The Dolphins core tailback tandem of second year man Jay Ajayi and rookie Kenyan Drake became a viable NFL threesome today with the addition of a proven do-it-all veteran in Arian Foster.
Foster has accrued 6,472 rushing yards with a 4.5 career average and 54 touchdowns in seven seasons while in three of those years he participated in eight or fewer games. As a receiver out of the backfield he's covered 2,268 yards with 14 touchdowns.
Arian a 2009 Houston Texan un-drafted rookie with 6 games played became superstar material in 2010, 11, 12, and 2014. Foster played in just eight 2013, and four 2015 games due to injury. His most recent injury (achilles) came in week seven of 2015 versus the Miami franchise at which he now resides.
Miami signed 6-1, 227 Arian Foster (30 in August) to a one year deal at 1.5 million with another 2 million worth of incentives on the table. At his best he's a proven threat in every phase of the game and will easily earn such incentives. At the very least he offers proven veteran leadership! Along with the leadership aspect. Foster (once 100% healthy while working out for the Dolphins on numerous occasions during the process) has the superior skill-sets and all-around game which didn't exist in the (break glass in case of emergency) scenario of Damian Williams, Daniel Thomas, or Isaiah Pead.
Training Camp begins in TEN DAYS on July 28th.
The Miami Dolphins will play 2016's first pre-season game at the N.Y. Giants 15 days later on August 12th.
HERE WE GO DOLPHINS, HERE WE GO !!!
WOOOOO-HOOOO-GIGGGITTTY, GOFINS !!!
Showing posts with label Daniel Thomas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel Thomas. Show all posts
The Miami Dolphins Face the Kansas City Chiefs
The Miami Dolphins face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in practically a must win game for the Chiefs. Only 12 teams in NFL history have survived an 0-3 start to make the playoffs. The Dolphins are favored by 5 points in this game and that could spell trouble as Miami is 6-23 the last 10 years when favored by more than 3 points at home. The spread is sure to plummet once that stat hits the wires…
Miami is difficult for handicappers to predict because of the inconsistent play at QB. The startling stat sticking out in Bill Lazor’s throbbing head is Ryan Tannehill’s 0.6 passer rating on throws of 20 yards or more. The Miami QB is 1 of 7 for 22 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. Last week the Bills disregarded Tannehill throwing deep and brought the house on every down. Surely watching the film has Eric Berry licking his chops.
The Chiefs find themselves 0-2 mainly due to stud RB Jamal Charles nursing a high ankle sprain. Explosive draft pick De'Anthony Thomas has yet to play a regular season down with a pulled hamstring. Both of these two players are expected back, relieving some of the burden on Alex Smith who has been ineffective in the passing game after signing a franchise contract.
De'Anthony Thomas presents a serious challenge for a Miami special teams unit that played about as poorly as possible against the Bills. Thomas returned a punt for a TD in the pre-season and is looking forward to duplicating the feat against Miami. The Dolphins will need to plug the leaks quick before facing Thomas.
The story will look much the same this week for the Dolphins, though fortunately the KC front 4 is not as formidable as Buffalo. The Miami OL held up fairly well against a relentless Buffalo defense. They will be presented with a similar 8-man front sprinkled with a few new wrinkles as KC aims to force Tannehill to win the game. Buffalo showed Miami’s vulnerability in the deep passing game and teams will use the same formula until it's fixed, one way or the other...
The hope for a big Miami offensive showing lies once again on completing a few early long passes. If Tannehill can break the drought and hit his receivers for big plays, the defense will back off and the running game will come alive. If the same ineptitude prevails, the game could very well turn into a low scoring nail-biter with the outcome decided by a single play somewhere along the way.
The Dolphins should return a couple linebackers this week bringing depth to a lackluster group. Jason Trusnik's massive snap total may have played a part in the total special teams collapse at Buffalo. The usually sure handed Jarvis Landry made some rookie mistakes fielding punts, but there's no returning to Marcus Thigpen who was wisely snapped up by Bill Belichick. This unit needs Trusnik at full strength and completely in on special teams.
Cameron Wake has probably heard enough about being handled by a 7th round rookie in Buffalo. The Miami front 4 is one of the better units in the league when they decide to show up for a game. It’s hard to fathom how the Bills took both Wake and Vernon out of the game last week, and equally hard to fathom that both will underperform for a second straight week.
The thought here is, this will be a closely contested defensive struggle. The team making a big play in any facet should come out on top at the end. Should Tannehill get untracked in the deep passing game KC could be in for trouble, but he has not shown that ability in 34 starts and it is doubtful to suddenly blossom. The absence of Knowshon Moreno was clearly evident in Buffalo and he won’t be playing any time soon.
Everything points to Miami needing a flawless defensive and special teams performance to come out on top. While the NFL has shown a dependency on great QB play to consistently win, the Dolphins have no such luxury and must depend on a total team effort.
Bill Lazor has his hands full on an offense that seems a mismatch of talents. The big play speed receivers do not particularly block well in the run game and the QB cannot complete long passes. If things go sour early the boo-birds will surface in Miami, Tannehill's honeymoon is over. The calls for Matt Moore have not surfaced yet, but the call is waiting on the back of tongues all over Dolphin land.
Tannehill has lit-it-up approximately one out of every three games and there’s a high probability this could be his week. The Miami faithful have been blowing up the blogs in a virtual showdown between believers and non-believers. Tannehill needs this game badly to right ship and regain the confidence of teammates, coaching staff and Miami fandom as a whole.
Miami wins a close contest. The offense pulls in and works on its strengths in the running game. Expect to see less Wallace and more of Jarvis Landry and plenty of tight ends. When a QB is struggling with a facet of his game, it makes little sense to force him into those situations. Joe Philbin showed this train of thought when deciding to sit on the running game at the end of the first half last week.
Lamar Miller may take a backseat to Damien Williams in this game and Daniel Thomas is looking for redemption. Miami will pull back and go with a power running game and sure up special teams in an effort to win a close contest. Tannehill will get a couple of shots, but the Dolphin coaching staff is well aware of the .06 passer rating on deep throws and the demoralizing affect those missed opportunities have on a football team.
Miami wins a close one with a defensive touchdown!
Miami is difficult for handicappers to predict because of the inconsistent play at QB. The startling stat sticking out in Bill Lazor’s throbbing head is Ryan Tannehill’s 0.6 passer rating on throws of 20 yards or more. The Miami QB is 1 of 7 for 22 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. Last week the Bills disregarded Tannehill throwing deep and brought the house on every down. Surely watching the film has Eric Berry licking his chops.
The Chiefs find themselves 0-2 mainly due to stud RB Jamal Charles nursing a high ankle sprain. Explosive draft pick De'Anthony Thomas has yet to play a regular season down with a pulled hamstring. Both of these two players are expected back, relieving some of the burden on Alex Smith who has been ineffective in the passing game after signing a franchise contract.
De'Anthony Thomas presents a serious challenge for a Miami special teams unit that played about as poorly as possible against the Bills. Thomas returned a punt for a TD in the pre-season and is looking forward to duplicating the feat against Miami. The Dolphins will need to plug the leaks quick before facing Thomas.
The story will look much the same this week for the Dolphins, though fortunately the KC front 4 is not as formidable as Buffalo. The Miami OL held up fairly well against a relentless Buffalo defense. They will be presented with a similar 8-man front sprinkled with a few new wrinkles as KC aims to force Tannehill to win the game. Buffalo showed Miami’s vulnerability in the deep passing game and teams will use the same formula until it's fixed, one way or the other...
The hope for a big Miami offensive showing lies once again on completing a few early long passes. If Tannehill can break the drought and hit his receivers for big plays, the defense will back off and the running game will come alive. If the same ineptitude prevails, the game could very well turn into a low scoring nail-biter with the outcome decided by a single play somewhere along the way.
The Dolphins should return a couple linebackers this week bringing depth to a lackluster group. Jason Trusnik's massive snap total may have played a part in the total special teams collapse at Buffalo. The usually sure handed Jarvis Landry made some rookie mistakes fielding punts, but there's no returning to Marcus Thigpen who was wisely snapped up by Bill Belichick. This unit needs Trusnik at full strength and completely in on special teams.
Cameron Wake has probably heard enough about being handled by a 7th round rookie in Buffalo. The Miami front 4 is one of the better units in the league when they decide to show up for a game. It’s hard to fathom how the Bills took both Wake and Vernon out of the game last week, and equally hard to fathom that both will underperform for a second straight week.
The thought here is, this will be a closely contested defensive struggle. The team making a big play in any facet should come out on top at the end. Should Tannehill get untracked in the deep passing game KC could be in for trouble, but he has not shown that ability in 34 starts and it is doubtful to suddenly blossom. The absence of Knowshon Moreno was clearly evident in Buffalo and he won’t be playing any time soon.
Everything points to Miami needing a flawless defensive and special teams performance to come out on top. While the NFL has shown a dependency on great QB play to consistently win, the Dolphins have no such luxury and must depend on a total team effort.
Bill Lazor has his hands full on an offense that seems a mismatch of talents. The big play speed receivers do not particularly block well in the run game and the QB cannot complete long passes. If things go sour early the boo-birds will surface in Miami, Tannehill's honeymoon is over. The calls for Matt Moore have not surfaced yet, but the call is waiting on the back of tongues all over Dolphin land.
