The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

Week 3 is supposed to be the "dress reversal" for the regular season. If that is the case, things I'm looking for tomorrow night:
1. Tannehill hasn't turned the ball over, but he hasn't exactly lit it up either- at least against starters. Atlanta's defense has given up a ton of yards and looked bad so far. Can Tannehill put together some consistent drives and scores against this group?
2. Matt Ryan has looked spectacular through the two losses. Will getting Wake and Burnett back keep enough pressure on him and the running game to slow Ryan down? Can anybody in the secondary stop or even slow Jones and White? The defense has looked pretty bad against both the run and pass so far, but played without some key starters. Will we see a difference finally?
3. Where are the tight ends? Clay and Egnew were supposed to push Fasano, and some folks felt like Fasano would actually lose his starting job. So far, the TEs have been a non-factor in games, and Fasano reportedly has looked the best of the group in practice. Can any one of the three be a factor?
4. Where is the running game? Enough said there.
5. Can two rookies- Martin and Miller- show why they were drafted? For the good press surrounding both, neither had impressed me. - EK

Actually the TE's have contributed a bit in preseason:

Fasano 4 for 37
Clay 3 for 49 and TD
Egnew 3 for 43

That's about what I expect out of them in the regular season. There's only been 2 passing TD's and 1 went to a TE. The talk that Fasano would lose his starting job was silly. Fasano is underated as a TE. He'll be one of the top targets for the Dolphins again this year.

I agree. IMO, he has the best hands of any healthy pass catchers on the team. -EK

"dress reversal"

Sounds about right for Miami.  ;)

Still a preseason game at the end of the day. So you can't go nuts over things but they will do a little game-planning this week so things might look a little better. If so, good. If not, no biggie. Its still the preseason and most vets just dont go all out and take these things seriously. Some do, maybe guys who are rehabbing an injury or missed last year but the games don't count for a reason and you can't read too much into them.

Right now in the 2012 preseason the Colts, Jaguars, and Arizona are 1,2,3 in POINTS SCORED. Seattle is 5th and Cleveland is 6th.  And New England is 27th in points scored and GB is 29th. Can you take that at all seriously or a sign of things to come? Of course not. It's a joke.

Do not read much of anything into these games. Of course as a "fan" you want your team to look good but big picture, it means little to nothing! Cam Newton was god awful last year in the preseason. Was dreadful. When the games counted things changed a bit..lol

That's fucked up. Are you a closet Ravens fan or something? ;D

Seriously, don't care about a win or a loss. Just looking for signs of improvement in fundamentals.

What the heck is a dress reversal anyway?   ;)

Kriss Kross will make you...JUMP! JUMP!

Daddy Mac will make you....Jump! Jump! Uh-huh, uh-huh!

LOO, wasn't sure if anyone would catch that. Yes... after the way Miami played its first two games with its starters, I'm looking for a reversal. I totally get that it's the preseason, so the record doesn't matter. Improvement does. -EK

Pappy- this is what I meant in terms of how the TE's have looked:

Dolphins Notebook: Tight ends continue to struggle

The Miami Dolphins tight end position meetings likely haven't been a very happy place the past few weeks.

Starting tight end Anthony Fasano, who is in the final year of his contract, is by far the team's best option at the position. However, he has had a mediocre preseason that included a dropped pass early in an exhibition loss to Carolina.

Charles Clay, who had 16 catches for 233 yards with three touchdowns last year, is a poor blocker and had possibly the worst two weeks of any player on the roster in training camp. He is becoming more consistent but first-year coach Joe Philbin expects more.

"Early on there were some things that we weren't totally fired up about, but I think he has really developed the last couple of weeks,” Philbin told the Miami Herald. “The last two or three weeks he has really stepped his game up. We're going to need him to do that obviously through the course of the year."

Michael Egnew, who was taken in the third round of April's draft, has been awful through the exhibition season. He rarely blocked in his college offense at Missouri and his physical tools are slow in developing at the pro level. Les Brown is in the same boat with mediocre blocking ability and likely will be among the first round of cuts on Monday.

Meantime, Jeron Mastrud does have a chance to make the roster with his blocking ability. He has worked on multiple goal-line sets with the first team.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/nfl-rapidreports/19885783/dolphins-notebook-tight-ends-continue-to-struggle

-EK

I read it, but here's my take.

