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Brandon Fields

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by dolfan32323, Nov 27, 2007.

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  1. dolfan32323

    dolfan32323 ty xphinfanx

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    Well, he has been quite disappointing the past few games which is a shame since he really is such a shame because he can help keep us in games. Anyone else notice how he has been shanking punts the past 2 games? Granted it was raining in both (hard last night) he should not be doing this. Fins may have to bring in some competition this off season.
     
  2. Finatic8480

    Finatic8480 New Member

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    Fields is a rookie and has done a pretty good job, the past two game the weather has been really bad so you cant really judge him
     
  3. dolfan32323

    dolfan32323 ty xphinfanx

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    I agree he has been pretty good for most of the year. Hopefully he learns from these past 2 games and doesn't make the same mistakes. Living in such a tropical area he has to get used to it.
     
  4. TheMageGandalf

    TheMageGandalf Senior Member

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    He's a rookie so you let him slide some but he's had a decent year overall. I wouldn't worry about him until next year if he doesnt become more consistent.
     
  5. BigDogsHunt

    BigDogsHunt Enough talk...prove it!

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    he has proven to be another solid draft pick from the 2007 class...give him the benefit of the doubt on the playing conditions.
     
  6. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Only thing to really judge him against is Daniel Sepulveda, also a rookie...he was pretty much crushing the ball last night....so I would definately shorten the leash on Fields.
    Punters are a dime a dozen, very good ones are pretty rare. Fields looks to be more along the lines of a dime a dozen variety to me...
     
  7. shaunm000

    shaunm000 Well-Known Member

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    I loved the punt last night that looked like a Tiger Woods shot at the pin!
     
  8. unifiedtheory

    unifiedtheory Sub Pending Luxury Box

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    He's been TERRIBLE the last 2 games. Remember, both games were field position battles and good punting would have helped.

    BTW, Donnie Jones has a 48.6 AVG (3rd in the NFL) with a 39.0 NET (5th in the NFL), just thought I'd mention it (not hindsight, I hated letting Donnie go in the off season).

    BTW again, Brandon Fields ranks 16th and 26th in those categories....just thought I'd mention it.
     
  9. quelonio

    quelonio Season Ticket Holder

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    Yeah, letting Donnie go was a dumb thing... not the dumbest we have made since we got quite a lot to go through to determine that one, but certainly one of the dumber ones.
     
  10. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    In those two games I remember two really bad kicks. Against Philly he was backed up in his endzone and rushed the kick and last night he was playing in slop where footing is one of the most important aspects of the game for a punter. He has been shaky at times, but has been very good at times too. He had one kick last night that he boomed but the ST unit gave up a long return. His year has reminded me of Donnie Jones' first year with us which was similarly up and down. And actually after looking at the numbers he has an almost identical average to Jones' '05 average at 43.3 compared to Jones' 43.5. And that is after having two poor games in poor conditions to bring his avg down. His net is lower, but that is mostly due to poor coverage IMO. I think Fields has the leg to be a very good punter and just needs to develop some consistancy, which is to be expected from a rookie.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2007
  11. Coral Reefer

    Coral Reefer Premium Member

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    No argument there.

    Especially considering that Cam has mentioned putting such a high priority on ST's. That "dedication" to ST's hasn't shown this year and the move to not sign Jones was another knock to that supposed dedication.

    Unified Theory put up the numbers that sum this all up.
    Fields isn't delivering.

    Additionally, I understand the "rookie's need time to develop" angle.
    I have carried that flag for all our top picks in every thread where people jump the gun and hammer them.

    Having said that, punters don't fall under that "development time period" rule.

    Punting is punting. It's the same process at any level of football competition.

    There's no "developental process" for a Punter. He's either going to produce or he's not and you'll see it right away.
     
  12. Kdawg954

    Kdawg954 Member

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    he had IMO a good game. Yea we all remember the shanked punt . . . but he had some solid 40 yarders that took us out of HORRIBLE situations. He was clutch for the most part . . . . if he was horrible, trust me, Pitt would have scored more than 3 points.

    Sepulvda has looked better, but Fields hasn't been bad at all. Plus I think Sepulvda was a 4th round pick if I'm not mistaken.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2007
  13. arsenal

    arsenal Sunglasses and advil

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    we didn't let Donnie go... he was an RFA who we tendered but the Rams signed him to a decently sized punter contract and we didn't match... so we got their 7th round pick...

    and also keep in mind Donnie is now kicking in a dome... though i was sad to see him leave at the time, you had to expect him to be doing well there...
     
  14. sws84

    sws84 Season Ticket Holder

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    I know he is a rookie and all, and I am willing to cut the guy some slack, but the guy seems to shank one every game. Also, in regards to his net being poor, could it be he doesn't get good hang time? That could contribute to our punt coverage being mediocre at best.

    Steve :)
     
  15. Vertical Limit

    Vertical Limit Senior Member

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    He can be replaced. He's a 7th round rookie, and he's a punter. Please, nothing is set in stone for this guy.

