The Miami Dolphins came up big with a wild win against the Chicago Bears.
There was a collective groan and the echo of, "careful what you wish for," when Ryan Tannehill was ruled out for the game. It was his 21st missed game in the last three years. Brock Osweiler meanwhile, is certainly no Jay Cutler, but since leaving Denver with a huge free agent contract to play in Houston, he has been unable to regain the magic, until Sunday.
After exchanging punts, Osweiler and the Dolphins put together a 54-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to newly signed tight end Nick O'Leary. O'Leary is a local Palm Beach native, who also happens to be the grandson of golf legend, Jack Nicholas. O'Leary did Jack proud, playing a very fine football game for his hometown team.
On the ensuing drive, the Bears seemed to find their stride and went for it on 4th and 1. It wasn't to be, as Miami's premier defender Reshad Jones, sniffed out the screen and shut down the Bears. Plays like this demonstrate why Miami is not the same team without Jones on the field. His presence lifts the entire defense.
After punting back and forth, the Bears got it going again with a 74-yard drive to the Miami 1 yard line. Just when it seemed Chicago would tie the game Robert Quinn stripped Howard and the ever-present Kiko Alonso jumped on the loose ball. Miami had stuffed the Bears again.
Miami began driving the football again, moving 64 yards in 11-plays when Brock Osweiler took a shot down field to Devante Parker. Parker failed to protect his QB, leading to an Osweiler INT without Parker even attempting to make a play on the ball. Miami went into half time leading 7-0. The play may have been the final straw for Parker, who did not play another down.
On the heels of that disparaging play, the second half started disastrous for the Miami Dolphins. The Bears scored in three plays. Osweiler proceeded to telegraph an awful interception trying to find Albert Wilson on the sideline. In one play, the Bears scored again, erasing the tie to lead 14-7. It was easily Osweiler's worst play of the game.
Miami drove 43-yards in 8 plays but settled for a field goal to pull within 14-10. Three plays later, the Bears cut through the Miami defense like a hot knife through butter and scored again. With the score now 21-10, the Dolphins looked shell-shocked and it seemed the rout was on.
Miami did not cave as expected and drove the ball 68-yards in 11 plays, giving the defense a much needed rest. Osweiler did not seem bothered by much of anything and team followed his leadership. Unfortunately, the Dolphins were unable to convert the touchdown and settled for a field goal to end the third quarter, down 21-13.
The bears began the fourth quarter by driving all the way to the Miami 3 yard line when the magic began to happen. TJ McDonald stepped in front of a Trubisky pass in the endzone and the Dolphin defense breathed new life into the entire team.
The Dolphins worked the field for six plays when Osweiler flipped a short pass to Albert Wilson. Wilson shredded the Bears secondary leaving would be tacklers clutching nothing but air. 43-yards later, Wilson danced into the endzone leaving the Dolphins down by 2 points.
Adam Gase, decide to ride the train out and went for two. Osweiler was chased from the pocket. On a typical non-call for Miami, Danny Amendola was pushed to the ground. Unfazed, Osweiler kept the play alive long enough to throw a rope to Kenny Stills in the back of the endzone and Miami had completed the comeback to tie the game at 21.
The Bears again took control of the Miami defense, immediately driving 75-yards in 11 plays, while eating nearly 6 minutes off the game clock to take back the lead 28-21.
Albert Wilson would have none of that and in one play, raced through the entire vaunted Chicago defense, 75-yards into the endzone and Miami had tied the game at 28 in less than 30 seconds.
Miami could not convert after Kiko Alonso forced a fumble recovered by Howard and went 3 and out. With only 34-seconds left, deep in their own territory, Chicago opted to take the game into overtime.
Miami won the toss and promptly rode the horse named Frank Gore all the way to the one yard line. Then disaster struck, Kenyon Drake took a handoff and bounced right heading for the winning TD when the ball was popped loose. Drake lost the handle and hung his head in despair as the Bears drove down for the winning field goal.
But the great Gods would have none of it and former Dolphin Cody Parkey promptly missed the game winning field goal, wide right...
Osweiler one more time took the reigns, getting the ball three straight times to a redeemed Kenyon Drake for a total of 22-yards. A quick throw to Amendola for 6 yards positioned Miami at the 29 yard line. Osweiler spiked the ball with only 3 seconds left before the game would end in a tie.
After a Chicago icing, rookie kicker Jason Sanders stepped up and knocked through the game winning 47-yard field goal as time expired. All over Miami fandom pandemonium exploded. The Dolphins had miraculously gutted out an incredible victory after two straight agonizing losses.
For the much maligned Brock Oweiler, the victory was sweet. For Kenyon Drake, what could have been a confidence destroying fumble was washed away with the savory flavor of victory. The Miami defense showed again that this unit is moving toward something special.
Coach Adam Gase stuck with his team and never allowed them to think victory was impossible. We're left to ponder the future of Ryan Tannehill, but allow that to rest while the sweet scent of this win resonates in the hearts of Miami fans everywhere. :) :) :)
Showing posts with label Reshad Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reshad Jones. Show all posts
Miami Defensive Backs Poised for a Great Season
It took three preseason games, but the Miami Dolphins finally showed some life and gave fans a preview of what could be a special 2018 season. There are still holes in this team, but the good is starting to displace the bad. In a world full of negativity, it's time for the Dolphins to lean on their strengths and cover up the ugly. The offense will come later as the focus falls squarely on the Miami defense.
The team is prepping for some serious leaning on what may become a spectacular unit, the defensive backfield. Only last season, media and fans alike berated the defensive back's obvious ineptitude. All of that has changed with the drafting of Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitz is one of the most unique players ever to don a Miami Dolphin uniform.
While metaphors spring from the keyboard with relative ease when writing about Fitzpartick, it's best to explain him in Dolphin terms. Minkah has the instincts and study habits of Zach Thomas, the body of Reshad Jones and the coverage ability of Sam Madison. Fitzpatrick may go down as one of the best draft picks in Miami Dolphin history.
Since the retirement of Zach Thomas, a continuous gaping hole has resided in the middle of the Dolphins defense. Zach had the ability to sniff out the offense's intention and place himself in the right place at the right time. By combining great instincts with insatiable study habits, Zach knew the play, many times before the snap. Placing Minkah Fitzpatrick in that hallowed stratosphere is very high praise indeed.
Since Thomas retired, offenses have morphed into a high tempo, run pass option (RPO) style that Miami has never adjusted to, until now. Safeties Reshad Jones and TJ MacDonald are both excellent players, Jones is pro bowl caliber and MacDonald can add a legitimate eighth body to the box.
Xavien Howard and Bobby McCain are both very good corners. Howard is rounding into form as the best cover guy on the Miami Dolphins, and he is not afraid to stick his nose in on run support. McCain is a small feisty corner in the vein of a young Brent Grimes, who can make plays in spite of his diminutive stature.
This represents the best defensive backfield the Miami Dolphins have presented to opposing offenses in many years. It will become the backbone of this team in an interesting philosophical shift from big money defensive tackles to a well-paid complete defensive backfield unit.
For all of his greatness, Ndamukong Suh could not stop dinky passes throw right behind him. He carried three players into the path of least resistance, while the ball was going the other direction. From the vantage point behind the line of scrimmage, savvy play makers like the Miami DBs can root out these plays without getting caught in the wash.
Moving from the spectacular to the good, Miami's defensive line is going to benefit greatly from the improvement in the DBs behind them. The term "coverage sack" will take on a whole new meaning. Cam Wake and Robert Quinn present two very accomplished and polished pass rushers with some interesting options to spell them. Those near misses by Wake we have come to lament over the years will turn into game changing sacks when coverage adds an extra second to the pass rush.
The defensive tackles will be okay and really, they don't need to be much better. As briefly mention earlier, the philosophy of having a monster in the middle of the defense proved a flawed tenant. It's foolish to dismiss the greatness of Ndamukong Suh, but clearly his impact was not worth the huge chunk of the salary cap he represented. The entire starting defensive backfield is cheaper than Suh...
Akeem Spence, Jordan Phillips, Devon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor are a hardy bunch of O-line eaters that can rotate continuously. None of them is in the Suh category, but they don't need to be, they only need to be good for the players beside and behind them to thrive. If the defensive tackles can hold their own, the entire defense will shine around them. It's a dirty job, but the pay is good.
Bringing us once again to the weak-link of the Miami Dolphin defense, the linebackers. To this point, the only linebacker with any historical data is the notoriously inconsistent Kiko Alonso. The tale of Raekwon McMillan's lost rookie season is not worth rehashing, leaving the question of whether he can actually play in the NFL. The pre-season has not been an indicator of greatness. Jerome Baker is a rookie 3rd round pick who has shown signs of being a decent draft pick, but again there is no historical data.
The linebacker corps is very thin behind these players with only Chase Allen playing to NFL standards. Here lies the Miami Dolphin defense's wild card, will the LBs round into form sooner rather than later? Will they round into form at all? The center of the defense has looked soft in the preseason with yards coming in huge chunks. Two runs have already eclipsed 60 yards. As Adam Gase is fond of saying, "we need to clean this up,” or another agonizing season awaits the Miami linebackers.
Health will play a big role in Miami's resurgence as a dominant defense. The depth in all units behind the defensive line is thin at best. The Dolphins have a chance to be great, if the rookie linebackers (McMillan is a rookie) round into form, the defensive backs gel as a unit and those two gifted pass rushers can defy age by having monster seasons.
From this point of view, losing Suh will have a greater positive impact than many suspect. The philosophical switch from inside-out to outside-in, will begin paying dividends in the name of Minkah Fitzpatrick.
As an outlying thought, if the Miami Dolphins played the NFL draft with the intention of making sure Fitzpatrick fell to them, it was magnificent!
The team is prepping for some serious leaning on what may become a spectacular unit, the defensive backfield. Only last season, media and fans alike berated the defensive back's obvious ineptitude. All of that has changed with the drafting of Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitz is one of the most unique players ever to don a Miami Dolphin uniform.
While metaphors spring from the keyboard with relative ease when writing about Fitzpartick, it's best to explain him in Dolphin terms. Minkah has the instincts and study habits of Zach Thomas, the body of Reshad Jones and the coverage ability of Sam Madison. Fitzpatrick may go down as one of the best draft picks in Miami Dolphin history.
Since the retirement of Zach Thomas, a continuous gaping hole has resided in the middle of the Dolphins defense. Zach had the ability to sniff out the offense's intention and place himself in the right place at the right time. By combining great instincts with insatiable study habits, Zach knew the play, many times before the snap. Placing Minkah Fitzpatrick in that hallowed stratosphere is very high praise indeed.
Since Thomas retired, offenses have morphed into a high tempo, run pass option (RPO) style that Miami has never adjusted to, until now. Safeties Reshad Jones and TJ MacDonald are both excellent players, Jones is pro bowl caliber and MacDonald can add a legitimate eighth body to the box.
Xavien Howard and Bobby McCain are both very good corners. Howard is rounding into form as the best cover guy on the Miami Dolphins, and he is not afraid to stick his nose in on run support. McCain is a small feisty corner in the vein of a young Brent Grimes, who can make plays in spite of his diminutive stature.
This represents the best defensive backfield the Miami Dolphins have presented to opposing offenses in many years. It will become the backbone of this team in an interesting philosophical shift from big money defensive tackles to a well-paid complete defensive backfield unit.
For all of his greatness, Ndamukong Suh could not stop dinky passes throw right behind him. He carried three players into the path of least resistance, while the ball was going the other direction. From the vantage point behind the line of scrimmage, savvy play makers like the Miami DBs can root out these plays without getting caught in the wash.
