This team is not talented enough to sleepwalk through three quarters of a game, even against the Rams. Generally this year the story has been the team playing hard and just misfiring or having bad luck at inopportune times, but this week the intensity and effort really wasn't there. There isn't a lot of excuse for the team to have the kind of issue it had in the trenches on both sides of the ball vs. the Rams after what they've done to other better lines and front-7's. I hope it's just them looking past the Rams, as silly as that is, and not a characteristic of this team. Ryan Tannehill had a really nice game from the standpoint of his development, but despite the rating and efficiency it still ain't the Cardinals game. He made good decisions and threw a lot of nice, accurate passes, and continues to look in certain aspects way beyond his years. Reggie Bush needs to be sat down in SOME sense. Either literally or figuratively, but he needs to make better decisions running the ball. He's turning bad blocking into disastrous plays that shouldn't be on their own merits, and he's routinely missing the stuff that is there trying to go for the home run. I don't think his health gets him out of it, he's made nice runs whenever he's played and today he was good in space in the receiving game. He's acting like the New Orleans Reggie Bush, and that's really troubling. Not a great day for the receivers in general today. Davone Bess was on, but Brian Hartline barely gets so much as a target. Finnegan is a quite good cornerback, but I don't think he's *that* good. They could have really used Jabar Gaffney out there today, I'm curious what the issue was. The blocking was not good. Some of it was on the offensive line, but I also think the non-linemen blocking was just as big an issue. Blitz pick-up was bad, or in the case of the Tannehill fumble, non-existent. I think the Dolphins need to look into upgrading Guard in the off-season. For John Jerry's growth he's just a guy, and Incognito I think has been pretty horrifying at times. I think the Ram's coaching staff did a good job of coming up with stuff for our defense. They did a good job of putting together mismatches and playing with some of the Dolphins alignment rules. I think Koa Misi spent most of the first half lined up covering a slot receiver while Sean Smith was covering a Tight End, for example. At the end of the day, you give up loads of yardage but 13 points. I'm not sure that isn't still a winner, even though you seemingly got burned by Sam ****ing Bradford. Olivier Vernon had a real good game and it was dumb for people to write him off. He's not a Nickel DT, he's not a stand-up DE specializing in the zone blitz, he's a rookie. The linebackers I don't think there's much to say about. Burnett and Dansby had pretty solid days, Misi I think was exploited to a degree. Weak day by the cornerbacks, and sort of a letdown after the play last week by non-starters. Sean Smith wasn't too bad, but he wasn't great. Reshad Jones again wasn't exemplary, but I think he might have saved touchdowns on both those early big plays that got the team down 6-0. Brandon Fields was the **** today. 50-something yard average punt, I believe. It took giant balls for Joe Philbin to call the fake punt when and where he did.
We are lucky we got he 1st on the fake. There was a defender filling in the gap but somehow Clemons made him miss. He should have been stopped.
Wow talk about jumping off the Hartline bandwagon after one quiet game. He may not be what you consider to be a no 1 receiver but the guys a gamer and led the lead in receiving yards prior to today. To say he isn't very good is taking it a bit far I think.
That's harsh and untrue. Hartline just has certain limitations. He is a good WR, but you cannot ask of him that which he cannot do. And that is be your prime target.
I could have missed a pass but this is the 2nd week in a row that Tannehill has not even come close to throwing an INT. I cant think of a pass that I was like "wow" afterwards. I dont know what Bush's problem is but he needs to just stop trying to make a great play and just make the good ones. I would much rather be 2nd and 11 then 2nd and 16 because RB is running around behind the LOS What happens to the OL if the Fins choose not to re-sign Long? Really that leaves us J Martin and Pouncey... Dont really know what to think of Vernon… he has flashed but still needs a lot of work. At least he is getting on the field unlike Miller You have to think that FS (replacing Clemons) has to be one of the top priorities this off season.
wouldnt say he is not very good but lets face the fact… the Fins could use a #1 and #2 WR… Hartline against a nickel back would be a good thing.
Feels good to survive this game,alot of things went against Miami winning this game but somehow they still pulled out a win.Better to win ugly than than look good in defeat in the end.
You have some combination of no idea what you are talking about or are confused about what mediocre means.
