Haven't seen a lot of overly positive play making me think this team will win more than 8 games unless the Bills & Jets give us 4. D could be top 10 if Jordan and Vernon bring an additional pass Rusher. We should move Starks for some value, but Offense has the same red zone issues

Hopefully I am wrong. It will be interesting what will happen if Tannehill has another mediocre Henne like year.

Move starks for Value? No way that guy is a great part of what could be an outstanding defense. And comparing Tanny to Henne is like comparing A stable horse to a thoroughbred. He looked outstanding in this first half of football , if only the receiver's would stop dropping the ball and the RB's would stop fumbling.

GO DOLPHINS!!!!

jlyell, I do believe we will have a top 5 defense this year but it will be so with Starks in there playing his part. Your point about the red zone I agree with--we are still in trouble based on what I've seen thus far. It's like we trying to pass through a mine field. We are too tentative once we reach the end zone, too timid and too shy. Our coaches need to study those teams that make it look easy and emulate similar plays with similar players. TC is right--no fumbles and dropped passes.

If we could trade Starks for a legit starting pass catching TE, I would do it yesterday.... Clay did not have a very good game last night and I like the guy... But las night gave me serious doubts.... I hope he just had a bad night... Because he was no threat in the redzone at all...

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All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Nietzsche

I'd like to think we have a top 5 defense Colonel but just like last year, I saw the pass rushers coming in with their hands below their shoulders.

I preached about it last year and it was one of the coaching flaws I bitched about.

Your pass rushers need to keep their hands up in order to get batted balls BUT AT THE VERY LEAST disrupt the quarterback's vision.

That's high school.


Particularly if the pocket is breaking down, the guy is gonna get rid of the ball and by that time, the receiver may be breaking open and the QB is watching which way he is breaking in order to make the desperation throw.

You need to keep you arms up in the QB's face to block his vision.

I'm a little bit more impressed that we have are doing better on run defense when last year we were about 15th. We were even worse on pass defense last year and that's not my point to compare the two relatively but I'm seeing improvement in run defense.

We must be the only team in the NFL that does not know the play action pass at the goal line is money in the bank for a TD.

Clay runs crappy routes. I could run better ones, it is not that difficult. How an NFL receiver cannot run routes just amazes me.

We have only seen about 40-50% of the offense. Very vanilla so far. We will be scoring from deeper on the field this year so that will help by not being in the red zone.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Bottom line -- its up to the coitusback.

Score more points. Win more games.

So far I see "signs" we could score more than last year -- but I'm not expecting our O to resemble a pinball machine...

In addition -- so far Thill has proven zilch in terms of being clutch and winning the game when it really matters. Maybe he can do that. Maybe he can't. But that remains to be seen. And we have to be in a position to play really meaningful (pressure) games before we'll know.

Player Comp % Yards TDs Ints QBR 4th-quarter comebacks
Andrew Luck, Colts 51.7 996 5 6 65.0 Four
Robert Griffin III, Redskins 62.4 786 4 1 72.9 Three
Russell Wilson, Seahawks 58.9 684 6 1 63.8 Three
Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins 52.4 912 5 3 62.0 One

I wouldn't say "zilch" but the jury is DEFINITELY still out. Tannehill would have been tied with Russell Wilson if Carpenter makes two FG's.

4th quarter comebacks are no easy thing. Last year was an anomaly for rookie QB's and one that may never be repeated.

Kurt Warner has only 9 fouth quarter comebacks as does Matt Schaub. That's an average of 1.33 for Warner.

Other players more indicitive of the stat (9) are Brian Griese, Jay Fiedler, Elvis Grbac, Doug Flutie...

Players at another level are guys in the 16 range....Troy Aikman, Bob Griese, Rich Gannon, Joe Namath, Neil O'Donnell, Earl Morrall. Matt Ryan already has 16.

Steve Young only had 14 for his career and Roger Staubach had 15. That's one a year for Young unless you figure in the 5 years he sat the bench.

Go to another level for guys with 20-29 and you have Drew Brees (20), Drew Bledsoe (24), Ben Roethlisberger (22), Warren Moon (26), Tom Brady (26), Vinny Testeverde (29).

Then you have the crem de la crem in the 30 plus club...

Peyton Manning 38 1998-2012 2TM View Comebacks
2. Dan Marino+ 36 1983-1999 mia View Comebacks
3. John Elway+ 35 1983-1998 den View Comebacks
4. Joe Montana+ 31 1979-1994 2TM View Comebacks
5. Fran Tarkenton+ 30 1961-1978 2TM View Comebacks
5. Brett Favre 30 1991-2010 4TM View Comebacks

So you see....Even Marino only averaged about 2.1 for his career. It's not like Andrew Luck is going to average 4 per year or even RG3 with 3.

and Matt Ryan has averaged 3.2 per year which is way above average. Does that make him clutch? It's a tough stat to gauge as it may just mean your numbers are low because you have a good defense.

Time will tell but I can't wait to find out.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

"Clutch" is something you demonstrate on the field when it matters. Players either rise to the occasion or they don't.

Some dudes just find a way to win -- given they are in a legit position to make a win happen.

I'd take Marino and Montana as 2 examples of true clutch players. Of course that doesn't mean you're 100% successful. It just means you tend to get the job done when it's crunch time.

My larger point is -- Thill has not yet been exposed to the type of situation I feel exemplifies "clutch" performance in a high-pressure game -- like with the playoffs on the line...

We have to get into that position FIRST before he can demonstrate his ability to perform in a critical dynamic.

And you have to have players around you that can be clutch.

Matt Ryan has three of them.

Montana had 4 or so

Marino had 2 or 3 (except at the end)

Does Tannehill? Can Hartline, Wallace and Gibson be clutch?

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Good point. Can't disagree. The "team" aspect is precisely what does NOT show up in stats alone...

Go back to Archie Manning... In the right situation with the right surrounding cast and he's a multiple SB winner and probably the BEST QB of the Manning clan...

But back to Thill. The kid still is lacking in quality experience @QB and there's a chance he finds his "game" to the degree he can more actively WIN games as opposed to not losing and "facilitating a win."

I'm not sure he's got that kind of play-making upside and ruthless competitive drive.

eesti wrote: Does Tannehill? Can Hartline, Wallace and Gibson be clutch?


All three of them dropped passes sometime in the game against tampa...this can definetely be corrected. All three of them are very good receivers.

phins 2013....I say we are not going to miss dion jordan a bit if he can't play...

But id be nice if he can play....we are stocked on defense...Next year we need to go all offense in the entire draft.

OL TE and RB most of all...