Most definitely. We're seeing a group of guys who've taken their game to another level. Those guys are visibly playing with a lot ofconfidence. Them's swagger tackles. - sent from my Android using Tapatalk 2 -
I can't agree with that Padre. There are significant holes on this roster that are legitimate talent shortfalls. WR is obvious, RT seems like it will be a glaring issue yet again. The defense? Where do you begin? Talent issues at End, LB, and the entire secondary. Pass rush will of course improve with Wake back but if no one else steps up to present a threat guess what happens to Wake...
I think something needs to happen to get this teams head out of its ***.. I'd like to see RT say something, maybe show a little pissed off ness
Now is not the time for that imo , he can be a leader by knowing the offense , taking onus on himself to continue to work hard and play better and espouse how he has to get better , not to direct that elsewhere ... at this time imo. He won't be shy to address things as needed I believe , much like how he told Sherman he wanted more playing time. Now isn't the time to act like he is Tom Brady.
Yes, something needs to happen, but Tannehill doesn't have credibility to pull that off yet. They can't run the ball because they don't practice running the ball - they're too busy with this WC stuff. They can't tackle because they don't pratice full speed tackles - Philbin says its too likely to wear them down. Something needs to happen, but it needs to happen further up the chain than RT.
I really wanted Winston at the time. Someone here kept saying that since Houston let him go he must have some physical problems. I cannot recall who that was.
I don't even see how the Vontae thing is arguable. I don't care who started it, he clearly went over the line and it clearly cost his team 15 yards. Even if they'd called a penalty on Smith, Vontae's pulling in an offsetting personal foul would've wiped out the 15 yards. Either way, it costs 15 yards. Pretty clear cut stupidity.
What exactly did Vontae do? Smith grabbed him basically around his should pads close to his neck and tackled him to the ground. Nothing should have been called on Vontae period.
I think the DBs are already showing hits that Coyles system will produce more INTs. Now we have to pair it with greater pass rush pressure. With Odrick, Starks, Soliai and even Keeston Randall we have interior line depth. If the pass rush doesn't get going in September perhaps we could shop someone for a pass rusher.
2nd Half Notes: WR Chris Hogan - I really would not cut him. He took a big step up in this game even though he had very little playing time. Clearly the coaches wanted to get an extended look at Marcus Thigpen in this game to see if he should make the team as he's been catching some eyes throughout camp. That's why Hogan didn't get in there until the end of the game. Hogan basically batted 2 of 3 on the things he could have showed that would solidify his spot on this team. I've talked about how slot receivers tend to be a dime a dozen because the position with a three-way go lends itself to being 'always open', as long as you have the requisite quickness (which isn't that rare). The fact that the 6'1" and 220+ lbs dude has the requisite quickness, though...that's rare. Combine that with his 28 bench reps and ability to do things in the weight room receivers normally can't do, let alone small slot receivers, and you have the POTENTIAL recipe for a big play RAC guy. That was the point I tried to make before the game when I talked about him needing more opportunities. Slot receivers that get open are a dime a dozen but where you differentiate is how good your hands are, how good after the catch you are, and whether you can make big plays. A guy as big and strong as Hogan, I wondered if he couldn't make some big plays if he got the opportunity. Sure enough, he catches a crosser behind a blocking tight end and he is squarely tackled, guy draped all over him, and he just physically breaks off the would be tackler (a linebacker, no less) and brutes forward for a big gain. THAT is the strength I suggested could result in big plays from the slot and make him a rare/valuable player. But what he also showed when he got the chance was that he could streak down the field on kick coverage and murder a kick returner behind the 10 yard line. That was a big play and it'll go a long way toward his trying to make the team. The shame of it is, I could sit here and confidently tell you he's on the team if he'd just done one thing...catch that ball on the sideline. He ran a great route and did a great job making sure he was available to go up and get that ball. He just got caught trying to cradle the thing in and it went right through his hands. He's so young and new to all this, I would totally forgive that. He's like Miles Austin, he needs some time...but you don't let him go. You can't let him go off to some other team. He's already played for two different teams, the NFL knows about him, there will be suitors and he's not beholden to Miami, he just wants to go wherever he's got an opportunity. It's up to Miami to be smart enough to give him that opportunity. Rishard Matthews - The problem for Chris Hogan is Rishard Matthews decided to show up in this game, too. He had some really clean catches and that slant he ran where he bulled into the end zone showed exactly what I talked about him having coming out of the Draft, leg strength. However, the thing Rishard did not do, is get open deep. He had a chance but he just couldn't get any separation. Jeff Fuller - Jeff Fuller's problem is that he is not converting plays in the end zone. At the end of the Bucs game Devlin trusts him in the end zone and Fuller can't convert. At the end of the Carolina game he does the same and Fuller can't free himself to make a play. I know people are taking his production in this game as