Did our defense "no show" or were they injured and exhausted?

you don't know what that word means.

 

They choked in the 4th quarter to blow a lead against a big time offense. If they hadn't done the same thing against the Lions and Packers maybe I wouldn't be as mad.

They're a good defense, but they aren't great. They better continue to play like they do against the "other" teams when Miami plays the Jets, Ravens and Vikings though.

 

Well being down 4 corners doesn't help. I was more concerned by the lack of pass rush and the fact that they were gashed in the running game (couldn't counter the 2 TE run blocking).

 

Not really.

 

We had Taylor on that 3rd and 20 late in the 1st half. All he had to do was not bite on that weak double move by Sanders and keep the play in front of him. Getting a stop right there could have been all the difference we needed to win. The game was that close.

 

You may not remember, but Jason Taylor had games too where he couldn't get any pass rush pressure.

 

It seemed to me that Vernon and Wake only played about half the defensive snaps. Jordan and Shelby were rotated in for entire series a few times, as I recall, and this was most likely due to the altitude and trying to conserve their energy for the end of the game, for all the good it did.

 

Everyone is better through misty eyed hindsight.

I remember games against the Jags especially where Boselli made Taylor irrelevant.

Wake was getting tripled teamed on some plays out there last night, I don't know what game some people where watching. I did see him getting blocked a couple of times 1-1 by Virgil Green in the run game which was disappointing.

 

trying to save *** all season thats what you do and this in a very disturbing manner, so how in hell can you say not really...you have no evidence or proof, to say we couldn't have played better with taylor and finnegan is just another way of trolling in an effort to pray that this team sucks and doesnt make you look like a complete idiot....

 

Young guy with little experience. Situational football. Taylor tries to jump the route for a potential pick-6.

I wish I had the stats for the last couple of years for the most 3rd and longs converted on this defense compared to the NFL average. I do not know if Miami allows more than the NFL average, but it sure seems like it. I remember the Saints game a year or two ago; 3rd and 20 (something like that). I said to myself, "watch the screen". Sproles rips off one for the first. It seems as though these things happen at the most inopportune times. 3rd and 20 is a win for the defense. Who cares if they rip off 12 yards?? I just do not get it sometimes.

 

I believe it is you who has no idea what the word means. Because the Dolphins defense has consistently failed to make plays in the closing minutes of tight games this entire season.

I don't even think there is a debate regarding how ineffective this defense has been when it comes to making a play late in games against the better teams on their schedule. They have been ineffective all season in that regards.

 

Cameron wake was held so bad I couldn't watch the dline. I fully expected it. The league doesn't let you hit manning. The one td to Thomas was ridiculous. Wake gets tackled

 

I got beaten up a bit earlier in the week when I said Cameron Wake is notorious for his disappearing acts in games where he is supposed to make an impact. In games where the opposing teams O-line has injuries, or simply not performing. In games where he's expected to be able to make an impact, he's nowhere to be seen. Sure, he gets held and double teamed, but great players find a way to make an impact on the game and he was nowhere to be seen in Denver.

 

They put together an excellent game-plan to neutralize the defensive line, and Miami didn't adjust. They gassed them by running heavy formations(6 OL, 3 TE, etc.) and making them run a bunch vs. screens, and ran overwhelmingly short passing plays(something like 22 within 5 yards).

I'd echo the idea that there should have been more 3-4 stuff. I think you had the personnel to solve the issue.

 

Going against Peyton Manning doesn't excuse them giving up over 200 rushing yards. If they held them to around 100, or even to 120-ish, Dolphins probably eek out the victory that would've made them the odds on wild card favorite. Manning didn't really beat them, CJ Anderson did.

Now they need to play perfect football and go at least 4-1 (which might not even be enough, though it should be).

 

It was clearly a bad defensive performance. Part of it was scheme, part of it was injuries, part was fatigue/altitude and part was playing a great offense on their home field. IMO we were far too passive witht he pass rush and didn't try to disrupt the receivers' routes enough. If you give those receivers a free release and give Manning a lot of time to find them you are in trouble.

Whether the defense is good, great or bad, it's just about as good as any other in the league. Yeah, it was a bad day, but did you see the NE-Detroit game? The Lions D, which is also one of the best in the league, got dominated by a good offense on their home field too. Seattle got beaten up by SD and Dallas. SF gave up 42 pts to Denver in Denver. Arizona gave up 41 to Denver in Denver. Denver is a very hard place to play defense. I don't think there is a truly great defense in the league, but the Dolphins' defense is still just about as good as any other in the league now.

 

The Dolphins defense has been abysmal on third and long, and late in games. CONSISTENTLY bad all season. They just give up yards upon yards in the fourth, and give up long touchdown drives, not forcing turnovers, and not forcing punts or field goals. I couldn't care less how well they play in the first half, if they are consistently giving away the farm in the fourth quarter. And, while I understand that the defense was depleted yesterday, it doesn't matter, because the same issues that were there yesterday have been there all season long. No pass rush from Vernon/Wake (and no holding calls on the guys blocking Wake), and crappy mushy zone coverage. Disaster. This defense completely folds in games against good teams, e.g., Green Bay, Detroit, Denver. Three games that would all be wins had the defense simply made one or two plays. We're talking 3 or 4 defensive plays from being 8-2. Don't talk to me about how great our defense is.

 

Settling down to watch this game yesterday I really thought the D was going to be the best part to watch. I was nervous about the offense but felt that we would be okay there. I thought our highlights and ultimate outcome would be with the defense and I guess it was but on the wrong end.