Sunday, August 29, 2010
Dolphins v Falcons Review - Lack of Consistency Is Becoming an Issue
10:51 AM | Posted by
Phins 2 Phins
Friday night’s game against the Falcons was disappointing to say the least; it wasn’t so much the loss that was disappointing, it was the way the team played. That being said, it is really difficult for me to pinpoint what or who exactly is to blame since we struggled in so many areas of the game, and at this stage having so many question marks is somewhat worrisome.
Henne came into this game with high expectations after last week’s performance and his performance left a lot to be desired. I wouldn’t say he had a horrible game but he did struggle significantly and didn’t seem able to find a rhythm until the last drive of the first half, yet it was the conclusion of that drive that worried me the most. It wasn’t the fact that the drive ended with an interception in the endzone which in and of itself is demoralizing, it was more so the fact that the interception came at a critical point in the game, and it is something we saw last season in the game against the Titans as well; in both instances the interceptions came at critical points in the game that and were important in determining the outcome. Having scored a TD right before the second half would’ve not only evened the score, but it would’ve also generated momentum going into the second half were we would get the chance to start on a new drive as well. I understand that time was an issue and that Marshall wasted a lot of it when he didn’t go down fast enough but Henne needs to get better at not rushing himself in those clutch situations; he needs to take the time to look down the field and when determining whether a player is truly open, because I honestly don’t believe he even saw the LB that tipped the ball coming.
On the plus side though, I noticed that Henne continues to perfect his touch in those short pass situations which has helped in adding some significant yardage, there was only one pass that was thrown with too much force to Bess which caused him to drop it but it was in a situation where he had a LB coming at him and he had to get rid of the ball.
The WRs last night weren’t stellar either, we continue to see a number of dropped passes and it is starting to become an issue of miscommunication. It seems as though in most instances when passes are dropped or completely missed it is a result of a misunderstanding between the receiver and the QB and that was the case when either Henne or Pennington were in so it makes me think it has more to do with how the receivers are running the routes or the fact that they are still not completely in sync with either of the QB’s style, which is a big problem. Hartline however continues to develop and has shown significant improvement when it comes to generating yards after the catch; he also seems to be more aggressive against the defenders when it comes to pursuing the ball, both very good qualities that Marshall is known for.
The most disappointing area offensively however was our running game. Ronnie didn’t add many rushing yards outside of a big chunk that came in a wildcat play and Cobbs and Hillard were virtually invisible, Ricky although not adding much in the running game either did manage to catch a couple of passes for a decent number of yards which is a good thing considering he sometimes has difficulty holding on to the ball.
The offensive line did a fairly good job of protecting the QB which is something they were lacking in at the beginning of training camp so that’s good, but they struggled significantly when it came to opening up space for the running game, even when it came to making a push for those short yard down situations; in their defense, the opposing team doesn’t face much of a challenge when trying to figure out how to defend those situations because they too have come to expect the handoff to Polite.
My biggest concern overall last night was the number of penalties and a lot of them came from players in the O-line. Penalties on offense can cost you the game be it by turning a TD situation into a FG situation or by taking you out of FG range altogether and forcing you to punt the ball. The Dolphins have consistently been one of the least penalized teams in the league during the past few seasons so I’m sure Sparano will have something to say about this. I know the officiating was horrible, but that’s part of the game and you will encounter it throughout the season as well so when it happens you need to find away to adjust, 9 penalties for 75 yards is just not something we can afford to have in any game.
The defense wasn’t great Friday night either but I believe the score would’ve been a lot different had we not had a couple of guys making plays. Our secondary was a little better than in the previous game, but Smith continues to struggle and it was proven yet again that Jason Allen is not suited to fit the bill either. Sapp did a decent job as a CB in his first appearance but his biggest contribution came in the form of special teams where he made his presence known. The brightest star in the secondary was by far Vontae Davis who had a stellar night, he was making plays out in the open with assertiveness and tackling hard all night, even forcing a fumble; if he can find it in him to play at this level consistently he will be one of the most talked about young players this season, and I’m really looking forward to that.
The defensive line is what I have the most trouble of analyzing because there were so many changes going on throughout the night that it was hard to tell who was in at times. This is where I think consistency will start to play a role; once we can figure out the pieces and be consistent with them we will see this d-line blossom. Our rookies had a decent performance and we continue to see Misi grow, he showed some flashes of explosiveness during the game that have me intrigued with what’s to come once the defensive scheme gets unleashed at the beginning of the season; I’m starting to see a lot of promise there. Dansby however, was the best player of the night for me, he was covering an incredible amount of ground during most of the game and making plays on his own and in conjunction with Vontae that were superb; any worries that I had about lack of leadership in the defense after Taylor left have dissipated, as Dansby has done an amazing job at stepping up and filling in his shoes.
Special teams continue to struggle but we are starting to see some players make an impact, including the newly acquired Sapp, so hopefully we will see a few more guys step up to fill their roles in the next few days. Special teams can win games but they can also cost you games and the Dolphins now that better than any other team so I’m sure it is something they will continue to focus on.
The team plays their next game Thursday night against the Cowboys in Dallas, and although it is unusual for starters to play a significant portion of the last preseason game I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in there until half time. Sparano wasn’t any happier with what he saw than we were and considering the game will be played earlier in the week than I think the benefits of having the starters play together one more time before the end of the preseason will outweigh the need to rest them, we’ll find out then.
Henne came into this game with high expectations after last week’s performance and his performance left a lot to be desired. I wouldn’t say he had a horrible game but he did struggle significantly and didn’t seem able to find a rhythm until the last drive of the first half, yet it was the conclusion of that drive that worried me the most. It wasn’t the fact that the drive ended with an interception in the endzone which in and of itself is demoralizing, it was more so the fact that the interception came at a critical point in the game, and it is something we saw last season in the game against the Titans as well; in both instances the interceptions came at critical points in the game that and were important in determining the outcome. Having scored a TD right before the second half would’ve not only evened the score, but it would’ve also generated momentum going into the second half were we would get the chance to start on a new drive as well. I understand that time was an issue and that Marshall wasted a lot of it when he didn’t go down fast enough but Henne needs to get better at not rushing himself in those clutch situations; he needs to take the time to look down the field and when determining whether a player is truly open, because I honestly don’t believe he even saw the LB that tipped the ball coming.
On the plus side though, I noticed that Henne continues to perfect his touch in those short pass situations which has helped in adding some significant yardage, there was only one pass that was thrown with too much force to Bess which caused him to drop it but it was in a situation where he had a LB coming at him and he had to get rid of the ball.
The WRs last night weren’t stellar either, we continue to see a number of dropped passes and it is starting to become an issue of miscommunication. It seems as though in most instances when passes are dropped or completely missed it is a result of a misunderstanding between the receiver and the QB and that was the case when either Henne or Pennington were in so it makes me think it has more to do with how the receivers are running the routes or the fact that they are still not completely in sync with either of the QB’s style, which is a big problem. Hartline however continues to develop and has shown significant improvement when it comes to generating yards after the catch; he also seems to be more aggressive against the defenders when it comes to pursuing the ball, both very good qualities that Marshall is known for.
The most disappointing area offensively however was our running game. Ronnie didn’t add many rushing yards outside of a big chunk that came in a wildcat play and Cobbs and Hillard were virtually invisible, Ricky although not adding much in the running game either did manage to catch a couple of passes for a decent number of yards which is a good thing considering he sometimes has difficulty holding on to the ball.
The offensive line did a fairly good job of protecting the QB which is something they were lacking in at the beginning of training camp so that’s good, but they struggled significantly when it came to opening up space for the running game, even when it came to making a push for those short yard down situations; in their defense, the opposing team doesn’t face much of a challenge when trying to figure out how to defend those situations because they too have come to expect the handoff to Polite.
My biggest concern overall last night was the number of penalties and a lot of them came from players in the O-line. Penalties on offense can cost you the game be it by turning a TD situation into a FG situation or by taking you out of FG range altogether and forcing you to punt the ball. The Dolphins have consistently been one of the least penalized teams in the league during the past few seasons so I’m sure Sparano will have something to say about this. I know the officiating was horrible, but that’s part of the game and you will encounter it throughout the season as well so when it happens you need to find away to adjust, 9 penalties for 75 yards is just not something we can afford to have in any game.
The defense wasn’t great Friday night either but I believe the score would’ve been a lot different had we not had a couple of guys making plays. Our secondary was a little better than in the previous game, but Smith continues to struggle and it was proven yet again that Jason Allen is not suited to fit the bill either. Sapp did a decent job as a CB in his first appearance but his biggest contribution came in the form of special teams where he made his presence known. The brightest star in the secondary was by far Vontae Davis who had a stellar night, he was making plays out in the open with assertiveness and tackling hard all night, even forcing a fumble; if he can find it in him to play at this level consistently he will be one of the most talked about young players this season, and I’m really looking forward to that.
