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General Discussion / 2013 DRAFT Who should we target?
« on: January 15, 2013, 07:29:32 am »
I gotta run to the sto but later on I'm gonna start c&p some articles and mock drafts to git the ball wobblin' .........
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17
General Discussion / I guess this should go in the OTHER Ireland thread but...nah!
« on: January 04, 2013, 11:04:08 pm »NFL Rumors: MIAMI DOLPHINS NOT SEEKING NEW GM
(not that this isn't/wasn't predictable but.....)
The Miami Dolphins have a massively important off-season ahead of them. They last won a playoff game in the year 2000, and their fan-base is at an all-time high for anger/disgust/frustration.
Dolfans want General Manager Jeff Ireland fired. They do not want Ireland making the decisions on how to spend the free-agency money that they have this off-season, plus they do not want him running their draft.
Word out of Florida is that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met recently with Mike Giddings Jr. of Pro Scouts INC. There are some that feel the meeting did take place, and there are others who insist that there was no meeting. I would say that even if there was a meeting it could have been just Ross picking Giddings’ brain and getting player personnel evaluations from a person who is respected in the field.
It does look like Ireland will run the Dolphins 2013 draft.
Word is that Bill Parcels ran much of Ireland’s first Dolphins draft in 2008. The best player landed that year was #1 overall pick Jake Long who may be done in Miami, but he was very good while he was a Dolphin (there is certainly a chance that Long does re-up with Miami, but that article is for another day!). Of the other eight players drafted by Miami that year, Chad Henne had the best NFL career (yikes).
Ireland had mixed results in 2009. He drafted Vontae Davis and Sean Smith to be the #1 and #2 cornerbacks going forward, and also Pat White to run their wildcat. Davis was underwhelming overall, and Miami has a big decision to make regarding Smith as he is a free-agent (again, that article is for another day…Recently I did get a Reggie Bush free agency article up, and it is HERE).
White did not work out, nor did Patrick Turner, but the middle-late rounds did produce Brian Hartline and Chris Clemons. Hartline is, you guessed it, a free-agent so he is another player we will monitor to see if his Dolphins days are done.
The Miami Dolphins have a massively important off-season ahead of them. They last won a playoff game in the year 2000, and their fan-base is at an all-time high for anger/disgust/frustration.
2010 may go down as a great Dolphins draft. Surely improvements are needed from all of these guys, but they have all shown they have the potential to contribute on the NFL level. Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, John Jerry, Nolan Carroll, and Reshad Jones were five of Ireland’s first six picks in ’10.
2011 landed Mike Pouncey, but it was full of swing-and-misses like trading up to draft Daniel Thomas, Edmond Gates, Charles Clay, Frank Kearse, and Jimmy Wilson.
In 2012 Ireland drafted Ryan Tannehill with the #8 overall pick. I felt that the roster had (has) so many holes that Ireland needed to trade down to add extra assets, and if he had to he could land Tanny later in the draft (NFL GM’s were not clamouring to draft Tannehill. All due respect to the young man, but he was never the #8 pick in that draft).
The rest of last years draft was full of ups and downs. Jonathan Martin is going to be a legit NFL offensive-lineman, and Olivier Vernon will have a chance to build on his 3.5 rookie sacks. The jury is still out on Lamar Miller, but if I was not a fan of his from the University of Miami days then I would likely consider him a poor prospect.
Michael Egnew, Josh Kaddu, B.J. Cunningham, Kheeston Randall, and Rishard Matthews all look like they are not legit NFL players/talents.
Word is that Ireland’s job is safe, and he will run Miami draft in 2013. Miami has five picks in the first three rounds so they are set up to add legit talent. Dolfans are hoping Ireland will be significantly better than he has been lately.
Dolfans want General Manager Jeff Ireland fired. They do not want Ireland making the decisions on how to spend the free-agency money that they have this off-season, plus they do not want him running their draft.
Word out of Florida is that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met recently with Mike Giddings Jr. of Pro Scouts INC. There are some that feel the meeting did take place, and there are others who insist that there was no meeting. I would say that even if there was a meeting it could have been just Ross picking Giddings’ brain and getting player personnel evaluations from a person who is respected in the field.
It does look like Ireland will run the Dolphins 2013 draft.
Word is that Bill Parcels ran much of Ireland’s first Dolphins draft in 2008. The best player landed that year was #1 overall pick Jake Long who may be done in Miami, but he was very good while he was a Dolphin (there is certainly a chance that Long does re-up with Miami, but that article is for another day!). Of the other eight players drafted by Miami that year, Chad Henne had the best NFL career (yikes).
Ireland had mixed results in 2009. He drafted Vontae Davis and Sean Smith to be the #1 and #2 cornerbacks going forward, and also Pat White to run their wildcat. Davis was underwhelming overall, and Miami has a big decision to make regarding Smith as he is a free-agent (again, that article is for another day…Recently I did get a Reggie Bush free agency article up, and it is HERE).
White did not work out, nor did Patrick Turner, but the middle-late rounds did produce Brian Hartline and Chris Clemons. Hartline is, you guessed it, a free-agent so he is another player we will monitor to see if his Dolphins days are done.
The Miami Dolphins have a massively important off-season ahead of them. They last won a playoff game in the year 2000, and their fan-base is at an all-time high for anger/disgust/frustration.
2010 may go down as a great Dolphins draft. Surely improvements are needed from all of these guys, but they have all shown they have the potential to contribute on the NFL level. Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, John Jerry, Nolan Carroll, and Reshad Jones were five of Ireland’s first six picks in ’10.
2011 landed Mike Pouncey, but it was full of swing-and-misses like trading up to draft Daniel Thomas, Edmond Gates, Charles Clay, Frank Kearse, and Jimmy Wilson.
In 2012 Ireland drafted Ryan Tannehill with the #8 overall pick. I felt that the roster had (has) so many holes that Ireland needed to trade down to add extra assets, and if he had to he could land Tanny later in the draft (NFL GM’s were not clamouring to draft Tannehill. All due respect to the young man, but he was never the #8 pick in that draft).
The rest of last years draft was full of ups and downs. Jonathan Martin is going to be a legit NFL offensive-lineman, and Olivier Vernon will have a chance to build on his 3.5 rookie sacks. The jury is still out on Lamar Miller, but if I was not a fan of his from the University of Miami days then I would likely consider him a poor prospect.
Michael Egnew, Josh Kaddu, B.J. Cunningham, Kheeston Randall, and Rishard Matthews all look like they are not legit NFL players/talents.
Word is that Ireland’s job is safe, and he will run Miami draft in 2013. Miami has five picks in the first three rounds so they are set up to add legit talent. Dolfans are hoping Ireland will be significantly better than he has been lately.
http://www.rantsports.com/nfl/2013/01/04/nfl-rumors-miami-dolphins-not-seeking-new-gm/?o3zo1bDuOLVMCpBj.99
18
General Discussion / ALL ABOARD THE JEFFY RELAND EXPRESS! Woooooooo Wooooooooo
« on: December 30, 2012, 06:55:09 pm »
Just makes ya wanna PUKE! Doesn't it?
cue sound of vomit hitting tile floor in the facility(with echo factor).
cue sound of vomit hitting tile floor in the facility(with echo factor).
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General Discussion / NE II: Why did we go back to a steady diet of running on first down?
« on: December 30, 2012, 06:45:58 pm »
Why did we go back to running on first down?
This strategy was responsible for our mid season losing streak. We had a productive offense at times up until the Colts game. Hit and miss at times but then the Colts seemingly stifled us. Then all you heard was - What happened to our 5th ranked running game? We can't get any yards on the ground! So right then and there Philbin decides that he wants to stop taking what defenses give us and start pounding the ball on first and second down. Chuck knows that I've had this rant before. That was when our losing streak started.
It ended when we started going back to the dink and dunk throwing the ball on first down a lot(but not always. But not trying to force square pegs into round holes. Like what we started out doing today.