Tannehill has lit-it-up approximately one out of every three games and there’s a high probability this could be his week. The Miami faithful have been blowing up the blogs in a virtual showdown between believers and non-believers. Tannehill needs this game badly to right ship and regain the confidence of teammates, coaching staff and Miami fandom as a whole.
Miami wins a close contest. The offense pulls in and works on its strengths in the running game. Expect to see less Wallace and more of Jarvis Landry and plenty of tight ends. When a QB is struggling with a facet of his game, it makes little sense to force him into those situations. Joe Philbin showed this train of thought when deciding to sit on the running game at the end of the first half last week.
Lamar Miller may take a backseat to Damien Williams in this game and Daniel Thomas is looking for redemption. Miami will pull back and go with a power running game and sure up special teams in an effort to win a close contest. Tannehill will get a couple of shots, but the Dolphin coaching staff is well aware of the .06 passer rating on deep throws and the demoralizing affect those missed opportunities have on a football team.
Miami wins a close one with a defensive touchdown!
Miami Victory in Pittsburgh Opens Playoff Window
The chatter circulating Miami prior to the Dolphins dramatic
victory in Pittsburgh was calling for the jobs of Joe Philbin and Jeff Ireland.
Writers from the local rags and here on Dolphinshout did an abrupt U-Turn after
the exciting win placed Miami squarely in the playoff hunt. The Miami Dolphins
enter the final three games of the season needing one more victory than the Baltimore
Ravens to clinch a wildcard berth.
The heat on the Dolphin brass was cooled by scoring a fourth
quarter offensive TD for the first time in eight games and breaking the 27
point barrier for the first time all season. Fashionably, the
game came down to a last-second desperation lateral-fest by the Steelers, which
came an inch from succeeding before the victory was secured. There was no warming up the weather in Pittsburgh, where the game opened in a driving snowstorm and the
conditions remained frigid throughout the day.
Led by a two TD performance from Charles Clay, a highlight
reel catch by Brian Hartline and perhaps the best day as a Dolphin by Daniel
Thomas, Miami weathered the storm. Clay continued his breakout season by
throwing off two tacklers on the way to a game clinching TD and 97 yards
receiving. Not even the referees could believe Hartline’s sideline circus catch
for a TD until it was verified by instant replay. When Lamar Miller went down
with a 1st half concussion, Thomas stepped up in a big way and ran
for 105 yards including a 55 yard scamper and a score.
Ryan Tannehill showed maturity in a 3 TD - 1 INT performance,
including a 48 yard dash on a seldom used read option play. When Troy Polamalu
intercepted an errant throw and gave Pittsburgh the lead with a diving TD
leap, it looked like the pick six would KO the Dolphins, but Tannehill was unfazed
and calmly led the team to victory.
The Dolphin defense had an uneven day allowing 21 points,
but remained stout after a 3rd quarter letdown and enabled a 34
to 28 Miami victory. After allowing only 1 TD by a wide receiver all season, the
Dolphin secondary gave up 3 in Pittsburgh. The snowy conditions attributed to
much of the secondary issues as the DBs had trouble maintaining footing on the
slippery turf.
In all it was an impressive win for the Dolphins and kept
their season alive. For Miami fans unused to being relevant in December, it was
reason to smile. Through the bullying allegations and bumpy start, Joe
Philbin has maintained the locker room and likely secured his job. Calls for Jeff
Ireland’s job will continue to subside with each Miami victory.
The Dolphins arrived home to beautiful sunny conditions after
weeks of weathering the storm. With New England coming to town, the Dolphins
have an opportunity to silence their critics and prove they are a team looking forward
to a bright future.
Analyzing The Miami Dolphins on First Down
Consider the following chart...
These are all the plays the Miami Dolphins ran on 1st down against the Seattle Seahawks broken down by the direction of the play, on runs and Ryan Tannehill's passing. The left 3rd of the chart are the runs to the left, center of the chart are the runs to right, and the right 3rd of the chart are passing situations.
Some interesting tendencies begin to develop when breaking down the Dolphins. The most glaring - Find the name Thomas on the chart.
Notice the direction Daniel Thomas runs on every first down carry... When Thomas is in the game on first down the Dolphins run to right side of the line, in every instance. Watching the game it is difficult to notice the subtle nuances in play calling, but teams have staffs of professionals combing data to find tendencies. Thomas running to the right on first down will clearly be highlighted in the New England Patriot film session.
Reggie Bush is a little more illusive.
Although there is a tendency, when the Dolphins run left on first down; they do it with Reggie bush. There is data missing that gives defenders even a little more ability to anticipate the offense. Formations and pulling linemen are huge keys for a linebacker.
Zach Thomas always seemed to be moving to the ball. Many times broadcasters spoke of Thomas's instincts, but there was much more going on with Thomas. He broke down offenses in different situations and was able to follow keys that led him to the ball carrier.
A pulling lineman cannot be disguised. A 300 pound man drawing back and running across the backfield has nowhere to hide. When Mike Pouncey got around the left side on Bush's 21 yard TD scamper, Zach Thomas may have been able to breakdown the film and be in position to stop the play.
What about the passing...
There were 14 situations where Ryan Tannehill passed on first down. Three of those opportunities were either a kneel down at the half or the two spikes on the final drive, those are greyed out on the chart and eliminated in the count. With those removed, Tannehill was successful on 6 of 11 first down passing attempts, 55%. Though the gains on successful throws were substantial, the average when considering the miscues was actually less than the running plays (see main chart) at 6.9 yards per attempt. For a comparison, Tom Brady had a similar completion percentage and his average yardage was equitable. The difference in the Patriot offense versus the Dolphins is, Miami passes 38% of the time on first down, while NE passes well over 50% of the time. The conclusion from the style of offense is, New England does not believe negative plays or incompletions, on first down, are detrimental to their offense.
The Patriots place no special relevance on first down.
This is what sets New England's offense apart from the rest of the NFL, except perhaps Denver, Green Bay and New Orleans. These teams have such great confidence in their QBs, first down is not a mystical must gain 5 yard down for the offense to be successful. The reason is simple, give Brady, Manning, Rodgers or Brees 3 chances to throw for 10 yards and they will make the play many more times than not.
This is where Miami is hoping to go, but also what Miami must defend against this week. The reality in the NFL is, when a team has a QB and offense capable of completing passes, even when the defense is playing the pass, there is little opponents can do to stop them once the train starts rolling.
Defeating New England on Sunday will not come on the predictable tendencies of Bush Left and Thomas right, it will come on the arm of Ryan Tannehill and a Miami offense that can make one throw in three further than ten yards.
To beat New England, Miami will have to score points and keep Tom Brady on the bench. With Bill Belichick on the opposing sideline, going against tendencies will be the key. Time for the rookie to open the door to the future.
There's is nothing to lose by being wide open. Playing to tendencies will surely lead to defeat...
May as well let it go Dolphins!
Some interesting tendencies begin to develop when breaking down the Dolphins. The most glaring - Find the name Thomas on the chart.
Reggie Bush is a little more illusive.
Zach Thomas always seemed to be moving to the ball. Many times broadcasters spoke of Thomas's instincts, but there was much more going on with Thomas. He broke down offenses in different situations and was able to follow keys that led him to the ball carrier.
A pulling lineman cannot be disguised. A 300 pound man drawing back and running across the backfield has nowhere to hide. When Mike Pouncey got around the left side on Bush's 21 yard TD scamper, Zach Thomas may have been able to breakdown the film and be in position to stop the play.
What about the passing...
The Patriots place no special relevance on first down.
This is what sets New England's offense apart from the rest of the NFL, except perhaps Denver, Green Bay and New Orleans. These teams have such great confidence in their QBs, first down is not a mystical must gain 5 yard down for the offense to be successful. The reason is simple, give Brady, Manning, Rodgers or Brees 3 chances to throw for 10 yards and they will make the play many more times than not.
This is where Miami is hoping to go, but also what Miami must defend against this week. The reality in the NFL is, when a team has a QB and offense capable of completing passes, even when the defense is playing the pass, there is little opponents can do to stop them once the train starts rolling.
Defeating New England on Sunday will not come on the predictable tendencies of Bush Left and Thomas right, it will come on the arm of Ryan Tannehill and a Miami offense that can make one throw in three further than ten yards.
To beat New England, Miami will have to score points and keep Tom Brady on the bench. With Bill Belichick on the opposing sideline, going against tendencies will be the key. Time for the rookie to open the door to the future.
There's is nothing to lose by being wide open. Playing to tendencies will surely lead to defeat...
May as well let it go Dolphins!
Miami Dolphin Veterans Need to Step Up
The
rookie quarterbacks put on the show Sunday, but it was the veteran leaders on the
Dolphins that proved Miami's undoing. The closest thing to veteran
leadership in Miami comes from Reggie Bush, Jake Long and Anthony Fasano on offense and Cameron Wake, Karlos Dansby and Sean Smith on defense.
Reggie Bush and Cameron Wake exonerated themselves from criticism by making plays, but their veteran teammates must be held accountable. Joe Philbin needs to send the right message to the youngsters by calling out the pathetic play of the leaders during film study.
Jake Long had perhaps his worst day as a professional and his final trip to Hawaii may have come and gone. Dwight Freeney’s early spin move resulted in a sack of Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill fumbled and Long somehow managed to catch the ball and make a positive play, but Freeney had his number the entire game.
