Miami Dolphin Coach Joe Philbin has a reminder for his squad as bold predictions from bandwagon jumping media seep into his player’s psyche. Four consecutive losses followed a three game winning streak to open the 2013 season. Should it not be enough to quell bulging heads, perhaps the two humbling defeats that ended 2013 following another three game winning streak will do the trick.
The misleading headline heading to Detroit is Lion QB Matthew versus Miami QB Ryan Tannehill…
Two of the NFL’s best defenses will decide the outcome. Detroit leads the NFL in points allowed (126) and Miami is 3rd at (151). Detroit is 2nd in rushing yards allowed per game and Miami is 2nd in passing yards allowed per game. Detroit’s offense is 9th in passing yards per game and Miami’s offense is 4th in rushing yards per game. Both teams are riding 3 game winning streaks.
The Detroit defense shuts down what Miami does best and the Miami defense shuts down what Detroit does best. The Lions are coming off a bye week expecting the return of ailing receiver Calvin Johnson and former Dolphin Reggie Bush. Miami’s best running back Lamar Miller is nursing a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.
On paper, the game seems evenly matched and has the makings of a slugfest.
The quarterbacks in this contest are heading in separate directions as Stafford’s decline finds him ranked 22nd and Tannehill’s rise ranks him at 17th. Statistics point to game plans featuring the Lions challenging Miami’s run defense and the Dolphins going aerial to test Detroit’s secondary.
For fans capable of sorting fantasy numbers from true QB
play, Matthew Stafford’s stats
are a little misleading. As evidenced in 2013, when Stafford ranked 3rd in the NFL with
4650 yards, while his 84.2 QB rating was marginal at best.
Reggie Bush tried to toughen his game between the tackles in Miami, leading to nagging injuries. The injury bug continues to plague Bush in Detroit and the Lions are more apt to use Joique Bell between the tackles with Bush working the edges and the passing game.
Numbers indicate a Detroit team prone to abandon the running game in favor of airing it out. These tendencies create an opportunity for the Dolphin defense to use their front-seven effectively taking away the run and pressuring the QB without blitzing. It does not bode well for Detroit that Matthew Stafford is second in league with 24 sacks and Miami ranks 5th with 25 sacks.
The Detroit offense is similar to San Diego but uses more one-back and empty backfield formations. The lack of motion allows Stafford to read static defenses, meaning Miami must disguise coverage schemes while pressuring from a four-man front. Like most QBs, Stafford will make mistakes when the defense eliminates his first option, forcing him to hold the ball and scan the field. The large, fast Detroit receiving crops could present trouble for Miami’s smallish secondary.
Detroit has the advantage of playing at home, but the indoor stadium negates any effect cold weather could have on the Dolphins. In a game that looks surprisingly even, emotion will rue the day. For Miami, the AFC’s 9th seeded team, every game has playoff implications and three game winning streaks quickly dissolve into what-have-you-done-for-me-lately with a loss in Detroit.
Entering the second half of the season, a Dolphins team playing consistently in all three phases is a formidable opponent. It doesn’t coronate the Dolphins as an elite squad or even a playoff team. Each week presents a new challenge for an evolving Miami football team.
Detroit is 6-2 and is the NFC’s version of Miami, a mid-season darling that never seems to finish the deal. Savoring victories does little for the Lions or the Dolphins hopes of progressing into December and January. Beating the next opponent must be the primary focus.
The keys to the game will be keeping Matthew Stafford from getting comfortable in the pocket and allowing time to find second or third options. On the Miami offensive side, running the ball will be tough against the stout Detroit defensive line, leaving the ball in Ryan Tannehill’s hands to make plays in the passing game. Statistically, these are two of the best defenses in the NFL and the game could come down to the last possession of a low scoring contest.
It’s another challenge for a Dolphin team not known to fare well in contests won on last second heroics. Practicing late game hysteria is impossible at game speed and experiences like Green Bay this year will prepare Miami for better a outcome.
This will be a closely contested football game and the team with the most want-to at the end could decide the winner.
