Positive comment from Mike Lombardi

His labeling our free safety position a "convenient truth" to me is right on because the Dolphins did exactly what Bill Walsh was giving as an example earlier this off season. They could have signed Atogwe to what has basically amounted to a 1 year, $4 million deal with an option to keep him around longer...but they believe they have the position straightened out between Tyrone Culver, Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones. Well, isn't that convenient.

bill walsh is dead

Who killed him? His legacy lives on forever, as will Don Coryell's. I do still worry about the FS spot, but feel the addition of Dansby, Dobbins, some solid LB picks and most importantly Bill Sheridan and Mike Nolan, will give us reason to be hopeful. We certainly know our offense should be dramatically improved with the addition of Air Marshall and improvements to the OL. The offense was good enough last year they would have won us more games had the D not given them away.

So I do think we have lots of reasons to be "hopeful". But that's JMHO.

I agree with both Dolphin comments.

The team is taking a risk at the FS position. It will be critical to our defensive success this year.

Our offense is very efficient. The only thing holding them back has been the lack of play makers. Hopefully, the addition of Marshall will get us enough explosive plays. I would have liked to add one more play maker, probably at TE, but Marshall is so dynamic that it may be enough. That is the magic of a true #1 WR.

With a grain of salt. Also

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FRIGGIN SEASON TO GET HEAR ALREADY!

The #1 factor on whether or not we have a extremely successful season, or a "okay" 9-7 type of season is the health of the offensive starters.

Ronnie Brown, Jake Grove, Henne, Fasano, Brandon Marshall, I'll add Ricky Williams into that mix, if we have freakish, 2008 type of health, we are looking at a potentially great team.

As for the FS position, I have to agree with Lombardi's premise, but I'd extend that to the OLB position and NT as well:

Some "convenient truths":

-Of course Randy Starks can play NT and remain healthy for 16 games
-Of course Charlie Anderson has really been a Starting Quality WOLB all along
-Of course Koa Misi or Q can play SOLB
-Of course Cam Wake can adapt
-Of course Jason Allen, Will Allen can play the nickel at a high level.
-Of course Mike Nolan can translate Denver's performance with mainly a Veteran Defense into success with a very inexperienced Dolphins Unit.
-Of course, anyone, from PCobbs to Marlon Moore can replace Ted Ginn on returns..

That is a large amount of completely legitimate questions on both the Defense and Special Teams. If anything Mike Lombardi did not go far enough.

My one lesson from the 2007 fiasco is, a Team can only have 2 serious questions heading into a season and expect success, as more questions are raised, the truth of the matter becomes apparent out on the field.

"padre31 wrote:

If anything Mike Lombardi did not go far enough.

I'm with you on that, but I think fans of any team always have a myriad questions about the upcoming season. Like the Saints last year...
Probably before the season their fans were wondering:
Can we run the ball?
Is the D going to be any better?
Can Darren Sharper still play?
Will the O-Line hold up? ( I think their LT, who was pretty good, was lost for the year )
Will Kim Kardasian's sweet, lucsious ass be too close to the sideline?

All perfectly good questions :)

Well health is always a factor for every team in the league. I do agree that we have enough talent that if we have a great health year we can be great.

I don't agree with that extended list of inconvenient truths. IMO the term refers to a position that is being ignored and there is no reasonable basis for hope that you have a solution there. I think question on that list has a reasonable expectation that it will be answered positively.

Starks played well at NT/DT in spot duty last year and was actually playing there about 40% of the time after Fergy's injury. It's reasonable to assume he's capable of playing there.

Anderson played well when he filled in as a starter last year. It is reasonable to assume he is capable of doing that again.

Q filled in adequately last year. Misi is a rookie but seems to have "it". IMO this is the least reasonable on that list.

Wake was among the best pass rushers in the league last year. He is being coached by someone who used a guy with similar skills effectively last year. It is reasonable to assume that he can use one of the best pass rushers effectively this year.

Allen is expected to man the 4th CB slot not the nickel so this one is irrelevant.

"rafael wrote:

Well health is always a factor for every team in the league. I do agree that we have enough talent that if we have a great health year we can be great.

I'd prefer a bit more speed on the outside but that is not a major issue.

