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Possible Solutions to Offensive Problems?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Pariah, Oct 6, 2013.

  1. Pariah

    Pariah Revolutionary

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    I figure we can get some good discussion going, since we have a lot of opinions and emotions out there. Hopefully we can keep it focused on:

    What can we do this season to fix some of the offensive issues?

    I've seen some suggestions about moving guys around? The group of guys I hang with to watch the games up here in Rhode Island were discussing rolling out Tannehill and getting him out of the pocket more and how maybe that can help reduce the sacks and hits? Just curious on what everyone thinks, as we go into the bye week.
     
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  2. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    Try to at least establish a ground game that could take pressure off of Tannehill. The easiest way would be to insert Garner and move Jerry to tackle. You might not improve the pass blocking but at least that'll get something going there. I'm not sure Yeatman is an upgrade over Martin but he's probably more physical.

    At worst you can gain a decent running game that way which allows Tannehill to move out of the pocket through PA, gives Wallace time to make big plays etc...
     
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  3. CitizenSnips

    CitizenSnips hmm.

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    I didn't even know Garner was still on the team, but now that i do, I can't believe he's not starting. He's no world beater but he doesn't get whipped like this.

    Garner should be starting against Buffalo. IDK what we have in Dallas Thomas and Watkins but I say we find out. The guys out there are on pace for the worst NFL line in history.

    How much worse can they be?
     
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  4. Pariah

    Pariah Revolutionary

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    I agree, we had that discussion earlier at my buddies house where he said the EXACT same thing, "If Garner is healthy he should be out there." And with this bye week, Watkins should be up to snuff and ready to roll against the Bills.
     
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  5. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    Odds are they move Watkins to RG since he fits the mold of what they like there. Garner can move to right tackle and at least play decent football out there. As far as Martin's struggles part of getting over that is simply having the ability to move up in the pocket. Yeatman may get a shot. Thomas is probably not ready for any action.
     
  6. Muck

    Muck Throwback Uniform Crusader Retired Administrator

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    They need to toll him out, and he's good throwing on the run.

    They probably should keep a TE in to block more often, but they don't seem to be keen on that.

    Short of a trade, our options are limited. The depth guys likely are worse than the problem starters. But they've got to do something. Their QB is getting killed. You risk scarring and ingraining bad habits. Not to mention the damage to the current season.

    - sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 beta -
     
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  7. PhinsRDbest

    PhinsRDbest Transform and Transcend

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    the next dimension
    Jared Gaither, Winston Justice, and Brandon Moore need to be brought in.
     
  8. GMJohnson

    GMJohnson New Member

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    Sorry, I don't think there are back up OL waiting on the bench two save the day. IMO it's about doing a better job w the players who are on the field.

    I hate to say anything that implies I know more than the pros but why why why are we not moving the pocket? Using screens, more draws? Why outside zone when we only need 1 yard. Wallace and RT are not on the same page when it comes to reading defenses. RT wants him to sit and he runs through, RT wants him to run through and he sits. That will improve over time. RT is constantly under throwing Wallace on the deep balls, I think that improves as well.

    Gotta find a way to get a run game going. If the OL is struggling in protection then HELLO don't call a million pass plays.

    All in all I'm satisfied with 3-2 and I think most of us would agree but there are some serious issues and I know the coaches and players are aware of them. I hope they bust *** to get em fixed bc the division is right there for the taking and a wild card seems like a risky route to go given how the AFC is shaping up this season.
     
  9. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    Again and again I see this peculiar logic that the "coaches know best" when time and time again it's proven wrong. Coaches are afraid to make moves that threaten to upset chemistry and they like to stick with the guys they have until they fix it. It's pretty obvious that Nate Garner is better than what Clabo is showing at RT right now.
     
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  10. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    Unfortunately there is no solution for this offense this season. They have a terrible offensive line and no real quality RB's on the roster. The TE is average at best and Tannehill is being forced to win every game by passing the ball. With no running attack and a porous OL, Tannehill just doesn't have enough help to win games like today.

    It certainly isn't Tannehill's fault the offense continues to struggle. He still needs to vastly improve his pocket awareness, but today he was getting hit before he even had a chance to move in the pocket.