Oh well this long and winding road is at end. As I said in the other NE thread, It's probably better we lost today. I wish we hadn't gotten shut out but it happens.
This strategy was responsible for our mid season losing streak. We had a productive offense at times up until the Colts game. Hit and miss at times but then the Colts seemingly stifled us. Then all you heard was - What happened to our 5th ranked running game? We can't get any yards on the ground! So right then and there Philbin decides that he wants to stop taking what defenses give us and start pounding the ball on first and second down. Chuck knows that I've had this rant before. That was when our losing streak started.
It ended when we started going back to the dink and dunk throwing the ball on first down a lot(but not always. But not trying to force square pegs into round holes. Like what we started out doing today.
Oh well this long and winding road is at end. As I said in the other NE thread, It's probably better we lost today. I wish we hadn't gotten shut out but it happens.
20
General Discussion / Tannehill makes too many errant throws to beat New England
« on: December 02, 2012, 07:25:49 pm »
Miami Dolphins’ Ryan Tannehill makes too many errant throws to beat New England
By Brian Biggane Palm Beach Post
MIAMI GARDENS — Brian Hartline was easily the Dolphins’ leading receiver Sunday, with five receptions for 84 yards. But three errant Ryan Tannehill passes to Hartline prompted frustration.
“Against a team like this,” coach Joe Philbin said after the Dolphins were able to muster only one touchdown in a 23-16 loss to New England, “you’ve got to make those plays.”
Tannehill had a less-than-memorable first outing in what figures to be many head-to-head matchups with Tom Brady, completing just 13 of 29 passes for 186 yards while being sacked three times and fumbling once.
“We left a lot of things out there,” said Tannehill, who ran 2 yards in the second quarter for Miami’s touchdown.
“Coach says all the time, you’ve got to make the plays that are there. We battled, we hung in there, but it’s got to be consistent, it’s got to be four quarters, executing to the end.”
The Patriots’ Aqib Talib was assigned to cover Hartline, and the cornerback’s over-aggressive approach left him several steps behind when Hartline took off down the middle of the field midway through the first quarter. But Tannehill’s throw sailed over Hartline’s head and off his fingertips, and what seemed a sure touchdown that would have tied the score at 7 fell incomplete.
“I just overthrew it; it was a bad throw,” Tannehill said. “You’ve got to hit those; you don’t get many shots like that.”
“It’s tough,” Hartline said. “We’ll have to go back and look at it and adjust, see what I can do for him, because he’s got a lot going on.”
The Dolphins were again within a touchdown, this time at 17-10, in what proved to be a scoreless third quarter when Hartline came open again, this time down the right sideline. Tannehill’s throw wasn’t close, winding up several yards out of bounds.
“It was designed to be a hook (and) up,” Tannehill said. “I looked off the safety and set my feet to throw short (and) he stuck his hand up and went deep. I just didn’t get enough on it.”
Then, in the fourth quarter, Miami had a second-and-4 from the New England 7 when Hartline again beat Talib on a slant over the middle. But Tannehill’s throw was a split-second late and Hartline couldn’t get his feet down inside the back of the end zone. Tannehill was sacked on the next play and the Dolphins had to settle for a field goal that made it 20-13.
“It was a (defensive) look we weren’t prepared for,” Hartline said. “It threw me off a little bit and I think it threw him off a little bit, too. Just a little hesitation. We ran out of space in the back of the end zone.”
The Dolphins got inside the Patriots’ 35 on four occasions but three times settled for field goals.
“That’s a huge difference in the game,” Hartline said. “Seven points was the difference, and (our) defense was making them kick field goals. So if we could have taken four more points every score it would have been a different outcome.”
The one drive that did end up in the end zone turned out to be a case of Tannehill calling his own number. The initial play call on second-and-goal from the 2 was a Daniel Thomas run up the middle, but Tannehill faked a handoff and took off on a naked bootleg around left end. He leaped and was flipped into the air by cornerback Alfonzo Dennard at the goal line, but landed in the end zone for the second rushing TD of his career.
“It was a read play, so I had the option,” Tannehill said. “I thought I could get in and hold the ball.”
Asked what he was thinking when he was flying through the air, he replied, “Touchdown. I knew I got in, and I was pumped at that point.”
Tannehill also took hard hits on the four occasions he escaped pressure by scrambling, none harder than when cornerback Kyle Arrington blasted him at the sideline on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter.
“He’s doing a better job (of extending plays),” Philbin said. “But obviously we have to educate him on when to slide, when not to, when to take a hit, when not to.”
Tannehill’s 66.2 passer rating was only his seventh-best of the season, but something he would likely have accepted if not for a few poor throws.
“We just didn’t hit the shots that were there,” he said. “The early one to Hartline, I’m still kicking myself. You have to make that throw.”
MIAMI GARDENS — Brian Hartline was easily the Dolphins’ leading receiver Sunday, with five receptions for 84 yards. But three errant Ryan Tannehill passes to Hartline prompted frustration.
“Against a team like this,” coach Joe Philbin said after the Dolphins were able to muster only one touchdown in a 23-16 loss to New England, “you’ve got to make those plays.”
Tannehill had a less-than-memorable first outing in what figures to be many head-to-head matchups with Tom Brady, completing just 13 of 29 passes for 186 yards while being sacked three times and fumbling once.
“We left a lot of things out there,” said Tannehill, who ran 2 yards in the second quarter for Miami’s touchdown.
“Coach says all the time, you’ve got to make the plays that are there. We battled, we hung in there, but it’s got to be consistent, it’s got to be four quarters, executing to the end.”
The Patriots’ Aqib Talib was assigned to cover Hartline, and the cornerback’s over-aggressive approach left him several steps behind when Hartline took off down the middle of the field midway through the first quarter. But Tannehill’s throw sailed over Hartline’s head and off his fingertips, and what seemed a sure touchdown that would have tied the score at 7 fell incomplete.
“I just overthrew it; it was a bad throw,” Tannehill said. “You’ve got to hit those; you don’t get many shots like that.”
“It’s tough,” Hartline said. “We’ll have to go back and look at it and adjust, see what I can do for him, because he’s got a lot going on.”
The Dolphins were again within a touchdown, this time at 17-10, in what proved to be a scoreless third quarter when Hartline came open again, this time down the right sideline. Tannehill’s throw wasn’t close, winding up several yards out of bounds.
“It was designed to be a hook (and) up,” Tannehill said. “I looked off the safety and set my feet to throw short (and) he stuck his hand up and went deep. I just didn’t get enough on it.”
Then, in the fourth quarter, Miami had a second-and-4 from the New England 7 when Hartline again beat Talib on a slant over the middle. But Tannehill’s throw was a split-second late and Hartline couldn’t get his feet down inside the back of the end zone. Tannehill was sacked on the next play and the Dolphins had to settle for a field goal that made it 20-13.
“It was a (defensive) look we weren’t prepared for,” Hartline said. “It threw me off a little bit and I think it threw him off a little bit, too. Just a little hesitation. We ran out of space in the back of the end zone.”
The Dolphins got inside the Patriots’ 35 on four occasions but three times settled for field goals.
“That’s a huge difference in the game,” Hartline said. “Seven points was the difference, and (our) defense was making them kick field goals. So if we could have taken four more points every score it would have been a different outcome.”
The one drive that did end up in the end zone turned out to be a case of Tannehill calling his own number. The initial play call on second-and-goal from the 2 was a Daniel Thomas run up the middle, but Tannehill faked a handoff and took off on a naked bootleg around left end. He leaped and was flipped into the air by cornerback Alfonzo Dennard at the goal line, but landed in the end zone for the second rushing TD of his career.
“It was a read play, so I had the option,” Tannehill said. “I thought I could get in and hold the ball.”
Asked what he was thinking when he was flying through the air, he replied, “Touchdown. I knew I got in, and I was pumped at that point.”
