Defense:
-Great three and out by the D to start the game and set the tempo. Ayodele, who I am already growing to love, had a great tackle, and Michael Lehan, back from injury (though he would hurt himself again in this one) also had a nice stop.
-The neutral zone infraction call on Joey Porter was absolute bullshit. It was horrible acting by the Patriots lineman, moving what seemed like eight seconds after Porter, and should have been an offensive penalty, which coupled with the other one would have led to 1st and 20.
-On one sequence, Porter had a first down sack, proving once again that he cannot be blocked by a tight end. Then, Merling got in there for another one, and on third down there was nice pressure and Starks came up with a well deserved pick in the red zone. Great work, and also credit Renaldo Hill's secondary for not giving Cassel anywhere to throw the football. There were no huge breakdowns on this day.
-On the Patriots drive at the end of the 1st quarter, they could only move the ball through trickery and meaningless penalties. The Dolphins really looked like the better team after one period, and Ayodele, Bell and the D looked great.
-As early as the second quarter I was already pleased with the way the defense was hitting and tackling, playing very physically. Will Allen and Yeremiah Bell had two more great tackles to force a field goal.
-Midway through the 2nd, Hill made a great break on a ball, but dropped the interception. The good news for the Dolphins was that even though Welker came up with it, he was tackled and the Patriots were held to a field goal, so the Dolphins actually got a relative break in terms of how things usually go for this team recently.
-Though I can take when a DB has great coverage and drops the pick, that wasn't the case when Goodman had bad coverage and dropped a ball that was nevertheless thrown right at him. I have not been happy with his play this year, and he needs to pick it up or else a healthy Lehan will challenge him for his role.
-The blitz packages the Dolphins used all day were a good design and very effective. It appears that the Dolphins are starting to really grasp this defense.
-The Dolphins beat the hell out of Cassel and Welker all day, really making them feel every hit. Also, I can't say enough about how Randy Starks has really been a great role players this year.
-The Pats got their touchdown, but it was really a special teams score. Cassel made a nice throw on 4th down and Welker had a trademark clever play running around the official to get open, but I would really like to direct Jabar Gaffney to the scoreboard after his little celebration.
-Our dime package has a really nice design with Porter, Merling, Starks, and Anderson all down on the line. It gives us enough beef, but some really athletic guys to go after the quarterback. Also, it is another package towards getting the right personnel mix up front to keep everybody fresh throughout the game and season.
-Joey Porter was an absolute terror, backing up his mouth with three huge sacks and a forced fumble. It's amazing how misused he was last year and how good he is at the Will.
-Renaldo Hill deserved when he actually did pick the ball off late in the game, but Holliday got screwed over on an iffy roughing call. It seems like he always has the penalty that doesn't look like much, and Hill's second should-have-been pick shows you the type of position he was in all day long.
The Dolphins had a great defensive day against the Patriots, frustrating them all over the field. Up front, the rotation was sound, but the guys you have to be really excited about are Merling and Langford, who will be holding those positions down for years. Akin Ayodele has likewise been excellent, but he and Crowder will be tested against LT, Gates, and the Chargers. On the outside, you've got to be so impressed with Matt Roth's development as an outside linebacker, and Joey Porter is really something to behold when he is on.
Still, the big improvement was in the secondary. All of the sudden, with Hill and Bell healthy back there, the safeties look pretty darn good. I hope Lehan can get healthy to help Allen and Goodman out at corner, but the other added piece of good news from Hill stepping in at safety is that Crocker and Jason Allen can focus on their cornerbacking skills a bit more over the bye week to add some more depth.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Special Teams:
Our glaring weakness against the Patriots, and probably the only phase of the game where we really got beat was our kick coverage. It has been bad all year, and it was especially bad this week. A lot of work needs to be done there, as it is our glaring weakness heading into the bye.
Besides that, Fields and Carpenter are kicking the ball pretty well. Bess hasn't done much of anything with the return game, though, and I'd really like to see Teddy Ginn get a shot back there. Ginn has shown that he can be an explosive returner, even at the NFL level. There is really no reason that he shouldn't be given the opportunity to be a difference maker for us.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Dolphins vs. Patriots - Offensive Rundown
-Early on, though it was a free play, Ted Ginn dropped a catchable ball. Free play or not, he has got to do a better job or the coaches will never develop confidence in him.
-Great drive to put that first touchdown on the board. Fasano and Camarillo are coming on as real weapons for this team who figure to be around for the long haul, and it appears that Henning and Co. are figuring out how to use them. If Fasano keeps showing this ability to get open, teams are going to have to devote more attention from linebackers or safeties on him. That could open things up for the running game a bit, as it appeared to against the Patriots, but I suspect that more teams will try to handle him with the secondary, challenging the Dolphin receivers to step up.
-As for the play to punch it in, this was our first of many experiences with the Wildcat formation. I noted at the time that it was a nice bit of creativity, and Ronnie Brown said after the game that the Patriots had no idea what to do against it. It must have been a welcome sight for everybody in the NFL to see Rodney Harrison and the Patriots scratching their heads and running around in circles. I enjoyed seeing Mr. Cheapshot getting destroyed all day, whether it was in the Wildcat, base, or any other package the Dolphins through at him.
-Early in the 2nd quarter, Pennington was 5/7 for 100 yards. For a guy who has struggled to keep his yards per attempt high this year, especially early in games, this kind of statistical efficiency is very encouraging.
-The Dolphins officially started to look like a football team this year when they scored their 2nd touchdown of the day. Ronnie took the 3rd down carry for a 1st down and way more behind great blocks by Jake Long and David Martin. Long had a coming out party, consistently blocking the stellar Patriots defensive linemen in one-on-one situations all day, and Martin is making the two tight end set for the Fins awfully hard to ignore.
-TD #3 for RB the RB! Even before halftime, my thoughts were clear about the Wildcat, as I had written in my notebook, "I like the design, but the real story is that we are beating the hell out of the Pats up front."
-One thing that the Dolphins did against the Patriots, including on the plays from the Wildcat formation, was use an unbalanced offensive line very effectively. They took Jake Long and moved him across the line next to Vernon Carey, giving the Dolphins a lot of beef on that right side. I've already mentioned how great Jake Long executed all day, but you've got to give a lot of credit to the coaching staff on this one. They put the players into a perfect position to play to their strengths and be successful, and those guys really dominated out of that formation. Instead of putting their heads down after Donald Thomas' injury, the coaches put their heads together, and special things happen when creativity meets execution.
-It cannot be overstated enough, especially because of the amount of attention that the media put on the Wildcat, that everything the Dolphins did against the Patriots worked. Everything. Screens, two running back sets with Brown and Williams in the game together, two tight end sets, Pennington played well, position players played well, Jake Long was a monster, and the list goes on. Even Ikechuku Ndukwe, who had a rough first day filling in for Donald Thomas, but worked his butt off including staying up the entire Sunday night after the Arizona game with Tony Sparano, was much improved. It was a dominating team effort, no matter the formation.
-That said, I give an A+++ to Dan Henning, and as it turned out, David Lee, who suggested using the Wildcat, as he did with Darren McFadden at Arkansas. Four total touchdowns out of the Wildcat package, and I loved Ronnie's left throw on the third. Here is a video where David Lee discusses the basics of the package. It seems that we have merely scratched the surface.
-Back to the game commentary, and I fear I am being redundant, but the Dolphins really didn't do a whole lot against the Patriots. They just did it very well. Although the Wildcat was a new wrinkle, with the exception of that the Dolphins actually simplified things a great deal. The team responded to it, and it payed off.
-By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins were really running at will against the Patriots. They knew exactly what was coming, but we were still getting huge gains on 1st down. Long was spectacular.
-Another great run, this time for 62 yards and a score, and Ronnie Brown had himself one hell of a day. The Patriots had to be embarrassed at this point by the way the Dolphins couldn't help but score more. It was like an outmatched high school game.
To sum up on O, it was the incredible execution out of a simplified attack, with a little added sparkle from the Wildcat, that got things done against the Pats. I always say that it all starts up front, and I can confidently say that each individual offensive lineman had their best day of the young season. The line won man-on-man battles against a great defensive line, and as they continue to jell, Jake Long and company look scary.
