On the field they've shown nothing that shows as a team they will be any better than the Browns, yet. This isn't SF, NE, Baltimore or Denver. This is a team that has been mired in mediocrity and until they prove otherwise people will look at them as such. You can take all that paper and statistics and wipe your *** with it because in the end if they have a losing record thats all it will be good for. Do I think they will and should beat Cleveland and are better than them? Yes. Do I think the game is a given? The Phins don't have any given games on their schedule.
So there's no indications? Its impossible to think or say a team has been improved unless the season is over and the record is in the books? We know what the deficiencies were. We addressed those with proven players. This specific team has never been mediocre or good or bad, because with the amount of turnover this team has had, its new enough to not punish it for sins of other teams. Basically with the amount of change we've had, to say that we are virtually the same team as last year in potential and record is more about grumpiness than honest football knowledge.
I realize only a handful are blessed with any true knowledge on the board and the rest of us are beholden to that knowledge. What was questioned was how can people be picking against Miami? Can you base those picks off of pre-season play and the moves? Not entirely. So you have to also look at last years records (a difference of 2 wins), Miami losing 5 away games, Cleveland winning 4 of their games at home, Cleveland playing in a stronger division than Miami, Cleveland having a lame duck coach and GM going into last year and a list of other stats. So if you look at those things, along with an O line that has been anything but good through pre-season, a team on the road that under Philbin has started slow, has issues scoring TD's (even in this years pre-season), you're hoping that the change in personell fits and upgrades from last year, then yeah I can see why the Phins are dogs. Don't turn this into me saying the Phins suck, I'm reserved as to what the year will bring, and going into the 1st game with a team like Cleveland on the road I can see why they are being picked against. Do I think they will win? Yes but by less than a TD.
31-20 to the Phins. I think the Defense will give the Offense good field position. Its a game the Phins D will step up. Stop Richardson, keep him under 100yds and make Weedon throw.
Not it wasn't. You said they haven't shown any improvements on the field. GM said they did. Then you went into a diatribe about, "they haven't done anything to prove anything, blah, blah, blah.....". The simple fact of the matter is that in every way we have available to us (ie everything but regular season games: so that means on paper, in camps and preseason) we are better then last year. To act like we aren't isn't based on anything but being grumpy and angry because we've been mediocre in the past. Also, I'm not sure what you watched, but our 1st string O was dramatically improved this preseason.
This is something that is really perplexing. I'm hearing something like 66% of everyone are betting the Browns. The line was at a Pick, then it was at Browns -1, now I think it's at Browns -1.5 in some places. I hear the sharps are on the Browns as well. The Browns lose Josh Gordon, Dion Lewis, Shawn Lauvao/Jason Pinkston, Kellen Davis and probably Barkevious Mingo. The Dolphins lost Dustin Keller. I'm having trouble reconciling this one. Who the hell is Brandon Weeden going to throw the ball to when he gets blitzed? Greg Little? Travis Benjamin? Davone Bess? Who is going to be his blitz beater? Are the Browns going to run the ball against Miami's run defense? Because the Browns have some weaknesses in their run defense that are vulnerable (Paul Kruger) whereas Miami's looks as strong as ever. Miami's receivers are capable of getting open. Hartline can get open against Buster Skrine or Chris Owens, and if Leon McFadden is playing forget about it. Mike Wallace has plenty of talent to get open against Joe Haden even with Haden being as good as he is. Craig Robertson is highly vulnerable in pass coverage.
I mean, even if you're judging based on some of Weeden's impressive preseason performances (prior to his not so impressive one in the most important preseason game)...that was with Josh Gordon. And pay close attention there. He used Josh Gordon. He needed Josh Gordon. Josh Gordon was why the offense didn't stall on most of the drives they scored on. Now he doesn't have Josh Gordon. He's got Greg Little...who does some of the most clueless things on the football field that I've seen. Davone Bess could be a blitz beater theoretically but if they just suddenly unleash the man and he runs loose all over Miami's defense then that would be one hell of a magic trick, considering he played all of 23 snaps this preseason and caught one ball for seven yards.