Tannehill also took hard hits on the four occasions he escaped pressure by scrambling, none harder than when cornerback Kyle Arrington blasted him at the sideline on a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter.
“He’s doing a better job (of extending plays),” Philbin said. “But obviously we have to educate him on when to slide, when not to, when to take a hit, when not to.”
Tannehill’s 66.2 passer rating was only his seventh-best of the season, but something he would likely have accepted if not for a few poor throws.
“We just didn’t hit the shots that were there,” he said. “The early one to Hartline, I’m still kicking myself. You have to make that throw.”
21
General Discussion / Dolphins VS Patriots Dec. 2 2012
« on: December 02, 2012, 12:11:12 pm »
Boy this started out great! Just DANDY! Spot the Pats 6 why don't ya Mrs. Fields! Butterfingers!
Not that I expect us to win this game but Jeez Ain't gonna even be close playin like that
Not that I expect us to win this game but Jeez Ain't gonna even be close playin like that
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General Discussion / Dolphins look to put pressure on Tom Brady - By Barry Jackson
« on: December 01, 2012, 06:56:19 pm »
Miami Dolphins look to put pressure on Tom Brady
By Barry Jackson The Miami Herald
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin routinely emphasizes turnover margin and generating quarterback pressure, but both become more essential Sunday against an opponent that is exceptional at forcing turnovers and protecting its quarterback.
Whereas the Dolphins are a minus-10 in turnover differential (tied for 27th in the league), the Patriots are plus-24, easily the best in the league. They have committed only eight turnovers — compared with 21 by the Dolphins — largely because Tom Brady has thrown just three interceptions.
The Patriots have 32 takeaways compared with 11 for the Dolphins. The Patriots have forced 29 fumbles — by far the most in the league, where the average is 15 per team — and have recovered 18 of them.
“They must drill it, teach it, emphasize that, to get that kind of productivity,” Philbin said.
Dolphins pass rushers got to Brady four times in New England’s 27-24 Christmas Eve victory against Miami last season. But the Patriots have allowed only 15 sacks in 11 games this year — the second-fewest sacks per play in the league behind only the Giants.
The key against Brady, Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks said, is producing pressure up the middle. Philbin said the Dolphins have been “adequate” at doing that, but “in the last couple weeks, we’ve had difficulty keeping some of those guys contained in there. We have to do a better job of that.”
Cameron Wake said the reason Brady needs to be pressured up the middle is simple: “I don’t know how many scramble yards he has this season, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s probably not that many.” But as Philbin noted, he has a quick release.
• No Dolphins were listed as out or doubtful on the injury report, but fullback Jorvorskie Lane (knee) is questionable. Receiver Davone Bess, safety Reshad Jones, cornerback Nolan Carroll, linebackers Karlos Dansby and Austin Spitler, tight end Anthony Fasano and running back Daniel Thomas are probable.
The Patriots listed three starters as out — tight end Rob Gronkowski, linebacker Chandler Jones and guard Logan Mankins. They also listed 15 players as questionable, including receiver Julian Edelman and eight starters: tight end Aaron Hernandez, receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd, linebackers Brandon Spikes and Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung and offensive linemen Sebastian Vollmer and Dan Connolly.
• Patriots coach Bill Belichick, on Ryan Tannehill: “He does a lot of things well. He manages the team well, does a good job with their ‘check with mes’ and communication at the line of scrimmage. He’s got a lot of good deep balls, he’s athletic, can run and get out of the pocket. He has a nice touch on the ball, does a good job on third down.”
• Conditioning is important for a defense when trying to keep up with the Patriots’ no-huddle offense. “I don’t think we’ve had a guy overweight in six weeks,” Philbin said. “We’re in good shape.”
• Richard Marshall and Matt Moore are among the Dolphins who said Bess would match Welker’s production if he played in the Patriots’ offense. Bess and Welker weren’t sure. “Who knows?” Bess said.
• Defensive tackle Paul Soliai sat next to the Miami bench during Thursday’s Heat-Spurs game and said coach Erik Spoelstra was drawing up plays “I didn’t understand. He was always hyping up his guys.”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/01/3121435/miami-dolphins-look-to-put-pressure.html#morer#storylink=cpy
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin routinely emphasizes turnover margin and generating quarterback pressure, but both become more essential Sunday against an opponent that is exceptional at forcing turnovers and protecting its quarterback.
Whereas the Dolphins are a minus-10 in turnover differential (tied for 27th in the league), the Patriots are plus-24, easily the best in the league. They have committed only eight turnovers — compared with 21 by the Dolphins — largely because Tom Brady has thrown just three interceptions.
The Patriots have 32 takeaways compared with 11 for the Dolphins. The Patriots have forced 29 fumbles — by far the most in the league, where the average is 15 per team — and have recovered 18 of them.
“They must drill it, teach it, emphasize that, to get that kind of productivity,” Philbin said.
Dolphins pass rushers got to Brady four times in New England’s 27-24 Christmas Eve victory against Miami last season. But the Patriots have allowed only 15 sacks in 11 games this year — the second-fewest sacks per play in the league behind only the Giants.
The key against Brady, Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks said, is producing pressure up the middle. Philbin said the Dolphins have been “adequate” at doing that, but “in the last couple weeks, we’ve had difficulty keeping some of those guys contained in there. We have to do a better job of that.”
Cameron Wake said the reason Brady needs to be pressured up the middle is simple: “I don’t know how many scramble yards he has this season, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s probably not that many.” But as Philbin noted, he has a quick release.
• No Dolphins were listed as out or doubtful on the injury report, but fullback Jorvorskie Lane (knee) is questionable. Receiver Davone Bess, safety Reshad Jones, cornerback Nolan Carroll, linebackers Karlos Dansby and Austin Spitler, tight end Anthony Fasano and running back Daniel Thomas are probable.
The Patriots listed three starters as out — tight end Rob Gronkowski, linebacker Chandler Jones and guard Logan Mankins. They also listed 15 players as questionable, including receiver Julian Edelman and eight starters: tight end Aaron Hernandez, receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd, linebackers Brandon Spikes and Dont’a Hightower, safety Patrick Chung and offensive linemen Sebastian Vollmer and Dan Connolly.
• Patriots coach Bill Belichick, on Ryan Tannehill: “He does a lot of things well. He manages the team well, does a good job with their ‘check with mes’ and communication at the line of scrimmage. He’s got a lot of good deep balls, he’s athletic, can run and get out of the pocket. He has a nice touch on the ball, does a good job on third down.”
• Conditioning is important for a defense when trying to keep up with the Patriots’ no-huddle offense. “I don’t think we’ve had a guy overweight in six weeks,” Philbin said. “We’re in good shape.”
• Richard Marshall and Matt Moore are among the Dolphins who said Bess would match Welker’s production if he played in the Patriots’ offense. Bess and Welker weren’t sure. “Who knows?” Bess said.
• Defensive tackle Paul Soliai sat next to the Miami bench during Thursday’s Heat-Spurs game and said coach Erik Spoelstra was drawing up plays “I didn’t understand. He was always hyping up his guys.”
23
General Discussion / Dolphins’ Jared Odrick, Koa Misi showing some improvement By Barry Jackson
« on: December 01, 2012, 06:44:15 pm »
Miami Dolphins’ Jared Odrick, Koa Misi showing some improvement
By Barry Jackson The Miami Herald
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/01/3121296/miami-dolphins-jared-odrick-koa.html#morer#storylink=cpy
By Barry Jackson The Miami Herald
But the growth of Jared Odrick and Koa Misi has not lessened the sting for Miami of passing on star Jason Pierre-Paul during the 2010 draft.
The decision facing Bill Parcells in his final NFL Draft with the Dolphins was a difficult one.