Moving from the spectacular to the good, Miami's defensive line is going to benefit greatly from the improvement in the DBs behind them. The term "coverage sack" will take on a whole new meaning. Cam Wake and Robert Quinn present two very accomplished and polished pass rushers with some interesting options to spell them. Those near misses by Wake we have come to lament over the years will turn into game changing sacks when coverage adds an extra second to the pass rush.
The defensive tackles will be okay and really, they don't need to be much better. As briefly mention earlier, the philosophy of having a monster in the middle of the defense proved a flawed tenant. It's foolish to dismiss the greatness of Ndamukong Suh, but clearly his impact was not worth the huge chunk of the salary cap he represented. The entire starting defensive backfield is cheaper than Suh...
Akeem Spence, Jordan Phillips, Devon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor are a hardy bunch of O-line eaters that can rotate continuously. None of them is in the Suh category, but they don't need to be, they only need to be good for the players beside and behind them to thrive. If the defensive tackles can hold their own, the entire defense will shine around them. It's a dirty job, but the pay is good.
Bringing us once again to the weak-link of the Miami Dolphin defense, the linebackers. To this point, the only linebacker with any historical data is the notoriously inconsistent Kiko Alonso. The tale of Raekwon McMillan's lost rookie season is not worth rehashing, leaving the question of whether he can actually play in the NFL. The pre-season has not been an indicator of greatness. Jerome Baker is a rookie 3rd round pick who has shown signs of being a decent draft pick, but again there is no historical data.
The linebacker corps is very thin behind these players with only Chase Allen playing to NFL standards. Here lies the Miami Dolphin defense's wild card, will the LBs round into form sooner rather than later? Will they round into form at all? The center of the defense has looked soft in the preseason with yards coming in huge chunks. Two runs have already eclipsed 60 yards. As Adam Gase is fond of saying, "we need to clean this up,” or another agonizing season awaits the Miami linebackers.
Health will play a big role in Miami's resurgence as a dominant defense. The depth in all units behind the defensive line is thin at best. The Dolphins have a chance to be great, if the rookie linebackers (McMillan is a rookie) round into form, the defensive backs gel as a unit and those two gifted pass rushers can defy age by having monster seasons.
From this point of view, losing Suh will have a greater positive impact than many suspect. The philosophical switch from inside-out to outside-in, will begin paying dividends in the name of Minkah Fitzpatrick.
As an outlying thought, if the Miami Dolphins played the NFL draft with the intention of making sure Fitzpatrick fell to them, it was magnificent!
The Dolphin Defense Flounders as Jay Cutler Shines
The
sense coming into the third preseason game was the Miami defense would
need to carry the team until the offense found its swagger. Jay Cutler
needed time to shake off the rust and find a rhythm with his receivers.
The opposite proved true, Adam Gase’s offense quickly adjusted to
Cutler’s quick release and carved up the Eagles secondary, while the
Miami defense struggled mightily.
Jay Ajayi slashed and bruised his way through the Philadelphia defense for nearly 6-yards a carry and even Mike Pouncey walked away smiling. The Cutler signing looked almost prophetic as Matt Moore threw two ugly interceptions, one resulting in a pick six. With the Dolphins threatening to score, Moore tossed a rookie INT into two defenders with no Miami player close enough to contest.
If anything, the 38-31 loss to the Eagles seemed to vindicate Adam Gase’s decision to pull Jay Cutler out of retirement for one last shot at something special. The offensive line mostly held its own with Mike Pouncey out of bubble wrap for the first time this preseason. An ugly missed block by left tackle Laremy Tunsil caused Cutler’s only bad play, a strip sack-fumble leading to an Eagle TD. Both Tunsil and right tackle Ja’Wuan James looked slow and unprepared for live game action.
21 dynamic points with Jay Cutler at the helm, showed the Miami offense did not miss a beat without Ryan Tannehill. In fact, Cutler was noticeably more at ease in Gase’s offense after only 18 days in Miami, than Tannehill had been in a full season. With the playbook relegated to only a few pages, it should be quite interesting to see the transformation with a full arsenal on display. Cutler seemed particularly eager to find DeVante Parker in one on one situations and their 72 yard hook-up was a teaser of things to come.
The Miami defense on the other hand did not look much different than where it left off ranked 30th in the NFL last season. There were a couple of bursts in the first quarter, including a tipped ball interception that saw 340 pound Jordan Phillips rumble to the 2 yard line, but overall, the defense was not good. Byron Maxwell lost interest in coverage resulting in a 50 yard TD completion to Alshon Jeffery. Bobby McCain was caught flat footed on multiple occasions and hopefully Reshad Jones was simply rusty because his tackling was pathetic.
Key defensive free agent acquisition Lawrence Timmons looked incredibly slow reacting at the point of attack. The step Timmons was rumored to have lost, did not come from his feet, but rather in his inability to recognize the play before being blocked out of it. It was not a good sign for Miami, when Timmons looked lost for much of the evening. For whatever reason, Kiko Alonso and Ndamukong Suh did not appear to be interested in the game as their names were rarely called.
Playing T. J. McDonald at safety seemed counter-productive when the player will be lost to suspension for the first 8 games of the season. Obviously, Nate Allen was nursing some vague injury, but aside from Xavien Howard, the Miami secondary had trouble in staying with Eagle receivers the entire night. With blown coverages all over the field and missed tackles, Matt Burke’s defense looked a long way from being ready to open the season in two weeks.
Before reading too deeply into negative reactions, this was a preseason game and for the defense, it certainly looked the part. There is work to be done all over the defense, from the line play, to linebacker positionings and in the secondary. The positive is the plethora of opportunities Miami coaches will have to teach from the many mistakes.
In all, the Miami Dolphins can safely place the loss of Ryan Tannehill behind them in the mental preparation for the season. Jay Cutler is going to be just fine and may even be the NFL’s biggest surprise. The concentration should now be centered on getting the offensive line playing together, healthy and in sync.
On the defensive side, there simply must be more intensity. In this game, there were a few moments of true dominance, but far too often poor execution led to costly chucks of yardage and touch downs.
Suh’s name was not called, Alonso’s name was not called, Jones’ and Maxwell’s names were called for all the wrong reasons. If these guys are joining Cameron Wake as the money players on this defense, then they’re going to have to strap it up and bring some conviction. After spending two days practicing against the Eagles, Lawrence Timmons' lack of anticipation should be a huge concern.
It’s a preseason game, and drawing too many conclusions from these games is a mistake…
The Dolphins now have a very good read on what they need to sure up over the next two weeks.
They can do that with a comforting sigh knowing the loss of Ryan Tannehill will have little or no impact on the season’s outcome.
Welcome to Miami Jay Cutler!
Jay Ajayi slashed and bruised his way through the Philadelphia defense for nearly 6-yards a carry and even Mike Pouncey walked away smiling. The Cutler signing looked almost prophetic as Matt Moore threw two ugly interceptions, one resulting in a pick six. With the Dolphins threatening to score, Moore tossed a rookie INT into two defenders with no Miami player close enough to contest.
If anything, the 38-31 loss to the Eagles seemed to vindicate Adam Gase’s decision to pull Jay Cutler out of retirement for one last shot at something special. The offensive line mostly held its own with Mike Pouncey out of bubble wrap for the first time this preseason. An ugly missed block by left tackle Laremy Tunsil caused Cutler’s only bad play, a strip sack-fumble leading to an Eagle TD. Both Tunsil and right tackle Ja’Wuan James looked slow and unprepared for live game action.
21 dynamic points with Jay Cutler at the helm, showed the Miami offense did not miss a beat without Ryan Tannehill. In fact, Cutler was noticeably more at ease in Gase’s offense after only 18 days in Miami, than Tannehill had been in a full season. With the playbook relegated to only a few pages, it should be quite interesting to see the transformation with a full arsenal on display. Cutler seemed particularly eager to find DeVante Parker in one on one situations and their 72 yard hook-up was a teaser of things to come.
The Miami defense on the other hand did not look much different than where it left off ranked 30th in the NFL last season. There were a couple of bursts in the first quarter, including a tipped ball interception that saw 340 pound Jordan Phillips rumble to the 2 yard line, but overall, the defense was not good. Byron Maxwell lost interest in coverage resulting in a 50 yard TD completion to Alshon Jeffery. Bobby McCain was caught flat footed on multiple occasions and hopefully Reshad Jones was simply rusty because his tackling was pathetic.
Key defensive free agent acquisition Lawrence Timmons looked incredibly slow reacting at the point of attack. The step Timmons was rumored to have lost, did not come from his feet, but rather in his inability to recognize the play before being blocked out of it. It was not a good sign for Miami, when Timmons looked lost for much of the evening. For whatever reason, Kiko Alonso and Ndamukong Suh did not appear to be interested in the game as their names were rarely called.
Playing T. J. McDonald at safety seemed counter-productive when the player will be lost to suspension for the first 8 games of the season. Obviously, Nate Allen was nursing some vague injury, but aside from Xavien Howard, the Miami secondary had trouble in staying with Eagle receivers the entire night. With blown coverages all over the field and missed tackles, Matt Burke’s defense looked a long way from being ready to open the season in two weeks.
Before reading too deeply into negative reactions, this was a preseason game and for the defense, it certainly looked the part. There is work to be done all over the defense, from the line play, to linebacker positionings and in the secondary. The positive is the plethora of opportunities Miami coaches will have to teach from the many mistakes.
In all, the Miami Dolphins can safely place the loss of Ryan Tannehill behind them in the mental preparation for the season. Jay Cutler is going to be just fine and may even be the NFL’s biggest surprise. The concentration should now be centered on getting the offensive line playing together, healthy and in sync.
On the defensive side, there simply must be more intensity. In this game, there were a few moments of true dominance, but far too often poor execution led to costly chucks of yardage and touch downs.
Suh’s name was not called, Alonso’s name was not called, Jones’ and Maxwell’s names were called for all the wrong reasons. If these guys are joining Cameron Wake as the money players on this defense, then they’re going to have to strap it up and bring some conviction. After spending two days practicing against the Eagles, Lawrence Timmons' lack of anticipation should be a huge concern.
It’s a preseason game, and drawing too many conclusions from these games is a mistake…
The Dolphins now have a very good read on what they need to sure up over the next two weeks.
They can do that with a comforting sigh knowing the loss of Ryan Tannehill will have little or no impact on the season’s outcome.
Welcome to Miami Jay Cutler!
The Dolphin Defense Flounders as Jay Cutler Shines
The sense coming into the third preseason game was the Miami defense would need to carry the team until the offense found its swagger. Jay Cutler needed time to shake off the rust and find a rhythm with his receivers. The opposite proved true, Adam Gase’s offense quickly adjusted to Cutler’s quick release and carved up the Eagles secondary, while the Miami defense struggled mightily.
Jay Ajayi slashed and bruised his way through the Philadelphia defense for nearly 6-yards a carry and even Mike Pouncey walked away smiling. The Cutler signing looked almost prophetic as Matt Moore threw two ugly interceptions, one resulting in a pick six. With the Dolphins threatening to score, Moore tossed a rookie INT into two defenders with no Miami player close enough to contest.
If anything, the 38-31 loss to the Eagles seemed to vindicate Adam Gase’s decision to pull Jay Cutler out of retirement for one last shot at something special. The offensive line mostly held its own with Mike Pouncey out of bubble wrap for the first time this preseason. An ugly missed block by left tackle Laremy Tunsil caused Cutler’s only bad play, a strip sack-fumble leading to an Eagle TD. Both Tunsil and right tackle Ja’Wuan James looked slow and unprepared for live game action.
21 dynamic points with Jay Cutler at the helm, showed the Miami offense did not miss a beat without Ryan Tannehill. In fact, Cutler was noticeably more at ease in Gase’s offense after only 18 days in Miami, than Tannehill had been in a full season. With the playbook relegated to only a few pages, it should be quite interesting to see the transformation with a full arsenal on display. Cutler seemed particularly eager to find DeVante Parker in one on one situations and their 72 yard hook-up was a teaser of things to come.