The defensive line is what I have the most trouble of analyzing because there were so many changes going on throughout the night that it was hard to tell who was in at times. This is where I think consistency will start to play a role; once we can figure out the pieces and be consistent with them we will see this d-line blossom. Our rookies had a decent performance and we continue to see Misi grow, he showed some flashes of explosiveness during the game that have me intrigued with what’s to come once the defensive scheme gets unleashed at the beginning of the season; I’m starting to see a lot of promise there. Dansby however, was the best player of the night for me, he was covering an incredible amount of ground during most of the game and making plays on his own and in conjunction with Vontae that were superb; any worries that I had about lack of leadership in the defense after Taylor left have dissipated, as Dansby has done an amazing job at stepping up and filling in his shoes.
Special teams continue to struggle but we are starting to see some players make an impact, including the newly acquired Sapp, so hopefully we will see a few more guys step up to fill their roles in the next few days. Special teams can win games but they can also cost you games and the Dolphins now that better than any other team so I’m sure it is something they will continue to focus on.
The team plays their next game Thursday night against the Cowboys in Dallas, and although it is unusual for starters to play a significant portion of the last preseason game I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in there until half time. Sparano wasn’t any happier with what he saw than we were and considering the game will be played earlier in the week than I think the benefits of having the starters play together one more time before the end of the preseason will outweigh the need to rest them, we’ll find out then.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Dolphins @ Jaguars - What a Difference a Week Makes
Last night's game in Jacksonville was a good one, even though we had to wait 2 hours to get things going. Things started off a little bit rough but we pulled it together quickly and our starters managed to prove a week later that we can indeed play in the rain.
Contrary to last week, this time it would be the offense which would make an impression while the defense showed some weakness. but special teams continue to be a problem and don't seem to have improved much.Overall though we can take away mostly positive things from last night's game, as well as a W, even though we know wins mean nothing in the preseason, it's always better to walk away the winner, it means our backups are better than the other teams'.
Henne had a great night last night, not only did he throw two TD passes, but he was executing all the play actions flawlessly and was throwing the ball beautifully, the only thing I wish I would've seen more of from him is long pass throws. I would love for Henning to start showing some more confidence in Henne by letting him throw the ball deep down the field. Pennington who we all know has a weaker arm was given the opportunity to do so. I understand that Pennington is known for his accuracy but his first pass. which was a long one to Marshall, even though it was caught was underthrown. You have a guy that can run and catch it, use him more! That being said, Pennington had a great night as well and reminded me why I felt so strongly about resigning him, having him on the roster just makes me feel more at ease.
Marshall also had a great night, and the best part is it wasn't as a result of catching the ball. Despite the few drops he's had in the past few days, we all know Marshall can catch the ball, but yesterday I saw him become part of the team. Not once did Marshall give up after the play, instead he was seen blocking, which is what allowed the first TD, and assisting on screen plays. I love seeing Marshall taking that role in stride, he might be known to be a diva but he didn't act like one yesterday and if he continues to play this way, which I am confident he will, then he will become an even greater addition to the team than we first thought.
The player of the game last night for me was Fasano though, he executed those two routes that resulted in TDs last night to perfection, and proved that he is still the player he was in 2008. If you didn't believe the TEs would be a factor in the Dolphins' offense this season, last night served to prove you wrong. We are just two weeks into the preseason and we can already see our offensive game expanding, and the best part is I know they have a lot more they are not showing.
The offensive line was much improved yesterday as well, we still have things that need to be fixed but we are getting there. We are starting to see the things we have talked about being possible in theory starting to happen out on the field and they are working perfectly. I like the direction the offense is heading in, we are changing up what we do and taking advantage of all our opportunities. I hope we will become more aggressive in time, but the season opener is still a few weeks away so I know we'll get there.
It was the defense which took a bit of a step backwards last night. Although they were very effective at stopping the run, we had a lot of problems with the passing game. I still don't see anybody stepping up as a pass rusher and the secondary fell from that place of high praise they put themselves on last week. When it comes to the safeties, Bell continues to excel, while Clemons seems a little lost at times, I do give him a lot of credit though because he is getting better and he isn't ever to far from where he should be, he just needs to be more assertive, and that will come from experience.
The guys that I'm most disappointed about though are Davis and Smith, they both need to be more consistent. This is the second year and by now they should be able to mantain the same level from week to week, I'm not saying they were horrible, but our pass defense last night was average at best and if we want to get anywhere this year we need to improve in that area consistently. I know they have it in them I saw it last week, which is why I was a disappointed with what they showed last night. I might be expecting too much ,but I do so because I know they can deliver.
As disappointed as I was with our poor pass protection yesterday I know it is something that we have the tools to fix and I trust that as unhappy as I am about it, Mike Nolan is probably twice as unhappy and will find a way to fix it. What seems to be quite a way from fixing though is our special teams play.
Two weeks in a row one of Field's punts has been blocked, neither time has it been his fault and last night it cost us points. We can't give up points like that and we have to stop giving away the amount of yards we are giving away on those punt and kick returns, the defense doesn't need that kind of pressure and all the opponent needs is two ten yard conversions to get in field goal range.
It doesn't get much better the other way around either, we need to become more effective at blocking when we are returning kicks as well. I do like what Carroll did last night and think he is a viable option for returns because of his speed and agility, but it would be nice to help by clearing some space.
We have a lot of work to do before our next game Friday against the Falcons, but I do see us improving so I expect next week will be a lot better. There are a lot of things to look forward to in the Falcons game, thankfully the wait will be a little shorter and it will get us a little closer to the start of the season.
Contrary to last week, this time it would be the offense which would make an impression while the defense showed some weakness. but special teams continue to be a problem and don't seem to have improved much.Overall though we can take away mostly positive things from last night's game, as well as a W, even though we know wins mean nothing in the preseason, it's always better to walk away the winner, it means our backups are better than the other teams'.
Henne had a great night last night, not only did he throw two TD passes, but he was executing all the play actions flawlessly and was throwing the ball beautifully, the only thing I wish I would've seen more of from him is long pass throws. I would love for Henning to start showing some more confidence in Henne by letting him throw the ball deep down the field. Pennington who we all know has a weaker arm was given the opportunity to do so. I understand that Pennington is known for his accuracy but his first pass. which was a long one to Marshall, even though it was caught was underthrown. You have a guy that can run and catch it, use him more! That being said, Pennington had a great night as well and reminded me why I felt so strongly about resigning him, having him on the roster just makes me feel more at ease.
Marshall also had a great night, and the best part is it wasn't as a result of catching the ball. Despite the few drops he's had in the past few days, we all know Marshall can catch the ball, but yesterday I saw him become part of the team. Not once did Marshall give up after the play, instead he was seen blocking, which is what allowed the first TD, and assisting on screen plays. I love seeing Marshall taking that role in stride, he might be known to be a diva but he didn't act like one yesterday and if he continues to play this way, which I am confident he will, then he will become an even greater addition to the team than we first thought.
The player of the game last night for me was Fasano though, he executed those two routes that resulted in TDs last night to perfection, and proved that he is still the player he was in 2008. If you didn't believe the TEs would be a factor in the Dolphins' offense this season, last night served to prove you wrong. We are just two weeks into the preseason and we can already see our offensive game expanding, and the best part is I know they have a lot more they are not showing.
The offensive line was much improved yesterday as well, we still have things that need to be fixed but we are getting there. We are starting to see the things we have talked about being possible in theory starting to happen out on the field and they are working perfectly. I like the direction the offense is heading in, we are changing up what we do and taking advantage of all our opportunities. I hope we will become more aggressive in time, but the season opener is still a few weeks away so I know we'll get there.
It was the defense which took a bit of a step backwards last night. Although they were very effective at stopping the run, we had a lot of problems with the passing game. I still don't see anybody stepping up as a pass rusher and the secondary fell from that place of high praise they put themselves on last week. When it comes to the safeties, Bell continues to excel, while Clemons seems a little lost at times, I do give him a lot of credit though because he is getting better and he isn't ever to far from where he should be, he just needs to be more assertive, and that will come from experience.
The guys that I'm most disappointed about though are Davis and Smith, they both need to be more consistent. This is the second year and by now they should be able to mantain the same level from week to week, I'm not saying they were horrible, but our pass defense last night was average at best and if we want to get anywhere this year we need to improve in that area consistently. I know they have it in them I saw it last week, which is why I was a disappointed with what they showed last night. I might be expecting too much ,but I do so because I know they can deliver.