Should he and Jeff Ireland keep the 12th overall choice and take a potential blue-chip prospect such as Earl Thomas or Jason Pierre-Paul? Or should they trade down to the 28th and 40th picks to select two players, filling multiple needs?
Parcells opted for the latter in 2010, seizing on San Diego’s desire to move up to draft running back Ryan Mathews. Now two and a half years later, the merits of that decision can still be debated.
Jared Odrick and Koa Misi, Miami’s selections with those picks, have become competent starters. So it cannot be said that trading down was an egregious mistake.
But it also cannot be called a brilliant stroke, either, because the Dolphins passed on at least one All-Pro player at a high-demand position: Pierre-Paul, who was plucked by the Giants with the 15th pick and has 27 1/2 sacks in 2 1/2 seasons, including 16 1/2 last season and 6 1/2 this season.
The good news: Misi has improved in his third year, and Odrick has been stout against the run and had a key sack to force a Seattle punt that set the stage for the Dolphins’ game-winning drive last Sunday.
Among players selected between 12 and 27 in 2010, a bunch have been productive: Seahawks safety Thomas at 14 (nine interceptions in three years); Pierre-Paul; 49ers guard Mike Iupati at 17 (not that Miami could have justified taking a guard at 12); and Steelers Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey at 18 (the Dolphins drafted a comparable player, his brother Mike, a year later).
Also there is: Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon at 19 (162 tackles in 2 1/2 seasons); Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham at 21 (47 catches for 558 yards this season); Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas at 22 (61 for 1,015 this season); Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga at 23 (made All-Rookie Team); Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant at 24; and Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty at 27 (12 interceptions in 2 1/2 seasons).
Was passing on Bryant to trade down a mistake? Depends on how much stock a team puts in off-field issues. The Cowboys require Bryant to follow a strict set of guidelines, including a midnight curfew, in the wake of his arrest last summer on a domestic violence charge involving his mother.
Bryant has 15 touchdown catches since the start of 2011 — including six this season, with 65 receptions for 880 yards — but also has been prone to fumbles and drops. And at least Miami didn’t stay at 12 to pick Brandon Graham (15 tackles, one start for the Eagles this season) or Derrick Morgan (6 1/2 career sacks for the Titans).
As for Odrick, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle called his game against Seattle his best of the season. The key sack was encouraging because he entered the game with only two.
Among defensive ends who play in a 4-3, Pro Football Focus ranks Odrick 61st and last in pass rushing but 20th against the run.
“There have been too many times I’ve been too close and just missed a big play,” said Odrick, who had five sacks as a part-time starter in 2011. “I’m putting myself in the right position. [But] I’ve made leaps and bounds in the run game.”
Whereas Odrick is 310 pounds, Miami’s other starting end — Cameron Wake — is 258.
“You do realize you’re one of the biggest, if not the biggest, right ends in the league,” Odrick said. “It’s a challenge my coaches gave me and a challenge I’m giving myself to hold myself to a higher standard even though I’m a heavier end.”
Odrick estimates he has moved inside, to tackle, on about a quarter of his snaps.
“We like that he’s done a lot of jobs,” coach Joe Philbin said. “He can fit into a lot of places in the defense.”
Like Odrick, Misi also has been capable against the run, ranking 10th among 43 linebackers in a 4-3 defense, according to Pro Football Focus. He struggled against the pass early but not during the past month in limited opportunities in coverage.
He also has 2 1/2 sacks and has adjusted well to playing outside linebacker in a 4-3. He has become a reliable starter, though the Dolphins in retrospect can be questioned for not drafting tight end Rob Gronkowski, who went to the Patriots two picks after Misi.
“You look at the work Koa’s put in to be a role player in this defense — he’s been very productive, done all the things right,” Wake said.
The decision facing Bill Parcells in his final NFL Draft with the Dolphins was a difficult one.
Should he and Jeff Ireland keep the 12th overall choice and take a potential blue-chip prospect such as Earl Thomas or Jason Pierre-Paul? Or should they trade down to the 28th and 40th picks to select two players, filling multiple needs?
Parcells opted for the latter in 2010, seizing on San Diego’s desire to move up to draft running back Ryan Mathews. Now two and a half years later, the merits of that decision can still be debated.
Jared Odrick and Koa Misi, Miami’s selections with those picks, have become competent starters. So it cannot be said that trading down was an egregious mistake.
But it also cannot be called a brilliant stroke, either, because the Dolphins passed on at least one All-Pro player at a high-demand position: Pierre-Paul, who was plucked by the Giants with the 15th pick and has 27 1/2 sacks in 2 1/2 seasons, including 16 1/2 last season and 6 1/2 this season.
The good news: Misi has improved in his third year, and Odrick has been stout against the run and had a key sack to force a Seattle punt that set the stage for the Dolphins’ game-winning drive last Sunday.
Among players selected between 12 and 27 in 2010, a bunch have been productive: Seahawks safety Thomas at 14 (nine interceptions in three years); Pierre-Paul; 49ers guard Mike Iupati at 17 (not that Miami could have justified taking a guard at 12); and Steelers Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey at 18 (the Dolphins drafted a comparable player, his brother Mike, a year later).
Also there is: Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon at 19 (162 tackles in 2 1/2 seasons); Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham at 21 (47 catches for 558 yards this season); Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas at 22 (61 for 1,015 this season); Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga at 23 (made All-Rookie Team); Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant at 24; and Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty at 27 (12 interceptions in 2 1/2 seasons).
Was passing on Bryant to trade down a mistake? Depends on how much stock a team puts in off-field issues. The Cowboys require Bryant to follow a strict set of guidelines, including a midnight curfew, in the wake of his arrest last summer on a domestic violence charge involving his mother.
Bryant has 15 touchdown catches since the start of 2011 — including six this season, with 65 receptions for 880 yards — but also has been prone to fumbles and drops. And at least Miami didn’t stay at 12 to pick Brandon Graham (15 tackles, one start for the Eagles this season) or Derrick Morgan (6 1/2 career sacks for the Titans).
As for Odrick, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle called his game against Seattle his best of the season. The key sack was encouraging because he entered the game with only two.
Among defensive ends who play in a 4-3, Pro Football Focus ranks Odrick 61st and last in pass rushing but 20th against the run.
“There have been too many times I’ve been too close and just missed a big play,” said Odrick, who had five sacks as a part-time starter in 2011. “I’m putting myself in the right position. [But] I’ve made leaps and bounds in the run game.”
Whereas Odrick is 310 pounds, Miami’s other starting end — Cameron Wake — is 258.
“You do realize you’re one of the biggest, if not the biggest, right ends in the league,” Odrick said. “It’s a challenge my coaches gave me and a challenge I’m giving myself to hold myself to a higher standard even though I’m a heavier end.”
Odrick estimates he has moved inside, to tackle, on about a quarter of his snaps.
“We like that he’s done a lot of jobs,” coach Joe Philbin said. “He can fit into a lot of places in the defense.”
Like Odrick, Misi also has been capable against the run, ranking 10th among 43 linebackers in a 4-3 defense, according to Pro Football Focus. He struggled against the pass early but not during the past month in limited opportunities in coverage.
He also has 2 1/2 sacks and has adjusted well to playing outside linebacker in a 4-3. He has become a reliable starter, though the Dolphins in retrospect can be questioned for not drafting tight end Rob Gronkowski, who went to the Patriots two picks after Misi.
“You look at the work Koa’s put in to be a role player in this defense — he’s been very productive, done all the things right,” Wake said.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/01/3121296/miami-dolphins-jared-odrick-koa.html#morer#storylink=cpy
24
General Discussion / Tannehill: 'I don't have to put this team on my shoulders' for 5-0 finish
« on: December 01, 2012, 05:45:21 pm »
Tannehill: 'I don't have to put this team on my shoulders' for 5-0 finish
10:40 p.m. EST, November 28, 2012
A team-produced transcript of Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill's press availability on Wednesday:
(On facing Tom Brady after watching him when he was younger) – “It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun playing against not only Tom, but a good New England team. Right when they hit their stretch in the early 2000s, that’s when I was in junior high (at) about the age, so that’s when I really started watching guys and really understanding football a little bit. Of course, I watched him and I continue to watch him and follow him throughout this career."