Showing posts with label Reggie Bush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reggie Bush. Show all posts
The Miami Dolphins Off-Season of Transformation
RiverdoG is a big fan of Dawn Aponte for her work as the Miami Dolphin's Capologist. The Voodoo Science of the NFL has some interesting features in the latest version of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). These changes drove the Dolphins to make a splash in free agency after a self-proclaimed desire to build through the draft. Many experts quote the minimum or cap floor figure as 89% of the cap value. This is true in a sense, but there is a little more behind it that drove the Dolphins and other teams to make sure they spent now or face penalties later.The language of the CBA states, for each four-year period from 2013-16, and from 2017-2020, the minimum guaranteed team cash spending for each team is 89% of Salary Cap. Over the two four year periods, each team must spend a minimum of 89% of the aggregate total Cap for those four years. For example, if the Salary Caps for the 2013-16 periods are $100, $120, $130, $150 million respectively, each team must spend a minimum of 89% ($445 Million) of that $500 million total. To be clear, the minimum spending is over a four-year period for each team, not each season.
The 2011 and 2012 seasons had no salary floor and some teams took advantage of those years by cleaning house so to speak. Miami came into the 2013 season with over $40 million available cap space. The Dolphins had an announced agenda to build through the draft, but it is impossible to build exclusively through the draft in today’s NFL because of the rookie Salary Cap. The NFL Salary Cap is a “Hard Cap” meaning each team must remain under the Cap. The Salary Cap is the same amount for each team. The rookie cap fluctuates with the number and round of the picks a team has in any give year.
A team can “carry over” room from one League Year to the next by having the owner submit notice to the NFL within 14 days prior to the beginning of the next League Year. The owner must indicate
By following the money, the new TV contract begins in 2013 and extends to 2022. The contract will increase revenues for NFL teams incrementally and teams falling below 89% this year will find it increasingly difficult to reach the 89% figure over the four-year aggregate. It is possible a team could find itself unable to reach the aggregate 89% in the fourth-year because doing so would take them over the hard cap number for that year. The penalty is unknown but the NFL usually takes these opportunities to come down hard on the perpetrator.
The CBA and the facts associated with the agreement are the real reasons behind Miami abandoning its stated objective to build through the draft. The Dolphins have used the second season under Joe Philbin to align the locker room with players more fit for his schemes and to adhere with the complexities of the CBA. From this point on the Dolphins will need to make fewer moves in free agency to remain in compliance with the CBA. Miami fans must hope the Dolphins bought the right players to fit the mold during the mandatory shopping spree.The future of the team is now riding on the decisions made during this crucial off-season. Miami will not get the opportunity to make this type of sweeping change again without gutting the team of quality players. Many fantasy football fans will point out Mike Wallace is not a ranking player in their leagues and other Pittsburgh receivers had better numbers. It has become easy to miss the value of players by following a stats sheet in the fantasy league.
Wallace demanded the salary for more than fantasy numbers; he opens the offense and creates opportunities for other players. Safeties cannot sneak into the box as readily when they know Wallace can beat them over the top. They cannot cheat up and the running game benefits by not having an extra defender in the box. If a corner needs deep help to protect from the long ball, other receivers find less coverage and get more opportunities. The Steelers know the value of a deep receiver even if the fantasy geeks don’t understand the true value of football players.
Miami allowed Jake Long to seek greener pastures (Benjamin Green) even though they needed to spend on premium positions for the reasons documented above. It is a telling sign when the Dolphins held the line on Long. Two motives seem obvious, his injury history and the devaluing of the left tackle position. With the need to spend for cap purposes Miami passed on Long and then shocked the league by not drafting his replacement after trading up for Dion Jordan and not Lane Johnson. The Dolphins then left Brandon Albert and others waiting at the altar before signing Clabo, clearly, the position has lost its luster.
Kevin Coyle and Joe Philbin as football coaches could not allow this to continue. Dansby could easily have remained on the Dolphins if he understood his place in the locker room or matched his real performance with his illusion. It was not going to happen and perhaps Karlos got the message by waiting until May to sign a contract. His words brought hope, "It was frustrating with the release and a humbling situation, but I knew God had a plan for me," Dansby said.
With any luck, God has bigger troubles to worry about than his plan for Karlos, but lessons come to different people in different ways. The leadership council of players wanting to police themselves with Long-Dansby-Bush in the forefront made it clear; Philbin was not onboard with the self-proclaimed team leaders. The opportunity to make a complete change in culture coincided with the need to spend cap dollars or face fines later.
A new era in Miami begins at the Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio with the enshrinement of Bill Parcells. Parcells is the man many feel responsible for the Dolphins continued downfall. Perhaps facing the blighted past is the only way to burst into a new future. One thing is certain, not many Miami fans will be cheering for Parcells as a team he will not recognize takes the field in Canton. The irony of Parcells' enshrinement and the Dolphins playing in the Hall of Fame game is not lost on Miami Dolphin fans...
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.
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.
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.
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!
