Good ESPN Article http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/56630/dolphins-are-banking-on-qb-ryan-tannehill Agree on pretty much all points. The timeframe for his progression as a QB has been expedited. Dare I say it's playoffs or bust. He showed flashes last year but needs a solid season, with an improved TD:INT ratio.
Playoffs ?? (in my best Jim Mora, Sr imitation).... Seriously, we aren't going to the playoffs with a journeyman backup at RT (Garner) and Marshall/Patterson as our CB tandem... Lets get thru FA and the draft before we declare our season intentions... As to Tanny, I would think that Tanny himself thinks he needs to improve. And just having a few targets helps alot, but we have to get the OL squared away or Tanny might end up on IR...
THill's one real weakness so far is throwing to the left side of the field, he got better as the season rolled along but still, D's will start forcing him to throw to that side of the field. As for playoffs or bust..uhm..no..they can keep that hype wagon in the barn as far as I'm concerned.
The playoffs are not out of the question at all. You can also get to the playoffs with journeymen RTs & CBs. Its getting to the point people think playoff teams have quality starters at all positions. Hell, Super Bowl teams have had journeymen at QB before. More playmakers makes Tannehill's job way easier. Expect him to hit RGIII/Wilson ratings this year.
No reason not to believe that Tanny can make the jump. He finished the last five games with I believe the second highest QBR to Breeds over that stretch. Just got to do it all year. With improved talent around him there's no reason to believe we can't do it.
Have read he was 3 for 18 on medium routes on the left side of the field. I'd consider 9 for 18 mediocre even with a poor Wr corps
Well, technically speaking I'm not sure they are banking on Ryan Tannehill with Matt Moore under contract for two years. It seems like he's positioned that they have an option to get Moore re-signed right around the time you'd know if he is a failure or not.
I'll tell you one thing that's kind of disturbing. Although I think I already mentioned it once or twice. Had like the 2nd worst non-play-action passer rating in all of football a year ago. Was like a 68 or something like that. Only Brady Quinn was worse.
You must have seen a different ending than I did? Who did we play in the playoffs? What was the score? Did we make the 2nd round? To become a "Playoff team", you have to, well, you know...actually make the playoffs. We picked up some shiny pieces...but guess what, we also lost some.
9-7 record if goldilocks makes 2 field goals.....with one of the worst offenses and WR cores in the league...... just saying. and that was BEFORE we did any upgrading in free agency like we just did. just my 2c
Isn't there a part of that is just obvious? Of course they are banking on Tannehill. What team isn't banking on their QB if they hope to make the playoffs? What team isn't banking on a QB who was drafted in the top 10 in the NFL the year before?
Agree 100% that improved TD/INT ratio will be crucial if this team is going to take the next step with Tannehill at the helm. We can dissect all these free agency moves all we want, but when it gets right down to it, as with any other team in the NFL, QB play will be the biggest piece of the equation.
It seemed like he was easily rattled when the pocket collapsed. I know he didn't take that many sacks, but I noticed that when he felt pressure he froze for a bit. This was apparent to me against San Fran and the Bills debacle. Just working off memory, so I may be off base.. I remember watching Wilson and Luck and remarking how much better they handled pressure. I think towards the end of the year Tannehill starting using his feet better to escape pressure and started making better decisions.
My take is this, you are all right. They are banking on Tannehill as evident by drafting him #8. He showed well enough that there is hope, not guarentees but hope that he can be the one. They spent alot in FA and have a wealth of draft picks, so there shouldnt be excuses for talent, now they need the execution. Other teams have holes as well. To me it says there is an opportunity, but as many have said it has to translate to the field or it means nothing
Seriously, you think we can get where we're going with the OL as it appears on paper now ?? Garner at RT ?? JJ at RG ?? We couldn't do it last year with Jake at LT... And Patterson/Marshall at Cbs ?? I don't see it... It's not impossible, but somewhere in there backups have to be considered and if your starters this year are last years' backups....??
We*are 2 weeks into FA and the draft hasn't happened yet. But yes, I think as the team stands now we can make the playoffs. Our biggest weakness was offensive production, namely from the Wr corp. That has been overhauled. We were knocking on the door of the playoffs last year and our team is already better overall.