(On Brady only having thrown three interceptions) – “That’s impressive. When you’re able to take care of the ball like that, throw accurately and throw for that kind of yards and the amount of touchdowns he has, to go along with that, it’s impressive. I think he’s continued to get better and progress throughout his career and hopefully I can learn from that.”
(On the Patriots defense) – “They’re a good defense. They have good players all around. They’re an opportunistic defense. They’re good at taking the ball away, whether it be stripping the ball, being in the right spot at the right time, interceptions, whatever it may be. They’re an opportunistic defense that’s going to do their best to get the ball off of you. So that’ll be a focus this week for us as it is every week is to not have turnovers because, as we just talked about, they don’t turn the ball over very much. In order for us to win that battle, we can’t turn it over.”
(On how important it is to sustain drives against the Patriots and keep their offense off the field) – “It’ll be big for us. I think everyone knows that they have a high-powered offense and they’re able to put some points up when they’re on the field. So it’ll be big for us to keep drives going, to put points on the board ourselves and to keep them off the field.”
(On why Davone Bess is able to have success, particularly last week against the Seahawks) – “Davone’s just a good player. He finds a way to get open, especially in clutch situations, whether it be third downs, you saw the two-minute drive (when) he was able to get open for two big plays and he just makes plays. If the ball’s near him, 99 percent of the time, he’s going to catch it. He’s a guy I have a lot of trust in and he continues to get better and more comfortable in this offense.”
(On his game-winning drive last week and if that will help him for similar situations in the future) – “Yeah, I think so. I think Coach (Joe) Philbin put us in some similar situations in practice several times last week. Just looking back at the season, almost every game has had a two-minute situation and so he’ll put a lot of emphasis on it last week. (We) built some confidence last week and we were able to go out in the game and execute in the same type of situations. So I think we can continue to build on that.”
(On what part of his game has progressed the most during the course of the season) – “I wouldn’t necessarily know what to say on one thing. I’d probably ask Coach Philbin or one of the coaches on that. But I feel more comfortable out there. The game has really slowed down more than I can say going back to the first game. I’m more comfortable in the pocket stepping up, finding a throwing lane and I’m more comfortable with the guys that are around me. More trust is being built every rep that we take, whether it be in practice or in games and I hope we can just continue to grow as an offense and I can continue to grow as a player.”
(On Mike Pouncey saying that he can be an elite guy like Brady) – “It may be a little early for the comparisons, but I appreciate the compliment. I have a lot of confidence and a lot of respect for Mike and what he does not only for our offense, but for our team. To have his respect and confidence like that, it says a lot.”
(On if he’s building a nice rapport with Charles Clay as the season goes on) – “I think so. I think he’s getting more comfortable in the offense and we’re able to move him around a little bit more using him in different situations where maybe we weren’t able to early on in the season. The more comfortable he gets moving in the backfield, going to tight end, using two tight end sets, he really brings another weapon we can use to the table.”
(On if he has any personal goals for the last month of the season) – “Win the next five games. That’s my only personal goal right now is do our part, do what we can to get to the playoffs. I know that we have some tough games coming up, but we believe we can win all these games. We know we’re going to have to play well. We have some good teams, but that’s our goal right now.”
(On if he thinks he can put the team on his shoulders to win the next five games) – “I don’t have to put the team on my shoulders. I think we have good players and I’ve just got to do my job. I need to do it well. I need to go out and make plays and make the plays that are there, but I don’t need to try to take the whole team on my back. We can go out and do this as a team.”
(On the prestige of the Patriots) – “They’re another team. They’re a really good team. They’ve won a lot of games this year, but it’s not something that affects us.”
A team-produced transcript of Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill's press availability on Wednesday:
(On facing Tom Brady after watching him when he was younger) – “It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun playing against not only Tom, but a good New England team. Right when they hit their stretch in the early 2000s, that’s when I was in junior high (at) about the age, so that’s when I really started watching guys and really understanding football a little bit. Of course, I watched him and I continue to watch him and follow him throughout this career."
(On Brady only having thrown three interceptions) – “That’s impressive. When you’re able to take care of the ball like that, throw accurately and throw for that kind of yards and the amount of touchdowns he has, to go along with that, it’s impressive. I think he’s continued to get better and progress throughout his career and hopefully I can learn from that.”
(On the Patriots defense) – “They’re a good defense. They have good players all around. They’re an opportunistic defense. They’re good at taking the ball away, whether it be stripping the ball, being in the right spot at the right time, interceptions, whatever it may be. They’re an opportunistic defense that’s going to do their best to get the ball off of you. So that’ll be a focus this week for us as it is every week is to not have turnovers because, as we just talked about, they don’t turn the ball over very much. In order for us to win that battle, we can’t turn it over.”
(On how important it is to sustain drives against the Patriots and keep their offense off the field) – “It’ll be big for us. I think everyone knows that they have a high-powered offense and they’re able to put some points up when they’re on the field. So it’ll be big for us to keep drives going, to put points on the board ourselves and to keep them off the field.”
(On why Davone Bess is able to have success, particularly last week against the Seahawks) – “Davone’s just a good player. He finds a way to get open, especially in clutch situations, whether it be third downs, you saw the two-minute drive (when) he was able to get open for two big plays and he just makes plays. If the ball’s near him, 99 percent of the time, he’s going to catch it. He’s a guy I have a lot of trust in and he continues to get better and more comfortable in this offense.”
(On his game-winning drive last week and if that will help him for similar situations in the future) – “Yeah, I think so. I think Coach (Joe) Philbin put us in some similar situations in practice several times last week. Just looking back at the season, almost every game has had a two-minute situation and so he’ll put a lot of emphasis on it last week. (We) built some confidence last week and we were able to go out in the game and execute in the same type of situations. So I think we can continue to build on that.”
(On what part of his game has progressed the most during the course of the season) – “I wouldn’t necessarily know what to say on one thing. I’d probably ask Coach Philbin or one of the coaches on that. But I feel more comfortable out there. The game has really slowed down more than I can say going back to the first game. I’m more comfortable in the pocket stepping up, finding a throwing lane and I’m more comfortable with the guys that are around me. More trust is being built every rep that we take, whether it be in practice or in games and I hope we can just continue to grow as an offense and I can continue to grow as a player.”
(On Mike Pouncey saying that he can be an elite guy like Brady) – “It may be a little early for the comparisons, but I appreciate the compliment. I have a lot of confidence and a lot of respect for Mike and what he does not only for our offense, but for our team. To have his respect and confidence like that, it says a lot.”
(On if he’s building a nice rapport with Charles Clay as the season goes on) – “I think so. I think he’s getting more comfortable in the offense and we’re able to move him around a little bit more using him in different situations where maybe we weren’t able to early on in the season. The more comfortable he gets moving in the backfield, going to tight end, using two tight end sets, he really brings another weapon we can use to the table.”
(On if he has any personal goals for the last month of the season) – “Win the next five games. That’s my only personal goal right now is do our part, do what we can to get to the playoffs. I know that we have some tough games coming up, but we believe we can win all these games. We know we’re going to have to play well. We have some good teams, but that’s our goal right now.”
(On if he thinks he can put the team on his shoulders to win the next five games) – “I don’t have to put the team on my shoulders. I think we have good players and I’ve just got to do my job. I need to do it well. I need to go out and make plays and make the plays that are there, but I don’t need to try to take the whole team on my back. We can go out and do this as a team.”
(On the prestige of the Patriots) – “They’re another team. They’re a really good team. They’ve won a lot of games this year, but it’s not something that affects us.”
