Why can some QBs get the ball in the endzone while others cannot? Many folks have been saying coaching is Chad Henne’s issue. I don't agree, but there is a small chance Henne could fix his redzone issues. Many times QBs sit behind a guy who has already learned the secrets, Aaron Rodgers is a good example, but Henne must figure it out on his own.
It is critically important for football teams, at any level, to keep the QB pipeline full. QBs learn more from watching the guy in front of them because coaching cannot prepare them for live bullets. Keeping the pipeline full is the reason Don Shula drafted a QB every year. Since Shula, the Miami Dolphins have not followed this mantra and the results are indicative of their struggles at QB.
The hardest thing for QBs to learn is to slow down in critical situations. Many times phantom pressure is a product of wanting to make too much happen or a mandate to run the exact play. I see this with Chad Henne, while being stoic off the field; he plays with rigid emotion on it. He locks on to play calls and does not allow the game to dictate his options. I believe Dan Henning stunted his growth by eliminating audibles as part of the offense. Henne is far behind this critical learning curve.
QBs who understand every aspect of the play know, sometimes the primary guy is not going to be there and they have to improvise. This does not necessarily mean running around and creating chaos, it means creating time in the framework of the play. Near the endzone it means finding a guy who is close to an open space and throwing him open. To do that, a QB must abandon the exact play, not force the ball to a spot, but rather throw the ball to an opening near a receiver.
Chad Henne must make this leap… I personally don’t think Henne is stupid, but I do believe he has problems controlling his emotions at critical times. A coach has a hard time instilling this “cool hand Luke” into the player, but watching and learning from a guy who has been there, does. Chad Pennington didn’t get that done with Henne and I think it was because Pennington didn’t want to teach as much as he wanted to play.
In my opinion, to resurrect the Dolphins this season, Chad Henne has to start looking outside the play call and start looking to throw his receivers open. He has to gain control of the emotions that lead him to throw uncatchable passes when a nice little flip would do the trick.
If Henne understands this issue and looks at open spaces instead of rigid play calling, he could turn the Dolphins’ season around. To get there comes from learning and consistency, not just on Henne’s part but also on the offense as a whole. Coaches like McCarthy, Reid and Belichick have established systems and their QBs along with the rest of the offense had the opportunity to grow and know their assignments. Ocho-Cinco is an example of new players not fitting in when they do not understand the nuances of the offense.
The Dolphins have not had the consistency and success that comes from longevity in a system. If Henne and the offense are still learning, it is hard to get to the next level. Henne must throw to an open spot as the field shortens and demands improvisation. This is what they mean when they say, “the game slows down.” When a single step in the pocket buys time, or leads to a sack.
Can Henne do it? I have serious doubts, but if he understands his weakness, he has the opportunity to fix it.
Showing posts with label Dan Henning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dan Henning. Show all posts
How Will the Change in Leadership Affect the Miami Dolphins
Some of the off-season moves have brought a significant difference in the Miami Dolphin leadership and this change of the guard has flown under the radar of most fans and media. The Dolphins have not been near the top of the NFL since Dan Marino hung up his cleats but they may be closer now than at any point since. Tony Sparano did some soul searching this off-season and from that introspect he realized his team lacked explosion due to his conservative coaching; he also came to the conclusion his team leaders were not what he needed them to be.
Ricky and Ronnie may not inspire Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid like Czonka and Kick once did but Dan Henning’s offense was clearly centered around their talents. Channing Crowder never seemed to be in the right place at the right time to make big plays but he was the defensive play caller and the defense seemingly played better when he was in the game. Chad Pennington’s body never allowed him to play for consecutive seasons his entire NFL career, but his knowledge and presence loomed large on the sideline, in the locker room and in the meeting rooms.
Fans may notice of the absence of Henning, Williams, Brown, Crowder and Pennington because each had past moments of greatness but there will be no press conferences honoring their time in the Dolphin organization. There is probably a thought about where this is leading and the word “leading” would be the clue. What happens when a team has enigmatic leadership? What happens when a team has blasé leadership? What happens when a team has leadership that cannot stay healthy enough to remain on the field?
Dan Henning covers the enigmatic pretty well. He was a mysterious cantankerous dictator who was beyond reproach. If his offense was not performing it was not his system or his play calling, it was because the players were not good enough to make it work. How dare the media or even his boss insinuate he change something in his system, if ten offensive linemen cannot seem to make it work, bring in more. If Chad Henne’s strengths do not fall in line with this playbook, Chad Henne needs to be gone. Henning was an inflexible tyrant and that is exactly what a coach in the modern NFL cannot be. Many of the lowest paid players make more money than Henning but he could not see this polar shift from coach centric to player centric football. Removing this influence was pivotal for Sparano and it will show.
Ricky Williams never wanted to be a leader. Ricky Williams is a philosopher in a football player’s body. Thrust into the position of leadership under Dave Wannestedt, Ricky balked and worse, he quit. When a team deals two first round picks for a player there are bound to be expectations and if the player is not on board with those expectations, issues are soon to follow. Even though Ricky put that chapter behind him, the shadow of it lingered in the sense that Tony Sparano knew he could never place too much responsibility on Ricky’s shoulders. It is clear to see Ricky was not a leader but there was no way his presence and veteran wisdom could not be influential. Ricky was not a bad influence but he quit once and there was always the sense that if too much responsibility fell on Ricky’s shoulders he would just as soon live in a tent then get too caught up in leading a football team. On a veteran team Ricky would have been fine but on a young team Ricky’s presence drew players to him and he was not a person who would carry the banner into the fight.
Ronnie Brown is a prime example of why many NFL people view running backs as a dime a dozen. Ronnie was a good back who had moments of brilliance, but he was never worthy of the second pick in the draft. It is hard for players picked early in the draft to live up to their draft status. Being picked high is a guaranteed pocket full of jingle but the danger of the jingle is the incentive lost once the prize is won. One of the reasons Nick Saban thought Brown would be a good pick was because he had shared time in college with Cadillac Williams and did not have the wear on his body that a pure feature back would have had. It turned out not to matter as Brown spent as much time injured as he did on the field. Even when healthy Brown’s personality never was an inspiration to the players around him and hence he was never a leader. Being a veteran on the team Brown was looked up to by the younger players but his example was not one Sparano felt could provide the leadership his young team needed.
Dreadlocks, tattoos and his mouth moving a mile a minute are the lasting impressions Channing Crowder left on Dolphin fans. There are few who would argue the Miami defense played better when Crowder was on the field, but the oft injured Crowder exemplified a defense that never seemed to make big plays. Crowder was somewhat of an enigma, he could get his teammates properly lined up and had a good sense of what play the offense was about to run, but somehow he was never in position to make the play. Compared to a player like Zach Thomas who could line up the defense and fly to the ball, Crowder was missing half his game. Crowder was always willing to speak his mind and he was the center of attention in the locker room but big plays and nose for the football eluded him on the field. His off the field banter and on the field jawing were not backed up by big plays, which led to Crowder not being respected by his peers around the league. The leader of a team must not only be respected by his own team but by his opponents as well. Crowder was not and Sparano knew it was not going to change.
Whenever I think of Chad Pennington I think of Herdfan and it is hard to be too critical of a player who could bring such a great fan to the Miami Dolphin faithful. The truth is there is not much to be critical of; Pennington’s was a career of what could have been. He is one of the most accurate passers in NFL history. Every year he stayed healthy he led his team to the playoffs. Pennington was the consummate professional and a great leader, but he could not stay healthy. Pennington never completed back to back seasons without injury and because of that he could never guide an offense long enough to make it to the big show. He certainly had the tools and leadership to get there but his body would not allow it. If Pennington had a flaw during his final seasons in Miami it was the notion that he could be some form of a player-coach. Pennington wanted to play and being a leader in the locker room caused his teammates to follow him even though he could not take the field. Chad Henne could not take over the reins of leadership because of the respect everyone in the organization held for Pennington. If Pennington had remained healthy he would definitely be a part of this football team today, but he could not.
When Tony Sparano and Jeff Ireland got together after the tumultuous beginning of the off-season that saw Steven Ross courting an unproven college coach, they knew the veteran presence on the team had to change. For Henning it was his inflexibility to modernize his offense in accordance with the changes taking root in the NFL. For Williams it was his lack of buying in to the coaching staff and his willingness to voice his opinion in his own subtle way. For Brown it was his natural timidity, injuries and poor practice habits born of those injuries. For Crowder it was simply about putting his play where his mouth was and staying healthy. For Pennington it was a matter of health. The team was desperately in need of a change in leadership.
Sparano knew he had to change, he knew he had to become less conservative and more explosive. He also knew it was essential his coaching staff spoke with one voice and for those reasons he replaced Dan Henning with Brian Daboll. Daboll was fresh, his ideas were explosive and he was not a renegade. Drafting Daniel Thomas and picking up Reggie Bush brought in fresh running backs with something to prove. Why Larry Johnson, because Larry Johnson has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. Channing Crowder worked out with one team before deciding to retire. That’s because there were not many teams beating down his door and that should say a mouthful about what the rest of the league thinks about Crowder. Aside from his injuries, letting Pennington go would allow Chad Henne to finally step up without constantly looking over his shoulder.
