Saturday, September 18, 2010
Dolphins @ Vikings Week 2 Preview
9:10 AM | Posted by
Phins 2 Phins
The Dolphins enter the second week of the NFL season with a positive 1-0 record, something they haven't been able to do for a few years now, but this week they face a stronger opponent when they prepare to take the field against the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow at 1 pm.
The Vikings represent the first big challenge the Dolphins will face in the next few weeks as they prepare to take on four consecutive opponents who all made the playoffs last season, and they have all the tools required to pull of the upset, the question is whether or not they'll be able to pull it together in time to do so. There were a lot of questions surrounding the Dolphins victory last week over the Bills, but I stand strong in my opinion that they were just trying to do enough to get by; we will find out this week whether or not I was right.
The Vikings on the other hand come into this game having lost to the Saints last Thursday in the opening game, a rematch of last year's NFC Championship. For a team that has high Super Bowl expectations two consecutive losses would just not be accepatble. Favre himself has something to prove too since he lacked chemistry with most of his receivers and didn't really connect with any of them in a big way during that game; oddly enough he seemed to have the most chemistry with Camarrillo, a guy we traded and someone whom he has never shared the field before. Favre also probably has a little bone to pick with the Dolphins since it less than two years ago the Dolphins D threw him around all over the field in that final game of the 2008 season when we defeated the Jets and earned the top spot in the division.
It'll be interesting to see how our defense will do against a team like the Vikings, Clemmons will see himself challenged this week and I hope he will make his presence known as he did last week, I expect the same from the secondary and I want to see the D line be strong both, when containing the run and when limiting Favre to throwing from the pocket. Having Dansby show up like last week and get a sack three games into the game would be a nice touch.
On offense I'd like to see Henne cut lose, the Vikings have a strong run defense and the only way we can open up the game is by stretching the field out with our passing game, it's about time we hear the first Henne to Marshall for a touchdown of 40+ yards.
This is a game that we can win and one that I expect for them to win, going into the season I had originally conceded this to be one of the games we would lose, but now that it's here and having watched both teams my opinion has changed. I don't think it'll be an easy one and I'm sure my opinion is strongly biased but here is my prediction anyway: The game will be a nail biter until the end, the Dolphins win it 20-14, and just fo fun Favre thrown one int... I just haven't decided who is the one that picks him... Benny Sapp maybe?
The Vikings represent the first big challenge the Dolphins will face in the next few weeks as they prepare to take on four consecutive opponents who all made the playoffs last season, and they have all the tools required to pull of the upset, the question is whether or not they'll be able to pull it together in time to do so. There were a lot of questions surrounding the Dolphins victory last week over the Bills, but I stand strong in my opinion that they were just trying to do enough to get by; we will find out this week whether or not I was right.
The Vikings on the other hand come into this game having lost to the Saints last Thursday in the opening game, a rematch of last year's NFC Championship. For a team that has high Super Bowl expectations two consecutive losses would just not be accepatble. Favre himself has something to prove too since he lacked chemistry with most of his receivers and didn't really connect with any of them in a big way during that game; oddly enough he seemed to have the most chemistry with Camarrillo, a guy we traded and someone whom he has never shared the field before. Favre also probably has a little bone to pick with the Dolphins since it less than two years ago the Dolphins D threw him around all over the field in that final game of the 2008 season when we defeated the Jets and earned the top spot in the division.
It'll be interesting to see how our defense will do against a team like the Vikings, Clemmons will see himself challenged this week and I hope he will make his presence known as he did last week, I expect the same from the secondary and I want to see the D line be strong both, when containing the run and when limiting Favre to throwing from the pocket. Having Dansby show up like last week and get a sack three games into the game would be a nice touch.
On offense I'd like to see Henne cut lose, the Vikings have a strong run defense and the only way we can open up the game is by stretching the field out with our passing game, it's about time we hear the first Henne to Marshall for a touchdown of 40+ yards.
This is a game that we can win and one that I expect for them to win, going into the season I had originally conceded this to be one of the games we would lose, but now that it's here and having watched both teams my opinion has changed. I don't think it'll be an easy one and I'm sure my opinion is strongly biased but here is my prediction anyway: The game will be a nail biter until the end, the Dolphins win it 20-14, and just fo fun Favre thrown one int... I just haven't decided who is the one that picks him... Benny Sapp maybe?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Dolphins Get the Job Done While the Jets Crash and Burn… Week 1 in Review
The Miami Dolphins started their season of the right way by pulling in a victory in Orchard Park, against division rivals the Buffalo Bills, which for the time being puts them in first place. A lot of people out there are calling this an ugly victory, yet I wasn’t at all disappointed about the way the Dolphins played.