Chad Pennington was a stellar 17-20 for 226 yards in one of the best performances by a Dolphins QB since the days of Dan, Ronnie Brown is back in a big way, and Ricky Williams quietly (you get a feeling he likes it that way) approached 100 yards off the bench. Fasano is looking like a budding star, David Martin is making it tough to keep him off the field, and the offensive coaches all did a terrific job. Camarillo is filling the shoes of another 83 quite well, and the only real question mark after this game remained that of Ted Ginn, but I get the feeling that as the team gets better, it will be easier to develop a role for him in the offense. You need to get it done up front before you can on the edges, and though he isn't the guy to make a bad offense good, maybe he'll be able to put a good offense over the edge in some games.
-Great drive to put that first touchdown on the board. Fasano and Camarillo are coming on as real weapons for this team who figure to be around for the long haul, and it appears that Henning and Co. are figuring out how to use them. If Fasano keeps showing this ability to get open, teams are going to have to devote more attention from linebackers or safeties on him. That could open things up for the running game a bit, as it appeared to against the Patriots, but I suspect that more teams will try to handle him with the secondary, challenging the Dolphin receivers to step up.
-As for the play to punch it in, this was our first of many experiences with the Wildcat formation. I noted at the time that it was a nice bit of creativity, and Ronnie Brown said after the game that the Patriots had no idea what to do against it. It must have been a welcome sight for everybody in the NFL to see Rodney Harrison and the Patriots scratching their heads and running around in circles. I enjoyed seeing Mr. Cheapshot getting destroyed all day, whether it was in the Wildcat, base, or any other package the Dolphins through at him.
-Early in the 2nd quarter, Pennington was 5/7 for 100 yards. For a guy who has struggled to keep his yards per attempt high this year, especially early in games, this kind of statistical efficiency is very encouraging.
-The Dolphins officially started to look like a football team this year when they scored their 2nd touchdown of the day. Ronnie took the 3rd down carry for a 1st down and way more behind great blocks by Jake Long and David Martin. Long had a coming out party, consistently blocking the stellar Patriots defensive linemen in one-on-one situations all day, and Martin is making the two tight end set for the Fins awfully hard to ignore.
-TD #3 for RB the RB! Even before halftime, my thoughts were clear about the Wildcat, as I had written in my notebook, "I like the design, but the real story is that we are beating the hell out of the Pats up front."
-One thing that the Dolphins did against the Patriots, including on the plays from the Wildcat formation, was use an unbalanced offensive line very effectively. They took Jake Long and moved him across the line next to Vernon Carey, giving the Dolphins a lot of beef on that right side. I've already mentioned how great Jake Long executed all day, but you've got to give a lot of credit to the coaching staff on this one. They put the players into a perfect position to play to their strengths and be successful, and those guys really dominated out of that formation. Instead of putting their heads down after Donald Thomas' injury, the coaches put their heads together, and special things happen when creativity meets execution.
-It cannot be overstated enough, especially because of the amount of attention that the media put on the Wildcat, that everything the Dolphins did against the Patriots worked. Everything. Screens, two running back sets with Brown and Williams in the game together, two tight end sets, Pennington played well, position players played well, Jake Long was a monster, and the list goes on. Even Ikechuku Ndukwe, who had a rough first day filling in for Donald Thomas, but worked his butt off including staying up the entire Sunday night after the Arizona game with Tony Sparano, was much improved. It was a dominating team effort, no matter the formation.
-That said, I give an A+++ to Dan Henning, and as it turned out, David Lee, who suggested using the Wildcat, as he did with Darren McFadden at Arkansas. Four total touchdowns out of the Wildcat package, and I loved Ronnie's left throw on the third. Here is a video where David Lee discusses the basics of the package. It seems that we have merely scratched the surface.
-Back to the game commentary, and I fear I am being redundant, but the Dolphins really didn't do a whole lot against the Patriots. They just did it very well. Although the Wildcat was a new wrinkle, with the exception of that the Dolphins actually simplified things a great deal. The team responded to it, and it payed off.
-By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Dolphins were really running at will against the Patriots. They knew exactly what was coming, but we were still getting huge gains on 1st down. Long was spectacular.
-Another great run, this time for 62 yards and a score, and Ronnie Brown had himself one hell of a day. The Patriots had to be embarrassed at this point by the way the Dolphins couldn't help but score more. It was like an outmatched high school game.
To sum up on O, it was the incredible execution out of a simplified attack, with a little added sparkle from the Wildcat, that got things done against the Pats. I always say that it all starts up front, and I can confidently say that each individual offensive lineman had their best day of the young season. The line won man-on-man battles against a great defensive line, and as they continue to jell, Jake Long and company look scary.
Chad Pennington was a stellar 17-20 for 226 yards in one of the best performances by a Dolphins QB since the days of Dan, Ronnie Brown is back in a big way, and Ricky Williams quietly (you get a feeling he likes it that way) approached 100 yards off the bench. Fasano is looking like a budding star, David Martin is making it tough to keep him off the field, and the offensive coaches all did a terrific job. Camarillo is filling the shoes of another 83 quite well, and the only real question mark after this game remained that of Ted Ginn, but I get the feeling that as the team gets better, it will be easier to develop a role for him in the offense. You need to get it done up front before you can on the edges, and though he isn't the guy to make a bad offense good, maybe he'll be able to put a good offense over the edge in some games.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Dolphins 38 - Patriots 13
Wow.
What a win.
The story coming in was that the Dolphins had the daunting task of having to win in Foxboro to avoid being 0-3 going into the bye. The result was absolute domination and a whole new division in the AFC East. The Patriots had won 21 straight regular season games, and the Dolphins had lost 20 of 21 over that same time. However, the fact of the matter now is that over their last 23, the Patriots are 19-0 against the rest of the NFL and 2-2 against your Miami Dolphins.
Congratulations to Tony Sparano on a masterful first win. The Dolphins came out and executed, destroying the Patriots in all three phases of the game and again exposing their weaknesses. While the Wildcat formation was fun, it was simply a case of one team outplaying the other on this day, and I will go out on a limb here and say that even if Tom Brady had played, the Dolphins would still have won this game (would he have stopped those 38 points??).
Overall Notes:
-This coaching staff keeps proving they are adept at making adjustments and getting better from week to week. I noted as the game began that they were absolutely right to move Ronnie Brown and Renaldo Hill into the starting lineup this week, and just look at the results. With Ronnie, the five total touchdowns speak for itself. He was spectacular and proved that he is back in shape to be a superstar running back in the NFL. As for Hill, the secondary had to do something about all the breakdowns, so it made a change at its quarterback position. Hill is known as the best talker and communicator in the secondary, and thanks not only to his play, certainly an upgrade over Crocker's, but his knowledge and leadership, the secondary looked like a totally different unit against the Patriots.
-All day long, the Dolphins played like the team I was hoping for at the beginning of the year. We knew they wouldn't win every game, but at the very least I was hoping for a big, strong, young team that would come out and hit you, and boy did they hit you today. On both sides of the ball we played fast and strong, and you can bet the Patriots went home feeling the effects of this one, both physically and mentally. Let's keep punishing teams all year, so that when they go home they know, win or lose, that you better watch out for those Miami Dolphins in the years to come.
-Midway through the second quarter, when the Dolphins were already dominating the football game, Matt Cassel was 14-17. Make no mistake: Matt Cassel did not lose this game for the Patriots and Tom Brady would not have won it. The Dolphins simply outplayed the Patriots from start to finish on both sides of the ball.
-One thing I noticed that didn't really have much to do with the game was how the Patriots do such a good job of getting good players coming from bad teams. We have always known about the bevy of former Dolphins who moved to New England, but what was really going on there is that the Patriots were grabbing players when their stock was low and they were cheap because of the situation they were in. The other part of why so many Dolphins are on the Pats is because they go after players who they see twice a year and pose problems for them. A great example of a player on the Patriots for these two reasons: Wes Welker.
-Can you imagine the nerve of those Bostonians to boo the Patriots after 21 straight wins and all the success they had?? Are you serious?? And to add insult to injury Ellis Hobbs called the fans spoiled after the game. He is absolutely right, but that's the type of thing you keep to yourself. Now both sides are annoyed with each other, and that is exactly what I love about the type of atmosphere they have up there.
-Oh yeah, and the exodus began with 14 minutes left in the game. Thank you, Boston. That was truly beautiful.
-Keep an eye on that "true" Patriot, Randy Moss. The most talented receiver in NFL history looked a bit bothered by his role in the game and the play of his quarterback. With Brady out, watch out for him to resort to some old ways in the coming weeks.
