Dolphins Tannehill Playing Like a Rookie

There was a lot of discussion about criticizing Ryan Tannehill in my last post and I thought I would demonstrate some of the reasons why I'm beginning to fall off the Tanny train. Here is the breakdown of Tannehill's first 4 passes of the New England game.

On Tannehill's 1st attempt, you can see by the coaches film, Mike Sherman has this one dialed up. Davone Bess is wide open.

Bess may have been able to catch this ball, but a decent pass from Tannehill and this was an easy catch for Bess. Tannehill left Bess at the mercy of a charging DB aiming at his ribs and the pass was incomplete. The Dolphin offense was very tight to start this game and that usually starts with the QB...

Tannehill Tries again throwing to Rishad Matthews...

See the 1st down marker, see the defender on the ground!

Tannehill completely missed him. He threw it at Matthews' feet, uncatchable. On the next play, Fields bumbles a low snap and the Dolphins are looking like dolts. This is not coaching, the play calling was exceptional. This is on Tannehill, both plays were perfectly schemed and wide open. We can't compare Mike Sherman to Dan Henning.

Tannehill's 3rd attempt... 

The important thing to recognize here is the area in yellow. It looks like Tannehill is focused entirely on Fasano coming across the middle tightly covered. Hartline and Bess are both covered at the top, Clay is wide open, but Tannehill stares down Fasano.

Tannehill has grown into a tendency to bale to his right, but this is ridiculous. There is so much space if he had taken one step up as the rush was coming, look back and forth between this and previous picture, one step and he has the amount of time associated with Tom Brady. Is this the lack of line play I hear so much about? Is this the poor play calling I hear about? No, sorry this is very poor play from the QB position, so if fans want to say the kid will grow into it, I'm okay with that, but put it where it belongs.

Hartline ended up catching the ball on a come back to rescue Tannehill, but it was short of the 1st down and another punt. Please stop making excuses is all I ask. Hope this is rookie lack of understanding, hope Sherman and Philbin can coach Tannehill up, but please don't sugar coat what is right in front of your eyes.

Okay, now you see why I'm only going to show the 1st 4 passes... It keeps getting more painful. Here's number 4.

Look at Tannehill's head, we can't see his eyes but it's pretty obvious he's zoned in on Davone Bess. I don't know who the corner is, but he's got Bess locked up. Now look at the top, holy crap!!! Reggie Bush is in single coverage on a Linebacker and he is about to go house on a wheel route! But Ryan has decided come hell or high water he's throwing to Bess.

The ball is nearly picked because Tannehill decided prior to the snap which receiver he was throwing to. Again look in the pocket, one step forward and one step right and Tannehill has all day to find Bush.

I will not say too much about the sequences presented here, simply because I don't need to. Remember one thing, these are only the first 4 passes. The folks who make excuses will say that he settled down or whatever. I will say what I said in the last post...

Tannehill needs to step up his game.

Tannehill Learning to Look Off Safeties

This was fun to play around with, bare with me as the pictures are not real clear. I would need much better equipment than my laptop to do this with more clarity but if you like like it, I'll do more. Let me know in your comments.

In this first picture we see the safeties following the QBs eyes. I have the inside top receiver identified as Hartline through this sequence but I actually think it may be Moore with Hartline on the bottom. The identity really doesn't matter. See the safeties following Tannehill's eys. Tannehill is following the inside receiver as he crosses in front of Bess.

The safety continues to follow Tannehill's eyes as he tracks the receiver at the top coming back. Notice how this split second decision allows Bess to separate with no help over the top.

Too late now, Bess comes wide open for a big gain. This was all created by Tannehill following the slot receiver and in the process causing the safety to cheat just enough to spring Bess. It's a beautiful thing.


Here is another sequence with Bess and Hartline, the same thing happens.

Tannehill is looking at Hartline on the top. Look at all the defenders begin to converge on Hartline.

The entire secondary is follwing Tannehill's eyes. When I saw this I was jumping up and down! Throw it! Throw it!!! Bess is so open Tannehill nearly misses him!

It's crazy how open Bess was. If Tannehill had thrown a better ball, this was a TD. But the key growth that we see in Tannehill is using his eyes. Defenders in a zone defense are taught to cover an area and watch the QB. This is how the great ones look receivers open.

Hope you like this... It took a long time, but it was fun.

5 Keys to Resurrecting the Miami Dolphin Offense

Talk in Miami is centered around the regression of Ryan Tannehill and the stagnation of the Dolphin offense.

The Miami Dolphin wide receivers cannot get off press coverage. Miami does not have physical receivers and secondaries are pressing tight on the line of scrimmage, taking away Ryan Tannehill’s bread and butter quick throws. The culprit has been easy for defensive coordinators to pinpoint and Miami does not have an answer.

Initially, Houston timed up Tannehill on three step drops and were able to bat balls in the air leading to INTs and broken plays. Tannehill overcame that by finding throwing lanes and not staring down his intended target. Defensive backs were giving enough cushion for Davone Bess and Brian Hartline to release from the line on quick slants and back shoulder sideline routes.

