By jeff darlington jdarlington@MiamiHerald.com On the two occasions this month when the Dolphins’ offense looked as clean as it has all training camp – a scrimmage on Aug. 7 and a preseason win against the Panthers on Friday – several players gave credit to a common thread. It wasn’t just the crisper passes, cleaner catches or deeper passes. It was the communication, among the most notably absent qualities last season. “I love how Chad [Henne] took over the offense,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said after Friday’s preseason win. “He’s just done a tremendous job of taking over the huddle. You need that in a quarterback.” This is about more than Henne and Marshall, who each contributed in their own ways to a cold and dysfunctional relationship last season. But if Marshall is the one currently spearheading the praise, anything more is just icing. By all indications, Henne’s fire in the huddle Friday was real. Rookie Daniel Thomas said Henne got on him about needing to run harder. Running back Reggie Bush also noted Henne’s “control of the huddle” in a game that included 296 yards of offense in the first half. And Marshall’s praise of Henne also seemed genuine. “The talent is there,” Marshall said. “But the leadership he’s shown from the offseason into this camp has been amazing, a huge difference. It’s helping us out a lot and getting guys in the right places.” Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/21/2368416/miami-dolphins-chad-henne-now.html#ixzz1Vf32hAPp
I believe that this is one thing which both side of the neverending Henne debate can agree on. We talked a lot about Henne becoming a leader in player workouts during the lockout, and it has happened. This is a very good thing for our team.
I've always held out a little hope for Henne, after his promising start in 09'. This season and his career can obviously go either way, but if the light is/was ever to go on, these are the things that need to be happening. At least positive things are happening.
his success is our success.... by game four of the regular season we'll know if he's turned the corner.... no more excuses or false alarms
I think it is exciting...what would you like to read? it is what it is: Henne can be successful in 2011 if we fix the offensive line having said that there is no guarantee & much to overcome, he will never be a Franchise QB he will never be anything but a (hopefully) competent QB & this is all we need right now Henne is no Dan Marino or Tom Brady. at best, he could develop into a Fiedler or Dilfer. his success is our success by game four of the regular season we'll know if he's turned the corner no more excuses or false alarms I'm being honest.
Develop into Fiedler? I might actually be willing to go to church to pray for that to never happen. Come on dude, Fiedler starting for so long was one of the many manefistations of Wannestedt's stupidity. We had a solid defense, Ricky Williams running like a maniac, and Fiedler, who screwed the pooch so often he should have been arrested for bestiality. Nice guy, smart guy, subpar Quarterback. Please- no Fiedler comparisons.
its year three as the starter. this is when its supposed to come together for a young QB. It's why I thought the Henne is a bust posts the last couple of years were premature. Its still preseason so its too early to say he's arrived but it seems pretty clear that his pocket presence has improved 180 degrees and that was half his problem. We'll see how he attacks cover 2 when there are actually defenses gameplanning against him but I think optimism is warranted at this stage
It really looks as if Henne has improved certain aspects of his game, and not just in his leadership. It does appear as if he's improved his mobility, and it seems like he's feeling the rush better. He also appears to be more instinctual in going through his progressions, although he hasn't always made the correct read. IMO there are encouraging signs, but I'm not ready to make any definitive judgment on a couple of pre-season games. I want to see him keep this up on a more consistent basis, beginning with next week's game against the Bucs. Last year Henne looked very good in the 2nd pre-season game, and couldn't sustain it the next week against a Falcon team that came in looking for retribution after playing poorly the week before. Similarly, the other night the Bucs played as if they weren't particularly interested in being there, and I have a feeling they will be looking to put on a much better showing. Let's see how Henne performs under those circumstances.
While some of that is Henne taking advantage of the opportunity this lockout presented, IMO most of this is just a change in perception b/c of the new OC. I think that filters down through the team. Daboll has put Henne in more situations where success is likely and Henne has had more success. If Sparano was on the ball here he would stop qualifying all of his comments about Henne being the starter for now. Sparano and the whole QB trade stuff this off-season has done nothing but hurt the team's belief in Henne. A team is almost always sunk if it doesn't believe in it's QB. If that belief in Henne is happening despite all the crap this off-season then that's a credit to Daboll and Henne.
The only thing that I am a little worried about is Henne's leadership. It says this week he really begin to show it on the field. The reason I am worried is that Jake is back. Up until this point, Henne has had to be the leader that lets people know when they are slacking. But now that Jake is back, he doesnt have to, but I hope he wants to. I hope he realized what it was like to truly head the team and I hope Jake sees the progress he has made and will let Henne continue to build. It may be a unrealistic fear, but really it was just more of a thought.
Henne MUST be a Captain this season....that will speak far more volumes when it happens. Perhaps the key to the preseason will be that vote, etc!
I still believe that Henne can a very good QB in this league. Ray Lucas thought the same thing too, but Henne has talent. After saying that, I'm not sold on him just yet. One game doesnt change the fact that he has struggled in the past, but after the output he lead our offense on, things are looking better. No one is expecting him to me the next Manning or Brady, but someone that can win games for us. I think Henne can do that and with time, a new coach and scheme, it just might work.
I'm optimistic when it comes to Henne but I'm not sold. How can you be? All things considered his performance on Friday was very good- we all know that he has a solid arm on him, but the leadership, the mobility- love it. Bottom line is that Henne has a lot to prove, a lot of talent to do it with, and Friday was a pretty good stepping stone, especially after the shaky first game against Atlanta.