The issue of loyalty cannot be understated… Williams, Brown and Crowder were not their guys. Draft picks have a natural allegiance to the coaches who drafted them, but even free agents feel a breath of new life when a team seeks them out and pays them for their services. The number of players left from previous regimes should be a good indicator of how important this is to Sparano and Ireland. Pennington is the exception but in his case injuries were his undoing. It is clear, if Sparano and Ireland were going down they were going down with players of their own choosing. Everyone on this team is now under the same onus... Win or else. Don’t be surprised to see a team with a little more sense of urgency and a lot more will to win.
My question to you is, who will emerge as the new leadership core of the Dolphins?
Ricky and Ronnie may not inspire Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid like Czonka and Kick once did but Dan Henning’s offense was clearly centered around their talents. Channing Crowder never seemed to be in the right place at the right time to make big plays but he was the defensive play caller and the defense seemingly played better when he was in the game. Chad Pennington’s body never allowed him to play for consecutive seasons his entire NFL career, but his knowledge and presence loomed large on the sideline, in the locker room and in the meeting rooms.
Fans may notice of the absence of Henning, Williams, Brown, Crowder and Pennington because each had past moments of greatness but there will be no press conferences honoring their time in the Dolphin organization. There is probably a thought about where this is leading and the word “leading” would be the clue. What happens when a team has enigmatic leadership? What happens when a team has blasé leadership? What happens when a team has leadership that cannot stay healthy enough to remain on the field?
Dan Henning covers the enigmatic pretty well. He was a mysterious cantankerous dictator who was beyond reproach. If his offense was not performing it was not his system or his play calling, it was because the players were not good enough to make it work. How dare the media or even his boss insinuate he change something in his system, if ten offensive linemen cannot seem to make it work, bring in more. If Chad Henne’s strengths do not fall in line with this playbook, Chad Henne needs to be gone. Henning was an inflexible tyrant and that is exactly what a coach in the modern NFL cannot be. Many of the lowest paid players make more money than Henning but he could not see this polar shift from coach centric to player centric football. Removing this influence was pivotal for Sparano and it will show.
Ricky Williams never wanted to be a leader. Ricky Williams is a philosopher in a football player’s body. Thrust into the position of leadership under Dave Wannestedt, Ricky balked and worse, he quit. When a team deals two first round picks for a player there are bound to be expectations and if the player is not on board with those expectations, issues are soon to follow. Even though Ricky put that chapter behind him, the shadow of it lingered in the sense that Tony Sparano knew he could never place too much responsibility on Ricky’s shoulders. It is clear to see Ricky was not a leader but there was no way his presence and veteran wisdom could not be influential. Ricky was not a bad influence but he quit once and there was always the sense that if too much responsibility fell on Ricky’s shoulders he would just as soon live in a tent then get too caught up in leading a football team. On a veteran team Ricky would have been fine but on a young team Ricky’s presence drew players to him and he was not a person who would carry the banner into the fight.
Ronnie Brown is a prime example of why many NFL people view running backs as a dime a dozen. Ronnie was a good back who had moments of brilliance, but he was never worthy of the second pick in the draft. It is hard for players picked early in the draft to live up to their draft status. Being picked high is a guaranteed pocket full of jingle but the danger of the jingle is the incentive lost once the prize is won. One of the reasons Nick Saban thought Brown would be a good pick was because he had shared time in college with Cadillac Williams and did not have the wear on his body that a pure feature back would have had. It turned out not to matter as Brown spent as much time injured as he did on the field. Even when healthy Brown’s personality never was an inspiration to the players around him and hence he was never a leader. Being a veteran on the team Brown was looked up to by the younger players but his example was not one Sparano felt could provide the leadership his young team needed.
Dreadlocks, tattoos and his mouth moving a mile a minute are the lasting impressions Channing Crowder left on Dolphin fans. There are few who would argue the Miami defense played better when Crowder was on the field, but the oft injured Crowder exemplified a defense that never seemed to make big plays. Crowder was somewhat of an enigma, he could get his teammates properly lined up and had a good sense of what play the offense was about to run, but somehow he was never in position to make the play. Compared to a player like Zach Thomas who could line up the defense and fly to the ball, Crowder was missing half his game. Crowder was always willing to speak his mind and he was the center of attention in the locker room but big plays and nose for the football eluded him on the field. His off the field banter and on the field jawing were not backed up by big plays, which led to Crowder not being respected by his peers around the league. The leader of a team must not only be respected by his own team but by his opponents as well. Crowder was not and Sparano knew it was not going to change.
Whenever I think of Chad Pennington I think of Herdfan and it is hard to be too critical of a player who could bring such a great fan to the Miami Dolphin faithful. The truth is there is not much to be critical of; Pennington’s was a career of what could have been. He is one of the most accurate passers in NFL history. Every year he stayed healthy he led his team to the playoffs. Pennington was the consummate professional and a great leader, but he could not stay healthy. Pennington never completed back to back seasons without injury and because of that he could never guide an offense long enough to make it to the big show. He certainly had the tools and leadership to get there but his body would not allow it. If Pennington had a flaw during his final seasons in Miami it was the notion that he could be some form of a player-coach. Pennington wanted to play and being a leader in the locker room caused his teammates to follow him even though he could not take the field. Chad Henne could not take over the reins of leadership because of the respect everyone in the organization held for Pennington. If Pennington had remained healthy he would definitely be a part of this football team today, but he could not.
When Tony Sparano and Jeff Ireland got together after the tumultuous beginning of the off-season that saw Steven Ross courting an unproven college coach, they knew the veteran presence on the team had to change. For Henning it was his inflexibility to modernize his offense in accordance with the changes taking root in the NFL. For Williams it was his lack of buying in to the coaching staff and his willingness to voice his opinion in his own subtle way. For Brown it was his natural timidity, injuries and poor practice habits born of those injuries. For Crowder it was simply about putting his play where his mouth was and staying healthy. For Pennington it was a matter of health. The team was desperately in need of a change in leadership.
Sparano knew he had to change, he knew he had to become less conservative and more explosive. He also knew it was essential his coaching staff spoke with one voice and for those reasons he replaced Dan Henning with Brian Daboll. Daboll was fresh, his ideas were explosive and he was not a renegade. Drafting Daniel Thomas and picking up Reggie Bush brought in fresh running backs with something to prove. Why Larry Johnson, because Larry Johnson has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. Channing Crowder worked out with one team before deciding to retire. That’s because there were not many teams beating down his door and that should say a mouthful about what the rest of the league thinks about Crowder. Aside from his injuries, letting Pennington go would allow Chad Henne to finally step up without constantly looking over his shoulder.
The issue of loyalty cannot be understated… Williams, Brown and Crowder were not their guys. Draft picks have a natural allegiance to the coaches who drafted them, but even free agents feel a breath of new life when a team seeks them out and pays them for their services. The number of players left from previous regimes should be a good indicator of how important this is to Sparano and Ireland. Pennington is the exception but in his case injuries were his undoing. It is clear, if Sparano and Ireland were going down they were going down with players of their own choosing. Everyone on this team is now under the same onus... Win or else. Don’t be surprised to see a team with a little more sense of urgency and a lot more will to win.
My question to you is, who will emerge as the new leadership core of the Dolphins?
The Miami Dolphins Will Hire Brian Daboll, But Who Is He?
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| Say Hello To Your New Offensive Coordinator |
Brian Daboll, who the Dolphins are going to sign within the next 24 hours, might just be the worst candidate.
After doing a little bit of research, guess what I found out.
Daboll's offense last year was worse than the Miami Dolphins, so instead of improving upon their pathetic offense it looks like the Dolphins will be getting even worse.
The only bright spots on Daboll's resume were RB Peyton Hillis' success last year and his tenure as the Wide Receiver coach for the New England Patriots when they won three Super Bowl Championships. Other than that, I can't find much else that he has done.
Daboll's offense last year was one behind the Dolphins in scoring at 31st in the league. They were the 29th worst passing team and the 20th ranked rushing team. It baffles me why Miami would be willing to hire somebody who was unable to do any better than who they just got rid of.
The Dolphins have not publicly acknowledged the hiring of Daboll yet, so there is still an extremely slim possibility that they won't actually hire Daboll, but I doubt it.
I'll be honest, I may be overreacting a little bit. Daboll got a chance to learn under Bill Belichick from 2002 to 2006, so he probably learned some good stuff while with the Patriots. He also didn't have much to work with this year in Cleveland because the Browns weren't exactly stacked with talent.
With all that considered, I still can't see why Tony Sparano, Jeff Ireland, and Stephen Ross would be willing to hire Daboll. Daboll might be able to build a successful running offense, but that isn't what Stephen Ross wanted. He wanted a better passing offense, and the numbers just don't point to Brian Daboll being the guy that gives Ross what he wants.
