The Home for Dolphins Fans in NYC
I spent Sunday Afternoon with my people, fans of the Miami Dolphins, as they looked to remain in first place. The Dolphins coming off their bye week had what some could say was a second bye as they hosted the Houston Texans, who hold the NFL's worst record. The Texans made a quarterback change, benching Davis Mills in favor of journeyman Kyle Allen, with the main hope for Houston resting in the draft. The bar is Slattery's Midtown Pub, which was opened in 2009 as the home of wayward Dolphins fans living in New York. Fans gather at Slattery's and bus over to the Meadowlands for every Jets-Dolphins battle, and team owners and Dolphins alumni often come to the bar to watch Dolphins games on Sunday.
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Slattery's is a two-level bar, with the Dolphins game on every television. The bar is decorated with team memorabilia, including a giant Dolphins lineman guarding the door, keeping fans of any other team away. Slattery's a special game day menu, with items tying into team history. I ate the still-perfect burger naturally. Tom Garfinkle, vice chairman and CEO of the Dolphins, is a regular at the bar as the Dolphins have a working relationship with Slattery's. Bars like this are not uncommon, especially in New York, as the grandness of the NFL allows fans to root for their team no matter where they live.
The bar felt like a stadium watch-along, as fans cheered every first down while big plays were met with a dolphin laughing sound effect. When the Dolphins scored a touchdown, the team fight song was played as it is at Hard Rock Stadium. The first half was a party-like atmosphere, as the Dolphins dominated the tanking Texans. Houston could not get the ball past midfield while the Dolphins built a 30-0 lead. Maimi's defense forced two turnovers, leading directly to 14-points as Andrew Van Ginkel returned an interception to the three, setting up a touchdown by Jeff Wilson Jr. Later, Xavien Howard had a 16-yard scoop and score.
Toward the end of the first half, the Dolphins lost Terron Armstead to an injury. This would short-circuit the offense, as Miami's offensive line left Tua Tagovailoa vulnerable. The Texans, meanwhile, found their rhythm and scored in the third quarter. With Tagovailoa getting sacked on three consecutive plays, Mike McDaniel decided to put Skylar Thompson in at quarterback as the Dolphins held a 24-point lead.
Skylar Thompson did not play well in place of Tua, as he fumbled a snap late in the third quarter giving the Texans hope they could stage a historic comeback. The Texans would add a touchdown and a field goal, as Thompson and the Dolphins were ineffective at running down the clock. Finally, the Dolphins' defense stepped up as Jerome Baker sacked Kyle Allen for a ten-yard loss, ending Houston's momentum. Verone McKinley III snagged his first career interception to seal the win as the Dolphins held on to a 30-15 victory.
It was a fun afternoon hanging around other fans of the Dolphins. I plan to return someday to enjoy another victory at Slattery's. Anyone who does not live in a market where their team plays should find a similar bar because it feels like watching the game in Miami.
At 8-3, the Dolphins stand atop the AFC East but have their most challenging stretch coming. They have games in San Francisco and Los Angels against the Chargers before facing the Bills in Buffalo on December 18th. Terron Armstead is diagnosed with a pectoral strain. It is not the best news, but a tear would have been worse. The Dolphins will have to work hard if Armstead is out for any period, as he is the team's unsung hero and turns a bad offensive line into one of the best units in the NFL. Tua Tagoviloa passed for 299 yards with Armstead in the game, but was on the run without him, as the Dolphins did not score in the second half.