Certainly not sold, and I suspect a lot of people will be anti Henne after our next game vs the Bucs. I expect the Bucs to come out on fire next week thanks to the Pats igniting the torch. You think BB saw that they were playing us one week after playing them and decided to put a little something extra into it? To try get the Bucs a little extra motivated. Kudos if so.
You folks have got to forget Dan Marino. He's retired and not coming back. Those types of QBs don't come around very often. The very same thing Pats/NO/Indy fans will be saying/thinking in 5-6 yrs once their respective franchise guy is gone... Not many really expected Henne to be more than a capable QB, maybe a good one. Dilfer, for all his holier than thou, hot air in the media was SB winning QB, who even tho he didn't get his team to the dance, he played those playoff games very well and his play was just as important as that dominant D was for those victories, don't kid yourselves... Fiedler was an overachieving QB. He played better than his athleticism and talent was. Henne is already a better QB than Fiedler. There certainly are 'excuses'. While we are all excited by the play of this offense this week, we still need to see if Bush can stay healthy, if the Carey/Columbo experiment is yet to blow up in our faces, if Pouncey can be at least adequate enough while learning the game at this level, if the OL solidifies and allows Henne time and the backs some room to run, if not having a stellar TE in this particular offense will be enough, if Clay/Moore/Wallace can be that speed element that we so sorely miss, if Thomas is what we thought he could be when we drafted him and be there when Bush needs a breather, and if that isn't enough, what about the injury factor ?? The fact of the matter is that Henne can't do it alone and too many fans seem to think that our offensive woes are solely his fault. We've had one good offensive game and one poor one. Let's get a perspective here that this team is a work in progress and one game or 4 games won't decide whether Henne is our QB of the future...Too many other questions have to be answered first.
This is GREAT to hear as this was one of the main things Henne needed to work on to take the next step and win over his teammates. I still have faith in him and hopefully he can keep this up going forward and shut up the haters.
I'm gonna need more than one good night against the Panthers to start singing Happy Days Are Here Again, but it is a good sign that the robot has shown signs of a pulse. Being a leader is great, but not throwing dumb picks ainopportune times would be better.
There's only two types of people that Henne needs to win over, his teammates and his coaches. It doesn't matter whether people on here like him or not. For proof on what I just said, people need to check out the Denver Broncos and what their doing with their QB's. Fan favorite Tebow got put into 3rd on the depth chart, for their opening game at home yesterday. As Kyle Orton said recently, it's a good thing the fans don't make the important decisions.
It is easy to watch the game or replay of Henne and pick at all the little things he didn't do right...shouldn't have thrown this pass, wasn't on target on this pass, ad nauseam. What I think is being missed right now is how Henne has grown tremendously in "LEADERSHIP." From taking charge in off season workouts during the lockout, to learning and implementing the basics of Daboll's system, to players going to Chad asking for clarity, etc... The way Henne carries himself is just different this year and it shows on the field of play. Anyone only focusing on picking apart his mechanics is missing the boat imo. That the players have voted Henne as a "captain" is not something to be overlooked. After the end of last season it would have been easy for Henne to take a "screw you" type of attitude toward Marshall and some other teammates, but he didn't. He stepped up. He EARNED the confidence of his teammates by displaying true leadership skills.
He finally showed some fire, which is a big improvement. Nail down the technicalities and he can be a very decent/good QB
23rd, if Henne had the heart of Fiedler with Henne's talent ..... i'd be pretty happy. we just do not need a Marino or Brady to win a SB ... but any reference to Dilfer makes me a bit ill ....
It'd be nice if he was consistent. Not trying to take anything away from his performance against Carolina, but it'd be nice if he duplicates it next week.
I can just see it now, thousands of Dolphins chanting "HAIL HENNE!" /Takes elevator straight to Hell.
I want Chad Henne to be the best Chad Henne he can be, whatever that may look like. Be true to yourself...your best self.
Just like I said in a different thread , the offense had a quicker pace to it than I`m used to seeing. Henne had a good game and I`ll give credit where its due. Is this a "turning the corner" progression by Henne? I guess we`ll find out. Pre-season against the Panthers isnt exactly the best test but its better then stinking up the joint. The jury is still out so lets see what happens next game and beyond.
This is the thing I have been saying, the offense looks better, it looks functional. They as a team as a unit look more cohesive. Side note I think I figured out why Omar doesnt like Henne, on Irvin's show he defended Henning saying he is a fan of Henning and it was the signal caller not the Coord. Now I am not saying this to start a debate, I am saying it because TO ME it makes sense why when it comes to henne OMAR appears to FIND reasons to criticize Henne. There is IMO a bias. Now henne certainly shoulders his share of the blame last year, but to ignore the general consensus that our system was predictable and just archaic is wrong. Henning couldnt fit a system to what Henne did. and henne couldnt get out of his own head. They wre a bad combo. I love Chad pennington, but many wondered how much having Chad hurt Henne as even Chad henne looked to Penny as a leader. Henne took a back seat to Pennington. Now this year Henne realizes he has to take that role or he has no shot at getting this team behind him. It certainly isnt a finished product, but it is molding into an offense that CAN lead us to a better than expected finish. But it is way to early to form any conclusions, progression each week, tha is the best expectation IMO
This is the main reason I was saying the lockoout might have been a blessing in disguise for the team. Somebody had to step up and take charge of the team and be that leader everyone looked to and it seems that Henne has stepped out of Pennington's shadow and done just that. Hell, I just might have to go back and revise my predictions for the season. Too early to say just yet, but who knows, we just might be better than an 8-8 team afterall.