Going into this game I predicted the final score to be 17-10 so I wasn’t surprised to see the game play out the way it did. First of all, the Bills have always been a tough division opponent at home, and proved to be an especially tough challenge for Henne last year, so cautiousness was to be expected from the QB. Second and most importantly, I believe the team went out there trying to get a victory while giving away the bare minimum as far as our playbook goes.
In the next three weeks the Dolphins will have games which are considerably more challenging than the Bills game was, starting out next Sunday against the Vikings, a game that I think we could just win if we play our cards right, because we have the talent to do it. What I saw on Sunday from the Dolphins was just enough to entice me to see more, because there is a lot more “good” coming this season.
The defense on Sunday was outstanding and that was without being fully unleashed. Dansby took control of it and showed everyone just how aggressive they have to be when he got his first sack just three plays into the game. Clemmons who’s had a question mark on him since the first week of the preseason also made his presence known and gave the fans confidence in the safety position, something they have not felt comfortable with in years. Overall, the defense was dominant, allowing the Bills only 166 yards and nine first downs and putting up two points in the board by way of a safety.
The offense although not as impressive got the job done, and now has an opportunity to go back and make the adjustments needed before next week’s game, but I believe that part of it also was conservative play calling, because again, we don’t want to give up all out tricks against the Bills. Some people have expressed concern over Henne and while it is true that he was taking a little too long to release the ball and maybe locking down on his receiver a little to quickly, you also have to consider the fact that not only was it the first game of the season, where this is normal (just look around the league), but also, his last appearance in Buffalo didn’t end to well, when he got picked three times in a game that was as much of a must win as this one was for us on Sunday.
We started out the season with a W and that is something we should be proud of, next week’s opponent won’t hand it over too easily; so let’s put that win in the books and move on and get ready for will be the first of many challenges. We had a few close hard games last season and we let them slip let’s not do that again this season!
On Monday Night Football, not too far from where the Dolphins earned their first victory, the Jets put on a show Monday night, but unlike Hard Knocks, there was no laughter or obnoxious comments from Rex Ryan as the Jets got exposed on both sides of the ball. The Jets have absolutely nothing on offense and I still believe they are a team running on hopes of having a QB when clearly Sanchez is not everything they have built him up to be. On defense, while still a force to be reckoned with, Cromartie proved to be more of a liability than an asset, costing the team an excessive number of yards in penalties which were enough to convert first downs, leaving people wondering if Revis’ island will be a place team's chose to vacation in when they have a five star resort on the opposite side of the field.
Overall this first week of football couldn’t have turned out any better, the Dolphins secure a win while the Jets lose in such an embarrassing fashion that even ESPN analysts are trying to express some doubts (who knew?). Weekend like this one remind me there is nothing I’d rather do… Is it Sunday yet?
Going into this game I predicted the final score to be 17-10 so I wasn’t surprised to see the game play out the way it did. First of all, the Bills have always been a tough division opponent at home, and proved to be an especially tough challenge for Henne last year, so cautiousness was to be expected from the QB. Second and most importantly, I believe the team went out there trying to get a victory while giving away the bare minimum as far as our playbook goes.
In the next three weeks the Dolphins will have games which are considerably more challenging than the Bills game was, starting out next Sunday against the Vikings, a game that I think we could just win if we play our cards right, because we have the talent to do it. What I saw on Sunday from the Dolphins was just enough to entice me to see more, because there is a lot more “good” coming this season.
The defense on Sunday was outstanding and that was without being fully unleashed. Dansby took control of it and showed everyone just how aggressive they have to be when he got his first sack just three plays into the game. Clemmons who’s had a question mark on him since the first week of the preseason also made his presence known and gave the fans confidence in the safety position, something they have not felt comfortable with in years. Overall, the defense was dominant, allowing the Bills only 166 yards and nine first downs and putting up two points in the board by way of a safety.
The offense although not as impressive got the job done, and now has an opportunity to go back and make the adjustments needed before next week’s game, but I believe that part of it also was conservative play calling, because again, we don’t want to give up all out tricks against the Bills. Some people have expressed concern over Henne and while it is true that he was taking a little too long to release the ball and maybe locking down on his receiver a little to quickly, you also have to consider the fact that not only was it the first game of the season, where this is normal (just look around the league), but also, his last appearance in Buffalo didn’t end to well, when he got picked three times in a game that was as much of a must win as this one was for us on Sunday.