I could be wrong, though. Maybe they saw something in Daboll other than just the numbers. I sure hope so, because I hate not being able to watch my Dolphins in the playoffs year after year.
One thing is for sure, I don't expect the hiring of Brian Daboll will help fill any more seats in Sun Life Stadium next year. If anything, it will reduce the number of tickets sold.
All is not lost, though. At least we can be thankful that he will be better than Dan Henning.
Thanks for reading, and let me hear your comments. I know you guys have a whole lot to say about this.
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With David Lee Gone, The Miami Dolphins Can Now Start Their Quarterback Search From Scratch.
Miami Dolphins Quarterbacks Coach David Lee is leaving the NFL to go coach college football as an Offensive Coordinator for Ole Miss. While I am not sure why Ole Miss would want Lee to be running their entire offense after seeing how Chad Henne turned out under him, I am relieved that they took him.
I am guessing that Ole Miss wanted Lee because he was the guy who designed the wildcat, and they figured that he has more in his bag of tricks. That's their problem now, though, and now Miami must focus on starting over on offense.
Not only will the Dolphins just need to find a new Offensive Coordinator, they will also need to find a new Quarterbacks coach and (most importantly) a new quarterback. The Chad Henne experiment was a failure on multiple levels, and now, thankfully, all of those failed levels are gone except for Henne himself.
I do not have any knowledge of coaching candidates for the position, but I will see what I can find out.
Stay tuned in about an hour or so for a "You Tell Me," because it is Tuesday after all.
Thanks for reading.
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I am guessing that Ole Miss wanted Lee because he was the guy who designed the wildcat, and they figured that he has more in his bag of tricks. That's their problem now, though, and now Miami must focus on starting over on offense.
Not only will the Dolphins just need to find a new Offensive Coordinator, they will also need to find a new Quarterbacks coach and (most importantly) a new quarterback. The Chad Henne experiment was a failure on multiple levels, and now, thankfully, all of those failed levels are gone except for Henne himself.
I do not have any knowledge of coaching candidates for the position, but I will see what I can find out.
Stay tuned in about an hour or so for a "You Tell Me," because it is Tuesday after all.
Thanks for reading.
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The Miami Dolphins Should Sign Josh McDaniels As Their Offensive Coordinator
Now that the Miami Dolphins Head Coach situation is all settled up, it is time to start focusing on the Offensive Coordinator.
Previous Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning is stepping down, and it is time for the Dolphins to find another coordinator who is good at play calling and can use the strengths of his players to his advantage instead of trying to force them to use their weaknesses.
I have really only heard two different names as potential candidates for Offensive Coordinator: The first is Gary Kubiak, but it looks like he will remain as the Head Coach of the Texans. The second is Josh McDaniels, who was the Denver Broncos Head Coach for two years before being fired.
I am sure there are a lot of other candidates that Miami is considering, but those are the only two I have heard about.
I, personally, am very much in favor of the Miami Dolphins hiring McDaniels as their Offensive Coordinator. I know he hasn't done well as a Head Coach, but, from what I have seen, he can put together a great passing offense.
If you look at Broncos QB Kyle Orton, who is know available to trade for, and compare his numbers from his best year in Chicago to his two years in Denver, you can see how much he has improved under McDaniels. In just his first year with the Broncos he had almost 1000 more passing yards than his best year with the Bears, and if he hadn't been benched after 13 games this year, he would have been close to 1500 more yards than his best year with the Bears.
Not only is McDaniels good for quarterbacks, but he would also be good for Brandon Marshall. Under McDaniels, Marshall didn't get as many yards as previous year, but he did get a career-high in touchdowns. Isn't that what Miami has been missing this year? Touchdowns?
I don't know what you guys think about McDaniels, but I want him to come in and turn whatever quarterback we trade, sign, or draft into a star. If you combine the potential passing attack that McDaniels would bring with our current defense, you're talking a push for the Super Bowl as soon as next year.
Miami better go after McDaniels soon, though, because the Vikings are also looking at him. I bet there are other good offensive coordinators out there, but McDaniels may be exactly what Miami is looking for just because they need somebody to develop their new quarterback as well as help them score a lot of points.
Josh McDaniels is a huge step up from Dan Henning for the Miami Dolphins, and it would be a mistake if they didn't try and go after him before any other team gets him.
Let me know what you guys think, I look forward to hearing your opinions.
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Previous Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning is stepping down, and it is time for the Dolphins to find another coordinator who is good at play calling and can use the strengths of his players to his advantage instead of trying to force them to use their weaknesses.I have really only heard two different names as potential candidates for Offensive Coordinator: The first is Gary Kubiak, but it looks like he will remain as the Head Coach of the Texans. The second is Josh McDaniels, who was the Denver Broncos Head Coach for two years before being fired.
I am sure there are a lot of other candidates that Miami is considering, but those are the only two I have heard about.
I, personally, am very much in favor of the Miami Dolphins hiring McDaniels as their Offensive Coordinator. I know he hasn't done well as a Head Coach, but, from what I have seen, he can put together a great passing offense.
If you look at Broncos QB Kyle Orton, who is know available to trade for, and compare his numbers from his best year in Chicago to his two years in Denver, you can see how much he has improved under McDaniels. In just his first year with the Broncos he had almost 1000 more passing yards than his best year with the Bears, and if he hadn't been benched after 13 games this year, he would have been close to 1500 more yards than his best year with the Bears.
Not only is McDaniels good for quarterbacks, but he would also be good for Brandon Marshall. Under McDaniels, Marshall didn't get as many yards as previous year, but he did get a career-high in touchdowns. Isn't that what Miami has been missing this year? Touchdowns?
I don't know what you guys think about McDaniels, but I want him to come in and turn whatever quarterback we trade, sign, or draft into a star. If you combine the potential passing attack that McDaniels would bring with our current defense, you're talking a push for the Super Bowl as soon as next year.
Miami better go after McDaniels soon, though, because the Vikings are also looking at him. I bet there are other good offensive coordinators out there, but McDaniels may be exactly what Miami is looking for just because they need somebody to develop their new quarterback as well as help them score a lot of points.
Josh McDaniels is a huge step up from Dan Henning for the Miami Dolphins, and it would be a mistake if they didn't try and go after him before any other team gets him.
Let me know what you guys think, I look forward to hearing your opinions.
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Tony Sparano Will Remain Head Coach Of The Miami Dolphins
After what has seemed like the longest 24 hours of waiting for the news of the Miami Dolphins signing Jim Harbaugh to a record contract, it has just come across that Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross has instead decided to keep current Head Coach Tony Sparano as Miami's Head Coach.
According to an ESPN alert, the Dolphins have decided to retain Sparano as their head coach only a few hours after all signs seemed to point at them signing Jim Harbaugh to replace him instead.
While I am not sure yet whether I like the decision to keep Sparano, I do know that I don't like how Stephen Ross handled the whole situation. Ross showed how little faith he had in Tony by flying across the country and offering to pay a huge amount of money in a desperate effort to sign Harbaugh.
Stephen Ross has basically just thrown Tony Sparano into a pile of mud and then offered to pick him back up, all the while acting like nothing has happened and he never threw him in the mud in the first place.
How can Tony Sparano be as productive as we all want him to be if he doesn't believe he has the faith of the owner whose team he is coaching? All the last few days have been is a huge distraction for the Dolphins organization and a confidence (and maybe even a career) killer for Tony Sparano.
I wanted Miami to bring in Harbaugh simply because Tony Sparano had seemed to have been losing a lot of support from people in the organization, and now things have gotten worse because Stephen Ross hasn't shown support for him.
Ross can say all he wants about how he believes in Tony Sparano, but we will all know what lengths he went to to try and get another Head Coach instead of Tony.
The drama is now over, but I am honestly no more satisfied knowing the result than a few hours ago when I didn't know the result. If there was ever a way you wanted to hurt your coaches chances to succeed, that may have been the best option.
The good news in the midst of all of this Head-Coaching drama is that Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning has officially stepped down from his position in Miami. We knew this was coming, but it is very satisfying news to finally hear. I am hoping that the Dolphins can bring in Josh McDaniels as Henning's replacement and see what he is able to do.
I know you guys have reactions, so let me hear 'em with your comments.
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According to an ESPN alert, the Dolphins have decided to retain Sparano as their head coach only a few hours after all signs seemed to point at them signing Jim Harbaugh to replace him instead.
While I am not sure yet whether I like the decision to keep Sparano, I do know that I don't like how Stephen Ross handled the whole situation. Ross showed how little faith he had in Tony by flying across the country and offering to pay a huge amount of money in a desperate effort to sign Harbaugh.
Stephen Ross has basically just thrown Tony Sparano into a pile of mud and then offered to pick him back up, all the while acting like nothing has happened and he never threw him in the mud in the first place.