Freeney’s bull-rushes made Long look feeble, slow and flatfooted. The first half ended with a speed rush that confused both Long and running back Daniel Thomas resulting in another big hit on Tannehill. The veteran Long missed the assignment. The tackle should always take the defensive end and leave the linebacker to the halfback. Even if it gone for a first down, the final offensive play of the game for the Dolphins would not have counted as the Colts declined Long’s holding penalty.
Jake Long is destined for free agency after the season. After four straight pro-bowls, his reign as a dominant left tackle could be in jeopardy. Long will have to take a significant pay cut to remain in Miami and that could even include a switch to right tackle. If Long demands more than his mediocre performance is worth, this may be his last year as a Dolphin. Jake Long needs to step up if Miami has any true playoff hopes, his position is critical to protecting Miami’s prized rookie QB. Should long's immobility cause an injury to Tannehill, it will not be forgotten in the off-season.
Anthony Fasano was unable to find an opening in the Colts secondary and only caught one pass. Because of the problem Long and his fellow line-mates were having slowing down Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, Fasano was used mainly as a blocker. Averaging 4.7 yards per carry, the Dolphins inexplicably only rushed the ball 18 times in the entire game. Fasano’s holding call midway through the third quarter eventually forced a Dolphin punt. Fasano did not play a terrible game, but it was not good enough to win.
On defense, Karlos Dansby had 9 tackles but there were receivers running open through the middle of the Dolphin defense the entire game. Dansby will not be highlighted as a prime suspect in the losing effort, but he was nearly invisible. When the Dolphins needed a veteran to step up and make a play, Karlos was chasing receivers and making many of his tackles ten or more yards down the field allowing long third down conversions.
Many of the thirteen out of nineteen times Luck and the Colts converted on third down came on passes in the center of the field with Dansby unable to make a play. Seven of those passes went for nine yards or longer and are the kind of plays that left the defense shaking their heads and gasping for air. Dansby needed to provide a veteran spark, but instead allowed a rookie QB to steal the show.
Sean Smith reverted to the inconsistent player that has infuriated Dolphin fans since he was drafted four years ago. Smith is a gifted athlete, but his mistakes from the cornerback position are glaring. Smith was in coverage on both Luck’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne and his 36-yard touchdown pass to TY Hilton.
On the long pass to Hilton, Smith said, “I lost it in the light, went blind.” The wobbling desperation pass was easy pickings for Smith, but he turned awkwardly with his back to the receiver and knocked Miami safety Chris Clemons off the coverage. Smith simply needed to follow the receiver and he would have been able to locate the ball, but he reacted as if the stadium lights were rays of kryptonite.
With 2:59 left and the game still in the balance Smith had another opportunity to redeem himself. Andrew Luck found him again for an easy interception that would have given the Dolphins the ball at the Colts’ 30, already in range for a game tying field goal. Instead, after pulling in the pass he somehow managed to let it slip through his hands and fall harmlessly to the ground. The Colts punted and their defense held the Dolphins to end the game.
It seems our entire society has grown insistent on the blame game, the word accident may as well be struck from the dictionary, unfortunately it was no accident or coincidence this article is focused on Jake Long and Sean Smith. The Colts saw something other teams had missed, the Colts saw two veterans living off their reputation and not playing at an elite level. Long’s quick feet have turned to stone and Smith's unusual height and athleticism have caused him to ignore technique.
These two players needed to make strides this season as leaders on the field and if this game is an indication, it has not happened.
The Dolphins cannot afford to spend more draft picks on offensive linemen. Long and Pouncey are first round picks, Martin is a second, Jerry is a third along with Richey Incognito (Rams 2005). Samson Satele who started for the Colts was a second round pick for Miami who was let go for Jake Grove who the Dolphins paid $14 million dollars to before drafting Pouncey.
Sean Smith was drafted in the second round in 2009 along with first round pick Vontae Davis. Davis is already gone, making Smith the leader in the secondary and with a performance like this, coaches must be wondering if he can be entrusted with the future. Miami will be forced to add players to the secondary in 2013, but with the hope Smith would be a veteran leader. Unfortunately, Sean Smith has not shown the maturity and consistency to be a leader and the Dolphins may have to revert to free agency.
The failure of these two players has a ripple effect now and in the future for the Dolphins. In the present, both have been exposed and both will be challenged relentlessly in the coming weeks. There will be no reputation to live off any longer. The Dolphins will know by season’s end whether these two players will need replacements.
The drafting of Jonathan Martin is already an indication Miami may know more about Jake Long’s long-term viability in the NFL than they are letting on. Long is not the same player that was picked with first selection of the 2008 draft. After four seasons, a consistent light is not burning in the heart of Sean Smith. These are huge gaps for the Dolphins to fill whether through the draft or in free agency.
Fans that were disappointed a wide receiver was not selected high in the 2012 draft will be livid when a tackle or corner must be selected because these two players have not lived up to the billing. The spotlight is no longer on Ryan Tannehill, the light will be burning bright on Jake Long and Sean Smith after Miami’s future opponents spend time breaking down the Colts film.
The rookie is doing just fine, it’s time for Jake Long and Sean Smith to step up or their days are numbered in Miami...
Reggie Bush and Cameron Wake exonerated themselves from criticism by making plays, but their veteran teammates must be held accountable. Joe Philbin needs to send the right message to the youngsters by calling out the pathetic play of the leaders during film study.
Jake Long had perhaps his worst day as a professional and his final trip to Hawaii may have come and gone. Dwight Freeney’s early spin move resulted in a sack of Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill fumbled and Long somehow managed to catch the ball and make a positive play, but Freeney had his number the entire game.
Freeney’s bull-rushes made Long look feeble, slow and flatfooted. The first half ended with a speed rush that confused both Long and running back Daniel Thomas resulting in another big hit on Tannehill. The veteran Long missed the assignment. The tackle should always take the defensive end and leave the linebacker to the halfback. Even if it gone for a first down, the final offensive play of the game for the Dolphins would not have counted as the Colts declined Long’s holding penalty.
Jake Long is destined for free agency after the season. After four straight pro-bowls, his reign as a dominant left tackle could be in jeopardy. Long will have to take a significant pay cut to remain in Miami and that could even include a switch to right tackle. If Long demands more than his mediocre performance is worth, this may be his last year as a Dolphin. Jake Long needs to step up if Miami has any true playoff hopes, his position is critical to protecting Miami’s prized rookie QB. Should long's immobility cause an injury to Tannehill, it will not be forgotten in the off-season.
Anthony Fasano was unable to find an opening in the Colts secondary and only caught one pass. Because of the problem Long and his fellow line-mates were having slowing down Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, Fasano was used mainly as a blocker. Averaging 4.7 yards per carry, the Dolphins inexplicably only rushed the ball 18 times in the entire game. Fasano’s holding call midway through the third quarter eventually forced a Dolphin punt. Fasano did not play a terrible game, but it was not good enough to win.
On defense, Karlos Dansby had 9 tackles but there were receivers running open through the middle of the Dolphin defense the entire game. Dansby will not be highlighted as a prime suspect in the losing effort, but he was nearly invisible. When the Dolphins needed a veteran to step up and make a play, Karlos was chasing receivers and making many of his tackles ten or more yards down the field allowing long third down conversions.
Many of the thirteen out of nineteen times Luck and the Colts converted on third down came on passes in the center of the field with Dansby unable to make a play. Seven of those passes went for nine yards or longer and are the kind of plays that left the defense shaking their heads and gasping for air. Dansby needed to provide a veteran spark, but instead allowed a rookie QB to steal the show.
Sean Smith reverted to the inconsistent player that has infuriated Dolphin fans since he was drafted four years ago. Smith is a gifted athlete, but his mistakes from the cornerback position are glaring. Smith was in coverage on both Luck’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne and his 36-yard touchdown pass to TY Hilton.
On the long pass to Hilton, Smith said, “I lost it in the light, went blind.” The wobbling desperation pass was easy pickings for Smith, but he turned awkwardly with his back to the receiver and knocked Miami safety Chris Clemons off the coverage. Smith simply needed to follow the receiver and he would have been able to locate the ball, but he reacted as if the stadium lights were rays of kryptonite.
With 2:59 left and the game still in the balance Smith had another opportunity to redeem himself. Andrew Luck found him again for an easy interception that would have given the Dolphins the ball at the Colts’ 30, already in range for a game tying field goal. Instead, after pulling in the pass he somehow managed to let it slip through his hands and fall harmlessly to the ground. The Colts punted and their defense held the Dolphins to end the game.
It seems our entire society has grown insistent on the blame game, the word accident may as well be struck from the dictionary, unfortunately it was no accident or coincidence this article is focused on Jake Long and Sean Smith. The Colts saw something other teams had missed, the Colts saw two veterans living off their reputation and not playing at an elite level. Long’s quick feet have turned to stone and Smith's unusual height and athleticism have caused him to ignore technique.
These two players needed to make strides this season as leaders on the field and if this game is an indication, it has not happened.
The Dolphins cannot afford to spend more draft picks on offensive linemen. Long and Pouncey are first round picks, Martin is a second, Jerry is a third along with Richey Incognito (Rams 2005). Samson Satele who started for the Colts was a second round pick for Miami who was let go for Jake Grove who the Dolphins paid $14 million dollars to before drafting Pouncey.