The Miami defense on the other hand did not look much different than where it left off ranked 30th in the NFL last season. There were a couple of bursts in the first quarter, including a tipped ball interception that saw 340 pound Jordan Phillips rumble to the 2 yard line, but overall, the defense was not good. Byron Maxwell lost interest in coverage resulting in a 50 yard TD completion to Alshon Jeffery. Bobby McCain was caught flat footed on multiple occasions and hopefully Reshad Jones was simply rusty because his tackling was pathetic.
Key defensive free agent acquisition Lawrence Timmons looked incredibly slow reacting at the point of attack. The step Timmons was rumored to have lost, did not come from his feet, but rather in his inability to recognize the play before being blocked out of it. It was not a good sign for Miami, when Timmons looked lost for much of the evening. For whatever reason, Kiko Alonso and Ndamukong Suh did not appear to be interested in the game as their names were rarely called.
Playing T. J. McDonald at safety seemed counter-productive when the player will be lost to suspension for the first 8 games of the season. Obviously, Nate Allen was nursing some vague injury, but aside from Xavien Howard, the Miami secondary had trouble in staying with Eagle receivers the entire night. With blown coverages all over the field and missed tackles, Matt Burke’s defense looked a long way from being ready to open the season in two weeks.
Before reading too deeply into negative reactions, this was a preseason game and for the defense, it certainly looked the part. There is work to be done all over the defense, from the line play, to linebacker positionings and in the secondary. The positive is the plethora of opportunities Miami coaches will have to teach from the many mistakes.
In all, the Miami Dolphins can safely place the loss of Ryan Tannehill behind them in the mental preparation for the season. Jay Cutler is going to be just fine and may even be the NFL’s biggest surprise. The concentration should now be centered on getting the offensive line playing together, healthy and in sync.
On the defensive side, there simply must be more intensity. In this game, there were a few moments of true dominance, but far too often poor execution led to costly chucks of yardage and touch downs.
Suh’s name was not called, Alonso’s name was not called, Jones’ and Maxwell’s names were called for all the wrong reasons. If these guys are joining Cameron Wake as the money players on this defense, then they’re going to have to strap it up and bring some conviction. After spending two days practicing against the Eagles, Lawrence Timmons' lack of anticipation should be a huge concern.
It’s a preseason game, and drawing too many conclusions from these games is a mistake…
The Dolphins now have a very good read on what they need to sure up over the next two weeks.
They can do that with a comforting sigh knowing the loss of Ryan Tannehill will have little or no impact on the season’s outcome.
Welcome to Miami Jay Cutler!
Jay Ajayi slashed and bruised his way through the Philadelphia defense for nearly 6-yards a carry and even Mike Pouncey walked away smiling. The Cutler signing looked almost prophetic as Matt Moore threw two ugly interceptions, one resulting in a pick six. With the Dolphins threatening to score, Moore tossed a rookie INT into two defenders with no Miami player close enough to contest.
If anything, the 38-31 loss to the Eagles seemed to vindicate Adam Gase’s decision to pull Jay Cutler out of retirement for one last shot at something special. The offensive line mostly held its own with Mike Pouncey out of bubble wrap for the first time this preseason. An ugly missed block by left tackle Laremy Tunsil caused Cutler’s only bad play, a strip sack-fumble leading to an Eagle TD. Both Tunsil and right tackle Ja’Wuan James looked slow and unprepared for live game action.
21 dynamic points with Jay Cutler at the helm, showed the Miami offense did not miss a beat without Ryan Tannehill. In fact, Cutler was noticeably more at ease in Gase’s offense after only 18 days in Miami, than Tannehill had been in a full season. With the playbook relegated to only a few pages, it should be quite interesting to see the transformation with a full arsenal on display. Cutler seemed particularly eager to find DeVante Parker in one on one situations and their 72 yard hook-up was a teaser of things to come.
The Miami defense on the other hand did not look much different than where it left off ranked 30th in the NFL last season. There were a couple of bursts in the first quarter, including a tipped ball interception that saw 340 pound Jordan Phillips rumble to the 2 yard line, but overall, the defense was not good. Byron Maxwell lost interest in coverage resulting in a 50 yard TD completion to Alshon Jeffery. Bobby McCain was caught flat footed on multiple occasions and hopefully Reshad Jones was simply rusty because his tackling was pathetic.
Key defensive free agent acquisition Lawrence Timmons looked incredibly slow reacting at the point of attack. The step Timmons was rumored to have lost, did not come from his feet, but rather in his inability to recognize the play before being blocked out of it. It was not a good sign for Miami, when Timmons looked lost for much of the evening. For whatever reason, Kiko Alonso and Ndamukong Suh did not appear to be interested in the game as their names were rarely called.
Playing T. J. McDonald at safety seemed counter-productive when the player will be lost to suspension for the first 8 games of the season. Obviously, Nate Allen was nursing some vague injury, but aside from Xavien Howard, the Miami secondary had trouble in staying with Eagle receivers the entire night. With blown coverages all over the field and missed tackles, Matt Burke’s defense looked a long way from being ready to open the season in two weeks.
Before reading too deeply into negative reactions, this was a preseason game and for the defense, it certainly looked the part. There is work to be done all over the defense, from the line play, to linebacker positionings and in the secondary. The positive is the plethora of opportunities Miami coaches will have to teach from the many mistakes.
In all, the Miami Dolphins can safely place the loss of Ryan Tannehill behind them in the mental preparation for the season. Jay Cutler is going to be just fine and may even be the NFL’s biggest surprise. The concentration should now be centered on getting the offensive line playing together, healthy and in sync.
On the defensive side, there simply must be more intensity. In this game, there were a few moments of true dominance, but far too often poor execution led to costly chucks of yardage and touch downs.
Suh’s name was not called, Alonso’s name was not called, Jones’ and Maxwell’s names were called for all the wrong reasons. If these guys are joining Cameron Wake as the money players on this defense, then they’re going to have to strap it up and bring some conviction. After spending two days practicing against the Eagles, Lawrence Timmons' lack of anticipation should be a huge concern.
It’s a preseason game, and drawing too many conclusions from these games is a mistake…
The Dolphins now have a very good read on what they need to sure up over the next two weeks.
They can do that with a comforting sigh knowing the loss of Ryan Tannehill will have little or no impact on the season’s outcome.
Welcome to Miami Jay Cutler!
The Miami Dolphins Welcome the Adam Gase Era
Miami Dolphin faithful sense a brighter future heading into this offseason after reaching the playoffs in 2016. Rookie coach Adam Gase brought intensity and a completely different mindset to a team that seemed destined for perpetual mediocrity. An improbable playoff run after a 1-4 start was exacerbated by a rash of injuries and yet this Miami team marched on, showcasing Gase’s ability to inspire players. The “next-man-up” cliché carried Miami in contrast to previous squads that wilted when injuries sideline multiple starters.
Pro bowl players Reshad Jones and Mike Pouncey spent most of the season watching from the sidelines on Injured Reserve. Starting safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, tight end Jordan Cameron and outside linebacker Koa Misi, joined the pro bowlers on IR. Starting CBs, Xavien Howard and Byron Maxwell, LB Jelani Jenkins, DT Earl Mitchell missed much of the season nursing injuries. Starting OL Branden Albert and Laremy Tunsil missed multiple games and Arian Foster simply quit. In other seasons, under different leadership, this team would have folded.
Adam Gase set the tone early by leaving Jay Ajayi in Miami while the team traveled to Seattle for an opening season loss. Gase had named Arian Foster the starter, Ajayi was unhappy and felt he deserved the job. The Dolphins lost to Seattle by a mere two points and Foster rushed for only 36 yards. Ajayi had let his teammates down by making his personal ambition of starting more important than his commitment to the team. The Dolphins may have lost the game, but the message was clear, no player was larger than the sum of the whole. The teaching moment paid off as Ajayi went on to have three 200+ yard games and ran hard the entire season.
A 30-17 week five home debacle to the Tennessee Titans found the 1-4 Dolphins staring down another losing season. Branden Albert (virus) and Laremy Tunsil (ankle) did not suit up and the Titans sacked quarterback Ryan Tannehill six times, repeatedly planting him on his backside. Needing to send the message loud and clear, Adam Gase made what seemed like a rash decision. Gase cut offensive lineman Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner and Jamil Douglas along with RB Isaiah Pead.
Gase did not care about draft status or contract value, he was simply tired of players who did not have the sense of urgency to prepare themselves to play football at the highest level. The image of Dallas Thomas being pushed into the backfield and pancaked, while Tannehill ran for his life was etched so lucidly into Gase’s mind that he simply had enough. He knew not cutting these players would send the message that being unprepared and unaccountable was acceptable. It was not and Adam Gase decided he would rather coach committed journeymen than undisciplined, uninspired draft picks.
Some of the players in the stunned locker room looked on with trepidation. Gase opened the door for the players with the proper mindset to step up and begin leading his team. Their coach was one hundred percent committed to his craft and he expected the same commitment from his players. If they were not in it to win it, he would escort them out the door to place where common folk work their entire lives for less money than the yearly NFL minimum salary. Complacency does not happen overnight and resorting to drastic measures is sometimes what it takes to instill change. At that point, Gase was unsure he would win another game the entire season, but he was certain his players knew what was expected of them.
On October 16th, the mighty Pittsburg Steelers traveled to sunny Miami expecting to encounter a terrible 1-4 team that barely defeated the hapless Cleveland Browns. The Dolphins appeared from the outside as a team in complete disarray after cutting players five weeks into the season. Arian Foster had missed the previous three games after injuring his groin and hamstring in Miami's Week 2 loss at New England. Foster was set returned in Week 6, but this time Jay Ajayi would not be denied. The Steelers could not have prepared for the buzz-saw spinning in Miami.
With Branden Albert and Laremy Tunsil healthy, Mike Pouncey was finally in command of the entire starting offensive line. Leading 8-3 in the first quarter, perhaps the Steelers peeked ahead to the New England Patriots. The expected cruise to an easy victory was derailed by an all-out ground assault from the Miami Dolphins. 204 Jay Ajayi yards left no doubt in Adam Gase’s mind that Arian Foster would not return to the starting lineup. The Dolphins buried the Steelers 30-15, Arian Foster retired and Miami’s rise to the NFL playoffs had begun.
Over the next five weeks the Dolphins repeatedly found ways to win close football games. The Dolphins beat the Bills when Ajayi again eclipsed the 200 yard mark and the Dolphin offense scored 22 points in the final 15:18 winning 28-25. Following the bye week Miami defeated the Jets 27-23 when Kenyan Drake scored untouched on a 96-yard kickoff return to seal the victory. The comforts of home paid dividends for the Dolphins who slept in their own beds for five straight weeks including the bye. A 1-4 record prior to the Pittsburgh game was now suddenly 4-4 and Miami was peaking its head above water for the first time since 2008.
The five week home stand was rudely awakened with the Dolphins heading to the West Coast for consecutive weeks against the Chargers and the Rams. The Chargers seemed to be cruising until the defense intercepted four Philip Rivers’ passes in the fourth quarter. The take away barrage turned into victory when Kiko Alonso jumped in front of Tyrell Williams and outraced the Chargers 60 yards to the end zone with 1:01 left to give the Dolphins a wild 31-24 win. A late acrobatic TD pass from Tannehill to Parker gave Miami a 14-10 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
The 6-4 Dolphins returned home riding a 5-game winning streak. The defense slumped into cruise control leading 31-14 in the fourth quarter against the 49ers and nearly allowed San Francisco to tie the game. Ndamukong Suh and Kiko Alonso ended the contest by stopping the much maligned Colin Kaepernick at the 2 yard-line as time expired. Winners of 6 straight games, owning a 7-4 record the Dolphins had won with a devastating ground game, they won with a kickoff return, they won with an interception return, they won on a beautiful sideline throw and catch and they won on a last ditch defensive stand. This Miami team was making huge plays to win the close games that had eluded them in past seasons.