Not knowing the Dolphins tendencies caused defenses to play honest early in the season, but much has changed in the past month. By applying physical press coverage, defenses have taken away the three step drops. By bringing an eighth man into the box, defenses have added an extra run defender. These two changes have virtually shut down the Miami offense.

Ryan Tannehill’s inexperience has him reverting to the same audible calls against known defensive alignments. By presenting Tannehill with certain packages, defenses know the checks he will call and move defenders to take away the play after the snap.

These are the keys to Miami coming out of the offensive funk and using their own tendencies against defenses. 

1. Drive off press coverage by throwing medium to long range on 1^st down.

a.       Play action off typical 1^st down run.

b.      Two receiver route to max protect.

c.       TE and RB slide to flats for second options after blocks.

       2. Load the field with 4 and 5 WRs early in the game on early downs.

a.       Mix with option number 1 above, using the same personnel.

b.      Split TE and RB into slot.

c.       Use pick slats on 3 step drops.

       3. Use a fast tempo offense in 4 and 5 WRs formations to pull the 8^th man out.

a.       2^nd and 3^rd down run the plays fast and furious.

b.      Do not allow the defense to set.

c.       Script plays for faster tempo.

       4. Use the QB draw early in the spread formation to initiate a defensive spy.

a.       The Draw is a called play, delayed draw.

b.      Sprint draw.

c.       Spread option, wildcat back in motion.

       5. Change Tannehill’s routine audible calls into play fakes off the old favorites.

a.       Play action off plays normally called.

b.      Self scout to see tendencies and play off them.

c.       Keep changing; don’t fall into same tendencies during the game.

Following these five keys the Dolphins can force defenses out of the box and dictate tempo.

One of the biggest problems for Miami has been allowing the defense to control the line of scrimmage. It is not always the fault of the linemen because when an offense becomes predictable defenses shoot known gaps. The problem for defenses, like offenses, is these can be exploited by using the motion to leverage defenders in the direction they are already moving.

The Miami Dolphins have been making the fatal mistake of not taking their own tendencies one step beyond the fix. Many times teams will know what they tend to do in certain situations, but the fix is not the obvious first response. Like a great chess player, the team must be one step further ahead. When adjusting for an obvious tendency, the team must anticipate the defensive adjustment as well and go one step further.

Adjust for the fix of the tendency... The concept is foreign to those not inclined to the chess board, but for those with understanding of the age-old game, the strategy is well known. Think a little further ahead than just the next move. Anticipate what the opponent will do to adjust and attack the adjustment.

Joe Philbin gives the impression of being one of the more cerebral coaches the Dolphins have seen since Don Shula, but he has issues that have been hard to overcome. The last two weeks have been quick turn around games with a rookie QB not 100% healthy. There has been little time to install layers in the schematics and Miami has been caught unprepared.

These are double rookie mistakes; one for the coach not recognizing the need to use the bye week to install another layer to the offense and two by a rookie QB being limited in his ability to absorb and process the extreme amount of data. When a QB has two off-seasons and one year as a starter under his belt he has seen three times the number offensive situations as Ryan Tannehill. This is the issue with an inexperienced rookie on a young team.

There is the sentiment that if Andrew Luck can do this and Tannehill cannot than Tannehill is not in the same league as Luck... Wrong! Luck started 37 games at Stanford. Over a full NFL season's worth of games compared to Tannehill's 19. That's the reason most NFL personnel people say a QB should have at least 30 collegiate starts. The game experience is invaluable and cannot be simulated.

Tannehill showed the abilities required for quarterbacking in the NFL, but simply does not have the experience and it has caught up with the Dolphins. He is too easy for defenses to scheme around and unfortunately there is little the Dolphins can do but have patience and spoon feed him situational football.

With ten days to prepare Miami should come out against the Seahawks with some new wrinkles, but Seattle is a tough physical team. A receiver corps that is not good at getting off press coverage represents a huge problem against Seattle. The Seahawks have perhaps the most physically daunting secondary in the NFL and it will prove a mighty challenge for the Dolphin offense.

Much of the media and fan chatter has begun to fall on the legitimacy of the personnel in Miami. Jeff Ireland enjoyed a reprieve while the Dolphins won three consecutive games, but the bulls-eye is refocusing on the Miami GM. Once again this is misguided, the talent level is simply not that much different between teams in the NFL with a few very exceptional exceptions.

It all centers around the quarterback. When there is exceptional performance from this position the entire team plays well. When there is mediocre performance at this position the team plays mediocre and when it is bad, it is bad... That does not mean Ryan Tannehill is bad or was not a good draft pick for the Dolphins. It means, he has the skill for the position but is seriously lacking in the experience and it is coming to light as the season progresses.

There is no choice Dolphin fans... Endure these rough times as Miami fans have learned to do and realize, there are better days ahead when Ryan Tannehill has about 40 games of experience.