I don't agree with that extended list of inconvenient truths. IMO the term refers to a position that is being ignored and there is no reasonable basis for hope that you have a solution there. I think question on that list has a reasonable expectation that it will be answered positively.

I take the term to mean something different Rafi, imho it means a team is leaning on players who have not proven themselves to be Starters in the NFL, and they are conveniently overlooking the fact that they haven't shown to be NFL starters, in fact basically those players have not proven anything.

Starks played well at NT/DT in spot duty last year and was actually playing there about 40% of the time after Fergy's injury. It's reasonable to assume he's capable of playing there.

Well, look at it this way, if Starks cannot stay healthy, who is his backup?

Anderson played well when he filled in as a starter last year. It is reasonable to assume he is capable of doing that again.

Oh boy, don't make me reach for the charts again..:D

Anderson has never started for an entire 16 game season, in that sense he is no different from Tim Dobbins, only Anderson has been given the chance to win the Starters' job and never has..in 08 he was the starting SOLB when Training Camp opened, he could not fend off Matt Roth.

Q filled in adequately last year. Misi is a rookie but seems to have "it". IMO this is the least reasonable on that list.

"Q" has seen his snap count go downward every yr since he was a Rook, his best season was in 2007, that perhaps, is not a good thing.

-the only thing known about Misi is he looks fine in shorts and a t-shirt and helmet and Crowder said he is raw (more or less, klv 760 has the interview up)

Wake was among the best pass rushers in the league last year. He is being coached by someone who used a guy with similar skills effectively last year. It is reasonable to assume that he can use one of the best pass rushers effectively this year.

As a nickel DE Rafi, making it as a WOLB is a whole different level for him, as in leaving AA ball and starting in MLB.

Allen is expected to man the 4th CB slot not the nickel so this one is irrelevant.

Actually, no it isn't, the #3 cb is on the field for 60% of plays, they have a specific skill set that is hard to duplicate and includes everything from covering the Slot to being an effective Blitzer, it is not an easily filled role.

As for the #4 Cb, eh, depends, the dime rarely plays in Nolan's scheme, at least from what I've read.

"lmeister3 wrote:

With a grain of salt. Also

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FRIGGIN SEASON TO GET HEAR ALREADY!

I know! I can't wait to HERE THE SOUNDS OF FOOTBALL AGAIN!!

"unluckyluciano wrote:

I know! I can't wait to HERE THE SOUNDS OF FOOTBALL AGAIN!!

HERE?

:tongue2:

Same "here"..though right now the CFL is scratching my Football itch, I really want to see what Sparano/Tuna/Irish/Nolan have cooking, last yr left a bad taste in my boca, 3 losses to end the year when we were in the playoff hunt, Porter's blow up, the Jests playoff run when I fully believe the SparanoPhins are the better team.

Tick tock...is it September yet?

"rafael wrote:

Well health is always a factor for every team in the league. I do agree that we have enough talent that if we have a great health year we can be great.

I don't agree with that extended list of inconvenient truths. IMO the term refers to a position that is being ignored and there is no reasonable basis for hope that you have a solution there. I think question on that list has a reasonable expectation that it will be answered positively.

Starks played well at NT/DT in spot duty last year and was actually playing there about 40% of the time after Fergy's injury. It's reasonable to assume he's capable of playing there.

Anderson played well when he filled in as a starter last year. It is reasonable to assume he is capable of doing that again.

Q filled in adequately last year. Misi is a rookie but seems to have "it". IMO this is the least reasonable on that list.

Wake was among the best pass rushers in the league last year. He is being coached by someone who used a guy with similar skills effectively last year. It is reasonable to assume that he can use one of the best pass rushers effectively this year.

Allen is expected to man the 4th CB slot not the nickel so this one is irrelevant.

Don't mean to nitpick here because I ultimately believe that Randy Starks will be absolutely fine at NT, and you're technically correct that he played 46 percent of his post-Ferguson plays at "NT/DT", but only 38 of the 306 plays came at NT. Randy Starks has always played DT in Miami's nickel packages, that didn't really change when Ferg went down. In fact I believe in 2008 he played DT more than any other position. I don't know if I'd equte his time as a DT to him taking over the NT position.

But he'll be the same thing at NT that he was at DE...a high impact playmaker. The issue to me is whether Miami has him adequately replaced at DE. Spending a 1st round pick on the position is a good start to making sure that you do ultimately have him replaced, though.