Fasano dropped a pass? He caught 4 others. Big news. Film at 11.

Clay has looked bad in practice? He had 3 catches for 49 yards and a TD in the game. Big news. Film at 11.

Egnew and Les Brown can't block? That's not why they were brought in. Big news. Film at 11.

Mastrud can't catch? That's why Egnew and Les Brown are being given a try out. Big news. Film at 11.

This is one of those filler stories where they don't have anything else to write about. Fasano is the same guy that he was last year. Clay will continue to improve. Egnew won't be asked to do much blocking, he'll be asked to get down the seam to catch passes, give him a year to see if he can do that and to work on his blocking skills and then tell me if he sucks or not. They took a flyer on Les Brown, people's eyes ALWAYS bug out of their head when they hear that some guy can run FAST. Whooop de fucking do. Doesn't mean a DAMN thing unless you can teach him how to use that speed. Ginn Jr couldn't do it. Clyde Gates couldn't do it. Appears that Brown can't do it either. I don't know when people are going to realize it doesn't matter if you can run or not, it matters whether you can play. Mastrud is here to block and he does a fine job of it. If they want a blocking TE in the game, 'Strud is your man, if he makes the team.

I love how the media will write a story that builds up a position and says it's going to be a strenth of the team prior to the season and then will write another story later in the year that says it didn't happen like it's news. New flash, both stories were a load of bull.

They likely were- I just wanted to point out that I wasn't the only one who had this particular POV. With the way Philbin utilized Finley in GB, I guess I expected to see more/better production at that position. -EK

Exactly. People were EXPECTING things out of the position because Philbin came, but that's not how the NFL works. You don't tailor your players to your system, you tailor your system to your players. TE was a strength in GB so they utilized it, doesn't mean it's going to happen here. Philbin has been saying that RB is a strength here, I expect to see a LOT of screens to Bush and Miller once the season gets going as that would seem to fit the personnel Miami has. We haven't seen it yet because Miami has been trying to evaluate the QB's and the WR's, but I expect to see that change tonight now that Tannehill has been given the job at QB. If Bush, Miller and Thomas don't produce this year then it will be a story.

So true. I'm anxious to see what Miami has if they actually have "game planned" for ATL. tonight. I'm still not sold on Miller, but I actually hope I'm wrong. -EK

Miller is a 3rd or 4th RB on this roster who is a rookie.  He won't even get carries in the vast majority of games this year. He was a 4th round pick I don't know what people are expecting out of him.

He was a total value pick by Miami. He was graded as a late 1/early 2nd round pick, teams were nervous over his shoulder injury. Fell to the start of Rd 4 so Miami jumped up to grab him because he is good value. Plus Bush has a history of injuries and Thomas was injured most of last year. So, insurance. But expectations of him this year are nill. He isn't going to play much at all.

Clay produced last year when he played. Fassano is Fassano. Miami is fine at TE. Not really an issue for them in my eyes. Sherman giving them a hard time on Hard Knocks was a little overblown I think. I mean 2nd week of training camp and you got young guys trying to figure out a new offense. Not a big deal.

I don't expect a lot of carries out of him, but I do expect to see him coming out of the backfield for a few screens, dump offs and such. Get him out in space, let him see if he can make someone miss, that kind of thing. Be a decoy at the very least.

I don't think he is going to get the playing time you think he will get when the games "start for real" come September. I really don't. 4th round rookie, i mean I don't see him on the field other than special teams much.

There are a LOT of empty seats tonight.  More than usual for a preseason game.  John Jerry gets the nod at right guard.

Tannehill has drawn the Falcons offsides twice with long counts.  Reminds me of a certain quarterback from the 70s

Same story for this defense.  Can't get their sorry asses off the field.  We could be looking at a one and done for Kevin Coyle.

Edited to add:  Falcons go for it on 4th and 2, run a pitch out, and the secondary swarmed the backfield and stuffed the runner for a loss.

Nanee has dropped his third pass that hit him right in the hands.  Tannehill just threw his first pick.

Fasano and Naanee both trying to fill the role of Brandon Marshall with their drops tonight.

