These changes have made pas- catching running backs a must. They have made the tight end a massively important position. And they have deemphasized the importance of field-stretching wideouts and pass protecting offensive linemen.
Defensively, these changes have made linebacking corps the most important units on the field. If teams are attacking the 3-5 yard area on the field on quick drops, it is fairly obvious that the players in that part of the field are the key. Defensive interior lines don't matter much so long as they are competent. Defensive ends are somewhat valuable, but the key is to be quick and tough in the middle.
Mike Tannenbaum missed the memo- all of the memos, really. He doesn't value linebackers. He doesn't value tight ends. He doesn't seem to understand that over investing in interior d-linemen who watch helplessly as the other team attacks the flats and the edges makes no sense. And he certainly doesn't get that tying up 30% of our salary structure on offense and on defense in the lines was trying a 90's mentality in the new millennium.
The Dolphins suck because they are built to play a sport that no one else in the NFL is still trying to play. The contracts suck. The concepts suck. And the general manager, unless he is secretly working for the Kraft family, is a complete wreck. Let's blow it up and start over.
Jay Lopez
16 comments
Psst .....hey jay, Mike Grier is the gm......either school up or change your headline. Just a heads up....that said. The philly twins are a disaster. and Alonso and maxwell, foster is a stiff. The o line is a sieve. I don't like the jets reject either, but he is not the GM.
Tired eyes, Kelly. Good looking out.
It's Chris Grier.
If you other idiots paid attention, you'd know Tannenbaum built this team!
If you other idiots paid attention, you'd know Tannenbaum built this team!
Good post.
Unfortunately last year's draft class wasn't very deep at all at the LB position. Plus there were injury concerns with a couple of them including Myles Jack, who feel to Jacksonville in the second round.
I believe Grier will address the LB corps early in next year's draft. I do wonder why Dion Jordan, with his premier athleticism, hasn't gotten on the field yet.
Offensively, we do seem to dunk and dink but not with the consistency needed to sustain drives. The wide receivers need to know where the stakes are on 3rd down and not rely on missed tackles. Too often their routes are running short of the yard to gain another first down.
Lets face it, the injuries to our OL have handcuffed us. We haven't had our starting five together yet. Sunday had both Albert (stomach virus) and Tunsil (sprained ankle from slip in shower) suddenly unavailable. You cannot script this stuff, since most Movie Execs would find it unbelievable, unless it's a comic farce.
Yes we have issues at TE as well, especially with Cameron in and out of the lineup.
I never thought we were going to be very good this year, but I would love to see the OL together for a month to get a better gage on this offense.
Good post.
Unfortunately last year's draft class wasn't very deep at all at the LB position. Plus there were injury concerns with a couple of them including Myles Jack, who feel to Jacksonville in the second round.
I believe Grier will address the LB corps early in next year's draft. I do wonder why Dion Jordan, with his premier athleticism, hasn't gotten on the field yet.
Offensively, we do seem to dunk and dink but not with the consistency needed to sustain drives. The wide receivers need to know where the stakes are on 3rd down and not rely on missed tackles. Too often their routes are running short of the yard to gain another first down.
Lets face it, the injuries to our OL have handcuffed us. We haven't had our starting five together yet. Sunday had both Albert (stomach virus) and Tunsil (sprained ankle from slip in shower) suddenly unavailable. You cannot script this stuff, since most Movie Execs would find it unbelievable, unless it's a comic farce.
Yes we have issues at TE as well, especially with Cameron in and out of the lineup.
I never thought we were going to be very good this year, but I would love to see the OL together for a month to get a better gage on this offense.
They placed Jordan on IR at the beginning of the season, I believe he can come back after the 6th game, I'd get him on the fields to see what he can do and since there's no logical reason not to, what do we have to lose...
They placed Jordan on IR at the beginning of the season, I believe he can come back after the 6th game, I'd get him on the fields to see what he can do and since there's no logical reason not to, what do we have to lose...
Nice post Jay.
Let me put it a different way though. Are you ready?
The organization sucks, the owner sucks, the fans suck, the new uni's really suck, and the new logo sucks. Miami is too much of a distracting city with too much blow and too many hookers.
I was born there in 1965, grew up in North Miami, right off of NE 6th ave and 159th st. I use to go to all the games at the Orange Bowl. I have spent almost my entire life loving the Dolphins. Joyful childhood memories (of me and my dad enjoying all those victories) are a very powerful psychological conditioning that can last a lifetime. This can be a great thing, if you root for the Steelers or Cowboys. But it's agonizing when your team goes from being one of the most respected teams in all pro sports to the piece of crap they've now become. And I mean a stinking piece of the nastiest crap, for all the wrong reasons: they've fallen for the glitz and fake south beach nonsense, the international modeling glamour bullshit that stinks of Patron shots and a slut's $500 bottle of perfume. And at the top, the greedy Realestate tycoon who knows nothing about the game I love so much.