Looking at the team and the QB in these terms sets a time-line realistically aligned with expectancy. The Dolphins are a couple years away, again. It seems to Miami fans as the never ending story, but the kid has the tools and the coach has the smarts.

It may seem impossible for fans to fathom, but things are looking up in Miami...

Jets Intentionally Injuring Impact Players

Week 14 – 2010: Nolan Carroll
                          Intentionally tripped, on the sideline while covering a punt.
                          Jets coach Sal Alosi admits intentionally tripping…

Week 6 – 2011:   Reggie Bush
                          Right arm hanging at his side with neck injury.
                          Leaves game after being pulled from the pile… 

Week 17 – 2011: Davone Bess
                          Sprained MCL.                         
                          Bart Scott hits in the knee…
 
Week 3 – 2012:   Reggie Bush
                          Bruised knee.
                          LaRon Landry claims hit intended to take out…

Roger Goodell can fine the Saints and suspend their head coach, force their DC into retirement, but if he thinks there needs to be a bounty for teams to intentionally try to injury players, he’s sadly mistaken. The New York Jets target impact players on the opposition every week and because there are no cash bonuses involved the targeting is not labeled "bounty," but playing with the intent to injure is no different than a bounty program.

Against the Dolphins, the Jets have either caused an impact player to leave the game or made blatantly dirty moves, even from the coaching staff. It is no coincidence that either Reggie Bush or Davone Bess has been injured against the Jets in each of the last 3 meetings. To think players like Richie Incognito are not aware of this trend would be equally gullible. The Dolphins do not play with the intent to injure, but when the opponent has a history of hurting the best players on their team it would be foolish not send an early message.

An eye for an eye justice is known by the Latin Lex Talionis.

No one in Miami is claiming the goal of taking out any Jet player, but when Incognito is on record as saying he has hostile intentions, it is probably a good bet for the Jets to pay attention. The Dolphins understand the Jets are a dirty football team, the history doesn’t need to be researched, it’s evident in the scars on their knees.

The problem with playing dirty is the idea of taking away a man’s livelihood in an already short-lived profession. Players that would normally not get drawn into making cheap shots or late hits can be pulled across the line when their livelihoods are threatened. The Dolphins know the only way to combat dirty play is to play with extreme aggression within the rules. This is the approach the Dolphins must take to neutralize the contemptible play of the Jets.

Lex Talionis

Most of the transgressions have come with Rex Ryan as the coach, but when it continues with Tony Sparano, integrity comes into question. Perhaps Sparano can blame Jeff Ireland or Stephen Ross for his firing in Miami or maybe he can justify himself by being all in with the team that hired him, but to condone such actions speaks volumes for his lack of honor. The players he once coached recognize this and will take special pleasure in making sure he has a bad day.

It is foolish to antagonize an opponent and is the reason most good coaches place a muzzle over the mouths of their volatile players. Rex Ryan has failed to do this and now his own players are leaking out, there is intent to injure.

The NFL need not get involved in this matter, Richie, Jake, Mike, Cameron and Karlos among an entire team are ready to deal with it the way it should be dealt with. It is little wonder Bush was unconcerned about Darrelle Revis.

Lex Talionis

Nothing to see here commissioner, you have your hands full with the mess you made in New Orleans. The Dolphins will handle the dirty work. The rest of the league will turn a blind eye, perhaps even applaud because they have no doubt seen their own playmakers targeted by the same unscrupulous play.

Watch out New York, the boys from Miami are not happy and the nothing will create change faster than losing in the NFL. We got your number…

Lex Talionis 

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?

Who's the Face of the Dolphins Franchise?

Hello Dol-Fans!

With the whirlwind of roster changes in Miami (and every other NFL franchise) this year, my lovely bride asked me, “who will be the ‘Face of the Franchise’ for the Dolphins now?” I have to admit… that’s a great question, and deserves to be addressed, Here goes...

Key veteran departures of RB’s Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams leaves an obvious franchise marketing void, and this wasn’t addressed through electric FA acquisitions, or a sexy First Round Draft pick. So who will be “that guy” now?

Before I proceed… please allow me to go on the record by clarifying that I firmly believe in drafting the “best player available”, and I applaud Miami for selecting OL Mike Pouncey for that very reason. I simply don’t believe he’s worthy of such a high profile honor at this point.

Logic would dictate that an easily recognizable figure like newly acquired RB Reggie Bush, Miami’s prodigal son DE/OLB Jason Taylor (“J.T.”), Pro Bowler OLB Cameron “Earthquake” Wake, high profile WR Brandon Marshall, or even Defensive leader ILB Karlos Dansby could potentially assume the part, but would that be prudent for the Dolphins Organization? Do they want fans to cling to the ghosts of seasons past (“J.T.”), unproven commodities of the present (Bush), or boldly leapfrog into the future(Pouncey)?

