at their team hotel on Saturday. It must have worked because they beat the Eagles a day later … Jordan Reed suffered a sprained right MCL, a sprained ankle and a concussion Sunday against the Eagles. There’s no timetable for his return … Eagles coach Chip Kelly said he isn’t ready to make a change at kicker. Caleb Sturgis, who is filling in for the injured Cody Parkey (groin), missed a 33-yard field goal and an extra point in Sunday’s loss to the Redskins … The Colts released third-string quarterback Josh Johnson on Monday. That would suggest Andrew Luck is ready to make his return after sitting out Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury … Ahmad Bradshaw visited the Colts on Monday. The free-agent running back played 10 games for the Colts in 2014, rushing 90 times for 425 yards and two touchdowns ... The Texans are sticking with Ryan Mallett for Thursday’s game against the Colts. Mallett posted a dismal 46.8 passer rating in Sunday’s blowout loss to Atlanta … Martavis Bryant has finished serving his four-game suspension and was back at Steelers practice on Monday. Sheldon Richardson, Antonio Gates, Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain will also be coming back from suspensions this week … Tevin Coleman is expected to return to practice on Wednesday. He’s missed Atlanta’s last two games with a broken rib … Cecil Shorts (dislocated shoulder) is considered doubtful for Thursday’s game against Indianapolis. Nate Washington’s status is also in doubt. Washington hurt his hamstring against Jacksonville on Sunday … ESPN’s Adam Schefter is hearing Dez Bryant (broken foot) could be back after the team’s bye in Week 6. The Cowboys have gone 1-2 in his absence … Kyle Brindza is the latest kicker to hit the unemployment line. The Buccaneers waived him after he missed two field goals and an extra point in Sunday’s loss to Carolina … Giants tight end Daniel Fells was placed on season-ending injured reserve. He recently underwent surgery to treat a staph infection on his ankle … Patriots C/G Ryan Wendell returned to practice on Monday. He missed New England’s first three games with an illness … Jaguars RG Brandon Linder is done for the season. He’s dealing with a torn labrum in his left shoulder … When asked if Jay Cutler gets too much criticism, Martellus Bennett offered this awesome quote: “They threw rocks at Jesus, and Jesus was an excellent guy who did a lot of awesome stuff” … Clay Matthews trolled Colin Kaepernick Sunday by kissing his biceps and shouting “You ain’t no Russell Wilson.” He’s not wrong.