25
General Discussion / Halftime Adjustments Come Fast And Furious For Dolphins
« on: November 30, 2012, 06:13:36 pm »
Halftime Adjustments Come Fast And Furious For Dolphins
Andy Kent Dolphins.com
http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/article-1/Halftime-Adjustments-Come-Fast-And-Furious-For-Dolphins/d899be20-809f-4452-9a4f-1602beea9179
So much of what goes on behind the scenes of a typical football game in the National Football League has been caught on film that there is not much more left to the imagination. There is one area, however, that still holds a lot of intrigue and that’s what takes place at halftime.
Technological advances have helped considerably over the years as coaching staffs scramble to make adjustments for the final 30 minutes, but when you take into account everything that needs to be done from the time the teams leave the field at the end of the first half and return for the start of the second half, it really is quite mind-boggling.
“Oh my goodness, I forget that you guys never get to see that stuff,” said Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake, who leads the team with 9.5 sacks. “Organized chaos is probably a good description, or precision recklessness. It feels like seven or eight minutes and not the 12 minutes that are actually on the clock. You’re literally running inside after that last play, the coaches are coming down from upstairs and you probably have a minute-and-a-half to do whatever – go to the bathroom, you’re tape’s always going to be loose and I usually retie my shoes, change my gloves, get a piece of gum, drink an energy drink and they’ve got bananas and oranges and energy foods going.
“While you’re doing that, the coaches are putting up the pictures of the plays, the DBs coach is writing on this side of the board, the D-line coach is writing on this side of the board and the D-coordinator is getting ready. I’m listening and watching and then everybody sits down and they go over everything and then it seems like maybe three more minutes and they blow the whistle and either you’re about to go out and be on defense or the offense is about to go out there. So you literally have to get the entire half of information probably in legitimately five minutes, because you have the setup in the beginning and then Coach Philbin meets with all of us, so you get all your corrections, fixes, your recovery, tape, drinks, redo your pads, etc., in a short period of time.”
In essence, what Wake described is the NFL’s version of a pit stop in a NASCAR race – minus the air-powered drills and super-sized gasoline cans in pit road. Those precious minutes inside the locker room are even more important when the team is facing an unfamiliar opponent, like Miami did last week in the Seattle Seahawks.
This week, the New England Patriots come to Sun Life Stadium and as a division foe within the AFC East, they are more familiar to the Dolphins from a personnel standpoint. Everything that Wake talked about taking place during halftime on his side of the room is duplicated on the other side by the offense.
“It’s mainly just trying to get corrections done as far as things they did different than we thought and things that are or are not working good for us,” Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long said. “Really, it’s just a quick hit on what we’re going to do in the second half, correct any mistakes that happened and try to get a little rest. Everybody’s yelling, everybody’s coaching and trying to figure things out, so it’s definitely a little chaotic in there. We don’t make drastic changes and this week we definitely know their personnel but they are the New England Patriots so it’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
Head Coach Joe Philbin is meticulous in how he goes about his job and he tries to keep the halftime process consistent and organized in spite of the short of window of time he has to get things accomplished. He has to take into account the time it takes for offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle and the other assistant coaches working from the press box to get down to the locker room and the needs of the trainers and the entire equipment staff.
Philbin places a lot of importance on those 12 minutes and on using them wisely and efficiently but he also knows adjustments can still be made during the second half as the game progresses. Still, an ideal halftime for him would involve not having to make major changes.
“Yeah I think it’s an important time. It’s a fast time, so we want our players to go in and attend to their needs if they need anything physically or what have you,” Philbin explained. “Then they sit down as a unit and our coaches gather, but it’s quick. You know our guys are coming down from the box; our coordinators are upstairs. Our position guys are coming off the field. If I have any specific instructions, they’re sitting in different spots, and (Darren Rizzi) Riz usually hits the guys before, then the coordinators offensively and defensively.
“You hope there’s not too much. You hope there’s not a whole litany of things that you have to cover at halftime. I’d say you have time for two, three adjustments maybe. Not that you can’t communicate other things on the sideline, but it happens quick; it’s fast paced. It’s an important time though, there’s no doubt about it. Usually my feeling is, let’s get these guys re-focused on what the plan is. Let’s not reinvent things unless the wheels are totally falling off.”
The veteran players like Wake, Long and left guard Richie Incognito are accustomed to the fast pace of halftime and have figured out the tricks of the trade when it comes to multi-tasking. They’ll be listening to their position coaches while getting their shoulder pads readjusted or having a cut tended to.
Rookies like right tackle Jonathan Martin, however, were used to longer halftimes in college – in fact, almost twice as long. There is a 20-minute intermission in the college ranks, so a full eight extra minutes to get the corrections made and get equipment and medical issues resolved.
“It does feel a little shorter now and it’s real quick for us,” Martin said. “We get in there and we’re eating something real quick, getting something to drink, going to the bathroom and then Coach Sherman will come in and tell us something quickly about where we need to improve. He’ll say something like, ‘All right, we need to protect better,’ or ‘we need to run the ball better.’ Then we’ll meet with Coach (Jim) Turner, our O-line coach and go over more specific stuff and certain plays. It’s just highlighting things we need to improve so that we can go out there and get it done in the second half.”
Wake mentioned the times when he needs to get air out into his helmet or have his chin strap replaced as more examples of how similar that process really is to a pit stop during a car race. The equipment staff and trainers are running all over the locker room tending to different players at the same time that Philbin and the coaches are barking out instructions and showing pictures from above the field.
As he looks at Sunday’s game against New England and what that halftime period will be like, Wake thinks about how vastly different it is from his high school and even college days.
“You’d like to think you come in and you hear, ‘Hey, good job guys. Everybody’s doing well. Keep it up.’ That’s the perfect halftime,” he said. “That’s obviously always not the case. Coach Coyle, he has to go over everybody – the D-line, linebackers and DBs – and then each position coach has even more detailed specifics in terms of how to play the technique Coach Coyle just went over.
“You break off into three little meeting for a minute and then Coach Philbin meets with the team, so you don’t have a lot of time to do a lot. We think it’s normal, but when I think back on it my wrists taped, changed my gloves, got an orange, a half a sandwich, an energy drink, re-snapped my helmet and got air and changed my mouthpiece and I’m out the door all within five minutes. That’s not even exaggerating.”
No room for exaggeration.
http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/article-1/Halftime-Adjustments-Come-Fast-And-Furious-For-Dolphins/d899be20-809f-4452-9a4f-1602beea9179
So much of what goes on behind the scenes of a typical football game in the National Football League has been caught on film that there is not much more left to the imagination. There is one area, however, that still holds a lot of intrigue and that’s what takes place at halftime.
Technological advances have helped considerably over the years as coaching staffs scramble to make adjustments for the final 30 minutes, but when you take into account everything that needs to be done from the time the teams leave the field at the end of the first half and return for the start of the second half, it really is quite mind-boggling.
“Oh my goodness, I forget that you guys never get to see that stuff,” said Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake, who leads the team with 9.5 sacks. “Organized chaos is probably a good description, or precision recklessness. It feels like seven or eight minutes and not the 12 minutes that are actually on the clock. You’re literally running inside after that last play, the coaches are coming down from upstairs and you probably have a minute-and-a-half to do whatever – go to the bathroom, you’re tape’s always going to be loose and I usually retie my shoes, change my gloves, get a piece of gum, drink an energy drink and they’ve got bananas and oranges and energy foods going.
“While you’re doing that, the coaches are putting up the pictures of the plays, the DBs coach is writing on this side of the board, the D-line coach is writing on this side of the board and the D-coordinator is getting ready. I’m listening and watching and then everybody sits down and they go over everything and then it seems like maybe three more minutes and they blow the whistle and either you’re about to go out and be on defense or the offense is about to go out there. So you literally have to get the entire half of information probably in legitimately five minutes, because you have the setup in the beginning and then Coach Philbin meets with all of us, so you get all your corrections, fixes, your recovery, tape, drinks, redo your pads, etc., in a short period of time.”