Best part of that drive was Daniel Thomas. The drop from Fasano was was I meant in terms of TE production. He's got to do better. -EK

Gotta love that secondary. Only way they can pick someone off is with PI call. Meanwhile Ryan is 8-12...long  year ahead folks. -EK

What the fuck??  TWO GUYS around Julio Jones and NO ONE makes a move for the ball!!!

Wow, a second string linebacker can cover Julio Jones better than the starting defensive backs

Defense has held Atlanta to 9pts and kept them out of the endzone and you guys are upset! lol lol Jesus Christ.

Instead of micro-dissection of the defense (which is playing well overall) maybe worry more about the fact that nobody on this team can catch the ball (aside from Bess)

Thigpen is a fucking idiot. 

Guy has 1 shot to make this team. As a kick returner and he just made the one mistake you can't make. WTF does he do all week in practice? Seriously

Edit: He might get saved on replay but its still an inexcusable mistake when the guy has only 1 job to do.

Add Clay to the list of Brandon Marshall wannabes

The theme song for this game....Brickhouse - the Commodores

Game is now in garbage time. What little do you take from the early stages of this preseason game

1) 1st team O-line and Running game looked decent. Jon Jerry might have locked up the RG spot. Tough to judge things in the preseason but they looked good. What does it mean going forward, who knows but they looked decent tonight.
2) Defense minus Dansby/Burnett played solid vs a good offense with guys like White, Turner, Jones. 1st string kept them out of the endzone and held them to only FG's. Can't ask for more vs that group.
3) After Davone Bess Miami has no quality WR's and when Fassano is also playing bad, this offense is "FUGLY."

Did Hartline have his leg amputated? Something with the appendectomy surgery he had? I know they "claim" its the calf.  If it really is a calf injury that is some calf injury. I got a feeling there is more than what is being let on.

And not basing this next opinion strictly on tonight just an overall thought, but  I have no clue where they go at WR. Guys like Marlon Moore and Naanee won't get the job done. Roberto Wallace is a nice redzone target at best he isn't an every down NFL WR. Matthews, Gates, Pruitt are total project players right now. I know Miami is rebuilding and you don't want to bring in old guys, but how they don't kick the tires on a Mike Simms Walker or a Plaxico is beyond me. This WR group is beyond awful. This offense will struggle to score 10-13 points a game this year with that group. They need to make a minor trade for even a marginal player like a James Jones just to give this unit some life or they will have to bring in 1 old guy and hope he finds the fountain of youth somehow. I really don't know what Irealnd does but the lack of quality WR's which might lead to a bad year might get him canned.

And now we see why Moore will never start for this team.  He doesn't know how to get rid of the friggin ball

Jonathan Wade is done here.  Got burnt twice tonight.  Pathetic.

And with three minutes left in the game the fans have all but cleared out.  If these guys don't get their act together, you're gonna see a lot of orange in the stands thus year

Are we sure that Mr. Ross isn't married to Rachael Phelps? Are we sure these receivers aren't sandbagging? Because all I hear is so & so made great catches in practice. Then the lights come on & the hands go off. Oh, well.

Did "7-11" do anything this game?

nothing out of him.

WR/TE =garbage that is all.

Yes. Beyond awful. I wrote a BLOG the other day asking what does Jeff Ireland do all day. You look at this WR group and I honestly have no idea what the vision was or has been since the end of last year. He gets a pass on the Marshall trade because that was bigger than football and he had to go. Brandon is a lunatic and a timebomb ready to go off at anytime. Bigger issue than football, I get it. Ok, he goes. And in the draft they had to address QB and O-line the first 2 rounds. Ok, Ireland gets a pass there and any pick from Rd 3 on is throwing a dart in the dark. Nobody taken then would step in and start. I get all that. I also understand you can't overhaul the entire team in one offseason, but to just ignore a glaring need like this is beyond me.  Rebuilding or not you have to field somewaht of a competitive team. The defense is solid. The running game looks to be decent enough. The young QB shows promise. But the WR group is so beyond bad that it will prevent this team from winning 3 or 4 games. If I have to see Marlon Moore one more day in a Fins uniform I might throw my remote through the window. He never gets better. Roberto Wallace as well. These guys are at the same level they were 2-3 years ago. Matthews, Pruitt, Cunningham are total projects. Maybe 1 makes the team the other 2 are practie squad. Gates has ben a 3rd round disapointment, although his speed will at the very least keep oppenents honest. So he might get a roster spot by default for that reason alone.  Naanee is a "nice" NFL WR. A 4th WR on most teams. Ochoinco, whatever. He wouldn't have helped that much and him being gone is no huge loss in the big picture.  What was the vision with this group?

