Observations as I see it after 3 preseason games as a die hard Dolfan and eternal optimist by nature i.e. “Good” versus the unbiased opinions of a knowledgeable fan with a high football IQ based on 25 years of playing, coaching and watching it religiously i.e. reality, which in this case equates to “Evil”. Yeah, yeah, yeah, mega run-on sentence but it was needed for effect to look at this as objectively as a biased fan can, a complete oxy moron. (Insert joke here.)
Evil Observation #1: We stink!
If preseason is any indication, and it is, the Dolphins will be a whole lot closer to their 1-15 debacle of 2 years ago than they will to their 11-5 aberration of last year. I’m being serious here, the magic number for Miami is 6. Six wins would be a push and smack dab in the middle of each of those dynamically different seasons. The fact we are even having this conversation is making me nauseous. Here’s the facts: the offensive line is struggling opening lanes and we’re not running the ball near well enough, tackling has been atrocious, big plays on either side of the ball are rarer than DMX showing up for a court date, the secondary has more holes in it than “Back to the Future”. Oh yeah right, like his parents didn’t recognize him 20 years later? Other than Brian Hartline, a rookie no less, the receivers look more like witness protection program victims than offensive threats, even Barnum and Bailey make fun of our special teams and the goal posts have more swagger than the Dolphins!
Evil Observation #2: The Wide Receiving Corps is horrible!
I don’t want to get too bogged down with stats, mostly because I don’t have any, but all things being equal and starter vs. starter after the first 3 preseason games Miami’s top 3 wide receivers would be behind the Venus de Milo on the depth chart if it was on the roster. Corners must lick their chops when they line up opposite these beasts: Ted Ginn (3receptions, 45 yards, 0 touchdowns) is averaging 1 reception and15 yards per game! Davone Bess has 4 grabs, 30 yds and 0 TD’s and Greg Camarillo has 3 for 56 and 0 TD’s and one of those was a 52 yard busted play. Miami cannot and will not win, period, without more production from this unit.
Evil Observation #3: Even our receivers could get open against this secondary!
Admittedly the only preseason game I saw every play of was the 3rd game, which is widely viewed as the most important as the starters generally play well into the second half, and the Tampa receivers were running down the field wide open all day. In fact, if I wasn’t already convinced that Byron Leftwich was garbage I now have that confirmed because even John Beck would have thrown for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns and I’m not kidding. There were too many plays and blown coverage’s to even go into but just take my word for it, the corners were soft and the safeties were either out of position or missing tackles and yes, that includes but is not limited to Gibril Wilson. Oh and by the way, it’s not like Leftwich and the Buccaneers are reminiscent of Dan Marino and the ’84 Dolphins!
Evil Observation #4: We can’t tackle!
Please see DeAngelo Williams 25 yard touchdown scamper. Don’t tackle, don’t win. It’s really that simple. How do you think the players would feel if the organization “missed” handing out their paycheck? Not nearly as pissed as we will be as fans if this continues,
Evil Observation #5: Our entire special teams are a 3-ring circus!
There’s nothing more to add and I’m too lazy to back this claim with numbers and yet that’s still more effort than we get from any special teams unit we have. This should come as no surprise to anyone that has ever even heard of football. Side note: I do think we have a solid kicker with Dan Carpenter and booming punter with Brandon Fields, the problem is if we can’t cover the kicks what good are they? Sort of like having a sweet pair of Ferrari driving gloves and no car.
Positive “Spin” i.e. Delusions of Grandeur:
A.) Hey, we’re 3-0. Undefeated. Zero losses. First place. Only 1 touchdown allowed. What’s the problem?
B.) It is the preseason after all and at the end of the day it’s nothing more than a glorified scrimmage filled with lackluster performances from veterans who’ve made the team and frantically erratic play by those trying to. Despite the importance of “practice” and gelling and timing and all of that cohesive team jargon let’s face it, there’s a big difference between Megan Fox and a Megan fox blow up doll. It’s just hard to get up for it when it’s not the real thing. Hey, don’t get mad at me for pointing that out. Just saying. Hell, even the coaches are guilty of giving less than 100% by being more paranoid than a catholic schoolgirl at a Bob Marley concert and flat out refusing to reveal anything outside of the basic vanilla plays to avoid giving the competition a competitive advantage.
It’s not all bad though, defensively the Fins have only given up one touchdown this preseason, which was a nifty DeAngelo Williams scamper enabled by 4 missed tackles. Chad Pennington, or CP10 as I like to call him, has played as smart and efficient as ever and actually looks like he’s zipping the ball around a bit better than advertised. The offensive line always was going to need all the reps they could get in the preseason plugging in a healthy Donald Thomas and Justin Smiley along with FA acquisition from Oakland, Jake Grove added with Pro Bowl LT Jake Long and the ever improving RT Vernon Carey this should actually be one of our stronger units. Ricky Williams looks like Ricky of old actually, Ronnie Brown is a beast when there’s daylight and Patrick Cobbs is a versatile threat that will be utilized in every formation all over the field. Special teams is really just want to, end of story. The secondary has been a cause for major concern in the preseason but at the end of the day, only 1 touchdown allowed so who am I to question their methods.
The biggest question in my eyes is the receivers, if we don’t establish a clear-cut #1 go-to guy the entire corps will suffer and form an identity crisis. Take it from me, I played college ball and it wasn’t D-1 but football is football relatively speaking and on 1st and 10 I knew they weren’t going to call my number often but on 3rd and 5 I knew it was my time. Right now, only Brian Hartline seems to be the guy saying, “It’s my time. Hit me.” Maybe that’s all you need to know about these guys, a rookie came into camp to lead.
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