We started out the season with a W and that is something we should be proud of, next week’s opponent won’t hand it over too easily; so let’s put that win in the books and move on and get ready for will be the first of many challenges. We had a few close hard games last season and we let them slip let’s not do that again this season!
On Monday Night Football, not too far from where the Dolphins earned their first victory, the Jets put on a show Monday night, but unlike Hard Knocks, there was no laughter or obnoxious comments from Rex Ryan as the Jets got exposed on both sides of the ball. The Jets have absolutely nothing on offense and I still believe they are a team running on hopes of having a QB when clearly Sanchez is not everything they have built him up to be. On defense, while still a force to be reckoned with, Cromartie proved to be more of a liability than an asset, costing the team an excessive number of yards in penalties which were enough to convert first downs, leaving people wondering if Revis’ island will be a place team's chose to vacation in when they have a five star resort on the opposite side of the field.
Overall this first week of football couldn’t have turned out any better, the Dolphins secure a win while the Jets lose in such an embarrassing fashion that even ESPN analysts are trying to express some doubts (who knew?). Weekend like this one remind me there is nothing I’d rather do… Is it Sunday yet?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Dolphins @ Bills Week 1 Preview
The Miami Dolphins kick off their season in approximately 24 hours against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Expectations are high for this Dolphins’ team going into the season despite all the mishaps that the team showed during preseason and tomorrow’s game is one of those games they just can’t afford to lose.
The last time the Dolphins beat the Bills in Buffalo was in 2003, with last year’s loss being one of the most disappointing ones because it was the one that started us on the downward spiral of loses that kept us out of the playoffs.
This season the stakes are higher as the front end of our schedule is the toughest one, and we need to be able to get a solid win in Buffalo to start the season on solid ground, since as I have pointed out many times before the leader in the division will be established by week 4 when everyone in the AFC East has had the opportunity to play against one another and I don’t want the Dolphins to be digging themselves out of a deep hole from early on.
Our goal going into Buffalo should be to win in as easy a fashion as we can and without giving away to many of our secrets early on, especially on defense since our new defensive scheme is yet to be fully revealed and might be the difference maker in the first few games of the season, starting with the Vikings game in which, I believe, the defense is what will make the difference between walking out with a win or loss.
There are a few things I expect to see in tomorrow’s game, I want to see the chemistry between Henne and his receivers and I want him to be given the opportunity to throw a few long passes to build his confidence. We went out and got ourselves a number one receiver in Marshall, let’s go out and use him! The only way the Marshall effect will cause a ripple effect is if we use Marshall so we need to throw a couple of good long passes to him early on to let other teams know he is truly something they need to worry about.
I also expect the defense to come out strong in this first game, the nice thing about playing Buffalo is that we can present a strong defense, especially when it comes to defending the run, while saving our pass rushing schemes and blitz packages until next week because Buffalo’s passing game doesn’t represent a real threat.
Finally, I want to see a solid secondary and I expect to see a difference in special teams; the team went out and made a few changes to the roster in the past few days and I expect these players that we got to go out there and at least establish their presence on the field.
Football season is finally here, preseason is over and there is no more time for major adjustments. On Sunday our boys will get their gear on and step onto the field ready to show us what they have and how bad they want it, there is no room for error this year, so let’s go out there and show that this season the most overlooked team in the AFC might have just been Miami.
GO DOLPHINS!!! Happy start of the season to everyone.
The last time the Dolphins beat the Bills in Buffalo was in 2003, with last year’s loss being one of the most disappointing ones because it was the one that started us on the downward spiral of loses that kept us out of the playoffs.
This season the stakes are higher as the front end of our schedule is the toughest one, and we need to be able to get a solid win in Buffalo to start the season on solid ground, since as I have pointed out many times before the leader in the division will be established by week 4 when everyone in the AFC East has had the opportunity to play against one another and I don’t want the Dolphins to be digging themselves out of a deep hole from early on.
Our goal going into Buffalo should be to win in as easy a fashion as we can and without giving away to many of our secrets early on, especially on defense since our new defensive scheme is yet to be fully revealed and might be the difference maker in the first few games of the season, starting with the Vikings game in which, I believe, the defense is what will make the difference between walking out with a win or loss.
There are a few things I expect to see in tomorrow’s game, I want to see the chemistry between Henne and his receivers and I want him to be given the opportunity to throw a few long passes to build his confidence. We went out and got ourselves a number one receiver in Marshall, let’s go out and use him! The only way the Marshall effect will cause a ripple effect is if we use Marshall so we need to throw a couple of good long passes to him early on to let other teams know he is truly something they need to worry about.