In essence, what Wake described is the NFL’s version of a pit stop in a NASCAR race – minus the air-powered drills and super-sized gasoline cans in pit road. Those precious minutes inside the locker room are even more important when the team is facing an unfamiliar opponent, like Miami did last week in the Seattle Seahawks.
This week, the New England Patriots come to Sun Life Stadium and as a division foe within the AFC East, they are more familiar to the Dolphins from a personnel standpoint. Everything that Wake talked about taking place during halftime on his side of the room is duplicated on the other side by the offense.
“It’s mainly just trying to get corrections done as far as things they did different than we thought and things that are or are not working good for us,” Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long said. “Really, it’s just a quick hit on what we’re going to do in the second half, correct any mistakes that happened and try to get a little rest. Everybody’s yelling, everybody’s coaching and trying to figure things out, so it’s definitely a little chaotic in there. We don’t make drastic changes and this week we definitely know their personnel but they are the New England Patriots so it’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
Head Coach Joe Philbin is meticulous in how he goes about his job and he tries to keep the halftime process consistent and organized in spite of the short of window of time he has to get things accomplished. He has to take into account the time it takes for offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle and the other assistant coaches working from the press box to get down to the locker room and the needs of the trainers and the entire equipment staff.
Philbin places a lot of importance on those 12 minutes and on using them wisely and efficiently but he also knows adjustments can still be made during the second half as the game progresses. Still, an ideal halftime for him would involve not having to make major changes.
“Yeah I think it’s an important time. It’s a fast time, so we want our players to go in and attend to their needs if they need anything physically or what have you,” Philbin explained. “Then they sit down as a unit and our coaches gather, but it’s quick. You know our guys are coming down from the box; our coordinators are upstairs. Our position guys are coming off the field. If I have any specific instructions, they’re sitting in different spots, and (Darren Rizzi) Riz usually hits the guys before, then the coordinators offensively and defensively.
“You hope there’s not too much. You hope there’s not a whole litany of things that you have to cover at halftime. I’d say you have time for two, three adjustments maybe. Not that you can’t communicate other things on the sideline, but it happens quick; it’s fast paced. It’s an important time though, there’s no doubt about it. Usually my feeling is, let’s get these guys re-focused on what the plan is. Let’s not reinvent things unless the wheels are totally falling off.”
The veteran players like Wake, Long and left guard Richie Incognito are accustomed to the fast pace of halftime and have figured out the tricks of the trade when it comes to multi-tasking. They’ll be listening to their position coaches while getting their shoulder pads readjusted or having a cut tended to.
Rookies like right tackle Jonathan Martin, however, were used to longer halftimes in college – in fact, almost twice as long. There is a 20-minute intermission in the college ranks, so a full eight extra minutes to get the corrections made and get equipment and medical issues resolved.
“It does feel a little shorter now and it’s real quick for us,” Martin said. “We get in there and we’re eating something real quick, getting something to drink, going to the bathroom and then Coach Sherman will come in and tell us something quickly about where we need to improve. He’ll say something like, ‘All right, we need to protect better,’ or ‘we need to run the ball better.’ Then we’ll meet with Coach (Jim) Turner, our O-line coach and go over more specific stuff and certain plays. It’s just highlighting things we need to improve so that we can go out there and get it done in the second half.”
Wake mentioned the times when he needs to get air out into his helmet or have his chin strap replaced as more examples of how similar that process really is to a pit stop during a car race. The equipment staff and trainers are running all over the locker room tending to different players at the same time that Philbin and the coaches are barking out instructions and showing pictures from above the field.
As he looks at Sunday’s game against New England and what that halftime period will be like, Wake thinks about how vastly different it is from his high school and even college days.
“You’d like to think you come in and you hear, ‘Hey, good job guys. Everybody’s doing well. Keep it up.’ That’s the perfect halftime,” he said. “That’s obviously always not the case. Coach Coyle, he has to go over everybody – the D-line, linebackers and DBs – and then each position coach has even more detailed specifics in terms of how to play the technique Coach Coyle just went over.
“You break off into three little meeting for a minute and then Coach Philbin meets with the team, so you don’t have a lot of time to do a lot. We think it’s normal, but when I think back on it my wrists taped, changed my gloves, got an orange, a half a sandwich, an energy drink, re-snapped my helmet and got air and changed my mouthpiece and I’m out the door all within five minutes. That’s not even exaggerating.”
No room for exaggeration.
26
General Discussion / "Holding!" I bellowed from my computer chair. HOLDING!!!
« on: November 27, 2012, 06:56:03 pm »
Holding!" I bellowed from my computer chair. HOLDING!!! But no one listens to me. We have been getting the shaft for quite some time. When the team is no longer considered to be in the upper echelon of teams in the power rankings it seems like refs/officials\zebras no longer give you the benefit of the doubt on borderline calls. Plays that get reviewed. We hardly EVER end up on the good end of a reviewed play although we finally did vs Seattle. This .jpg below is a definite hold that didn't get called even though WE were the home team. That sucks!
Sean Smith getting held here as he tries to assist Burnett get the stop on Golden Tate.
I saw three or 4 holds like this that also didn't get called. We only had 2 penalties for 15 yards total while Seattle had 10 for 59. A lot but they were holding on a lot of their plays. Some teams hold on every play with the idea that the refs can't possibly penalize them on every down; and by jove they get away with it.........Most of the time. We have a difficult time as it is staying on the field with many teams and yet time and time again we not only have to content with teams that have more potent skill position players but also we have to do it with the refs working against us. The Walt Anderson crew is the worst. If we get him, count on a loss. Then our old buddy from that Bears game Gene Sterator. I dunno if he always hated us or if he was just a Bears fan and then after he made that bad call against us on Rothlessrapis'ts fumble into the end zone and all of OUR fans jumping on his case. Now he really DOES HATE US. F him!
Now we can add Jeff Triplett to this list after the Buffalo game where he(or someone from his crew) penalized Carroll four times. \END RANT
Sean Smith getting held here as he tries to assist Burnett get the stop on Golden Tate.
I saw three or 4 holds like this that also didn't get called. We only had 2 penalties for 15 yards total while Seattle had 10 for 59. A lot but they were holding on a lot of their plays. Some teams hold on every play with the idea that the refs can't possibly penalize them on every down; and by jove they get away with it.........Most of the time. We have a difficult time as it is staying on the field with many teams and yet time and time again we not only have to content with teams that have more potent skill position players but also we have to do it with the refs working against us. The Walt Anderson crew is the worst. If we get him, count on a loss. Then our old buddy from that Bears game Gene Sterator. I dunno if he always hated us or if he was just a Bears fan and then after he made that bad call against us on Rothlessrapis'ts fumble into the end zone and all of OUR fans jumping on his case. Now he really DOES HATE US. F him!
Now we can add Jeff Triplett to this list after the Buffalo game where he(or someone from his crew) penalized Carroll four times. \END RANT
27
General Discussion / Both Seattle starting CB to be suspended for juicing. Ha-ha No wonder!
« on: November 26, 2012, 04:45:43 am »
Seahawks CBs Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner face 4-game suspensions
Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafolo
Btw, not that this will shock anybody, but I'm told it was Adderall for Sherman and Browner.
25 Nov 12
If Sherman and Browner both lose their appeals, Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond likely would replace them at the cornerback spots for Seattle. And the Seahawks defense probably wouldn't remain in the top five for much longer.
One of the big reasons the Seahawks are still in the playoff hunt this year is because their defense ranks fifth in the NFL. One of the reasons their defense is so good is because their secondary is one of the best units in the league.
But that defense is in danger of losing its cornerbacks, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, to four-game suspensions for violating the league's rule on performance-enhancing drugs, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora has confirmed.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Sherman and Browner insist they are innocent and are appealing the suspensions. Schefter writes that those appeals could occur this week.