Sean Smith was drafted in the second round in 2009 along with first round pick Vontae Davis. Davis is already gone, making Smith the leader in the secondary and with a performance like this, coaches must be wondering if he can be entrusted with the future. Miami will be forced to add players to the secondary in 2013, but with the hope Smith would be a veteran leader. Unfortunately, Sean Smith has not shown the maturity and consistency to be a leader and the Dolphins may have to revert to free agency.
The failure of these two players has a ripple effect now and in the future for the Dolphins. In the present, both have been exposed and both will be challenged relentlessly in the coming weeks. There will be no reputation to live off any longer. The Dolphins will know by season’s end whether these two players will need replacements.
The drafting of Jonathan Martin is already an indication Miami may know more about Jake Long’s long-term viability in the NFL than they are letting on. Long is not the same player that was picked with first selection of the 2008 draft. After four seasons, a consistent light is not burning in the heart of Sean Smith. These are huge gaps for the Dolphins to fill whether through the draft or in free agency.
Fans that were disappointed a wide receiver was not selected high in the 2012 draft will be livid when a tackle or corner must be selected because these two players have not lived up to the billing. The spotlight is no longer on Ryan Tannehill, the light will be burning bright on Jake Long and Sean Smith after Miami’s future opponents spend time breaking down the Colts film.
The rookie is doing just fine, it’s time for Jake Long and Sean Smith to step up or their days are numbered in Miami...
The Miami Dolphin Offense is ready to Explode
There are plenty of unknowns as Dolphin camp sets to open
tomorrow, but there is also an underlying excitement because there is a lot of
talent on the Miami offense. The trolls continue to litter blogs with negative
comments about Jeff Ireland and Stephen Ross, while true Miami fans sense a
difference and it’s coming around quick.
The offense has a collection of weapons not seen in Miami
for many years. The haters may think Reggie Bush is overrated but does it
matter when Bush is joined in the backfield with Daniel Thomas and Lamar
Miller? Each of these three backs has a game all their own and each is a
serious threat many teams would love to have.
Bush may wish to become a feature back, but he will serve
the Dolphins as a kind of rover, being moved from position to position as the
defense presents mismatches. Daniel Thomas is the power back, but as a former
QB, he too is capable of understanding mismatches and is elusive enough to
exploit them. In Lamar Miller, Jeff Ireland hit a homerun! Miller was woefully underused
at UM as the Hurricanes were completely incapable of knowing a diamond when
staring straight at it.
It means, Ireland has put together what time may prove to be
the best trio of backs in the NFL. The typical Miami offense of the past would
not be able to utilize all of these talents, but the west coast offense is perfect
for this mixture of talent. Each of these players is equally comfortable
catching the ball as taking a hand-off. It points to Miami having some serious
threats coming out of the backfield that will keep opposing defenses wondering
from where the strike is coming.
The Dolphins have been grooming receivers for three or four
years, what many folks don’t understand is, receiver is the
hardest position to acclimate to in the NFL. Most receivers take several years
to understand the nuances of the position. The reason is because most have never
had to learn how to read coverages and then adjust patterns based on what they
see. It is further complicated by having to see the same thing as the QB sees
for a successful completion.
Brian Hartline and Davone Bess are exceptions because they
were very quick to catch on and extremely good at studying the game. Roberto
Wallace is ready to break out. Wallace is the prototypical late blooming receiver.
He has all the skills and size, what he didn’t have was the knowledge and
experience, this year, he will blossom. With Chad Johnson in the mix, that is
four very good, unselfish wideouts and they will surprise people this year.
With Anthony Fasano, the Dolphins have one of the best all around TEs in the game. In the previous offense Fasano was used mainly in blocking, but in a quick strike offense, his numbers could change drastically. Michael Egnew will add another dimension to the position with his ability to run seam routes. And then there is Charles Clay, perhaps the best kept secret on the Miami Dolphin roster. Clay can play RB, FB, TE and WR, used properly, he will be dangerous.
The offensive line has been an issue since line guru Tony
Sparano was hired, but Sparano was lost on a blocking scheme that has become passé
in the NFL and he brought in players to fit that mold. It did not work, but
very quickly, the line has become another strength that seemed to be a
weakness.
Jake Long will benefit from the transformation to a zone-blocking
scheme that will keep him out of the two on one battles that have caused his
injuries. Incognito is a solid guard and will also excel in this scheme, and
Martin will grow into the RT position, but the guy who will become a force is
Mike Pouncey.
The west coast offense thrives on great play from the center
position. In a quick passing offense, defenses must take direct routes to the
QB and that means straight up power rushing. A great center is required to
shore up the middle and give the QB the couple seconds he needs to find a receiver.
Also, most of the pulling is done with the center and opposite guard, pulling
is Pouncey’s strength.
That leaves only the QB position and what Matt Moore was able
to accomplish in the last nine games in 2011 tells Miami fans, he has what it
takes to run an offense. Moore may not even get the nod over David Garrard who
has also shown the ability to win in the NFL. But there is more, in the wings
is a promising rookie who may not even get on the field.
Whatever the naysayers think about Miami, they will be
singing a different tune when this team comes from nowhere to ruin many team’s Sundays
in 2012. The Dolphins are not ready for the Super Bowl, but the Miami offense
is poised. Teams that sleep on the Dolphins will be hurting on Monday
after dragging themselves home from a thorough beat down.
What We've Learned From the Dolphins Pre Season
Hello Dol-Fans!
With our beloved Dolphins Pre Season rapidly fading in the rear view mirror, it’s time to decipher what we’ve learned thus far.
OFFENSE - This is not last year’s lethargic and predictable Offense. Clearly OC Brian Daboll is willing to mix it up and take shots down field. This isn’t just exciting for the fan base, but re energizing for the players as well. All we can do, is hope that QB Chad Henne is able to manage it effectively, while minimizing turnovers. Additionally, key decisions still remain regarding the run game. RB Reggie Bush in not a traditional 20 carry/game back, Rookie Daniel Thomas hasn’t been the pillar consistency thus far, and Lex Hilliard has yet to prove he’s “the man” either. Recently signed RB Larry Johnson may just receive the nod to be second on the RB Depth Chart, or at a minimum… the infamous “Third Down Back” after ripping off a promising 20+ yard scamper for a score last night. Major concerns remain with the O-Line, and their inability to properly pass protect and open adequate running lanes. With the emergence of LT Jake Long, we can only hope that the Line is able to become a dominant force.
DEFENSE - The stout Miami Defense looks solid again this season. DC Mike Nolan’s in his second year at the helm, and that should only mean bigger and better performances are yet to come. Stalwarts OLB Cameron Wake and ILB Karlos Dansby should be primed for huge seasons, and it’ll be very interesting to see if CB Vontae Davis “can put his money where his mouth is”, claiming that Miami has the best CB tandem in the NFL. DT/DE Jared Odrick may also have the opportunity to put his stamp along the D-Line this season, if he can stay healthy. The biggest area of concern remains with the Safeties. Yeremiah Bell is a solid gamer, but there’s a definitive talent drop-off with both Chris Clemons and Reshard Jones. With the plethora of talented WR’s in the AFC East,the Safeties must tighten-up their reads and coverages or our ‘Fins will continue to be torched down field in games.
SPECIAL TEAMS – There should be a considerable amount of excitement surrounding the unit this year. P Brandon Fields continues to blast balls sky high, K Dan Carpenter is a steady performer, and our blazing Returners (D. Bess, C. Gates, and P. Livas) all have ability to “take it to the house” at every opportunity.
All in all, I truly believe Miami has a “sluggers chance” at upending the prematurely crowned Patriots for the Division title, or at least sneaking into the playoffs as a Wild Card. Every facet of this team is solid, but will need to play above their means if they hope to be relevant in the Post Season this year.
What do you think?
With our beloved Dolphins Pre Season rapidly fading in the rear view mirror, it’s time to decipher what we’ve learned thus far.
OFFENSE - This is not last year’s lethargic and predictable Offense. Clearly OC Brian Daboll is willing to mix it up and take shots down field. This isn’t just exciting for the fan base, but re energizing for the players as well. All we can do, is hope that QB Chad Henne is able to manage it effectively, while minimizing turnovers. Additionally, key decisions still remain regarding the run game. RB Reggie Bush in not a traditional 20 carry/game back, Rookie Daniel Thomas hasn’t been the pillar consistency thus far, and Lex Hilliard has yet to prove he’s “the man” either. Recently signed RB Larry Johnson may just receive the nod to be second on the RB Depth Chart, or at a minimum… the infamous “Third Down Back” after ripping off a promising 20+ yard scamper for a score last night. Major concerns remain with the O-Line, and their inability to properly pass protect and open adequate running lanes. With the emergence of LT Jake Long, we can only hope that the Line is able to become a dominant force.
DEFENSE - The stout Miami Defense looks solid again this season. DC Mike Nolan’s in his second year at the helm, and that should only mean bigger and better performances are yet to come. Stalwarts OLB Cameron Wake and ILB Karlos Dansby should be primed for huge seasons, and it’ll be very interesting to see if CB Vontae Davis “can put his money where his mouth is”, claiming that Miami has the best CB tandem in the NFL. DT/DE Jared Odrick may also have the opportunity to put his stamp along the D-Line this season, if he can stay healthy. The biggest area of concern remains with the Safeties. Yeremiah Bell is a solid gamer, but there’s a definitive talent drop-off with both Chris Clemons and Reshard Jones. With the plethora of talented WR’s in the AFC East,the Safeties must tighten-up their reads and coverages or our ‘Fins will continue to be torched down field in games.
