One of the most infuriating plays I've ever seen...

[Dave Gray]

...was the last play of the Lions game.

For those of you who don't remember, here was the setup:  The Dolphins have it, 1st and 10 with only a handful of seconds left.  They need a TD to tie to the game.  It's a long way away (don't know the exact distance, but about 40 yards).

There was enough time for probably 2 plays. (maybe 3 if you did quick outs out of bounds)

At the snap, Henne looked down field and then checked down to the flat for ZERO yards, IN BOUNDS.  GAME OVER!

I was so pissed and it really highlighted what bothers me about Henne and even changed my thoughts on Dan Henning a little bit.  There is NO WAY that Henning called that play.  No way.  Henne elected to dump off, rather than throw deep, which was the design.  I don't think that Henning has done well for us this year, but I bet you that he's called a lot more that Henne hasn't chosen to execute on. 

It shows me that Henne doesn't have his head in the game -- that he doesn't understand situational play calling -- that you have to take your shots.

It just completely baffles me that a professional QB would throw that last pass?  The best case scenario is that Ronnie Brown gets out of bounds for no gain and wastes just a little bit of time.  Why even throw that ball?  What good can come from it?  Throw it downfield or throw it away to give yourself one last shot.  Infuriating. 

[Brian Fein]

I couldn't agree more.  He should have thrown the ball into the stands if there was nothing.  Play again. 

I think the 2 minute drill is atrocious.  It happened last week as well.  He threw a 4-yard pass to Bess in the flat with the clock ticking under a minute.  It has happened a bunch of times.

But, similarly, I've seen veteran guys like Ricky Williams fight for yards instead of going out of bounds with the clock ticking.  I don't get it.

I agree that Henne seems to check down too much.  I wonder if he's instructed to do that, or if he just isn't confident enough to go downfield.  I haven't seen him throw many of the 10-20 yard passes that was our bread and butter last year.  And I NEVER see him throw the ball away.

I don't get it, and its a huge part of why the offense is anemic.

[Pappy13]

It shows me that Henne doesn't have his head in the game -- that he doesn't understand situational play calling -- that you have to take your shots.

Why did Brown catch it?  I mean he's a smart guy too.  He's been playing in the NFL long enough to know that it was bonehead pass and just bat it down, right?

The problem I have with this type of logic is that this play while a bad decision was in no way responsible for the outcome of the game.  It happend WAY before that.  Like with 5 minutes left in the game.  Why did both of our middle linebackers follow the wrong receiver and let their guy go for 53 yards?  Why did that happen?  Why is no one asking that today?  Why did the TE run the wrong route on the first INT?  Why did Bess fumble the ball on the opening punt?

Why why why?  The answer?  Players are human.  They make mistakes.  You can't avoid it.  If your game plan is to avoid mistakes, you're setting yourself up to fail.  The coaches have set up Henne to fail.  And not just Henne, but everyone.  They have taken one of the most dynamic individual WR's in the NFL and reduced him to 10 yard outs.  What does that say about your coaching skills?

C'mon man wake up.  It's not just Henne.  It's across the board.  Williams.  Brown.  Bess.  Henne.  Marshall.  Has anyone lived up to expectation this year?  Why is it only Henne that's taking the heat?

[badger6]

Henne is a bad QB at the NFL level. I read somewhere a few weeks back that the "Henne isn't allowed to audible" was an unsubstantiated claim. I kind of believe it too. I don't think that there is any way in hell that an NFL QB can go to the line and not have some kind of backup plan depending on the defensive scheme. Henning may not call good plays sometimes but I think that Henne could audible if he wanted to, he just doesn't because he isn't capable of doing it. And if the coaching staff doesn't trust him to audible, what does that tell you. If that's the case I don't want him anyhow !!!

[Pappy13]

I'm gonna hijack the thread for just a second here.  For all you people that are blaming Henne for a bone headed move and would still like to see Ginn returning punts, did you see what the former Dolphin did?  Ginn caught a pass standing NEXT to the sideline with a couple ticks left on the clock and instead of going out of bounds (Why on earth he chose this ONE time in his career, I'll NEVER know), he turned it inside and got about 10 more yards and the clock ran out before he could get out of bounds.  Seems like dumb players are born in Miami for whatever reason.

[Dave Gray]

The problem I have with this type of logic is that this play while a bad decision was in no way responsible for the outcome of the game.  It happend WAY before that.  Like with 5 minutes left in the game.

Oh, totally.  I know it's not responsible for winning or losing the game.  We were very unlikely to win that game in even the best of circumstances at that point.  But that mistake just shows me what we're working with -- someone that doesn't understand what he's doing.

