http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...hins-omar-kelly-1211-20121210,0,6370399.story He got this one right, our problems are not "we need a wr!" or "we need a passrushing de!", our problems are players who normally are solid, have that 5% error rate. When added up it leads to losses, JMart allowing a sack in a key situation, Dansby blowing a tackle CKap, Thill missing DBess in the EZ, Thigpen's fumble that led to a Td. It's been like this for years, this is our issue and afaik the only cure for it is to find different players who are more professional, meaning they do their job each time, every time. Just objectively, in the last 3 yrs the only guys who developed into really good players: -Hartline -Bess -Wake -Pouncey -Reshad Jones Thing with Pouncey even he had the yips in 2011 in the Dallas game with some poor snaps, this yr he's been fine with sort of the reversal of our usual start great then develop into mediocre. Reggie Bush is near there, he has 791 yds with 3 games to go, 209 yds and he becomes our first back to top 1k yds since Ricky Williams (iirc)
I think Starks and Soliai have developed into good players here. An think Misi has really started to come along once moved to a position that fits him better...
Back to Back seasons Brother. IIRc RW ' in the early 00's was the last guy to achieve that for us. Would be funny if we had 3 1k players and no one is happy with the offense..
Our opponents make mistakes, surely. If our offense can't capitalize on them, you can't throw the defense under the bus because of some lapses and big plays given up. Look how tight they kept the games vs. New England and SF. New England just blew the Texans out of the water, a SB favorite. Now what? Who cares if we allow a 50 yard run. How about we suck it up and try to create a 50 yard run for ourselves.
Defense can make plays to, yet rarely does outside of Wake and Jones. ST had a chance to make a play, downing the ball, failed, Thigpen fumbled etc, this is that 5% I'm speaking of that we suffer but our opponents do not usually.
It just illustrates how perfect this team needs to play in order to beat any team with significant talent. When you combine the lack of talent with some back luck, like say, forcing 17 fumbles and only recovering 3 of them on defense, you're in trouble. Then consider the defense only has 1 takeaway in the last 6 games and you give yourself almost no margin for error.
Better players helps. But 1-7 on a clutch drive is unacceptable from a QB, rookie or not. Even if he needed to hit a checkdown, tuck and run... you make that drive happen.
I'm not sure if that article is worse from the standpoint of the main idea or how it is written, but it's two turds circling around the same flushing toilet Be unhappy with the overall record, Jeff Ireland, etc. and so on, but there's plenty of positive developments this season.
Your right, every team in the NFL has at least a 5% error rate, even the best teams. Therefore since the Dolphins have been a sub 500 team, four years in a row. They obviously have a much higher error rate than 5%. It is probably closer to 15 or 20 percent.
Fumbles are typically random events, however we've seen the same thing for years now. As for being perfect, not so much, what usually happens is they will play fine, the situation becomes pressurized then the wheels fall off and that 5% rears it's ugly head. JMartin is a good example, he was playing fine, we make it inside their 40, false starts (iirc), late in the game he surrenders a key sack. It's as if we are forever doomed to "leaving plays on the field". IMO the only real cure is to get new players, this team should be peaking and instead it's a replay of 09-11. As if our poise gene has been removed.
Nope, this is why we usually play good teams really tough, but lose in the end, we spring leaks and have done so consistently. As Kelly pointed out, Dansby was having a great day, missed one tackle, it went for a long Td, 12 tackles made, 1 missed, that is what like 2%? And that is how it has went for us for years, Ginn dropping key passes vs the Saints etc.
I don't see how this season was a failure. If we were supposed to make the playoffs, then yes. But we weren't... Tannehill has developed nicely. It hasn't translated to wins... but it wasn't supposed to. He wasn't even supposed to be playing or getting any experience this season... so from that aspect, it has been a success. We are exceeding expectations this season. I don't understand how that is a failure...
He's talking about the 3rd & 10 play from the 35 where Tannehill threw over the deep middle to Bess who was running into the soft spot in the safety coverage with Carlos Rogers in a trail position behind him. Omar has chosen to characterize it as a miss because Rogers was not necessarily draped on Bess. But assuredly, the window for that ball was extremely tight because of the position Rogers was in, and because of how tall Bess is not, and Davone Bess has no gearing to change his speed and run under a pass.
Matt Moore would hit that throw i bet ya! I just bet ya. Seriously yes you want him to but has to? Takke the moore colored glasses off
I've been wondering that too lately. I felt like we kept it close with two elite teams in their respective conferences yet everyone was mad as hell after the game. Maybe I just stopped getting upset after losses this season when I felt we were out of playoff contention (Titans game)... I also feel that some people expect perfection with this team or they'll be disappointed. Quarterbacks miss throws. It happens... it'll happen plenty more this season too with a rookie quarterback.
Ehh I still like some things from this season. I still like our defense quite a bit. Yeah there's a lack of turnovers but a good amount of it is just bad luck as Hardkore alluded too with the forced fumbles. This offseason needs to be about acquiring talent on offense. Get a coupe of playmakers that can make the huge plays. Not only will it help Tannehill but it will help guys like Hartline, Bess and Clay.
And pass rush. And secondary. And re-signing our own players. Looks like we will plenty to discuss this offseason.
I would love to get another good corner and another decent pass rusher. There is a chance that Shelby or Vernon turn into decent pass rushers. Well a bigger chance that Shelby or Vernon turn into decent pass rusher than Carroll or Wilson turn into really good cornerbacks.
