Who falls on the sword at 8-8? I firmly feel that until Philben and Coyle are replaced this is where this team stays. I hope this 8-8 season upgrades our HC and DC.

Another 8-8 season is very possible. The glaring inconsistency on D makes it so, IMO.

Come on guys. We will be lucky to achieve a 8-8 season. Our defense is pretend. I blame not having a true NT and a elite MLB as big causes but Coyle's lack of good planning and play calling is the main culprit for yet another .500 season. Add in the Philben is way over his head. Baltimore will beat us because they will out scheme us. I think we split with the Jets and barely beat Minn. No way we beat NE. I do not even advise watching that train wreck unfold. So I say we have a much higher chance to be 8-8 than any other record right now. Especially with Philben and Coyle at the helm.

If we are anything less than 10-6, which is most likely probable, the Dolphins should clean house.

Mediocrity is unacceptable. Philbins 3 year record would be below .500. Its flat out unacceptable.

---------------------

"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

One bad half against one of the leagues most prolific offenses and that makes our defense pretend? I do agree that we need a true NT and better LB play but to say this defense is pretend is a joke.

Grimey13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One bad half against one of the leagues most
> prolific offenses and that makes our defense
> pretend? I do agree that we need a true NT and
> better LB play but to say this defense is pretend
> is a joke.


I wish I could agree but in big games our defense tends to disappear also when we get a lead our defense almost always collapses against good offenses. When we blitz more they do better but when we stay in prevent we get smoked.

Aqua&Orange Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If we are anything less than 10-6, which is most
> likely probable, the Dolphins should clean house.
>
> Mediocrity is unacceptable. Philbins 3 year record
> would be below .500. Its flat out unacceptable.


Well said!! I agree whole heartily. 10-6/11-5 or bust and they need to go.

The only change I'd consider in the coaching staff would be Coyle. He needs to be much more agressive IMHO.

The team as a whole is playing the best football we have seen in Miami in quite a few seasons. We finally have a QB that is trending toward the top of the league and we finally have an offense that seems to be able to score points...on anyone. We've been very competitive with the very best teams in the league this year.

We are literally four or five plays away from being 9-2 right now. The players are playing hard and they like the coach, who despite his mistakes is starting to do a good job and we have a GM who seems to be able to find the players we need. We have more pieces in place right now than we have had since JJ was here.

Blowing up the team at the end of the season is not going to get us there...I'm as frustrated as anyone at our current 6-5 record but strarting over simply isn't the answer.

Not blowing up the team. Go get Harbaugh and find a DC.

DolphinsRmeFav Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not blowing up the team. Go get Harbaugh and find
> a DC.


I doubt we'd get harbaugh, and if his coming here costs us Hickey and Lazor than I don't want him.

If Philbin gets the axe then I'd promote Lazor to HC. That way we get continuity and stability on offense for the next however many years.

One of our defensive weaknesses is manning a prevent defense when facing a good QB with good receivers.

A team that is struggling offensively, where you want to challenge the struggling QB and receivers, a prevent defense may work. By doing this you're say, "okay, you gotta beat us."

Presenting a prevent defense to Manning, Brees, Brady and a couple of others is like shooting yourself in the foot. Coyle did just that in the Broncos game based on what I saw happen.

If one thinks about it, we were almost evenly matched offensively with the Broncos. Both teams earned touchdowns and points against the defensive of the other team. Despite losing, the Broncos defense gave up a heck of a lot of points to our offense. Their offensive was a tad better than our defense, and their defense was a tad better that our offense.

What was disappointing was our own expectations of just how good our D was game time versus what it really was against a very good team playing in their stadium.

We all hoped for a interception of Manning, or a couple of sacks, or stopping a passing team from accumulating over 167 yards running. We believed our defense was stout. However, the measure of effectiveness isn't a good indicator when we play teams with less than average ability. The measure must always be against the best teams.

We have a way to go defensively. We need superior players at LB. We have the talent at CB, but Coyle is holding when he should be betting. That means he needs to press the QB not allow the opposing QB to take control over Coyle's defense. A good defense,in my opinion, is an offensive one--one that stops at nothing--but doesn't incur penalties. Jimmy Wilson was a penalty machine on Sunday.