Many NFL franchises splatter the image of their sexy First Round Draft selections all over the media, as to boldly announce… this is our future! Stereotypically, these are Heisman Trophy winning QB’s (i.e. Cam Newton) or RB’s (i.e. Mark Ingram) that franchises mortgage their futures against, hoping to boost ticket and merchandise sales. Rarely do you see a franchise market an Offensive or Defensive Lineman as their representing “face” (aside from the Detroit Lions of course). If Miami were to use a Lineman, wouldn’t it make sense to use back-to-back Pro Bowler OT Jake Long? Nah, Jake’s not that kind of player; he’s a blue collar kind of guy – thank God!

So who will hail as face of South Beach football? If it were up to me… I’d pick a motivated, fearless, team-first player like WR Davone Bess, FB Lousaka Polite, or CB Vontae Davis. Thank goodness I’m not the Head of Dolphins Marketing and Sales huh’!

What’s your take?

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!

2011 Miami Dolphins Key Role Player Feature: WR Davone Bess

Hello Dol-Fans!

It’s time to recognize another instrumental cog in the Miami Dolphins 2011 season. I introduce to you… WR Davone Bess. He’s clearly the ball magnet of this Offense, and the most reliable hands on the team. This young, gritty, scat-back WR is a jack-of-all-trades, and makes the most of every opportunity. Let’s take a gander as to why he’s being identified as a key role player this season for our beloved ‘Fins.

2010: 79 Receptions, 820 yards, 5 TD’s; (2nd on the team behind Pro Bowl WR Brandon Marshall). Not exactly eye popping, but let’s look at the "real story"; his 3rd and 4th Down production. That’s where WR’s earn their paychecks, and where men are separated from prim donnas. His 30 Third and Fourth Down receptions (all First Down conversions) rank him 2nd in the AFC and 4th in the NFL. That accounts for 38% of his receptions last year! Additionally, he served as a Punt Returner for the Dolphins Special Teams, where he returned 25 punts for 284 yards (a respectable 11.4 yard average), ranking him 5th in the AFC. *Side Note: They’re not paying you nearly enough Davone!

Not too shabby for an Undrafted Free Agent (UFA), wouldn’t you say?

In a league filled with money and glory crazed players, it’s refreshing to watch a humble, consummate professional like Davone Bess. A WR that’s willing to scrap for every ball tossed his way, execute those tough routes nobody else wants, and snare balls in clutch situations converting them for First Downs.

Davone, thank you for being the model of what every WR in the NFL should strive to be.

Go 'Fins Go!

Miami Dolphins Give Jeff Ireland A Contract Extension

Jeff Ireland has received a multi-year contract extension as the General Manager for the Miami Dolphins according to their website. They did not say how many years the contract extension added on, but I have a feeling we will see Ireland here for a while.

I know many people don't believe in Ireland, but I think he has done a pretty good job bringing in players. With the exception of Chad Henne and a few other draft mistakes, Ireland has been able to bring in a lot of hidden talent as evidenced by players like Cameron Wake and Davone Bess.

He also played a part in bringing in the talent Miami has at defense. I am not sure how much of a role he played, but I feel like he had to have a good bit of influence when it came to bringing in talent.

I know Ireland hasn't always had the best past (i.e. the Dez Bryant mother accusations), but I feel like he has been a good GM since he's been here.

There is also the problem of his relationship with Tony Sparano. I have heard a lot of talk about them not liking and not have a good relationship with each other. Even Tony acknowledged in the roundtable discussion announcing his own extension that he expected their to be arguments between the two, but he also said that those arguments were a good thing and that they were necessary to be productive.

So, until we start hearing about the two arguing about things other than football, I don't see a problem with it.

Let me know what you guys think about giving Ireland the extension. I know many of you dislike him pretty strongly, so tell me why.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you.

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Brian Hartline's Season Is Over After The Miami Dolphins Place Him On IR

The season has officially ended for Brian Hartline, who was placed on the injured reserve Saturday.

Hartline injured one of his fingers during the Miami Dolphins loss to the Cleveland Browns last Sunday. Hartline had surgery on the finger earlier this week, and the Dolphins finally decided to place him on IR.

Hartline has had the best season of his young career after just the first 12 games, and he will be missed for the remainder of this season. The Dolphins better hope that Brandon Marshall is ready to play this week (and he likely will), because if he isn't then Miami's prime receiver will be Davone Bess. That isn't good because, while Bess is an extremely good receiver, he thrives when defenses are focusing more of their attention on another receiver like Marshall.

With the extra spot on the roster, Miami added tight end Dedrick Epps from the practice squad.

We will see what the offense is able to do without Hartline. I wouldn't be surprised if RB Patrick Cobbs sees a couple more catches. I know he isn't a receiver, but Tony Sparano loves Cobbs and uses him a lot as a receiver.

Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think the loss of Hartline will do to the offense.

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Brandon Marshall Returns To Practice, But Does He Actually Hurt The Miami Dolphins Passing Offense?





Don't Give Up On Marshall Yet

Brandon Marshall (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play this Sunday against the Browns.

