The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

I started thinking about this the other day and would love to know the answer.  Although nobody on this board may actually know, perhaps someone watching would. 

This could apply to most NFL teams, but considering Polite is a fairly undersized FB, I was wondering what happens if he gets injured.  I am pretty sure we will do what we did last year and what most NFL teams do in keeping only one full back on the roster.

So if he were to get hurt, how would that change our playbook/playcalling?  Would we have to scrap a bunch of run plays or can they just be modified slightly?  Would one of the tight ends or other running backs be prepared enough to outright be a backup?

I ask theses questions because there were a few games last year that Polite was a major part of the win as a lead blocker.  It seems like a lot to let ride on a guy that takes on so much contact, is undersized for the position and has no backup.

He won't get hurt because I don't want him to.

To Be honest Doc, I think it's a situational thing...Depending on who we're playing,when,what's happening....Are we playing the Bonsai Blitzing Jets,3rd quarter down 7...Te's can be moved into a blocking situation, Goal line we could use and extra O-lineman,Use Ronnie and Ricky together mote, 2 TE sets....

Absolutely there are people that could fill the void.  TE's or other RB's, either on the roster or not on the roster.  Not necessarily as well as Polite, but the Dolphins certainly wouldn't have to scrap part of the play book.  You can take it to the bank that the Tuna and his helpers know exactly what they will do if Polite is injured.

Hell they practice a play where they purposely overthrow a WR in case they are ever in a position where they are trying to run out the clock and a simple kneel down won't cut it.  You honestly think they don't know what they will do if the FB gets hurt?

I don't think they really want to play someone at fullback who isn't practiced well or built well for the position.  It is just one of those positions that is very physical and requires you to read the exact correct block or the play fails.  I could definitely see them not running several plays just because of the lack of a true fullback.  The only exception on our roster I see (as a possible backup option) is if Hilliard is taking some practice reps.

Not for more than 1 game, no you wouldn't.  In the middle of a game if it happens you have someone fill-in for Polite who has actually practiced the position.  After the game you start looking for a replacement and you get him ready for your next game.  There are lots of fullbacks out there looking for work.  Would they be as good as Polite?  No.  But that's the same risk you have with any position.

There's another fullback in camp this season...

#46 Rolly Lumbala, second year guy out of Idaho.  6'2" 238 lbs.

I'm guessing he won't make the final roster unless he excels on special teams, but if the team's leadership feels they need a contingency plan, I'd bet this is it.

Good point.  Makes sense to finish a game with minimal-to-no FB play and look for a replacement immediately after.  Not sure why I didn't think about that.  Also makes sense that the camp guy is their go to guy if that call needs to be made.  I did sort of think about that but just thought of him as more of a fill in to avoid giving too many reps to one player during camp. 

See something useful can come of message boards after all.  Now I don't have to think about this.

What kind of situation would ever warrant that? A kneel down keeps the clock running and an incomplete pass stops the clock. How would that ever be more effective?

If the other team has a timeout left.

Let's say it's 4th down and there's 10 seconds left on the clock.  You're up by 3 points.  If you simply kneel down as soon as you do the clock stops on change of possesion and the other team will get  the ball for 1 play.  If you punt you risk a possible return.

So instead you have the QB take the snap and roll out to eat up a bit of clock and then he throws the ball down the field as far as he can, he doesn't try to complete it and risk it getting picked off, he just simply overthrows everyone.  If you do it right you eat up about 10 seconds and game over.  They actually practice this play, sometimes several times.  If they don't leave this up to chance which might happen what once in a season if that, you think they are gonna leave something up to chance like not knowing who will replace Potite if he gets hurt?  Not a chance.

That still doesn't make sense. You get no advantage. Throwing incomplete still stops the clock and lets them keep their timeout. That is actually a disadvantage.

Very rare situation, but it could happen I guess.

Why not instead send in 10 blockers and your punt return man line up at QB.  Have him run around in the back field for 10 seconds?  Even if he retreats all the way to the end zone you still win by 1.  "Just hold on to the ball with both hands and what ever you do don't fumble"

That was my point exactly.  It's an extremely rare situation...and yet they actually practiced this exact play in training camp.

You could do that too, in fact I've seen them do this when they are near their own goal line and in fact they purposely run out of the endzone when someone gets close which allows them to then punt the ball from the 35.  I guess the reasoning being that it's safer to just throw the ball deep down the field once you feel pressure.  The ball is going to be in the air a good 2 or 3 seconds if you have a decent QB.