As disappointed as I was with our poor pass protection yesterday I know it is something that we have the tools to fix and I trust that as unhappy as I am about it, Mike Nolan is probably twice as unhappy and will find a way to fix it. What seems to be quite a way from fixing though is our special teams play.
Two weeks in a row one of Field's punts has been blocked, neither time has it been his fault and last night it cost us points. We can't give up points like that and we have to stop giving away the amount of yards we are giving away on those punt and kick returns, the defense doesn't need that kind of pressure and all the opponent needs is two ten yard conversions to get in field goal range.
It doesn't get much better the other way around either, we need to become more effective at blocking when we are returning kicks as well. I do like what Carroll did last night and think he is a viable option for returns because of his speed and agility, but it would be nice to help by clearing some space.
We have a lot of work to do before our next game Friday against the Falcons, but I do see us improving so I expect next week will be a lot better. There are a lot of things to look forward to in the Falcons game, thankfully the wait will be a little shorter and it will get us a little closer to the start of the season.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Training Camp Series: Part 4 – CBs and Ss
The secondary was the biggest area of concern for the Dolphins going into the offseason; it was also the one that impressed me the most during Saturday’s game against the Bucs. Our young guys have come a long way and if they can continue to play at the level at which they played on that first game our defensive game as a whole will get to a place much better than we could’ve imagined.
CBs
Vontae Davis continues to be one of my favorite players to watch. Going into his second season, Davis seems to be a lock for the starting left corner spot, as he has proved throughout camp that if nothing else, he is consistent. As the days go by, we see Davis improve his game, even when covering Marshall, he manages to stay close and make the play without drawing a flag, a quality that is extremely important for a corner to be successful in this league.
Sean Smith had a rocky start in camp and even lost his starting spot to Jason Allen a couple of times, but he’s coming back strong and was one of the most noticeable players in the first pre-season game. All that work against Marshall coupled with the pressure of not performing well in camp might be just what he needed to elevate his game to the next level, since I honestly believe he is the most talented corner we have.
Jason Allen has been hot and cold at days during training camp, but is a lock to make the team based solely on the contribution he makes on special teams; that’s not to say he won’t be used as a corner though, because he certainly will be. Sparano is very impressed with what J. Allen has done thus far in camp, mentally, he is the sharpest guy on the team and according to Sparano seems to finally have figured out exactly what his niche is, and that is OCB. He also performed exceptionally well during the game on Saturday so I’m sure we’ll see more of him this next game against the Jags.
At the start of camp, Will Allen had been used exclusively in the nickel package and was said to be the only player who could take on that role, something by the way, he does extremely well. W. Allen’s future seems a little dull at the moment, since he recently suffered an injury and has been out of practice. As usual the extent of the injury is unknown so it’s not clear whether or not he will participate in the next preseason game.
One player who has benefited from this injury is Nollan Carroll. Carroll has definitely made an impression during training camp, especially in recent days when he has been used as the number one guy in all nickel plays in place of W. Allen. In addition to that Carroll has been used in all dime packages and is believed to have almost locked a spot in the 53 man roster where he will also play a role in special teams. Carroll is the rookie I will more closely be following in the next couple of weeks, out of all the rookies he has the hardest road ahead to earn a starting job so I believe he will continue to try to develop his game and get the experience he needs to succeed at this level, I don’t think he will become a starter this season on this team but he can definitely make a significant contribution and will add depth to the roster.
The other two rookies on the team are newly acquired Hobbs, who was signed to replace Oglesby who was cut from the team yet again following injury and Nate Ness, who made the move to the position from safety. Both of these players made a splash during the first preseason game but have a long way to go before securing a spot on the team.
Ss
SS was never a worry for the Dolphins, and that’s because Pro-Bowler Yeremiah Bell is the one filling that position. Bell is one of best in the business as they say and can always be relied upon to make the play, even if his 1-on-1 play is a little shaky at times. Headed into the season there was never any doubt about whether or not he would start there was just the question of who would start opposite him as FS.
Up until this point Sparano has all but said that Chris Clemmons is the guy who will be filling that role. Clemmons has received nothing but praise from the coach who is impressed by just how sharp mentally Clemmons is. According to Sparano, both Clemmons and Bell combined have made 4 mental errors in 945 plays, a definite upgrade from what we saw from Gibril Wilson last season.
Rookie Reshad Jones has also made his presence known at camp and is currently listed as the backup for Clemmons and from the looks of it, he would be ready to step up and fill the role at any time, that is if he is healthy since he was seen limping off the field during yesterday’s practice. Tyrone Culver and Jonathan Amaya have also managed to make some plays in camp, but seem a long way from the rest of the guys.
The secondary seems to be the most improved unit of the team thus far, and I continue to look forward to seeing all of the players, most of whom are really young, continue to develop, not only during preseason, but all year long.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
CBs
Vontae Davis continues to be one of my favorite players to watch. Going into his second season, Davis seems to be a lock for the starting left corner spot, as he has proved throughout camp that if nothing else, he is consistent. As the days go by, we see Davis improve his game, even when covering Marshall, he manages to stay close and make the play without drawing a flag, a quality that is extremely important for a corner to be successful in this league.
Sean Smith had a rocky start in camp and even lost his starting spot to Jason Allen a couple of times, but he’s coming back strong and was one of the most noticeable players in the first pre-season game. All that work against Marshall coupled with the pressure of not performing well in camp might be just what he needed to elevate his game to the next level, since I honestly believe he is the most talented corner we have.
Jason Allen has been hot and cold at days during training camp, but is a lock to make the team based solely on the contribution he makes on special teams; that’s not to say he won’t be used as a corner though, because he certainly will be. Sparano is very impressed with what J. Allen has done thus far in camp, mentally, he is the sharpest guy on the team and according to Sparano seems to finally have figured out exactly what his niche is, and that is OCB. He also performed exceptionally well during the game on Saturday so I’m sure we’ll see more of him this next game against the Jags.
At the start of camp, Will Allen had been used exclusively in the nickel package and was said to be the only player who could take on that role, something by the way, he does extremely well. W. Allen’s future seems a little dull at the moment, since he recently suffered an injury and has been out of practice. As usual the extent of the injury is unknown so it’s not clear whether or not he will participate in the next preseason game.
One player who has benefited from this injury is Nollan Carroll. Carroll has definitely made an impression during training camp, especially in recent days when he has been used as the number one guy in all nickel plays in place of W. Allen. In addition to that Carroll has been used in all dime packages and is believed to have almost locked a spot in the 53 man roster where he will also play a role in special teams. Carroll is the rookie I will more closely be following in the next couple of weeks, out of all the rookies he has the hardest road ahead to earn a starting job so I believe he will continue to try to develop his game and get the experience he needs to succeed at this level, I don’t think he will become a starter this season on this team but he can definitely make a significant contribution and will add depth to the roster.
The other two rookies on the team are newly acquired Hobbs, who was signed to replace Oglesby who was cut from the team yet again following injury and Nate Ness, who made the move to the position from safety. Both of these players made a splash during the first preseason game but have a long way to go before securing a spot on the team.
Ss
SS was never a worry for the Dolphins, and that’s because Pro-Bowler Yeremiah Bell is the one filling that position. Bell is one of best in the business as they say and can always be relied upon to make the play, even if his 1-on-1 play is a little shaky at times. Headed into the season there was never any doubt about whether or not he would start there was just the question of who would start opposite him as FS.
Up until this point Sparano has all but said that Chris Clemmons is the guy who will be filling that role. Clemmons has received nothing but praise from the coach who is impressed by just how sharp mentally Clemmons is. According to Sparano, both Clemmons and Bell combined have made 4 mental errors in 945 plays, a definite upgrade from what we saw from Gibril Wilson last season.
Rookie Reshad Jones has also made his presence known at camp and is currently listed as the backup for Clemmons and from the looks of it, he would be ready to step up and fill the role at any time, that is if he is healthy since he was seen limping off the field during yesterday’s practice. Tyrone Culver and Jonathan Amaya have also managed to make some plays in camp, but seem a long way from the rest of the guys.
The secondary seems to be the most improved unit of the team thus far, and I continue to look forward to seeing all of the players, most of whom are really young, continue to develop, not only during preseason, but all year long.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Monday, August 16, 2010
Dolphins v Buccaneers Pre-season Game Impressions
The long wait for football finally came to an end on Saturday as the Dolphins took the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Weather conditions were horrible for most of the first quarter, and although the rain would eventually stop, the “damage” to the field had already been done, especially near one of the end zones where the Marlins diamond turned into a slippery mud pit which would affect players on both sides for the duration of the game.