Well, yeah, but offense needs to be the bigger priority. I get the sense that Philbin, Sherman, etc. are quite displeased with the lack of playmakers.
I'm not saying we don't need help on defense. I'm just saying it isn't nearly as dire as the offense.
Clay does not suck, he's inconsistent. Hartline and Bess are what they are, solid role players. They just can't carry a passing game by themselves. The passing game doesn't need to be gutted, it needs to add 2 dynamic pieces.
Bess and BHart would be perfect 2s/3s or (preferably) 3s/4s, I definitely wouldnt want them Gone..... you almost could not do ANY better at a WR core if you add any 2 elite talents ahead of them on the roster, and keep em even if just purely for their presence as possession WRs...Assuming the 2 ahead of them are consistent (maybe like 1 Big FA veteran and a solid higher pick) that would be a scary 4. Hartline always has glimpses and Bess is still a good 3rd and mid target. their biggest downfall is that their YAC is garbage and they somewhat have the dropsies. Good players, but not the talented playmakers we need at a 1&2.
Padre, I think HarKore's post sums it up well. We just aren't good enough to NOT capitalize on all of the opportunities we must in order to win - on either side of the ball.
Two weeks ago, that same QB was absolute $$$ in the fourth quarter against a very good defense, leading to victory. He did what it took to make those drives happen then, so it is possible, even if he fell short this time. Just as we couldn't say THill was the solution after the Seattle game, we can't say he's not either after the SF game. TBD.
I just wish we had a team that didn't have to play perfect football to win football games. Instead of having to completely shut down the opposing team's offense, I'd love one that has that capability, but is stout in the redzone, but forces turnovers and the offense can score to help win those games. That's why we were so successful for so long. We had different ways to win football games. Now, we have to rush this many times for this many yards and win the turnover battle by this differential. It's ridiculous how perfect we have to be to win.
I don't even think Clay is inconsistent I think our USE of Clay is inconsistent. Boomer made this point earlier in the week. Two weeks ago the guy catches a bunch of passes and then disappears from the game plan a week later. Clay is fine, he is a match up guy. I don't think he's a true tight end though. A good utility player who can be used to exploit teams weaknesses. He's a complimentary piece. Hartline is a good player but if he is your #1 receiver you have major issues. I think he is a good #2. Bess is what he is, a #3 slot guy. He will never make "big" plays but is reliable. Fasano is what he is. He would be the perfect #2 tight end in my opinion, probably one of the best in the league. He is not a seam buster though and he is too inconsistent. You are right, we need a couple of dynamic players and most of all we need SPEED. We need a #1 receiver who scares the **** out of teams who Ryan Tannehill can lean on. A guy who can take it to the endzone, not get tripped by a blade of grass or fall down when he has no one between him and the end zone. We need a seam busting tight end who forces safeties to fear and respect the middle of the field. Is Michael Egnew that guy? We don't know and relying on it would be a mistake. We need to go get another tight end. If Egnew does work out then we have two players at the position. I know depth is a foreign concept to Ireland though. Too many question marks on this team, it is almost absurd. - Does Jake Long return? Is Jon Martin the answer at left tackle? We need to figure that out quickly. We also need at least one guard and a swing tackle. We have 3 MAJOR questions and one minor one (swing tackle) on the offensive line alone. - What are we doing at running back? Does Bush return (doubtful)? Daniel Thomas is not a starter IMO. Is Lamar Miller? We have a question mark at running back. - Do we resign Brian Hartline? How much is he truly worth? We need two new players at the position and one of them had to be a premium player. - What is Mike Egnew? Can he be a player? We need to find at least one starting quality pass catcher at the tight end position regardless of Egnew. If they both develop so be it but relying on Egnew and only Egnew could end in disaster. All I have spoken about is the offense and I count 4 major questions and 6 needs, maybe 8. The only positions I am comfortable with are quarterback, center, #2 tight end, #2 and #3 receiver and back up running back. That is UGLY. - Do we resign Randy Starks? He will get a payday somewhere and with how his play has dropped off and considering our needs everywhere I think we need to find a starter. I think Odrick could fill that role. If that is the case we will need a starting quality defensive end. I like our depth everywhere accept end. - I am done with Karlos Dansby. Good player but he is paid like a premium player. I think we should cut him and use his cap number to fill needs. I hate creating holes to fill others but I think we can find someone to play here. Could be Misi or a draft pick. We will have flexibility. Our depth is dreadful though. I think we should add three new linebackers. One starter and two backups who can play when called on. - Our secondary is a ****ing disaster. Sean Smith is inconsistent. I think he is a good player who can be very good at times but he is going to get PAID and I don't think we should be paying him like a franchise corner. Nolan Carrol is a decent depth player, nothing more. Chris Clemons is terrible, I don't care what PFF or anyone else says. He has no instincts to speak of. Takes terrible angles and is slow to react. I count free safety as one of our MAJOR needs. IMO the only starter who will be here in 6 months is Reshad Jones. We are in big big trouble.
With all the focus on offense this is what people are forgetting. Defense still wins games in this league, no matter how much Roger Goodell tries to stop it. We have needs all over the defense. The way it is constructed right now, we are one or two injuries away from falling off a cliff on defense. People have to be honest with themselves, this is a bad situation.