SPECIAL TEAMS – There should be a considerable amount of excitement surrounding the unit this year. P Brandon Fields continues to blast balls sky high, K Dan Carpenter is a steady performer, and our blazing Returners (D. Bess, C. Gates, and P. Livas) all have ability to “take it to the house” at every opportunity.
All in all, I truly believe Miami has a “sluggers chance” at upending the prematurely crowned Patriots for the Division title, or at least sneaking into the playoffs as a Wild Card. Every facet of this team is solid, but will need to play above their means if they hope to be relevant in the Post Season this year.
What do you think?
Dolphin "Pod" rescue attempt of Chad Henne.. Part Two: Tailbacks!!
Hey Fellow Fin-fo-addicts, hope this comes to you when feeling all bright-eyed and BUSHY-TAILED.. Speaking of tail, that's about the only view many opponents will have (from on their butts and/or from behind) when attempting to face-up against
Reggie,Reggie,Reggie,Daniel,Daniel,Kory,Kory!!
They say that "a bird in hand is worth two in the Bush"!!
In this case, I think it goes a flock of birds on the offensive-line are worth "two in a Bush"!!
From my birds-eye view from within my mind, I'm envisioning a healthy Reggie Bush being the starter for our Miami Dolphins!! Now that's not suggesting that he'll always get the bulk of the carries from the tailback position, just that he'll start at tail-back, and likely get between fifteen to twenty carries!! I believe that 2011's second round draft pick Daniel Thomas will pretty-much match the repetitions/carries of Reggie Bush at tailback, while Bush will gather total yards in manning other positions as well (flanker, receiver, wildcat back, etc., etc..)
Here's where I see the two in a Bush theory (if Reggie Bush and the OLine can stay healthy)!! I see no reason why Reggie Bush can't single-handedly come within a few hundred yards of the production of both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined 1790 total yards of offense and only 8 Touchdowns in 2010!!
I can also easily envision Daniel Thomas equaling the 2010 production of one or the other in Ricky or Ronnie (they were basically the same production-wise).. Ronnie had 734 rushing with 242 receiving yards and 5 TD.. Ricky had 673 rushing to go along with 141 receiving yards and 3 TD.. After occasionally being able to watch Thomas play on television over the last two years for Kansas State, thoroughly evaluating him through the draft process, and during his few Dolphin moments it's quite evident to this hawk (me) that he doesn't possess the bad hesitation habits that Cam Cameron instilled in Ronnie while trying to turn him into a much slower LaDanian Tomlinson!! I believe that Thomas is already every bit the tailback that Ronnie ever was, and that not being the feature back and/or being the focal-point of opponent's game-planning should keep him fresh, while opening lanes that Ronnie never hit quite quick enough!! He, in turn, is highly capable of doing anything else that Brown was able to do if'ya know what I mean!!
No, no, don't say-it, it'll have a small paragraph in "part three"!!
Speaking of part three.. As the three we then have the return from injury of 26 year old Kory Sheets who's a burner that can score from anywhere on the field, and likely would have taken some of Ronnie's 2010 reps while running circles around 2010's number three in Patrick Cobbs (another favorite, but c'monn mannn)!! Oh yeah, we currently still have Lex Hilliard, and we all know who Lex is, should he be needed!!
All in all, 2010's entire running back unit (fullbacks included) accumulated 2,007 total yards rushing/receiving, and a mere eleven Touchdowns!!
I personally have strong confidence in 2011's tail-back unit surpassing 2010's unit by four to five hundred yards while producing quite a few more touchdowns in the process!!
Now, don't misunderstand me. I have great appreciation and respect for both Ronnie and Ricky!! It's just that both were far beyond their prime, extremely predictable, bored, and easy for the opposition to gameplan against, whereas this new stable is full of prime, young, unpredictably difficult to corral wild stallions in search of a Mare and/or Pigskin in the heat!!
AGAIN, this is all contentious to the flock of birds on the power line staying energized/healthy while transferring that cohesive electricity to the ground-game resulting in a "Burning Bush,"and the condemnation of Chad Henne's demons!!
Thank you for the open-mindedness in reading, and for what ever opinions you'd like to add!!
GO M I A M I D O L P H I N S !!!
Reggie,Reggie,Reggie,Daniel,Daniel,Kory,Kory!!
They say that "a bird in hand is worth two in the Bush"!!
In this case, I think it goes a flock of birds on the offensive-line are worth "two in a Bush"!!
From my birds-eye view from within my mind, I'm envisioning a healthy Reggie Bush being the starter for our Miami Dolphins!! Now that's not suggesting that he'll always get the bulk of the carries from the tailback position, just that he'll start at tail-back, and likely get between fifteen to twenty carries!! I believe that 2011's second round draft pick Daniel Thomas will pretty-much match the repetitions/carries of Reggie Bush at tailback, while Bush will gather total yards in manning other positions as well (flanker, receiver, wildcat back, etc., etc..)
Here's where I see the two in a Bush theory (if Reggie Bush and the OLine can stay healthy)!! I see no reason why Reggie Bush can't single-handedly come within a few hundred yards of the production of both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined 1790 total yards of offense and only 8 Touchdowns in 2010!!
I can also easily envision Daniel Thomas equaling the 2010 production of one or the other in Ricky or Ronnie (they were basically the same production-wise).. Ronnie had 734 rushing with 242 receiving yards and 5 TD.. Ricky had 673 rushing to go along with 141 receiving yards and 3 TD.. After occasionally being able to watch Thomas play on television over the last two years for Kansas State, thoroughly evaluating him through the draft process, and during his few Dolphin moments it's quite evident to this hawk (me) that he doesn't possess the bad hesitation habits that Cam Cameron instilled in Ronnie while trying to turn him into a much slower LaDanian Tomlinson!! I believe that Thomas is already every bit the tailback that Ronnie ever was, and that not being the feature back and/or being the focal-point of opponent's game-planning should keep him fresh, while opening lanes that Ronnie never hit quite quick enough!! He, in turn, is highly capable of doing anything else that Brown was able to do if'ya know what I mean!!
No, no, don't say-it, it'll have a small paragraph in "part three"!!
Speaking of part three.. As the three we then have the return from injury of 26 year old Kory Sheets who's a burner that can score from anywhere on the field, and likely would have taken some of Ronnie's 2010 reps while running circles around 2010's number three in Patrick Cobbs (another favorite, but c'monn mannn)!! Oh yeah, we currently still have Lex Hilliard, and we all know who Lex is, should he be needed!!
All in all, 2010's entire running back unit (fullbacks included) accumulated 2,007 total yards rushing/receiving, and a mere eleven Touchdowns!!
I personally have strong confidence in 2011's tail-back unit surpassing 2010's unit by four to five hundred yards while producing quite a few more touchdowns in the process!!
Now, don't misunderstand me. I have great appreciation and respect for both Ronnie and Ricky!! It's just that both were far beyond their prime, extremely predictable, bored, and easy for the opposition to gameplan against, whereas this new stable is full of prime, young, unpredictably difficult to corral wild stallions in search of a Mare and/or Pigskin in the heat!!
AGAIN, this is all contentious to the flock of birds on the power line staying energized/healthy while transferring that cohesive electricity to the ground-game resulting in a "Burning Bush,"and the condemnation of Chad Henne's demons!!
Thank you for the open-mindedness in reading, and for what ever opinions you'd like to add!!
GO M I A M I D O L P H I N S !!!
Miami Dolphins Season Outlook - 2011 Edition
Hello Dol-Fans!
Let’s take a look at what Miami Dolphins fans really want to know: can Miami challenge for the AFC East title in 2011?
Predictions this early in the season are often inaccurate however, so I will objectively analyze several main factors (i.e. schedule, roster, coaching, and schemes) and realistically project Miami’s chances. I will annotate this by using a simple “plus and minus” format.
Schedule - Miami is tied for the tenth toughest schedule in the NFL this season, and will face four Playoff teams from 2010 (two are from within the Division), resulting in a combined six out of sixteen games vs. Playoff opponents. Last year’s AFC “Road Warriors” will face a difficult road schedule as well, including games at San Diego, New York(Giants), New York again (Jets), Kansas City, Dallas, and of course the Christmas Eve game in Foxboro. MINUS
Players - The Dolphins Front Office has shrewdly adopted the “Draft and Develop” philosophy, and thankfully avoided overspending amongst the FA frenzy. With that being said, they’ve added some integral pieces (i.e. C Mike Pouncey {Florida}, RB/WR/PR Reggie Bush {New Orleans}, RB Daniel Thomas {Kansas State}, ILB Kevin Burnett {San Diego}, DE/OLB Jason Taylor {New York Jets}, and LB Jason Trusnik {Cleveland}), which will only upgrade all three facets of the game. Plus, we should see the highly anticipated return of powerful DE/DT Jared Odrick from injured reserve. The only foreseeable concern here is the failure to upgrade the QB position. PUSH (EVEN)
*Note – Adding Jason Taylor, Kevin Burnett, and Jason Trusnik were ingenious moves. All of these players can easily provide insider information (“Intel”) on 2011 opposition.