Marshall has not produced nearly as much as many Miami Dolphins fans had hoped he would this season, but I would argue that his low scoring numbers are mainly the fault of Dan Henning. He has gotten a lot of receptions and yards, but has only been able to reach the end zone once this season. He has also had two dumb penalties for delay of game and taunting, and his frustration is becoming more and more evident as the season progresses.

What I want to know is does he actually help the Miami Dolphins more than he hurts them?

My answer is yes, he does help a lot more than he hurts.

While the Dolphins were able to have one of their best overall passing games with Chad Henne at quarterback last Sunday and without Brandon Marshall, that doesn't mean Marshall is the problem. Miami was able to do so well partly because the Raiders don't really have a good passing defense, and (more importantly) Dan Henning was finally willing to change up his play calling.

I am firmly convinced that Brandon Marshall's inability to score touchdowns is 100% Dan Henning's fault. Henning focused the Dolphins entire offensive strategy on getting Brandon Marshall the ball. That may not sound like a bad idea because Marshall is such a play maker, but focusing entirely on just getting one player the ball makes the offense way too predictable and makes Marshall almost useless because defense start to put double and triple coverage on him.

If the Dolphins want to be able to use Marshall effectively and get him more touchdowns they needed to learn how to spread the ball around a little more. They needed to become more like the Saints passing offense. Drew Brees spreads the ball out to so many different receivers that defenses have a hard time stopping him.

The Dolphins showed me a little bit last week when Chad Henne was able to get the ball to a lot of different receivers. Seven different players caught at least one pass against the Raiders, and the two receivers with the most receptions and yards for Miami (Davone Bess and Brian Hartline) didn't even catch a passing touchdown. That tells you how much the Dolphins were able to spread the ball around. That may not be a good sign for fantasy football owners, but that shouldn't matter. What matters is the Miami Dolphins winning games.

I think last Sunday's game was exactly what the Dolphins needed. Dan Henning saw what the offense was able to do by spreading the ball around without Brandon Marshall. Imagine how well they can do if they continue to spread it out with him in the game. He won't see as much double coverage, and he probably won't see any triple coverage at all because there will be other receivers that pose as a legitimate threat to defenses.

Pair all of the receiving threats with the Dolphins talented running backs, and you have a lot of playmakers that are finally being put to good use. Dan Henning needed a good game like this to see what the offense is capable of if he uses all of its playmakers.

I have a good feeling about Brandon Marshall's future with the Miami Dolphins. Dan Henning should know how to use him correctly now, and I am hoping he will be able to.

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on Marshall. We are paying him a lot of money, and I am interested to see opinions from Dolphins fans about his performance so far.

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Miami Dolphins Pull Out Win Against Raiders Thanks To Balanced Attack

The Miami Dolphins was finally able to be the dominant offense they were capable of being, and they didn't even have Brandon Marshall.

Miami was able to gain 471 total yards on offense, and they dominated the Raiders in pretty much every aspect of the game except for special teams. Miami's special teams allowed a kickoff to be returned for a touchdown on the opening drive and Dan Carpenter missed two field goals later on. If it weren't for the Dolphins special teams, then this game would have been that much better.

Special teams were probably the only bad thing about the Miami Dolphins this game. Ronnie Brown combined for 180 rushing yards on 44 carries. I know 44 carries may seem like a lot, but it is a refreshing number considering how little they ran the ball against the Bears.

Chad Henne also had a good game. With the exception of a stupid mistake that resulted in an interception, Henne played well, throwing for 307 yards and two touchdowns. Davone Bess also had a great game. He caught 6 catches for 111 yards, and was the Miami Dolphins top receiver with Brandon Marshall being absent.

On defense, the Dolphins were able to turn the ball over three times, including 2 interceptions on Bruce Gradkowski. Cameron Wake also picked up another sack, which puts him at 10.5 sacks for the season. That is a really impressive number, and makes Dolphins fans not miss Joey Porter even less than they ever did.

That's about all for today. If you'll excuse me, I have to go trash talk my Dad now who is a Raiders fan.

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Should The Miami Dolphins Scrap The Wildcat?

This Cat Needs To Go Away For A Little While

The Wildcat has been great for the Miami Dolphins since they brought it in two years ago, but recently is has been a hindrance more than a help for the Dolphins offense.

No other team has been able to successfully run the wildcat with any consistency like Miami has, and a large part of that has been because Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have put a lot of time and effort into learning and running it well. It has also been able to work so well because of the Miami Dolphins commitment to staying with and continuing to develop it.

But, even after all the work that the Miami Dolphins had put in it, it has only seemed to get in the way this season. More than anything else, the wildcat has just interrupted the momentum that we gained from the passing offense.

Every time the offense has been in a rhythm and able to get the ball moving the Dolphins would run the wildcat and instantly kill all of their momentum.

It has become an unwelcome visitor to many people like me who want to see the Dolphins develop into a passing team, and many fans have already called for its permanent removal from the offense.

So, here is my proposal for a different idea that would probably work out the best for Miami's offense:

The Miami Dolphins need to put the wildcat away for at least a few, and maybe as many as 10, weeks.