Also when someone says that Charlie Anderson played well last year they should probably put in the caveat that he played well against the run and pass and was generally a waste of space as a pass rusher.

"PhinsRock wrote:

Who killed him? His legacy lives on forever, as will Don Coryell's. I do still worry about the FS spot, but feel the addition of Dansby, Dobbins, some solid LB picks and most importantly Bill Sheridan and Mike Nolan, will give us reason to be hopeful. We certainly know our offense should be dramatically improved with the addition of Air Marshall and improvements to the OL. The offense was good enough last year they would have won us more games had the D not given them away.

So I do think we have lots of reasons to be "hopeful". But that's JMHO.

He lives on but doesn't comment any longer. Of course :wink2:

"padre31 wrote:

I'd prefer a bit more speed on the outside but that is not a major issue.

I take the term to mean something different Rafi, imho it means a team is leaning on players who have not proven themselves to be Starters in the NFL, and they are conveniently overlooking the fact that they haven't shown to be NFL starters, in fact basically those players have not proven anything.

Well, look at it this way, if Starks cannot stay healthy, who is his backup?

Oh boy, don't make me reach for the charts again..:D

Anderson has never started for an entire 16 game season, in that sense he is no different from Tim Dobbins, only Anderson has been given the chance to win the Starters' job and never has..in 08 he was the starting SOLB when Training Camp opened, he could not fend off Matt Roth.

"Q" has seen his snap count go downward every yr since he was a Rook, his best season was in 2007, that perhaps, is not a good thing.

-the only thing known about Misi is he looks fine in shorts and a t-shirt and helmet and Crowder said he is raw (more or less, klv 760 has the interview up)

As a nickel DE Rafi, making it as a WOLB is a whole different level for him, as in leaving AA ball and starting in MLB.

Actually, no it isn't, the #3 cb is on the field for 60% of plays, they have a specific skill set that is hard to duplicate and includes everything from covering the Slot to being an effective Blitzer, it is not an easily filled role.

As for the #4 Cb, eh, depends, the dime rarely plays in Nolan's scheme, at least from what I've read.

The standard you are setting is that anybody who hasn't been a 16 game starter and doesn't have a very good back-up is an inconvenient truth. By that standard, every team in the league has about 18 - 20 inconvenient truths.

They are looking for Will Allen to be the nickel and for Jason Allen to be the dime.

For whatever reason(s) Mike Lombardi seems to genuinely like Miami and like Miami's chances.

Any time he has had a chance to comment on Miami or prognosticate , he has been more than positive. He likes the physicality of the team , likes the direction and focus.

I don't think he offers these positives because of any incestuous connection with Miami , rather I think as a former team exec , he concurs with the moves , coaching , management.

All teams have issues , Miami is no different , some things have to unfold as MIAMI HOPES , plus retain being healthy. We soon shall see if some of pieces ( Wake , Culver , Clemons , Anderson , Misi et all ) fit as Miami needs or if we have more question marks than will be answered positively.

"rafael wrote:

The standard you are setting is that anybody who hasn't been a 16 game starter and doesn't have a very good back-up is an inconvenient truth. By that standard, every team in the league has about 18 - 20 inconvenient truths.

Disagree Rafi, one is mixing Starters, with Depth, what eliminates questions is Veteran, proven starters, what raises questions is Starters who lack experience.

They are looking for Will Allen to be the nickel and for Jason Allen to be the dime.

We shall see, Will Allen was not approaching 100% in OTA's.

Will Allen is going to play. But if he can't play Jason Allen will step in his place. Realistically the way Miami has traditionally used their safeties, Jason Allen might not play much at all barring injury. The Dolphins have liked to drop Yeremiah Bell down into an in the box man coverage kind of role. He's a phenomenal athlete and a sure tackler. If they stop doing that as much, it will be so that they can get A.J. Edds on the field with Karlos Dansby as a second linebacker in nickel. They won't generally have much occasion to go to a true 4-CB look. I'm not sure off hand how many times it happened last year but it wasn't often. I know that Mike Nolan hardly ever occasioned 6 DBs in Denver (only 33 snaps out of 1051).

free-safety is an inconvenient but real problem that requires experience to get right. it remains the Achilles heel