Coaches – While many predicted and speculated that Tony Sparano would be ousted after last year’s meltdown, the Front Office decided to grant him another opportunity to prove his worthiness. Thankfully, the Dolphins parted ways with OC Dan Henning and hired OC Brian Daboll to implement his version of the West Coast Offense. Additionally, DC Mike Nolan is in his second consecutive year masterfully crafting his Defense, which ranked sixth in the NFL in 2010. Continuity and upgrades on Defense will likely result in a top five ranking this season. PLUS
Scheme – As stated previously, the new Offensive System will be the game changer for Miami this year, especially early on. Opposing Defenses will no longer have the luxury of loading the box and forcing multiple punts and field goal attempts. They’ll have to spread out and respect Miami’s passing and play-action game, or face costly consequences. While Miami doesn’t possess a top flight QB, the upgrades along the O-Line, RB, WR, and TE/H-Back will aid our average passers like Chad Henne and Matt Moore. Having more Offensive and Special Teams firepower, as well as bigger play makers on Defense, will be huge factors this season. PLUS.
All things considered, I sincerely believe Miami has a legitimate chance to challenge for the AFC East this year, and I predict no worse than 10 – 6 season, with the possibility of going 11-5. Will that be enough to win the Division? Only time will tell, but with either of these records Miami will likely qualify for a Wild Card berth at a minimum, and as we all know once you’re in the Playoffs it’s a whole new season. Just ask the 2010 Green Bay Packers what their sixth seed meant to them last year.
Can you say Super Bowl?
Go 'Fins, Go!
Let’s take a look at what Miami Dolphins fans really want to know: can Miami challenge for the AFC East title in 2011?
Predictions this early in the season are often inaccurate however, so I will objectively analyze several main factors (i.e. schedule, roster, coaching, and schemes) and realistically project Miami’s chances. I will annotate this by using a simple “plus and minus” format.
Schedule - Miami is tied for the tenth toughest schedule in the NFL this season, and will face four Playoff teams from 2010 (two are from within the Division), resulting in a combined six out of sixteen games vs. Playoff opponents. Last year’s AFC “Road Warriors” will face a difficult road schedule as well, including games at San Diego, New York(Giants), New York again (Jets), Kansas City, Dallas, and of course the Christmas Eve game in Foxboro. MINUS
Players - The Dolphins Front Office has shrewdly adopted the “Draft and Develop” philosophy, and thankfully avoided overspending amongst the FA frenzy. With that being said, they’ve added some integral pieces (i.e. C Mike Pouncey {Florida}, RB/WR/PR Reggie Bush {New Orleans}, RB Daniel Thomas {Kansas State}, ILB Kevin Burnett {San Diego}, DE/OLB Jason Taylor {New York Jets}, and LB Jason Trusnik {Cleveland}), which will only upgrade all three facets of the game. Plus, we should see the highly anticipated return of powerful DE/DT Jared Odrick from injured reserve. The only foreseeable concern here is the failure to upgrade the QB position. PUSH (EVEN)
*Note – Adding Jason Taylor, Kevin Burnett, and Jason Trusnik were ingenious moves. All of these players can easily provide insider information (“Intel”) on 2011 opposition.
Coaches – While many predicted and speculated that Tony Sparano would be ousted after last year’s meltdown, the Front Office decided to grant him another opportunity to prove his worthiness. Thankfully, the Dolphins parted ways with OC Dan Henning and hired OC Brian Daboll to implement his version of the West Coast Offense. Additionally, DC Mike Nolan is in his second consecutive year masterfully crafting his Defense, which ranked sixth in the NFL in 2010. Continuity and upgrades on Defense will likely result in a top five ranking this season. PLUS
Scheme – As stated previously, the new Offensive System will be the game changer for Miami this year, especially early on. Opposing Defenses will no longer have the luxury of loading the box and forcing multiple punts and field goal attempts. They’ll have to spread out and respect Miami’s passing and play-action game, or face costly consequences. While Miami doesn’t possess a top flight QB, the upgrades along the O-Line, RB, WR, and TE/H-Back will aid our average passers like Chad Henne and Matt Moore. Having more Offensive and Special Teams firepower, as well as bigger play makers on Defense, will be huge factors this season. PLUS.
All things considered, I sincerely believe Miami has a legitimate chance to challenge for the AFC East this year, and I predict no worse than 10 – 6 season, with the possibility of going 11-5. Will that be enough to win the Division? Only time will tell, but with either of these records Miami will likely qualify for a Wild Card berth at a minimum, and as we all know once you’re in the Playoffs it’s a whole new season. Just ask the 2010 Green Bay Packers what their sixth seed meant to them last year.
Can you say Super Bowl?
Go 'Fins, Go!
Is Reggie Bush the Key to Unlock the Dolphins Offense?
Hello Dol-Fans!
In another wacky day of whirlwind trades and signings, I have to admit that this one caught me by surprise. I knew our beloved Dolphins would make FA splashes, but Reggie Bush? ‘Fins GM Jeff Ireland must think very highly of a player that has never really produced out of the backfield in his entire six year career, and reward him with a two year, 10 million dollar deal.
For those of you who aren’t quite up to speed on the Bush-Meister… I’ll provide you with a quick synopsis: 2005 Heisman Trophy Winner, USC (later revoked after the NCAA declared him ineligible); 2nd overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints; featured member of the XLIV Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. Doesn’t sound too bad does it?
Nope, not ‘til you look a bit deeper, then red flag warnings begin jumping off of the page! Let’s take a peek:
2006 – Rushing: 565yds. on 155 carries (3.6 avg.), 6 TD’s; Receptions: 88 for 742yds., 2 TD’s, 2 Fumbles
2007 – Rushing: 581yds. on 157 carries (3.7 avg.), 4 TD’s; Receptions: 73 for 417yds., 2 TD’s, 8 Fumbles
2008 – Rushing: 404yds. on 106 carries (3.8 avg.), 2 TD’s; Receptions: 52 for 440yds., 4 TD’s, 3 Fumbles
2009 – Rushing: 390yds. on 70carries (5.6 avg.), 5 TD’s; Receptions: 47 for 335yds., 3 TD’s, 4 Fumbles
2010 – Rushing: 150yds. on 36 carries (4.2 avg.), 0 TD’s; Receptions: 34 for 208yds., 1 TD, 2 Fumbles
By looking at this, you can easily deduce that he’s not a true rushing RB, but more of a hybrid RB/WR that suffers from chronic fumbling woes.
In all fairness to Mr. Bush, he did excel in his PR role for New Orleans, returning 4 punts for TD’s and was consistently considered a threat to go the distance.
So what’s the “skinny” on what South Beach can expect from Reggie Bush? Simply put, we’ve gained a veteran RB/WR/PR hybrid player, to be paired with our new “between the Tackles” workhorse in RB Daniel Thomas. We can fully anticipate seeing Bush mostly run sweeps and pitch running plays, as well as anticipate that he’ll often be aligned in the slot opposite WR Davone Bess. Additionally, fully expect Reggie Bush assume the duties of our primary Punt Returner.
All things considered, it may not be a bad move seeing as though we receive a 3-for-1 special in Reggie Bush. Additionally, he adds an element of explosiveness to the Offense which was lacking last season. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that he can stay healthy for the next two years, and be the role player the Dolphins Front Office imagines he has the potential to be.
In another wacky day of whirlwind trades and signings, I have to admit that this one caught me by surprise. I knew our beloved Dolphins would make FA splashes, but Reggie Bush? ‘Fins GM Jeff Ireland must think very highly of a player that has never really produced out of the backfield in his entire six year career, and reward him with a two year, 10 million dollar deal.
For those of you who aren’t quite up to speed on the Bush-Meister… I’ll provide you with a quick synopsis: 2005 Heisman Trophy Winner, USC (later revoked after the NCAA declared him ineligible); 2nd overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints; featured member of the XLIV Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. Doesn’t sound too bad does it?
Nope, not ‘til you look a bit deeper, then red flag warnings begin jumping off of the page! Let’s take a peek:
2006 – Rushing: 565yds. on 155 carries (3.6 avg.), 6 TD’s; Receptions: 88 for 742yds., 2 TD’s, 2 Fumbles
2007 – Rushing: 581yds. on 157 carries (3.7 avg.), 4 TD’s; Receptions: 73 for 417yds., 2 TD’s, 8 Fumbles
2008 – Rushing: 404yds. on 106 carries (3.8 avg.), 2 TD’s; Receptions: 52 for 440yds., 4 TD’s, 3 Fumbles
2009 – Rushing: 390yds. on 70carries (5.6 avg.), 5 TD’s; Receptions: 47 for 335yds., 3 TD’s, 4 Fumbles
2010 – Rushing: 150yds. on 36 carries (4.2 avg.), 0 TD’s; Receptions: 34 for 208yds., 1 TD, 2 Fumbles
By looking at this, you can easily deduce that he’s not a true rushing RB, but more of a hybrid RB/WR that suffers from chronic fumbling woes.
In all fairness to Mr. Bush, he did excel in his PR role for New Orleans, returning 4 punts for TD’s and was consistently considered a threat to go the distance.
So what’s the “skinny” on what South Beach can expect from Reggie Bush? Simply put, we’ve gained a veteran RB/WR/PR hybrid player, to be paired with our new “between the Tackles” workhorse in RB Daniel Thomas. We can fully anticipate seeing Bush mostly run sweeps and pitch running plays, as well as anticipate that he’ll often be aligned in the slot opposite WR Davone Bess. Additionally, fully expect Reggie Bush assume the duties of our primary Punt Returner.