a good thing but actually I think he got hurt in this game more than he helped himself. Without that dominant physical end zone status, Jeff Fuller is essentially Rishard Matthews, and Rishard Matthews played the "anything you can do I can do better" game last night. There wasn't any real differentiation there in terms of what you'd ask the two of them to do, based on what the two did well and didn't do well. Matthews didn't get open deep. Well, Fuller didn't either, and he won't. At least in practice you have footage of Matthews getting open deep. Fuller is supposed to be a big basketball rebounder in the end zone, well he wasn't effective there in either game. Clyde Gates - He had a maddening drop at the start of the game on a play where he just didn't locate the ball in the lights quickly enough. He also had a clear miscommunication with Matt Moore on whether he's running an out route or hitch. But you know what, outside of that I thought he did pretty decent. He showed off the speed that scares defenses. In fact, they go to him deep and he creates a big defensive pass interference because the corner knows he's beaten. He also caught a nice stop route and ran after the catch for some nifty yardage. Caught another ball as well. This guy needed to start getting some action to rehab his image. That speed is pretty valuable. Michael Egnew - Gets too much crap. He dropped a ball. So what? It's not the end of the world. He got open nicely right up the seam just like we were all hoping he could with his gifted frame and athletic ability. Moore threw a good ball and he dropped it. He's a rookie and his head is spinning. He's got Mike Sherman telling him he'd cut him if he had the choice, ON HARD KNOCKS, and he's under a lot of strain. Give the man some time already, he's just a rookie. And answer me this question: were his hands a problem at Missouri, ever? The answer is no. He regularly made grabs with guys draped all over him. So why did he all the sudden drop the ball now? I go back to him being a rookie, head spinning, being told he's going to be cut on Hard Knocks, having to shut off his phone to stop people texting him after getting blasted on national television...clearly he's going through a rough patch if he's dropping a ball like that. But he followed up with a nice catch on a low ball. Lydon Murtha - Came in the second half at Right Tackle for Jonathan Martin at one point. For the most part I think he did OK. But he also got beaten on an outside rush by the 6'4" and 300 lbs young Ryan Van Bergen. Jesus Christ that's depressing. This is the only other option we have to replace Jon Martin, in my eyes. Matt Moore - I don't think he played like crap at all. He had a few mistakes but it was a lot like Tannehill's time in there. Not a lot of help other than on the OL. I say that last because I really felt the OL locked it up and started protecting well in the 2nd half, coincidentally as the Panthers pull their starters. Tannehill did not have that kind of time in the pocket. But neither guy had exquisite receiver play. Two of the three best receivers on the day didn't get on the field until Pat Devlin came on. Lamar Miller - To me he took a nice baby step, and looked a lot more decisive than the previous game. Jerome Messam - Bad drop on a throw Pat Devlin needed to show more touch on, but really, really keen play on that screen. Not bad at all. Keep it up. Steve Slaton - Was the best runner on the field not named Reggie Bush. I think he's making a push to take Daniel Thomas' reps. He hits small creases really well and has good vision. He's got the rhythm of this style. He also had some really good looking blitz protections. Josh Samuda - Was again up and down, just like last week against the Buccaneers. He'll make the team, but let's not crown him yet. Out in space in particular, he was pretty terrible last night. Backup DL - They all did well. Ryan Baker, Isaako Aaitui, Derrick Shelby, Kheeston Randall, Jarrell Root, Jacquies Smith and Jamaal Westerman all flashed at different points. Some more consistently than others. The pass rush still wasn't there but it was BETTER than the first half. Josh Kaddu - I was worried that he was a little too much of a one trick pony in college and so far, that appears to be the case. He's physical and he closes, can hit, but in college his big weapon was his blitzing and pass rushing. Last night he was essentially a BAD linebacker for 90% of what he was doing out there. When did he finally flash? You guessed it, when they had him blitzing off the edge from a Sam linebacker position on the line. That's essentially what he is, right now. I thought he'd be tremendous on special teams but so far he's not been. Other linebackers - Cameron Collins and Shelly Lyons brought an energy when they came in the game. They impressed me a little. Austin Spitler was so up and down. He either looked great or looked bad. There wasn't much in between. Freeny is not destined to be on this roster. Hopefully Josh Linam gets up to speed soon. This is an area of weakness. Tyrell Johnson vs Anderson Russell - Johnson won the battle for today with Anderson Russell. I thought Russell played well and showed good core skills but Johnson actually made plays. Quinten Lawrence vs Jonathan Wade - Wade took a HUGE leap forward in that battle in my eyes, in part because Wade played so well and in part because Lawrence played so poorly, with the exception of one special teams play. I think Wade locked this final 5th CB spot up with his performance. That pass interference call was ticky tack. If these replacement refs actually ref regular season games expect a ton of down field passing because they're calling DPI on everything. Nolan Carroll - Believe it or not he was actually a highlight even in the 1st half and that continued into the 2nd half. Filled really well against the run, covered pretty well, I was impressed.
