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Nasty's Notes - 7-26-14

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by FinNasty, Jul 27, 2014.

  1. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    Sorry about this getting posted so late. I've kinda been out drinking all day and this is the first time I've had a chance to be home and get in front of the computer. Today's practice and a lot of technique drills and special teams work, and combining that with no pads made it relatively weak in terms of being able to really get some good evaluation. I also unfortunately had to miss the last 20min of practice in which I'm sure is when all of the good stuff like 11v11's and 1v1's occurred... and when I did get to see some 11v11 action, this offense is very up tempo so taking detailed notes is more challenging than in years past... so I don't have a lot in the way of play by play of practice (but the reporters and their twitter accounts seem to be pretty decent at that so hopefully you got a good taste of that earlier today).

    So... without further ado...

    As I'm sure was mentioned... the first play of the first set of 11v11's was a read option keeper by Tannehill. I swear I heard DJ moaning sexually in the distance. This play wasn't a stranger today, as we ran the read option multiple times. It definitely appears to be part of the regular game plan, and while this wont be an 2012 RG3 type offense where its based around the read option... it certainly will be used with some regularity which should keep the defense on its toes. Tannehill certainly has the skill set for it... and I think it will be quite effective.

    However, the most intriguing thing I took away from the entire practice is what immediately preceded that read option play. And that was the motion. I heard about a lot of motion in Lazor's offense... and I was picturing putting a WR in motion moving across the formation. No... these are the break type of motions where multiple players are all shifting quickly at once. Players switching sides of the formation, spreading out, collapsing in, and/or switching sides. And its so up tempo that they are rushing to the LOS and lining up... then breaking out in the motion and shifting around... and then snapping it quickly. Its pretty cool exciting to watch. I don't know if they are going to know what they're doing and/or if they're going to end up drawing things like false start penalties... but man that is hard to get lined up against, and therefore hard to defend. If they can execute it well... its should be pretty interesting.

    Side note while on that... I couldn't think of a better type of offense for Misi to have to be facing while learning how to get the defense lined up as the MLB. This shifting is about as hard as it gets to get your defense lined up against. If he can get comfortable against a shifting offense like this... simpler offenses should be cake. He's really getting thrown into the fire... but it can only help.

    Other noticeable aspects of the offense were the amount of play action passes, as well as the use of the RBs in the passing game. The RBs weren't running deep wheel routes or jerk routes over the middle from the limited amount I saw, but they did seem to routinely get released into the flat as a safety valve instead of kept in to block. And plays that just weren't there down field did end up generating some positive yards. As long as Tannehill doesn't get too dependent on that and anxious to get it out into the flat and stays down field as long as possible... that should be a positive development. Lastly, scheme wise, there did seem to be a significant portion of our passing plays coming out of play action. It was used with regularity....

    One player I was pretty interested in keeping an eye on was Dion Jordan. And the reports were not lying when they said hes bigger. Hes still no Olivier Vernon in terms of thickness... but he looks a lot more like a DE now. And it does seemed to have helped against the run. He played with more strength and seemed to hold is own on the edge on the couple run plays I saw him defend over at RDE. Dion also got looks at LDE though today opposite Vernon. If I had to guess... I think Dion will be spelling both Wake and Vernon this year to use a 3 man rotation at DE... increasing his snaps.

    Other players that stood out to me:

    - RB Damien Williams - Seemed to have some good quicks to him to go along with his size. Had a couple of nice runs (caveat... without pads on, so whatever) where he did have some shiftiness to him. Had no idea who #5 was going in, but had to look him up after a play or 2. Havent seen him play with pads so who knows... but on a very limited sample size (that's relatively worthless without pads on)... I like him.

    - Will Davis - Going into today I actually wanted to focus on both him and Jamar Taylor... but didn't get much of a chance to with the limited action while I was there. However, Davis did seem to make some plays that stood out. Just seemed to be around the ball a little today.

    - Brandon Gibson - Seemed to play well today. Don't know what his health status is... but he looked fine to me and where he left off last year.

    - Jarvis Landry - I really really wished I watched him more, but I kept expecting more 7v7s and 11v11's that never came... so I kind of missed my opportunities. He did make a nice catch over the middle from Tannehill off of play action. Landry was in the right slot and ran about a 15 yard dig route.


