This Miami Dolphin article could be about horrendous officiating, or repugnant play from Jay Cutler, or a defensive letdown after Matt Moore brought Miami back from the dead, but it’s really about the future. Because “at the end of the day,” no one is really sure what the future is for the Miami Dolphins?
Not to offend the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they are not a very good football team, yet they made Miami look bad. So bad, it is hard to envision this team competing against even a mediocre NFL schedule. Let’s do a little rundown of what the future looks like for the Miami Dolphins' offense. We’ll start from the top and work our way down.
Adam Gase… He’s fiery, easy to like, gives off the air of intelligence. He knows all the buzz phrases, “at the end of the day.” Between Gase and Ndamukong Suh we hear so much about the end of the day that it’s no wonder Miami can’t figure out how to start the day or a play for that matter. It seems obvious as the penalties mount, his players don’t get the idea that, “at the end of the day,” all those penalties committed during the day equal a losing football team.
Gase is stubborn to a gaping fault. At the end of the day, the end of last week, the end of the week before, even a casual fan can see, starting a day with Jay Cutler is a losing proposition. Not Adam Gase, he’s the quarterback whisperer, he can make a 12 year losing QB into something he’s never been, a winner. Sorry Adam, climb down from the Whisperer Platform or “at the end of the day,” you’ll be joining the Jay Cutler Fired Coaches Association.
There are other issues creeping through the new-coach beer goggles, but we’ll stay at the QB position because, “at the end of the day,” the NFL game is really about having a great QB… Or not. Miami is definitely on the NOT side. Cutler clearly is a NOT, but Adam Gase believes the players around him are more at fault for his pathetic play than Cutler himself. This is an issue for a coach who will trade his best running back for disagreeing with him. Because, “at the end of the day,” no other player is going to come forward and suggest Jay Cutler sucks for the sake of his own welfare.
“At the end of the day,” Jay Cutler will not be playing in Miami next season. The Miami Dolphins have injured QB Ryan Tannehill ready to make a full recovery. The QB whisperer can surely turn this 7 year mediocre passer into Tom Brady just look at what he’s done with Jay Cutler… NOT! There’s no magic potion for Tannehill, there’s no epiphany that can change a man from what he is, into what you’d like him to be.
“At the end of the day,” Miami does not have a great QB on this roster, not injured, not Doughty, not Moore. There is none, but there’s some new-coach beer goggles that disagrees and this is a huge problem. It means there’s no future hope, “at the end of the day,” all Miami fans can have to look forward to is, more mediocre football. Tannehill is not the answer and if Miami does not address this in the next draft, this article will show up again about the same time next year.
Now let’s be realistic about this offensive line, it’s sucked about as long as it’s leader, Mike Pouncey has been at center. “At the end of the day,” we have to take a long look at why all those first down runs up the middle get stuffed, time after time, after time. If Mike Pouncey is your proclaimed best offensive lineman than obviously something is really wrong here. Every other position on the line has been like watching a carousel go round and round when perhaps the problem is the one you haven’t fixed.
Coach, us laypeople don’t know how NFL locker rooms work or how the NFL drug testing works, “but at the end of the day,” we’ve been around this block long enough to know what a stoner looks like. In this politically correct world, no one can say what they really think, but we all know what it looks like. When there’s a coach sending videos of himself sniffing white stuff and there are players with glassy eyes and stupid grins, we know what it looks like.
When an offensive line jumps off-sides time, after time, after time… We know what it looks like.
Aside from DeVante Parker being perpetually injured, the wide receivers are solid. The running backs are dependent largely on the offensive line play and are easy to acquire so there’s no issue at those positions, but tight end? It seems as though the position has been an afterthought and will probably continue to be so for the foreseeable future. “At the end of the day,” Miami has too many other issues to address the tight end any time soon.
“At the end of the day,” how about the kind people on this blog discussing these offensive thoughts before delving into the other side of the ball. The unspoken issue in Miami is a coach who has strapped his immediate future to a losing QB and has placed his team’s long-term future in the hands of mediocrity. “At the end of the day,” as long as the quarterback and center positions remain the same, so will the fortunes of the Miami Dolphins.
It’s looking like a long, long day ahead…
Showing posts with label tampa bay bucs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tampa bay bucs. Show all posts
Miami Dolphin Players to Watch Against the Bucs
The
Dolphins kickoff the pre-season against in-state rival Tampa Bay in a yearly home
and away clash, that is more of an exhibition game than true test for either
team. Early pre-season games are not about winning, as much as they are an
opportunity for the coaching staffs to figure which players belong on the final
roster.