After being down 0-7, the Dolphins, led by Thigpen, managed to turn the score around and delivered a 10-7 victory. Despite the win, Saturday’s game wasn’t an easy one, and we saw the weaknesses in certain areas of our game get exposed. As the game went on we did start to see improvements, but I’m not sure how much of it had to do with the adjustments being made as opposed to the fact that we were playing against all of Tampa’s backups. It is worth mentioning though that even if it was due to the latter, that would still prove to be a positive thing; we were after all also playing with our backups and they showed we have good quality players adding depth to the roster.
Overall, the defense proved once again to be dominant on the field compared to the offense, but by far, the one area that needs the most work is special teams. I was not pleased with the special teams’ performance at all. Our kick and punt returns didn’t produce significant gain and we were unable to stop the opposing team when it was their time to return. We need to get a lot better at both of these! By the start of the season I would like to see the special teams improve significantly so they can be the ones giving the offense a good starting position and not leaving the defense in precarious situations as opposed to it being the other way around.
When it comes to the offense, it wasn’t all bad, in reality most of what I saw was good. The running game was very strong with Ronnie leading the way and Ricky making an impression. I was also very impressed by Hilliard who had a chance to show more of what he can do in light of Cobbs’ absence. Not only was Hilliard getting yardage out of rushing plays, but he made a pretty impressive catch as well.
The offensive line was also key during these rushing plays; they were holding the line strong and creating holes for the RBs to get through. It is in the passing plays that they continue to struggle. The QBs are being attacked, and even though there were no sacks in this game, they are feeling the pressure. Henne who is normally very poised in the pocket seemed to be rushing the whole game, even at times when there was no one near him and I feel as though this might have to do with a lack of trust in the offensive line when it comes to keeping him safe, then again it could be due to the fact that no one wants to get injured during the preseason. Whatever the reason might be he needs to find a way to take the time to look down the field before making the pass.
While Henne was on the field, there were a lot of incomplete passes being thrown and although a couple of them were clearly miss-thrown, the majority of them were actually dropped. Marshall dropped both passes during the game and while I’m not happy about it, I think the comparisons that are being thrown around between him and Ginn are extremely farfetched. I am not worried about Marshall at all; this was the first preseason game and honestly I rather him get his one or two bad games out of his system during the preseason. I’m not very worried about Hartline either, both of these guys will step it up as the start of the season gets closer.
Despite all these dropped passes, there were a couple of guys who managed to impress. Fasano made himself very visible during the game and the way he was being used indicates that he might have a season more closely resembling his ‘08 season this year, something I’d very happy to see. At the same time, Pat Turner and Marlon Moore, both put on a pretty good show and made their presence known. Both of these guys are looking to secure that fifth WR spot in the roster, and will continue to be monitored for consistency from this point on.
Something else that was worrisome when watching the offense on the field was their inability as a whole to hold on to the wet ball. Playing in a state where afternoon showers are the norm, we need to be able to handle a wet ball better. This too has sparked some debate about whether training in the bubble proves to be a disadvantage because it takes away some of the home field advantage by not having the players play out in the conditions. I personally think the bubble is very advantageous, we don’t need to put the players in danger and force them to play in inclement weather let’s just get some wet balls when running drills. I’m sure Sparano will be taking care of this very soon, out of all the things to work on this should be the easiest fix. I’m sure he’ll have something to say about the penalties as well.
The defense had a strong showing during this game, and I was very impressed with how far we’ve come along with the changes and how the new guys have adapted. The defensive line was holding strong and our ability to stop the run has improved, but the thing that impressed me the most was the secondary. Our corners were by far the most impressive unit this past game. Sean Smith, who had been struggling in camp was doing exceptionally well in coverage and even managed to complete his first interception. Davis and Jason Allen were also working well in coverage and managed to break big plays without drawing flags. Even Hobbs managed to make his presence known out there; he was doing a great job of putting pressure on the receivers.
The free safety position which was our biggest worry going into the season didn’t seem to be a problem at all either. Clemmons, although not extremely noticeable got the job done and proved he wasn’t a liability like Wilson was last season. Reshad Jones and Nate Ness on the other hand made big plays. On one of the drives were Tampa Bay was in the red zone and looking to score they were the ones responsible for stopping the passing attempts, and on the following drive, even though the Bucs managed to complete the pass, Ness stays on the play and batted the ball out of the receivers hand forcing another turnover. That last play was the play of the game for me.
Some other players on defense that stood out for me were Channing Crowder who had a few good stops, and Paul Soliai who was virtually a wall for the duration of the game, but so many players did well out there that it is very difficult to single out who was the best, and that’s always a good thing.
The thing that impressed me the most from the defense was their ability to force turnovers. I see these guys all taking a more aggressive approach and I like the results. The best quality the Saints defense had last year was their ability to force turnovers, if we can get the turnovers and the offense can turn them into points, we will become the team to beat, so I like the fact that we have at least one half of the equation close to being solved.
The only thing I saw from the defense that I didn’t like was their inability to get to the QB. What bothered me wasn’t the fact that they weren’t creating as much pressure as I’d like or that they didn’t get sacks, it was the fact that on more than one occasion the QBs ran the ball and gained significant yards because no one would get to them, so I look forward to this getting worked on prior to the next game.
All in all, I believe this first game was a good one. Seeing the players out there in action against another team gives us a better feel for what we need to work on, and gives us an opportunity to take notice of some of the things we have improved on. We will start to see things coming together in the next couple of weeks, and by the start of the season, we should be in a much better position than were we are now.
After being down 0-7, the Dolphins, led by Thigpen, managed to turn the score around and delivered a 10-7 victory. Despite the win, Saturday’s game wasn’t an easy one, and we saw the weaknesses in certain areas of our game get exposed. As the game went on we did start to see improvements, but I’m not sure how much of it had to do with the adjustments being made as opposed to the fact that we were playing against all of Tampa’s backups. It is worth mentioning though that even if it was due to the latter, that would still prove to be a positive thing; we were after all also playing with our backups and they showed we have good quality players adding depth to the roster.
Overall, the defense proved once again to be dominant on the field compared to the offense, but by far, the one area that needs the most work is special teams. I was not pleased with the special teams’ performance at all. Our kick and punt returns didn’t produce significant gain and we were unable to stop the opposing team when it was their time to return. We need to get a lot better at both of these! By the start of the season I would like to see the special teams improve significantly so they can be the ones giving the offense a good starting position and not leaving the defense in precarious situations as opposed to it being the other way around.
When it comes to the offense, it wasn’t all bad, in reality most of what I saw was good. The running game was very strong with Ronnie leading the way and Ricky making an impression. I was also very impressed by Hilliard who had a chance to show more of what he can do in light of Cobbs’ absence. Not only was Hilliard getting yardage out of rushing plays, but he made a pretty impressive catch as well.
The offensive line was also key during these rushing plays; they were holding the line strong and creating holes for the RBs to get through. It is in the passing plays that they continue to struggle. The QBs are being attacked, and even though there were no sacks in this game, they are feeling the pressure. Henne who is normally very poised in the pocket seemed to be rushing the whole game, even at times when there was no one near him and I feel as though this might have to do with a lack of trust in the offensive line when it comes to keeping him safe, then again it could be due to the fact that no one wants to get injured during the preseason. Whatever the reason might be he needs to find a way to take the time to look down the field before making the pass.
While Henne was on the field, there were a lot of incomplete passes being thrown and although a couple of them were clearly miss-thrown, the majority of them were actually dropped. Marshall dropped both passes during the game and while I’m not happy about it, I think the comparisons that are being thrown around between him and Ginn are extremely farfetched. I am not worried about Marshall at all; this was the first preseason game and honestly I rather him get his one or two bad games out of his system during the preseason. I’m not very worried about Hartline either, both of these guys will step it up as the start of the season gets closer.
Despite all these dropped passes, there were a couple of guys who managed to impress. Fasano made himself very visible during the game and the way he was being used indicates that he might have a season more closely resembling his ‘08 season this year, something I’d very happy to see. At the same time, Pat Turner and Marlon Moore, both put on a pretty good show and made their presence known. Both of these guys are looking to secure that fifth WR spot in the roster, and will continue to be monitored for consistency from this point on.
Something else that was worrisome when watching the offense on the field was their inability as a whole to hold on to the wet ball. Playing in a state where afternoon showers are the norm, we need to be able to handle a wet ball better. This too has sparked some debate about whether training in the bubble proves to be a disadvantage because it takes away some of the home field advantage by not having the players play out in the conditions. I personally think the bubble is very advantageous, we don’t need to put the players in danger and force them to play in inclement weather let’s just get some wet balls when running drills. I’m sure Sparano will be taking care of this very soon, out of all the things to work on this should be the easiest fix. I’m sure he’ll have something to say about the penalties as well.