Dolphin Contract Players Doing Themselves no Favors
Now shout fans understand why I wouldn’t come off the five win prediction I
made prior to the season. Now they understand what was tugging in the back of my
mind forcing me to avoid following my heart. Been there, done that, no way was I
setting myself up for the inevitable disappointment. I wasn’t surprised
when I turned the television off at the beginning of the third quarter of the Tennessee debacle, I expected it.
After the 30-9 destruction of the Jets, the Dolphins should have
been poised to play hardnosed competitive football for the rest of the season,
but they packed it in. They beat their nemesis, proved they could rise above
500, and started beating their chests forgetting there was still half a season
to play. Many of the dismal stats that fans refused to believe were important, showed up when emotion could no longer carry the day.
“That team I watched for 30 minutes was not the team I
coached for eight games,” said Joe Philbin. Welcome to our world Joe. We’ve
come to understand, talent outside the QB position is not much different from
team to team. We understand the game is about intensity, discipline and
overcoming adversity. We learned this through watching other teams rise from the
abyss, like Colts have done with a rookie QB. We’ve learned good teams show up
for games every week because any team can win in the NFL.
The Dolphins have yet to figure it out. The QB or coach
doesn’t seem to matter, it’s the new Dolphin legacy, South Beach millionaires
cannot be expected to show up for mere football games, they may get dirt under
their manicured finger nails. The stands were noticeably sparse, perhaps the
faithful decided they would not get fooled again by a team that teases and then
kicks them in the face. One of the Dolphinshout brethren drove all the way from
South Carolina to feel that donkey punch. He will certainly think twice before
undertaking that endeavor again.
All the clichés dictating how to lose were on display, not
taking care of the ball and getting baited into bonehead penalties, not
tackling and being in the wrong coverage or no coverage at all, being
completely dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage, it was all there
Sunday. Losing is inevitable when the team plays like losers. It’s okay Dolphin
fans you can say it, the Dolphins are losers.
Mr. Ross, it’s not about celebrity and extravagance, in fact
it’s the opposite. The real Miami fans are dwindling because the team appears
to care more about celebrity and extravagance than football. The supposedly
sold-out stadium was half empty because the tickets are bought by people that
can afford extravagance but could care less about football. The real fans are
priced out and people that can afford the tickets don’t show up. It’s the same
product on the field, players making too much money go partying on South Beach then
don’t show up for the game.
Sadly, Joe Philbin is only now beginning to realize what he
got himself into when he accepted this job. It must be puzzling to look up at a
sold-out stadium with a sea of empty seats. It must be puzzling to see a
talented football team decide to not show up for a game. The Dolphin roster
is full of players in a contract year and the impact on their future value
should be an incentive to play at high level week in and week out, but it
appears to be of no significance. It makes sense, once there's a few million in the bank football doesn't really matter anymore.
Logic would say one of two things, either these players do
not want to play in Miami or they are just not very good. Not
wanting to play in Miami would be inconsequential when a free agent can select his next
destination. Playing well in Miami would only raise his value no matter where
he lands, so that only leaves one option, these players do not care. They expect
the fans to show up in the stands but they don’t show up on the field.
The coaches can prepare a team to play, they can go through
all the scenarios expected on game day, but they cannot take the field. It is
up to the players to show up on game day and the Dolphins did not. The only
clear message after so many years of below average performances is to jettison
the players that are not showing up. Let pending free agents go. The team should be very careful which players on this free agent list deserve a premium contract.
Jake Long
|
Matt Moore
|
R.J. Stanford
|
Randy Starks
|
Tony McDaniel
|
Jonathon Amaya
|
Reggie Bush
|
Austin Spitler
|
Ray Feinga
|
Anthony Fasano
|
Nate Garner
|
Jonathan Freeny
|
Chris Clemons
|
Jason Trusnik
|
Pat Devlin
|
Sean Smith
|
Jabar Gaffney
|
Marcus Thigpen
|
Brian Hartline
|
Jeron Mastrud
|
Anderson Russell
|
Will Barker
|
The Dolphin management needs to call these players out.
Some will demand a salary comparable to the best players in the league at their
positions. The question is, are they playing at that level? Of the starters listed on the
left, only Randy Starks, Anthony Fasano and Brian Hartline
are playing a level worthy of consideration and only Starks is in the upper
echelon at his position. Long, Bush, Clemons and Smith are not worthy of anything more than a
mediocre deal equitable with their mediocre play. Of the non-starters, only
Matt Moore is worth the $2.5 million he is paid as a backup.