The
following chart will help Dolphins fans understand who they should be
concentrating on while watching the game. The players that are nearly a lock to
make final roster are colored in Green, the players in Blue are on the bubble
and the players in Red are in trouble. The players in Red are the ones to watch
closely followed by Blue and then Green.
Offensively,
the two most notable surprises on this list are Matt Moore and Brian Hartline.
Why
is Matt Moore in red on this list? Because The Dolphins may not be ready to keep four
QBs on the roster and Pat Devlin will be sniped if Miami tries to place him on
the practice squad for another season. This doesn’t mean Moore will be cut, but
it does mean he could become trade bait, at some point, if the right offer comes
along. Moore has a reputation for not practicing well, but has proven he can play well in game
situations.
Moore
needs to show the new coaching staff why they should ignore his practice
performance by showing up big when the lights come on. A lackluster evening for
Moore could lead him to playing for another team come September.
Brian
Hartline has been unable to show Joe Philbin and his staff why he belongs on
the roster. Hartline has not practiced in OTAs and now two weeks into the
pre-season, he's still sitting out with a calf injury. Hartline cannot help
himself by leaving the door open for his replacement to walk in and often
times, a star is born when the door is open.
Julius
Pruitt, Roberto Wallace and Marlon Moore have been hanging around on the fringe of the
Dolphin roster for three seasons, it is time for one of them to make a move. Wide
receivers are notoriously slow starters in the NFL, but after three seasons, the
trial period is over. One of these players must make the jump from
promising potential, to starter material, and it needs to happen in these early pre-season
games. Keep an eye on these receivers.
In
that same group is Clyde Gates, Gates has speed to burn, but his lack of
instincts and body control may lead him to the outside looking in. This
coaching staff has no ties to Gates as a player not drafted on their watch and it
won’t be surprising if the Grimm Reaper comes calling for Clyde’s playbook. Gates
needs to come up big in these early games or he will be gone.
John
Jerry has found nothing but fleas in Joe Philbin’s doghouse and this mammoth of
a man is a complete mismatch in the west coast offense. Jerry will find himself
in a Jet uniform before the summer is over, unless he can somehow make an
impression as large as his girth. The chances are slim, no pun intended, but if one player has
something to prove on Friday night, it is John Jerry.
Defensively,
players like Ryan Baker and Isaako
Aaitui are in trouble. These guys have hung on for a couple years, but have yet
to make an impact. With a new sheriff in town, they will need to show they
belong because they obviously have not made an impression, judging by this depth
chart.
The
Miami defense is a very solid group and many of the players in red are going to have
to make an impact on special teams if they expect to earn a roster spot.
Players like, Josh Kaddu, Jonathan Wade, Gary Guyton, Austin Spitler and Quinten
Lawrence will see plenty of action but must excel on special teams, because none of them has shown potential as a starter. It's early for Kaddu, but there is only a few spots for pure special teams players on an NFL roster.
It
is worth mentioning, Vontae Davis could spend a lot of time on the field Friday.
Davis was a little flippant in his “acting” to be in shape, in an attempt to
fool the coaching staff. Bad Idea Vontae, very bad idea! Davis is probably not
in jeopardy of losing his roster spot or perhaps even his starting job, but he
set himself up for some extended playing time against some hungry scrubs, who
may take exception to him making a joke of the job they would love to have.
The
players listed in red and blue should be interesting to watch, the question for Dolphinshouters
is, which are the players you think should change colors on this list and why.
I look forward to your comments.
The Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Post Game Analysis
There is a tendency to read too much into pre-season games, even a game labeled as the dress rehearsal for the season. The Dolphin offensive line has much to prove heading into the season opener against the Patriots. If this was the proving ground, the Miami Dolphins could be in trouble.
Lydon Murtha playing in place of Jake Long was clearly overmatched. The numerous penalties called on Murtha highlighted his inability to keep up with the speed of the Bucs defense. Murtha and his line-mates left the Dolphins backed up near their endzone several times and only allowed the offense to get on track once after an early Brandon Marshall touchdown.
The right side of the Dolphin line was nothing short of pathetic. The wisdom of signing Marc Columbo and making him the instant starter at right tackle is questionable. Beaten off the snap many times, his first step was constantly behind his opposition.