Our passing offense has finally become what we were hoping it could be, so why would we bother keeping the wildcat in? Putting the wildcat away will give the passing offense more opportunities.

I don't know if people realize it, but we have a lot of incredible receivers. Brandon Marshall is a beast, but we also have a great supporting cast with him. Davone Bess doesn't drop anything, and Brian Hartline can be a threat deep at almost any time.

You may or may not remember, but the Dolphins offense opened up on the first play against New York on Sunday night with a bomb from Chad Henne to Brian Hartline, and Hartline would have had a huge catch for a gain if Henne had not overthrown him by a couple of inches.

Another benefit of putting it away is that we could bring it out in a crucial game when our opponent doesn't prepare for it because they believe it is gone for good. What helped the wildcat when it first came out against New England was the Patriots were not prepared at all for it.

Now teams are prepared for it, so it doesn't work as well.

I understand why the Dolphins coaches want to continue to run it, but there has to be a point where you realize that it is not working as well as you planned and it is time to leave it for a while.

It isn't like Miami won't be running the ball, either. They can still hand it off to Ronnie and Ricky, but it would be out of a normal offense when the defense still has to worry about the threat of a pass. Whenever they lined up at the wildcat defenses weren't as concerned with covering the pass because it was not a huge threat. The main threat was the run, and defenses are starting to really stop it.


That is just what I believe the Miami Dolphins should do. I don't honestly think they would be willing to drop the wildcat for any long period of time, but we will see.

Thanks for reading, and I apologize that I did not get this post up sooner. I had an extremely painful migraine last night, and I didn't feel well enough to sit up, let alone get on my computer.

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The Miami Dolphins Madden 11 Ratings Are Somewhat Disappointing

Brian Hartline

I just got finished playing a little bit of the recently released Madden 11, and I was a little disappointed with the ratings for the Miami Dolphins receivers.

Brandon Marshall's 96 overall rating was right, but that is probably the only receiver I agree with.

The Dolphins next three receivers are what disappoint me. Davone Bess' overall is 74, Greg Camarillo's overall is 73, and Brian Hartline's overall is 71.

Bess and Camarillo don't bother me as much, but Hartline's is the one I disagree with the most.

I understand that there are a lot of players, and it can be hard to get everyone exactly right. But, you think they would have the depth chart right at least.

Madden rates Camarillo and Bess above Hartline, which isn't the case in real life. Hartline is a better playmaker, and he can do the most with the ball. I just wish they showed that in the game.

I think I've said this before, but I think EA Sports should have an expert from each team. It would make things a lot more accurate because you don't miss the second and third string players as often.

Just a thought. Anyone else played the new Madden? Let me know what you think about it and about the receiver ratings.

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Brian Hartline Is Emerging As A Top Receiver For The Miami Dolphins

There has been talk this offseason about who will be the receiver who starts opposite of Brandon Marshall.

While I am not 100% positive who will be the other starter, I am 90% positive that Brian Hartline will be the starter. Some people may think that I am speaking too early, but I'm not sure about that.

Hartline has already emerged in training camp, and has shown flashes of greatness in less than a week. Just yesterday he had a - to quote Ben Volin of The Palm Beach Post - "sick" catch that we will hopefully see more of during the season.

One of the reasons I am so confident in Hartline starting is that Head Coach Tony Sparano said that Hartline is currently the number 2 receiver, but that both Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess will have roles.

It may seem to early to crown Hartline as an official starter, but I don't see him not being one. He was the best scoring wide receiver last year and he didn't have near as many receptions as Bess or Camarillo.

Don't get me wrong I love Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo. Greg Camarillo is actually my favorite offensive player on the Miami Dolphins, but I would still rather have a threat like Hartline in the game as the starter.

Just a recommendation for all you fantasy football owners out there: pick up Brain Hartline in the late rounds of the draft. He is a sleeper that not many people know about. He will be a nice surprise this year.

That's all for now. What do you, my readers think about Hartline? Just leave a comment below.

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5 Miami Dolphins Offensive Players Primed For A Breakout In 2010

All Dolphins fans are hoping for a breakout season this year. They want a team that can win this season.

Some fans are impatient and want to see Miami go far next season, while other fans are more patient and are willing to wait for Miami to be a strong post-season contender.

Whether you are a patient or impatient fan, you still want success, and if they want to be successful they will need certain players to have a breakout year this season. Here is a list of five offensive players on the Dolphins that are primed for a breakout this year.

1. Chad Henne, QB

Henne is probably the most talked about Dolphin when it comes to a breakout season. Chad Henne has extremely high expectations from his fans, and for good reason. Henne now has a star receiver named Brandon Marshall who will help him a lot more than what Henne had last year.

He is also more experienced and will be able to work with his team this offseason during training camp. He wasn't able to during training camp last year because he wasn't the starting quarterback, but he will be able to next year and, in doing so, become more of a leader.