It's like someone very dear to me died, and the rest of the NFL is laughing at me. It's like part of my childhood has been taken away. I don't live in Miami anymore, haven't for years. But I visit often; my mom passed away recently, and I was putting her affairs in order. The funny thing is, every time I come back to Miami, I always expect it to be the way I remembered in the 1970s and early 80s, but it's gone. That place only exists in my dreams now. And every time a new football season starts, I expect to see Griese throwing to Warfield and Csonka pounding it up the middle, or shoot, even Marino winning a game with only seconds left. But sadly, those memories only exist in my dreams as well.
Home-field advantage is gone, our logo is gone, our colors are gone, the old fans are gone, our pride is gone, our respect is gone, and our legacy is tarnished. I ask all of you, what's there to root for anymore? I honestly don't even recognize this team anymore!
I think at 51 years old, it's time for me to grow up and let go of this silly connection to my childhood. It's just too painful, sad, and depressing.
My take on all of this:
1. We have an owner who hired Tannebaum because he knew him in NYC. Not because he was good.
2. Tannebaum is acting as GM; Grier is a figurehead. Tannebaum was terrible with the Jets, and is terrible here. This team has no depth.
3. We had signed free agents for years (Suh, Albert, Wallace) to huge contracts. A LT only deserves it if he is healthy (he wasn't in KC). A DT and a WR do not. But when we sign these guys, it affects the team for years.
4. Since Ross didn't know what he was doing, he hired a 'nice' guy (Philbin) who didn't call the plays in Green Bay (McCarthy did). Who hired his mentor who was fired from Texas A&M (Sherman). Who brought in his pet project from A&M (Tannehill). Who Philbin liked so much, we signed Tannehill to a long term deal that we can get out of this year (he was still HC when the deal was signed). Hiring Philbin was as bad as hiring Cam Cameron simply because we are stuck with Tannehill this year when we should have let his rookie contract run out.
We won't get better until: Tannebaum, Tannehill and Albert are gone. I hope that will be next year. The two players are under performing. But Tannebaum hasn't proven to be able to draft. Tunsil fell into his lap. Howard, Grant and Carroo 'might' be ok. But he certainly can't sign the right people that are not drafted, including backups, which by the way, the Phins have hardly any.
My take.
"The NFL has turned into a quick drop, short passing league."
This is what Philbin wanted, and this is what Gase said he wants. And, this is also why I refused to support Philbin, and why I now refuse to support Gase. Dink-and-dunk is not working in Miami, so go back to being a tough physical team. Consistently good teams are strong in the trenches, can stop the run, and can run even when the opponent knows you're going to run. Philbin inherited a team that was pretty good at those things, but he dismantled all of that in order to build his dink-and-dunk offense.
Short passes mostly replaced the running game. Rushing the passer was emphasized and stopping the run was ignored. Athletic o-linemen were preferred over road-graders who could run-block. The team that Philbin took over had a good defense with a Top 5 Rushing Defense, and an offense that could sustain drives and reach the red zone but needed more offensive talent to score TDs instead of settling for FGs. During Philbin's regime they had 4 full off-seasons of drafts and Free Agency to build the team he wanted, and what was the end result?
The team sucks; it's garbage. His o-line, full of 1st round picks, can't run-block or protect the QB as Tannehill has been sacked more than any other QB over the past 4 years. They can't convert a 3rd and short on the ground when needed, and can't sustain a running game to run out the clock if holding a lead near the end of a game. With few exceptions the offense normally takes until almost half-time to find the end zone. The defense can't tackle, can't stop the run, and allow far too many opponents to march right down the field for a game-winning drive. Philbin's o-line gets dominated by everyone, and especially by their division rivals; last year they were swept by both the Bills and the Jets resulting in a 1-5 division record.
This is what happens when you let idiots run a team and make major changes. Miami was a few offensive players away from being a playoff team until Philbin and the Front Office decided to change everything on both offense and defense and go for dink-and-dunk finesse over tough and nasty.
No band-aids will fix this team. The roster needs to be overhauled, and a return to old-school is needed. But, to do so means you need someone in charge who can recognize talent, and Tannenbaum is not the guy. It can't be that hard; get strong, hard-hitting defensive players, an o-line full of road-graders for a bruising running game, and add in a decent QB. Football is a tough physical sport, so you need tough physical players.
Oh yeah... if you want to be tough, first you have to get rid of that dumb Sea World logo!
So many thoughtful fans here. Thanks everyone. Tommy: I couldn't agree more. The tunsil pick let's us escape one terrible deal (Albert.) we need to get out from under Suh, Maxwell, and possibly Pouncey/Thill to get straight. To Carl's point, let's get RT protection before deciding on him- but I view him as linked to Pouncey since there is no sense in paying a premium at center while we rebuild. If we can deal talent for picks we should. The only untouchable is Landry.
You always write thoughtful, meaningful posts Seiple. Thank you. I wish I had the memories of this team that you have. Mine only go to Marino- and I never knew the Miami you describe. It was already a corporate flesh pit when I came to it, though one for which I have a certain affection :)
I think we need linebackers and a running back. The lines get too much attention in my view. Draft skill and sign journeymen between the tackles.