The defense had a strong showing during this game, and I was very impressed with how far we’ve come along with the changes and how the new guys have adapted. The defensive line was holding strong and our ability to stop the run has improved, but the thing that impressed me the most was the secondary. Our corners were by far the most impressive unit this past game. Sean Smith, who had been struggling in camp was doing exceptionally well in coverage and even managed to complete his first interception. Davis and Jason Allen were also working well in coverage and managed to break big plays without drawing flags. Even Hobbs managed to make his presence known out there; he was doing a great job of putting pressure on the receivers.
The free safety position which was our biggest worry going into the season didn’t seem to be a problem at all either. Clemmons, although not extremely noticeable got the job done and proved he wasn’t a liability like Wilson was last season. Reshad Jones and Nate Ness on the other hand made big plays. On one of the drives were Tampa Bay was in the red zone and looking to score they were the ones responsible for stopping the passing attempts, and on the following drive, even though the Bucs managed to complete the pass, Ness stays on the play and batted the ball out of the receivers hand forcing another turnover. That last play was the play of the game for me.
Some other players on defense that stood out for me were Channing Crowder who had a few good stops, and Paul Soliai who was virtually a wall for the duration of the game, but so many players did well out there that it is very difficult to single out who was the best, and that’s always a good thing.
The thing that impressed me the most from the defense was their ability to force turnovers. I see these guys all taking a more aggressive approach and I like the results. The best quality the Saints defense had last year was their ability to force turnovers, if we can get the turnovers and the offense can turn them into points, we will become the team to beat, so I like the fact that we have at least one half of the equation close to being solved.
The only thing I saw from the defense that I didn’t like was their inability to get to the QB. What bothered me wasn’t the fact that they weren’t creating as much pressure as I’d like or that they didn’t get sacks, it was the fact that on more than one occasion the QBs ran the ball and gained significant yards because no one would get to them, so I look forward to this getting worked on prior to the next game.
All in all, I believe this first game was a good one. Seeing the players out there in action against another team gives us a better feel for what we need to work on, and gives us an opportunity to take notice of some of the things we have improved on. We will start to see things coming together in the next couple of weeks, and by the start of the season, we should be in a much better position than were we are now.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Training Camp Series: Part 3 - Offensive line
By no means did we have a weak offensive line last season, yet while at camp that was the one area I noticed we were struggling with the most. Things don’t seem to have changed much since I was last down there and there’s still somewhat of a game of musical chairs being played in some positions. Some of the best plays we have seen in camp have come after what would’ve been sacks and although our defense is indeed getting stronger I am ready for the line to hold long and strong to give Henne the time he needs to get to the receivers without going down and to open up hold for our RBs. Tonight’s game should provide some answers and as to who is better suited to fill each position and hopefully we’ll start to see the pieces coming together with enough time to fine tune by the start of the season.
Cs
It became apparent early on in training camp that the center position was open and the guys would be fighting for the starting role. Jake Grove was the starter last season, until an injury took him out, and just a week into training camp he would suffer another injury that although not season ending would probably help to establish him as the team’s backup. Grove has been a key player in the Dolphins O-line, especially when it comes to our running game since he has proved he has excellent run blocking abilities, unfortunately his inability to stay healthy prevents him from being relied upon. Considering Sparano said he is looking for toughness at this position I believe it will be extremely difficult for Grove to reclaim that starter spot and wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall further back in the depth chart depending on what Hartline can deliver during the preseason.
That starter job seems to be all but locked by Joe Berger who has been filling in the role exclusively ever since Grove suffered his leg injury; even after Grove returned to camp it would be Berger who would continue to take reps with the first team. Berger got the opportunity to start at center in six games this past season and proved at the time that although a backup he was ready to fulfill the role fulltime, something that he would come to do immediately and seamlessly so I expect we will get a lot of production from him at the position during the season.
Andrew Hartline also seems to be coming along great in his development, even earning praise from Sparano a couple of times. Hartline had the opportunity to showcase what he could do with both the first and second team when Grove went down for a few days and continued to run drills with the second team even after Grove returned, so although the starter job seems to be taken, It seems as though there is still some competition when it comes to filling that second spot and both the guys fighting for it are solid players so I don’t think the center position is something we should be too worried about at the moment.
Gs
The guard position is the one place where we have seen the most movement so far, and according to Sparano the race between the players is so close it’ll be hard to determine who the winners will be until very close to the start of the season. One guy who has made a big impression is third round draft pick John Jerry. Jerry was the only offensive player the Dolphins picked up in the draft and with his size he seems to be the perfect fit to stand right next to Jake Long. Jerry has been the only guy taking reps as a starter for RG so far but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for the starting job, according to Sparano he wants to see what this guy can do against the best he can present, there’s a lot of tape on some of the other guys on the team but Jerry needs to be challenged and Sparano has made sure he gets challenged, the best part is that he seems to be coming along really well. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs on tonight’s game, since it will definitely play a factor on where he ends up in the team.
Richie Incognito is without a doubt the player with the biggest attitude in the locker room, not only has he been fighting teammates, but he has been fighting to earn his spot as well. At the start of training camp Incognito found himself being used exclusively as a RG and falling to the spot behind Jerry as the backup, it wasn’t until recently that he got moved to LG and has finally moved up to take reps as a starter. Still, even though he is listed first I the depth roster there is no guarantee he will remain there and just like everyone else he has something to prove tonight.
Donald Thomas is the guy most closely competing with Incognito for the LG position. He’s been working almost exclusively on the left side and had moved up to replace Procter at the position prior to Incognito being moved. The difference between Thomas and Incognito lies in their agility and their ability to infiltrate and pull defenders on the other side. Regardless of what happens, I expect both of them to make the team.
Cory Procter who at the beginning of camp was being worked as the starting LG has recently been taking reps as Jerry’s backup on the right hand side and doing a good job at it, if he continues to perform he will become part of the 53 man roster, and just like the other three, I believe he will be given a chance to prove what he has out there on the field tonight.
Ts
Three year veteran and Pro-Bowler Jake Long faces no competition at LT, there are very few guys out there who are capable of beating Long and that has been proven at camp repeatedly over the past few days were I think you’d be press to find a time when he has made a mistake. Long is without a doubt the most reliable guy we have in the offensive line and Henne should not be worried about protection on that side too much because Long has done nothing but kept him safe and will continue to do so. At 25 years old Long will continue to get better every season, and there will be more Pro-Bowl appearances for him in the future
Vernon Carey who also seemed to have locked in his position as starting RT has been out of camp for a few days recently nursing a leg injury. The severity of the injury is not known but whether or not he plays tonight will be telling. Although he’s had a couple of rough days in camp, Carey is the player best suited to stand opposite Long on the line so hopefully he will be fully recovered and ready to go at the start of the season.
Nate Gardner has shown to be the most promising backup, not only as a tackle where he is listed as a backup to Carey, but also as a guard where he was used for a stretch of time. Yet Wednesday, Gardner walked off the field limping and was later seen in crutches, furthermore, he was not in practice the next day. Although apparently he doesn’t seem to have suffered a major injury it is hard to tell how long he will be out but losing him will be extremely detrimental to the team.
Lyndon Murtha and Andrew Gardner are the other backup tackles on the team, and both of them have been used as RGs as well. it’ll be interesting to see what they can do once they get thrown into action, so I’m hoping we can see some good things come out of them tonight.
The addition of Brandon Marshall and the promise of Henne, have made the expectations for this Dolphins’ offense increase tenfold from what they were last season; to win games we need to score and to be able to score we need a line that can hold so expect all these pieces of the offense to come together before the start of the season, and once they do watch out because this will be a Dolphins offense which we have never seen before.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Cs
It became apparent early on in training camp that the center position was open and the guys would be fighting for the starting role. Jake Grove was the starter last season, until an injury took him out, and just a week into training camp he would suffer another injury that although not season ending would probably help to establish him as the team’s backup. Grove has been a key player in the Dolphins O-line, especially when it comes to our running game since he has proved he has excellent run blocking abilities, unfortunately his inability to stay healthy prevents him from being relied upon. Considering Sparano said he is looking for toughness at this position I believe it will be extremely difficult for Grove to reclaim that starter spot and wouldn’t be surprised to see him fall further back in the depth chart depending on what Hartline can deliver during the preseason.
That starter job seems to be all but locked by Joe Berger who has been filling in the role exclusively ever since Grove suffered his leg injury; even after Grove returned to camp it would be Berger who would continue to take reps with the first team. Berger got the opportunity to start at center in six games this past season and proved at the time that although a backup he was ready to fulfill the role fulltime, something that he would come to do immediately and seamlessly so I expect we will get a lot of production from him at the position during the season.
