Poll

Is our offense anemic, or are we saving the good stuff for the season?

Only registered users are allowed to vote for this poll.
23 votes were received.

Anemic	3		13%
We're in good shape offensively, Saving the good stuff	20		87%

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I am not impressed with what I've seen the last two games, nor in the offense overall.

1. Exhibit A 10-7 score vs. arguably one of the worst teams in the league Tampa, who will likely finish 5-11 at best:

- O-line got beaten soundly
- Defense got no pressure
- Both passing and running game was anemic

2. Exhibit B Fins average per pass play decreases every week, plus last two games combined only 20 points.

Your votes and thoughts pls?

I think we're saving "the good stuff" when it comes to new wildcat plays and passing overall.

BUT. I think our standard running game is in trouble. We should have been able to prove in preseason, without revealing any secrets, that we could pound the ball downfield on a grinding drive and score on running plays. That hasn't happened, so I'm worried about our running capabilities. I hope I'm wrong.

I have to agree JC.

It goes deeper than the running game however to me.

- By that I mean if you don't have a credible running threat from the base offense then, your passing game doesn't benefit as much from a play action threat to run.


Thus the Fin equivelent to a credible run for pass option may have to come off of the wildcat threat to run.

- That to me is a gimmick plan that while effective ... CAN NOT serve as a base offensive plan.

It all comes down to the O-Line. If we can't block up front we can't:

1. Get a push and make holes for the RBs
2. Pass block effectively to give the QB time to survey the field and complete the play (or allow the play to develop if it's a trick play)

We're not run or pass blocking effectively. I'm really getting worried at how Jake Long has gotten beat more than once in the preseason. I'm hoping that's fixable. The core group hasn't played together long enough, and, based on his interview after the game, Donald Thomas isn't 100% yet. I'm also wondering if Smiley is 100% recovered from HIS injury last year.

We've sunk a lot of money into the O-Line, and Sparano is an ex-O-Line coach. So, I'm really surprised we're not further along. My hats off to Hudson Houck. That man did amazing things with very little talent. I wish we had him now. I really wonder if it was a pride thing (the fact that Sparano was an ex-O-Line coach) that prompted the staff to let Houck go.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/04/2009 06:45AM by montequi.

I think that this whole preseason we just ran the blan basic to test where we are with our team. The goodies will come out in Atlanta.

I think we are saving the goods

We will see soon enought but this Sean Smith kid is impressive. It looks like he might be the real deal.

I think we're in good shape for the regular season in every aspect of the game except special teams. (good shape as opposed to great shape). No coach wants to get his best players hurt during preseason so, I think they held back alot. Isn't it about time for the predictions post. Who will do the honors?

ranger1 Wrote:
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> We will see soon enought but this Sean Smith kid
> is impressive. It looks like he might be the real
> deal.

Agreed. He didn't get the attention in college that others got because he played for Utah. I think we could easily be looking at a future Pro-Bowler. If he has a long career, who knows?

Hooligan2 Wrote:
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> I think we're in good shape for the regular season
> in every aspect of the game except special teams.
> (good shape as opposed to great shape). No coach
> wants to get his best players hurt during
> preseason so, I think they held back alot. Isn't
> it about time for the predictions post. Who will
> do the honors?

Well, I'm still concerned about the O-Line. They may take a couple games to gel.

I'm hoping we have saved the good stuff, but quite honestly expected much better basic O-line push and protection.

The worst of it in the last two games, when you'd like to think we are game planning (game 3 anyway) and gel-ing as an o-line, and QB receiver tandems.

Guess we're going to know soon enough

I am wondering what the heck is going on with Jake Long but he should be ok. I just hope he isn't concealing an injury or something.

Our offense is vanilla right now but we will open things up next week. The team hasn't really been game planning all that much and we are not going to tip our hand when we have to play every one of these teams in the regular season.

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

I agree, make them think that we suck THEN BAM BITCH'S! We run the score up on them!

The crazy thing is that we're winning preseason games with that offensive and ST performance.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2009 09:30AM by ghotirule.

Yes...because this team has a new mentality and refuses to lose. Thanks to Tony! That's why I think we fight through the tough schedule.

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

We need Brandon Marshall or Bolden. Give them Turner & a #2

This gives a legit playmaker and opens things up big time over the middle for Ginn & Bess, Camarillo & Hartline

We've had this discussion like a month ago, and we all agree it would be nice to nab one, but it's not going to happen.

I'm surprised that so many voted that we're holding back the good stuff. I don't think so. I think it's sensible to feel that what you see is what you get. Sure, they'll bring out the wildcat, that will throw teams off a bit, but our basic offense is a bologna sandwich, not a steak dinner.