here's my take: We are now tied for first place in the AFC East at 3 and 3... with the rest of the division and we haven't hit the hardest part of our schedule yet.... the back half... two games vs the Pats, a game against the 49ers and Seahawks. We are two OT games away from being 5 and 1 Today's rushing output was the 2nd worst for a Dolphin team in 46 years in a winning effort Why are we seeing a different Bush? Is he worried about his child growing up fatherless? The problem is two fold... blocking is not very good (he ran "better" in the second half).. and he's running differently than the first 3 weeks prior to the injury. He's looking away from contact for the first time since he came here. It's really no coincidence that this is occurring after his first "major" injury with us. Plus he's in a contract year. He knows a season ending injury at this point would cost him a **** load of money. He's not stupid... he went to USC.... ... Ryan Tannehill is a monster. He's on a major role the last four weeks... his QBR has progressively gotten better each week with this most recent game being his best all year statistically from a QBR perspective. There were a couple of instances today where he took the underneath stuff on 2nd and long and it really really helped us. Setting up a more convertible third and manageable yardage. Reshad Jones saved two touchdowns and likely the game in the first half The punt fake was 100% ballsy... brass... aqua... and orange ballsy... Olivier Vernon's two sacks were HUUUUUGEEEE.... Who cares that it was against Wayne Hunter and an average at best Rams o line Get healthy Daniel Thomas... this team needs you and your inside toughness Lamar Miller had one rush for -1 yards... he must have really pissed off the staff on his lone opportunity Why was Hartline targeted just twice? I'm sure that wasn't by design... that's just Tannehill going to a better matchup for us. I think the Rams defense is better than the Cardinals group. Our special teams continue to play well... Thigpen's long return to start the second half (IIRC) was massive. Got us going with good field position (40ish) and I believe we scored a TD that drive if memory serves... opening it up 17 to 6. That changed the complexion of the game as we were trailing in TOP in the first half by a lot. Punt coverage were huge as well... too many times in the past would Fields out kick the coverage... not this year. It's frankly refreshing and Rizzi deserves a raise... hope he stays here as he's been great on the sidelines with Philbin in game management / time situations. Both of those guys are aware of what is going on at all times. REFRESHING AGAIN! The bye week comes at a great time. We've got some guys nicked up and hopefully Marshall / Thomas / Gaffney / Bush / Long... can all rest up and get healthy for the second half of the season. The future is bright... and it may be here sooner than you think. off to buy my Ryan Tannehill jersey. Almost forgot... F Gene Steratore... he almost cost us this game. PUtrid officiating, particularly the incomplete pass that should have been a fumble by the Rams receiver.
Dolphin fans need to look themselves in the mirror and honestly ask if you would ever be happy kicking a 65 yard FG to win the game. That was laughable.
This game reminded me of the 49ers game in 2008. Miami won that 14-9. I think they scored 2 TDs quick and then the 49ers pretty much dominated the rest of the way. Yet, Miami still one. This is one of those games that's going to come back and help Miami later in the year. It's a win AND there's a heck of a lot they can learn from this game; especially throughout the course of the bye week. Just from the first 6 games, I think you could stand to upgrade at both guard spots. Certainly another CB and S would be nice as well. Those stand out as the two glaring spots that improvement is needed, especially after today's game. After that, probably receiver and pass-rusher.
He also recovered the fumble that led to FG points. Team looked flat for the first half, but keep in mind Fisher is a good coach, and the rams have been drafting top of order for years now, so there is plenty of physical talent on that roster. We are on such a cold streak with ref's right now it is really amazing to see, we seem to never catch a critical call.
49ers were driving at the end of that game and Porter squashed it with a huge sack. This time it was the Baby Squid effectively ending it with a sack
Eh, you know they will say the same thing over and over so I no longer bother. Like Reggie Bush "not hitting the hole hard!" AFAIK, with zone blocking the idea is to either one cut and go, or bounce outside, they are run blitzing constantly and there is little to be had, and I'm of the opinion I'd rather have Reggie B trying to make a big play over a rather pointless 2 yd run into the darkness.
I would say that Hartline is about an average starting NFL wide receiver. That, to me, makes him good. But not good enough to overcome another team's top corner or another team scheming to take him out of the game plan.
Actually it was pretty obvious the game plan was to stay away from Finnegan. They only targeted him twice and drew pass interference on the one. I noticed at least 4 plays with the limited view that they could have gone to Hartline..including the play the announcers showed where they tried to say they couldn't go to Hartline........where Hartline was wide open with a late safety coming over ;p They just didn't want to challenge Finnegan with the rook.
That's funny, you should probably tell Calvin Johnson(0 catches, 1 INT when thrown at) and Larry Fitzgerald(3 catches on 5 throws for 23 yards) the bull**** you just cooked up based on nothing.
I don't like the skill set of Hartline very much at all. My opinion of him not being very good isn't based off of this game, it's based off of the fact that he can't run a full route tree, isn't very gifted from a physical standpoint and is the most inconsistent WR from week to week I've ever seen. If you actually look his yards have come in two games. One against two corners who shouldn't be in the NFL let alone starting, and the other where 110+ yards came against busted plays. Brian is an average #2 guy.
And what about the week before when Hartline didn't do a god damn thing either. 2 games in a row now that he does nothing.
You should stop posting. Hartline performing like vs. the Bengals extrapolated over a full season is right around 1000 yards.
Bam! Facts annihilate opinion everyday and twice on Sunday. I am enjoying the Brian Hartline hatred. When he finishes the year with 80-90, 1,200-1,300 and 5 TD's I wonder if he will still be "replaceable" or "mediocre" or "not a starter". He was playing today against a pretty good defense with essentially one other receiver on the roster. I think Gaffney will help in so many ways. I'm not relying on him as a saviour by any stretch of the imagination but to have a competent NFL receiver as the third guy in 3-wide will mean a World of difference.