The 2016 Miami Dolphins were indeed in good hands with rookie coach Adam Gase, but they had faced 5 consecutive opponents that would not be playing in the NFL post season. With the Baltimore Ravens looming, Miami was going to face its first real test since Pittsburgh in the beginning of their miraculous rise. Needless to say, the Dolphins didn’t show up that day, the Ravens punked Miami 38-6. Multiple injuries began to take their toll and with the Arizona Cardinals coming to town, it looked like Miami’s improbably run was about to end. At this point a two game skid would leave the Dolphins outside the NFL playoff picture.
The rain in Miami did not stop the entire game slowing the desert dwelling Cardinals’ offense to a crawl, while Ryan Tannehill threw three TDs in perhaps his best performance of the season. That all changed on one devastating late and low hit when quarterback Ryan Tannehill was lost for the season to a knee injury. The injury swapped the momentum and an easy Dolphin victory was suddenly in jeopardy as Matt Moore entered the game after watching for what seemed like forever. Moore showed the true grit this team had displayed all season and marched Miami to a last second field goal and a 26-23 Dolphins win.
With 8 wins under their belt, and a losing season behind them, even with a back-up QB, the Dolphins promptly hammered the rival Jets 34-13. 34 more points the following week in Buffalo proved too much for the Bills in a 34-31 Miami win. In consecutive weeks the Dolphins had swept the rival Jets and Bills leading to the firing of Rex Ryan in Buffalo. Casting away Ryan and his brother was perhaps one of the more satisfying consequences of the entire season. Miami had grand illusions in the final week against the powerhouse Patriots, but it was not to be. The Dolphins limped out of Hard Rock Stadium on the wrong end of a lopsided 35-14 defeat.
An improbable 10-6 record and playing in the post season for the first time in eight years greeted the Miami faithful to begin 2017. With revenge on their mind a healthy Pittsburgh team trounced the ailing Miami Dolphins 30-12 ending an implausible season in the first round of the playoffs. The final two weeks against the two of the best teams in the NFL showed the fledgling Dolphins how far they have to travel to reach Steven Ross’s goal of winning a Super Bowl.
Articles will be written about how Miami can take a step closer to being a perennial NFL contender. Pundits will point out all the deficiencies of this team, but here and now, the Miami Dolphins have far surpassed expectations. Adam Gase is no longer a rookie, he showed a mental savvy and calmness that far exceeds his age and experience. Watching this coach on the sidelines during games is a case study on maintaining composure at the height of chaos. Gase’s demeanor was so steady it could not help but rub off on his players. Even the infuriatingly lopsided officiating had little effect on the coach. He knew, any outburst by him would lead to further flag tossing.
The season is over, there will be no Lombardi Trophy aborning the case 45 years after Don Shula hoisted the last one. The truth is, during the regular season Miami was actually outscored 380 to 363 points. There are many reasons to think this season was more of an anomaly than a stepping stone. The axiom, “you are what your record says you are,” is a moniker that goes both ways, because winning is the object of the game. Statistics may, in the long run, show the sustenance behind sustained success and yet winners find way to win.
Today we celebrate winning, we celebrate a successful season, we celebrate the immergence of a new coach and new era in Miami Dolphin history. Whether it takes coach Gase 3 or 5 more years to reach the pinnacle of his profession, we can smile at the prospect that the 20 year search for a successor to Don Shula has ended. In the cyclical nature of history, we are witnessing the beginning of a new dynasty in Miami.
Welcome Adam Gase, we look forward to being part of your legacy.
Pro bowl players Reshad Jones and Mike Pouncey spent most of the season watching from the sidelines on Injured Reserve. Starting safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, tight end Jordan Cameron and outside linebacker Koa Misi, joined the pro bowlers on IR. Starting CBs, Xavien Howard and Byron Maxwell, LB Jelani Jenkins, DT Earl Mitchell missed much of the season nursing injuries. Starting OL Branden Albert and Laremy Tunsil missed multiple games and Arian Foster simply quit. In other seasons, under different leadership, this team would have folded.
Adam Gase set the tone early by leaving Jay Ajayi in Miami while the team traveled to Seattle for an opening season loss. Gase had named Arian Foster the starter, Ajayi was unhappy and felt he deserved the job. The Dolphins lost to Seattle by a mere two points and Foster rushed for only 36 yards. Ajayi had let his teammates down by making his personal ambition of starting more important than his commitment to the team. The Dolphins may have lost the game, but the message was clear, no player was larger than the sum of the whole. The teaching moment paid off as Ajayi went on to have three 200+ yard games and ran hard the entire season.
A 30-17 week five home debacle to the Tennessee Titans found the 1-4 Dolphins staring down another losing season. Branden Albert (virus) and Laremy Tunsil (ankle) did not suit up and the Titans sacked quarterback Ryan Tannehill six times, repeatedly planting him on his backside. Needing to send the message loud and clear, Adam Gase made what seemed like a rash decision. Gase cut offensive lineman Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner and Jamil Douglas along with RB Isaiah Pead.
Gase did not care about draft status or contract value, he was simply tired of players who did not have the sense of urgency to prepare themselves to play football at the highest level. The image of Dallas Thomas being pushed into the backfield and pancaked, while Tannehill ran for his life was etched so lucidly into Gase’s mind that he simply had enough. He knew not cutting these players would send the message that being unprepared and unaccountable was acceptable. It was not and Adam Gase decided he would rather coach committed journeymen than undisciplined, uninspired draft picks.
Some of the players in the stunned locker room looked on with trepidation. Gase opened the door for the players with the proper mindset to step up and begin leading his team. Their coach was one hundred percent committed to his craft and he expected the same commitment from his players. If they were not in it to win it, he would escort them out the door to place where common folk work their entire lives for less money than the yearly NFL minimum salary. Complacency does not happen overnight and resorting to drastic measures is sometimes what it takes to instill change. At that point, Gase was unsure he would win another game the entire season, but he was certain his players knew what was expected of them.
On October 16th, the mighty Pittsburg Steelers traveled to sunny Miami expecting to encounter a terrible 1-4 team that barely defeated the hapless Cleveland Browns. The Dolphins appeared from the outside as a team in complete disarray after cutting players five weeks into the season. Arian Foster had missed the previous three games after injuring his groin and hamstring in Miami's Week 2 loss at New England. Foster was set returned in Week 6, but this time Jay Ajayi would not be denied. The Steelers could not have prepared for the buzz-saw spinning in Miami.
With Branden Albert and Laremy Tunsil healthy, Mike Pouncey was finally in command of the entire starting offensive line. Leading 8-3 in the first quarter, perhaps the Steelers peeked ahead to the New England Patriots. The expected cruise to an easy victory was derailed by an all-out ground assault from the Miami Dolphins. 204 Jay Ajayi yards left no doubt in Adam Gase’s mind that Arian Foster would not return to the starting lineup. The Dolphins buried the Steelers 30-15, Arian Foster retired and Miami’s rise to the NFL playoffs had begun.
Over the next five weeks the Dolphins repeatedly found ways to win close football games. The Dolphins beat the Bills when Ajayi again eclipsed the 200 yard mark and the Dolphin offense scored 22 points in the final 15:18 winning 28-25. Following the bye week Miami defeated the Jets 27-23 when Kenyan Drake scored untouched on a 96-yard kickoff return to seal the victory. The comforts of home paid dividends for the Dolphins who slept in their own beds for five straight weeks including the bye. A 1-4 record prior to the Pittsburgh game was now suddenly 4-4 and Miami was peaking its head above water for the first time since 2008.
The five week home stand was rudely awakened with the Dolphins heading to the West Coast for consecutive weeks against the Chargers and the Rams. The Chargers seemed to be cruising until the defense intercepted four Philip Rivers’ passes in the fourth quarter. The take away barrage turned into victory when Kiko Alonso jumped in front of Tyrell Williams and outraced the Chargers 60 yards to the end zone with 1:01 left to give the Dolphins a wild 31-24 win. A late acrobatic TD pass from Tannehill to Parker gave Miami a 14-10 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
The 6-4 Dolphins returned home riding a 5-game winning streak. The defense slumped into cruise control leading 31-14 in the fourth quarter against the 49ers and nearly allowed San Francisco to tie the game. Ndamukong Suh and Kiko Alonso ended the contest by stopping the much maligned Colin Kaepernick at the 2 yard-line as time expired. Winners of 6 straight games, owning a 7-4 record the Dolphins had won with a devastating ground game, they won with a kickoff return, they won with an interception return, they won on a beautiful sideline throw and catch and they won on a last ditch defensive stand. This Miami team was making huge plays to win the close games that had eluded them in past seasons.
The 2016 Miami Dolphins were indeed in good hands with rookie coach Adam Gase, but they had faced 5 consecutive opponents that would not be playing in the NFL post season. With the Baltimore Ravens looming, Miami was going to face its first real test since Pittsburgh in the beginning of their miraculous rise. Needless to say, the Dolphins didn’t show up that day, the Ravens punked Miami 38-6. Multiple injuries began to take their toll and with the Arizona Cardinals coming to town, it looked like Miami’s improbably run was about to end. At this point a two game skid would leave the Dolphins outside the NFL playoff picture.
The rain in Miami did not stop the entire game slowing the desert dwelling Cardinals’ offense to a crawl, while Ryan Tannehill threw three TDs in perhaps his best performance of the season. That all changed on one devastating late and low hit when quarterback Ryan Tannehill was lost for the season to a knee injury. The injury swapped the momentum and an easy Dolphin victory was suddenly in jeopardy as Matt Moore entered the game after watching for what seemed like forever. Moore showed the true grit this team had displayed all season and marched Miami to a last second field goal and a 26-23 Dolphins win.
With 8 wins under their belt, and a losing season behind them, even with a back-up QB, the Dolphins promptly hammered the rival Jets 34-13. 34 more points the following week in Buffalo proved too much for the Bills in a 34-31 Miami win. In consecutive weeks the Dolphins had swept the rival Jets and Bills leading to the firing of Rex Ryan in Buffalo. Casting away Ryan and his brother was perhaps one of the more satisfying consequences of the entire season. Miami had grand illusions in the final week against the powerhouse Patriots, but it was not to be. The Dolphins limped out of Hard Rock Stadium on the wrong end of a lopsided 35-14 defeat.
An improbable 10-6 record and playing in the post season for the first time in eight years greeted the Miami faithful to begin 2017. With revenge on their mind a healthy Pittsburgh team trounced the ailing Miami Dolphins 30-12 ending an implausible season in the first round of the playoffs. The final two weeks against the two of the best teams in the NFL showed the fledgling Dolphins how far they have to travel to reach Steven Ross’s goal of winning a Super Bowl.
Articles will be written about how Miami can take a step closer to being a perennial NFL contender. Pundits will point out all the deficiencies of this team, but here and now, the Miami Dolphins have far surpassed expectations. Adam Gase is no longer a rookie, he showed a mental savvy and calmness that far exceeds his age and experience. Watching this coach on the sidelines during games is a case study on maintaining composure at the height of chaos. Gase’s demeanor was so steady it could not help but rub off on his players. Even the infuriatingly lopsided officiating had little effect on the coach. He knew, any outburst by him would lead to further flag tossing.
The season is over, there will be no Lombardi Trophy aborning the case 45 years after Don Shula hoisted the last one. The truth is, during the regular season Miami was actually outscored 380 to 363 points. There are many reasons to think this season was more of an anomaly than a stepping stone. The axiom, “you are what your record says you are,” is a moniker that goes both ways, because winning is the object of the game. Statistics may, in the long run, show the sustenance behind sustained success and yet winners find way to win.