-One of the most impressive stats is that the Dolphins have only turned the ball over once this year, and it was on a desperation pass at the end of the Jets game. Credit Pennington, because although before this game he hadn't played great, he was brought to this team in part because of his ability to protect the football, and he has done just that. He had a terrific game against the Patriots, and as long as the Dolphins have him back there taking care of the rock, they will have a chance. It's nice to not have that nervousness every time the quarterback drops back, as we have had in years past.
What a win.
The story coming in was that the Dolphins had the daunting task of having to win in Foxboro to avoid being 0-3 going into the bye. The result was absolute domination and a whole new division in the AFC East. The Patriots had won 21 straight regular season games, and the Dolphins had lost 20 of 21 over that same time. However, the fact of the matter now is that over their last 23, the Patriots are 19-0 against the rest of the NFL and 2-2 against your Miami Dolphins.
Congratulations to Tony Sparano on a masterful first win. The Dolphins came out and executed, destroying the Patriots in all three phases of the game and again exposing their weaknesses. While the Wildcat formation was fun, it was simply a case of one team outplaying the other on this day, and I will go out on a limb here and say that even if Tom Brady had played, the Dolphins would still have won this game (would he have stopped those 38 points??).
Overall Notes:
-This coaching staff keeps proving they are adept at making adjustments and getting better from week to week. I noted as the game began that they were absolutely right to move Ronnie Brown and Renaldo Hill into the starting lineup this week, and just look at the results. With Ronnie, the five total touchdowns speak for itself. He was spectacular and proved that he is back in shape to be a superstar running back in the NFL. As for Hill, the secondary had to do something about all the breakdowns, so it made a change at its quarterback position. Hill is known as the best talker and communicator in the secondary, and thanks not only to his play, certainly an upgrade over Crocker's, but his knowledge and leadership, the secondary looked like a totally different unit against the Patriots.
-All day long, the Dolphins played like the team I was hoping for at the beginning of the year. We knew they wouldn't win every game, but at the very least I was hoping for a big, strong, young team that would come out and hit you, and boy did they hit you today. On both sides of the ball we played fast and strong, and you can bet the Patriots went home feeling the effects of this one, both physically and mentally. Let's keep punishing teams all year, so that when they go home they know, win or lose, that you better watch out for those Miami Dolphins in the years to come.
-Midway through the second quarter, when the Dolphins were already dominating the football game, Matt Cassel was 14-17. Make no mistake: Matt Cassel did not lose this game for the Patriots and Tom Brady would not have won it. The Dolphins simply outplayed the Patriots from start to finish on both sides of the ball.
-One thing I noticed that didn't really have much to do with the game was how the Patriots do such a good job of getting good players coming from bad teams. We have always known about the bevy of former Dolphins who moved to New England, but what was really going on there is that the Patriots were grabbing players when their stock was low and they were cheap because of the situation they were in. The other part of why so many Dolphins are on the Pats is because they go after players who they see twice a year and pose problems for them. A great example of a player on the Patriots for these two reasons: Wes Welker.
-Can you imagine the nerve of those Bostonians to boo the Patriots after 21 straight wins and all the success they had?? Are you serious?? And to add insult to injury Ellis Hobbs called the fans spoiled after the game. He is absolutely right, but that's the type of thing you keep to yourself. Now both sides are annoyed with each other, and that is exactly what I love about the type of atmosphere they have up there.
-Oh yeah, and the exodus began with 14 minutes left in the game. Thank you, Boston. That was truly beautiful.
-Keep an eye on that "true" Patriot, Randy Moss. The most talented receiver in NFL history looked a bit bothered by his role in the game and the play of his quarterback. With Brady out, watch out for him to resort to some old ways in the coming weeks.
-One of the most impressive stats is that the Dolphins have only turned the ball over once this year, and it was on a desperation pass at the end of the Jets game. Credit Pennington, because although before this game he hadn't played great, he was brought to this team in part because of his ability to protect the football, and he has done just that. He had a terrific game against the Patriots, and as long as the Dolphins have him back there taking care of the rock, they will have a chance. It's nice to not have that nervousness every time the quarterback drops back, as we have had in years past.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Henne
If nothing else, one very exciting thing happened against the Cardinals. Chad Henne made his debut, and looked great leading the Dolphins on a long touchdown drive in his first during the NFL regular season. The breakdown:
-The first pass he threw was dropped. Receivers, please help the guy out.
-On his second throw you could see his laser-rocket arm (it was that good), threading the needle to, of all people, Derek Hagan.
-The third throw got to the sideline quickly. It's nice not to cringe every time your quarterback throws wide.
-He ran the hurry-up nicely. Very under control and in charge.
-Hagan makes another catch for a first down? Really? Maybe Henne really is good...
-He could use a little more touch on the short ball, but I'm not ready to nitpick quite yet.
-He made his life much easier with a nice fake on the draw play.
-Henne really looked like he made good decisions and threw the ball well, but we have to take everything with a grain of salt because the Cardinals do appear to be giving a bit of a cushion.
-On 3rd and 5 Henne did a nice job of feeling the backside pressure (is this guy a rookie?) and making a hot read, but Ronnie didn't break off of his wheel. The 4th down completion to Greg Camarillo really gives you a reason to smile as a Miami Dolphins fan.
-Ronnie made another mistake, dropping Henne's first TD pass on a less-than-perfect throw. However, Henne's first drive still did end with a TD. Yes.
Note: According to Sparano, Henne will play whenever the score is lopsided in either direction this year. This is good news and the right way to use him, because he should not be starting quite yet.
-The first pass he threw was dropped. Receivers, please help the guy out.
-On his second throw you could see his laser-rocket arm (it was that good), threading the needle to, of all people, Derek Hagan.
-The third throw got to the sideline quickly. It's nice not to cringe every time your quarterback throws wide.
-He ran the hurry-up nicely. Very under control and in charge.
-Hagan makes another catch for a first down? Really? Maybe Henne really is good...
-He could use a little more touch on the short ball, but I'm not ready to nitpick quite yet.
-He made his life much easier with a nice fake on the draw play.
-Henne really looked like he made good decisions and threw the ball well, but we have to take everything with a grain of salt because the Cardinals do appear to be giving a bit of a cushion.
-On 3rd and 5 Henne did a nice job of feeling the backside pressure (is this guy a rookie?) and making a hot read, but Ronnie didn't break off of his wheel. The 4th down completion to Greg Camarillo really gives you a reason to smile as a Miami Dolphins fan.
-Ronnie made another mistake, dropping Henne's first TD pass on a less-than-perfect throw. However, Henne's first drive still did end with a TD. Yes.
Note: According to Sparano, Henne will play whenever the score is lopsided in either direction this year. This is good news and the right way to use him, because he should not be starting quite yet.
Odds and Ends
-The Cardinals elected to differ to start the game. I wonder how often we can expect to see teams differ this year.
-Bess is still the kick returner, and he really hasn't done much there. While he has impressed at times this year, he has not shown great ability returning kickoffs. Last year, Ginn masked the weaknesses of one of the worst special teams units in NFL history with his god-given speed and return ability and had a solid year back there. With the explosiveness he showed (especially if you take away those two penalties) combined with his preseason punt return touchdown, I'm not sure if you can justify him not being in there.
-Credit Warner for getting rid of the ball quickly when Miami blitzed, but you've got to question the coaches for not coming after him more throughout the game. It became clear pretty early that the Dolphins were not going to win by covering these receivers and shutting them down. Getting after Warner and forcing him to drop the ball (as he has been prone to do) should have been the strategy that Miami stuck with.
-I have always respected Pennington, even when he used to kill us, and a large reason for that is because he has always carried out such fantastic fakes. He makes every run, boot, and play action play work so much better because he focuses on such a simple part of the game, takes pride in it, and trusts the design. I was so excited to have him on this team for that reason, especially because I hoped it would rub off on Henne. However, I have been sorely disappointed this year because he seems to have forgotten a part of his game which made him so great. I hope he can fix it.
-Randy Starks had quietly played very well so far this year.
-Instead of having the ball on their own 37 after a missed field goal, the Dolphins gave the Cardinals the ball back for having 12 men on the field. A questionable interference call on Goodman later, the Cardinals had first and goal on the one. Still, the Dolphins had a chance at holding the Cards to three with a sack on 3rd and goal, but Langford brought Warner down by his facemask. The Dolphins literally gave the Cardinals seven points.