Vernon Carey looked as if he was playing in quicksand. He spent more time in the backfield than Reggie Bush and he was knocked on his backside on several occasions. Carey and Columob looked old, slow and fat. On the goal line, they were beaten off the ball so badly the defense was tackling the back before he took the handoff.
The bright side will be the return of Jake Long and that both Richey Incognito and Mike Pouncey played excellent football games. Pouncey laid out Bucs DT Brian Price with a devastating second level hit. With only two weeks remaining until the regular season, it is hard to imagine the Dolphins being able to fix the right side of the line. This does not bode well for the season ahead.
The following statistics agree with the analysis.
1st downs rushing – 0
3rd down conversions – 2 - 12
4th down conversions – 0 - 1
Yards rushing – 22
Yards per Carry – 1.3
Sacks – 5
Penalties – 11 - 76
The offensive line was the prime focus going into the game but there were many positives. Chad Henne played a much better game than his lofty 10 – 13, 175 yard, 1 TD numbers would indicate. His sideline pass to Brandon Marshall was a thing of beauty, along several other quick decisive throws.
Facing a constant onslaught from the Bucs defense Henne maintained his poise and showed a maturity rarely seen in the past. Aside from one fumble brought about by the sieve on the right side of the line, Henne never allowed the pressure to force him into a bad throw. His decision making under pressure never wavered. He did not make the costly turnovers that had plagued him in the past.
Henne’s performance kept the Dolphins in a game that could easily have gotten out of hand, had he turned the ball over. It may seem hard to fathom judging by the score, but it was one of Henne’s finest games in a Dolphin uniform. If Henne maintains this level of play, he may have finally turned the corner as an NFL QB.
The starting defense played a good game, but a vanilla game plan was evident. The Dolphin defense showed very little to the NFL in this game. If the New England Patriots hoped to get some film of what they could expect from the Dolphin defense they will be disappointed.
With this in mind, the defense held up-and-coming Bucs QB Josh Freeman to a pedestrian 12 – 23, 149 yard, 0 TD performance. There were a couple lapses in the secondary included the dreaded dropped INT by Yeremiah Bell, but most of the Bucs big plays came from QB scrambles. Noticeable missed coverages on the backside of the formation led to wide open check down receivers. Shawn Smith’s open field tackling leaves much to be desired. Overall the Dolphin defense performed well, while divulging little of what can be expected once the regular season begins.
Special teams did nothing spectacular and it could spell the end for Philip Livas who did not distinguish himself as a punt returner. Dan Carpenter had two field goals, including a 47 yarder that easily cleared the bar. The Dolphins did not return a kickoff in this game, a reflection of the new kickoff rules. The Bucs attempted two kickoff returns but averaged only 17 yards. Brandon Fields had an excellent night punting, including a clutch 69-yard punt when the Dolphins were pinned deep in their own territory.
In the final analysis, the right side of the Dolphin offensive line could spell big trouble if play does not somehow improve. The penalties must be cleaned up. If Chad Henne continues to build on the past two weeks, he will put all the naysayers to rest and finally solidify himself as the Miami Dolphin QB. Once the Miami defense opens the playbook, they will be the backbone of the team and should keep Miami in every game.
Lydon Murtha playing in place of Jake Long was clearly overmatched. The numerous penalties called on Murtha highlighted his inability to keep up with the speed of the Bucs defense. Murtha and his line-mates left the Dolphins backed up near their endzone several times and only allowed the offense to get on track once after an early Brandon Marshall touchdown.
The right side of the Dolphin line was nothing short of pathetic. The wisdom of signing Marc Columbo and making him the instant starter at right tackle is questionable. Beaten off the snap many times, his first step was constantly behind his opposition.
Vernon Carey looked as if he was playing in quicksand. He spent more time in the backfield than Reggie Bush and he was knocked on his backside on several occasions. Carey and Columob looked old, slow and fat. On the goal line, they were beaten off the ball so badly the defense was tackling the back before he took the handoff.
The bright side will be the return of Jake Long and that both Richey Incognito and Mike Pouncey played excellent football games. Pouncey laid out Bucs DT Brian Price with a devastating second level hit. With only two weeks remaining until the regular season, it is hard to imagine the Dolphins being able to fix the right side of the line. This does not bode well for the season ahead.
The following statistics agree with the analysis.
