Shame of the Game - at Bengals

[dolphins4life]

The running game, which was out of sync for a lot of the game.   

[StL FinFan]

Fasano for the drops.

[bsfins]

Chris Clemons....I think 2 passes hit his hands...The one tipped up back to T.O., A little sloppy tackling at times,out of position,Even saving Sean Smith's bacon swatting the ball away...He still get's my shame....

[Tenshot13]

Fasano.

[mecadonzilla]

Clemons dropped 2 interceptions.  I think we dropped 4 potential picks on the day, but his 2 were big...and caused a freak TD.

I'd like to give a HM to Chad Henne.  I think he's playing well.  At times, he's even playing pretty well, but he never hits any deep passes.  Is it because everyone is covered?  I don't think so.  I don't think he's looking beyond 10 to 20 yards for a completion.  He had excellent pass protection today and I can't believe hardly any deep passes at all were attempted...not all of those were covered so fantastically they shouldn't have been thrown.  If this team is to persevere, Henne must start looking to complete balls downfield.

[Tenshot13]

Clemons dropped 2 interceptions.  I think we dropped 4 potential picks on the day, but his 2 were big...and caused a freak TD.

I'd like to give a HM to Chad Henne.  I think he's playing well.  At times, he's even playing pretty well, but he never hits any deep passes.  Is it because everyone is covered?  I don't think so.  I don't think he's looking beyond 10 to 20 yards for a completion.  He had excellent pass protection today and I can't believe hardly any deep passes at all were attempted...not all of those were covered so fantastically they shouldn't have been thrown.  If this team is to persevere, Henne must start looking to complete balls downfield.

Good point on Henne.  I think he played well enough today, but it is frustrating to never see any deep shots down the field.  I wonder if it's him or the coaching mentality.  Sparano seems hell bent on being the most conservative team in the NFL and I wonder if that has rubbed Henne the wrong way.

[mecadonzilla]

Good point on Henne.  I think he played well enough today, but it is frustrating to never see any deep shots down the field.  I wonder if it's him or the coaching mentality.  Sparano seems hell bent on being the most conservative team in the NFL and I wonder if that has rubbed Henne the wrong way.

True dat.  This is something I wonder every game.

[Dave Gray]

Good point on Henne.  I think he played well enough today, but it is frustrating to never see any deep shots down the field.  I wonder if it's him or the coaching mentality.  Sparano seems hell bent on being the most conservative team in the NFL and I wonder if that has rubbed Henne the wrong way.

I actually disagree.  I think that Henne had 3 opportunities for additional medium/large gains that were dropped.  One ball (thrown on that weird reverse/flea-flicker) hit a receiver up the seam in stride, right in the hands, and it was dropped.  Granted, the ball was only 15 yards from the line of scrimmage in the air, but the guy was wide open and it would've resulted in a large, large gain, if not a breakaway TD.

And Fasano dropped 2 that I can think of.  If those convert, it opens things up for us a lot.  I don't think you can just go downfield, if nothing else is working.  Also, our troubles aren't moving the ball -- it's all redzone.

An aside on Henne: I think that he has played well, short of about one bad decision a game (usually a pick).  I'm getting more comfortable with his progress than I was, and I think he's doing a better job of 1) not staring down receivers as much, 2) going through his routes and finding the check-off, and 3) getting rid of the football and not taking too many sacks or throwing into coverage.

-----

As for Shame, I agree with Clemons.  He took what should've been a pick (and not because of his great play, but because of a bad throw) and instead turned it into a TD.  If he makes that play, Cincy probably doesn't ever get back into the game.

[bsfins]

CF dolfan touched on this last week in the shame I believe. Our receivers pretty much run in's, out's,Curls/hooks,bubble screens,and fly patterns (then double moves, square out,square ins,stop and goes,out and ups etc...)....We rarely run slant's and post routes. Even Henne's pick yesterday was a deep dig route down the middle.Unfortunately,it seems to me,it's not a just a henning thing,it's been like a ten year thing....

[Philly Fin Fan]

There were a few things which stood out as ugly yesterday:
1.Our offensive playcalling was (for the most part) horrible. It seems like Henning is out to prove "Joe McShitbag" (or whatever he called fans) wrong, and insisted on throwing in the wildcat plays yesterday. He also is still being ultra-conservative. The one drive where they were not conservative, the team marched down the field (starting inside their own 5 yd line) and scored. The whole drive was 7 plays (including the false start on Carey to start the drive).

2. Thankfully, Davone Bess's muff on the punt return did not turn into any points for the Bengals, but it could've been a very costly play, and could've killed the Fins chances of even hoping to win that game. Bess gets a pass because of his overall good play.

3. Dropped passes almost killed us yesterday. I think Fasano had 2 or 3 himself that were right in his hands.


Although the Fins won the game, they had too many red zone possessions which didn't turn into TD's. FG's aren't always going to be enough to win the game. For that, I give my shame to Henning. I'm sorry, but its time to get a new OC, and allow this offense to really start moving the ball.

[Phishfan]

Bess looked horrible returning punts.

[Landshark]

I'm giving my Shame of the Game to Dan Henning again.  This is the second straight game where six trips inside the red zone have resulted in five FG's and one TD.  The last time we kicked this many FG's, Olindo Mare broke the season record for most field goals made, the Dolphins barely made the playoffs and got blown out in Jacksonville 62-7. 

We can't keep moving the ball at will and then clam up when we get into the red zone.  If Dan Henning is not willing to grow a pair and take some shots in the end zone, he needs to be replaced with an offensive coordinator who is.

[Sunstroke]

I'm giving my Shame of the Game to Dan Henning again.  This is the second straight game where six trips inside the red zone have resulted in five FG's and one TD.

Technically, two of those drives that ended up as FGs "never' made it into the red zone...

I agree though... To quote a long-deceased bozo who used to lurk around here, "Henning should get his walking papers."

[Brian Fein]

I wanna give it to Clemons for his bonehead play but I think Fasano's drops were more hurtful. 
I really wanna give it to Henning for lack of ability to punch it in from the red zone.  I think all three of these guys are deserving...

I'm going with Fasano.

[Rick]

Dan Henning.  This game shouldn't have been as close as it was.  His conservative play calling kept Cincy in the game.