On that pass to Hogan along the sidelines, it looked to me like the DB had Hogan's left arm pinned to his side, because when the ball arrives I only noticed his right hand/arm trying to haul the pass in.
You're right. Replay showed exactly that. The corner put his hand on Hogan's left arm and wouldn't let him raise it to try and catch the ball. But Hogan is strong as sh-t and should have been able to resist that level of contact which isn't going to be flagged for Defensive Pass Interference that often (when the real officials get back). He needed to put both hands up strong and make a hands catch.
The sad part is the back judge should have been honed in on that play like he was on the Smith vs Smith PI call. The DB covering Hogan got away with IMO more than Sean got flagged for. Sort of on the subject, IMO, this is one penalty the NFL should adopt somewhat the college rule. Rather than a spot foul for defensive PI, I'd make it 15 yds from the previous spot and automatic 1st down on any PI call that was over 15 yards from the LOS.
I'd like to see that change in the PI call too. What I would actually like to see, but it's a pipe dream, is a PI call with a 15 yard penalty, and a flagrant PI call with that being a spot foul. Too complicated for a judgement call, I'm afraid, but I'd still like to see it anyway. In lieu of that I do like the 15 yarder.
CK, there has been a lot of back and forth on other posts about giving Jerry a shot at RT. He played there in college, no? Do you think he could perform there? I guess one of the biggest concerns is what to do about the right tackle situation. I kind of hope they keep giving Martin the work, and scheme to give him help as much as possibe.
I think they know its a flawed system, but they are trying to keep it as simple as possible, like the facemask and out of bounds rules. So says Mike Perreira (sp?) He said they don't want DBs having the option of tackling receivers 40 yds down field to prevent a completion, knowing they will only be penalized 15 yards. My solution would be two separate penalties, like the NBA's flagrant foul call. 15 yards for a normal/marginal calls, and for flagrant/intentional PI, spot of the foul. That way the refs can discourage the intentional PI without making game changing mistakes on subjective bang-bang plays that cannot be challenged. Kinda sucks that teams can challenge miniscule details like the spot of the ball, was the runner down on the 44 yd line or the 44 and 1/2 yd line? But they can't challenge a 50 yard pass interference call.
From what I've seen I don't think he's an upgrade especially in this system. Lydon Murtha perhaps, but that play where a 6'4" and 300 lbs Ryan Van Bergen beat him around the edge while Murtha was playing RT scared the **** out of me.
Another excellent write up CK, thank you bunches as I missed the game and my ****ing DVR is on the fritz, I can't tell if it recorded the game or not. Hate Comcast/Xfinity and their crap HD DVR boxes. Liking what I hear about Tannehill, but have to agree we may be smart to start Garrard and give Tanny a couple series per game either when we're up (if that even happens this season the way the rest of the team is playing), or in garbage time when we're being slaughtered which sounds like could be pretty much every game at the rate we're going. Will somebody tell me where in hell is our running game? Did Sherman lose that part of the playbook? Can this OL run block at all? Why can't Long/Incog/Pouncey at least open some holes on the left side? Color me depressed, I know it's only the 2nd exhibition game, but geezeroni we suck!
Sherman says that we have so much evaluation we're trying to do with the QBs and WRs that they've been shelving the ground game, but that they'll get back to it before the regular season begins. My guess is actually this week. They're treating this like a real game. And it looks for all the world like Tannehill is going to be the guy starting this game.
We were set at RT for most of the previous decade. The problems only appeared when Ireland unpacked in the GM's office. I have a secret fantasy that Ryan Tannehill beats the Texans by scoring on a late game draw or scramble.
Does this have anything to do with the Matt Schaub QB draw for a touchdown late in the 2008 game, which for some reason scarred an absurdly high percentage of Dol-Fans that were around to witness it?
That it is. The parallelism would be delicious. And that play was scarring because everyone except the defense saw it coming. In slow motion. With an accompanying chorus. "QB draw for a TD" is the Dolphins defensive version of "failed screen/fade pass".
ABSOLUTELY. and it happened OFTEN. But that one play haunts me. Think of the importance of that one play and the possible outcome for that season. I had a player once point to that play and tell me in all seriousness, that it ultimately ruined their season.
See if you have a Cisco RNG 200 box or one of their other models. I went thru a couple of other models which Comcast gave me, which were crap, until I got this one. Seems much better so far.....
I remember staring at the TV and when I saw them take a man in motion to move the LB out of the middle, it was obvious it was wide open. Ofcourse Andre Johnson didn't have to make a brilliant catch on what would've been the game ending 4th down play....but who really cares about that game anymore??
.... "thinking if I play my cards right I might get Lucky." ........... yes that's 2 jokes in one for you slow people.
of course we did. Vernon Carey only ****ed up about 4 or 5 times a year, and was actually a decent performer. This guy (Martin) looks as if he is betting on the opponent.