1st downs rushing – 0
3rd down conversions – 2 - 12
4th down conversions – 0 - 1
Yards rushing – 22
Yards per Carry – 1.3
Sacks – 5
Penalties – 11 - 76
The offensive line was the prime focus going into the game but there were many positives. Chad Henne played a much better game than his lofty 10 – 13, 175 yard, 1 TD numbers would indicate. His sideline pass to Brandon Marshall was a thing of beauty, along several other quick decisive throws.
Facing a constant onslaught from the Bucs defense Henne maintained his poise and showed a maturity rarely seen in the past. Aside from one fumble brought about by the sieve on the right side of the line, Henne never allowed the pressure to force him into a bad throw. His decision making under pressure never wavered. He did not make the costly turnovers that had plagued him in the past.
Henne’s performance kept the Dolphins in a game that could easily have gotten out of hand, had he turned the ball over. It may seem hard to fathom judging by the score, but it was one of Henne’s finest games in a Dolphin uniform. If Henne maintains this level of play, he may have finally turned the corner as an NFL QB.
The starting defense played a good game, but a vanilla game plan was evident. The Dolphin defense showed very little to the NFL in this game. If the New England Patriots hoped to get some film of what they could expect from the Dolphin defense they will be disappointed.
With this in mind, the defense held up-and-coming Bucs QB Josh Freeman to a pedestrian 12 – 23, 149 yard, 0 TD performance. There were a couple lapses in the secondary included the dreaded dropped INT by Yeremiah Bell, but most of the Bucs big plays came from QB scrambles. Noticeable missed coverages on the backside of the formation led to wide open check down receivers. Shawn Smith’s open field tackling leaves much to be desired. Overall the Dolphin defense performed well, while divulging little of what can be expected once the regular season begins.
Special teams did nothing spectacular and it could spell the end for Philip Livas who did not distinguish himself as a punt returner. Dan Carpenter had two field goals, including a 47 yarder that easily cleared the bar. The Dolphins did not return a kickoff in this game, a reflection of the new kickoff rules. The Bucs attempted two kickoff returns but averaged only 17 yards. Brandon Fields had an excellent night punting, including a clutch 69-yard punt when the Dolphins were pinned deep in their own territory.
In the final analysis, the right side of the Dolphin offensive line could spell big trouble if play does not somehow improve. The penalties must be cleaned up. If Chad Henne continues to build on the past two weeks, he will put all the naysayers to rest and finally solidify himself as the Miami Dolphin QB. Once the Miami defense opens the playbook, they will be the backbone of the team and should keep Miami in every game.
Dolphins at the Bucs
Folks, I will be heading to the Dolphins - Bucs game tonight... If there are specific things you would like my impression of, please post and I will reply tomorrow in a seperate article.
I will also give a full report on the game...
My main focus during the game will be on the offensive line. My opinion is, if this team has a chance to be better than the last couple years the improvement will have to come on the O-line. Moving Carey to guard, how Colomubo plays at RT and the play of Pouncey are the what I believe to be the most important match-ups, not only for this game but for the season as well.
Secondly I would like to see how Henne has matured and if he can follow up on last week's performance. I have been one of the few fans who has maintained that QBs take at least 3 years to develop in the NFL. For that reason I have not been on the train of Henne bashers, but this year he must make the progression to being a good NFL QB or I will jump on board. I don't believe he has to be Tom Brady, but he must at least be able to limit his mistakes and make big plays in timely moments.
The 3rd pre-season game is the most important one as far as assessing the starters and getting a good idea of how the team will play this year. It's still a pre-season game so drawing too many conclusions from it is probably a mistake, but this one has a game plan and the starters should come out to start the 2nd half.
GO FINS!
I will also give a full report on the game...
My main focus during the game will be on the offensive line. My opinion is, if this team has a chance to be better than the last couple years the improvement will have to come on the O-line. Moving Carey to guard, how Colomubo plays at RT and the play of Pouncey are the what I believe to be the most important match-ups, not only for this game but for the season as well.
Secondly I would like to see how Henne has matured and if he can follow up on last week's performance. I have been one of the few fans who has maintained that QBs take at least 3 years to develop in the NFL. For that reason I have not been on the train of Henne bashers, but this year he must make the progression to being a good NFL QB or I will jump on board. I don't believe he has to be Tom Brady, but he must at least be able to limit his mistakes and make big plays in timely moments.
The 3rd pre-season game is the most important one as far as assessing the starters and getting a good idea of how the team will play this year. It's still a pre-season game so drawing too many conclusions from it is probably a mistake, but this one has a game plan and the starters should come out to start the 2nd half.
GO FINS!
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