How can Tony Sparano be as productive as we all want him to be if he doesn't believe he has the faith of the owner whose team he is coaching? All the last few days have been is a huge distraction for the Dolphins organization and a confidence (and maybe even a career) killer for Tony Sparano.
I wanted Miami to bring in Harbaugh simply because Tony Sparano had seemed to have been losing a lot of support from people in the organization, and now things have gotten worse because Stephen Ross hasn't shown support for him.
Ross can say all he wants about how he believes in Tony Sparano, but we will all know what lengths he went to to try and get another Head Coach instead of Tony.
The drama is now over, but I am honestly no more satisfied knowing the result than a few hours ago when I didn't know the result. If there was ever a way you wanted to hurt your coaches chances to succeed, that may have been the best option.
The good news in the midst of all of this Head-Coaching drama is that Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning has officially stepped down from his position in Miami. We knew this was coming, but it is very satisfying news to finally hear. I am hoping that the Dolphins can bring in Josh McDaniels as Henning's replacement and see what he is able to do.
I know you guys have reactions, so let me hear 'em with your comments.
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New Year's Resolutions For The Miami Dolphins In 2011
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| Image Courtesy of Bleacher Report |
The Dolphins aren't that far away from being a playoff team. It may be hard to believe because of their record this year, but Miami has a lot of talent that was masked by a few poor performers.
So, without further ado, here are the two most important New Year's Resolutions for the Miami Dolphins in 2011.
New QB
Goodbye Chad Henne.
At the beginning of this year the majority of Dolphins fans were expecting Henne to be the future of the Miami Dolphins franchise, and I was one of those fans. Instead, Henne has been really bad, and hasn't even been able to manage games this season.
Now, Miami must try and find a new quarterback for next season who is able to (at a minimum) manage games and (hopefully) make big plays consistently. There are a few prospects in the draft that the Dolphins might have a shot at getting like Ryan Mallett and Cam Newton, and that is where I would prefer them to look first.
It is also possible that they could look into the free agent pool. Players like Kevin Kolb and Kyle Orton may be available, and I think both of those players could be really good in the Dolphins offense.
It is extremely necessary for Miami to find a new quarterback because Chad Henne just isn't cutting it anymore. Instead of being the reason that his team wins like a quarterback is supposed to be, Henne has been the reason the Dolphins have been losing.
There have not been any indications out of Miami about what they will do about our quarterback, but we all need to pray that they don't decide to stay with Henne as the starter.
New OC
Goodbye Dan Henning.
Anyone who has followed the Miami Dolphins at all this season would have been able to guess that I would suggest they get rid of their Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning. His play calling was the stupidest and easiest to read in the NFL.
Miami's offense was so simple and pathetic that defenders were able to guess what routes receivers were running before the play even started. Dan Henning has just been bad all year, and it gets pretty old complaining about him, but I don't have a choice because he always seems to be part of the problem.
Possible replacements that have been revealed are Current Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak and ex-Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels. Both could be very good choices for the job, but first Miami must fire Henning. There have been indications this week that Henning would be fired at the end of the season, so I am not worried about the fact that he will be here next year.
Thanks for reading, and let me know some of the other resolutions you think the Dolphins must fulfill to be successful next year.
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Tony Sparano Will Likely Keep His Job With The Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has apparently been convinced by Bill Parcells to allow Tony Sparano to keep his job, and Miami's star WR Brandon Marshall has also said that he wants Ross to keep Sparano as head coach. Both votes of confidence have come in a very timely manner for Tony, with rumors that Sparano may be fired circling the web and Bill Cowher eying the Dolphins job next year.
I doubt that Stephen Ross is going to fire Tony now after his star wide receiver (Marshall) and one of the main architects of his team (Parcells) have expressed their support for Sparano.
And, the more I think about Tony Sparano staying, the more that I like the idea. Tony Sparano wasn't the reason Miami's offense has been bad thus far, QB Chad Henne and Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning have.
I know that there are a lot of you that wanted Miami to go and try to hire Bill Cowher, and I did too, but after thinking about it I can't help but feel excited that the Dolphins are going to keep Sparano. He has done a lot with the Miami Dolphins, and he has been able to bring in a lot of talent to the organization. Miami is just a good quarterback and an offensive coordinator away from making a deep run into the playoffs, and I think Stephen Ross realizes that, thus his willingness to keep Tony.
It is also likely that the Dolphins will be replacing Dan Henning at the end of the year. The possible candidates that have been revealed are Gary Kubiak, who is currently the Houston Texans Head Coach, and Josh McDaniels, who was recently fired from the Broncos head-coaching job.
I don't know if I favor bringing Josh McDaniels in because of his past history with Brandon Marshall, but it may actually work. When Marshall played under McDaniels he had his 21 reception game and a 100 receptions season, and he was one of the best receivers in the league. So, if Brandon and Josh are able to coexist, it might be worth bringing McDaniels in.
The decision to keep Sparano has not been announced officially yet, but don't be surprised if it comes soon. I have a feeling that when it does, though, it will either follow or be followed by news of Dan Henning's release or retirement.
Thanks for reading, and I am always open to comments. I will talk to you guys again tomorrow.
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I doubt that Stephen Ross is going to fire Tony now after his star wide receiver (Marshall) and one of the main architects of his team (Parcells) have expressed their support for Sparano.
And, the more I think about Tony Sparano staying, the more that I like the idea. Tony Sparano wasn't the reason Miami's offense has been bad thus far, QB Chad Henne and Offensive Coordinator Dan Henning have.
I know that there are a lot of you that wanted Miami to go and try to hire Bill Cowher, and I did too, but after thinking about it I can't help but feel excited that the Dolphins are going to keep Sparano. He has done a lot with the Miami Dolphins, and he has been able to bring in a lot of talent to the organization. Miami is just a good quarterback and an offensive coordinator away from making a deep run into the playoffs, and I think Stephen Ross realizes that, thus his willingness to keep Tony.
It is also likely that the Dolphins will be replacing Dan Henning at the end of the year. The possible candidates that have been revealed are Gary Kubiak, who is currently the Houston Texans Head Coach, and Josh McDaniels, who was recently fired from the Broncos head-coaching job.
I don't know if I favor bringing Josh McDaniels in because of his past history with Brandon Marshall, but it may actually work. When Marshall played under McDaniels he had his 21 reception game and a 100 receptions season, and he was one of the best receivers in the league. So, if Brandon and Josh are able to coexist, it might be worth bringing McDaniels in.
The decision to keep Sparano has not been announced officially yet, but don't be surprised if it comes soon. I have a feeling that when it does, though, it will either follow or be followed by news of Dan Henning's release or retirement.
Thanks for reading, and I am always open to comments. I will talk to you guys again tomorrow.
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Miami Dolphins Lose To Buffalo Bills 17-14 After Four Missed Field Goals
Surprisingly, Chad Henne wasn't the reason the Miami Dolphins lost this week's game against the Buffalo Bills.
This time it was Dan Carpenter's fault.
Carpenter missed four field goals from long distances to cut the string that was holding up the Miami Dolphins slim playoff chances. The Dolphins are officially out of the playoffs with this loss, and now they can begin focusing on what changes need to be made during the off-season to play better next year.
Dan Henning didn't have the best play calling, but he wasn't terrible. There were a few times where I questioned what the offense did, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it has been in past games this season.
Chad Henne actually played well enough to beat a team like the Bills. He wasn't anything spectacular, but he didn't cost Miami the game like I thought he would. I still don't think he should be the starter because he isn't able to beat a team like the Bills on his own, but that is just my opinion.
Brandon Marshall also had a good game, with 11 receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown. I guess it is still possible for him to reach 100 receptions for the season, but he needs to get 29 receptions in two games. He has had 22 receptions in a game before, so it isn't beyond the realm of possibility. It still isn't likely, though.
I can honestly say that I am happy Miami lost this game. Each loss gives them a higher pick in the NFL Draft, and hopefully puts the Dolphins closer to drafting a top-tier quarterback.
Thanks for reading, and I will talk to you guys again tomorrow.
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This time it was Dan Carpenter's fault.
Carpenter missed four field goals from long distances to cut the string that was holding up the Miami Dolphins slim playoff chances. The Dolphins are officially out of the playoffs with this loss, and now they can begin focusing on what changes need to be made during the off-season to play better next year.
Dan Henning didn't have the best play calling, but he wasn't terrible. There were a few times where I questioned what the offense did, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it has been in past games this season.
Chad Henne actually played well enough to beat a team like the Bills. He wasn't anything spectacular, but he didn't cost Miami the game like I thought he would. I still don't think he should be the starter because he isn't able to beat a team like the Bills on his own, but that is just my opinion.
Brandon Marshall also had a good game, with 11 receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown. I guess it is still possible for him to reach 100 receptions for the season, but he needs to get 29 receptions in two games. He has had 22 receptions in a game before, so it isn't beyond the realm of possibility. It still isn't likely, though.
