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Miami needs an upgrade at the running back position (there, I said it)

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by hugoguzman, Nov 7, 2010.

  1. hugoguzman

    hugoguzman New Member

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    Ronnie Brown is my second-favorite player of the modern era (only behind Tim Bowens) and Ricky Brown is a sentimental favorite (probably because I also smoked my fair share of joints back in the day and am now into yoga) but the reality is that neither of these guys have the quickness or break-away speed to turn 10-yard gains into game-changing plays.

    As I watched today's game one thing that became more and more evident was how much of an impact Ray Rice had on this football game. People will talk about what a great game Flacco had (and he did play well for the most part, except for that embarrassing pick six on a platter that Sean Smith dropped) but the truth is that many if not most of his throws were short screens or dump offs that Ray Rice turned into big gains (McGahee also had one on the first TD of the day, but he's more or less a Brown/Williams clone).

    It was Rice that made that offense go today, finishing with 83 yards rushing (lead the team) 7 receptions (led the team) and 97 receiving yards (led the team).

    Granted, Brown could have had a similarly dominant game if Henning had not abandoned the run in the second half, but the fact remains that he and Ricky simply don't have the game-changing quickness and speed to consistently take over games.

    I'm a huge fan of both and always will be, but I think that it's time to let go of one (probably Brown since he's more expensive) and look for an upgrade either via draft or free agency.

    P.S. There were a lot of other, bigger reasons why Miami lost today's game, but facing a dominant back like Rice definitely brought things into perspective for me in terms of the running back positions.
     
  2. Destroyer

    Destroyer There for every play.

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    Add

    TE
    QB
    LB
    CB
    C

    and many other positions to that.
     
  3. BlameItOnTheHenne

    BlameItOnTheHenne Taking a poop

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    Ricky Brown sounds better than Ronnie Williams anyways :wink2:
     
  4. cdnfinfan

    cdnfinfan New Member

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    the RB's are fine

    the problem is the playcalling is horrendous
     
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  5. hazed819

    hazed819 Well-Known Member

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    Yea but Ronnie brown was doing fine the first half then Henning decided that running the ball for 7 yards a carry was not going to cut it and stopped running. So although I agree that we are in trouble at the RB position it wouldnt change a thing in our current state.
     
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  6. Dolphins1Beatles

    Dolphins1Beatles Ziggy Stardust

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    Ronnie and Ricky barely touched the ball. When Ronnie had the ball he gashed the Ravens. I have no idea why we stopped using him. Brown had 9 touches, Ricky only had 2. Our pro bowl running backs only were called on 11 times! That's pathetic by the coaches.
     
  7. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'm pretty sure regardless of what we do with Ronnie and Ricky, we'll probably draft one.

    Guys I like:

    Mark Ingram - if he declares
    Mikel Leshoure - if he declares
    Noel Devine
    Kendall Hunter
    Daniel Thomas

    Any one of them would suit me just fine with Ronnie or Ricky in 2011.
     
  8. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Yeah, those darn running backs need to stop throwing interceptions and missing wide open in the endzone Wr's!

    Wait, what?
     
  9. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    I blame Ronnie for the dropped ball.Thats it .He was running through gaping holes .He had something close to 40 plus yards on that first drive alone.

    Then the Ravens made some adjustments and we decided not to continue with that formula.

    That has been fairly typical of our offense this year.Go away from something thats working.:pity:

    We do need another explosive type of player to add to the mix but this regime has opted to address other areas of need in the draft.Perhaps next year......
     
  10. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    We didn't want to run today. Wouldn't matter if we had AP or CJ or even Peyton Hillis. We didn't give any of our backs a chance.
     
  11. Muck

    Muck Throwback Uniform Crusader Retired Administrator

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    Welcome aboard. I felt the same way heading into the season. And it was on display in all its beauty today -- on the other side of the field unfortunately.

    I loved Rice coming out. Would love to have a guy like him or LeSean McCoy (that skillset anyway) down here. OT: I think Steven Jackson is the bronze statue this regime aspires to. The most complete back in the league.

    Basically a guy who adds that explosiveness you mentioned to the offense. While we're at it, get one to line up at WR too!
     
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  12. hugoguzman

    hugoguzman New Member

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    I guess I did a poor job of explaining myself.