It may not be playoff or bust for Tannehill in 2013, but it certainly is for Ireland. It would be hard for Ross to justify keeping a GM who has been with the team for six years and the team not being in the playoffs for the past five years. Since we don't know how how the rest of free agency will play out, or how effective the players drafted will be in the their rookie season. It is difficult to know if this is a playoff caliber team or not. Also while much is expected from Tannehill in his second season, he still has to play to the level so many people expect from him. It is great to think he can take that next step to become a quality QB in the NFL, but until he does it on the field, week in and week out, it is all just speculation at this time.
Except, that we lost our best offensive player. Perhaps, our 2 top offensive players. The FA has been 6 of one (Gain) 1/2 a dozen of the other (Lost).
This is a no brainer really. Why would we not be banking on Tannehill. He cut his teeth in a trial by fire situation. That was by design of course. Easy to see Ryan will be much improved this season from the very second he steps on the football field. Hell he had some flashes of brilliance last season. Things will slow way down for him. We will see a smart, poised, consistent kid at QB this season folks.
Reggie was our best offensive player and Miller hasn't proven a damn thing yet. Don't get ahead of yourself.
Wait! What? Reggie is the best running back we have had since...well....Ricky. Lame-ahr has done anything to prove himself to date. Perhaps he will be "the guy", but to anoint him such at this juncture is "TREMENDOUSLY MISLEADING"!!!! EDIT: You forgot the 4th thing that Miller excels at. Being injured
That sounds good when you say it fast, but its not really meaningful. Lamar Miller was better with the ball than Reggie Bush was. Fasano was a JAG. Our biggest problem last year was in the WR corp. That was significantly upgraded. In fact, forget Mike Wallace, had Brandon Gibson just been our 3rd WR last year instead of Legedu, we probably win another game. I'll keep repeating this until it sinks in to our entire fanbase, we effectively played pro football with only 2 WRs last year and neither of them are #1s.
My guess as to why RT struggled in non-PA rating is related to our WRs not getting quick separation very often. It seemed to me that too often RT was ready to throw before any WR broke open on their initial move. Aside from the WRs themselves some reasons for that could be RT's lack of experience and inability to anticipate what the D will do (so he hesitates when he sees something unexpected). Or the D being too condensed near the line (spacing) b/c they didn't worry about getting beat over the top. Obviously the cure for inexperience is film work and playing time. I think that Wallace and Gibson were direct attempts to solve the spacing issue. Clearly Wallace is a guy they believe can beat defenses over the top, but I think that those Philbin comments about Wallace running the full route tree were mostly about slants and outs. If our offense is on schedule, I expect those to be some of our bread and butter routes. And that video of Gibson's targets this year showed a large number of fades when the D pressed him. Despite pedestrian speed numbers, he did that well. I think that was one of the skills that drew us to him. I think they believe they can make the D pay a bit with those two players if they try to condense too often. I believe that Austin is our primary target in the draft for that same reason, quick separation.
The thing about saying Bush was our best playmaker and that now he's gone and that is a major franchise destroying hole, is a lot of these same people would consider that hole closed if we got a highly rated rookie RB. Yet, Miller was a high rated rookie last year and has proved that he can get almost 5 yards a carry in the pros, where as anyone we draft this year could be a bust. I'd take the odds of Miller being excellent over a rookie RB this year being excellent any day...because Miller has already shown something in the pros.
And the season ended with a 3-6 record the last 9 weeks, and a dubbing of almost epic proportions in New England. The team showed no spunk or spark in that last game and was one of the most depressing endings to a non-playoff season I've ever had.
For someone who didn't fit our scheme he sure did have great production. Lamar should double that since he is a perfect fit right? Even Philbin said Lamar will have to stay healthy and endure the tremendous burden they will put on him. That is a tall order. Something Bush proved he could handle.
yeah but the OLine has regressed as well as at DB. That I think almost evens everything out. Not sure I can be that optimistic that so much has changed. Will it be a more exciting team ? Probably. Will they win a lot more games, enough to make the playoffs ? Not so sure about that.
Miller was great coming off the bench with fresh legs after Bush did the heavy lifting. That 5 yards per carry is water under the bridge now. We have to start over and find out if he can do it on his own.