I like Brian Hartline and his game but even if he is 100% he ain't gonna fix this mess.


You expected fans to sit through 4 quarters of a preseason game in bad weather?! LOL LOL Fans leaving 3 minutes early is the least of the problems right now.

No I did not.  Just observing the fact.  There were a lot of empty seats at the Joe last night to begin with.  More than usual for a preseason game.  But when the downpour began, the stadium was suddenly deserted.  With the way this team is playing, it wouldn't surprise me to see the stadium that way in the regular season.

What teams draw fans to preseason games? I will answer: None! Throw in the fear of a major storm and I don't know what you expected.

The Fins have had trouble selling tickets the past few years (for regular season games) that is no shock, but actually season ticket sales increased and grew by its largest margin in over a decade this past offseason. So, business is better. Will they sell out every game? probably not. Even with reduced capacity at the stadium now it will be a fight most games.  But in the grand scheme this a sidebar issue. Business is better. And even if the team stinks but Tannehill is a ray of light this year in a sky of darkness fans will show up to watch him.

After watching three preseason games, my stance on the draft hasn't changed. Whether Tannehill or Moore was under center, this is a top 5 draft pick team. Miami should have taken Justin Blackmon instead of reaching on Tannehill and used a pick next year on Jones or Barkely. Tannehill is not NFL ready, and there's no telling if he will ever be if he's forced to throw to the group of receivers Miami has. There would have been NO expectation for Philbin in his first year if they went 4-12 with Moore. His job would have been safe, they would have a potential Pro Bowl receiver to replace Marshall (who, BTW has looked great in Chicago- maybe he wasn't throwing his QBs under the bus show much as telling the truth), and they could have waited one more year to upgrade at QB. They're a 6 win team at best this year no matter who is there. -EK

Blackmon who was dumb enough to get arrested before he signed his first NFL contract. No Thank you. No need for that level of stupid in Miami.

Might end up being a great player, but let another team put up with him and his antics. When you blow a .24 which is 3-times the legal limit and you don't even have a contract that is a red flag if there ever was one. Oh yeah, that wasn't his first DUI either. He had one in college. There is a trend there and he has issues.

We all know your stance on character players (surprised you didn't clamor for Tebow, but w/e). I, for one, am tired of losing. I will gladly take players who need a tighter leash and a winning record for ten years than the crap product they have put on the field for what seems like a decade. I know that even if Blackmon makes the Pro Bowl, wins the MVP of that game, and solidly shows he's a better player than Tannehill, you will never change your opinion of the guy. That's fine, but I disagree. If I want a role model or a person to be a great "character guy," there are plenty of NFL players. They don't have to be Dolphins. Likewise, if I want a shot at a winning season, I want the most talented player available. Tannehill was not the most talented QB, so that a bad pick IMO, and I said that going into the draft. There were a host of other position in greater need of upgrade and there were better QBs coming out next year. -EK

So any QB drafted not named Andrew Luck was a bad pick last year? WOW, I guess Washington with RGIII, Miami with Tannehill, Cleveland with Weeden, and Seattle with Wilson all made bad picks. Interesting stance you took there.

And actualy every Drank expert guy/hired scouts for networks said Tannehill graded out in last years draft higher than any QB who will come out next year (unless something changes drasticly this year). And higher than guys like Flacco and Freeman who came out recently. So, disagree that there are "better" QB's coming out next year. The experts disagree too.

My opinion on problem player is obviously is the same as Philbin.  He is the one who has shipped out Headbutt Ochocinco and Domestic Violence Brandon Marshall. Not me. Philbin's stance on problem players is the same as Belichick's and he wins a lot. It's the same stance as a lot of coaches hold and lots of those coaches win.