Andrew Hartline also seems to be coming along great in his development, even earning praise from Sparano a couple of times. Hartline had the opportunity to showcase what he could do with both the first and second team when Grove went down for a few days and continued to run drills with the second team even after Grove returned, so although the starter job seems to be taken, It seems as though there is still some competition when it comes to filling that second spot and both the guys fighting for it are solid players so I don’t think the center position is something we should be too worried about at the moment.
Gs
The guard position is the one place where we have seen the most movement so far, and according to Sparano the race between the players is so close it’ll be hard to determine who the winners will be until very close to the start of the season. One guy who has made a big impression is third round draft pick John Jerry. Jerry was the only offensive player the Dolphins picked up in the draft and with his size he seems to be the perfect fit to stand right next to Jake Long. Jerry has been the only guy taking reps as a starter for RG so far but that doesn’t mean he’s a lock for the starting job, according to Sparano he wants to see what this guy can do against the best he can present, there’s a lot of tape on some of the other guys on the team but Jerry needs to be challenged and Sparano has made sure he gets challenged, the best part is that he seems to be coming along really well. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs on tonight’s game, since it will definitely play a factor on where he ends up in the team.
Richie Incognito is without a doubt the player with the biggest attitude in the locker room, not only has he been fighting teammates, but he has been fighting to earn his spot as well. At the start of training camp Incognito found himself being used exclusively as a RG and falling to the spot behind Jerry as the backup, it wasn’t until recently that he got moved to LG and has finally moved up to take reps as a starter. Still, even though he is listed first I the depth roster there is no guarantee he will remain there and just like everyone else he has something to prove tonight.
Donald Thomas is the guy most closely competing with Incognito for the LG position. He’s been working almost exclusively on the left side and had moved up to replace Procter at the position prior to Incognito being moved. The difference between Thomas and Incognito lies in their agility and their ability to infiltrate and pull defenders on the other side. Regardless of what happens, I expect both of them to make the team.
Cory Procter who at the beginning of camp was being worked as the starting LG has recently been taking reps as Jerry’s backup on the right hand side and doing a good job at it, if he continues to perform he will become part of the 53 man roster, and just like the other three, I believe he will be given a chance to prove what he has out there on the field tonight.
Ts
Three year veteran and Pro-Bowler Jake Long faces no competition at LT, there are very few guys out there who are capable of beating Long and that has been proven at camp repeatedly over the past few days were I think you’d be press to find a time when he has made a mistake. Long is without a doubt the most reliable guy we have in the offensive line and Henne should not be worried about protection on that side too much because Long has done nothing but kept him safe and will continue to do so. At 25 years old Long will continue to get better every season, and there will be more Pro-Bowl appearances for him in the future
Vernon Carey who also seemed to have locked in his position as starting RT has been out of camp for a few days recently nursing a leg injury. The severity of the injury is not known but whether or not he plays tonight will be telling. Although he’s had a couple of rough days in camp, Carey is the player best suited to stand opposite Long on the line so hopefully he will be fully recovered and ready to go at the start of the season.
Nate Gardner has shown to be the most promising backup, not only as a tackle where he is listed as a backup to Carey, but also as a guard where he was used for a stretch of time. Yet Wednesday, Gardner walked off the field limping and was later seen in crutches, furthermore, he was not in practice the next day. Although apparently he doesn’t seem to have suffered a major injury it is hard to tell how long he will be out but losing him will be extremely detrimental to the team.
Lyndon Murtha and Andrew Gardner are the other backup tackles on the team, and both of them have been used as RGs as well. it’ll be interesting to see what they can do once they get thrown into action, so I’m hoping we can see some good things come out of them tonight.
The addition of Brandon Marshall and the promise of Henne, have made the expectations for this Dolphins’ offense increase tenfold from what they were last season; to win games we need to score and to be able to score we need a line that can hold so expect all these pieces of the offense to come together before the start of the season, and once they do watch out because this will be a Dolphins offense which we have never seen before.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Training Camp - Part 2: TEs and RBs
Yesterday Sparano made some good points when talking about how tight ends like Fasano will benefit from the addition of Marshall to the team. Basically what he said is a guy like Marshall will more often than not be double teamed to stop him from scoring; so now teams don’t really have the option of stacking the box to defend our running game because by doing so they leave a guy like Marshall wide open and he will score. When you go from stacking nine guys in the middle of the field to only being able to stack seven then all of a sudden there are holes to sneak by, but are the tight ends the only ones that will be able to do so? No, the running backs will benefit from this as well. We all knew that Marshall was going to help stretch the field, but now we are beginning to see exactly how the coaches plan to take advantage of the “Marshall Effect,” so let’s take a look at the guys who will be taking advantage of these newfound opportunities.
TEs
Back in February I attributed Fasano’s decline to the heavy focus on the running game and the lack of a true number one receiver. I also stated that acquiring that number one receiver would stretch out the defense and provide him with more opportunities to score so yesterday morning as I was listening to Sparano’s press conference I almost felt as though he had just read my blog! All kidding aside though, Fasano has a great opportunity this year to come out and become an even better player than the one he proved to be in the 2008 season. In addition to being good with his hands, Fasano is also great at blocking and that’s something that the Dolphins will continue to take advantage of.
Fasano has been doing well in camp and has made a few good plays every day as the Dolphins continue to work him more and more into the mix which is something I’m happy to see. This might be a bold prediction, especially because I know there are a lot of people who aren’t too sure about him, but I honestly think Fasano will have his best season yet this year.
Part of the reason I believe Fasano will have such a great season has a lot to do with a familiar face returning to camp just a few days after it started. David Martin donned his Dolphins uniform again for the first time a week after the start of camp having just signed a new contract and ready to fight for a spot on the team. Although the depth chart currently has him listed as fifth in the position he is considered to be the number two guy and has been playing with the first team ever since he returned. Martin who is coming back from a knee injury he suffered during camp last season is looking good during training and although he admits he still has to get his running legs back he feels like he is ready to go. A source close to me has told me he looks to be back to his old self and continues to work in the two TE sets with Fasano, he is sure to be a factor this season.
Having Martin back significantly improves the tight end position and leaves the other three guys who play this position battling for just one spot in the roster. Joey Haynos is the guy with the most experience and will probably be the one to lock up the spot but he definitely needs to show something more than he has during these preseason games. Although Martin represents a threat to him when it comes to earning a spot, I believe he could benefit a lot from his addition, since he is a veteran who’s been around for a while.
Kory Sperry and John Nalbone complete the list of guys competing for the final tight end position, and although both have been talked about and seem to be coming along according to Sparano, they both seem like long shots to make the team as of now.
RBs
Despite not having signed a contract as of yet, Ronnie Brown has reported to camp every day and is listed as the number one running back on the depth chart, he has clearly expressed that the lack of a contract at the moment is not a sign of a disagreement over whether or not he will play or how much money he wants but simply a matter of him trying to work out a longer deal. Brown who suffered a broken foot last November which cut his season short shows no signs of a nagging injury and has said he feels confident he’ll be able to rush for over 1000 yards this upcoming season.
During camp the running game has not been as heavily featured as the passing game, but when it has been used Ronnie has proved that he is ready to get the job done. Brown has also been used almost exclusively during practice when running the wildcat and has thrown out of the formation a couple of times, so I expect that as predicted we will still see the wildcat make an appearance at times during games and I do believe as long as we have Ronnie it will continue to be successful.
Another player who has also said he will rush for 1000 yards this upcoming season is Ricky Williams. Ricky had an outstanding season last season and I believe he is ready to take on a more prominent role next to Ronnie this season. While I believe it will be extremely difficult for both of them to deliver on this 1000 rushing yard goal, especially with the addition of Marshall to the team, I like the confidence they express and I believe there will be plenty of opportunities for us fans to scream Run Ricky Run during the games. There is no doubt in my mind Ricky and Ronnie will continue to be one of the most feared rushing duos in the league.
Patrick Cobbs was back out on the field Tuesday after pulling his hamstring during practice Saturday and sitting out during Monday’s practice. Cobbs who suffered an ACL injury last season started camp by making a strong impression; he was out on the field running faster and stronger than I’ve ever seen him before and I expect to see him get a little more action this upcoming season. If he can maintain the consistency on the field that he has maintained while active at camp I believe he’ll be able to secure the spot as Williams’ successor when he retires at the end of the season.
Lousaka Polite will continue to be our go to guy for those 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 situations. He will continue to hold his spot as the team’s fullback, a job he does better than anyone else. Polite has been consistent during camp and has secured his spot on the roster. The only other fullback on the team is Lumbala who at one point prior to the signing of Martin had been tried out as a tight end.