All things considered, it may not be a bad move seeing as though we receive a 3-for-1 special in Reggie Bush. Additionally, he adds an element of explosiveness to the Offense which was lacking last season. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that he can stay healthy for the next two years, and be the role player the Dolphins Front Office imagines he has the potential to be.
Apostrophe or Catastrophe - 2011 Miami Dolphins Offense
Hello Dol-Fans!
As some of you may know, I’m extremely excited with the prospects of our beloved Miami Dolphins this season. There’s a lot to be optimistic about! The hiring of OC Brian Daboll and his implementation of the proven West Coast Offense, drafting quality cornerstone players (i.e. C Mike Pouncey, RB Daniel Thomas, and FB/TE Charles Clay), and the second consecutive year of DC Mike Nolan’s Defense. Seems perfectly reasonable and logical to be optimistic, wouldn’t you say?
Which brings me to my question, with all of this optimism… will the Dolphins’ Offensive season be filled with positive statistics (apostrophes), or repeated catastrophes (a la 2010)? Only time will tell, but as a glass-half-full kinda guy I’ll go with the apostrophe side, and here’s why:
Newly implemented Offensive Systems will experience some lumps in the beginning, but opponents haven’t seen this from Miami before, and will get burned at times (advantage - Dolphins).
With Mike Pouncey at Center, C/G Richie Incognito will be able to move back to his natural position at Guard, solidifying the O-Line, and creating better opportunities for both the running and passing games (advantage – Dolphins).
Replacing aging RB Ricky Williams and injury prone RB Ronnie Brown with a fresh, young RB like Daniel Thomas will also help. The slashing, powerful, hungry runner, baring a chip on his shoulder is never a bad thing (advantage – Dolphins).
Adding another solid piece in rookie hybrid FB/H-Back/TE Charles Clay will present match-up problems for opposing Defenses similar to that of the Colts’ H-Back/TE Dallas Clark (advantage – Dolphins).
Adding a blazer like WR Edmond Gates (4.31 sec./40) will open the underneath, short, and intermediate routes for Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline. Not to mention… all you have to do is hit this kid with a decent pass once on the fly, and he’s likely to go the distance (advantage – Dolphins).
Call me crazy, but these changes could really boost the Offense and push them over the top!
All I can say is, Go ‘Fins Go!
As some of you may know, I’m extremely excited with the prospects of our beloved Miami Dolphins this season. There’s a lot to be optimistic about! The hiring of OC Brian Daboll and his implementation of the proven West Coast Offense, drafting quality cornerstone players (i.e. C Mike Pouncey, RB Daniel Thomas, and FB/TE Charles Clay), and the second consecutive year of DC Mike Nolan’s Defense. Seems perfectly reasonable and logical to be optimistic, wouldn’t you say?
Which brings me to my question, with all of this optimism… will the Dolphins’ Offensive season be filled with positive statistics (apostrophes), or repeated catastrophes (a la 2010)? Only time will tell, but as a glass-half-full kinda guy I’ll go with the apostrophe side, and here’s why:
Newly implemented Offensive Systems will experience some lumps in the beginning, but opponents haven’t seen this from Miami before, and will get burned at times (advantage - Dolphins).
With Mike Pouncey at Center, C/G Richie Incognito will be able to move back to his natural position at Guard, solidifying the O-Line, and creating better opportunities for both the running and passing games (advantage – Dolphins).
Replacing aging RB Ricky Williams and injury prone RB Ronnie Brown with a fresh, young RB like Daniel Thomas will also help. The slashing, powerful, hungry runner, baring a chip on his shoulder is never a bad thing (advantage – Dolphins).
Adding another solid piece in rookie hybrid FB/H-Back/TE Charles Clay will present match-up problems for opposing Defenses similar to that of the Colts’ H-Back/TE Dallas Clark (advantage – Dolphins).
Adding a blazer like WR Edmond Gates (4.31 sec./40) will open the underneath, short, and intermediate routes for Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline. Not to mention… all you have to do is hit this kid with a decent pass once on the fly, and he’s likely to go the distance (advantage – Dolphins).
Call me crazy, but these changes could really boost the Offense and push them over the top!
All I can say is, Go ‘Fins Go!
A Look At The Miami Dolphins Rookie Class Of 2011
Hello Dol-Fans!
With the possibility of the 2011 NFL season looming at large, we might as well start looking at some rookies that might push our beloved Miami Dolphins over the hump, and back into playoff relevance.
Mike Pouncey (C) - A beast of an O-Lineman with talented genes and natural ability. Has a nasty disposition, coupled with size and strength. Fits all of the general criteria to be a quality O-Lineman, though he did struggle a bit at Center last year. With quality instruction, film study, and hard work, we're looking at our next starting Center for the next decade or so. PROJECTION: Immediate Impact Player.
Daniel Thomas (RB) - Hard runner with a natural nose for finding holes and lanes to blast through. Good combination of size, speed, burst, and "football IQ". If his collegiate stats (1585 yd's, 5.31 yd's/carry avg., and 19TD's) are indicative of his true abilities... this will be the 'Fins' featured back for years to come. PROJECTION: Immediate Impact Player.
Edmond Gates (WR) - An average sized blazer, with average hands and route running ability. Played for Abilene Christian University, so stats may be misleading. Had an above average overall combine, and led his group in the 40 yd. dash time (4.31 sec's); impressive. Expect him to be split-out wide, and sent deep a lot this season, opening up the underneath routes for Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Anthony Fasano. You can expect to see him make more of an impact in 2012. PROJECTION: Marginal Impact Player.
Charles Clay (FB) - Here's your classic short yardage thumper; or is he? Good size (6'2", 245 lbs.) and lower body strength, with the ability to drive defenders backwards, but wait for it... the man can catch the ball! The Dolphins view him as a hybrid TE/H-Back/FB type player. A solid compliment to Daniel Thomas. Expect to see this young man lined-up all over the field attempting to create mismatches for opposing Defenses. PROJECTION: Immediate Impact Player.
Frank Kearse (DT) - A bit of an unknown, from a mediocre football program (Alabama A&M). Good size for the position (6'4", 311 lbs.), though he may struggle to get his pad level low enough to counter shorter O-Linemen. Expect him to be more of a developmental type player this year, with the possibility of an increased role in 2012. PROJECTION: Impact Player.
Jimmy Wilson (CB) - Another unknown from a relatively small football program (Montana). With limited information, it's difficult to determine what impact he may or may not have. Most likely drafted for Special Teams, positional depth, and development. PROJECTION: Impact Player.
With likely departures of both Ronnie and Ricky, we can also expect to see a free-agent splash for a veteran QB and RB as well.
Stay tuned Dol-Fans, it's gonna' be a ferocious and crazy ride here shortly!
With the possibility of the 2011 NFL season looming at large, we might as well start looking at some rookies that might push our beloved Miami Dolphins over the hump, and back into playoff relevance.
Mike Pouncey (C) - A beast of an O-Lineman with talented genes and natural ability. Has a nasty disposition, coupled with size and strength. Fits all of the general criteria to be a quality O-Lineman, though he did struggle a bit at Center last year. With quality instruction, film study, and hard work, we're looking at our next starting Center for the next decade or so. PROJECTION: Immediate Impact Player.
Daniel Thomas (RB) - Hard runner with a natural nose for finding holes and lanes to blast through. Good combination of size, speed, burst, and "football IQ". If his collegiate stats (1585 yd's, 5.31 yd's/carry avg., and 19TD's) are indicative of his true abilities... this will be the 'Fins' featured back for years to come. PROJECTION: Immediate Impact Player.
Edmond Gates (WR) - An average sized blazer, with average hands and route running ability. Played for Abilene Christian University, so stats may be misleading. Had an above average overall combine, and led his group in the 40 yd. dash time (4.31 sec's); impressive. Expect him to be split-out wide, and sent deep a lot this season, opening up the underneath routes for Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, and Anthony Fasano. You can expect to see him make more of an impact in 2012. PROJECTION: Marginal Impact Player.
Charles Clay (FB) - Here's your classic short yardage thumper; or is he? Good size (6'2", 245 lbs.) and lower body strength, with the ability to drive defenders backwards, but wait for it... the man can catch the ball! The Dolphins view him as a hybrid TE/H-Back/FB type player. A solid compliment to Daniel Thomas. Expect to see this young man lined-up all over the field attempting to create mismatches for opposing Defenses. PROJECTION: Immediate Impact Player.
Frank Kearse (DT) - A bit of an unknown, from a mediocre football program (Alabama A&M). Good size for the position (6'4", 311 lbs.), though he may struggle to get his pad level low enough to counter shorter O-Linemen. Expect him to be more of a developmental type player this year, with the possibility of an increased role in 2012. PROJECTION: Impact Player.
Jimmy Wilson (CB) - Another unknown from a relatively small football program (Montana). With limited information, it's difficult to determine what impact he may or may not have. Most likely drafted for Special Teams, positional depth, and development. PROJECTION: Impact Player.
With likely departures of both Ronnie and Ricky, we can also expect to see a free-agent splash for a veteran QB and RB as well.
Stay tuned Dol-Fans, it's gonna' be a ferocious and crazy ride here shortly!
You Tell Me: Ronnie Brown Or Daniel Thomas?
I have a great "You Tell Me" today. I want to know which player you would rather the Miami Dolphins have if they could only have one: Rookie Daniel Thomas or veteran Ronnie Brown?
You must consider all things for this one, including their age, potential contracts, playing ability, etc.
Let me know what you think.