As for Harbaugh. Who knows what the heck is going on at SF. We missed our opportunity to get him years earlier and my thought is that door has closed. But, then again, you never know. Would he be willing to move across country, trade in Kaepernick for Tannehill? Start all over. Would we want another go round of new coaches, no offensive plays, new defensive plays and on and on and on? How many times can we rebuild the house? Would we expect too much too soon? Would we be calling for yet another HC or DC if we started losing like SF is doing. It's a Pandora's Box. A very big gamble--very risky business.

Here is the thing. Hicky and Lazor have both made boric or improvements to our team. Couple that with known terrible def and game management calls this team is s highly covenant coaching gig.

If Rex Ryan becomes available then sign him.

DolphinsRmeFav Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Come on guys. We will be lucky to achieve a 8-8
> season. Our defense is pretend. I blame not having
> a true NT and a elite MLB as big causes but
> Coyle's lack of good planning and play calling is
> the main culprit for yet another .500 season. Add
> in the Philben is way over his head. Baltimore
> will beat us because they will out scheme us. I
> think we split with the Jets and barely beat Minn.
> No way we beat NE. I do not even advise watching
> that train wreck unfold. So I say we have a much
> higher chance to be 8-8 than any other record
> right now. Especially with Philben and Coyle at
> the helm.

NT? We play a 4-3 defense. There IS NO NT in a 4-3. NTs play in the middle on a 3-4.

DolphinsRmeFav Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If Rex Ryan becomes available then sign him.


Rex Ryan Is a clown. I don't want this scrub on my team.

montequi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DolphinsRmeFav Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Come on guys. We will be lucky to achieve a 8-8
> > season. Our defense is pretend. I blame not
> having
> > a true NT and a elite MLB as big causes but
> > Coyle's lack of good planning and play calling
> is
> > the main culprit for yet another .500 season.
> Add
> > in the Philben is way over his head. Baltimore
> > will beat us because they will out scheme us. I
> > think we split with the Jets and barely beat
> Minn.
> > No way we beat NE. I do not even advise
> watching
> > that train wreck unfold. So I say we have a
> much
> > higher chance to be 8-8 than any other record
> > right now. Especially with Philben and Coyle at
> > the helm.
>
> NT? We play a 4-3 defense. There IS NO NT in a
> 4-3. NTs play in the middle on a 3-4.

Your right but you do not realize we don't simply play a straight 4-3. We do a lot of 3-4 and 5-2. I dm also correct that we do not have a true NT. We need one big run stuffer. We need a dominate NT. If you want to call him a DT if he plays a 4-3 scheme fine whatever.

Schemes based on the Mike Zimmer, one gap 4-3 defense, do employ a NT and a 3 technique. Domata Peko is the NT (or 1-technique) in that scheme with Geno Atkins as the 3T.

So, it is a NT. Just not a zero technique NT as in a 3-4.

dolphaholic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Harbaugh would probably cost us a 1st or 2nd rnd
> draft pick......no thanks. If (and thats a big IF)
> they move on from Philbin, I'd want Hickey to
> stick around and pick the new coach, and a name
> that intrigues me is Todd Bowles, he could retain
> Lazor and let him concentrate on the Off, and
> Bowles could put his stamp on the Def. Not sure if
> Bowles has heartburn of his last stint here, but
> I'm $ure Uncle $tephen Ro$$ can convince him to
> forgive and forget. Keeping Hickey would add some
> sense of stability and makes sure the new HC
> doesn't come in and gut the team to fit a new
> "system", plus I think he's earned that chance.

The problem with leaving Lazor at OC is that if he has another season like this next year some other team is going to make him their hc and we start over from square one.

I like Bowles but not so much that I'd risk losing Lazor. The single biggest factor in this team's success in the coming years is qb.

Continuity on that side of the ball is paramount if things are going well.

JoeFootball Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Schemes based on the Mike Zimmer, one gap 4-3
> defense, do employ a NT and a 3 technique. Domata
> Peko is the NT (or 1-technique) in that scheme
> with Geno Atkins as the 3T.
>
> So, it is a NT. Just not a zero technique NT as in
> a 3-4.


I know nothing about that but you sound like you do so I'll agree.

For many years under JJ and Wanny we played a 4-3 without a NT. That was the defense that won the Cowboys all those Superbowls in the 90's. You only need a NT if you have a weak MLB...which, I guess we do (since Misi is new to the position). When we had Zach Thomas, we didn't need a NT.