I also expect the defense to come out strong in this first game, the nice thing about playing Buffalo is that we can present a strong defense, especially when it comes to defending the run, while saving our pass rushing schemes and blitz packages until next week because Buffalo’s passing game doesn’t represent a real threat.
Finally, I want to see a solid secondary and I expect to see a difference in special teams; the team went out and made a few changes to the roster in the past few days and I expect these players that we got to go out there and at least establish their presence on the field.
Football season is finally here, preseason is over and there is no more time for major adjustments. On Sunday our boys will get their gear on and step onto the field ready to show us what they have and how bad they want it, there is no room for error this year, so let’s go out there and show that this season the most overlooked team in the AFC might have just been Miami.
GO DOLPHINS!!! Happy start of the season to everyone.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Dolphins v Cowboys - The Game That Sets the Roster
This review was intended to be much longer, but with the cuts taking place today and the knowledge that the final 53-man roster will be released shortly some of them are better left to discuss once that final roster is released.
I know some people were disappointed with Thursday night's performance, but the truth of the matter is we gained a lot from that game; the first team offense might have not been perfect but they had chemistry on the field and managed a good drive early on, and the defense although they got beat in the secondary quite often at least didn't look completely lost. The thing is, this game was not meant to be about the starters even though they played, it was about those people fighting to earn a spot, and those guys really did leave it all out there, we just have to wait and see which ones actually made the cut, but let me just say that I think Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace are in.
My favorite part of the game was getting to see Ricky run for 40+ yards one play and getting the chance to see Sparano enjoying himself out on the field when calling plays. The smiles on the players faces at the end of the game is something I want to see all season long, the final score on the other hand is something I hope not to.
Some people have been ready to press the panic button all preseason but I have managed to stay away from it, preseason is what it is, preseason, a time for testing players, combinations and plays and not a reflection of what's to come in the season; remember that we have started the past two seasons with a perfect 4-0 preseason record only to go on and lose the first couple of games, something we can't afford to do this season. I know Sparano loves to win games, preseason or not, but I honestly believe I saw a different approach to this preseason, he was trying to figure out not only what and who works best, but how much they can all do and how far he can push them because this season starts on week 1 and we can't afford to let down.
The first four weeks will determine who the leader in the division is and will leave all the remaining teams playing catch up. By the end of week 4 all teams in the AFC east will have played one another and the way the schedule is set up Miami has the advantage to take on that lead, all we have to do is get a W at Buffalo and take care of business at home. I have stood behind this team for a long time, but this group in particular is something special and I for one can't wait until they step on the field a week from tomorrow and show us what they are truly made of. The time for tests is over, it is now time to go out there and get the wins I know we can get, starting week 1 with Buffalo!
GO PHINS! Let's get this seasn started
I know some people were disappointed with Thursday night's performance, but the truth of the matter is we gained a lot from that game; the first team offense might have not been perfect but they had chemistry on the field and managed a good drive early on, and the defense although they got beat in the secondary quite often at least didn't look completely lost. The thing is, this game was not meant to be about the starters even though they played, it was about those people fighting to earn a spot, and those guys really did leave it all out there, we just have to wait and see which ones actually made the cut, but let me just say that I think Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace are in.
My favorite part of the game was getting to see Ricky run for 40+ yards one play and getting the chance to see Sparano enjoying himself out on the field when calling plays. The smiles on the players faces at the end of the game is something I want to see all season long, the final score on the other hand is something I hope not to.
Some people have been ready to press the panic button all preseason but I have managed to stay away from it, preseason is what it is, preseason, a time for testing players, combinations and plays and not a reflection of what's to come in the season; remember that we have started the past two seasons with a perfect 4-0 preseason record only to go on and lose the first couple of games, something we can't afford to do this season. I know Sparano loves to win games, preseason or not, but I honestly believe I saw a different approach to this preseason, he was trying to figure out not only what and who works best, but how much they can all do and how far he can push them because this season starts on week 1 and we can't afford to let down.
The first four weeks will determine who the leader in the division is and will leave all the remaining teams playing catch up. By the end of week 4 all teams in the AFC east will have played one another and the way the schedule is set up Miami has the advantage to take on that lead, all we have to do is get a W at Buffalo and take care of business at home. I have stood behind this team for a long time, but this group in particular is something special and I for one can't wait until they step on the field a week from tomorrow and show us what they are truly made of. The time for tests is over, it is now time to go out there and get the wins I know we can get, starting week 1 with Buffalo!
GO PHINS! Let's get this seasn started
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Dolphins v Falcons Review - Lack of Consistency Is Becoming an Issue
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
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