Yes and it felt like Gase was trying to slow down the Chargers pass rush and protect Jay... have to remember that Jay had shoulder surgery and has only been here a short while. I expect Gase to call a better game when he feels more comfortable with where Jay is physically and mentally. Took us to game 6 to find our groove last year. Lets try by 4 this year.
I think we can expect a lot more of the short passing game with Cutler and Gase. Gase did the same thing with Cutler in Chicago. The good thing about Gase is, like Belicheck in a way, he recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of his players and builds gameplans around those strengths and weaknesses. Gase realizes Cutler is turnover prone and is a gunslinger, but that he can be much more effective in a short passing yardage game and relying on Ajayi, with the occasional deep ball when good one on one matchups present itself. My only real complaint with the offense is just that the screen plays often seem to be so poorly designed. It seems like we are the worst team in the league on quick screens to Landry because it always seems to be one more defender than we have blockers somehow. The Pats are obviously a well oiled machine with the best QB in the league, but their screen passes seem so often to be so perfectly executed and have the perfect amount of blockers for the particular play.
Cutler needs to put the ball up higher when throwing to Parker to make use of his height and athleticism. Nearly everything thrown his way was a low line drive.
Did you replace "Tannehill" with "Cutler" there? JK... His accuracy was off too. Even the TD to Stills was behind him. He missed Landry for a sure TD and better throw. And Parker has a TD as well. Game 1. Lets hope he improves.
Not to do this because id rather have Tannehill healthy, but Cutler looked good in the pocket in a way that Tannehill doesnt. Tannehill doesnt seem to have any sort of feel for the blitz in the pocket to step up or get out of the pocket and it felt like cutler made a lot of subtle plays stepping up or rolling out of the pocket to avoid pressure yesterday. Just one game obviously but it was noticeable to me.
i dont know enough to comment on their abilities and limitations but i think jay has a naturally bigger arm and the experience to watch tape on his guys and understand how to maybe maximize their skills more than ryan, given his experience?
Not buying that. That OL yesterday was the best one that we've fielded since 2008. Not trying to diminish what Cutler did, but we've seen those same sort of plays from Tannehill time and again, when it wasn't a dam bursting in front of him. What hurt Tannehill was Philbin's azzhat coaching and stubborness to keep Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner in the starting rotation. Couple that with Albert and the revolving door at RT pre James and it was a disaster. I think people remember Tannehill from 2013 and don't remember how well he was playing last season when he got his knee caved in. Tannehill and Cutler are almost identical players. Gase has done good job with both. Fun fact - we've won 10 of the last 12 with 3 different QBs. Only Bellichick has done that in the modern era TMK.
Not a bigger arm, a bigger attitude. He's a "gunslinger" - he takes more chances and throws more 50/50 balls. Last year in San Diego, Ryan Tannehill was 17 of 24 for 240 with 2TDs, no INTs, and 1 sack. He had a PR of 130.6, and also ran 3 times for 16 yds as we amassed 34 points against the Chargers. Cutler and Tannehill are peas in a pod.
I'll reserve judgement until the end of the season, but based on the Chargers game, Cutler really didn't do anything that Tannehill couldn't do, IMO, and that includes the pocket movement. I do agree that Cutler seems to have overall quicker feet in the pocket, but he didn't do anything mind-blowing this game that would clearly separate him from Tannehill in that aspect.
Honestly, Cutler was the lesser of the QBs (between he and Thill) in this game. Thill has already shown us what he can do to the Chargers in their home, and it was A LOT better than what Cutler did. Having said that, Cutler and the team had a crap ton more to deal with, so I cannot use this game as predictor of anything other than, we had more adversity then just about any other NFL team in the modern era from the offseason to kickoff...and we won.
Besides the things you mentioned, it was also Cutler's first real game in a Dolphins uni, I expect him to get better as the season progresses. Tannehill's game against the Chargers was about mid-season, I don't think we can really compare their perfomances.
I actually think his lobs need a little bit more distance under them. They've been a little underthrown up until this point. That throw at 4:25 was perfect though.