Regular season and pre season are like the regular season and Super Bowl. I expect Hartline and Bess to have big games. I'm hoping Wallace gets a TD. I think we need 24 points and a max of 1 turnover to win this game. We can't inch our way to the redzone on every drive. Someone has to break open for 2 long scores.
Bess would most likely be lining up on the outside right? Much easier to defend out there IDK, I have been thinking about this over the last few days if the sentiment for the Dolphins is too low. Not only for the Browns game, but I think it's a fair barometer. I see real reasons for optimism (esp. in comparison to previous years) and a very high ceiling for the defense, yet you would be very hard pressed to find optimism outside of this forum. If sharp money is moving, I'm left with the conclusion that maybe we are all delusional
I think Bess would play in the slot as per his usual. But the Browns favor base 12, 21 and 22 personnel so he might now play a ton.
I agree. I also think our interior DL-men are going to have a field day both stopping the run and getting after Weeden.
The absolute must for the Browns in this game if they want to win is to establish the ground game. If they do that, they really have a chance. If they don't, they've got none that I see. I just have a tough time believing they'll run on our front though. I guess since Wheeler and Ellerbe are new, it's possible. But it's still very difficult to see happening based on how they played in the preseason against the run. They seemed to fit in. And the Dolphins will have so much going on along the line of scrimmage blitz-wise, with so many bodies to crowd up all the gaps...again I just find it difficult to imagine run success. Even if they slip Trent Richardson past the line of scrimmage and Miami has too many guys too close to the line to where Richardson has a chance to break off a huge one...Richardson is slow and our free safety has 4.3 speed. He will tend to be able to cut off escape and either force Richardson out of bounds or delay him until help can catch up. That's one of the benefits of having a safety with 4.3 speed. Maybe a screen pass or two could get us a little bit. There will probably be one play where they are able to max protect us and Travis Benjamin will be streaking deep ahead of Dimitri Patterson. But Weeden will have to hit that pass on the money.
Couldn't agree more ! Also, if they get down early and have to play from behind - they are toast. Once we know they can't run the ball, whether we are stuffing it (Which I expect), or they are behind and have to throw - They are flat-lined and the sacks will mount and the rout will be on. As long as Cleveland can keep their running game involved and the play-action a threat - they have a shot. In otherwords, I don't see any two TD comebacks from Cleveland.
To play devils advocate, I haven't seen anything in preseason to think we will put up a lot of points to have a two touchdown lead in any game.
I said they haven't shown they are better than the Browns, spin it how you want.Have they played a regular season game yet? So again, how have they shown they have pulled away from a Browns team that they were comparable to. But since you are putting so much stock in pre-season the Browns were 3-1, so by your thinking they should win their division. The question posed was how somebody could pick the Browns over the Phins, which I answered. I get it, your are The Knowledge, The Protector of The Orange Burst and god forbid if someone says "show me on the field" they should be taken to task. The line looks fantastic, maybe they can bottle those last 2 pre-season games and sprinkle it on their cornflakes through the regular season. I can't see how they would have more than 2 losses on their way to raising The Lombardi. Now can I please stay part of the Aqua Circle Cruasaders?
I actually believe Sherman when he says we've only seen 40% of the offense. No counters, no PA, no miss directions, no reverses or draws. These are all things that would make good use of millers speed. If miller doesn't step up, your right this offense will have some trouble. I don't think we've seen anything to indicate how our run game will be this year yet
All I know is if we lose I will have hell to pay. I have been getting all my Browns loving friends and family all wound up over this game and I will be in BIG trouble if we lose.
I'm confident in the run D and hopefully they can bring some serious pressure on Weeden. They don't have a lot of weapons at WR, so Grimes and Co, should be able to handle them, along with, hopefully good pressure and they should all good.
Atta boy! Words learned straight from the Dale Carnegie School of Making Friends and Influencing People. I keeeeeeeeeed. I keeeeeeeeeed.
Richardson may be a beast, but our front seven is full of them too. We can shut down their running game. After that happens, Weeden is in trouble. The Fins offense may or may not do great, but I dont expect Cleveland to score two TDs on offense. 20 points should be enough to win.