-Facemask aside, that was Langford's second sack in as many games into his career. He is a terror and a freak, and he seems to only be scratching the surface on his potential. He and Merling are something to be excited about.
-Back to the negatives: why is it that we always seem to come out so flat? We almost never score first, and it took a 24 point deficit against the Cardinals for there to be any sense of urgency.
-The Dolphins didn't tackle anybody all day long. We are simply a bad tackling team right now.
-On that topic, the Dolphins really aren't doing much of anything that I expected them to be doing coming into the year. I expected, if nothing else, a young, strong, hard-hitting team. Even if we lost, I expected teams to go home feeling the effects and knowing that the Dolphins will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Unfortunately, right now we are not a strong team at all, and we are not hitting anybody in the mouth. Very poor, and very frustrating. As a fan, it's actually quite miserable. Looking over Jim Mandich's article for the Week 1 Dolphin Digest entitled "Dolphins are fun again" makes me long for the days when everything looked like it was falling into place in the preseason.
-Bess is still the kick returner, and he really hasn't done much there. While he has impressed at times this year, he has not shown great ability returning kickoffs. Last year, Ginn masked the weaknesses of one of the worst special teams units in NFL history with his god-given speed and return ability and had a solid year back there. With the explosiveness he showed (especially if you take away those two penalties) combined with his preseason punt return touchdown, I'm not sure if you can justify him not being in there.
-Credit Warner for getting rid of the ball quickly when Miami blitzed, but you've got to question the coaches for not coming after him more throughout the game. It became clear pretty early that the Dolphins were not going to win by covering these receivers and shutting them down. Getting after Warner and forcing him to drop the ball (as he has been prone to do) should have been the strategy that Miami stuck with.
-I have always respected Pennington, even when he used to kill us, and a large reason for that is because he has always carried out such fantastic fakes. He makes every run, boot, and play action play work so much better because he focuses on such a simple part of the game, takes pride in it, and trusts the design. I was so excited to have him on this team for that reason, especially because I hoped it would rub off on Henne. However, I have been sorely disappointed this year because he seems to have forgotten a part of his game which made him so great. I hope he can fix it.
-Randy Starks had quietly played very well so far this year.
-Instead of having the ball on their own 37 after a missed field goal, the Dolphins gave the Cardinals the ball back for having 12 men on the field. A questionable interference call on Goodman later, the Cardinals had first and goal on the one. Still, the Dolphins had a chance at holding the Cards to three with a sack on 3rd and goal, but Langford brought Warner down by his facemask. The Dolphins literally gave the Cardinals seven points.
-Facemask aside, that was Langford's second sack in as many games into his career. He is a terror and a freak, and he seems to only be scratching the surface on his potential. He and Merling are something to be excited about.
-Back to the negatives: why is it that we always seem to come out so flat? We almost never score first, and it took a 24 point deficit against the Cardinals for there to be any sense of urgency.
-The Dolphins didn't tackle anybody all day long. We are simply a bad tackling team right now.
-On that topic, the Dolphins really aren't doing much of anything that I expected them to be doing coming into the year. I expected, if nothing else, a young, strong, hard-hitting team. Even if we lost, I expected teams to go home feeling the effects and knowing that the Dolphins will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Unfortunately, right now we are not a strong team at all, and we are not hitting anybody in the mouth. Very poor, and very frustrating. As a fan, it's actually quite miserable. Looking over Jim Mandich's article for the Week 1 Dolphin Digest entitled "Dolphins are fun again" makes me long for the days when everything looked like it was falling into place in the preseason.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Fins offensive breakdown by position
Offensive Line:
Normally, a position by position breakdown would start with analysis of the quarterback, but the offense begins up front, and against the Cardinals the offense never got started. Losing Donald Thomas is tough, but shit happens in the NFL and the line wasn't performing even when he was in there.
We knew it would be a process with the line, but now it is clearer than ever that until this unit starts to jell, the Dolphins are going to have a lot of trouble moving the ball. EK is in there now at right guard, and he is working hard to get better. As for accountability, Samson Satele is no longer a rookie, and as the center and leader of this unit, he needs to step up and play better, or else Sparano will have a very quick leash in finding somebody bigger and stronger who can make the line calls.
Running Back:
Hooray Tony Sparano for fixing one of his biggest bonehead mistakes from week 1 and keeping Ricky and Ronnie on the field more. I was happy to see Ronnie Brown in on a lot of 3rd downs, and I was even happier to see our two best playmakers on the field together a few times. There was cleverness splitting them in the backfield in double tight, and I really liked running a double screen with both of them in there. Now that we've got them both in the game, we need to find a way to get them going. See "Line, Offensive."
Receivers:
As we know, this unit is bad. However, if there is one person playing well right now for the Miami Dolphins, it is Wes Welker himself, Greg Camarillo. The kid is a stud.
Unfortunately, beyond that the future looks bleak for the wideouts. Of Ginn, Hagan, and Wilford, we really needed at least one of them to pan out. Hagan and Wilford are laughable right now. Congratulations for getting Wilford in the game, but why was he the intended receiver on the longest passing play we attempted all day? What happened to "finding roles" for each receiver? The Dolphins are actually better off with him on the inactive list right now. I don't understand the obsession with the fade pass. It is a low percentage play. Find another way to get the ball in the end zone, preferably one that employs this team's strengths.
As for Ginn, he earned his doctorate in invisibility against the Cardinals. Without him on the return team, and with Beck sitting in the 3rd string role, last year's draft is already starting to look like a disaster of Ryan Leaf-like proportions. I still hold out hope for Teddy, but things reached rock bottom this week for him.
On the positive side, the tight ends did a nice job again today and David Martin is really proving his worth. We got them involved with a lot of double tight, so kudos to the coaches for that.
Quarterback:
I saved Mr. Pennington for last (Henne will get a separate column) because I want to be fair to him. Without the running game going anywhere or any receivers getting open, his job is awfully hard. However, he is just not doing a good enough job right now. With his physical limitations, he needs to make good reads, take what the defense gives him, and get the ball out on time. He is not doing a really good job at any of those tasks right now, and this team is suffering.
By no means am I advocating benching him. He needs to be the team's quarterback through these rough times, making up for some of the team's inevitable mistakes with his savvy. However, right now he is only exacerbating problems, with a perfect example being when Jake Long's protection could have been a little better and he decided to walk into the sack. He needs to pick the team up, and right now he is far from looking like the savior that walked onto the field in aqua and orange in the preseason.
Normally, a position by position breakdown would start with analysis of the quarterback, but the offense begins up front, and against the Cardinals the offense never got started. Losing Donald Thomas is tough, but shit happens in the NFL and the line wasn't performing even when he was in there.
We knew it would be a process with the line, but now it is clearer than ever that until this unit starts to jell, the Dolphins are going to have a lot of trouble moving the ball. EK is in there now at right guard, and he is working hard to get better. As for accountability, Samson Satele is no longer a rookie, and as the center and leader of this unit, he needs to step up and play better, or else Sparano will have a very quick leash in finding somebody bigger and stronger who can make the line calls.
Running Back:
Hooray Tony Sparano for fixing one of his biggest bonehead mistakes from week 1 and keeping Ricky and Ronnie on the field more. I was happy to see Ronnie Brown in on a lot of 3rd downs, and I was even happier to see our two best playmakers on the field together a few times. There was cleverness splitting them in the backfield in double tight, and I really liked running a double screen with both of them in there. Now that we've got them both in the game, we need to find a way to get them going. See "Line, Offensive."
Receivers:
As we know, this unit is bad. However, if there is one person playing well right now for the Miami Dolphins, it is Wes Welker himself, Greg Camarillo. The kid is a stud.
Unfortunately, beyond that the future looks bleak for the wideouts. Of Ginn, Hagan, and Wilford, we really needed at least one of them to pan out. Hagan and Wilford are laughable right now. Congratulations for getting Wilford in the game, but why was he the intended receiver on the longest passing play we attempted all day? What happened to "finding roles" for each receiver? The Dolphins are actually better off with him on the inactive list right now. I don't understand the obsession with the fade pass. It is a low percentage play. Find another way to get the ball in the end zone, preferably one that employs this team's strengths.
As for Ginn, he earned his doctorate in invisibility against the Cardinals. Without him on the return team, and with Beck sitting in the 3rd string role, last year's draft is already starting to look like a disaster of Ryan Leaf-like proportions. I still hold out hope for Teddy, but things reached rock bottom this week for him.