    I didn't blame today's loss on Ronnie and Ricky (and I agree that we should have continued to run the ball since it was working so well).

    What I am saying is that Ray Rice was by far the best player on the field today. He made it easy for Flacco by continually catching screens and dumpoffs and turning them into long gains.

    Rice is much quicker and shiftier than our guys and also has better top line speed, and what I'm saying is that Miami could desperately use that. We literally never break off long TD runs. Heck, we barely ever break off runs longer than 20 yards (and few long passing plays as well).

    Miami needs an upgrade because in today's NFL, you need to be able to hit home runs once in a while (and break off first down runs and catches more than just once or twice a game)
     
  13. AbideN703

    AbideN703 Yes, I'd hit it

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    Not every team has a guy like Ray Rice on it. Though it would be fantastic to have a guy of his ability making plays
     
  14. cdnfinfan

    cdnfinfan New Member

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    what Miami needs is an offensive coordinator that knows how to call a complete game

    he needs to learn how to call plays that counters what the defense is doing
    and throw them off

    he runs when they expect it, he throws when they expect it
    he has no commitment to the run
    he doesn't seem to understand when and how to use play action

    at least he didn't call the wildcat today


    the guy is not giving our offense any chance to succeed with the way he calls a game
     
  15. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I like the ability of Ronnie when he runs straight ahead and just plows guys over. We saw that early in this game, hell, 6 carries, 45 yards, and a TD early. He then finished the game with 9 carries. Ronnies TD came approx 10 minutes into the ball game, then he only carried the ball 3 times after that, and Ricky only had 2 carries today for one yard after that. That's inexcusable.

    We do need an upgrade though. Ricky is almost done, Ronnie is gettin up there still, but due to his injuries should still be pretty fresh, however that being said, his injuries are part of the bigger picture problem.

    It's going to happen this draft no doubt. I'd like to see us draft someone, and probably keep ronnie for a few more years, just because of his still rather young age, and the skillset he brings.
     
  16. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    I get your point. makes sense, but easier said than done. Based on his numbers the past 25 games, Rice is an elite talent...better than MJD, maybe a step behind A Peterson. Of course if we had a chance to upgrade from Ronnie and Ricky to a guy like Rice, we should pull the trigger.
    But, it's like saying if we could upgrade from Henne to T Brady we should do that too.
    We've had too many other holes to fill (and we're not done either).
    IMO, we need do need to draft a RB in 1st two rounds next season. If we end up with another pick in the 20s, then draft a RB in 1st round.
     
  17. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    This is where missing on Pat White and Sheets injuring his ankle hurt us, they were the two X factor/playmakers outside of Marshall, and they are both gone and the O lacks juice.
     
  18. 2k5

    2k5 I miss Ted Ginn Jr.

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    I can't help but feel like Noel Devine would dominate behind our line. We get enough push that we can create holes consistently for him to sneak into and get himself into space.
     
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  19. mroz

    mroz Fix the OL Club Member

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    If I may point out... The Fins had the ball for 2 plays on their 2nd drive and three on their 3rd drive. The 3rd drive started with the 4 yard loss to Marshall. The final drive of the half was a two minute drive. RB had 2 carries for 3 yards in those drives.
     
  20. mroz

    mroz Fix the OL Club Member

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    disagree, not enough speed
     
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  21. mroz

    mroz Fix the OL Club Member

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    I'd go with:

    TE
    Fast WR
    ILB
    S (both)
    OC
    OG
    RT
     
  22. Destroyer

    Destroyer There for every play.

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    I think the O Line is good enough not great but good enough.
     
  23. NJFINSFAN1

    NJFINSFAN1 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    First drive, Brown 6 carries 45 yards and a TD

    Than he gets 3 more carries the rest of the game????

    I just don't get it.
     
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  24. Anonymous

    Anonymous Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Are you serious? You complain about Henne yet think we miss White?
     
  25. FinsAreLife

    FinsAreLife Well-Known Member

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    ronnie had 9 carries today for 59 yards. If he would have been given the ball for 15-20 carries today, he would have had 100 yards rushing. He's not getting the ball. There, I said it.
     
  26. BlameItOnTheHenne

    BlameItOnTheHenne Taking a poop

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    Yeah, I miss his 0% completion percentage too.....
     
  27. GreysonWinfield

    GreysonWinfield Release The Hounds

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    Its addition by subtraction. Or maybe its subtraction by addition. Either way its in the playbook.
     