The other two RBs present at camp are Lex Hillard and Tristan Davis. I haven’t really heard much about how they’ve been doing in camp so I will have to wait and see what they can do during the preseason. Hillard showed promise during the last season though so I hope that they will continue to develop him.
Also, for those of you that haven’t heard Kory Sheets who seemed like a strong candidate to become the team’s punt returner due to his speed is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon.
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I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
TEs
Back in February I attributed Fasano’s decline to the heavy focus on the running game and the lack of a true number one receiver. I also stated that acquiring that number one receiver would stretch out the defense and provide him with more opportunities to score so yesterday morning as I was listening to Sparano’s press conference I almost felt as though he had just read my blog! All kidding aside though, Fasano has a great opportunity this year to come out and become an even better player than the one he proved to be in the 2008 season. In addition to being good with his hands, Fasano is also great at blocking and that’s something that the Dolphins will continue to take advantage of.
Fasano has been doing well in camp and has made a few good plays every day as the Dolphins continue to work him more and more into the mix which is something I’m happy to see. This might be a bold prediction, especially because I know there are a lot of people who aren’t too sure about him, but I honestly think Fasano will have his best season yet this year.
Part of the reason I believe Fasano will have such a great season has a lot to do with a familiar face returning to camp just a few days after it started. David Martin donned his Dolphins uniform again for the first time a week after the start of camp having just signed a new contract and ready to fight for a spot on the team. Although the depth chart currently has him listed as fifth in the position he is considered to be the number two guy and has been playing with the first team ever since he returned. Martin who is coming back from a knee injury he suffered during camp last season is looking good during training and although he admits he still has to get his running legs back he feels like he is ready to go. A source close to me has told me he looks to be back to his old self and continues to work in the two TE sets with Fasano, he is sure to be a factor this season.
Having Martin back significantly improves the tight end position and leaves the other three guys who play this position battling for just one spot in the roster. Joey Haynos is the guy with the most experience and will probably be the one to lock up the spot but he definitely needs to show something more than he has during these preseason games. Although Martin represents a threat to him when it comes to earning a spot, I believe he could benefit a lot from his addition, since he is a veteran who’s been around for a while.
Kory Sperry and John Nalbone complete the list of guys competing for the final tight end position, and although both have been talked about and seem to be coming along according to Sparano, they both seem like long shots to make the team as of now.
RBs
Despite not having signed a contract as of yet, Ronnie Brown has reported to camp every day and is listed as the number one running back on the depth chart, he has clearly expressed that the lack of a contract at the moment is not a sign of a disagreement over whether or not he will play or how much money he wants but simply a matter of him trying to work out a longer deal. Brown who suffered a broken foot last November which cut his season short shows no signs of a nagging injury and has said he feels confident he’ll be able to rush for over 1000 yards this upcoming season.
During camp the running game has not been as heavily featured as the passing game, but when it has been used Ronnie has proved that he is ready to get the job done. Brown has also been used almost exclusively during practice when running the wildcat and has thrown out of the formation a couple of times, so I expect that as predicted we will still see the wildcat make an appearance at times during games and I do believe as long as we have Ronnie it will continue to be successful.
Another player who has also said he will rush for 1000 yards this upcoming season is Ricky Williams. Ricky had an outstanding season last season and I believe he is ready to take on a more prominent role next to Ronnie this season. While I believe it will be extremely difficult for both of them to deliver on this 1000 rushing yard goal, especially with the addition of Marshall to the team, I like the confidence they express and I believe there will be plenty of opportunities for us fans to scream Run Ricky Run during the games. There is no doubt in my mind Ricky and Ronnie will continue to be one of the most feared rushing duos in the league.
Patrick Cobbs was back out on the field Tuesday after pulling his hamstring during practice Saturday and sitting out during Monday’s practice. Cobbs who suffered an ACL injury last season started camp by making a strong impression; he was out on the field running faster and stronger than I’ve ever seen him before and I expect to see him get a little more action this upcoming season. If he can maintain the consistency on the field that he has maintained while active at camp I believe he’ll be able to secure the spot as Williams’ successor when he retires at the end of the season.
Lousaka Polite will continue to be our go to guy for those 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 situations. He will continue to hold his spot as the team’s fullback, a job he does better than anyone else. Polite has been consistent during camp and has secured his spot on the roster. The only other fullback on the team is Lumbala who at one point prior to the signing of Martin had been tried out as a tight end.
The other two RBs present at camp are Lex Hillard and Tristan Davis. I haven’t really heard much about how they’ve been doing in camp so I will have to wait and see what they can do during the preseason. Hillard showed promise during the last season though so I hope that they will continue to develop him.
Also, for those of you that haven’t heard Kory Sheets who seemed like a strong candidate to become the team’s punt returner due to his speed is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Training Camp Review – Part 1: QBs and WRs
With training camp just past the halfway point and the first preseason game just five days away I figured this would be a great time to review some of the things that we’ve seen in camp along with the newly released depth chart.
QBs
As expected, Chad Henne will be the starter and at no point has there been any competition for the starting position. Overall, Henne has been doing really well in camp; according to Sparano, he has completed 75-76% of passes and has thrown only 2 interceptions. That being said he’s had a couple of bad practices, and while we all know he’s capable of bouncing back from bad drives and is able to put interceptions behind him as he proved last season, I would feel more comfortable if we didn’t see any more of those bad practices.
After seeing him a couple of times during training camp and watching the way he carries himself on the field I feel as though Henne has matured a lot this offseason and now feels more comfortable with his role as the leader of this offense. That maturity, paired with his big arm and resilience is what will help him lead this team to victories.
The one thing Henne continues to struggle with though is touch. In short pass situations he continues to be erratic at times. This is where I think having Pennington on the team will benefit him since the other Chad is very accurate and fine tuned, especially in those situations.
Pennington himself started out camp as the third backup QB, and although the current depth chart shows him to be fourth, all indications are he’ll make the team. During camp Pennington has proven to be an invaluable tool, not only because of his accuracy, but also because of his natural leading abilities; QBs and receivers alike are constantly seen having conversations and seeking advice at Pennington’s side.
There are, however, still many questions surrounding Pennington’s arm and how much strength he had left in it. Sparano has been holding him to a limited number of reps and although he started camp strong and continues to make long passes every once in awhile, his balls seem to be fluttering a lot lately so that’s something to watch for. Unfortunately, those observations will continue to be made during camp because Sparano has already stated that he knows what Chad needs. This coupled with the notion that Henne will be protected during the preseason, indicates Thigpen and White will be the guys we can expect to see more of during the preseason.
Thigpen came into camp looking to establish himself as the backup QB, and although the depth chart does put him there, he knows he needs to step up his game because Pennington is right at his heels. So far in camp, Thigpen’s been doing pretty well; he’s completed some nice long passes and has been able to carry a couple of drives. From what I’ve been told it seems as though he had one of his best practices yesterday, so hopefully he’ll be able to hit his stride. The best test of his abilities will be during the preseason though, so I’ll keep an eye on him on Saturday.
Pat White made his first training camp appearance on day two and that same day Sparano made it very clear that he was being considered strictly as a QB. The one thing White has been consistent about in this training camp is being inconsistent. He’s had good passes here and there, even a great one to Roberto Wallace during the 7-on-7 drills this past Saturday, but if he continues to perform as he has been he won’t make the team. Having White third on the depth chart is surprising to me considering the way all the QBs have been used during practice. I’m still not sure that he can do much, if anything to help this team out, but who knows? Maybe Sparano has something up his sleeve, either way, I’ll be watching to see how he’s used during the game on Saturday.
WRs
Brandon Marshall has undoubtedly been the star at camp; he’s burned every corner and has caught almost every ball thrown in his direction. Most importantly, Marshall has proved to be a great team leader and has been seen talking to the corners as well as other receivers out on the field in between plays. What has impressed me the most about Marshall though is how serious he is about his commitment to the team. After having a bad day on Saturday during the team’s first scrimmage session, Marshall was his own worst critic; he even expressed regret on having let his teammates down; a great thing to see from a guy who many thought might be a problem in the locker room.
The player who has benefited the most from the addition of Marshall is Brian Hartline. Hartline understands how the attention commanded by Marshall on the field will benefit the other receivers, but most importantly, he seems to be able to use it to his full advantage. At this point although according to Sparano there is room for competition, Hartline has pretty much cemented his spot opposite Marshall. He had a close scare on day 3 of training camp and was limited in practice after going down but seems to be doing fine so there’s not much to worry about there for now. Hartline showed flashes of greatness last season and has continued to do so in training camp so he’s one of the players I’m the most excited about following this season.