I apologize for not posting for two days, but I was unable to access my laptop during that time. Thanks for stopping by.
You must consider all things for this one, including their age, potential contracts, playing ability, etc.
Let me know what you think.
I apologize for not posting for two days, but I was unable to access my laptop during that time. Thanks for stopping by.
Ronnie Brown Leaving The Miami Dolphins Is A Shame
All signs seem to be pointing to Ronnie Brown leaving the Miami Dolphins once free agency starts.
I hate to say that it makes sense for him to go, but it does. The Dolphins need a speedy running back, and Brown doesn't really fit that mold. I don't want to say that he and Daniel Thomas are the same type of running back, but they aren't much different speed-wise and their running styles probably wouldn't work together.
The problem here is what the Dolphins did in the draft. They knew that Brown would like to come back to Miami, yet they still traded up and drafted Daniel Thomas in the second round.
Will Thomas do well in the NFL? Most likely, but why did the Dolphins have to draft him so high when they already had a similar running back who wanted to play for them. They could have just planned on re-signing Brown and signing another free agent back, but instead they used a second round pick that could have been used on someone else (and I'm pretty sure you guys know who that someone else is).
This isn't the worst mistake that Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano have made, but I still think it could have been handled better. I can understand that they weren't planning on Ricky Williams wanting to come back, but they knew that Brown wanted to and still passed him up.
I especially hate it for Brown, because he has not complained at all. He has been consistently saying that he would like to stay in Miami, yet they have blown him off like he is nothing and hasn't done anything for them during his time there. I wish him the best of luck wherever he goes, and I really hope he doesn't go to New England or New York.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about Brown, Ireland, Sparano, and the whole situation.
I hate to say that it makes sense for him to go, but it does. The Dolphins need a speedy running back, and Brown doesn't really fit that mold. I don't want to say that he and Daniel Thomas are the same type of running back, but they aren't much different speed-wise and their running styles probably wouldn't work together.
The problem here is what the Dolphins did in the draft. They knew that Brown would like to come back to Miami, yet they still traded up and drafted Daniel Thomas in the second round.
Will Thomas do well in the NFL? Most likely, but why did the Dolphins have to draft him so high when they already had a similar running back who wanted to play for them. They could have just planned on re-signing Brown and signing another free agent back, but instead they used a second round pick that could have been used on someone else (and I'm pretty sure you guys know who that someone else is).
This isn't the worst mistake that Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano have made, but I still think it could have been handled better. I can understand that they weren't planning on Ricky Williams wanting to come back, but they knew that Brown wanted to and still passed him up.
I especially hate it for Brown, because he has not complained at all. He has been consistently saying that he would like to stay in Miami, yet they have blown him off like he is nothing and hasn't done anything for them during his time there. I wish him the best of luck wherever he goes, and I really hope he doesn't go to New England or New York.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think about Brown, Ireland, Sparano, and the whole situation.
Report: Miami Dolphins Will Go After Another Running Back
The Miami Dolphins are going to be adding another complementary running back once the lockout is lifted, according to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel.
Ireland said this about what he is looking for:
That's not the point, though. He is going to add another RB to compliment Thomas. Omar Kelly suggested, and I agree with him, that Ireland is being so open with this information because he wants to catch the attention of players like DeAngelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, and other Free Agents.
Ireland did a similar thing when he said that he was going to add a veteran QB to the team. He was likely trying to catch the attention of veteran Free Agent quarterbacks.
I want to hear what running backs you would like the Dolphins to go after. Here is a list of the main prospects that will get consideration:
DeAngelo Williams
Ahmad Bradshaw
Darren Sproles
Michael Tolbert
Kevin Smith
Reggie Bush
Michael Bush
Willis McGahee
That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by.
Just a heads up. I am going to be doing a good amount of research on Chad Henne for the next couple of days so I can formulate a final opinion of him. Expect my thoughts at the end of this week or early next week.
Ireland said this about what he is looking for:
"I'm interested in having another back, whether it fits the description of a scatback or not, we’ll have to see what's available. You can't corner yourself into just a scatback. We need another complementary back who complements Daniel (Thomas) and Lex (Hilliard). We do have somewhat of a scatback in Kory Sheets that we haven't seen yet, so I'm still hoping he can develop."I'm glad that Ireland mentioned Kory Sheets, even though he seemed to have him ranked below Hilliard.
That's not the point, though. He is going to add another RB to compliment Thomas. Omar Kelly suggested, and I agree with him, that Ireland is being so open with this information because he wants to catch the attention of players like DeAngelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, and other Free Agents.
Ireland did a similar thing when he said that he was going to add a veteran QB to the team. He was likely trying to catch the attention of veteran Free Agent quarterbacks.
I want to hear what running backs you would like the Dolphins to go after. Here is a list of the main prospects that will get consideration:
DeAngelo Williams
Ahmad Bradshaw
Darren Sproles
Michael Tolbert
Kevin Smith
Reggie Bush
Michael Bush
Willis McGahee
That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by.
Just a heads up. I am going to be doing a good amount of research on Chad Henne for the next couple of days so I can formulate a final opinion of him. Expect my thoughts at the end of this week or early next week.
You Tell Me: Do The Miami Dolphins Need Another RB?
In the 2011 NFL Draft the Miami Dolphins drafted RB Daniel Thomas in the second round. Unless the Dolphins re-sign another big name free agent, Thomas will be the starting back this year.
What I want to know for today's "You Tell Me" is, do you guys think that Miami should try and sign another free agent running back or should they just stick with Daniel Thomas starting and allow Kory Sheets and Lex Hilliard to compete for the backup spot?
I will be commenting later today, so you guys will know my opinion then, but I am not going to post it here.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you are thinking.
What I want to know for today's "You Tell Me" is, do you guys think that Miami should try and sign another free agent running back or should they just stick with Daniel Thomas starting and allow Kory Sheets and Lex Hilliard to compete for the backup spot?
I will be commenting later today, so you guys will know my opinion then, but I am not going to post it here.
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you are thinking.
What Free Agents Should The Miami Dolphins Pursue?
We talked a good bit about free agent quarterbacks for the Miami Dolphins these last two days, so why not talk some free agents in other positions?
I will be honest in that I don't think the Dolphins need many positions to be fixed. Other than quarterback it doesn't seem like Miami has any big hole, and some would argue that they don't even have a hole at quarterback.
Still though, Miami could use some help. I have a feeling the Dolphins will be looking for another guard and linebacker.
They drafted one G/C center in Pouncey and they have Richie Incognito, who can also play guard or center. My concern is with the other guard spot. Miami has John Jerry and Nate Garner that could play the spot, but they weren't anything special last year so I think it would be a good idea for the Dolphins to look into free agency to find one.
LB isn't as much of a concern for the Dolphins, but it would still be a good idea to add at least one that will give Koa Misi and Channing Crowder a push for their jobs. Neither one is especially terrible, but they could at least use a little push for the starting spot.
Of course there is the potential need at running back. In all honesty I would be confident if the Dolphins didn't sign another running back and just kept Daniel Thomas, Kory Sheets, and Lex Hilliard. Thomas would be a really good back with Sheets and Hilliard competing for the second RB spot. Both Sheets and Hilliard are incredibly underrated backs, and I think either one would be a great backup runner.
Now that I have prefaced you guys, I want to know what free agents you want that would be available to the Dolphins.
Let me know below in the comments, and thanks to hookemfins for the idea for this post.
I will be honest in that I don't think the Dolphins need many positions to be fixed. Other than quarterback it doesn't seem like Miami has any big hole, and some would argue that they don't even have a hole at quarterback.
Still though, Miami could use some help. I have a feeling the Dolphins will be looking for another guard and linebacker.
They drafted one G/C center in Pouncey and they have Richie Incognito, who can also play guard or center. My concern is with the other guard spot. Miami has John Jerry and Nate Garner that could play the spot, but they weren't anything special last year so I think it would be a good idea for the Dolphins to look into free agency to find one.
LB isn't as much of a concern for the Dolphins, but it would still be a good idea to add at least one that will give Koa Misi and Channing Crowder a push for their jobs. Neither one is especially terrible, but they could at least use a little push for the starting spot.
Of course there is the potential need at running back. In all honesty I would be confident if the Dolphins didn't sign another running back and just kept Daniel Thomas, Kory Sheets, and Lex Hilliard. Thomas would be a really good back with Sheets and Hilliard competing for the second RB spot. Both Sheets and Hilliard are incredibly underrated backs, and I think either one would be a great backup runner.
Now that I have prefaced you guys, I want to know what free agents you want that would be available to the Dolphins.
Let me know below in the comments, and thanks to hookemfins for the idea for this post.
Miami Dolphins Trade Up And Select RB Daniel Thomas In 2nd Round
The Dolphins traded their third round pick, a fifth round pick, and a seventh round pick to the Washington Redskins for their 62nd overall pick.
My question is: why would Miami trade up and get rid of three draft picks so they can get Thomas?
My impression of Thomas is that he is just a solid running back. I haven't done much research on him, but that is what I have heard about him. He doesn't have breakaway speed. He has been clocked at a 4.58 40-yard dash. He is a pretty big back as well. I believe that he will be good in the NFL, but I don't think he was as good of a pick as Mallett would have been.
Last night I could kind of understand the Dolphins passing up Mallett because it was early in the draft, but tonight I don't understand why they would pass up on Mallett after giving away three draft picks.
Thanks for reading and let me know what you guys think.
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