First off, Miami's defense left a lot to be desired last week against KC. Joey Porter had his most quiet game of the season. I think the defense will come out like a ball of fire and want to make up for last week's poor performance and I think Porter will, once again, be the guy who gets this defense fired up. I'm looking for Porter to get 2 sacks in this game and a forced fumble. (Thus, he will break the single season Dolphins sack record). Matt Roth is a beast. He is great on the edge and should be able to contain the outside run to his side. Holliday is a guy who can get up for a big game and I'm looking for him to have a nice game for us. Getting pressure on Favre is absolutely paramount. I look for us to use some corner blitzes and zone blitzes to keep Favre off balance and try to force him to let loose some errant passes. Though I think Favre's public claim that his shoulder was injured and it was effecting his arm strength was a partial bluff, there is some validity to it, especially when you get him throwing off his back foot. Old habits never die, and this is one of the bad habits he's always had. But now, he doesn't have the arm strength to get away with it. But our corners have got to play the ball better than they did in our first meeting. Not to mention there have been quite a few games, KC included, where our DBs didn't play the ball well. I think this was likely a focal point during practice this week. Still pressure from the edges won't be enough. Our interior linemen need to have some consistent success getting push into Favre's face. We were horrible in this regard against KC, but once again, I feel like our entire defense will come out with their asses on fire. (So to speak). Chad Pennington: Need I say more? Well, I will anyway. This guy has been the most consistent QB in the league as far as I'm concerned. He will be out there playing his heart out and determined to beat his old team in this huge game. But I think he is intelligent enough not to press and force things, whereas Favre will. Pennington never had the skills like Favre did, but he is a much smarter QB and plays within his limitations and does it exceptionally. I can see Penny tossing two TDs - likely to his TEs, using the middle of the field where the Jets can be easily exposed. If we have early success to our TEs in the middle, look for things to open up more for us to our WRs. I don't see either Bess or Ginn having a HUGE day, but they both will have at least 4-5 catches. I'd love to see Ginn get some passes down the seams, or quick slants that he can take and run after the catch. The guy is dangerous in the open field, but he needs to stop shying away from contact. Ronnie and Ricky will combine for over 125. The Jets have been terrible the past several weeks against the run. This WAS the strength of their defense. I think the entire team is losing confidence, and if we can establish the run early, it should really take the wind out of their defense. Even though the Jets secondary is ranked 29th against the pass, it's still important that we maintain balance. Ronnie and Ricky both have, historically, played well against the Jets and think they will both will come out fired up. We will balance the running attack with runs to the edges and between the tackles. I'd love to see more counters, especially to RW because he is exceptional on the counter plays, but we never seem to run any. I think Ronnie will see the end zone, but RW will have more rushing yards. Special teams: Yeah, this was a very sore spot most of the season, but we've improved as the season moved into the final 1/4. No doubt we have really put a lot of focus on stopping Washington during practice this week. This will be huge for us and I think we'll come through. We need to break the already cracked spirit of this team and turn the crowd against their team early. The Jets are a lucky break away from losing their past 4 games. We need to come out and score early and NOT play not to lose. We ARE capable of putting up points. UT and I have agreed on this all season: We've been our most consistent in games when we throw on first downs to make 2nd and 3rd down easier. That's how we have controlled the time of possession battle in many of the games. We are not a good 3rd and long team and if we can avoid those situations, we should be able to keep the Jets defense off balance and shove the ball down their throats. This, along with avoiding turnovers, will be the biggest keys to the game. And we've avoided turnovers all season. I can't foresee turnovers being an issue. But we can't take it for granted. We have to take care of the ball. So to sum it up: We have to stay in 3rd and manageable situations. We have to avoid turnovers. We have to get pressure on Favre consistently. Our running game has to be a factor. AND we have to play like mad men on defense. I think we'll accomplish all of these things. We are on a roll and the Jets are on a slide. I think if we come out hot early, we'll destroy their shaky confidence and take this game. Once again, my prediction: Miami 27- Jets 16. Go Miami!!!
I agree with 99% of that analysis SCall, the only things I would add are: 1. Keep Patrick Cobbs on KR duty. 2. We should show any wrinkles we have in the Wildcat, I'd love to see Ronnie throw out of that formation...he's thrown very few times out of the WildCat..
We definitely need new wrinkles with the WC; I'm hoping that we've been working on new plays and have a few tricks up our sleeve for the WC. I want this win so badly I can barely sit still...
Good points. Cobbs did a great job of getting up field on kick offs and finding lanes to get nice gains. I like the Wild Cat, and I feel pretty sure we'll have some new wrinkles to show against the Jets. I was going to mention the wild cat in my thread, but I figured we all know to look for something new out of the wildcat, so I didn't mention it.