On the positive side, the tight ends did a nice job again today and David Martin is really proving his worth. We got them involved with a lot of double tight, so kudos to the coaches for that.
Quarterback:
I saved Mr. Pennington for last (Henne will get a separate column) because I want to be fair to him. Without the running game going anywhere or any receivers getting open, his job is awfully hard. However, he is just not doing a good enough job right now. With his physical limitations, he needs to make good reads, take what the defense gives him, and get the ball out on time. He is not doing a really good job at any of those tasks right now, and this team is suffering.
By no means am I advocating benching him. He needs to be the team's quarterback through these rough times, making up for some of the team's inevitable mistakes with his savvy. However, right now he is only exacerbating problems, with a perfect example being when Jake Long's protection could have been a little better and he decided to walk into the sack. He needs to pick the team up, and right now he is far from looking like the savior that walked onto the field in aqua and orange in the preseason.
Cardinals 31 - Dolphins 10 (Main Story: The Secondary)
Ugly, ugly afternoon for the Miami Dolphins. Hopefully, the Cardinals are a very good team this year, but what made the game so difficult to watch is that we have to confront the very sobering possibility that the Dolphins again are a very bad football team. I hope not, and I really think that the team is better than it showed, but this game was scary.
THE SECONDARY:
There is no way around it. The defensive backs were absolutely putrid against the Cardinals. The Dolphins defensive backfield hasn't looked so outmatched since, well, last year against Randy Moss and the Patriots (guess where the Dolphins are headed next). To start the game there was an unacceptable breakdown by Crocker, our free safety because supposedly he is less prone to mistakes, which led to Dave Wannstedt's favorite, Anquan Boldin, getting an easy long touchdown. Then, minutes later Larry Fitzgerald beats Will "look mom, no hands" Allen, breaks free from him and Crocker, and the game is already over.
It really makes you wonder what the Trifecta was thinking in bringing back the same group of corners from last year. Even though Will Allen had a career year, the corners clearly were not good enough as a unit. Allen is certainly a starter, but probably a #2 corner in the NFL (thanks in large part to his hands), and none of the other guys really belong starting in the NFL. Goodman is a solid nickel-back (who you can always count on for an iffy but backbreaking PI call), not an every down guy, and we really can't be sure what we have with Lehan. Yet, the big three claimed to be satisfied with what they had back there, and this is the result.
My hypothesis is that what really happened is that Parcells and company were more concerned with building this team up front this year, and that's exactly what they did. They (hopefully) understood that the secondary and wide receivers would be raw this year, but calculated that it was worth it to build for the future. After all, games are won and lost up front, primarily. As you can see from my above calculations, this unit needs an ace. The Dolphins are a #1 corner away from having the right personnel in the secondary.
Nevertheless, besides personnel, you cannot have breakdowns. With that, I transition the discussion to being of the safeties. First off, at strong safety we are set. As long as Yeremiah Bell, even though he didn't have his best game, can stay healthy, he is a great player for our football team. However, at free safety we now have questions. The free safety needs to be the quarterback of the secondary, the man who is responsible for preventing the types of breakdowns we saw against the Cardinals (say it with me: safe-ty). Crocker was back there, and to be honest I've already seen enough of him. He was absolutely terrible, missing calls and tackles. It was easy to see why even a bad team let him go.
While I hope he can recover from his neck injury (another great lesson in why you don't put your head down when you tackle), I hope we see somebody else starting at free safety against the Patriots. I would even rather see mistake-prone Jason Allen back there than Crocker, because at least he has shown some physical ability, and with the progress he made last year at the spot, maybe he could develop into a real player for us this year. However, when Crocker had to leave the game, it was not Allen who replaced him, it was Renaldo Hill. Although it does not bode well for Jason Allen in the long term, I was happy to see that Hill already jumped him on the depth chart because I think he is our guy right now at free safety. Before he was injured last year in a game I still have nightmares about, he had played fairly well all season (at least comparatively to some others on the team). Crocker's play so far has made me long for the days with Hill back there, so I think that's an easy change going into week three.
One final note about the secondary: look for Michael Lehan to get in there this week. I'm not sure about the status of his health, but there are those who think he has some real upside, and while we have to make do with what we have on the roster, let's hope to see a budding playmaker.
THE SECONDARY:
There is no way around it. The defensive backs were absolutely putrid against the Cardinals. The Dolphins defensive backfield hasn't looked so outmatched since, well, last year against Randy Moss and the Patriots (guess where the Dolphins are headed next). To start the game there was an unacceptable breakdown by Crocker, our free safety because supposedly he is less prone to mistakes, which led to Dave Wannstedt's favorite, Anquan Boldin, getting an easy long touchdown. Then, minutes later Larry Fitzgerald beats Will "look mom, no hands" Allen, breaks free from him and Crocker, and the game is already over.
It really makes you wonder what the Trifecta was thinking in bringing back the same group of corners from last year. Even though Will Allen had a career year, the corners clearly were not good enough as a unit. Allen is certainly a starter, but probably a #2 corner in the NFL (thanks in large part to his hands), and none of the other guys really belong starting in the NFL. Goodman is a solid nickel-back (who you can always count on for an iffy but backbreaking PI call), not an every down guy, and we really can't be sure what we have with Lehan. Yet, the big three claimed to be satisfied with what they had back there, and this is the result.
My hypothesis is that what really happened is that Parcells and company were more concerned with building this team up front this year, and that's exactly what they did. They (hopefully) understood that the secondary and wide receivers would be raw this year, but calculated that it was worth it to build for the future. After all, games are won and lost up front, primarily. As you can see from my above calculations, this unit needs an ace. The Dolphins are a #1 corner away from having the right personnel in the secondary.
Nevertheless, besides personnel, you cannot have breakdowns. With that, I transition the discussion to being of the safeties. First off, at strong safety we are set. As long as Yeremiah Bell, even though he didn't have his best game, can stay healthy, he is a great player for our football team. However, at free safety we now have questions. The free safety needs to be the quarterback of the secondary, the man who is responsible for preventing the types of breakdowns we saw against the Cardinals (say it with me: safe-ty). Crocker was back there, and to be honest I've already seen enough of him. He was absolutely terrible, missing calls and tackles. It was easy to see why even a bad team let him go.
While I hope he can recover from his neck injury (another great lesson in why you don't put your head down when you tackle), I hope we see somebody else starting at free safety against the Patriots. I would even rather see mistake-prone Jason Allen back there than Crocker, because at least he has shown some physical ability, and with the progress he made last year at the spot, maybe he could develop into a real player for us this year. However, when Crocker had to leave the game, it was not Allen who replaced him, it was Renaldo Hill. Although it does not bode well for Jason Allen in the long term, I was happy to see that Hill already jumped him on the depth chart because I think he is our guy right now at free safety. Before he was injured last year in a game I still have nightmares about, he had played fairly well all season (at least comparatively to some others on the team). Crocker's play so far has made me long for the days with Hill back there, so I think that's an easy change going into week three.
One final note about the secondary: look for Michael Lehan to get in there this week. I'm not sure about the status of his health, but there are those who think he has some real upside, and while we have to make do with what we have on the roster, let's hope to see a budding playmaker.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Donald Thomas
As I'm sure everybody is aware, Donald Thomas has been placed on the IR and is lost for the season. This is a really horrible loss for the Dolphins, and we have to really hope that he rehabs well and gets back to form next year. The "Godsend" was a vital part of this young offensive line, a surprise last piece, completing the puzzle of finding the offensive line of the future. Now, however, it looks like Ike Ndukwe will be stepping into the starting lineup.
This loss hurts for a lot of reasons. First of all, Thomas looked like one of the strongest linemen in a Dolphins uniform for a long time. Jason Ferguson said he plays "heavy," probably one of the highest forms of praise from a nose tackle. Tony Sparano, the former offensive line coach, loved his fellow New Haven native. All this from a rookie 6th round pick, but even though he looked like a stud, what can we honestly expect from such a surprise next year if he never even got a chance to play his rookie season. Forget the Dolphins, you've got to hope that Donald Thomas returns for form for Donald Thomas' sake. Add to all of this that we just learned that Thomas is so tough that he played three quarters of his first NFL game on one leg, and you have to really pray that he can be back and even better next year - this is the type of player who you want on your team.