I can honestly say that I am happy Miami lost this game. Each loss gives them a higher pick in the NFL Draft, and hopefully puts the Dolphins closer to drafting a top-tier quarterback.
Thanks for reading, and I will talk to you guys again tomorrow.
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Why Do I Get The Feeling The Miami Dolphins Will Lose This Week To The Buffalo Bills?
The Miami Dolphins always seem to play down to weaker opponents. Instead of performing consistently, they are always up and down, and they can't ever seem to keep a streak going.
One week after it appeared that Miami's offense was finally coming around after their win against the Raiders, they lost to the Cleveland Browns in a pathetic offensive showing.
They were unable to win after the Raiders game, and I don't think they will be able to win after the Jets game, either. Since Miami's Week 5 bye, they haven't had two losses or two wins in a row, and the only time they have won two games in a row all season was during Weeks 1 and 2. If that trend continues, then they will lose to the Buffalo Bills this Sunday.
Don't dismiss the possibility of losing to Buffalo, either. Chad Henne made the Cleveland Browns defense look like one of the best with his poor play, and it is very, very possible that he will do the same thing to the Bills. Most people don't know it (and I didn't either until recently), but the Bills have allowed the 4th lowest passing yards in the NFL. That's better than the Jets, and the Jets were able to hold Henne to 55 passing yards last week.
I believe that much of that inconsistency is due to Chad Henne's performance, and until he is gone I don't see the Dolphins getting any better. Henne just can't be a consistent quarterback, and that is a big reason why I have been calling for his benching for a couple weeks now.
We'll see what happens, but I don't have a good feeling about this game. In all honesty, though, I won't mind if we lose because we can get a better draft pick.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think.
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One week after it appeared that Miami's offense was finally coming around after their win against the Raiders, they lost to the Cleveland Browns in a pathetic offensive showing.
They were unable to win after the Raiders game, and I don't think they will be able to win after the Jets game, either. Since Miami's Week 5 bye, they haven't had two losses or two wins in a row, and the only time they have won two games in a row all season was during Weeks 1 and 2. If that trend continues, then they will lose to the Buffalo Bills this Sunday.
Don't dismiss the possibility of losing to Buffalo, either. Chad Henne made the Cleveland Browns defense look like one of the best with his poor play, and it is very, very possible that he will do the same thing to the Bills. Most people don't know it (and I didn't either until recently), but the Bills have allowed the 4th lowest passing yards in the NFL. That's better than the Jets, and the Jets were able to hold Henne to 55 passing yards last week.
I believe that much of that inconsistency is due to Chad Henne's performance, and until he is gone I don't see the Dolphins getting any better. Henne just can't be a consistent quarterback, and that is a big reason why I have been calling for his benching for a couple weeks now.
We'll see what happens, but I don't have a good feeling about this game. In all honesty, though, I won't mind if we lose because we can get a better draft pick.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think.
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You Tell Me: Who Hurts The Miami Dolphins Offense More: Chad Henne or Dan Henning?
I want to leave this discussion completely up to you, my readers. I can only say my own opinions about Dan Henning and Chad Henne so many times before it gets old.
I want to know who you guys believe hurts the Miami Dolphins more: Henne or Henning?
I am not going to throw my opinion in there because I want to see your immediate thoughts about each. My opinion would just guide your thoughts, and I want to hear your personal opinion without me influencing it.
The reason I am doing this is that I have been reading a lot of comments recently on other news sites that had valid points on both Henning and Henne that I haven't thought of before.
So, I am done talking, and now I want you to let me know what you think about them with your comments. I will try and put in my input in the comments.
Thanks for reading, and let me hear it.
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I want to know who you guys believe hurts the Miami Dolphins more: Henne or Henning?
I am not going to throw my opinion in there because I want to see your immediate thoughts about each. My opinion would just guide your thoughts, and I want to hear your personal opinion without me influencing it.
The reason I am doing this is that I have been reading a lot of comments recently on other news sites that had valid points on both Henning and Henne that I haven't thought of before.
So, I am done talking, and now I want you to let me know what you think about them with your comments. I will try and put in my input in the comments.
Thanks for reading, and let me hear it.
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Winning Doesn't Mask Poor Performance By Miami Dolphins Offense
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You would think that a win against the Jets should be more satisfying than last Sunday's game actually was.
Not only did the Dolphins defense stop the Jets consistently, but they were also able to force Mark Sanchez into making turnovers that led to points. Heck, without help from our defense, Miami wouldn't have scored a single point.
That's the problem, though. The Miami Dolphins offense was so bad that they only gained 131 total yards against the Jets. What is worse is that Miami was only able to net for 30 passing yards. Numbers like that are embarrassing for any team, and they normally don't constitute a win. Thankfully, the Dolphins have one of the NFL's top defenses and were able to hold the Jets to 6 points while helping the offense get 10.
This game reinforces everything I have been saying the past two weeks about Miami's offense: Chad Henne and Dan Henning need to go, and Ronnie Brown isn't what he used to be.
Dan Henning finally relied more on the running game than he did the passing game. I know that at the beginning of the season I said that the Dolphins would be better off if they threw more than they ran, but I was wrong. Chad Henne can't take the pressure of carrying the offense, so it is necessary for Miami to keep running the ball.
Henning still isn't in the clear for finally relying on the running game, though. Any time your offense is only able to gain 131 net yards, there has to be something wrong with your offensive coordinator. There is no excuse for such a poor offensive performance, and this should be yet another eye-opener for Stephen Ross that Dan Henning needs to go after this year.
Henning also doesn't seem to know how to use Brandon Marshall. He has been pretty ineffective this year, and it isn't his fault. Yes, he has dropped a few passes, but he still isn't getting much of a chance to make plays at all. At least Marshall is going to stay longer than just this season, because he should be a lot better with a new offensive coordinator.
I'll be honest, though, I don't want the Miami Dolphins to win another game this season. I want them to get a high enough draft pick for a potential franchise quarterback. I have been doing a little research, and Ryan Mallet of Arkansas is a quarterback that the Dolphins may have a shot at getting who I really want them to get.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know what you think about our current offense and what needs to be changed.
Also, I'd like to send a shout-out to my good Dolphins friend up in New York: Anthony. I know it was an ugly win, but at least you won't be hearing a bunch of trash-talking Jets fans all week.
Subscribe to DolphinShoutMiami Dolphins Defense Sticks It To The Jets With A 10-6 Win
The Miami Dolphins defense put the team on their backs and led Miami to a 10-6 victory over the New York Jets.
Sean Smith had a really great game against Mark Sanchez with a bunch of deflected passes. If he were able to catch a football, he would have probably returned three interceptions for the touchdowns. He had countless opportunities to intercept passes by Mark Sanchez, but was unable to bring in a single one. I will not complain, though, because he did his job well and prevented the man he was covering from catching the ball almost every time it was thrown in his direction.
Cameron Wake also had two huge sacks on the Jets last drive. Not only did he help the Dolphins win the game with those two sacks, he also vaulted into the lead for the most sacks in the NFL with 14. Wake continues to show the Miami Dolphins how important he is, and I believe he deserves a nice, fat contract extension during the off-season.
Chad Henne didn't do anything special with 55 passing yards, going 5 completions off of 18 attempts. He did throw a touchdown to Brandon Marshall, but that wasn't the most important thing he was able to do. The most important thing was that he didn't throw an interception, which was a huge part of the win.
Thankfully, Miami's running game was able to do their part of the work on offense. Ronnie Brown had 55 yards off 16 carries and Ricky Williams ran the ball 10 times for 34 yards. Those aren't impressive numbers, but at least the Dolphins didn't become one-dimensional and just throw the ball.
The Dolphins offense gained a combined 131 yards from scrimmage, which reinforces my belief that we need to get rid of Dan Henning at the end of this year. He just can't make the offense work, so Miami needs to bring somebody new in that knows how to use his weapons.
Brandon Marshall still didn't do much against the Jets despite his touchdown. He only had two receptions for 16 yards, but he dropped a few passes that hit his hands. I am not sure what is wrong, but it apparently isn't entirely Dan Henning or Chad Henne's fault. Henning and Henne are both a big reason for Marshall's poor play this year, but it doesn't look like they are the only reasons. I'm not worried about Marshall, though. Once Miami gets a new offensive coordinator and quarterback, he should still be fine.
For anyone who supports Chad Henne or Dan Henning, this game proves to you that neither person deserves to be a part of the Miami Dolphins next year.
I also would like to say how much I hate the New York Jets. Somebody on their sideline stuck his leg out and tripped Nolan Carroll during a kickoff. Carroll was shaken up, but thankfully he was able to return to the game. Here is a video so you guys can see how cheap the Jets are:
Getting a win against them is always satisfying, though. It doesn't matter how it happens. I don't know who the person is, but there is speculation that they are on the practice squad.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment with your thoughts on the game.