Two weeks in a row and the names Long, Smith and Bush
rise to the top of the ire in Dolphin fandom. For the second week in a row
Dolphin fans are asking these players to step up and be a veteran presence. It
is time for Joe Philbin to make some critical decisions, it’s obvious by sitting of
Bush and Incognito he is very unhappy with players making stupid mistakes.
These are also the players others look to for leadership and it is not
happening.
It may be a knee jerk reaction to call for heads to roll,
but the tabulator is making the calculations. If the Dolphins wish to change
the culture of the team, players that are not showing up on Sunday should be
looking over their shoulder. Joe Philbin has one chance to make it as an NFL
head coach. He has to decide whether a player is in or out every Sunday
and the players not showing up will need to be gone if he hopes to succeed.
Dolphin fans are over it, they have watched season after season of being out of contention by the beginning of November and they are not going to continue being disappointed. There will be more and more empty seats and it should be no surprise to Stephen Ross, Joe Philbin, Jeff Ireland or any player on this team...
The Dolphins need a wakeup call because if they spend another game sleep waking, the season will be over and another hunk of the once proud Dolphin fan base will walk away. There is a lot better things to do than watch the most disappointing team in the NFL. It's not worth expending the time, emotion or money on a team that can't bother showing up on Sunday.
If the Dolphins can't show up, I'm certainly not...
The Dolphins need a wakeup call because if they spend another game sleep waking, the season will be over and another hunk of the once proud Dolphin fan base will walk away. There is a lot better things to do than watch the most disappointing team in the NFL. It's not worth expending the time, emotion or money on a team that can't bother showing up on Sunday.
If the Dolphins can't show up, I'm certainly not...
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...
Miami Dolphins Exploit Jets Poor Coaching
Tony Sparano’s coaching weakness became obvious when the Dolphins dismantled the Jets on Sunday. His complete inability to adapt to the unexpected was apparent when Miami added a wrinkle to its pressure package. The same lack of adaptability that led to his dismissal as the head coach of the Dolphins, left the Jets offense sputtering and unable to make the corrections needed to right the ship.
The Jets suffer from the same uncreative approach that has become passé in the NFL. Professional football games can no longer be dictated by power offense and brute force defense. The Miami Dolphins showed a corner blitz package for the first time this season, Tony Sparano and the Jets were unable to respond.
It was a brilliant move by the Dolphins to bring something completely different to the table. Jimmy Wilson and Nolan Carroll performed the blitzes to perfection and it was evident Mark Sanchez was unaware of the break down in protection. Sparano on the sideline going over reams of pictures with Sanchez trying to understand, made it easy to see why the Dolphins could not adjust last season with Sparano at the helm.
Football cannot be played in a vacuum, it is a series of adjustments made as the opposition shows his hand. This new perspective as the opponent playing against Sparano, confirmed his inability to adjust. It is what Ricky Williams meant when he said Sparano is a “micro-manager.” Taking a rigid approach to a game plan leads to failure when the plan does not work and there is no room for adjustment. Watching Sparano try to diagnose the Dolphins blitz left the impression there was nothing to fall back on if the original plan did not work.
The entire Jets staff was unprepared for the attacking Dolphins game plan. Mike Westhoff was stunned by an early on-sides kick and assumed Miami had played the one unexpected card they had in the deck, little did Westhoff know, the deck was loaded!
Tim Tebow was added as the personal protector to the punter because he enabled the Jets options like the fake they ran successfully against Miami in the last meeting. There was little consideration taken to the fact Tebow has never truly had to block anyone in his football career. Instead of worrying about what Tebow may do, Miami exploited his inexperience. It was genius coaching from the mind frame of aggression.
Leading 20-0 surely Miami would not try anything fancy against a kicker who had not missed a field goal this season. Again Westhoff, Ryan and Sparano failed to recognize Miami’s aggressive game plan, 20-0 was not enough. Following the game, Westhoff admitted it was the worst game he coached in his 40 years in the NFL. The blocked field goal added to the frustration that may have changed to momentum had the kick been successful.
The Jets had the misconception that talking a good game and making veiled threats to injure another team’s playmakers is enough to make opponents play timid. Ryan and his crew are like the bully gang in the schoolyard, most of what they do is talk. When the real fighting starts it's the heart of the dog that wins out over empty words. The great Gods of football seem to bounce the ball in the right direction for the underdog Dolphins, so maybe there is something to Reggie Bush's backhanded statement about karma, it comes around...