Today we celebrate winning, we celebrate a successful season, we celebrate the immergence of a new coach and new era in Miami Dolphin history. Whether it takes coach Gase 3 or 5 more years to reach the pinnacle of his profession, we can smile at the prospect that the 20 year search for a successor to Don Shula has ended. In the cyclical nature of history, we are witnessing the beginning of a new dynasty in Miami.
Welcome Adam Gase, we look forward to being part of your legacy.
Dolphins Toxic JUICE Sedates Redskins
The Miami Dolphins began the 2015 season at the Washington Redskins. Over the games first twenty-eight minutes the home team scalped the (pre-season) ready Dolphins who couldn't tackle or execute a play from either side of the ball while making Washington's savages look like a well oiled playoff machine.
Miami's daunting defense were hit head-on and quite frankly getting run over time after time as the Redskins held possession of the ball for 23 of the games 30 first half minutes. The Dolphin rookie Jordan Phillips had Miami's first and only sack of the game on the home teams game opening 12 play possession of 7:21 that resulted in a Field Goal and 3 - 0 lead.
The visitors had a tough road to hoe while an opening day event is the loudest, most inspired day of the season for the home team other than in a playoff atmosphere, and Miami's opening series went three and out. After a Redskin 5 plus minute drive came to an end upon a missed field goal, Miami took the ball with 27 first quarter seconds remaining and went six and out. With 12:09 remaining in the second quarter the Dolphins made their second defensive play of the game as Brent Grimes intercepted Kirk Cousins and returned what looked to be a pik-six for two yards at the Washington 21. On the Dolphins first play Tight End Dion Sims was carted off the field with a neck and head injury after diving for an overthrown Tannehill ball in the end-zone, and Miami went four and out in attempting to gain one yard for a first down from the twelve yard line.
Washington took the ball 78 yards in the opposite direction on 17 plays in 8:49 for a touchdown and 10 - 0 lead with 1:49 first half ticks remaining. Though the previously mentioned injury to tight end Dion Sims who was just one of two active for a team that likes to run a two tight end set seemed to be a nail in the coffin, it was actually a blessing in disguise as Miami was forced to spread wide with multiple receivers for the games remainder. Note; Ryan Tannehill talked to Sims after the game and said he seems to be fine! So. Miami gets the ball with fewer than two first half minutes to go and finally finds it's MOJO with an 80 yard, 9 play, 1:22 drive for a 3 yard Tannehill TOUCHDOWN pass the Rishard Matthews, and a 10 - 7 halftime deficit.
The Dolphins took the second half kick from their own 27, and marched down to the Redskin 22 for what looked to be at least a game tying field goal before on a third and four play Tannehill was sacked and fumbled while the ball was hot-potatoed threw the grasp of many all the way back to the Miami 40 where Washington recovered. Fortunately, Miami's defense came to play in the second half as Washington executed a run of negative two yards, and two passes for zero yards as the Dolphins (other than on the series of the Grimes interception) forced just their second three and out.
Two more scoreless Miami series, and a Washington possession ended the third quarter. The Dolphins second series began with 1:34 to go while continuing into the fourth quarter as Miami drove from their own 20 on ten plays in 5:13 to the home teams 4 when on fourth and four the Dolphins rookie Andrew Franks kicked the game tying 10 - 10 FIELD GOAL.
2015's first fourth quarter has arrived as has finally the Dolphins Defense and Special Teams. The Defense forces it's third three and out of the game, this time for minus five yards and Washington punts from their own 15 yard line. Miami punt returner Jarvis (JUICE) Landry fields the ball at his own 31 and hits the gas straight up the middle between perfectly executed blocks, and goes 69 yards untouched for a Miami Dolphin TOUCHDOWN as his team takes it's first lead of the season at 17 - 10.
The Redskins follow with a drive from their own 35 to the Miami 29 before an absolutely brilliant interception by free agent acquisition Brice McCain at the Dolphins two on a 3rd & 13 play. With 7:35 of the game to go Miami has a 6 play series for 20 yards and punts to Washington who with 5 minutes remaining drives from their own 31 to the visitors 20 in 2:43. On fourth and seven Miami brings the heat and forces an errant incompletion as Miami controls the ball over the final 2:17 for a 17 - 10 Opening Day Road VICTORY!
The rest of the AFC East won their opening day games at home versus AFC teams.
Miami gained 256 total net yards to Washington's (349 of which most came in the first half) as did the final Redskins Time Of Possession advantage of 37:54 to The Dolphins 22:06.
S Rashad Jones (7 solo) led the team with 12 tackles.
LB Koa Misi (9 solo) and Jelani Jenkins (7 solo) each had 11 tackles.
CB Brent Grimes and Brice McCain converted spectacularly played interceptions.
QB Ryan Tannehill went 22 of 34 for 226 yards with a touchdown pass.
RB Lamar Miller had 13 rush attempts for 53 yards.
TE Jordan Cameron caught four balls for 73 yards.
WR Rishard Matthews had a touchdown.
WR Jarvis (JUICE) Landry had 8 receptions for 53 yards with the final score deciding TOXIC 69 yard punt return TOUCHDOWN!
Thank You for an open minded read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS!!!
Miami's daunting defense were hit head-on and quite frankly getting run over time after time as the Redskins held possession of the ball for 23 of the games 30 first half minutes. The Dolphin rookie Jordan Phillips had Miami's first and only sack of the game on the home teams game opening 12 play possession of 7:21 that resulted in a Field Goal and 3 - 0 lead.
The visitors had a tough road to hoe while an opening day event is the loudest, most inspired day of the season for the home team other than in a playoff atmosphere, and Miami's opening series went three and out. After a Redskin 5 plus minute drive came to an end upon a missed field goal, Miami took the ball with 27 first quarter seconds remaining and went six and out. With 12:09 remaining in the second quarter the Dolphins made their second defensive play of the game as Brent Grimes intercepted Kirk Cousins and returned what looked to be a pik-six for two yards at the Washington 21. On the Dolphins first play Tight End Dion Sims was carted off the field with a neck and head injury after diving for an overthrown Tannehill ball in the end-zone, and Miami went four and out in attempting to gain one yard for a first down from the twelve yard line.
Washington took the ball 78 yards in the opposite direction on 17 plays in 8:49 for a touchdown and 10 - 0 lead with 1:49 first half ticks remaining. Though the previously mentioned injury to tight end Dion Sims who was just one of two active for a team that likes to run a two tight end set seemed to be a nail in the coffin, it was actually a blessing in disguise as Miami was forced to spread wide with multiple receivers for the games remainder. Note; Ryan Tannehill talked to Sims after the game and said he seems to be fine! So. Miami gets the ball with fewer than two first half minutes to go and finally finds it's MOJO with an 80 yard, 9 play, 1:22 drive for a 3 yard Tannehill TOUCHDOWN pass the Rishard Matthews, and a 10 - 7 halftime deficit.
The Dolphins took the second half kick from their own 27, and marched down to the Redskin 22 for what looked to be at least a game tying field goal before on a third and four play Tannehill was sacked and fumbled while the ball was hot-potatoed threw the grasp of many all the way back to the Miami 40 where Washington recovered. Fortunately, Miami's defense came to play in the second half as Washington executed a run of negative two yards, and two passes for zero yards as the Dolphins (other than on the series of the Grimes interception) forced just their second three and out.
Two more scoreless Miami series, and a Washington possession ended the third quarter. The Dolphins second series began with 1:34 to go while continuing into the fourth quarter as Miami drove from their own 20 on ten plays in 5:13 to the home teams 4 when on fourth and four the Dolphins rookie Andrew Franks kicked the game tying 10 - 10 FIELD GOAL.
2015's first fourth quarter has arrived as has finally the Dolphins Defense and Special Teams. The Defense forces it's third three and out of the game, this time for minus five yards and Washington punts from their own 15 yard line. Miami punt returner Jarvis (JUICE) Landry fields the ball at his own 31 and hits the gas straight up the middle between perfectly executed blocks, and goes 69 yards untouched for a Miami Dolphin TOUCHDOWN as his team takes it's first lead of the season at 17 - 10.
The Redskins follow with a drive from their own 35 to the Miami 29 before an absolutely brilliant interception by free agent acquisition Brice McCain at the Dolphins two on a 3rd & 13 play. With 7:35 of the game to go Miami has a 6 play series for 20 yards and punts to Washington who with 5 minutes remaining drives from their own 31 to the visitors 20 in 2:43. On fourth and seven Miami brings the heat and forces an errant incompletion as Miami controls the ball over the final 2:17 for a 17 - 10 Opening Day Road VICTORY!
The rest of the AFC East won their opening day games at home versus AFC teams.
Miami gained 256 total net yards to Washington's (349 of which most came in the first half) as did the final Redskins Time Of Possession advantage of 37:54 to The Dolphins 22:06.
S Rashad Jones (7 solo) led the team with 12 tackles.
LB Koa Misi (9 solo) and Jelani Jenkins (7 solo) each had 11 tackles.
CB Brent Grimes and Brice McCain converted spectacularly played interceptions.
QB Ryan Tannehill went 22 of 34 for 226 yards with a touchdown pass.
RB Lamar Miller had 13 rush attempts for 53 yards.
TE Jordan Cameron caught four balls for 73 yards.
WR Rishard Matthews had a touchdown.
WR Jarvis (JUICE) Landry had 8 receptions for 53 yards with the final score deciding TOXIC 69 yard punt return TOUCHDOWN!
Thank You for an open minded read, and we look forward to your angle of view : )) !!
GOFINS!!!
As Tempting As It May Sound, The Miami Dolphins Don't Need O.J. Atogwe
The St. Louis Rams released FS O.J. Atogwe yesterday, who was due to get an $8 million roster bonus if they decided to keep him. The move was purely a business decision, and it means that Atogwe is now available to all 32 teams once a new CBA is reached.
I have heard a few different Dolphins fans say that they would love to have Atogwe on the team, and there was a report that said the Dolphins were making a push at Atogwe. When asked about the Miami Dolphins interest in Atogwe Miami GM Jeff Ireland told Mike Berardino the following:
The Dolphins already have two really talented free safeties with a lot of potential in Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones. Both players had very good seasons, and it doesn't seem worth paying Atogwe the amount of money he would be expecting to play in Miami. Clemons and Jones are both really young, and they have a lot of productive years ahead of them. Atogwe is 29, which isn't old, but he still doesn't have nearly the same number of years left as Clemons and Jones.
I think that the Dolphins should just let this one go. It doesn't seem worth paying Atogwe a lot of money when we have two good safeties already.
Clemons actually had close to the same numbers as Atogwe from last year. Clemons had 61 tackles compared to Atogwe's 73, 1 interception compared to Atogwe's 3, 5 passes defensed compared to Atogwe's 9, and both he and Atogwe had 2 forced fumbles. I know that a lot of what safeties do isn't reflected when you look at their statistics, but I still don't think Atogwe is that much better than Clemons (or Jones for that matter).
The best part is that Miami has two young safeties with a lot of potential. One of them is bound to turn out really well, and having two to compete with each other can only help them improve.
So, Jeff Ireland, Tony Sparano, and whoever else is making the decision about Atogwe for the Miami Dolphins needs to pass him up and worry about different things. Atogwe is good, but unless they can get him for a really cheap salary, he isn't worth it.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you guys think.
I have heard a few different Dolphins fans say that they would love to have Atogwe on the team, and there was a report that said the Dolphins were making a push at Atogwe. When asked about the Miami Dolphins interest in Atogwe Miami GM Jeff Ireland told Mike Berardino the following:
"I'm very happy with the safeties we've got on our team right now, very happy."Ireland did not specifically say that the Dolphins were not pursuing Atogwe, which makes me think that they are considering him, but I don't expect Miami to offer him any significant amount of money.