    - Speaking of the slot... Wallace did line up at times in the slot today. On one play particular, it was a trips right formation (not bunched)... and Wallace was lined up on the inside slot. He ran a seam route and got wide open for around a 25 yard gain or so... real nice play. Another play that wasn't as impressive was one of the first plays of the first batch of 11v11's. It was the first deep pass to Wallace from Tannehill. The play was a PA roll out to the right. Wallace got bracketed in double coverage and kind of slowed down and stopped running when he hit that about 30 yards down field. However, he then turned back and saw that Tannehill had put it in the air to him. He tried speeding back up but couldn't get to it. I don't know if that would have been a completion in bracket coverage had he not done that... b/c it would have required him making a play on the ball and going up to go get it.... and that's not really his thing. But timing wise... it would have been pretty on target.


    That's all I got. Gunna go pass out. Hope this was coherent, lol...
     
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  2. Rocky Raccoon

    Rocky Raccoon Greasepaint Ghost Staff Member

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    Thanks as always dude!

    Love what I'm hearing about the offensive formations and moving guys around.

    Lazor is like a breath of fresh air.
     
  3. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    mucho thanks FN. I'd say I can't wait to see the motion stuff in preseason, but not sure how much of that we'll actually see before regular season.
     
  4. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

    If they can get all this firmed up, maybe its a good thing we start off with NE/Buff in the first few weeks...catch their D on their heels a little bit (like 2008). There's no months and months of film to study and plan against...unless, of course, the Hoodie's still at it.
     
  5. Colmax

    Colmax Well-Known Member

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    Always look forward to these every TC. Thanks, Nasty!
     
  6. Bumrush

    Bumrush Stable Genius Club Member

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    How does Finnegan look out there?
     
  7. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Water, drink lots of water
     
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  8. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'm liking what I am hearing about the offense. My god, throwing to the RBs? Who knew they could be used in the passing game when pressure is getting to the Qb quickly? If our line can put things together we might have a chance to have a really nice offense although the lack of talent at the RB position is going to hurt us IMO.
     
  9. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Miller has Wr speed in a Rb body, surely getting him the ball in space makes sense..oh wait the OL stunk and Sherman was forced to keep him in to block
     
  10. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    From what I've read it looks like Rishard Matthews is flexin a bit...finally had him back there returning some punts today..

    Rishard Matthews has excellent natural hands..Gibson has to be out there practicing and playin or he's gonna get eatin.
     
  11. ChrisKo

    ChrisKo Season Ticket Holder

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    What I really want to know is if Tannehill gave Wallace the evil eye stare down or chewed him out for giving up on that deep route.

    We all know what #13 would have done.

    Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk.
     
  12. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    I agree regarding Gibson. I love what he can do on the field when he is healthy, but if he can't get on the practice field and show he is fully recovered from last years knee injury. There are several talented younger players at the position who seem ready and willing to take his spot on the roster.

    Hopefully whatever problem he had today at practice which caused him to have to go to the sidelines will not be something which will keep him out for a long period of time. I still think he is the best WR in the red zone the Dolphins have on their roster, but if he can't get on the field because of nagging injuries, it doesn't matter how good he is in the red zone if he's not in the game.
     
  13. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    Mike Wallace is already the guy we/Irealnd paid for. He runs straight really fast. Everything else, he does average or below.
     
  14. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Hope so, as much as I love Thiggy, he did not have a good year last yr and should be up for replacement

    IMO tho, it is better to have a Cb in that role, it gives a lot of roster flexiability
     
  15. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

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    I think it's for real. I think he wants to be great. I don't have a problem with his work ethic. Never did. But a zebra will never be a horse. It's like QB mechanics. There's only so much you can do to improve them. Some guys have great natural biomechanics (Marino, Brady, Montana, Brees, Rodgers, etc...) Other guys like Stafford, Cutler, etc... are what they're. Really talented but flawed. I put Mike Wallace in the same category, only as a receiver.
     
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  16. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    This is why I can't buy the line being as bad as last year. Just simply throwing to the running backs, running read option and screens are going to slow down a pass rush.
     
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