Henne will be great this year, and the biggest reason is Marshall, but his success will also be thanks to his experience, chemistry with the team, and his leadership.

2. Brian Hartline, WR

The addition of WR Brandon Marshall helps a lot of the offense, and Hartline is evidence of that.

Brandon Marshall is a huge playmaker, and will require double teams a lot this season. When Marshall is being double covered, Hartline will be open to catch the ball himself. That is the case for all of Miami's receivers, but Hartline is a receiver who will be able to make a big play.

Last year Hartline lead the Dolphins with more 20+ and 40+ yard receptions than any other receiver. The big thing is that he got less receptions than any other receiver who received considerable minutes last year. Hartline has big play potential, and Marshall will help bring the potential out in him.

3. Kory Sheets, RB

Kory Sheets has a chance to do well this year. He is a very fast runner, and he may be the third string back for Miami. His speed would be great for the Dolphins running game. He is also very good at scoring when the offense is near the goal line, according to his combine scouting profile. His ability to score might be what will help him break out next year. If Miami needs somebody to score when they are near the goal line, Sheets might be the back they hand it to.

Ricky Williams is getting old, and Ronnie Brown isn't always reliable because of injuries, so the Dolphins will probably look for another running back. That is where Sheets may come in.

He is also supposed to be a pretty good kick returner, as well. So, he has an even better chance of breaking out this season.

4. Anthony Fasano, TE

Fasano had a pretty bad year last season. Credit his bad performance to what you want, but he still didn't do very well.

I believe Fasano is in position to break out this year. He has receivers and running backs around him that will take the focus of the defense away from him. Top that with the fact that defenses may not take him seriously this season, and you could be looking at a very good season for him.

I am not saying whether he will have it or not, but he is definitely primed for one. Hopefully, he will be an important part of Miami's offense next year and will have a breakout.

5. Davone Bess, WR

I didn't want to include another receiver, but Bess is an important player. He will definitely have a breakout season. He is a great receiver who can catch practically anything thrown at him. As defenses focus on Brandon Marshall, and then hopefully Brian Hartline, Bess will be more open than ever.

Bess is primed for a breakout. Last season he had 76 receptions for 758 yards, and that was with the Dolphins not even throwing the ball a lot. This year they will throw a lot more, and Bess could possibly have 100 receptions and 1000 receiving yards.


Statistics like that are reasons why Bess will have such a good year.

What do you guys think? Let me know with your comments.
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Looking At Miami Dolphins Madden 11 Player Ratings: The Good And The Bad

The Miami Dolphins player ratings for the upcoming Madden 11 have just recently been released.

As is always the case for Madden games, there are some players that are rated too high or too low..... according to the opinions of the fans. Player ratings are always subject to criticism or praise, even if they are accurate, because they are subject to opinion.

Sometimes the Madden team gets players spot on, and other times they seem to be way off. While it is just a game, millions of people love playing it, so I figured it was relevant to many of my readers.

So now, I will analyze good ratings that were spot-on and were accurate (in my opinion) to the players actual skill level. I will also analyze a few ratings that I didn't agree with and elaborate on them. Read on:

The Good

Brandon Marshall - Marshall was given a 96 overall, which I think is a very fair rating because he is one of the best in the league. Pretty much all of his stats are 90 and higher. There isn't much more to say about this one.

Jake Long - I love Long's overall rating of 96. What the Madden crew really got right is that they made both his pass and run blocking good, but they really made his run blocking good. And, that couldn't be more accurate because Long played a huge part in run blocking this year.

The Bad

Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo - I think that each's overall is a little low. Camarillo's overall is 73 and Bess is 74. But, the big thing I didn't like much is their catching statistic. Bess is 87 and Camarillo is 83. I know they aren't really big play receivers, but one thing they can do is catch the football. Their catch stat should be at least a little higher. Bess' is a little more accurate than Camarillo, but I still think they both need to be higher.

Tyler Thigpen - This one isn't hugely important, but I still think it is a bit of a mistake. Thigpen's overall is 64. He showed that he is a lot better than they when he came in last year and almost lead the Miami Dolphins to a comeback victory over the Steelers. A 64 overall is very off, and I think he should at least be a 70.

The Pretty Accurate But Hopeful To Change Soon

Chad Henne - Henne's overall is 79. I think it may be a little low, but that may just be the Dolphins fan in me. I do think that his throw power of 94 is accurate because it is a good deal higher than his accuracy of 78. He does have a very strong arm, which is why I like his rating.

Hopefully Henne will get better as the season progresses, which is why I made a special section for him. There is a good chance that he can do well enough to become a high 80's and low 90's overall by next year.

We will see how well they do this year and how accurate the ratings are. Hope that they are all too low and all of the Dolphins players play better than expected.

Are there any other ratings you guys don't agree with? Let me know with your comments below.

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Which Miami Dolphins WR Will Start Along With Brandon Marshall?