THE Truth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> dolphaholic Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Harbaugh would probably cost us a 1st or 2nd
> rnd
> > draft pick......no thanks. If (and thats a big
> IF)
> > they move on from Philbin, I'd want Hickey to
> > stick around and pick the new coach, and a name
> > that intrigues me is Todd Bowles, he could
> retain
> > Lazor and let him concentrate on the Off, and
> > Bowles could put his stamp on the Def. Not sure
> if
> > Bowles has heartburn of his last stint here,
> but
> > I'm $ure Uncle $tephen Ro$$ can convince him to
> > forgive and forget. Keeping Hickey would add
> some
> > sense of stability and makes sure the new HC
> > doesn't come in and gut the team to fit a new
> > "system", plus I think he's earned that chance.
>
> The problem with leaving Lazor at OC is that if he
> has another season like this next year some other
> team is going to make him their hc and we start
> over from square one.
>
> I like Bowles but not so much that I'd risk losing
> Lazor. The single biggest factor in this team's
> success in the coming years is qb.
>
> Continuity on that side of the ball is paramount
> if things are going well.

I like Bowles and Lazor but there is a huge difference between coordinator and HC. Philbin was the genius OC for 5 years before coming to Miami.

Lazor doesn't even have that resume and Coyle took over as HC while Joe was away. Not Lazor.

There was another young OC guru a few years ago that didn't fare too well as a HC. Josh McDaniels. And he was an OC for 3 years. problem was he didn't play well with others. Sounds similar to complaints about Lazor.

Joe Philbin is not the only reason we are losing. We still have 5 more games to play but I say keep JP and extend Lazor. Maybe in a few years if Philbin doesn't get us there, Lazor can take over.

I don't think he is ready yet.

Of course it will all depend on how we finish the season. If we get beat by the Jets then a reevaluation is needed.

We have had a lot of injuries this year and have held up pretty well for the most part considering. We just need another year to add personnel for starters as well as depth to make a real push, IMO.

Moreno, Albert, Will Davis, Arthur Lynch, Ellerbe, Michael Thomas just to name a few IR victims. Then you have Koa Misi, Finnegan, Pouncey and Jones out for a while. Charles Clay hurting all year.

I'm not for pulling the rug from under the player's if we go 8-8. Now that we have ironed out most of the issues w/ the O we need to focus on the D. Coyle wants his base defense to stop the opposition w/ out many tweaks. This does not always work, we need blitzes. As much as I was anti Philbin now I want to keep him and Lazor, Coyle can go.

I'm not a Coyle fan at all, but I will speak in his defense for this game as the LB position has been weak from day 1, and in this particular game he suffered the misfortune of his number 2 and 3 corners out/removed by injuries. I really disliked that he went to prevent zone against Manning and after everyone saw it wasn't working he failed to make the adjustment.

Actually, I have no clue why he chose to go with the scheme he went with for this game after Manning has proven time and time again to wreck zone defenses. There are definitely better defensive minds out there.

Coyle has no problem blitzing the week before. You blitz Manning too much and you are screwed. He still has Welker in the slot.

No DC is playing man to man with Walt Aikens and Lowell Rose as your #2 corner.

montequi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> samsam3738 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > DolphinsRmeFav Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > If Rex Ryan becomes available then sign him.
> >
> >
> > Rex Ryan Is a clown. I don't want this scrub on
> my
> > team.
>
> Then we can change the Dolphin theme to this:
>
> Circus Theme


LOL.

You blitz Manning without question, at least mix it up a lot.

sitting back in zone is certain death.

8-8 you almost have to get new head coach.

anything above that you keep.

As far as a NT I do believe we had Tim Bowens at NT when Zack was here. LB's just need to tackle better

We need to keep the status quo as far as coaches go. The only exception is if we replace Coyle.

What the team needs is dominate players at the following positions.

1. DT...one that can also pass rush at a high level as well as stop the run.

2. LB...one that can cover a TE, rush the passer and stop the run.

3. CB...one with size and pass coverage skills.

4. WR...one with size, speed, phyisicality and athleticism.

5. OL...one more high quality starter and more quality depth.

6. TE...need a Gronk kind of pass catcher.

I would go with the CB and LB first.

A big TE would be nice. Sims is looking decent.