    I wouldn't be surprised if we look at other options at Punter next season.
     
  16. Garryowen

    Garryowen New Member

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    Yes. Perform or you're gone. bottom line. you perform or you're gone.

    can somone tell me how it's different punting from college to the NFL?
     
  17. DeDolfan

    DeDolfan Premium Member Luxury Box

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    You can't really blame the weather/conditions for shanking the punts. The steelers punter wasn't shanking any was he?? ;)
     
  18. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    That's not completely true. In Donnie Jones' first year with the Dolphins he was very up and down in a similar way to Fields. And their averages are almost identical. His leg is as good as it gets. If he can develop some consistancy and can get some help from a punt unit that has been awful, his production will be very good IMO.
     
  19. Kdawg954

    Kdawg954 Member

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    this is very true . . . . he hasn't been perfect, but he hasn't been bad . . . he has been more up than down . . . I like Fields, I think he can potentially be a great punter.

    The Donnie Jones comparison for their first years is spot on, I think Fields actually is a little more consistent than Donnie was.
     
  20. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    About where Donnie was last year to. The fact he's a rookie and ranks 16th (I usually don't like NET cause that requires the rest of special teams to do their job to) is not bad. The main thing is to see growth out of him next year and of course bring in some competition to make sure he is.
     
  21. dolfan32323

    dolfan32323 ty xphinfanx

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    I'm not making any excuses. These games can't be the first times he's punted in bad weather. Punting at MSU I'd expect him to be familiar with both rain and snow. There is no slack for punters IMO. Punting doesn't change from college to NFL.
     
  22. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Exactly, I will say the one time that he boomed a punt Mon. Rossum had a great return on the kick.

    Our ST's need to be made over from top to bottom, the first game against the Jets still sticks in my throat.

    IMO, a new Co-Ordinator as well as players who play ST as the main reason why they are on the roster is needed.
     
  23. dolfan32323

    dolfan32323 ty xphinfanx

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    Agreed 100%.
     
  24. bkbuffet

    bkbuffet Season Ticket Holder

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    Still, he is a rookie, and he is ranked higher than the Run Defense.
     
  25. Silverphin

    Silverphin Well-Known Member

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    :lol: :lol::lol:
     
  26. Awsi Dooger

    Awsi Dooger New Member

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    My problem with Fields is he looks like a heavy legged plodder. That's not ideal in a punter. You want someone nimble and quick, to adjust when there's a bad snap or a rush. Donnie Jones seemed much more athletic.

    With those heavy legged guys I always worry more about shanks, and the inability to get it off quickly in the situations where you need to shorten stride and just get it out of there.
     
  27. sports24/7

    sports24/7 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Maybe, but when he gets that heavy leg into a kick he can really knock the crud out of the thing.
     
  28. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Its just a shame we didn't give Donnie a long term deal mid season last year instead of waiting till the end of the year and tendering him where another team could have him for just a 7th round pick. I mean once the Rams made that offer I could understand out not matching it as they threw some decent change at him but if we had worked it out mid year I would think we could have gotten him a little cheaper. And I would much rather have Donnie than that 7th round pick, loosing him made us draft a punter, in the 7th round, so pick wise it was a neutral move. Fields is obviously cheaper than Donnie would have been even if we extended him mid season but still.....
     
  29. adamprez2003

    adamprez2003 Senior Member

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    I didnt understand that either. Jones had proved that he was one of the better punters in the league and wasnt asking for the keys to the kingdom. That was a headscratcher. Armstrong should be fired, not really for that but the overall play of the special teams
     
  30. Joey 22

    Joey 22 New Member

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    I mean, you dont break the bank on punters. Yes Donnie was a whole lot better his second year with us than what Fields is right now, but if any one can remember, he wasnt even a rookie when we picked him up.

    He was on his second year, he was drafted by Seattle, and shanked punt after punt in practice and preseason, got cut before the start of the season, and no one would touch him with a ten foot pole, until daddy Saban came to Miami, and signed him.

    He was average his second year, first with us, and was awesome his third or second with us, and is in pace for a probowl season now on his 4th season in the NFL, does any one else notice PROGRESSION?

    I didnt like letting Donnie go either but Fields isnt as bad as you are making him out to be.
    And yes there is a difference between college and the pros, thats called pressure, you guys talk about pressure when arguing about rookie QBs, punters get harrased just as bad by the opposition. There job is based on automatization, if he cant concentrate, he will shank it.

    They dont have 3-4 seconds as QBs do, they have 1.5 or 2 seconds at most, a pass can be under thrown, or overthrown and still be catchable, you shank a kick and its done, its either good or bad punt, not to mention a QB has 25+ chances a game, while punters have two or three, if one is bad, they already had a bad game and people wants to run them out of town for that one bad punt a game, I mean common guys the guy does deserve a break.
     

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