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Sean Smith had a really great game against Mark Sanchez with a bunch of deflected passes. If he were able to catch a football, he would have probably returned three interceptions for the touchdowns. He had countless opportunities to intercept passes by Mark Sanchez, but was unable to bring in a single one. I will not complain, though, because he did his job well and prevented the man he was covering from catching the ball almost every time it was thrown in his direction.
Cameron Wake also had two huge sacks on the Jets last drive. Not only did he help the Dolphins win the game with those two sacks, he also vaulted into the lead for the most sacks in the NFL with 14. Wake continues to show the Miami Dolphins how important he is, and I believe he deserves a nice, fat contract extension during the off-season.
Chad Henne didn't do anything special with 55 passing yards, going 5 completions off of 18 attempts. He did throw a touchdown to Brandon Marshall, but that wasn't the most important thing he was able to do. The most important thing was that he didn't throw an interception, which was a huge part of the win.
Thankfully, Miami's running game was able to do their part of the work on offense. Ronnie Brown had 55 yards off 16 carries and Ricky Williams ran the ball 10 times for 34 yards. Those aren't impressive numbers, but at least the Dolphins didn't become one-dimensional and just throw the ball.
The Dolphins offense gained a combined 131 yards from scrimmage, which reinforces my belief that we need to get rid of Dan Henning at the end of this year. He just can't make the offense work, so Miami needs to bring somebody new in that knows how to use his weapons.
Brandon Marshall still didn't do much against the Jets despite his touchdown. He only had two receptions for 16 yards, but he dropped a few passes that hit his hands. I am not sure what is wrong, but it apparently isn't entirely Dan Henning or Chad Henne's fault. Henning and Henne are both a big reason for Marshall's poor play this year, but it doesn't look like they are the only reasons. I'm not worried about Marshall, though. Once Miami gets a new offensive coordinator and quarterback, he should still be fine.
For anyone who supports Chad Henne or Dan Henning, this game proves to you that neither person deserves to be a part of the Miami Dolphins next year.
I also would like to say how much I hate the New York Jets. Somebody on their sideline stuck his leg out and tripped Nolan Carroll during a kickoff. Carroll was shaken up, but thankfully he was able to return to the game. Here is a video so you guys can see how cheap the Jets are:
Getting a win against them is always satisfying, though. It doesn't matter how it happens. I don't know who the person is, but there is speculation that they are on the practice squad.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment with your thoughts on the game.
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Brandon Marshall Returns To Practice, But Does He Actually Hurt The Miami Dolphins Passing Offense?
What I want to know is does he actually help the Miami Dolphins more than he hurts them?
My answer is yes, he does help a lot more than he hurts.
While the Dolphins were able to have one of their best overall passing games with Chad Henne at quarterback last Sunday and without Brandon Marshall, that doesn't mean Marshall is the problem. Miami was able to do so well partly because the Raiders don't really have a good passing defense, and (more importantly) Dan Henning was finally willing to change up his play calling.
I am firmly convinced that Brandon Marshall's inability to score touchdowns is 100% Dan Henning's fault. Henning focused the Dolphins entire offensive strategy on getting Brandon Marshall the ball. That may not sound like a bad idea because Marshall is such a play maker, but focusing entirely on just getting one player the ball makes the offense way too predictable and makes Marshall almost useless because defense start to put double and triple coverage on him.
If the Dolphins want to be able to use Marshall effectively and get him more touchdowns they needed to learn how to spread the ball around a little more. They needed to become more like the Saints passing offense. Drew Brees spreads the ball out to so many different receivers that defenses have a hard time stopping him.
The Dolphins showed me a little bit last week when Chad Henne was able to get the ball to a lot of different receivers. Seven different players caught at least one pass against the Raiders, and the two receivers with the most receptions and yards for Miami (Davone Bess and Brian Hartline) didn't even catch a passing touchdown. That tells you how much the Dolphins were able to spread the ball around. That may not be a good sign for fantasy football owners, but that shouldn't matter. What matters is the Miami Dolphins winning games.
I think last Sunday's game was exactly what the Dolphins needed. Dan Henning saw what the offense was able to do by spreading the ball around without Brandon Marshall. Imagine how well they can do if they continue to spread it out with him in the game. He won't see as much double coverage, and he probably won't see any triple coverage at all because there will be other receivers that pose as a legitimate threat to defenses.
Pair all of the receiving threats with the Dolphins talented running backs, and you have a lot of playmakers that are finally being put to good use. Dan Henning needed a good game like this to see what the offense is capable of if he uses all of its playmakers.
I have a good feeling about Brandon Marshall's future with the Miami Dolphins. Dan Henning should know how to use him correctly now, and I am hoping he will be able to.
Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on Marshall. We are paying him a lot of money, and I am interested to see opinions from Dolphins fans about his performance so far.
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| Don't Give Up On Marshall Yet |
Brandon Marshall (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play this Sunday against the Browns.
Marshall has not produced nearly as much as many Miami Dolphins fans had hoped he would this season, but I would argue that his low scoring numbers are mainly the fault of Dan Henning. He has gotten a lot of receptions and yards, but has only been able to reach the end zone once this season. He has also had two dumb penalties for delay of game and taunting, and his frustration is becoming more and more evident as the season progresses.
What I want to know is does he actually help the Miami Dolphins more than he hurts them?
My answer is yes, he does help a lot more than he hurts.
While the Dolphins were able to have one of their best overall passing games with Chad Henne at quarterback last Sunday and without Brandon Marshall, that doesn't mean Marshall is the problem. Miami was able to do so well partly because the Raiders don't really have a good passing defense, and (more importantly) Dan Henning was finally willing to change up his play calling.
I am firmly convinced that Brandon Marshall's inability to score touchdowns is 100% Dan Henning's fault. Henning focused the Dolphins entire offensive strategy on getting Brandon Marshall the ball. That may not sound like a bad idea because Marshall is such a play maker, but focusing entirely on just getting one player the ball makes the offense way too predictable and makes Marshall almost useless because defense start to put double and triple coverage on him.
If the Dolphins want to be able to use Marshall effectively and get him more touchdowns they needed to learn how to spread the ball around a little more. They needed to become more like the Saints passing offense. Drew Brees spreads the ball out to so many different receivers that defenses have a hard time stopping him.
The Dolphins showed me a little bit last week when Chad Henne was able to get the ball to a lot of different receivers. Seven different players caught at least one pass against the Raiders, and the two receivers with the most receptions and yards for Miami (Davone Bess and Brian Hartline) didn't even catch a passing touchdown. That tells you how much the Dolphins were able to spread the ball around. That may not be a good sign for fantasy football owners, but that shouldn't matter. What matters is the Miami Dolphins winning games.
I think last Sunday's game was exactly what the Dolphins needed. Dan Henning saw what the offense was able to do by spreading the ball around without Brandon Marshall. Imagine how well they can do if they continue to spread it out with him in the game. He won't see as much double coverage, and he probably won't see any triple coverage at all because there will be other receivers that pose as a legitimate threat to defenses.
Pair all of the receiving threats with the Dolphins talented running backs, and you have a lot of playmakers that are finally being put to good use. Dan Henning needed a good game like this to see what the offense is capable of if he uses all of its playmakers.
I have a good feeling about Brandon Marshall's future with the Miami Dolphins. Dan Henning should know how to use him correctly now, and I am hoping he will be able to.
Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on Marshall. We are paying him a lot of money, and I am interested to see opinions from Dolphins fans about his performance so far.
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Will This Be Ronnie Brown's Last Year With The Miami Dolphins?
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| Will We See Ronnie Brown In A Dolphins Jersey Next Season? |
Sadly, though, I think this will be his last season with the Miami Dolphins. He is averaging a career low 3.9 yards per carry, and he has lacked the playmaking ability that he had in years past. He is technically a veteran player, and running backs have a short shelf life in the NFL nowadays. Six years as a running back in the NFL is like 12 years as a receiver. Running backs really take a beating, and they begin to wear down after years of playing.
I am afraid that Ronnie Brown can no longer be the premier running back for the Dolphins. He just doesn't have good enough numbers to be one. He wasn't able to reach 100 rushing yards off of 24 carries against the Raiders, He has only had four games all season where he averaged over 4 yards per carry, and he only has three touchdowns after 11 games.
His running style no longer seems to work with the Miami Dolphins offense. His main strength was running the wildcat, and now he doesn't really run it very effectively. That may be partly Dan Henning's fault because he is too predictable when he calls it, but Ronnie still can't make much of anything happen.
He just doesn't seem like an explosive player anymore, and we need an explosive back to work with Chad Henne. Henne can be really good, but he needs to have a running back carrying part of the load because he can't handle it himself.
I know that Dan Henning has been largely to blame for the running game, and consequently Ronnie Brown's, performance this year, but I just get the feeling that Ronnie's time in Miami will be limited. His contract expires at the end of this year, and I am not sure that the Dolphins will be willing to give him a new one that he would accept.