Please check out my blog: Dolphins Blog

Last year the Dolphins had a lot of possession receivers that could catch pretty much any ball. Now the Dolphins have a star wide receiver in Brandon Marshall. Marshall is a huge play maker that fills a hole Miami has had for years. Now, I am wondering who will be the other WR that starts with Brandon Marshall.

First, I know that there are 3 WR sets on offense that the Dolphins run, but I am wondering who will be the other WR if Miami is running a play with only two receivers in at a time. Basically, I am wondering who is the second best receiver on the Miami Dolphins receiving corps.

There are three main candidates that I can see starting with Marshall. They are either Greg Camarillo, Davone Bess, and Brian Hartline.

Each of these receivers has their own specialties that make them worthy of starting. My personal favorite receiver is Greg Camarillo, but I believe he has the least chance of starting. If the ball is thrown well to Camarillo you know he will be able to catch it, he just doesn't get a lot of yards when he does catch it. Last year Camarillo had 50 catches for 552 yards receiving. So, despite him being my favorite receiver, I will take him off of the list now.

That leaves either Davone Bess or Brian Hartline. Bess definitely specializes in possession receiving more than Hartline and Hartline is more of a big play receiver than Bess. Bess had 76 receptions for 758 yards which is around 10 yards per catch. Hartline had 31 receptions for 506 yards which is just over 16 yards per catch.

So, in order to answer the above question we need to know what type of WR Miami is looking for. In the last two years Miami has definitely put more attention and emphasis on shorter passes. We already know Brandon Marshall will be able to make big plays, but we don't know whether the Dolphins want another big play receiver or a possession receiver.

I think that the Dolphins will choose Bess, simply because of the fact that Marshall is already the deep threat that Miami needs. I think that the Dolphins will want to have a receiver continuing on the shorter routes like they have had the last two years. If they keep Bess in it will add another dimension to Miami's offense.

Just look at how much each player was thrown to last season. That is a pretty good indicator of who got more playing time. Bess had more than twice the amount of receptions that Hartline did. That showed that the Dolphins liked passing to Bess more often. That could possibly mean that they like passing to Bess more, which would make him a likely candidate to start.

Now with all of that said, I understand anything can happen from now until the season starts. Each of the three receivers has a chance to start with Marshall, I just think that Bess will have the best shot at it.

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6 Miami Dolphins Players Who You Should Draft in Fantasy Football

Here is a list of players on the Miami Dolphins you will want on your fantasy football team next year.

1. Dan Carpenter - Dan Carpenter is a great kicker who is very consistent. Proof of that is him making the Pro Bowl last year. He rarely missed kicks last year and averaged almost two field goals made per game last year. He made 25 out of 28 field goals last season.

Carpenter also made every single one of his extra point kicks except for one that was blocked. He made 37 extra pointers last season.

If you are looking for a solid late-round pick, then Carpenter would be a very smart idea.

2. Brandon Marshall - Brandon Marshall will change the entire Miami Dolphins offense next year. Adding him was the best thing the Dolphins could do, for their organization and for you if you draft him.

Marshall has gotten over one hundred catches in the last two seasons and expect the Dolphins to pass to him heavily because he is finally the big time receiver they have been searching for.

Definitely go after him in the first round because he is a very talented player and anyone who knows about fantasy football knows about Brandon Marshall. He was explosive last year, and he will be again this year.

3. Ronnie Brown - Brandon Marshall will change the entire Miami Dolphins offense next year. Adding him was the best thing the Dolphins could do, for their organization and for you if you draft him.

Marshall has gotten over one hundred catches in the last two seasons and expect the Dolphins to pass to him heavily because he is finally the big time receiver they have been searching for.

Definitely go after him in the first round because he is a very talented player and anyone who knows about fantasy football knows about Brandon Marshall. He was explosive last year, and he will be again this year.

4. Ricky Williams - Some people may not agree with this pick because Ricky is a second string running back on a team that will probably be a pass-first offense next year.

But, he is still worth it. If Ronnie Brown is injured, which is a very likely event, then Ricky can step in and run. He did it last year and had a really great second half of the season.

Also, you know the Dolphins will use Ricky a lot even if Brown is healthy just because that is how they operate. Trust me, Ricky will be worth the pick. Look for him late in your draft and be sure to pick him up.

5. Chad Henne - Chad Henne is a QB that most fantasy players will overlook. That will be a mistake on their part that you can capitalize on. Henne now has all of the weapons he needs for a break-out season.

He will probably be available later in the draft, so be sure to pick him up as your backup QB. He will be a great choice, because of all of the tools he now has at his disposal.

6. Davone Bess - A lot of people probably won't agree with this, but trust me. Bess got a lot of catches last year, and he will get even more this year.

Defenses will be so distracted trying to cover Marshall that Bess will be open a lot. And, you can be confident that he will catch is because Bess rarely drops passes.

Bess will be available late in your draft, so be sure to spend a late pick on him. He will be a very consistent player next year.



A lot of these players will be available for you to pick up, unless you are playing with other Dolphins fans. Then, you want to make sure you pick them up before other Miami fans, because you know they will be looking for these same players, too.

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