Ryan, Sparano and Westhoff have built a reputation of being tough guys, playing a hard hitting brand of football, but being smart is not part of the equation. Punch a team in the mouth, take out the rookie QB on the second drive and watch them crumble. Most times it will work, but not when a team, coming off a bye week has doubled the preparation all the way to the backup QB. Matt Moore never missed a beat.
Miami heard about the “hot sauce” and the “head hunters,” but it was all talk. A violent straight arm early by Reggie Bush showed which heads should be on a swivel. All the way through to Richey Incognito waving bye-bye to a bench that was wishing it was as empty as the stadium. The biggest game in a season nearly half over and the Jets were no-shows, their actions did not back their words.
Rex Ryan never told his players talk was cheap, Tony Sparano had no answers for the corner blitz and Mike Westhoff forgot Tim Tebow is a quarterback not a punt protector. The Dolphins clearly outplayed the Jets, but this was a coaching victory. Joe Philbin, Mike Sherman, Kevin Coyle and Darren Rizzi put together a flawless game plan and the players executed it to perfection.
No need for the Dolphins to talk about the win, Mike Westhoff said it best, “that's as bad as it’s been in my entire career.” Westhoff was speaking for the entire Jets coaching staff who know they were demoralized by a superior staff and a team that would not be denied.
Hello NFL, welcome the Miami Dolphins to the playoff hunt!
The Jets suffer from the same uncreative approach that has become passé in the NFL. Professional football games can no longer be dictated by power offense and brute force defense. The Miami Dolphins showed a corner blitz package for the first time this season, Tony Sparano and the Jets were unable to respond.
It was a brilliant move by the Dolphins to bring something completely different to the table. Jimmy Wilson and Nolan Carroll performed the blitzes to perfection and it was evident Mark Sanchez was unaware of the break down in protection. Sparano on the sideline going over reams of pictures with Sanchez trying to understand, made it easy to see why the Dolphins could not adjust last season with Sparano at the helm.
Football cannot be played in a vacuum, it is a series of adjustments made as the opposition shows his hand. This new perspective as the opponent playing against Sparano, confirmed his inability to adjust. It is what Ricky Williams meant when he said Sparano is a “micro-manager.” Taking a rigid approach to a game plan leads to failure when the plan does not work and there is no room for adjustment. Watching Sparano try to diagnose the Dolphins blitz left the impression there was nothing to fall back on if the original plan did not work.
The entire Jets staff was unprepared for the attacking Dolphins game plan. Mike Westhoff was stunned by an early on-sides kick and assumed Miami had played the one unexpected card they had in the deck, little did Westhoff know, the deck was loaded!
Tim Tebow was added as the personal protector to the punter because he enabled the Jets options like the fake they ran successfully against Miami in the last meeting. There was little consideration taken to the fact Tebow has never truly had to block anyone in his football career. Instead of worrying about what Tebow may do, Miami exploited his inexperience. It was genius coaching from the mind frame of aggression.
Leading 20-0 surely Miami would not try anything fancy against a kicker who had not missed a field goal this season. Again Westhoff, Ryan and Sparano failed to recognize Miami’s aggressive game plan, 20-0 was not enough. Following the game, Westhoff admitted it was the worst game he coached in his 40 years in the NFL. The blocked field goal added to the frustration that may have changed to momentum had the kick been successful.
The Jets had the misconception that talking a good game and making veiled threats to injure another team’s playmakers is enough to make opponents play timid. Ryan and his crew are like the bully gang in the schoolyard, most of what they do is talk. When the real fighting starts it's the heart of the dog that wins out over empty words. The great Gods of football seem to bounce the ball in the right direction for the underdog Dolphins, so maybe there is something to Reggie Bush's backhanded statement about karma, it comes around...
Ryan, Sparano and Westhoff have built a reputation of being tough guys, playing a hard hitting brand of football, but being smart is not part of the equation. Punch a team in the mouth, take out the rookie QB on the second drive and watch them crumble. Most times it will work, but not when a team, coming off a bye week has doubled the preparation all the way to the backup QB. Matt Moore never missed a beat.
Miami heard about the “hot sauce” and the “head hunters,” but it was all talk. A violent straight arm early by Reggie Bush showed which heads should be on a swivel. All the way through to Richey Incognito waving bye-bye to a bench that was wishing it was as empty as the stadium. The biggest game in a season nearly half over and the Jets were no-shows, their actions did not back their words.