  28. finsincebirth

    finsincebirth Well-Known Member

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    I agree with you here Hugo.

    Ronnie has always had an issue with breakaway speed since we drafted him. How many times has he gotten to the second level and ripped off a big gain only to be tackled from behind. He's great at picking up chunk yardage, but he lacks the home run threat. I would love to see the number of long TD runs that we have had over that last few years.
    Throw in a couple leg injuries, and it doesn't make him better.
     
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  29. finsincebirth

    finsincebirth Well-Known Member

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    Really Padre? I know you love looking for those bottom roster guys but come one. White and Sheets were not x factor/playmakers. You actually have to make plays to qualify as such. To imply (being the key word here) that our offensive is not as impressive as it should be or could be, because those two are gone is completely asinine.
     
  30. SICK

    SICK Lounge Moderator

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    ronnie looked good today. real good. 2007 good.


    so we gave him the ball 9 times.

    Thats ****ing ridiculous.

    And padre, its tough to throw good consistently when the defense knows its coming.....11 carries for ronnie ricky?!?!?!? thats horrendous.
     
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  31. BigDogsHunt

    BigDogsHunt Enough talk...prove it!

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    Noel Devine please!!!! a true quick-twitch, speed, and scat back type.
     
  32. PhinsRDbest

    PhinsRDbest Transform and Transcend

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    the next dimension
    More like an upgrade at Offensive coordinator
     
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  33. hugoguzman

    hugoguzman New Member

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    Again, for the second time, I'm not bashing Brown or Williams. I also agree that they should not have abandoned a run game that was working today (I even said as much in my other thread).

    But if you can't see the different in ability and production between Rice and Brown/Williams, then I don't know what to tell you.

    Rice was the best player on the field and made Flacco's job easy (just dump it off or throw a screen and let Rice do the rest).

    Granted, McGahee also had a huge play on a dump off but he's a clone of Brown/Williams.

    Miami's offense would benefit greatly from a legitimate big-play threat like Rice (and a legit TE wouldn't hurt either).
     
  34. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Yes really, White was a running threat, Sheets had the speed to take a short pass to the house, we no longer have the Wildcat 2.0 type, nor the 4.3 Running back type, they have not been replaced.
     
  35. NorFlaFin

    NorFlaFin Active Member

    Personally, I think it's the RB's trusting the line especially the interior triangle. RB won't run to to the correct gap and trust that the OL will open the hole. He'll dance until the hole is obvious. Unfortunately LB's know this as well and flow into the hole forcing RB to "plow" over them. Make that "one cut" and he'll get the explosives runs he definitely capable of.

    I prefer take a RB in the later rounds as those guys are fighting for jobs and will do everything the coach tells them. No 1st rd security.
     
  36. BB Ocho

    BB Ocho Season Ticket Holder

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    I don't know when ray rice was drafted, I guess I could look it up, but Ronnie and Ricky are both top 3 picks. Miami just needs to catch a break and probably by no intent of Ireland's, draft the next Brady. Or Sparano will be gone in a couple of years, the whole regime will be.
     
  37. SICK

    SICK Lounge Moderator

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    Against Rutgers.
     
  38. ToddsPhins

    ToddsPhins Banned

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    Ricky needs to go so that we can get a back who actually compliments Ronnie instead of duplicating him.

    There's no reason with Henne, Marshall, Bess, and Ronnie that we can't add the 3 extra pieces (speed WR, playmaking TE, and COP back) to help us become an efficient, wide-open offense like the Giants who can beat you in the air or on the ground while picking up chunk yardage in the process.
     
  39. Miguel

    Miguel The smartest Man on earth

    UMMMM we have draftyed a RB remeber??? LEX Hilliard. Special teamer MAKES SOME tackles Nice plays every once in awhile remebr Him??? Yea
     
  40. hugoguzman

    hugoguzman New Member

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    Rice was selected in the second round (Williams was not a top 3 pick, by the way, he was the sixth overall selection).

    The difference is that both Brown and Williams are aging and are no longer able to consistently make guy miss. And they almost never break off 20+ runs (or receptions).

    If you can't see the difference in ability between a young and explosive Rice and a still steady/grinding but non-explosive Brown/Williams, then I don't know what to tell you.
     

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