This is the meat of the article.... "....Channing Crowder, the incumbent starter, is a favorite of Tony Sparano. It will likely take a lot for Dobbins to take away Channing's starting spot. But if Crowder is slowed as he continues to recover from his foot injury, Dobbins might be able to make a push." IMHO Crowder is a marked man this year. They took forever to sign him last year and he almost looked to milk the position at times late in the season. This year Dobbins will be hot on his heels and I predict that by the end of the season he'll win the starting job (taking nothing away from Crowder, because I do like him) If they can produce equal results at ILB with less payroll they will do it in a heartbeat. That will be their goal and it really has nothing to do with Channing. Anyway....that's the way I see it.
by the end of the season? won't that be a little late my friend?we don't play games during the off season.i would hope this coaching staff wouldn't wait till week 12 to replace crowder if he's not doing well come week 5.regardless i agree that crowder will probly not be the starter come next season wether it's being replaced by dobbins or someone we draft/pick up in fa unless cc has a very good yr.
Good read, thanks for the link. I've said since we traded for him, Dobbins will unseat Crowder from the starting ILB spot next to Dansby. JMHO.
I did'nt see any explosiveness in his game last year, and him not being able to train his lower body for a chunk of the offseason, with that serious foot injury, does not inspire hope for me, considering I feel he is already weak in that area.. Its a big time training camp battle...can't wait..may the fastest, most physical player win.
I agree. Is Crowder really a fit for the strong side inside linebacker? To me Dobbin's fits that role much better. He seems like a strong, plugger that takes on blocks. Crowder, in my eyes, seems like a more athletic player and not so much a banger/plugger. Maybe that is because he played with weak inside lb spot last year and Adayele played the banger role. It seems like Dobbin's is almost a lock next to Dansby (unless there is similar player on the roster I am unaware of). I think it might make more sense to keep Crowder as a backup to Dansby ( or try him at the outside LB positions) then to try to adapt him to the banger position.
Good post but be careful cause rafael will come driving down the road soon on his stat machine skewing the situation and actually trying to convince Dolphin fans that Crowder is an above average LB when we all know he is not.
Raf's is good, and I respect his opinion...but he's swimming in futility when it comes to crowder and me.
I think something else to consider is that by next season, Crowder nor Dobbins will be manning that position.... I hope it doesn't happen but there's a chance that Misi could be playing next to Dansby and we will be drafting or attaining in FA, another SOLB.
I like Crowder, seems like a fun guy, but the truth is that he is only average. I've never really seen him play with that fire. I hope I am wrong and as Zach said, he steps it up... Otherwise we seem to have an adequate replacement. Even without big plays he needs to tackle better and play down hill.
Crowder isn't a liability IMO, but I think Dobbins is going to surprise a lot of people. IMO he should have been starting in SD.
There is an article that talks about the Strong Inside LB. I believe this article refers to it as the "TED". This is the role that Crowder and Dobbins are fighting for. This article was not written about the Dolphins. It was written about the Niners but I believe it's the same system as we run (Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4). I could be wrong. Feel free to correct me. That is the meat of the article. Here is the link if you want to read the rest. http://www.ninersnation.com/2008/5/13/508528/so-what-exactly-is-the-ted I think Crowder may be the better athlete but I think Dobbins fills the role better. I just wonder if crowder is really going to be stout/tough enough physically. I am not saying Crowder is soft to be clear. I just don't know if he can be that physical AND stay healthy. He has problems staying healthy when he was in the 'sexy' role. I actually like Crowder. I am just saying I don't think he will transition well into a role that Dobbins seems to be already made for. So, to me, stats don't really enter into the equation near as much. It's about 'fit'. Dansby is going to be the guy who gets to run around and make 'sexy' plays. Crowder isn't getting that role. I am not sure he can transition into the TED role. So why not see if he can play either of the outside LB positions, or just as depth for Dansby.
Well, ya know what I mean. I think we will finish the season with Dobbins as the starter in the position.
remember how when we used go into inferior defenses {like oakland} and would just dominate them from the get...Imo, thats because Zach had the play's figured out before they ran them.. Have we seen that kind of intuition from crowder. not imo, not even close.. Zach used to tell that cat where to run, and when..
It goes back to that lack of awareness that Crowder possesses along with no structure. I posted this article in another thread and you may have read it but it is before the 2009 season. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8163/is_20090909/ai_n52021563/ Explains that they want Crowder to play more within the system and not ad lib so to speak. I still say his motor is his only true asset. Everything else he is lacking.
Completely agree. Zach was extremely prepared for each game. If Dobbins can beat Crowder in the "smarts" department, the starting position will be all his IMO.
Something we agree upon Killer. Crowder has a great motor. And I keep giving him the benefit of the doubt in hopes that the light goes on. If he could ever just figure things out he would be a really, really good player. But I am starting to doubt whether he will ever get it.
Undoubtedly the best days of this regimes defense is just ahead of us. I think we will stand in awe of what they have accomplished in one off season. The Jets had better not blink, because we are gonna ram that football right down Ryan's throat in their new stadium. I mention the Jets first because they appear to be the front runner in the AFC after all of their moves during the off season, with the Patsies decaying behind them and the Buffalo Nills in disarray scoring Nill. I don't know whether it will be this year or next year but very soon we will serve notice to the entire NFL (not just our division) that there isn't one safe team from being mauled by the Dolphins. I would lay money that the Dolphins are in the big game next year.
anyone who believes we are building this defense around crowder or ultimately thinks he is even in the argument at the end of the day might be um WRONG sorry i have to say it. sparano loves him for now i guess but point is channing has to be held accountable for his mistakes there are many
Wake, Crowder, Dansby, Anderson/Moses LB's not the problem, nor is the defensive line we have starters, depth & competition the problem on defense remains FreeSafety how this team trains & is coached will make the difference come game time the roster is there, the material is competitive our edge will come from training & coaching got any ideas or information about the edge?
Anybody who believes that it has been alleged in this thread that Crowder is the player we are building around would also be wrong as nobody has said that. Crowder makes mistakes, but when a healthy Crowder is compared to other starting LBs in the league, he looks pretty good. I would personally rate him as an average starter who is above average in run support and below average in coverage. He's probably about average as a rusher just b/c most ILBs are poor pass rushers.
You are probably right. I was just trying to think of a way to get him on the field. I hate to see him sit the bench all year.
Crowder, Anderson and Moses are all scrubs. You can't build a defense with these guys. LB is a bit of a problem. We'll see what Misi does and I hope we din't blow the pick on Odrick like it has proven we did with Merling who is also a scrub. I still think we should have just stayed and taken Brandon Graham or even Hughes when he was available. That would have drastically helped our edge. Also Wake has to prove he can be a real LB but for now is still a project.
Not to mention, that 1 interception was more so cause of Wake getting to Brady. Crowder just had to wait till the ball hit his chest.
all about that: 1) it is what it is going to be about coaching, how they train & what can be resolved @ FreeSafety. 2) Rookies seldom have a major impact in the NFL, usually takes a year or two to develop into quality & consistent contributors. doubt if this group will be the exception. Odrick may have the best shot @ a start, but remains but one more hopeful, another unproven rookie that may or may not pan out. 3) on the positive: last years rookie corners are posed to take off, Hartline should become an item & Henne should finally be ready to play ball. wouldn't waste too much time ragging on players we'll obviously have to depend on to score a winning season. 4) the Orca & running game continue to be our strong suit & are the horse we'll ride into the 2010 season 5) it is what it is going to be all about coaching, how they train & what can be resolved @ FreeSafety.