Rishard Matthews breaks out for Miami on MNF

Rishard Matthews caught 11 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns in Miami's Week 10, 22-19 loss to the Bucs on Monday night.

Matthews entered the game with just ten catches on the season and 21 for his career. He was targeted 14 times by Ryan Tannehill and was easily the quarterback's favorite target. Matthews has taken over slot receiver duties the last couple weeks since Brandon Gibson went down with a torn patellar tendon. Tannehill isn't getting a ton of time to throw week in and week out, so he's constantly forced to throw to his receivers that are close to the line of scrimmage. Matthews, Charles Clay, and Brian Hartline are those players. Matthews is a decent route runner and has reliable hands. His two touchdowns on Monday were the first two of his career. Matthews beat Dashon Goldson for a six-yard score in the second quarter, then walked in untouched from 19 yards out on a screen pass in the third quarter. This will likely go down as the best game of Matthews' career, but keep an eye on him in deeper PPR leagues.

Matthews and Sturgis should be the only guys in Rich's "Good" column this week. Maybe Wilson as well for the interception that could have iced the game if the OC didn't waste two plays on a sweep to Thomas and designed TE screen on 3rd and goal from like the 12 yard line...ridiculous.

LOL, but not Tannehill?

I guess Matthews threw himself those passes??

Ryan didn't play well. Wasn't bad, but he wasn't good. Left a lot of plays out there and a lot of drives stalled because he couldn't make a throw.

That's because the 40 sacks on the season have rattled him so badly that he isn't taking time to make good throws or find the open receiver.

LOL, but not Tannehill?

I guess Matthews threw himself those passes??

Matthews and Sturgis should be the only guys in Rich's "Good" column this week. Maybe Wilson as well for the interception that could have iced the game if the OC didn't waste two plays on a sweep to Thomas and designed TE screen on 3rd and goal from like the 12 yard line...ridiculous.

Grimes is permanently in the good column.

What was I thinking? That beautiful deep ball to Wallace, the key 2nd down pass that sailed 10 ft wide of Hartline, or the panic throw to Hartline on 2nd and goal when he could have scrambled either close to the end zone or enough to draw defenders away.

Maybe the forced over the middle throws in the Red Zone to Matthews and Clay that were almost picks. Or not using his legs to give plays more time to develop.

Look, I get that he's young and can be cut some slack. But putting together a 2 minute drive and taking advantage of going less than 30 yards on a drive or two doesn't erase everything else I pointed out. There are 21 QBs rated better than him in the NFL and they're not all on perfect, balanced offenses. Its okay to acknowledge that and a mediocre performance.