The Dolphins already have two really talented free safeties with a lot of potential in Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones. Both players had very good seasons, and it doesn't seem worth paying Atogwe the amount of money he would be expecting to play in Miami. Clemons and Jones are both really young, and they have a lot of productive years ahead of them. Atogwe is 29, which isn't old, but he still doesn't have nearly the same number of years left as Clemons and Jones.
I think that the Dolphins should just let this one go. It doesn't seem worth paying Atogwe a lot of money when we have two good safeties already.
Clemons actually had close to the same numbers as Atogwe from last year. Clemons had 61 tackles compared to Atogwe's 73, 1 interception compared to Atogwe's 3, 5 passes defensed compared to Atogwe's 9, and both he and Atogwe had 2 forced fumbles. I know that a lot of what safeties do isn't reflected when you look at their statistics, but I still don't think Atogwe is that much better than Clemons (or Jones for that matter).
The best part is that Miami has two young safeties with a lot of potential. One of them is bound to turn out really well, and having two to compete with each other can only help them improve.
So, Jeff Ireland, Tony Sparano, and whoever else is making the decision about Atogwe for the Miami Dolphins needs to pass him up and worry about different things. Atogwe is good, but unless they can get him for a really cheap salary, he isn't worth it.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you guys think.
Injuries Plague Miami Dolphins Before Short Week Of Preparation
In one game the Dolphins saw injuries sideline quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Chad Henne, left tackle Jake Long, and linebacker Cameron Wake.
The injury to Pennington is almost certainly career-ending.
The injury to Henne is possibly season-ending
The injuries to Jake Long and Cameron Wake do not appear to be really serious, but I have a feeling that Long could be out for a month and Wake will miss this Thursday's game.
On top of that, right tackle Vernon Carey was shaken up against Tennessee but returned, cornerback Vontae Davis is playing with a right-knee injury, and free safety Chris Clemon's groin forced him to be replaced by Reshad Jones during Sunday's game because he didn't get enough time to practice during the week.
Yes, the Dolphins are, all of the sudden, forced to deal with a bunch of injuries in a short period of time. Almost any other week would have been better because they would have had more time to prepare, but that's not the case here. We can at least be thankful that we are playing the Bears instead of a division rival like the Patriots or Jets. Not that Chicago is a bad team, because they are actually pretty good, but they are not as good as New England or New York.
Despite all of the problems Miami is having with injuries, I am actually pretty excited about this game. We have found a great, young quarterback in Tyler Thigpen, and our offense appears to finally be able to make big plays with some consistency.
Thigpen's mobility will also be helpful because he may feel some extra pressure with Jake Long out for a little while. He will be able to avoid sacks that neither Chad would have been able to avoid themselves. Jake Long is probably the most irreplaceable player that the Dolphins lost due to injury against the Titans, but Miami should be able to come out alright because of Thigpen.
So, don't lose faith in Thursday's game just yet Dolphins fans. We still have a good shot at winning this game with Thigpen in.
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The Miami Dolphins Misssed The Playoffs Because... Results
I enjoyed reading his analysis, and you will too. Here is his answer:
The safety position.
To begin with, it is questionable whether or not Miami even has a viable starter at free safety. Even if you give the benefit of the doubt and assume Chris Clemons becomes at least an adequate starter, there is precious little depth behind him and Yeremiah Bell. Tyrone Culver is a good special teamer, but is probably best suited for a role in the nickel and dime packages. Reshad Jones could develop into a starter in time, but by all accounts is very raw and would have benefited from staying for his senior year at Georgia.
God help the Dolphins if Yeremiah Bell goes down.
I do believe Will Allen will move to free safety if needed, whether due to injury or simply to put our four best DBs into the starting lineup.
With questions as to how the Dolphins will generate a pass rush, it is likely the last time of defense will be tested early and often. If the safeties aren't up to task, the big plays Miami gave up last year will keep on coming. And that is what (could) bury the Fins playoff dreams.
That's all for now. I am heading up to the lake for the day, so I probably won't be able to post anything else today.
Thanks for reading and please let me/Matt know what you think with your comments.
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The Most Important Thing To Watch During Miami Dolphins Training Camp Is...
Our Free Safeties.
I know you were expecting me to wait a while to fill in the blank and finish the sentence I started at the title, but I figured I would surprise you with a quick answer. Not that it makes a difference either way.
Enough of my talking about non Miami Dolphins related topics, here is more on our free safety predicament.
Our current free safety situation has been taking a backseat because of recent movement on the defensive line. So, while it will be interesting to watch how our defensive line does and who will be the starter at NT and DE, the FS will be the position you want to watch.
We know that whoever will be the starter on the defensive line will be capable enough to hold their own. That is what we don't know about our free safeties. We don't know if they are capable of holding their own.
The two likely candidates to start at FS are Reshad Jones and Chris Clemons. Both of them are good players, but they just do not seem good enough to be starters. Jones is a great tackler, but his coverage skills are lacking.
The Dolphins pass defense was pitiful last year, and it needed to be changed. One of Miami's main weaknesses last season was FS Gibril Wilson giving up to many big plays and missing too many tackles. Now that Wilson is gone, Miami will hopefully have somebody step up and show us the ability to hold their own.
I just wish that Miami would have tried to get another free safety in either the draft or free agency. They did get Reshad Jones late in the draft, but I still think they should have gone for somebody else.
The more depth you have in any position, the better your starter will be in that position. I just wish that Miami had more depth at FS. Like my saying goes:
Depth is the key, and competition will create a champion.
We need more depth at free safety. But, since we don't have it let's hope that either Reshad Jones or Chris Clemons can emerge as a capable starter. As long as they can do more good than bad I am fine with them. Let's hope they can.
So while the defensive line will definitely be an interesting situation to watch, it isn't the most important thing to watch. I just hope that the result of training camp will also be interesting to watch for Dolphins fans.
That's all for now. Can anyone think of another concern to watch that is more important than the FS?
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I know you were expecting me to wait a while to fill in the blank and finish the sentence I started at the title, but I figured I would surprise you with a quick answer. Not that it makes a difference either way.
Enough of my talking about non Miami Dolphins related topics, here is more on our free safety predicament.
Our current free safety situation has been taking a backseat because of recent movement on the defensive line. So, while it will be interesting to watch how our defensive line does and who will be the starter at NT and DE, the FS will be the position you want to watch.We know that whoever will be the starter on the defensive line will be capable enough to hold their own. That is what we don't know about our free safeties. We don't know if they are capable of holding their own.
The two likely candidates to start at FS are Reshad Jones and Chris Clemons. Both of them are good players, but they just do not seem good enough to be starters. Jones is a great tackler, but his coverage skills are lacking.
The Dolphins pass defense was pitiful last year, and it needed to be changed. One of Miami's main weaknesses last season was FS Gibril Wilson giving up to many big plays and missing too many tackles. Now that Wilson is gone, Miami will hopefully have somebody step up and show us the ability to hold their own.
I just wish that Miami would have tried to get another free safety in either the draft or free agency. They did get Reshad Jones late in the draft, but I still think they should have gone for somebody else.
The more depth you have in any position, the better your starter will be in that position. I just wish that Miami had more depth at FS. Like my saying goes:
Depth is the key, and competition will create a champion.
We need more depth at free safety. But, since we don't have it let's hope that either Reshad Jones or Chris Clemons can emerge as a capable starter. As long as they can do more good than bad I am fine with them. Let's hope they can.
So while the defensive line will definitely be an interesting situation to watch, it isn't the most important thing to watch. I just hope that the result of training camp will also be interesting to watch for Dolphins fans.
That's all for now. Can anyone think of another concern to watch that is more important than the FS?
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Dolphin Shout Miami Dolphins Fan Question - Reshad Jones From Barry West
Today we have a question from across the pond. Everyone please welcome Barry from London, England. It is good that there are Miami Dolphins fans from around the world.
So, thank you for your question Barry and here it is:
Miami recently signed rookie S Reshad Jones to a contract. Does the management expect him to start and make an immediate impact? And, do you think we should have signed a veteran like Darren Sharper or O.J. Atogwe.
My Answer
It is pretty clear that there are two main people in the running for the Miami Dolphins Free Safety position: Reshad Jones and Chris Clemons.
From what I can tell Clemons will be the starter. Jones is a great tackler, but his coverage skills seem to be somewhat lacking. Clemons doesn't seem to be much of a starter, but he is the best we have right now.
I do wish we had signed a veteran FS this offseason and gave Jones and Clemons a year to develop under an experienced player. But, since that hasn't happened yet it looks like one of the younger players will be forced into a starting position. Hopefully they will be able to perform well enough.
Atogwe or Sharper would have been a big help, and they would have definitely upgraded our passing defense for sure. I personally believe that they would have made Miami's secondary elite, but oh well. For now we can just trust the Dolphins management that they know what they are doing.
Who knows, maybe Clemons and/or Jones are the players we are looking for. I am really hoping they are, but I'm not sure they will be. We will see, though. I just can't wait for training camp to come around
Thanks for your question Barry. To the rest of my readers, please send more questions you may have about the Miami Dolphins. Just email the questions to paul@dolphinshout.com
Let me know what you guys think about our current FS position with your comments. Also, please follow me on twitter at twitter.com/dolphinshout
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So, thank you for your question Barry and here it is:
Miami recently signed rookie S Reshad Jones to a contract. Does the management expect him to start and make an immediate impact? And, do you think we should have signed a veteran like Darren Sharper or O.J. Atogwe.
My Answer
It is pretty clear that there are two main people in the running for the Miami Dolphins Free Safety position: Reshad Jones and Chris Clemons.
From what I can tell Clemons will be the starter. Jones is a great tackler, but his coverage skills seem to be somewhat lacking. Clemons doesn't seem to be much of a starter, but he is the best we have right now.
I do wish we had signed a veteran FS this offseason and gave Jones and Clemons a year to develop under an experienced player. But, since that hasn't happened yet it looks like one of the younger players will be forced into a starting position. Hopefully they will be able to perform well enough.
Atogwe or Sharper would have been a big help, and they would have definitely upgraded our passing defense for sure. I personally believe that they would have made Miami's secondary elite, but oh well. For now we can just trust the Dolphins management that they know what they are doing.
Who knows, maybe Clemons and/or Jones are the players we are looking for. I am really hoping they are, but I'm not sure they will be. We will see, though. I just can't wait for training camp to come around
Thanks for your question Barry. To the rest of my readers, please send more questions you may have about the Miami Dolphins. Just email the questions to paul@dolphinshout.com
Let me know what you guys think about our current FS position with your comments. Also, please follow me on twitter at twitter.com/dolphinshout
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5 Miami Dolphins Defensive Players Primed For A Breakout In 2010
I apologize to anyone who was expecting a post this weekend, but I was taking the 4th of July weekend off, but now I am back to business.
I've told you about offense, and now I will tell you five defensive players who are bound to break out next season. Our defense needs a lot of these players to have breakout seasons because of how pitiful the defense as a whole was last year.
The Miami Dolphins need players who can end drives instantly. Here are 5 players who have a chance to break out next year and do just that.
1. Vontae Davis, CB
Vontae Davis is going into his second year as a cornerback. Last year he showed flashes of greatness during times, but still gave up a lot of big plays to receivers. Part of that may be because he was always covering the best receiver, but still.
He has a great opportunity to break out this season because he can only get better from last year. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has also implemented a new agressive defense, and hopefully Davis will thrive in it. Davis has a lot of potential. Hopefully he will be able to harness it in 2010-2011.
2. Sean Smith, CB
Sean Smith is another cornerback Miami drafted in last years draft, so this is also his second year. Smith was drafted in the second round, where Davis was drafted in the first.