My thinking was with Hoodie. Putting the ball in the air, or trying to, just seems so dangerous to me. I don't like it personally.

Also the need for having a receiver close enough for it to not be considered grounding also worries me. You can't just chuck it to nowhere.

Might also depend who my personal is.

If the running back is BenJarvus Green-Ellis and the QB is Tom Brady I might  go the air route.

If my running back was Ricky Williams and the QB was Chad Henne I would absolutely do the run around the  backfield. 

The problem with running around is that you're GOING to get tackled and we all know that anything can happen when you get tackled.  Even if you manage to run out the clock you then have to get down or out of bounds before someone can hit you or strip you.  Putting the ball in the air is safe as long as you get it into the air before you get hit and of course that no one actually catches it.  The QB would be instructed to throw the ball along the sideline, preferably just slightly out of bounds and the WR would be instructed to bat the ball down if needs be, not catch it so the only real danger is just making sure you get the throw off.  You would max protect and probably roll out to take one side of the pass rush totally out of the picture and eat up a few more seconds on the clock and if things go really bad at the worst just run out of bounds, don't take the chance of getting hit and fumbling.

^^^

Not at all.  As long as I can eat up all 10 seconds.  Once time runs out all I need to do is take a knee.  And If am still worried about being stripped in the knee postion, lie on the ground with the ball under me.  Or if up by 3 (as opposed to up by 1 or 2) Run all the way to the end zone and and then run out the back of the end zone if anyone gets close.  But which I choose would depend on field position and my players.  Who do I trust more my QB or runningback not to make a mistake. 

Ok, but you have to run around for 3 or more seconds and avoid getting hit whereas all a QB has to do is throw the ball downfield.  Much easier on the QB in my opinion.  Plus, what if someone actually does just get lucky and tackles you before time runs out?  You've lost what 10, 20 yards or more in field position and now they have the ball for 1 last play.  If you pass it and don't happen to run out the clock it's just an incomplete pass and you haven't lost any field position.

I didn't come up with the play, I just said they practiced it.  Talk to Sparano if you don't like the play. :)

Why?  I have a vested interest in the Dolphins running bad plays and will laugh my ass off if the Dolphins are up by three with 10 seconds on the clock and Henne throws a pick 6 to a Patriots cornerback. 

Heck, I hope he is practicing the 65 Power-Up. 

Just give it to Ricky. Shit it ain't that hard to figure out !!!!

Yes you can.  It isn't grounding if the QB is outside the pocket.  Have him scramble towards a sideline of his choice, then chuck it up in the air like on the Hail Flutie play.  Except the receivers will be looking to bat it down.

Yes, I forgot about the outside the pocket rule.

A receiver in the area brings a defender, and potential for a pick.  The receivers should all be running 10-yard routes and shorter, so he can launch it over everyone's head, and not risk a safety playing center field.

Throwing it just slightly out of bounds will mitigate that risk as well.  You don't want to throw it too far out of bounds and have the clock stopped too early, but you do want it to land out of bounds so no one can catch it or intercept it.

If you can throw it out of the endzone that would work too.

How about just throwing it 10 yards on a slant and getting the first down?

And risk getting the route jumped for a pick 6?  I don't think so.  I'd be tempted to just punt and hope my punt team can prevent a blocked punt and my punter can punt it out of bounds or out of the endzone of something where there's no return.

Every play you come up with has a risk of getting returned for 6.  At least try to win, rather than trying not to lose.  Go for the first down, find some slow-developing play like an end-around, or reverse, and try to get 10 yards.

Yeah, there's always risk, the key is to find the play that has the least risk.  A pass play is safe because the QB is going to get rid of the ball before being hit. That's priority #1.  Any play where the ball carrier could be hit carries the possibility of fumbling.  A punt is risky because a bad snap can cause big problems and then there's the possibility of a long return or penalties which would allow the other team a crack at the endzone.

I totally agree that you should try to win a game rather than play not to lose it, but in this situation I wouldn't try to get the first down, I would simply try to run out the clock and failing that hope that my defense could hold for 1 play.  I would only change that if I felt that they could immediately go for a FG on an incomplete pass.  Then I would punt and hope for the best.

What about the QB getting sacked, thereby stopping the clock, and giving up field position?  What about a holding penalty, as happens often on QB roll-outs (I'd guess this could be declined based on the play outcome)?  What about the QB getting the ball knocked out of his hand while throwing and fumbling a la Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl?

There's risk on every play.

What does ANY of this have to do with fullbacks?