Until then though, we will plug Ndukwe or somebody else into his spot and hope the rest of the line's jelling is not stunted too much because of this loss. This really seems like the type of news that belongs in 2004 or 2007 the more I think about it, but right now we just have to hope that somebody can step up and surprise you and that Sparano and this team can turn things around starting right here in week two.
This loss hurts for a lot of reasons. First of all, Thomas looked like one of the strongest linemen in a Dolphins uniform for a long time. Jason Ferguson said he plays "heavy," probably one of the highest forms of praise from a nose tackle. Tony Sparano, the former offensive line coach, loved his fellow New Haven native. All this from a rookie 6th round pick, but even though he looked like a stud, what can we honestly expect from such a surprise next year if he never even got a chance to play his rookie season. Forget the Dolphins, you've got to hope that Donald Thomas returns for form for Donald Thomas' sake. Add to all of this that we just learned that Thomas is so tough that he played three quarters of his first NFL game on one leg, and you have to really pray that he can be back and even better next year - this is the type of player who you want on your team.
Until then though, we will plug Ndukwe or somebody else into his spot and hope the rest of the line's jelling is not stunted too much because of this loss. This really seems like the type of news that belongs in 2004 or 2007 the more I think about it, but right now we just have to hope that somebody can step up and surprise you and that Sparano and this team can turn things around starting right here in week two.
Wilford Update
From the Sun-Sentinel:
Wilford's absence noted
Sparano let on that he's second-guessing himself for not activating Ernest Wilford, the Dolphins' largest, most experienced receiver, for the Jets game. The team botched two scoring chances throwing fades in the corner of the end zone to smaller receivers.
Sparano said he spent Monday morning trying to find a role for Wilford, the 6-foot-4 receiver whose limited speed dropped him down the depth chart.
"There are places for Ernest and we're going to evaluate that," Sparano said.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I had said that it's bad news for Wilford and the Dolphins front office that he was benched, and I had commended Sparano and Co. for having the fortitude to bench one of the highest profile free agents signed to the team if he wasn't performing well enough, but it appears I may have been all wrong. If Sparano is second-guessing himself, then this clearly wasn't a well thought out decision. The facts are that our receivers were terrible on Sunday and that we had no good red zone targets at wide receiver. I had assumed that Wilford had played himself out of the active roster, but apparently it was more a case of Sparano simply not finding a way to use him. We need a better job than that from our rookie head coach, who if he wants to run fades (a low percentage play to begin with), needs to adjust our personnel accordingly. Hopefully he learns quickly and doesn't outsmart himself with too many mistakes like this one.
Wilford's absence noted
Sparano let on that he's second-guessing himself for not activating Ernest Wilford, the Dolphins' largest, most experienced receiver, for the Jets game. The team botched two scoring chances throwing fades in the corner of the end zone to smaller receivers.
Sparano said he spent Monday morning trying to find a role for Wilford, the 6-foot-4 receiver whose limited speed dropped him down the depth chart.
"There are places for Ernest and we're going to evaluate that," Sparano said.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
I had said that it's bad news for Wilford and the Dolphins front office that he was benched, and I had commended Sparano and Co. for having the fortitude to bench one of the highest profile free agents signed to the team if he wasn't performing well enough, but it appears I may have been all wrong. If Sparano is second-guessing himself, then this clearly wasn't a well thought out decision. The facts are that our receivers were terrible on Sunday and that we had no good red zone targets at wide receiver. I had assumed that Wilford had played himself out of the active roster, but apparently it was more a case of Sparano simply not finding a way to use him. We need a better job than that from our rookie head coach, who if he wants to run fades (a low percentage play to begin with), needs to adjust our personnel accordingly. Hopefully he learns quickly and doesn't outsmart himself with too many mistakes like this one.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Shocker of the Century:
Merriman to undergo knee surgery, miss 2008 season
Associated Press
Updated: September 9, 2008, 11:32 PM ET
Merriman Done For The Season
SAN DIEGO -- Star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman pulled the plug on his 2008 season on Tuesday when he told the San Diego Chargers he'll have surgery on the two torn ligaments in his left knee.
The loss of Merriman, whose hard hits earned him the nickname "Lights Out," is a big one for a team that has Super Bowl expectations.
Merriman's decision came two days after he barely resembled the player who had an NFL-high 39½ sacks in the past three seasons and played in three straight Pro Bowls.
Merriman, known for his spasmodic sack dance, didn't immediately return e-mails and telephone calls seeking comment. His agent, Tom Condon, declined to comment.
"Shawne informed me he did not feel right and thought it best to shut it down," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. "The road to winning the AFC West just got more difficult, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible. Shawne is a great player and an inspirational leader. He will be missed. We wish him a successful surgery and a speedy recovery."
Smith didn't return calls seeking further comment.
Merriman had only two tackles and no sacks in a shocking 26-24 loss to Carolina at home on Sunday. Even though Merriman appeared to be a non-factor, coach Norv Turner said he thought the linebacker looked "explosive and very physical."
Merriman wore a brace on the knee on Sunday. At one point, he had to go into the locker room to have it readjusted because it was slipping due to sweat.
The Chargers were outgained 388-316 on Sunday by a Panthers team playing without leading receiver Steve Smith.
The Chargers are also without inside linebacker Stephen Cooper, who was suspended by the NFL for the first four games this season for testing positive for a banned stimulant. Cooper led the Chargers with 179 tackles last season, when San Diego won the AFC West at 11-5 and reached the conference championship game before losing 21-12 at New England.
Late in training camp, Merriman said that the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee were torn.
He spent several days getting opinions from four doctors from outside the organization, all of whom recommended he have surgery. But on Aug. 27, he announced that he was going to play, saying, "If you give a football player a decision to play, you know, I'm going to play."
But, he acknowledged, "I'll have the surgery at any point. Nobody knows. I kind of left it on the table when to have it. Not even doctors can tell me that."
Rehab is expected to be six to seven months.
Merriman has said he's had pain in the knee since late in the 2006 season. He also injured the knee during a game at Tennessee on Dec. 9. He sat out the following Sunday, but played in the last three regular-season games and the Chargers' three playoff games, including the loss to New England. He also played in the Pro Bowl.
Merriman had offseason arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in the knee.
Second-year pro Jyles Tucker is expected to take Merriman's spot. Tucker, who has played in only seven regular-season games, received a five-year contract extension two days before Merriman announced he was going to play rather than have surgery.
Merriman was suspended for four games in 2006 after testing positive for steroids. Both he and his lawyer blamed it on a tainted supplement. The Chargers went 4-0 in his absence.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Associated Press
Updated: September 9, 2008, 11:32 PM ET
Merriman Done For The Season
SAN DIEGO -- Star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman pulled the plug on his 2008 season on Tuesday when he told the San Diego Chargers he'll have surgery on the two torn ligaments in his left knee.
The loss of Merriman, whose hard hits earned him the nickname "Lights Out," is a big one for a team that has Super Bowl expectations.
Merriman's decision came two days after he barely resembled the player who had an NFL-high 39½ sacks in the past three seasons and played in three straight Pro Bowls.
Merriman, known for his spasmodic sack dance, didn't immediately return e-mails and telephone calls seeking comment. His agent, Tom Condon, declined to comment.
"Shawne informed me he did not feel right and thought it best to shut it down," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. "The road to winning the AFC West just got more difficult, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible. Shawne is a great player and an inspirational leader. He will be missed. We wish him a successful surgery and a speedy recovery."
Smith didn't return calls seeking further comment.
Merriman had only two tackles and no sacks in a shocking 26-24 loss to Carolina at home on Sunday. Even though Merriman appeared to be a non-factor, coach Norv Turner said he thought the linebacker looked "explosive and very physical."
Merriman wore a brace on the knee on Sunday. At one point, he had to go into the locker room to have it readjusted because it was slipping due to sweat.
The Chargers were outgained 388-316 on Sunday by a Panthers team playing without leading receiver Steve Smith.
The Chargers are also without inside linebacker Stephen Cooper, who was suspended by the NFL for the first four games this season for testing positive for a banned stimulant. Cooper led the Chargers with 179 tackles last season, when San Diego won the AFC West at 11-5 and reached the conference championship game before losing 21-12 at New England.
Late in training camp, Merriman said that the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee were torn.
He spent several days getting opinions from four doctors from outside the organization, all of whom recommended he have surgery. But on Aug. 27, he announced that he was going to play, saying, "If you give a football player a decision to play, you know, I'm going to play."