Smith has a lot of potential, and has a very good chance to break out this year. He is very tall, which can be used to his advantage. He was a pleasant surprise last year when he started all 16 games as a rookie. Just like Vontae, he has a lot of potential and Mike Nolan should only help him improve.
3. Randy Starks, NT
The Miami Dolphins moved Randy Starks to the nose tackle position this offseason. He is a very strong player, which is important for the nose tackle. He was very good last year with 7 sacks, so some people may not think that changing his position will help him, but I beg to differ.
Starks' is a great player who can perform really well on the line. It doesn't matter where he is on the line. He may be lighter than most nose tackles, but that doesn't matter too much because of his strength. He is also faster, so he should be able to quickly move past his blocker.
4. Koa Misi, LB
Koa Misi should be able to break out very well as a rookie this season. He is very quick and athletic, and he should be able to fit in Miami's offense well. Misi can either be a linebacker, or he can move to the DE position well. That will be a huge help and will increase his ability to break out.
What will really help Misi is that he is hard working. You know he will have the best chance to do well every game because he worked hard at what he had to during workouts and practices during the previous week.
5. Reshad Jones, FS
I really hope Jones can break out this season. Miami's biggest question mark on their defense is the free safety position, and Jones is a likely candidate to fill that void. He is a very hard-hitting safety, and he should be able to strike fear into anyone who runs his way with the ball.
While his coverage skills may not be where we want them to be, don't worry too much. He should be able to develop better coverage skills with an experienced defensive coordinator like Mike Nolan. Breakouts often occur when you aren't expecting it, and that will most likely be the case with Reshad Jones.
Let me know what you guys think with your comments. Thanks for reading.
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I've told you about offense, and now I will tell you five defensive players who are bound to break out next season. Our defense needs a lot of these players to have breakout seasons because of how pitiful the defense as a whole was last year.
The Miami Dolphins need players who can end drives instantly. Here are 5 players who have a chance to break out next year and do just that.
1. Vontae Davis, CB
Vontae Davis is going into his second year as a cornerback. Last year he showed flashes of greatness during times, but still gave up a lot of big plays to receivers. Part of that may be because he was always covering the best receiver, but still.
He has a great opportunity to break out this season because he can only get better from last year. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has also implemented a new agressive defense, and hopefully Davis will thrive in it. Davis has a lot of potential. Hopefully he will be able to harness it in 2010-2011.
2. Sean Smith, CB
Sean Smith is another cornerback Miami drafted in last years draft, so this is also his second year. Smith was drafted in the second round, where Davis was drafted in the first.
Smith has a lot of potential, and has a very good chance to break out this year. He is very tall, which can be used to his advantage. He was a pleasant surprise last year when he started all 16 games as a rookie. Just like Vontae, he has a lot of potential and Mike Nolan should only help him improve.
3. Randy Starks, NT
The Miami Dolphins moved Randy Starks to the nose tackle position this offseason. He is a very strong player, which is important for the nose tackle. He was very good last year with 7 sacks, so some people may not think that changing his position will help him, but I beg to differ.
Starks' is a great player who can perform really well on the line. It doesn't matter where he is on the line. He may be lighter than most nose tackles, but that doesn't matter too much because of his strength. He is also faster, so he should be able to quickly move past his blocker.
4. Koa Misi, LB
Koa Misi should be able to break out very well as a rookie this season. He is very quick and athletic, and he should be able to fit in Miami's offense well. Misi can either be a linebacker, or he can move to the DE position well. That will be a huge help and will increase his ability to break out.
What will really help Misi is that he is hard working. You know he will have the best chance to do well every game because he worked hard at what he had to during workouts and practices during the previous week.
5. Reshad Jones, FS
I really hope Jones can break out this season. Miami's biggest question mark on their defense is the free safety position, and Jones is a likely candidate to fill that void. He is a very hard-hitting safety, and he should be able to strike fear into anyone who runs his way with the ball.
While his coverage skills may not be where we want them to be, don't worry too much. He should be able to develop better coverage skills with an experienced defensive coordinator like Mike Nolan. Breakouts often occur when you aren't expecting it, and that will most likely be the case with Reshad Jones.
Let me know what you guys think with your comments. Thanks for reading.
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For Miami Dolphins Fans, It Is A Case Of Optimism Vs Reality
Ok look, we all know about the draft picks and the free agent acquisitions the Miami Dolphins made in the off season. We went after a slew of Line Backers this year, and equally as many Team Captains. So now it comes down to what they can contribute for the following year.
Many of us have jumped on the band wagon and the talk of the town is how much better we are. I agree we are better than last year. The additions of Marshall and Dansby are, most certainly, huge improvements. Those improvements paired along with the other changes mean we are going to be better.
So I'm wondering, are we going to be as good as the hype?
Not likely, or at least not this year.
Why?
Well mostly because we were Awful last year on Defense. I took sometime to look up a few things in yahoo sports. On defense here are the facts from just the AFC East (I sound like Joe Friday of Dragnet days).
We were last in points allowed per game 24.4, and the Bills allowed 4 points less than we did a game. We were last in yards per game 349.3, 3rd against the run, last in passing defense per game with 234.6 by 24 yards, last in interceptions for the year, and tied for last in forced fumbles 11 on the year. And, I saved the best for last: 2nd in passes defensed, and finally, 1st in sacks.
Folks this Defense is AWFUL!
Now we can sit here all day long and talk about how much better we are, but there are only 2 things we know with relative certainty: Brandon Marshall is way better than Ted Ginn, and Karlos Dansby is much more than just a step up. But that is about it as far as you can go with positive improvements. The rest is all "IF'S"
If Chad Henne is better. If Ronnie Brown has recovered. If Channing Crowder is recovered from the same injury that Brown has. If Cameron Wake is the real deal. If Clemons can step up, or if Reshad Jones will instead. If Sean Smith and Vontae Davis progress. If AJ Edds and Koa Misi are as good as advertised. If we can stop the run. If we defend the pass. If we can cover a tight end, and any tight end at all would help. If we can stop the long bombs that seemed to beat us every week.
Maybe every team has those questions. I don't know, and I don't care. The reality of this is, those "IF'S" better be more than just positive thinking. They have to be true.
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Many of us have jumped on the band wagon and the talk of the town is how much better we are. I agree we are better than last year. The additions of Marshall and Dansby are, most certainly, huge improvements. Those improvements paired along with the other changes mean we are going to be better.
So I'm wondering, are we going to be as good as the hype?
Not likely, or at least not this year.
Why?
Well mostly because we were Awful last year on Defense. I took sometime to look up a few things in yahoo sports. On defense here are the facts from just the AFC East (I sound like Joe Friday of Dragnet days).
We were last in points allowed per game 24.4, and the Bills allowed 4 points less than we did a game. We were last in yards per game 349.3, 3rd against the run, last in passing defense per game with 234.6 by 24 yards, last in interceptions for the year, and tied for last in forced fumbles 11 on the year. And, I saved the best for last: 2nd in passes defensed, and finally, 1st in sacks.
Folks this Defense is AWFUL!
Now we can sit here all day long and talk about how much better we are, but there are only 2 things we know with relative certainty: Brandon Marshall is way better than Ted Ginn, and Karlos Dansby is much more than just a step up. But that is about it as far as you can go with positive improvements. The rest is all "IF'S"
If Chad Henne is better. If Ronnie Brown has recovered. If Channing Crowder is recovered from the same injury that Brown has. If Cameron Wake is the real deal. If Clemons can step up, or if Reshad Jones will instead. If Sean Smith and Vontae Davis progress. If AJ Edds and Koa Misi are as good as advertised. If we can stop the run. If we defend the pass. If we can cover a tight end, and any tight end at all would help. If we can stop the long bombs that seemed to beat us every week.
Maybe every team has those questions. I don't know, and I don't care. The reality of this is, those "IF'S" better be more than just positive thinking. They have to be true.
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Are The Miami Dolphins Placing Too Much Faith in The FS Position?
Please check out my Dolphins blog here: Miami Dolphins Blog
So, there hasn't been much to talk about the FS position since the NFL draft, so I thought I would start some again.
This is mainly because I feel like the Dolphins are placing too much faith in the current players on the roster at free safety. After last years passing defense performed poorly you would think that Miami would try and fix the FS position, which is probably the weakest point of the entire defense.
Yes, they did go out and draft FS Reshad Jones in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but I'm not sure if that is enough. Jones seems to have a lot of potential, but I don't think he will be able to make a huge impact during his rookie year.
The Dolphins inactivity when it comes to taking a better free safety surprises me. I thought they would go out and get someone earlier in the draft or sign a free agent, but they didn't and that is surprising.
It seems like they are placing too much faith in who they have, and I just can't see why. I would have liked them to go out and pick up Darren Sharper, who is a really talented FS that would step in and give them immediate help. Sharper would have also been able to show Miami's young free safeties the ropes and help them develop enough to take his spot when he would have retired. But, the Dolphins didn't make him an offer and he signed back with the Saints.
Also, during the draft the Dolphins went out and picked Jared Odrick. Yes, Odrick is a really great player who will help a lot, but I thought that they could have signed a safety like Earl Thomas who was available in the first round to the Dolphins before they traded their pick.
I am hoping that they are seeing something that I'm not, which is very possible. Maybe Reshad Jones is exactly what the Dolphins were looking for, but I don't think so because if he was that good he wouldn't have fallen late into the fifth round.
With an offseason spent beefing up the Dolphins lineup, you'd think that they would have addressed one of their most glaring weaknesses last year, but they didn't.
Only time will tell if things work out in our passing defense, but until then I am worried that we don't currently have enough talent at FS position.
I know that it sounds like I am saying that next year will be horrible without a FS, and I know it won't. But, I think it would be a lot better with more talent at FS.
Don't forget to check out my blog here: Dolphin Shout
So, there hasn't been much to talk about the FS position since the NFL draft, so I thought I would start some again.
This is mainly because I feel like the Dolphins are placing too much faith in the current players on the roster at free safety. After last years passing defense performed poorly you would think that Miami would try and fix the FS position, which is probably the weakest point of the entire defense.
Yes, they did go out and draft FS Reshad Jones in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but I'm not sure if that is enough. Jones seems to have a lot of potential, but I don't think he will be able to make a huge impact during his rookie year.
The Dolphins inactivity when it comes to taking a better free safety surprises me. I thought they would go out and get someone earlier in the draft or sign a free agent, but they didn't and that is surprising.
It seems like they are placing too much faith in who they have, and I just can't see why. I would have liked them to go out and pick up Darren Sharper, who is a really talented FS that would step in and give them immediate help. Sharper would have also been able to show Miami's young free safeties the ropes and help them develop enough to take his spot when he would have retired. But, the Dolphins didn't make him an offer and he signed back with the Saints.
Also, during the draft the Dolphins went out and picked Jared Odrick. Yes, Odrick is a really great player who will help a lot, but I thought that they could have signed a safety like Earl Thomas who was available in the first round to the Dolphins before they traded their pick.
I am hoping that they are seeing something that I'm not, which is very possible. Maybe Reshad Jones is exactly what the Dolphins were looking for, but I don't think so because if he was that good he wouldn't have fallen late into the fifth round.
With an offseason spent beefing up the Dolphins lineup, you'd think that they would have addressed one of their most glaring weaknesses last year, but they didn't.
Only time will tell if things work out in our passing defense, but until then I am worried that we don't currently have enough talent at FS position.
I know that it sounds like I am saying that next year will be horrible without a FS, and I know it won't. But, I think it would be a lot better with more talent at FS.
