My observations from Preseason Game Two: * Reshad Jones! I'll start this week the same way I started last week. What a difference maker! The sky is the limit for him this year. Last week, I said top ten and someone corrected me saying PFF already ranked him in the top five last year. Well, there's no reason to think he can't be the best SS in the NFL this year if he translates these blitzing and run-stopping clinics to a full season. * The rest of the safety unit, however, went from a strength to a question mark after Delmas' injury. After re-watching the starters, I have faith that Aikens can be that next man up. He had a solid game, was in the right position, and was not fooled or bullied. If I have a worry, it's that the downgrade in speed from Delmas to Aikens was noticeable. Perhaps, it was just caution. Perhaps, he just needs to acclimate to the actual speeds of the NFL game in order to slightly adjust the angles he takes. The worry that the defense would be out of position without Delmas' leadership thankfully seemed like a non-issue against the Panthers, however. Overall, Aikens showed he belongs on Saturday. And what we lose in the heat-seeking-missile speed of Delmas, we may gain in the surer tackling and physicality from Aikens. Mike Thomas also had a solid game. In fact, the safeties were to thank for the goal line stand mid-way thought the second quarter. First, Thomas made a great read to prevent a TD, followed by similarly a good play from Aikens, and then Thomas helped Bowman stop Newton from scoring on fourth down. In fact, almost all the DBs flashed this game, particularly Lippett and Bowman. This looks like the deepest and best secondary we've had under Coyle, and he's been a bit of a savant of getting quality play out of no-names so far in his career. I'm not worried about the secondary. * As for that goal line stand, everyone got involved, and it was a great way to cap an almost perfect day for the starting defense. That drive started as a touchback from the strangest challenge flag result I've ever witnessed. I'm almost glad it happened, because that's a mistake Philbin and DWilliams will only make once. That would've been a game-changer in the regular season. However, what was truly disconcerting about how the Panthers marched down the field was that hey basically did it all through Greg Olson, who I think had three catches for first downs. Last year, the Dolphins were the best team in the NFL in covering TEs, and it makes you wonder what role Koa Misi had in that. * The LBs actually looked like the weakest link out there. I've been a big Kelvin Sheppard fan, but he looked in over his head, and the unit should see a big improvement with Misi's return. After a good game against the Bears, Jelani was almost invisible this week. Chris McCain is intriguing. He looks a little slow at times and a little sloppy at others, but there's no denying his obvious potential. When the light turns on, he is going to be hard to contain. Still, without Misi, I'd say the LBs actually look like the team's weak link, not the OGs. * However, it's hard to criticize anybody on the starting defense so far this offseason. I believe they had a three-and-out last week, and had two three-and-outs, a redzone TO, and a goal line stand this week. They've held Cutler and Newton to 8/17 84 yards 0/1, for a QBR of 37.3, and zero points. This looks even better than the defense we had for the first half of last year when they looked top ten. And this performance was without Grimes, Vernon and Misi. We haven't even scratched the surface yet. * Interestingly, the defense forced a turnover in the opponents redzone after leading the league by a wide margin that category last year. It seems like an impossible to stat to maintain, but they don't show any signs of stopping. * The only disconcerting thing from the defense is that we don't seem to be getting the pressure we assumed we would. Perhaps Suh and Wake are indeed holding back somewhat, or perhaps Vernon is more impactful than we think. But the Panther's Oline is their weakest link (or it was before Kelvin's injury), and we really didn't get the penetration we are paying for. For all the hype Fede got this week, where was he? Derrick Shelby, on the other hand, continues to be a quiet contributor. * On the flip side, Carolina fans will all tell you their strength was their front seven, and they were largely neutralized by our "weak link". Upon rewatching the game, our Oline did a much better job than I initially thought. The pass blocking was practically good. There were three times Tannehill was pressured: once, Dion Sims wet the bed when he was stripped, another time the rusher came in completely unblocked (again Dion Sims was probably to blame for not picking him up), and last when Ryan completed that big gain to Miller, it was actually his own teammates who were impeding his area. Yes, Billy Turner looks like a young player overcoming small school roots and a position change, and yes, you would like to see a lot more push in the run game, but the interior should only improve with experience. In fact, assessing the backups and cast offs, I agree with the coaching staff's sentiment that the tackles are more concerning than the guards. Come back Branden Albert, our chances of being an elite team hinge on you! * Lamar Miller is a star. Anyone who doesn't have him as a top ten Fantasy RB just isn't paying attention. He's our biggest playmaker who can actually make something out of nothing. LaMike and Damien, I don't have much faith in. Damien has a excellent pair of hands; give him more pass targets than rushes. (I don't even know if I would activate LaMike on game day; I don't know how effective he can be behind our Oline against starting defenses.) IMO, there is a huge role for Ajayi when he finds his way onto the field. * Jarvis Landry is our #1 WR, and will top 100 rec this year. Watching him juke Luke Kuechly was a thing of beauty, and if he can do that to a top five LB, he's going to do it to everybody. * Christion Jones needs to see some targets this preseason. He was one of Favorite Day Three WRs, not flashy, but always does the little things right. He flashed in the return game, and can beat out LaMike if given the opportunity. It's between he and Hazel for that #6 spot, otherwise he's first in line for a practice squad spot. * Speaking of Special Teams, the return coverage so far this may be the biggest improvement on the entire team. ST as a whole was abysmal last year (second-worst by some accounts). So far, we've allowed 7.1 yards/punt return (great!) and 26.6 yards/ko return (awful, but still an improvement). Fields looks back to form with a 47.3 average (the NFL-best was 47.4 last year), with 4/8 being downed inside the 20. The kicking game is a perfect 2/2. So far Franks probably has the lead on Sturgis based on being having a stronger touchback percentage. (Sturgis is 3/6 on touchbacks, with one going out of bounds.) While the culmination of these stats may not win us any games, they shouldn't lose us any either like last year. * Finally, let's talk Ryan Tannehill. He's completed 81% of his passes for a QBR of 126.9. He's making quick decisions and accurate passes. I only saw one bad decision against the Panthers, which was probably more of a great play from Kuechly. He started the game 7/7, and last week started 5/5. His unit has only punted once, and he'd be a perfect 4/4 in the redzone if not for Damien's fumble. The only negative is his still small yards/attempt stat, but that should improve as Cameron, Stills, Jennings and Parker have seen a combined four targets so far this offseason. It's actually amazing what he has done. He's playing like a top five QB right now. * I'm feeling overwhelmingly positive so far after these two preseason games. Looking around the league, I don't see any other team who can say they had a top five free agency period, a top five draft (IMO), and a top five performance through two preseason games from their QB/starters. Heck, I'd say our starters' QBR differential is probably the best in the NFL, and I don't know how many teams are doing better than +21 point differential. We already look much better than last year, and we haven't even seen Branden Albert or our first rounder on the field yet. Shoot, I'd say we look like a playoff team.