He had said earlier this year that he hadn't had any talks with Miami Dolphins officials about a new contract yet, so that tells me there is a good chance Miami won't keep him. The Dolphins organization doesn't show loyalty to players who have been in Miami (just look at Jason Taylor), so, I have a feeling that Ronnie will be another player added to the list of career-long Dolphins that end up going to another team.
We will see what happens, but don't be surprised if he ends up going to another team this offseason. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if he does go to another team and ends up bouncing back and playing like LaDainian Tomlinson has played this year. He may not do as well as LT has done, but I have a feeling that if he is put in the correct offense he can still make things happen.
Thanks for reading, and please be sure to leave a comment on what you think. I would be surprised if every Miami Dolphins fan that reads this doesn't have a strong opinion one way or the other about Brown.
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Brandon Marshall Likely Out, Chad Henne Likely In For The Miami Dolphins
| The Only Thing Harder Than Finding A Picture Of Marshall's Hamstring Injury Is Finding A Picture Of Him Scoring A Touchdown In A Miami Dolphins Jersey |
This will be a significant blow to the Miami Dolphins passing game, but I think it may actually be a good thing for the rest of the season. Losing Marshall will force offensive coordinator Dan Henning to use Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams more in the game, which he has failed to do up to this point.
Instead of putting the game entirely on the quarterback's shoulders, Henning will have to use Ronnie and Ricky a lot more, and that is a good thing. He may not want to use them as much as he will, but that's a good thing. We don't want the offense to run the way Henning wants it to anymore.
I almost get the impression that Henning doesn't care about how the offense plays anymore. It sure doesn't look like he does with the Dolphins recent offensive performance. I am actually kind of glad that Miami didn't score a point against the Bears because it brought on the "crayon and a pizza box" rant by Mark Schlereth, which brought the terrible play calling to light.
If they hadn't done so bad in that game, I don't think there would be much talk about firing Henning even though his play calling has been consistently bad for the entire season, not just the Thursday night shutout.
I have also heard good news about Chad Henne's health. He has been practicing with the team, and it appears that he will be ready to play against the Raiders. The question is, will Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano allow him to start, or will he put Tyler Thigpen in as the starter again?
Nobody from the Dolphins organization has said anything, so we can't be sure, but I have a feeling Henne will be starting. He was playing really well against Tennessee before he injured his left knee, and it seems to me like he has come back with a little more fire in him.
I have a good feeling about this Sunday's game even though Miami is pretty much out of the playoffs. We could see a completely different Chad Henne(in a good way) against the Raiders, and I am excited to see what he can do. Let's just hope that the Miami Dolphins offensive line can hold up long enough for him to throw it.
That's it for now. I hope everyone enjoyed a day off for Thanksgiving. I know I did!
Please feel free to leave a comment.
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Miami Dolphins: What I'm Not Thankful For On Thanksgiving
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| Funny Picture, Courtesy of cartoonstock.com |
While most of the stuff you read today and tomorrow will be about giving thanks, I have decided to write a little piece on what I am not thankful for on the Miami Dolphins.
Let me just say first that I do, in fact, have a lot to be thankful for, and I appreciate what I have in life. I am not encouraging you to start thinking about things that you aren't thankful for, because that isn't healthy and helps nothing. I encourage you to think about everything that you have in your life and appreciate it because there are a lot of people that would love to have what you do. I will be writing solely about the failures of the Miami Dolphins and why I am not thankful for those failures.
So, with that being said, I have a bunch of things not to be thankful for in the Miami Dolphins Organization, and here are a few:
Dan Henning, Offensive Coordinator
Who else would you have me start off with? I have been writing so much about Dan Henning this past week that it is getting old, so I am going to keep this short and simple. Just know that he has been terrible this year in play calling, and he hasn't been able to work the offense around his players' strengths.
A .500 Record
Blame it on whomever you want, but a .500 record in a division with the Jets and Patriots and a tough conference like the AFC just isn't good enough. I expected a lot more from this team, and they have disappointed. It is incredible how little the Miami Dolphins have been able to use their weapons on offense.
This has made players like Davone Bess and Brian Hartline do well, but they haven't been able to make up for the mediocre numbers of Brandon Marshall, Ronnie Brown, and Ricky Williams.
Injuries
This is what has really hurt the Miami Dolphins recently. A few weeks ago I believed that the Dolphins still had a good shot at making the playoffs, but injuries have been consistently popping up all over the roster, and they have, pretty much, crippled Miami this year.
The offensive line has been hit the worst, though, and it really showed with a scoreless effort against the Bears on Thursday night. I am not completely sure what the Dolphins should try and do to prevent injuries from piling up so badly, but I hope they can figure something out before next year.
17.2 Points Per Game
That is 29th worst in the league. That is unacceptable for a team whose owner predicted the Miami Dolphins would be in the Super Bowl this year. With so many weapons you would think that the Dolphins would be scoring more than 28 other teams in the NFL instead of scoring less than 28 teams, but that isn't the case here. This is largely Dan Henning's fault, and it should be fixed by next year if the Dolphins want to be successful in the near future.
Brandon Marshall's Inability To Score
This goes with the 17.2 points per game, but it is still an issue of its own. Brandon Marshall is a beast, plain and simple, which is why I am baffled that Dan Henning doesn't find ways to use him more, and that he doesn't find better ways to use him.
Marshall has 58 receptions and 693 yards. How do you only score one touchdown with 693 receiving yards? I wouldn't have thought it was possible, but leave it to Dan Henning to find a way.
Special Teams
Special teams for Miami hasn't been really bad lately since the Dolphins promoted Darren Rizzi to Special Teams coordinator, but it cost the Dolphins early in the season. It cost them the game against the Patriots, and it hurt them numerous times before Rizzi came in. Miami's return game was largely useless, and they allowed a lot of long kick returns by other teams. Rizzi seems to have cleaned up Miami's special teams for the most part now.
Note that I am not including Dan Carpenter in this, because he has been great and has won the Dolphins multiple games that the offense couldn't.
That is most of what I am not thankful for on the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have had a couple of things to be thankful for, like the play of Cameron Wake, Vontae Davis, Brian Hartline, and Davone Bess, but not nearly as much as things not to be thankful for.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment letting me know if there is anything not to be thankful for that I have left out.
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Den Henning Will Most Likely Be Gone From The Miami Dolphins After This Season
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| He Won't Be Smiling After This Season |
It has come to my attention that, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, people around the Miami Dolphins organization expect Dan Henning to be gone as an offensive coordinator after this year.
This is finally some good news amongst all of the trouble around the Dolphins organization, and hopefully it will actually happen. What I read does not say who the people in the organization are, but they must have some knowledge about the situation or the Miami Herald would not have put it up.
Henning has been terrible this year. His play calling has been atrocious, and he is too stubborn to change the game planning around the personnel he has in.
He wasn't going to change the offense when Chad Pennington came in as the starter, which tells you how stubborn he is. He was basically admitting that he had Chad Henne playing the same offensive style as Chad Pennington, even though they have completely different styles. In doing that he admitted his incompetency to all of us, and that was a big indicator for me that he shouldn't be the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins anymore.
Henning has turned the Dolphins into one of the worst scoring offenses in the NFL. Miami is at a 29th worst 17.2 points a game. He hasn't been able to use Brandon Marshall, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, or Chad Henne to their full abilities. He turned a very talented offense into one of the worst offenses in the league. I don't know about you, but that pisses me off.
How does one of the best wide receivers in the NFL only score one touchdown after 10 games? People may blame Chad Henne, but I promise you it isn't his fault. Henning had Henne on such a short leash that he was rendered almost completely ineffective.
I can't wait to hear the news about his firing from the Miami Dolphins, and I look forward to letting you guys know about it.
Thanks for reading, and please be sure to leave a comment.
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Is The Season Over For The Miami Dolphins?
Let me start this off with a video that I think is a pretty good embodiment of the Miami Dolphins this season. Just click play below.
Now, on to the task at hand.
Normally, when a team is 5-5 and has as much talent as the Miami Dolphins have, that team's fans haven't given up on the season yet. There is normally still hope for that season, and the fans are excited for the rest of the season.
Normally, yes, but that is not the case with the Dolphins.
Through a combination of injuries, poor coaching, and being in an extremely hard division the Miami Dolphins seem to be all but out of the playoff race. They are still mathematically in the playoff chase, and they actually aren't that far from making it in.
They are only two games behind the Steelers, who are currently sitting in the last wild card spot. All it would take is winning the majority of their remaining games and other teams to lose a few. That is no easy task for a 5-5 team, but it is usually still doable.
It's not doable for the Dolphins, though.
A lot of people in Miami have pretty much given up on their team, and I don't blame them. The Dolphins have been extremely disappointing this year. Not many people have been performing at or above the level we were expecting them to perform at this year, and it has showed with a mediocre record.
You guys may not remember, but Stephen Ross predicted the Dolphins would make the Super Bowl this year. He also said that he hoped Chad Henne would be the franchise's greatest quarterback.