Don't forget to check out my blog here: Dolphin Shout
What I Believe: The Miami Dolphins Chances Next Year
Article from my blog: Dolphin Shout
Now that the draft buzz is basically over, I figured why not move on to something else to talk about. I know it may be a little early to talk about, but I can't help myself. So, here is a little bit of a preview for the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins have improved their offense tremendously by just making one crucial move, which was gaining WR Brandon Marshall. He completely transforms the Dolphins and turns them from just a running team to a running and passing team. Marshall will help Chad Henne and he will help the Dolphin running backs because defenses will have to focus more on Marshall and less on the run game like they were able to do last year.
Miami had a great offensive line last year, and it will only get better because of the addition of guard Richie Incognito. The line was great at blocking last year, and they will now be even better because of Incognito.
Miami has focused the majority of their efforts on defense this offseason. Every single pick in the draft except for one was used on defensive players, so that was obviously where they needed to improve the most. A lot of the pocus has been on improving the front seven on defense, and it has gotten better. The more notable additions by Miami were adding linebacker Karlos Dansby from Arizona and drafting defensive end Jared Odrick. Our front seven is obviously better and ready for whatever opposing offenses can throw at it.
My concern is the Dolphins secondary. Miami didn't draft a safety until the fifth round in the NFL draft, and they haven't added any notable talent at safety other than the draft. I believe that was a mistake because the Dolphins got beat way too many times last season, and a big reason for that was our safety play. We have great young talent at cornerback with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, but not at safety. I think Miami is putting too much confidence in our safeties and is trusting them too much. I haven't seen much of our young safeties, but from what I have seen I believe we could use some help
So, now for the main reason I wrote this article: Miami's Chances. I believe that the Dolphins have a great chance to make the playoffs next year. They have a bunch of scoring machines on offense now. Of that I have no doubt. Our run defense will be really good, too. Like I mentioned above, my biggest concern is the Dolphins safeties. So, until our safeties can get better or we get new ones I don't think Miami can make a deep push into the playoffs.
Here's to an improved secondary.
Please check out my blog. I post on it first, and then I add the article to Bleacher Report later on. So, check out my blog for up to date analysis and opinions. Check it out here: Dolphin Shout or Miami Dolphins
Now that the draft buzz is basically over, I figured why not move on to something else to talk about. I know it may be a little early to talk about, but I can't help myself. So, here is a little bit of a preview for the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins have improved their offense tremendously by just making one crucial move, which was gaining WR Brandon Marshall. He completely transforms the Dolphins and turns them from just a running team to a running and passing team. Marshall will help Chad Henne and he will help the Dolphin running backs because defenses will have to focus more on Marshall and less on the run game like they were able to do last year.
Miami had a great offensive line last year, and it will only get better because of the addition of guard Richie Incognito. The line was great at blocking last year, and they will now be even better because of Incognito.
Miami has focused the majority of their efforts on defense this offseason. Every single pick in the draft except for one was used on defensive players, so that was obviously where they needed to improve the most. A lot of the pocus has been on improving the front seven on defense, and it has gotten better. The more notable additions by Miami were adding linebacker Karlos Dansby from Arizona and drafting defensive end Jared Odrick. Our front seven is obviously better and ready for whatever opposing offenses can throw at it.
My concern is the Dolphins secondary. Miami didn't draft a safety until the fifth round in the NFL draft, and they haven't added any notable talent at safety other than the draft. I believe that was a mistake because the Dolphins got beat way too many times last season, and a big reason for that was our safety play. We have great young talent at cornerback with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis, but not at safety. I think Miami is putting too much confidence in our safeties and is trusting them too much. I haven't seen much of our young safeties, but from what I have seen I believe we could use some help
So, now for the main reason I wrote this article: Miami's Chances. I believe that the Dolphins have a great chance to make the playoffs next year. They have a bunch of scoring machines on offense now. Of that I have no doubt. Our run defense will be really good, too. Like I mentioned above, my biggest concern is the Dolphins safeties. So, until our safeties can get better or we get new ones I don't think Miami can make a deep push into the playoffs.
Here's to an improved secondary.
Please check out my blog. I post on it first, and then I add the article to Bleacher Report later on. So, check out my blog for up to date analysis and opinions. Check it out here: Dolphin Shout or Miami Dolphins
Reshad Jones Scouting Report
Here is a scouting report on Reshad Jones courtesy of mockingthedraft.com
Reshad Jones
6'2, 215 pounds | Strong safety | Georgia
Agility/Hips: Can turn and run well. Short steps allow him to turn north south with balance and quickness. Does not change direction well when moving laterally. Struggles to cut with a receiver in man coverage.
Ball Skills: Drops a lot of easy interceptions. Has developed nice timing in jumping throws and can break up a lot of passes, but does not end up with sure-thing interceptions. Lets the ball get in to his body, does not follow the ball in to his hands.
Body Control: Maintains balance downfield in coverage. Will lose his feet when trying to stick with a receiver underneath. Does a nice job of leaping for jump balls, gathers his weight and gets the most out of his jump.
Instincts/Recognition: Plays the run better than most linebackers in terms of diagnosing running lanes and attack the line of scrimmage. Reads his keys effectively and is rarely caught out of position. Does not do well in single high coverage, late to read the quarterback’s intended receiver.
Pass Coverage: Has plenty of experience in man coverage. High in his back pedal and does not explode in breaks against crossing routes. Does not have the range to play a single high Cover 1 role, but can be trusted as a Cover 2 safety. Anticipates routes and lanes well.
Pursuit: Outstanding pursuit. Consistently takes the proper angles to meet the ball carrier at the point where he can deliver a blow. Is rarely caught out of position against the run. Uses his length to ensure ball carries will not get by him when pursuing laterally.
Run Support: The best part of Jones’ game. He is comfortable as the eighth man in the box and has enough size and strength to handle the physical part of the game in traffic. Plays downhill with aggression. Sure tackler that can take down a ball carrier by himself.
Speed: Does not have elite speed downfield, can be beat deep. Has the long strides to aid him with recovery, but his lack of top end speed can be exploited against the faster receivers.
Tackling: Sure tackler that can be depended upon as the last line of defense with confidence. Shows proper technique and makes the effort to wrap up and drive the ball carrier through the ground. Has had more than his fair share of bone-jarring hits. Will make receivers think twice about going over the middle. Really lays the wood and consistently knocks the ball carrier backward.
Final Word: Jones is a safety that is NFL ready from the physical point of view. He plays with the kind of downhill aggression that every team wants in an enforcer over the middle. He is a guy that always find himself in or near the action, getting in on a lot of turnovers and big plays. He is not the kind of safety that can be trusted with a lot of coverage responsibility but his length and instincts will be enough to get him in the every down defense early in his career. If he can be put in to a system that allows him to play downhill and in man coverage against tight ends, Jones will thrive. He is of the 2nd round type that teams will look to as the kind of high reward pick in terms of immediate payback.
I have also included a video so you can see some of his highlights. As you can probably tell, he is definitely an amazing tackler.
Thank you to Kevin Modica for showing me the video.
Dolphin Shout
Miami Dolphins
Reshad Jones
6'2, 215 pounds | Strong safety | Georgia
Agility/Hips: Can turn and run well. Short steps allow him to turn north south with balance and quickness. Does not change direction well when moving laterally. Struggles to cut with a receiver in man coverage.
Ball Skills: Drops a lot of easy interceptions. Has developed nice timing in jumping throws and can break up a lot of passes, but does not end up with sure-thing interceptions. Lets the ball get in to his body, does not follow the ball in to his hands.
Body Control: Maintains balance downfield in coverage. Will lose his feet when trying to stick with a receiver underneath. Does a nice job of leaping for jump balls, gathers his weight and gets the most out of his jump.
Instincts/Recognition: Plays the run better than most linebackers in terms of diagnosing running lanes and attack the line of scrimmage. Reads his keys effectively and is rarely caught out of position. Does not do well in single high coverage, late to read the quarterback’s intended receiver.
Pass Coverage: Has plenty of experience in man coverage. High in his back pedal and does not explode in breaks against crossing routes. Does not have the range to play a single high Cover 1 role, but can be trusted as a Cover 2 safety. Anticipates routes and lanes well.
Pursuit: Outstanding pursuit. Consistently takes the proper angles to meet the ball carrier at the point where he can deliver a blow. Is rarely caught out of position against the run. Uses his length to ensure ball carries will not get by him when pursuing laterally.
Run Support: The best part of Jones’ game. He is comfortable as the eighth man in the box and has enough size and strength to handle the physical part of the game in traffic. Plays downhill with aggression. Sure tackler that can take down a ball carrier by himself.
Speed: Does not have elite speed downfield, can be beat deep. Has the long strides to aid him with recovery, but his lack of top end speed can be exploited against the faster receivers.
Tackling: Sure tackler that can be depended upon as the last line of defense with confidence. Shows proper technique and makes the effort to wrap up and drive the ball carrier through the ground. Has had more than his fair share of bone-jarring hits. Will make receivers think twice about going over the middle. Really lays the wood and consistently knocks the ball carrier backward.
Final Word: Jones is a safety that is NFL ready from the physical point of view. He plays with the kind of downhill aggression that every team wants in an enforcer over the middle. He is a guy that always find himself in or near the action, getting in on a lot of turnovers and big plays. He is not the kind of safety that can be trusted with a lot of coverage responsibility but his length and instincts will be enough to get him in the every down defense early in his career. If he can be put in to a system that allows him to play downhill and in man coverage against tight ends, Jones will thrive. He is of the 2nd round type that teams will look to as the kind of high reward pick in terms of immediate payback.
I have also included a video so you can see some of his highlights. As you can probably tell, he is definitely an amazing tackler.
Thank you to Kevin Modica for showing me the video.
Dolphin Shout
Miami Dolphins
Dolphin Shout: Reshad Jones, SS Miami Dolphins
With the 163rd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft the Miami Dolphins selected Reshad Jones a safety from Georgia. Jones is a very talented safety, but he has had questions about his speed. He also has great size and has a lot of athleticism.
While watching his highlights, I couldn't help but notice how well he tackles. Miami fans will recall Gibril Wilson of last year who couldn't tackle anyone so he will be refreshing for Dolphins fans to watch play next year. He also gets a lot of big hits on runners.
He isn't the best catcher, but as long as he breaks up a pass I am fine with him. My main concern with him is that he will get beat deep by faster receivers, which was a problem for the Dolphins last year. I hope that Miami can put him through some special type of workout to improve his speed because I do not want to see the same thing as last year. I know it won't be exactly the same thing because of his tackling, but I just can't get past my worries over his speed.
I wish I was comfortable with him playing FS, I just can't completely be. The concern over his speed is a big one. I really, really hope he can develop his speed, but until then I hope Miami looks for a faster safety.
Hopefully he can prove me and any other doubters wrong, though.
For a full scouting report on Jones, please check out my blog.: Dolphin Shout or Miami Dolphins
I post on my blog first and then I add the post as an article to B/R later, so if you want the most up-to-date posts, be sure to check out my blog.
While watching his highlights, I couldn't help but notice how well he tackles. Miami fans will recall Gibril Wilson of last year who couldn't tackle anyone so he will be refreshing for Dolphins fans to watch play next year. He also gets a lot of big hits on runners.
He isn't the best catcher, but as long as he breaks up a pass I am fine with him. My main concern with him is that he will get beat deep by faster receivers, which was a problem for the Dolphins last year. I hope that Miami can put him through some special type of workout to improve his speed because I do not want to see the same thing as last year. I know it won't be exactly the same thing because of his tackling, but I just can't get past my worries over his speed.
I wish I was comfortable with him playing FS, I just can't completely be. The concern over his speed is a big one. I really, really hope he can develop his speed, but until then I hope Miami looks for a faster safety.
Hopefully he can prove me and any other doubters wrong, though.
For a full scouting report on Jones, please check out my blog.: Dolphin Shout or Miami Dolphins
I post on my blog first and then I add the post as an article to B/R later, so if you want the most up-to-date posts, be sure to check out my blog.
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