But, he acknowledged, "I'll have the surgery at any point. Nobody knows. I kind of left it on the table when to have it. Not even doctors can tell me that."
Rehab is expected to be six to seven months.
Merriman has said he's had pain in the knee since late in the 2006 season. He also injured the knee during a game at Tennessee on Dec. 9. He sat out the following Sunday, but played in the last three regular-season games and the Chargers' three playoff games, including the loss to New England. He also played in the Pro Bowl.
Merriman had offseason arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in the knee.
Second-year pro Jyles Tucker is expected to take Merriman's spot. Tucker, who has played in only seven regular-season games, received a five-year contract extension two days before Merriman announced he was going to play rather than have surgery.
Merriman was suspended for four games in 2006 after testing positive for steroids. Both he and his lawyer blamed it on a tainted supplement. The Chargers went 4-0 in his absence.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Monday, September 8, 2008
Wilford, Corners
-Wilford being inactive for the Fins-Jets game does not bode well for him. The Dolphins have already committed themselves to his (relatively) huge signing bonus, but you can bet that at the very least they are looking for a way to get something in return for him. It'll be tough to find a suitor, but if there are injuries, there are possibilities. Look for the Dolphins to try to make a JT-style move.
-As far as my feelings on the Trifecta for this one, the move obviously didn't work out. We can't have many more huge misses like this one to be a successful franchise. However, I do like the fact that he is not starting just because he got the contract. He didn't earn it, and he is not the best man for the job, so on the inactive list is where he belongs. I can think of a few recent coaching staffs without the fortitude to make a move like this.
-Michael Lehan was also inactive for week one (ankle). It was interesting to see Crocker rotate down to corner in nickel situations, with Jason Allen taking over the Safety responsibilities. I'm not sure about this, but I also believe the dime back was actually Renaldo Hill, which means that Jason was also shifting down to corner in that situation. Unusual, but if that's what the personnel dictates...
-As far as my feelings on the Trifecta for this one, the move obviously didn't work out. We can't have many more huge misses like this one to be a successful franchise. However, I do like the fact that he is not starting just because he got the contract. He didn't earn it, and he is not the best man for the job, so on the inactive list is where he belongs. I can think of a few recent coaching staffs without the fortitude to make a move like this.
-Michael Lehan was also inactive for week one (ankle). It was interesting to see Crocker rotate down to corner in nickel situations, with Jason Allen taking over the Safety responsibilities. I'm not sure about this, but I also believe the dime back was actually Renaldo Hill, which means that Jason was also shifting down to corner in that situation. Unusual, but if that's what the personnel dictates...
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Jets 20 - Dolphins 14 (Game Notes)
Overall, very mixed reviews from today. The Dolphins were very competitive, which was nice, but a loss at home to your division rival never leaves a particularly good taste.
Offense:
-Although Chad Pennington is very clearly a huge upgrade at quarterback, his play today really wasn't anything special. In fact, with the exception of three drives, his performance was poor. Especially early in the game, he seemed nervous and uncomfortable, guiding his first few passes. Even his reads and decision-making process (his strengths) left a bit to be desired. He was indecisive all day long until the comeback drives, when he knew he had to get the ball down the field. His play is understandable considering that he was making his first start with a new team, against his old team, with a very young offense to manage. Hopefully he will settle down next week.
-Our clear lack of any proven receivers was very obvious today. Ginn was invisible for most of the game, Camarillo caught just a few balls, and Hagan performed to exactly where my expectations are set for him right now (ouch). Some of these guys are going to need to step up, or else we better get used to eight in the box against us.
-The tight ends were great today. Fasano has great instincts in finding the soft spot in coverage and sitting where the quarterback can find him. He is going to be a terror in the red zone this year. What a trade that was, getting two of our most solid starters for a 4th round pick. Martin also had a really nice game. Especially if the wideouts continue to struggle, we are going to see a lot of these guys.
-Ronnie was our best running back today. He had that old burst back and looked like his old self carrying the ball. He began to show glimpses of it in the last preseason game, but now we can be sure. We need to find ways to get the ball in both his and Ricky's hands as much as possible.
-On that topic, I am having trouble understanding why Cobbs is our 3rd down back. Shouldn't we be keeping Ricky and Ronnie on the field as much as possible? Also, if we were going to use a third down back this year, can somebody please explain to me why his name is not Lorenzo Booker? The decision-making process on the part of the Trifecta here is not adding up.
-Our touchdown drive in the first half should be our offensive blueprint for the year. Our offense will be at its best when our running backs are significantly involved, Chad is efficient and decisive, and when our short and intermediate passing game gets in rhythm. With Pennington back there, his first look needs to be to a running back or tight end on a decent percentage of passing plays.
-Pass protection became an issue towards the end of the first half, and the situation deteriorated as we abandoned our running game. I'm not too worried as we move into the future...it is to be expected with a new, young line, and I am confident in the personnel we have in there.
-Jake Long was called for two penalties today, and while the tripping call was legit, I'm not sure the other one was holding. The refs were consistently pretty bad today, and it seemed like most calls went to the Jets.
-I didn't love the two calls that we had on 3rd and Goal from the 2 yard line. I think in that situation you pound the ball in there twice. I would split Ricky and Ronnie in the backfield and make it impossible for the defense to key off of either. Regardless, why throw a low percentage fade pass to a young receiver and than an outside pass from your weak-armed quarterback? The tight ends and/or running backs need to be used when this team is in goal line situations. We need to create match-ups.
-Mr. Henning: Play action does not work if you do not have the threat of running the football. Also, please do not use an empty backfield when you are having trouble pass blocking already. Thank you.
Defense:
-The first score by the Jets was a bad coverage breakdown. It was a tricky play to defend...for a high school secondary. With only two receivers in routes it was embarrassing to get beaten that badly, especially because you knew Favre saw something right when he audibled.
-I thought the roughing penalty against Matt Roth was a really terrible call. Favre booted right after making a play fake. There is no way Roth could have seen the ball, and as the outside guy on that play, he has to hit the quarterback. The only reason that is a penalty is because the quarterback's name so happened to be Favre. Overall, Roth played some solid responsibility football today. I was really happy with his sound play, plus he forced a huge turnover. What a job by him and this coaching staff to not only find a spot for him on this team, but a starting spot where he can really excel.
-The second score by the Jets was a truly unbelievably horrible play. It is 4th and 13 from the 23, and their kicker is out. We start the play by getting after Favre and covering everybody down the field. Everything was great. However, we did not finish the play in the backfield and missed an opportunity for a huge, turnover-producing sack. At the same time, Renaldo Hill, who was in great coverage, inexplicably decided to charge ten yards up the field. Favre sees this, knows he has to take a chance, and throws a hail mary to the goal line. Nobody in the entire secondary can react and make a play on the football in the 20 seconds that it took to get there, and instead of a turnover it's a Jet touchdown. Some call it Favre magic...I call it unacceptable breakdowns by the pass rush, Renaldo Hill, and the secondary in general. A really painful, backbreaking, momentum-killing play to watch.
-The Jets tried to block Porter with a tight end at one point, and he easily beat the block for a sack. That should happen every time, and hope Porter can have a 10+ sack year.
-The Jets found a lot of room to run today on the weaker side of their line, off tackle to their right and our defense's left. I didn't get a good look at exactly what was going on, but it was in the area where Langford and Starks were rotating throughout the day. I hope it wasn't because the rookie was getting trucked that we saw so much of Starks, but we have to fix that up. You can bet that every team we play this year will try to attack us there. Hopefully Langford can hold his own, because he is a real talent and needs to be on the field.
-I noticed Porter coming down and playing on the line in a couple of nickel situations, giving us a forty look up front. If he is coming after the passer and everybody knows it, I don't really care if he is standing up or down in a three point stance. I just hope that he is comfortable and that he feels he is in the best place to go after the quarterback.
-Crowder did a poor job in pass coverage a couple of different times today. I know he is the leader of this defense, but right now he isn't even the best inside linebacker that we have (this is also a comment on how well Ayodele played). I hope to see some improvement from him as we progress through the year.
-On the flip side, Akin Ayodele played great football today. He quietly had a very solid game. Although I am never somebody who likes to give up draft picks, I can't say enough how getting him and Fasano for a 4th rounder may be the move of the offseason. Also, Ferguson was great up front today, forcing a desperation holding call early in the game and plugging up the middle. He looks much quicker than Traylor or any of our recent nose tackles, and the trade to secure him is also paying dividends.