I can tell you right now that the Miami Dolphins aren't going to make the playoffs this season, and I haven't given up on Chad Henne yet, but I don't think he is going to be better than Dan Marino.
So, in my opinion, yes the season is over. I just don't see how the Miami Dolphins can come back from that embarrassing loss to the Bears and win for most of their tough remaining schedule.
There are two main reasons why, and the first is injuries, specifically to the Dolphins offensive line. The Dolphins have an injury-riddled line, and I don't see how they will be able to protect whatever quarterback is in there with the personnel we have.
Injuries can cripple a good team, and they have definitely played a part in the crippling of the Dolphins.
Injuries aren't the main reason, though.
I think you all know what the reason is, but I will still say it anyway:
Dan Henning
The man calls all of the wrong plays at the wrong times, and he does it consistently. Sometimes I think he is just trying so hard to catch defenses off guard that he is predictable in what he calls. I didn't mention it before, but when the Dolphins beat the Tennessee a few weeks ago, Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan would tell Brandon Marshall the exact route he was going to run before the ball was even hiked.
The worst part is that Finnegan was right 80 percent of the time.
That, of course, is not Marshall's fault. It is completely Henning's fault. If you are so predictable that a corner can tell the exact play you are going to run, then you shouldn't be in the NFL.
On top of the predictability, the play calling has been atrocious this year, and it is a big reason that players with huge talent like Brandon Marshall, Ronnie Brown, and Ricky Williams have been largely ineffective.
Henning has forced Chad Henne to throw short passes, and rarely allowed him to throw the ball long, which is one of Henne's strengths. Why he had Henne on such a short leash is beyond me. Offensive coordinators that are worth their salt would build their offense around the strengths of their players, but not Henning. He forces players to run his style even when they are obviously unable to do so.
I know that I complain over and over about Dan Henning, but I am not the only one wanting him out of Miami. He needs to be fired ASAP to give the Dolphins more time to prepare for next season. Forget this year. All that matters right now is the future.
In my opinion, Dan Henning is the sole reason the Dolphins are not one of the best teams in the league. He doesn't know how to use the talent that is available to him, and it has shown with a .500 record.
Henning is like the Dolphin who comes up and hits the other Dolphin, who represents Chad Henne, in mid-air. Instead of allowing Henne to soar, Henning just gets in the way and ruins everything.
Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment. I am always checking and responding to comments, so I look forward to hearing from you soon. Also, if you ever just want to talk football, please feel free to email me at paul@dolphinshout.com. I always find it fun to just talk to other Dolphins fans about their opinions on the franchise and recent moves they have made.
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Now, on to the task at hand.
Normally, when a team is 5-5 and has as much talent as the Miami Dolphins have, that team's fans haven't given up on the season yet. There is normally still hope for that season, and the fans are excited for the rest of the season.
Normally, yes, but that is not the case with the Dolphins.
Through a combination of injuries, poor coaching, and being in an extremely hard division the Miami Dolphins seem to be all but out of the playoff race. They are still mathematically in the playoff chase, and they actually aren't that far from making it in.
They are only two games behind the Steelers, who are currently sitting in the last wild card spot. All it would take is winning the majority of their remaining games and other teams to lose a few. That is no easy task for a 5-5 team, but it is usually still doable.
It's not doable for the Dolphins, though.
A lot of people in Miami have pretty much given up on their team, and I don't blame them. The Dolphins have been extremely disappointing this year. Not many people have been performing at or above the level we were expecting them to perform at this year, and it has showed with a mediocre record.
You guys may not remember, but Stephen Ross predicted the Dolphins would make the Super Bowl this year. He also said that he hoped Chad Henne would be the franchise's greatest quarterback.
I can tell you right now that the Miami Dolphins aren't going to make the playoffs this season, and I haven't given up on Chad Henne yet, but I don't think he is going to be better than Dan Marino.
So, in my opinion, yes the season is over. I just don't see how the Miami Dolphins can come back from that embarrassing loss to the Bears and win for most of their tough remaining schedule.
There are two main reasons why, and the first is injuries, specifically to the Dolphins offensive line. The Dolphins have an injury-riddled line, and I don't see how they will be able to protect whatever quarterback is in there with the personnel we have.
Injuries can cripple a good team, and they have definitely played a part in the crippling of the Dolphins.
Injuries aren't the main reason, though.
I think you all know what the reason is, but I will still say it anyway:
Dan Henning
The man calls all of the wrong plays at the wrong times, and he does it consistently. Sometimes I think he is just trying so hard to catch defenses off guard that he is predictable in what he calls. I didn't mention it before, but when the Dolphins beat the Tennessee a few weeks ago, Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan would tell Brandon Marshall the exact route he was going to run before the ball was even hiked.
The worst part is that Finnegan was right 80 percent of the time.
That, of course, is not Marshall's fault. It is completely Henning's fault. If you are so predictable that a corner can tell the exact play you are going to run, then you shouldn't be in the NFL.
On top of the predictability, the play calling has been atrocious this year, and it is a big reason that players with huge talent like Brandon Marshall, Ronnie Brown, and Ricky Williams have been largely ineffective.
Henning has forced Chad Henne to throw short passes, and rarely allowed him to throw the ball long, which is one of Henne's strengths. Why he had Henne on such a short leash is beyond me. Offensive coordinators that are worth their salt would build their offense around the strengths of their players, but not Henning. He forces players to run his style even when they are obviously unable to do so.
I know that I complain over and over about Dan Henning, but I am not the only one wanting him out of Miami. He needs to be fired ASAP to give the Dolphins more time to prepare for next season. Forget this year. All that matters right now is the future.
In my opinion, Dan Henning is the sole reason the Dolphins are not one of the best teams in the league. He doesn't know how to use the talent that is available to him, and it has shown with a .500 record.
Henning is like the Dolphin who comes up and hits the other Dolphin, who represents Chad Henne, in mid-air. Instead of allowing Henne to soar, Henning just gets in the way and ruins everything.
Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment. I am always checking and responding to comments, so I look forward to hearing from you soon. Also, if you ever just want to talk football, please feel free to email me at paul@dolphinshout.com. I always find it fun to just talk to other Dolphins fans about their opinions on the franchise and recent moves they have made.
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Chad Henne Or Tyler Thigpen: Who Should Start Next Week For The Miami Dolphins?
By now you have probably calmed down somewhat after that extremely frustrating and humiliating shutout against the Bears. No matter what you think about this year's team and its players, the show must go on.
The season is not over yet, and the Miami Dolphins are back to .500 with 6 games left to play. It is going to be considerably harder to make the playoffs after that loss, but the Dolphins still have a shot.
Because the Dolphins still have a shot, my question is: Which quarterback gives the Miami Dolphins a better shot? Chad Henne or Tyler Thigpen?
Normally, after a 16-0 loss you would expect the losing team's starting quarterback to be on the bench for the next game, but this loss is not completely Tyler Thigpen's fault.
Thigpen hardly had any blocking at all Thursday night, and was constantly forced to scramble with the ball. Yes, Tyler Thigpen is a good scrambler, but no quarterback can be successful while on the run for every single play of the game. He never had time to get settled, and it showed in the Miami Dolphins inability to score a single point.
Despite all of Thigpen's struggles, he only threw one interception that was tipped on the line, and had a pretty good completion percentage going 58% by completing 17 out of 29 passes. He was able to be moderately successful while the rest of the offense was crumbling down around him.
Chad Henne, on the other hand, has had great blocking this season, but poor play calling and a pathetic running game have held him back. Henne isn't nearly as fast as Thigpen, and he hardly ever scrambles unless there is a wide-open hole in front of him. What Henne has going for him is his arm strength. If Miami's offensive coordinator Dan Henning were capable of calling the correct plays, then Henne could be a dangerous downfield threat.
Henne has a bunch of weapons on the Miami Dolphins, but he is never allowed to use them to his full abilities because he is always forced to throw short passes. He also has a knack for throwing interceptions, but many of them are because he has to constantly throw the ball short distances, which isn't one of his strengths. After a lot of the shorter throws he is forced by Dan Henning to make, he is bound to misfire every once in a while, resulting in an interception.
If I were the Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator choosing whom to start, I would put Chad Henne in there. Henne has an incredible arm and more experience in this offense than Thigpen.
If Dan Henning finally allows Henne to air the ball out we could see a major improvement in this Miami Dolphins ability to score. Not only would passing the ball turn out better for the Dolphins, but running the ball would work better, too. Defenses will be more concerned with covering receivers and less concerned with stopping the running game, which can really open things up for the backs.
All of this is assuming that Henne is healthy enough, though. I have not heard any indications about whether he will be able to play next week, but I am assuming that the extra rest he gets because of a Thursday night game will be enough to recover. He also had his pads and jersey on Thursday night, which tells me he could have played if it was absolutely necessary.
That's all I've got for now. Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment below with your predicted starter. I would like to hear what you think.
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