Message to Henne: Take some shots but don't throw picks

[CF DolFan]

Nice article from Armando Salguero of the miami Herald. It's funny that our defensive coordinator admits you're going  to throw some int's to get the big gains. I go back to the Tampa game last year where Henne threw a very bad pick 6 late in the game but came back to lead the team down the field for the win. I don't think he could do that playing "not to throw an INT" football that they have him playing now.  They are killing his psyche'!


The message from the Dolphins coaching staff to Chad Henne every week is relatively simple to understand if one believes in the quarterback's ability to process two seemingly different philosophies or approaches and seamlessly turn that into an acceptable performance on the field.

All Henne has to do is go out there and have fun and sling the ball around. Henne is encouraged to throw it downfield and attack the defense and do what quarterbacks do on their way to elite status or Pro Bowl appearances.

So Henne is free to take the field against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and, as coach Tony Sparano puts it, ``cut it loose.''

But this clarion call to unleash Henne's inner gunslinger comes with a sobering and possibly confusing caution: Do not throw interceptions, Chad.

The Dolphins, you see, kind of want it both ways.

``What's more important? They're equal. Completely equal,'' offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. ``One's bad and one's good. Seriously, absolutely seriously. I'm not joking here. That's exactly what we try and coach right there.''

Perhaps more than any other team in the NFL, the Dolphins do not want mistakes on offense. They hate penalties, they don't tolerate fumbles, and interceptions are an express lane to the bench for any quarterback.

``Throw touchdown passes. Don't throw interceptions. Two messages,'' Henning said. ``It doesn't mean he's not trying to throw touchdown passes. Doesn't mean he's not trying to throw interceptions. Each guy has to put this into his head and be aggressive as he can be but be as risk free as he can be.''

Simple, right?

Except there exist a couple of mitigating factors. A quarterback who doesn't attack a defense is rarely effective. And a quarterback who plays aggressively and throws the football downfield almost always throws interceptions.

It is simply a fact of NFL life.

Brett Favre, Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Fran Tarkenton and Joe Namath were all weaved of the same fabric in that they're all Hall of Fame players or, in Favre's case, will someday be in the Hall.

They're also all among the NFL's all-time interception leaders.

``The great ones are always that way,'' Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan said. ``They may throw a pick, but it doesn't rattle them. They may even do something silly, but they have the ability to come back and make up for it. You might give up seven, but they'll score 10 on you.''

Warren Moon threw 233 interceptions in his career. He's also in the Hall of Fame.

``I was a guy that had a pretty strong arm and liked to throw the ball down the field and drive the ball down the field, so sometimes I would get myself in trouble because I thought I could make a throw that another quarterback couldn't make,'' Moon said.

``As long as I didn't do that too much I was in pretty good shape because I kind of knew where I was going with the football . . . It was about trying to make a play, trying to make a bigger play that you probably shouldn't try to make. But every now and then, you get away with those, so I think that's the challenge of most young quarterbacks.''

GLORY AND DISASTER

The challenge is straddling the line between glory and disaster. For young quarterbacks such as Henne, the added problem is establishing yourself as a game-changer while pleasing coaches that also want a game manager.



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/19/1831486/message-to-henne-take-some-shots.html#ixzz104moAYu6

[Kid Dynamite]

The Dolphin brass confuses me.

It seems like they dont want Henne to make any mistakes which means that they don't let him throw down field.  If that is the game plan they want to run with then why not let Pennigton start.

Don't get me wrong. Not saying that I favor Penny but if the Dolphins don't want to take advatiage of Hennes arm then go with the most accurate and experienced QB on your team. If the fins continue with this philosophy of not letting Henne use his best asset then why start him? I thought they were going to let Henne open it up a little with the signing of Marshall.

With this style of offense Penny makes the most sense and will give you a higher chance of winning ball games.

[Pappy13]

Actually I thought Miami did open it up a bit yesterday until they had a lead in the 2nd half and then went conservative again.

[Phishfan]

Actually I thought Miami did open it up a bit yesterday until they had a lead in the 2nd half and then went conservative again.

That is exactly how I saw it also.

[bsfins]

I really hate to say this....The First two weeks we've played with the lead,while playing not to lose,we're not making risky calls.
1.) I think it's on The offensive coaches to call plays,in the right situation to get big gains....
2.) I understand we want to get most of our big gains off of play action, but we have to have more options down field....Not 1 WR going deep,1 TE medium, and then a back as a check down....

flame away....

[MikeO]

You play to win the game.


If that means sitting on the ball and taking no risks, do it. Style points don't mean anything. Henne is playing smart.

[yuppi]

The ironic thing is we ran the ball to avoid turnovers but turned it over twice. Our defense has shown it can handle sudden adversity. Air it out wit ur $50 million investment

[MikeO]

The ironic thing is we ran the ball to avoid turnovers but turned it over twice. Our defense has shown it can handle sudden adversity. Air it out wit ur $50 million investment

I think our 2 RB's fumbling is the exception and not the norm. I don't see it being a long-term problem.  It's gonna happen to the best of them. I am not worried

[Kid Dynamite]

Nothing wrong with sitting on a lead. But against Buffalo we got a scare as Buffalo score a late TD. It would have been nice if the offense would have scored a couple field goals. Against the Vikings Favre was only about 20 yards away from a win. Sitting on leads is fine but I dont agree with scoring 1 TD in the first quarter and then just hope that the defense can hold an NFL offense at bay for three quarters.

[Dave Gray]

I think our 2 RB's fumbling is the exception and not the norm. I don't see it being a long-term problem.  It's gonna happen to the best of them. I am not worried

I love Ricky, but he fumbles.

[MikeO]

Nothing wrong with sitting on a lead. But against Buffalo we got a scare as Buffalo score a late TD. It would have been nice if the offense would have scored a couple field goals. Against the Vikings Favre was only about 20 yards away from a win. Sitting on leads is fine but I dont agree with scoring 1 TD in the first quarter and then just hope that the defense can hold an NFL offense at bay for three quarters.

Until we handed Minny the ball on the 1 yard line, the Vikings offense was no serious threat to score. That game wasn't in doubt till that fumble, so I have no problem sitting on it last Sunday

[Tepop84]

the dolphins had 2 interceptions at their own 1 yard line. Give me a break that the vikings offense was no threat.

[MikeO]

I love Ricky, but he fumbles.

From today's MIAMI HERALD....

• How unusual were the Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams fumbles Sunday? Among 37 active players with 500 or more carries, Williams ranks 32nd, with one fumble every 54.8 carries. Brown is 21st at one every 95.4.

[fyo]

From today's MIAMI HERALD....

• How unusual were the Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams fumbles Sunday? Among 37 active players with 500 or more carries, Williams ranks 32nd, with one fumble every 54.8 carries. Brown is 21st at one every 95.4.

In other words, only 5 players (with 500+ carries) fumble more than Ricky... Yikes.

[jtex316]

In other words, only 5 players (with 500+ carries) fumble more than Ricky... Yikes.

I think you got it in reverse. Ricky ranks 32 out of 37 in fumbling - there are 5 players who fumble LESS than Ricky (with 500+ carries). #1 on this list is the player who fumbles the most (the lowest fumbles per carry average, which means he's a fumbling machine as every nth carry he's a fumblin').

...right?