As for Brown not catching it, I don't think you put decision-making on your receivers.  You catch what's thrown to you.  That's on the QB to make those kinds of decisions, but I suppose he could've not caught it.  It still would've been a stupid throw.

Henne is taking more heat that the other players for several reasons.  1) He's been worse than the others.  2) He plays at a more important position than the others.  3) He doesn't appear to be improving.  4) He's never been good, unlike some of the other players you've mentioned, that have proven their worth before.

Ricky is still a good player, making plays.  Henne makes no plays.  He never threads a great throw.  He hits open guys (and misses them too.)  If it is tight coverage, he checks down. 

[badger6]

Why did Brown catch it?  I mean he's a smart guy too.  He's been playing in the NFL long enough to know that it was bonehead pass and just bat it down, right?

Doesn't matter if the ball never should have been thrown anyways.

The problem I have with this type of logic is that this play while a bad decision was in no way responsible for the outcome of the game.  It happend WAY before that.  Like with 5 minutes left in the game.  Why did both of our middle linebackers follow the wrong receiver and let their guy go for 53 yards?  Why did that happen?  Why is no one asking that today?

Because for the most part the defense has played well this year. If Henne and the offense had played as well as the D we would probably be in the playoffs and not having these discussions.

 

Why did the TE run the wrong route on the first INT?

Maybe because he was just activated do to an injury to Fasano and hasn't started in this system for the last 2 years like Henne has.

Why did Bess fumble the ball on the opening punt?

What is your point ? Bess is one of our better players. He hasn't screwed up most of the games  for us, like Henne has.

Why why why?  The answer?  Players are human.  They make mistakes.  You can't avoid it.  If your game plan is to avoid mistakes, you're setting up yourself to fail.  The coaches have set up Henne to fail.  And not just Henne, but everyone.  They have taken one of the most dynamic individual WR's in the NFL and reduced him to 10 yard outs.  What does that say about your coaching skills?

C'mon man wake up.  It's not just Henne.  It's across the board.  Williams.  Brown.  Bess.  Henne.  Marshall.  Has anyone lived up to expectation this year?  Why is it only Henne that's taking the heat?

You just summed it up right here. All players are human. Williams, Brown, Bess, Marshall, and Henne are all human and all make mistakes. The difference between Henne and the other players mentioned is that, while all of them may make mistakes sometimes. Henne makes the same dumbass mistakes all the time and they usually wind up costing us the game. QB is one position that doesn't work well with constant mistakes !!!

[Pappy13]

Doesn't matter if the ball never should have been thrown anyways.

Why not?  The result would have been the same.  Incomplete pass.

Because for the most part the defense has played well this year.

I'm not so sure.  They seem to play well enough when Miami is losing and the other team doesn't feel pressured to put up points.  Anytime the opponent is down and needs to put up points, they seem to give up big plays way too easily and they NEVER seem to come up with the big play to seal the win when you need it.  Much like last year.  How many pick sixes have we seen dropped this year?  Half a dozen?  That's 36 points our defense could have contributed to the scoring if they could simply catch a pass.  Make a few of those plays and Henne doesn't need to make as many.

Maybe because he was just activated do to an injury to Fasano and hasn't started in this system for the last 2 years like Henne has.

Granted, but how is Henne suppose to know that he's gonna make that mistake and not throw the ball where he thinks the receiver is going to be?

What is your point ? Bess is one of our better players. He hasn't screwed up most of the games  for us, like Henne has.

My point is that even good players screw up.

You just summed it up right here. All players are human. Williams, Brown, Bess, Marshall, and Henne are all human and all make mistakes. The difference between Henne and the other players mentioned is that, while all of them may make mistakes sometimes. Henne makes the same dumbass mistakes all the time and they usually wind up costing us the game. QB is one position that doesn't work well with constant mistakes !!!

I have bit of a different perspective on it.  Henne touches the ball on nearly every offensive play.  On top of that, if he screws up, it's usually pretty easy for everyone in the stadium watching to see it, whereas any other player can screw up and we usually don't know it or even if we do we don't like to point it out (like when a receiver slips during his route causing an INT).  On top of that, we rely on Henne to make the plays in the crucial minutes of the game, can't say the same of Williams, Brown, Marshall and Bess.  If they disappear, it's not their fault, Henne should have somehow pulled out the game anyway.  Where were Williams, Brown, Marshall and Bess on that last drive?  How come they didn't pull out a big play?  How come Brown didn't get out of bounds?  How come he didn't just bat the ball down knowing that he couldn't get out of bounds?

It's easy to second guess the QB, he gets all the blame when he don't win.  The really funny thing is that with Henne, nobody even gives him much credit when we win.

[badger6]

Why not?  The result would have been the same.  Incomplete pass.