You mentioned Vonnie Holiday, the guys I think will step up this game are: Merling, Langford, and Randy Starks, especially Starks, he has the knack of making key plays. And of course, a reprise of Duhe's role by Matt Roth would not hurt my feelings at all, Roth is an odd player, he just will make a play out of the blue, a forced fumble or a sack...
I hope we see these guys step up. I like Starks, and he HAS made some key plays for us. If Langford and Merling step up that would be an enormous bonus for us.
I know what you mean. I feel like I've been pacing for 3 days waiting for this... Wait a minute, I HAVE been pacing for 3 days waiting for this...
BTW SoCal, you made an excellent point, we have quitely become a Pass First/West Coast style of offense, we are using the pass to set up the run. Merling and Langford have been quite for so long now, they are due to bust out a bit.
Only a few more hrs and i will be at the stadium!!!! im so excited and i never been so worried in my life aobut a sport team...not even when the yankees were going to game 7 in the ALCS in 2003 agianst the red sox...
What is so bizarre and tell me if I am wrong, but has there ever been a time that there were 3 teams jocking for 1 spot, the division title, and to think even if the Jets were to win, what incentive would they have if the Patriots win the earlier game....? It just seems strange that the Jets could be playing for nothing, does it not...? d-1
We score on the first drive like we did last week and the game will be ours to lose. Take a lead and they will crumble (hopefully) and the crowd will get right against them Sitting here with my Long #77 shirt on , its 11am UK time ,10 hours till kickoff and im already nursing a small drink to calm me down BRING IT ON
Morning Marty. Me 2. Ready for the game - even though it's more than 9 hours away? This Jet fan across the street from me is driving me crazy. All season he's been wearing his Jets Pennington jersey.
Good luck today. I'll be watching the Phins right next to a TV that has the Chiefs game on. In between those two there will be two small TVs with the Giants/Vikes and the Bears/Texans games... Going to be a fun day.
I have Patriots/Bills and Giants/Vikings before the fins game. It is indeed a fun day to be a football fan.
why would that bother you.. point fingers and LAUGH.. ask him if he's bought a Favray yet.. and laugh some more as ready as I can be, first time in a month my mouth pain isn't dominating my day, so it has great promise, a win would cap it off quite nicely.
Oh believe me - once we win - I'm opening the window to my office (which overlooks his front door - he'll be outside smoking during the game and after) and I'm going to scream as loud as I can. Toothaches are the WORST pain.
Had to lay off the drink otherwise I wouldve been wasted by kickoff My bro has just appeared with his Giants top on , waiting on a Bears fan and a Ram to head over all supporting us tonight. Not coz they like the Fins but coz of hatred of the Jests , good enough for me tbh
I read a number of posts on the JESTS site that Brett's jerseys are currently selling for 50% off -- trying to unload them while he's still there, I guess; good luck with that.
This team will win today because of its leaders... and not just Chad, Joey, or Tony... The entire 53 men roster and the coaching staff is comprised of leaders... How many unknown players have stepped up and been accountable??? WE WIN TODAY....
Guess we'll find out if keeping Ronnie fresh for the end of the year has payed off for Sparano. Anyone else think Pennington will be more than a decoy in the Wildcat today, maybe catch a pass?
Man this is too much! 5 hours 15 mins from the game!!! So much drama, so many subplots, so many twist and turns to come up still! What a great day to be a PHIN FAN!!
I've been waiting for a pass to Chad all year. There HAS to be more of a reason we place him out there on the wing. I know he threw one pass, but that can't be it. I think we need to pull out all stops today. No use saving them for the playoffs when you might not even make it.
why? the only reason he is out there, excepting once, is to keep the personnel packages of the defense handicapped by the subterfuge. We have some packages without him, but that tells a sharp defense what is about to happen.
That is the reason why Marty, the Db barely covers Chad P when he is out on the wing, they look in the backfield then they try a backside pursuit..leaving Chad completely uncovered...no one is within 15 yds of him..
That's a good point actually. The problem is that unless you have some sort of play or wrinkle designed for him, the defense will not respect his presence on the field at all. Then you are playing 11 defenders on 9 blockers. The wildcat needs trickery to keeps team off balance. I don't think it's wise to leave any player out of that. Notice when we just ran the draws and sweeps with Brown and Williams it was stuffed for multiple games. Then we run a reverse and score a TD. The package relies on deception.
Hot damn!!! So ****ing stoked to plop myself in my recliner with a drink and some turkey and ham sandwiches watching a great 'Phins game in HD! Only way it gets better is with a 'Phins win and I'm confident that's gonna happen!
AAAARRrgghhhhhh!!!! We will WIN today!!!!!!!!! I hate the jets! We've stuck by this franchise through thick and thin! Lets get it on!! LETS WIN TODAY!!!
I just learned today that if the Jets win, Patriots win and Baltimore looses, the Jets get a Wildcard spot. I thought the Ravens clinched a Wildcard spot no matter what happened. d-1