-A horrible pass interference call on Goodman and missed delay of game call helped lead to the final touchdown by the Jets. I really wasn't very happy with the officials today.
-Yeremiah Bell was terrific today. He was all over the field, and I am really excited to have him back and healthy. He is by far the best defensive back on this team.
Special Teams:
-Bess returning kicks early on was a bit of a surprise, but he looked great back there. The kid can flat out run. In fact, the Jets began kicking away from him. Still, I think Sparano and company deserve some criticism for not getting the ball in Ted Ginn's hands early and often.
-Fields had a solid game today with the exception of one major shank. If he doesn't eliminate those lapses, his days could be numbered.
-Carpenter kicked a touchback on the opening kickoff of the second half. That should be the result every time he kicks the ball...isn't that why we kept him? I don't understand why he and Sparano were trying to do their best Feely and Cameron impression on many of the kicks today.
-Teddy: Catch the ball!! You are not giving yourself a chance to return anything unless you catch the punt in the air. I'll give Graham credit for being a good directional punter, but we need you to get the ball in space. Go get it!
As I said, overall today was a decent day. We got the season underway in a tight game, and though you never like to lose, this team knows it can be competitive. We were one pass away from beating the new division favorites (Favre > Cassel). We need to go to Arizona and get a win, or else this could be a long year.
Offense:
-Although Chad Pennington is very clearly a huge upgrade at quarterback, his play today really wasn't anything special. In fact, with the exception of three drives, his performance was poor. Especially early in the game, he seemed nervous and uncomfortable, guiding his first few passes. Even his reads and decision-making process (his strengths) left a bit to be desired. He was indecisive all day long until the comeback drives, when he knew he had to get the ball down the field. His play is understandable considering that he was making his first start with a new team, against his old team, with a very young offense to manage. Hopefully he will settle down next week.
-Our clear lack of any proven receivers was very obvious today. Ginn was invisible for most of the game, Camarillo caught just a few balls, and Hagan performed to exactly where my expectations are set for him right now (ouch). Some of these guys are going to need to step up, or else we better get used to eight in the box against us.
-The tight ends were great today. Fasano has great instincts in finding the soft spot in coverage and sitting where the quarterback can find him. He is going to be a terror in the red zone this year. What a trade that was, getting two of our most solid starters for a 4th round pick. Martin also had a really nice game. Especially if the wideouts continue to struggle, we are going to see a lot of these guys.
-Ronnie was our best running back today. He had that old burst back and looked like his old self carrying the ball. He began to show glimpses of it in the last preseason game, but now we can be sure. We need to find ways to get the ball in both his and Ricky's hands as much as possible.
-On that topic, I am having trouble understanding why Cobbs is our 3rd down back. Shouldn't we be keeping Ricky and Ronnie on the field as much as possible? Also, if we were going to use a third down back this year, can somebody please explain to me why his name is not Lorenzo Booker? The decision-making process on the part of the Trifecta here is not adding up.
-Our touchdown drive in the first half should be our offensive blueprint for the year. Our offense will be at its best when our running backs are significantly involved, Chad is efficient and decisive, and when our short and intermediate passing game gets in rhythm. With Pennington back there, his first look needs to be to a running back or tight end on a decent percentage of passing plays.
-Pass protection became an issue towards the end of the first half, and the situation deteriorated as we abandoned our running game. I'm not too worried as we move into the future...it is to be expected with a new, young line, and I am confident in the personnel we have in there.
-Jake Long was called for two penalties today, and while the tripping call was legit, I'm not sure the other one was holding. The refs were consistently pretty bad today, and it seemed like most calls went to the Jets.
-I didn't love the two calls that we had on 3rd and Goal from the 2 yard line. I think in that situation you pound the ball in there twice. I would split Ricky and Ronnie in the backfield and make it impossible for the defense to key off of either. Regardless, why throw a low percentage fade pass to a young receiver and than an outside pass from your weak-armed quarterback? The tight ends and/or running backs need to be used when this team is in goal line situations. We need to create match-ups.
-Mr. Henning: Play action does not work if you do not have the threat of running the football. Also, please do not use an empty backfield when you are having trouble pass blocking already. Thank you.
Defense:
-The first score by the Jets was a bad coverage breakdown. It was a tricky play to defend...for a high school secondary. With only two receivers in routes it was embarrassing to get beaten that badly, especially because you knew Favre saw something right when he audibled.
-I thought the roughing penalty against Matt Roth was a really terrible call. Favre booted right after making a play fake. There is no way Roth could have seen the ball, and as the outside guy on that play, he has to hit the quarterback. The only reason that is a penalty is because the quarterback's name so happened to be Favre. Overall, Roth played some solid responsibility football today. I was really happy with his sound play, plus he forced a huge turnover. What a job by him and this coaching staff to not only find a spot for him on this team, but a starting spot where he can really excel.
-The second score by the Jets was a truly unbelievably horrible play. It is 4th and 13 from the 23, and their kicker is out. We start the play by getting after Favre and covering everybody down the field. Everything was great. However, we did not finish the play in the backfield and missed an opportunity for a huge, turnover-producing sack. At the same time, Renaldo Hill, who was in great coverage, inexplicably decided to charge ten yards up the field. Favre sees this, knows he has to take a chance, and throws a hail mary to the goal line. Nobody in the entire secondary can react and make a play on the football in the 20 seconds that it took to get there, and instead of a turnover it's a Jet touchdown. Some call it Favre magic...I call it unacceptable breakdowns by the pass rush, Renaldo Hill, and the secondary in general. A really painful, backbreaking, momentum-killing play to watch.
-The Jets tried to block Porter with a tight end at one point, and he easily beat the block for a sack. That should happen every time, and hope Porter can have a 10+ sack year.
-The Jets found a lot of room to run today on the weaker side of their line, off tackle to their right and our defense's left. I didn't get a good look at exactly what was going on, but it was in the area where Langford and Starks were rotating throughout the day. I hope it wasn't because the rookie was getting trucked that we saw so much of Starks, but we have to fix that up. You can bet that every team we play this year will try to attack us there. Hopefully Langford can hold his own, because he is a real talent and needs to be on the field.
-I noticed Porter coming down and playing on the line in a couple of nickel situations, giving us a forty look up front. If he is coming after the passer and everybody knows it, I don't really care if he is standing up or down in a three point stance. I just hope that he is comfortable and that he feels he is in the best place to go after the quarterback.
-Crowder did a poor job in pass coverage a couple of different times today. I know he is the leader of this defense, but right now he isn't even the best inside linebacker that we have (this is also a comment on how well Ayodele played). I hope to see some improvement from him as we progress through the year.
-On the flip side, Akin Ayodele played great football today. He quietly had a very solid game. Although I am never somebody who likes to give up draft picks, I can't say enough how getting him and Fasano for a 4th rounder may be the move of the offseason. Also, Ferguson was great up front today, forcing a desperation holding call early in the game and plugging up the middle. He looks much quicker than Traylor or any of our recent nose tackles, and the trade to secure him is also paying dividends.
-A horrible pass interference call on Goodman and missed delay of game call helped lead to the final touchdown by the Jets. I really wasn't very happy with the officials today.
-Yeremiah Bell was terrific today. He was all over the field, and I am really excited to have him back and healthy. He is by far the best defensive back on this team.
Special Teams:
-Bess returning kicks early on was a bit of a surprise, but he looked great back there. The kid can flat out run. In fact, the Jets began kicking away from him. Still, I think Sparano and company deserve some criticism for not getting the ball in Ted Ginn's hands early and often.
-Fields had a solid game today with the exception of one major shank. If he doesn't eliminate those lapses, his days could be numbered.
-Carpenter kicked a touchback on the opening kickoff of the second half. That should be the result every time he kicks the ball...isn't that why we kept him? I don't understand why he and Sparano were trying to do their best Feely and Cameron impression on many of the kicks today.
-Teddy: Catch the ball!! You are not giving yourself a chance to return anything unless you catch the punt in the air. I'll give Graham credit for being a good directional punter, but we need you to get the ball in space. Go get it!
As I said, overall today was a decent day. We got the season underway in a tight game, and though you never like to lose, this team knows it can be competitive. We were one pass away from beating the new division favorites (Favre > Cassel). We need to go to Arizona and get a win, or else this could be a long year.
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