And NOTHING in the offseason has changed that for the offensive unit. So why expect something different?

I will be cheering them on just as hard, and going "wow" when Penny pulls out yet another game by the skin of his teeth, but my expectations are not high, going in, for this offense. If they had brought in Bolden or someone, that would have been different.

Dolphin Sam wrote:
Sure, they'll bring out the wildcat, that will throw teams off a bit, but our basic offense is a bologna sandwich, not a steak dinner.

And NOTHING in the offseason has changed that for the offensive unit. So why expect something different?

*********

1. My thoughts on the difference is that we tried but did not emphasisze the WR passing options with Ginn having success

2. next game we droppped the wr passing and almost exclusively passed to RBs

3. Game 3 was a disaster, and a dissappointment in execution

4. I think bottom line that the pieces were tested, but the implementation of all were hopefully not mixed in one game.

- So Not just wildcat as a a change but a good balanced attack is what I'm hoping for where we mix in Passes to wr, wildcat, passes to rbs, end arounds, and running game.

Let's hope there is more than we've seen as the plan is mixed and implemented.

Why does everyone try and point out that the WC saved us last year. Like it is some miracle cure that has nothing to do with our offense.

It is part of the Miami Dolphin offense! It is part of the opposing d-coordinator's film study and they have to defend it and prepare for it whether we use it or not. Some of it hasn't even been seen yet.

It is not a separate entity. It is part of the package.

How can anyone think we are not holding back "the good stuff" this preseason? We did not run the spread that Sparano has talked about and we only showed plays in the WC that we used last year. Of course there is more that we haven't shown.

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

Eesti making valid points, hard to argue.

Well I'm reading more articles out now that shovels the stuff pretty high from Sparano and Pennington that Ginn will have a breakout year, and that they didn't see a need at all in using him in the preaseason! Hah!

Well if was me, and had no threat at WR for so long, and I thought Ginn was the answer, you can bet I'd be working him into plays as much as possible in the preseason, to get ready. But they feel they don't need to.

Sporano took us to 11.5 his first year! For that i'll trust is judgement.

Pls forgive the repost, as I posted this comment on another thread, I put it here again as a reference to the subject being discussed:

Both comments reflect that the wr good stuff was not strutted during the pre-season, but that the coaching staff and (more importantl;y) Pennington sees big improvement in Ted Ginn.

They showcased it one series, and tucked it away.

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Quotes from Sparano and pennington on Ted Ginn improvement:

• Dolphins officials believe Ted Ginn Jr. is ready to break out and didn't feel a need to get him a lot of offensive touches in the preseason (five catches). ``Most of the great receivers really come on in the third year,'' he said.

What changed from last year? ``He's doing an excellent job of route-running,'' Chad Pennington said. ``It's one thing to be fast. It's another thing to create separation. Those are two totally different things. In this league, you don't create separation just by speed. He's learning that. When he's coming out of breaks, he's got that separation now. I'm really happy where he is.''

Exactly! This staff loves to use the element of surprise. Everybody and their brother is going around saying Ginn is not a number one receiver and that he is never going to be...

I saw the changes in the one game mentioned and then they eased back with him.

This is the same FO that benched their prize FA addition last year (Wilford). Ginn is the only QR we have that has remained the number one and not even been tampered with. Do you really think they are going to show that kind of confidence in Ginn (a player they did not draft) if they have doubts about him?

God I can't wait for Sunday to start dispelling these myths perpetuated by the all knowing media.....

1. Ginn in not a true number one WR.
2. JT is not the same player and has lost a step.
3. Ronnie Brown is not a premiere back.
4. The WC is a farce.
5. Chad Pennington is not a top 20 QB.
6. Our passing game is too weak.
7. Chad can't utilize Ginn because of arm strength.
8. Our O-line is too weak.
9. The Pats are far superior to everyone.
10. The Dolphins can't be successful because their schedule is too difficult.
11. Last year was a fluke.

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

MiamiThunder Wrote:
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> You know they should post that up all over the
> locker room. Then finish by saying there a bunch a
> pussies. Man we would never loose.


Just #11 would suffice. Last year this team learned how to win a game rather than not-lose (which is what Wanny, Saban, and Cam were preaching).

Somehow we won pre-season games despite the vanilla performances(instilling winning attitude)

That means pretty decent D.

If the offense is the surprise that surfaces in game one, then how welcome it will be.

Hopefully we kept the good stuff including Ginn separation and an active wr game. if so the run, and short passes will only flourish more so.

Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer said in an interview that the Wildcat is just a fad. Ryan back tracked later after realizing that he plays Miami in a few days. lol. ROOKIE!

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