The first thing I have to say about Bess is that he is dedicated. He is always the first out on the practice field at Davie, and I don’t mean he happens to be the first one to walk out every time. He is out there 45-60 minutes before the start of practice every practice and he is working on catches despite the near 100 degree weather and that is commendable. At this point Bess has secured a spot in the roster and is still in competition for the number 2 spot. Bess is currently being used as the number one slot receiver, a position that we all can agree he is perfect for and will be great in, but as Sparano said, it’s unfair to catalog him simply as a slot receiver because he can do more than that, sure we should take advantage of him at the slot, but we shouldn’t rule him out for other plays; there’s a reason he was our leading receiver last season.
Greg Camarillo has been paired with Bess for most of the practices and is also said to be in contention for the number two spot. After replacing Marshall as the starting receiver Thursday when Marshall was rested, Camarillo suffered a groin injury on Friday which kept him out of practice all weekend; he was back on Monday and seems to be moving around fine. Although not the most explosive receiver on the team, Camarillo is certainly the most reliable. Last season, he didn’t drop one pass during games and that’s certainly a good quality to take advantage of when you’re out on the field, so hopefully he is fully recuperated. I will however continue to monitor him and keep you posted on any news.
Patrick Turner who seemed to be a little stiff at first after coming back from an injury seesm to be doing really well, he’s turned in a number of solid practices thus far and Sparano has taken notice. He seems a little more confident out there and if he can deliver consistently he could grab that fifth WR spot even though he’s behind a couple of rookies in the depth chart at the moment. Turner is 6’5”, the tallest WR in the roster and could benefit enormously by watching Brandon Marshall and the way he moves on the field.
Roberto Wallace is a name that’s been coming up a lot in the later days of practice, he’s been doing good things and Sparano is beginning to take notice. Although he doesn’t have as much experience playing football in general as do other rookies coming into the league, this 6’4” undrafted rookie has shown some potential, and while I believe it’ll take time to develop it, he has shown he has a lot of fight, always going for the catch, even though he sometimes has a little problem hanging on. I have a feeling this is a guy they will take the time to groom and who could turn out to be a diamond in the rough.
Marlon Moore, Julius Pruit and Taurus Johnson have all made a number of good catches but seem like a long shot to make the team at the moment, as does Ryan Grice-Mullen who had to sit out a number of practices after suffering a leg injury.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
QBs
As expected, Chad Henne will be the starter and at no point has there been any competition for the starting position. Overall, Henne has been doing really well in camp; according to Sparano, he has completed 75-76% of passes and has thrown only 2 interceptions. That being said he’s had a couple of bad practices, and while we all know he’s capable of bouncing back from bad drives and is able to put interceptions behind him as he proved last season, I would feel more comfortable if we didn’t see any more of those bad practices.
After seeing him a couple of times during training camp and watching the way he carries himself on the field I feel as though Henne has matured a lot this offseason and now feels more comfortable with his role as the leader of this offense. That maturity, paired with his big arm and resilience is what will help him lead this team to victories.
The one thing Henne continues to struggle with though is touch. In short pass situations he continues to be erratic at times. This is where I think having Pennington on the team will benefit him since the other Chad is very accurate and fine tuned, especially in those situations.
Pennington himself started out camp as the third backup QB, and although the current depth chart shows him to be fourth, all indications are he’ll make the team. During camp Pennington has proven to be an invaluable tool, not only because of his accuracy, but also because of his natural leading abilities; QBs and receivers alike are constantly seen having conversations and seeking advice at Pennington’s side.
There are, however, still many questions surrounding Pennington’s arm and how much strength he had left in it. Sparano has been holding him to a limited number of reps and although he started camp strong and continues to make long passes every once in awhile, his balls seem to be fluttering a lot lately so that’s something to watch for. Unfortunately, those observations will continue to be made during camp because Sparano has already stated that he knows what Chad needs. This coupled with the notion that Henne will be protected during the preseason, indicates Thigpen and White will be the guys we can expect to see more of during the preseason.
Thigpen came into camp looking to establish himself as the backup QB, and although the depth chart does put him there, he knows he needs to step up his game because Pennington is right at his heels. So far in camp, Thigpen’s been doing pretty well; he’s completed some nice long passes and has been able to carry a couple of drives. From what I’ve been told it seems as though he had one of his best practices yesterday, so hopefully he’ll be able to hit his stride. The best test of his abilities will be during the preseason though, so I’ll keep an eye on him on Saturday.
Pat White made his first training camp appearance on day two and that same day Sparano made it very clear that he was being considered strictly as a QB. The one thing White has been consistent about in this training camp is being inconsistent. He’s had good passes here and there, even a great one to Roberto Wallace during the 7-on-7 drills this past Saturday, but if he continues to perform as he has been he won’t make the team. Having White third on the depth chart is surprising to me considering the way all the QBs have been used during practice. I’m still not sure that he can do much, if anything to help this team out, but who knows? Maybe Sparano has something up his sleeve, either way, I’ll be watching to see how he’s used during the game on Saturday.
WRs
Brandon Marshall has undoubtedly been the star at camp; he’s burned every corner and has caught almost every ball thrown in his direction. Most importantly, Marshall has proved to be a great team leader and has been seen talking to the corners as well as other receivers out on the field in between plays. What has impressed me the most about Marshall though is how serious he is about his commitment to the team. After having a bad day on Saturday during the team’s first scrimmage session, Marshall was his own worst critic; he even expressed regret on having let his teammates down; a great thing to see from a guy who many thought might be a problem in the locker room.
The player who has benefited the most from the addition of Marshall is Brian Hartline. Hartline understands how the attention commanded by Marshall on the field will benefit the other receivers, but most importantly, he seems to be able to use it to his full advantage. At this point although according to Sparano there is room for competition, Hartline has pretty much cemented his spot opposite Marshall. He had a close scare on day 3 of training camp and was limited in practice after going down but seems to be doing fine so there’s not much to worry about there for now. Hartline showed flashes of greatness last season and has continued to do so in training camp so he’s one of the players I’m the most excited about following this season.
The first thing I have to say about Bess is that he is dedicated. He is always the first out on the practice field at Davie, and I don’t mean he happens to be the first one to walk out every time. He is out there 45-60 minutes before the start of practice every practice and he is working on catches despite the near 100 degree weather and that is commendable. At this point Bess has secured a spot in the roster and is still in competition for the number 2 spot. Bess is currently being used as the number one slot receiver, a position that we all can agree he is perfect for and will be great in, but as Sparano said, it’s unfair to catalog him simply as a slot receiver because he can do more than that, sure we should take advantage of him at the slot, but we shouldn’t rule him out for other plays; there’s a reason he was our leading receiver last season.
Greg Camarillo has been paired with Bess for most of the practices and is also said to be in contention for the number two spot. After replacing Marshall as the starting receiver Thursday when Marshall was rested, Camarillo suffered a groin injury on Friday which kept him out of practice all weekend; he was back on Monday and seems to be moving around fine. Although not the most explosive receiver on the team, Camarillo is certainly the most reliable. Last season, he didn’t drop one pass during games and that’s certainly a good quality to take advantage of when you’re out on the field, so hopefully he is fully recuperated. I will however continue to monitor him and keep you posted on any news.
Patrick Turner who seemed to be a little stiff at first after coming back from an injury seesm to be doing really well, he’s turned in a number of solid practices thus far and Sparano has taken notice. He seems a little more confident out there and if he can deliver consistently he could grab that fifth WR spot even though he’s behind a couple of rookies in the depth chart at the moment. Turner is 6’5”, the tallest WR in the roster and could benefit enormously by watching Brandon Marshall and the way he moves on the field.
Roberto Wallace is a name that’s been coming up a lot in the later days of practice, he’s been doing good things and Sparano is beginning to take notice. Although he doesn’t have as much experience playing football in general as do other rookies coming into the league, this 6’4” undrafted rookie has shown some potential, and while I believe it’ll take time to develop it, he has shown he has a lot of fight, always going for the catch, even though he sometimes has a little problem hanging on. I have a feeling this is a guy they will take the time to groom and who could turn out to be a diamond in the rough.
Marlon Moore, Julius Pruit and Taurus Johnson have all made a number of good catches but seem like a long shot to make the team at the moment, as does Ryan Grice-Mullen who had to sit out a number of practices after suffering a leg injury.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I want to give special thanks to the Dolfan Bandits and Marky Marc from WQAM for the updates they have been providing on the page and which have been invaluable in adding to my camp information on the days I haven't been out there.
Also, I recently started a facebook page for the blog so if you enjoy reading I hope you'll join:http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Phins-2-Phins/144135708947740?ref=ts
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