But that defense is in danger of losing its cornerbacks, Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, to four-game suspensions for violating the league's rule on performance-enhancing drugs, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora has confirmed.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Sherman and Browner insist they are innocent and are appealing the suspensions. Schefter writes that those appeals could occur this week.
Mike Garafolo @MikeGarafolo
Btw, not that this will shock anybody, but I'm told it was Adderall for Sherman and Browner.
25 Nov 12
Adderall continues to play a big role in taking down key players. Last week, Falcons reserve lineman Joe Hawley accepted his four-game suspension for using it, and Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib and Buccaneers cornerback Eric Wright also have tested positive for Adderall this season.
If Sherman and Browner both lose their appeals, Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond likely would replace them at the cornerback spots for Seattle. And the Seahawks defense probably wouldn't remain in the top five for much longer.
28
General Discussion / Seattle vs Miami Sun. 11/25/12
« on: November 25, 2012, 11:05:17 am »
Seattle 44 Miami 37 in OT
29
General Discussion / Tannehill trying to deliver in eye of storm
« on: November 23, 2012, 05:07:19 am »
Tannehill trying to deliver in eye of storm
With offense slumping, rookie QB might be best bet for wakeup call
By Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel 6:58 p.m., November 21, 2012
DAVIE — The pressure is on Ryan Tannehill, the Miami Dolphins' rookie quarterback. It's up to him to breathe life into an offense that's desperately searching for its next breath.
Early in the season, Miami's opponents put eight or nine men near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Now they've figured out they don't need to do that to stop Reggie Bush and the pedestrian running game that's averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
They've figured out they need to stop Tannehill, so they've been dropping more men in coverage.
Now it's Tannehill's turn to answer their challenge.
"It's a back-and-forth game," he said. "The more plays you put on tape, the more tendencies that an offense puts on tape, defenses are going to start adjusting."
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, perhaps in an effort to spread the responsibility, said waking up the sleep-walking offense doesn't rest primarily on Tannehill. He contends the receivers, offensive line and everyone else has to do their part.
"It's not incumbent on him to rescue us," he said.
But in the quarterback-driven NFL it's almost always on the man under center. It's their league. That's why they're so prized. And that's why bringing back the Miami offense falls mainly on the quarterback.
"I know I have to go out and play well," Tannehill said. "I realize we're in a tough stretch right now coming off three tough losses, so I really need to go out and play well for four quarters, not just part of the game, and get us out of this slump."
Tannehill, who has been struggling mightily the last two weeks, is tasked with performing this miraculous offensive revival against Seattle, the NFL's fourth-best defense. It won't be easy. In fact, nothing has been easy for Tannehill in recent weeks.
The Dolphins contend the youngster isn't taking a step backward. They say defenses have taken a step forward.
"I don't see him regressing," Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman said of Tannehill, who has posted miserable quarterback ratings of 42.4 and 46.9 in his last two games.
"Some opportunities haven't really arisen enough where we've been able to say, 'Wow, that's a great job.' "
Seattle, with its multi-talented defense, could defend Miami any way it wants. They've got aggressive, Pro Bowl-caliber cornerbacks in Brandon Browner (6 feet 4) and Richard Sherman (6-3). They might be the best tandem in the NFL.
"[They're] big guys, physical guys," Philbin said. "They do a good job … they certainly aren't afraid to get in a receiver's [face], move up close to the line of scrimmage and get hands on guys."
Seattle also has quality safeties in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Both made the Pro Bowl last year. The Seahawks, widely regarded as the best secondary in the NFL, don't need to drop extra men in coverage to make life tougher on Tannehill. But they have the option.
Defenses have also been giving Tannehill different looks and having success. They're not just showing zone at the line of scrimmage and then playing zone, for example.
"There is some disguise," Philbin said. "It looks like a two shell and then all of a sudden you snap the ball and they're spinning down to a different coverage."
The Dolphins say just because Tannehill's numbers have declined doesn't mean he's necessarily at fault. Sherman pointed to two such plays last week against Buffalo.
"To be honest with you, we've had some communication errors on the field," Sherman said. "One interception, there was a communication error between he and [wide receiver] Davone Bess and how he was going to break that route.
"The interception at the end of the game, he'll be the first to tell you [in] hindsight it wasn't a good decision, but he explains to you what he saw."
Tannehill remains a smart quarterback. But he knows the pressure will be on this week to turn that knowledge into a victory.
By Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel 6:58 p.m., November 21, 2012
DAVIE — The pressure is on Ryan Tannehill, the Miami Dolphins' rookie quarterback. It's up to him to breathe life into an offense that's desperately searching for its next breath.
Early in the season, Miami's opponents put eight or nine men near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Now they've figured out they don't need to do that to stop Reggie Bush and the pedestrian running game that's averaging 3.6 yards per carry.
They've figured out they need to stop Tannehill, so they've been dropping more men in coverage.
Now it's Tannehill's turn to answer their challenge.
"It's a back-and-forth game," he said. "The more plays you put on tape, the more tendencies that an offense puts on tape, defenses are going to start adjusting."
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, perhaps in an effort to spread the responsibility, said waking up the sleep-walking offense doesn't rest primarily on Tannehill. He contends the receivers, offensive line and everyone else has to do their part.
"It's not incumbent on him to rescue us," he said.
But in the quarterback-driven NFL it's almost always on the man under center. It's their league. That's why they're so prized. And that's why bringing back the Miami offense falls mainly on the quarterback.
"I know I have to go out and play well," Tannehill said. "I realize we're in a tough stretch right now coming off three tough losses, so I really need to go out and play well for four quarters, not just part of the game, and get us out of this slump."
Tannehill, who has been struggling mightily the last two weeks, is tasked with performing this miraculous offensive revival against Seattle, the NFL's fourth-best defense. It won't be easy. In fact, nothing has been easy for Tannehill in recent weeks.
The Dolphins contend the youngster isn't taking a step backward. They say defenses have taken a step forward.
"I don't see him regressing," Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman said of Tannehill, who has posted miserable quarterback ratings of 42.4 and 46.9 in his last two games.
"Some opportunities haven't really arisen enough where we've been able to say, 'Wow, that's a great job.' "
Seattle, with its multi-talented defense, could defend Miami any way it wants. They've got aggressive, Pro Bowl-caliber cornerbacks in Brandon Browner (6 feet 4) and Richard Sherman (6-3). They might be the best tandem in the NFL.
"[They're] big guys, physical guys," Philbin said. "They do a good job … they certainly aren't afraid to get in a receiver's [face], move up close to the line of scrimmage and get hands on guys."
Seattle also has quality safeties in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Both made the Pro Bowl last year. The Seahawks, widely regarded as the best secondary in the NFL, don't need to drop extra men in coverage to make life tougher on Tannehill. But they have the option.
Defenses have also been giving Tannehill different looks and having success. They're not just showing zone at the line of scrimmage and then playing zone, for example.
"There is some disguise," Philbin said. "It looks like a two shell and then all of a sudden you snap the ball and they're spinning down to a different coverage."
The Dolphins say just because Tannehill's numbers have declined doesn't mean he's necessarily at fault. Sherman pointed to two such plays last week against Buffalo.
"To be honest with you, we've had some communication errors on the field," Sherman said. "One interception, there was a communication error between he and [wide receiver] Davone Bess and how he was going to break that route.
"The interception at the end of the game, he'll be the first to tell you [in] hindsight it wasn't a good decision, but he explains to you what he saw."
Tannehill remains a smart quarterback. But he knows the pressure will be on this week to turn that knowledge into a victory.
30
General Discussion / Happy Thanksgiving!
« on: November 22, 2012, 08:48:53 am »
Happy Thanksgiving!
And GO DOLPHINS!
And GO DOLPHINS!
Welcome Heraldtalk Refugees!
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