Rex Ryan never told his players talk was cheap, Tony Sparano had no answers for the corner blitz and Mike Westhoff forgot Tim Tebow is a quarterback not a punt protector. The Dolphins clearly outplayed the Jets, but this was a coaching victory. Joe Philbin, Mike Sherman, Kevin Coyle and Darren Rizzi put together a flawless game plan and the players executed it to perfection.
No need for the Dolphins to talk about the win, Mike Westhoff said it best, “that's as bad as it’s been in my entire career.” Westhoff was speaking for the entire Jets coaching staff who know they were demoralized by a superior staff and a team that would not be denied.
Hello NFL, welcome the Miami Dolphins to the playoff hunt!
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
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.
The Dolphin - Raider Match-up
The Oakland Raider - Miami Dolphin games have lost a little luster over the years but these two teams don’t like each other. It goes way back… In the 1974 AFC Divisional Playoff Game, Miami was about to earn a 4th consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Only 24 seconds remained in the game when Raiders RB Clarence Davis somehow caught the game-winning touchdown pass with three Dolphin defenders draped on him and QB Kenny Stabler throwing from his knees.
Ever wonder where the “In the Grasp” rule came from? It wasn’t the last time the Raiders changed the rulebook… In a 1978 game against the Chargers, Stabler fumbled the ball, RB Pete Banaszak deliberately batted it into the end zone, TE Dave Casper recovered for a touchdown and the Raiders won. After that play, only the offensive player fumbling the ball could advance it. Remember the tuck rule, this time the Raiders were on the wrong side of what surely should have been a Tom Brady fumble. A little history lesson makes it easy to see why the Raiders are the most hated team in the NFL, not to mention their obnoxious fans.
That 1974 playoff game was the end of an era for the Dolphins. When Joe Robbie refused to pay Larry Csonka the million dollars he demanded that off-season, Csonka, with Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield defected to the World Football League’s Memphis Southmen. That playoff game would be the final game together for one of the greatest teams in NFL history. For old school Dolphin fans, it will live on in infamy. These players have no link to that history, but it’s time to remind them of their roots and give them a reason to hate the Raiders as much as their fans do.
The Raiders 7-4 record is out of line with its statistical performance. The Oakland defense, allowing over 5 yards a carry, ranked 20th against the pass and 27th in scoring, is not a formula for success, but the Raiders have found their stride. QB Carson Palmer, after a complete collapse in his 1st game, a 28 to 0 loss to KC, has reeled off 3 consecutive victories. The statistics are indicative of the mistake of using overall stats to predict how a team is playing later in the season. The Raiders are playing above the numbers in the stat column and will prove formidable, if taken lightly by the Dolphins.Oakland has been able to overcome the loss of starting QB Jason Campbell and RB Darren MacFadden, not making the playoffs since 2002 is fueling the Raider fire. Miami will need to play at the top of its game to beat a Raider team that is rolling downhill. Losing to the Cowboys effectively eliminated the Dolphins from the playoffs but this is also a team on the rise. Miami will need to force the Raiders away from its 4th ranked rushing attack and then bring pressure on Palmer to create turnovers.
On the offensive side of the ball, Miami must not revert to a vanilla game plan on 1st down. The Dolphins find trouble offensively when forced into predictable play calling on 2nd and 3rd down caused by forcing the run between the tackles on 1st down. The Dolphins reverted to predictable play calling against the Cowboys and went away from what had led to a 3 game win streak. The Dallas game plan looked like the Miami coaching staff trying to change what was on film in the 3 previous victories.
Dallas showed a weak front on 1st down and Matt Moore checked to running plays, but the front was a façade as Dallas was bringing safeties in run support at the snap. The coaches showed a season long inability to make adjustments during the game. In-game adjustments are often overrated and teams do not vary much from the game plan, but that only alludes to a flawed game plan from the beginning. The Dolphin offense plays better when not forcing the run early and the game plan must take advantage of this strength. Spreading the field and pulling the defense out of the box opens the running lanes.Tony Sparano broke his tendency to establish the pass with the run prior to the Dallas game and the old phrase, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” applies well for Miami. The Miami offense works better by setting up the run with the pass because this approach takes advantage of Reggie Bush as a pass receiver. Defenses must respect Bush when he lines up out of the backfield and cannot stack the box giving Bush the open space he needs to use his elusiveness. Forcing Bush to run between the tackles takes away the advantage Miami gains from Bush’s ability in the open field.
The Keys…
Play with the passion of the past.Shut down the Raider running game.
Pressure Carson Palmer and create turnovers.
Spread the offense on 1st down.
Set up the run with the pass.
Miami 31 – Oakland 14
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