Shame of the Game @ Panthers

[Denver2]

And we’re 1-4….

Hard to choose who to blame but I’ll go with the defense why not

[masterfins]

Weaver? Defensive Line?  I don't understand it; I thought the D Line was going to be the best part of the defense.  How do you give up 237 yards rushing to a team playing without their #1 running back?

I think this team is much WORSE than I thought, and I didn't think they were very good but I thought they would be about a .500 team given their easy schedule.  I'm wondering if they can win 4 games this year.

[Sibster]

The offensive line.   Only 19 yards rushing and Tua was sacked three times and pressured many others.  That line sucked dick today.   

[Downunder Dolphan]

From the NFL highlights package (and game reviews):

It's really hard to get a feel for how the game played out from the limited footage I saw (for this and the game ball award).

The first impression (and the one I'll stick with) is Weaver, because our defense is absolute trash. Minkah seems to be the only one out there who can stick a tackle, and Chubb the only one applying constant pressure. We can't stop the run, giving up over 200 yards to a #2 RB. Guys like Jones should be told this ain't fucking flag football - you have to bring a player down to stop the play, and not continually go one handed (usually to try and punch out the ball). Our defense is playing soft, and with the couple of notable exceptions I said earlier, doesn't seem to give a shit. I'm beginning to think Weaver doesn't give a shit either - like most of his players he has mentally checked out, knowing what little talent is left ain't anywhere near enough to get the job done.

Which leads me to McDaniel as a dishonorable mention. Waller had a glorious first half, but I read he wasn't even targeted once in the second half! The Panthers committed to the run (even while behind) and had 3x the attempted rushes - we only had 13 attempts. I get the argument that our OL sucked, but again it seems like we're to willing to abandon the run (even in previous weeks when it's successful) and go with the dink and dunk, short passes at or behind the line of scrimmage - even when they're not working. Successive three and outs load more pressure on a struggling defense - and we just can't seem to get it done when the pressure is on. For all the talk of us mentally and physically toughening up in the offseason, our play continues to be the complete opposite.

It may be less than a third of the way through the season, but I've got the feeling McDaniel has lost the players. Probably lost the coaches too. This season is a train wreck.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Weaver? Defensive Line?  I don't understand it; I thought the D Line was going to be the best part of the defense.  How do you give up 237 yards rushing to a team playing without their #1 running back?

Yeah the raw figures look like that... then I look that our offense after the first three scoring drives went four three and outs in a row... close enough to five when we got a first down the first play of the next series, followed by a three and out. We're not running the ball anywhere near as much as passing, and not taking time off the clock. At that particular time the defense was holding up while we had a lead... until it inevitably broke.

Weaver (like Fangio) must absolutely hate McDaniel right now. Defensive players get run into the ground and burnt out - if none of them give a shit, I can hardly say I'm surprised. I'm really tempted to change my SOG vote to McDaniel. 

[Spider-Dan]

"The defense was tired" is not a valid excuse.  MIA had the advantage in time of possession at the start of the 4th quarter and the defense collapsed anyway.

My SOTG is Weaver again.  This defense is just the pits.

[Sibster]

Players claim they are "frustrated but the team is not a dumpster fire".   They're worse than a dumpster fire.   A dumpster fire has a flame.

[Downunder Dolphan]

"The defense was tired" is not a valid excuse.  MIA had the advantage in time of possession at the start of the 4th quarter and the defense collapsed anyway.

My SOTG is Weaver again.  This defense is just the pits.

There's no question that the defense sucks, but it's also obvious McDainiel ain't helping them much on Offense either.

After we got out to a 17-0 lead, our offense only had 24 plays over 13.11 up until Carolina took over the game for good. Even our series when Waddle scored a TD was only three plays and 1.18.

[masterfins]

There's no question that the defense sucks, but it's also obvious McDainiel ain't helping them much on Offense either.

After we got out to a 17-0 lead, our offense only had 24 plays over 13.11 up until Carolina took over the game for good. Even our series when Waddle scored a TD was only three plays and 1.18.

The 17-0 lead also had a lot to do with the defense getting two turnovers.  The Dolphins are just bad on both sides of the ball, and also have a couple shining moments on both sides of the ball.  Overall there's just no consistency; and I'm sick of McDaniel's news conferences after the game saying "we're gonna get that fixed right away", they've had the same problems for TWO YEARS, he isn't going to get anything fixed.  There's zero emotion from him!  Throw a clipboard or chair, kick over a garbage can, get in some players' faces  on the sidelines after their bonehead plays, DO SOMETHING to show you care.

[Dave Gray]

I have sat on this for days and I still don't know what to do.

Our sucking seems systemic and in multiple areas.

Our defense is bad.
Specifically, our QB pressure is bad.
Our offensive line is terrible.
We can't run the ball.

In a game where you can't stop pressure, can't run, can't stop the run, and can't get pressure -- who do you blame for that?

Just to put a player's name on it, I'll go with corner Jack Jones, who had to hold all night.

[masterfins]

I have sat on this for days and I still don't know what to do.

Our sucking seems systemic and in multiple areas.

Our defense is bad.
Specifically, our QB pressure is bad.
Our offensive line is terrible.
We can't run the ball.

In a game where you can't stop pressure, can't run, can't stop the run, and can't get pressure -- who do you blame for that?

Just to put a player's name on it, I'll go with corner Jack Jones, who had to hold all night.

I think it has a lot to do with coaching across the board, not just McDaniel.  I don't think the players sense any fear from the coaches after making really bad plays.  I see interviews from former Patriot players and they feared their coaches and it made them play/practice harder; not wanting to make mistakes.  In Miami it's "hey you make a good play in practice today, you get to pick the music played in practice tomorrow", that's just pitiful to me.

[Spider-Dan]

I know American society desperately longs for a hard-nosed tyrant that rules his players with an iron fist, but Miami literally just had one of those and it was far worse.  We can also see the entire Belichick coaching tree who does NOTHING BUT THAT and they all suck terribly.

So maybe instead of More Toughness, the Dolphins just need better players and/or better coaching schemes.