The point is that Henne should have been throwing the ball in the end zone regardless, not a 1 yard pass in the flat with 20 secs to go. There is no discussion on this, it was another in a long line of dumbass bone head plays.

I'm not so sure.  They seem to play well enough when Miami is losing and the other team doesn't feel pressured to put up points.  Anytime the opponent is down and needs to put up points, they seem to give up big plays way too easily and they NEVER seem to come up with the big play to seal the win when you need it.  Much like last year.  How many pick sixes have we seen dropped this year?  Half a dozen?  That's 36 points our defense could have contributed to the scoring if they could simply catch a pass.  Make a few of those plays and Henne doesn't need to make as many.

Don't twist things up. Simple question, who has played better this year Henne and the offense or the Defense ? I'll wait !!!

Granted, but how is Henne suppose to know that he's gonna make that mistake and not throw the ball where he thinks the receiver is going to be?

Your original question was, "Why did the TE run the wrong route on the first INT?", and I gave you the most logical reason. As far as how Henne is supposed to know not to throw the ball in that situation, I guess that I would say that if he had not messed up so much this year and played better, he would probably get a pass in that situation. But there are only so many times that someone can mess up that it doesn't actually matter whose fault it is anymore.

My point is that even good players screw up.

Good players screw up occasionally and bad players screw up consistently !!!

 

I have bit of a different perspective on it.  Henne touches the ball on nearly every offensive play.  On top of that, if he screws up, it's usually pretty easy for everyone in the stadium watching to see it, whereas any other player can screw up and we usually don't know it or even if we do we don't like to point it out (like when a receiver slips during his route causing an INT).  On top of that, we rely on Henne to make the plays in the crucial minutes of the game, can't say the same of Williams, Brown, Marshall and Bess.  If they disappear, it's not their fault, Henne should have somehow pulled out the game anyway.  Where were Williams, Brown, Marshall and Bess on that last drive?  How come they didn't pull out a big play?  How come Brown didn't get out of bounds?  How come he didn't just bat the ball down knowing that he couldn't get out of bounds?

It's easy to second guess the QB, he gets all the blame when he don't win.  The really funny thing is that with Henne, nobody even gives him much credit when we win.

That all goes with being a starting QB in the NFL. They get all the pressure and all the blame if it doesn't work out. The ones that can handle the pressure and play well win games and the ones that don't wash out. I wish as bad as anyone here that Henne would have worked out. Unfortunately, he hasn't and probably won't. Time to cut our losses and move on, 3 years is long enough because I can't stand watching this shit every week and judging from what other Dolphin fans are saying everywhere, they can't either. 

[Brian Fein]

Henne makes no plays.  He never threads a great throw. 

This isn't fair.  Henne makes his (albeit small) share of nice throws.  They go un-noticed by the general crowd here because everyone is looking for reasons to fire him.  No one comes to the table with evidence of why he deserves the job, and thus good plays go by the wayside.  However, Henne does make some nice throws here and there.

Not saying he's awesome, but let's be fair and give credit where its due.  You all crap all over the guy when he sucks, but never praise when he doesn't.

[Dave Gray]

He makes throws to receivers that are open.  I give him credit for that.  ...but he doesn't create.  He doesn't thread the needle.  He doesn't make sweet touch passes.  He doesn't make throws where only the receiver can get it. 

[Spider-Dan]

Why did Brown catch it?  I mean he's a smart guy too.  He's been playing in the NFL long enough to know that it was bonehead pass and just bat it down, right?

I've literally never, in my entire life, seen an offensive player bat down a pass intended for him because he thought it was bad clock management.  And I doubt I ever will.

Do you really want your RECEIVERS choosing which passes they are and are not going to catch, based on their own personal evaluation of the clock?  That's an ugly can of worms to open.

[CF DolFan]

Henning had said that Henne's check down last week was the correct read under the circumstances against the Bills. I can only assume that this time was the same. Again, I point to coaching.

[badger6]

I've literally never, in my entire life, seen an offensive player bat down a pass intended for him because he thought it was bad clock management.  And I doubt I ever will.

Do you really want your RECEIVERS choosing which passes they are and are not going to catch, based on their own personal evaluation of the clock?  That's an ugly can of worms to open.

I agree completely. With 20 seconds left the ball should have been at least 30 yards down field or in the end zone. I see no debating that fact. I just don't see how Henne couldn't see that, even with his limited football IQ. Teams are in that situation on a weekly basis and they score on a weekly basis, just not us........

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I think fans over emphasis the last few plays of the game.  There were probably 25 other mistakes that were worst throughout the game.  Correct one or two of those and you don't have to worry about clock management cause the game ends with Henne taking a knee.