    The solution for this offense, as well as an improved secondary over the next few years is for Ross to hire a GM who actually knows how to build an NFL team. Ireland had many draft picks in the 2013 draft and plenty of money to spend in free agency. He used most of that money to overpay Wallace, Ellerbe and Wheeler. None of these high price free agents have proved to be worth the money they were paid to sign with the Dolphins.

    In fact to only free agent who has been worth the money he signed for has been Brent Grimes. Of course Grimes has also been the only reliable member of the secondary for most of this season. Jones did have a TD today on a tipped pass, but he has been a major disappointment for most of this season after signing a new contract. The overall play of the secondary over the first five games has been mediocre at best.

    Of course the worst unit on the entire team has been the offensive line. They can't run block and they can't pass block. About the only they they are good at is trying to get Tannehill killed.

    A lot of people on here seem to think Philbin is the right man for the job. Based on the play of the OL, LB's and the secondary, I have to question Philbins ability to put together a quality coaching staff. I just don't see improved play by any of these units over last year. In fact I would have to say that all three of these units have taken a giant step backwards since the 2012 season.

    Tannehill has improved and the WR position has improved over 2012, but that is about it on the offensive side of the ball. While Wallace is an upgrade over Bess, I would take Marshall over Wallace any day of the week. I don't see Wallace as a true #1 receiver. For every good play he makes, there are two or three plays he fails to make. One TD after five games says all that needs to be said regarding this high priced WR.

    Ross needs to fire Ireland before the season ends and hire a new GM. That GM can decide if he wants to stick with Philbin beyond this year. This team may be 3-2 and that is better than we might have expected, but the last two games have clearly showed that there are just too many holes on this team to realistically expect them to be anything more than a mediocre team once again this season. Ireland has had six years as the teams GM and that should have been plenty of time to turn this team into a winner. He has done a lousy job and he needs to go. It is as simple as that.
     
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  11. finserg

    finserg Well-Known Member

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    One of the worse move we made was to let bush go .We need a solid running back.
     
  12. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    Of course it was, but you will never get all the Ireland apologists on here to admit it. They all think Thomas is a great back and that Miller is a better back than Bush. The fact Thomas shouldn't even be on an NFL roster and Miller couldn't break a tackle by my 5 year old grandson is irrelevant to Ireland backers.
     
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  13. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    stickum. lots of stickum.
     
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  14. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Oh really? How so? Based on what?
     
  15. Jaj

    Jaj Registered

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    Gee I don't know. Game tape from last year. The fact that Garner's health hasn't seriously declined but Clabo hasn't.
     
  16. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    The problem is, Sherman is abandoning the run way too early. When you show the opposing team you're going to pass every play, then the edge rushers don't seriously take it into account. Couple that with the fact that our bookends are abysmal in general and you have a recipe for disaster. Why does anybody think that Reggie Bush would have any more success with this run blocking?The Ravens didn't have much success running the ball in the beginning either but they stuck with it and by the end it helped them seal the game. Sherman is driving me crazy with the play-calls, no mixing it up whatsoever and he's not calling any plays to mask the obvious weakness of our offense, which is the pass pro and run blocking at the edges.
     
  17. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    So, let me get this right....the answer to keeping Tannehill upright is Reggie Bush?

    Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
     
  18. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    We don't have better guards or tackles on roster than the starting 5.

    We do need a better RB. Team should sign one of the veteran RBs like Turner. Immediately. (reason is blocking and short yardage which is basically what we have the RB for and are not getting.)
    We need to give Matthews a chance over Wallace, he plays within the flow of the game. Wallace demands 16 targets to get 100 yards and 0 TDs. He is inefficient and ineffective within this system, he is a burden.
     
  19. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    More playcalling. Twice in two weeks we've had an important short-yardage down and two weeks in a row we've ran it to the outside. Its like we're being trolled.
     
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  20. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    Perhaps if Bush was still with the Dolphins, we might have a running game. Unfortunately Miller is a one trick pony and Thomas sucks. So having a OL that can't run block and RB's who aren't that good to begin with, that leaves it up to Tannehill to drop back and pass, far too often. It makes the job fairly easy for the opposing defense when they don't have to worry about the Dolphins running game. They can just ignore the run and apply pressure on their pass rush. With the sieve the Dolphins have on the OL, its a wonder Tannehill hasn't already been knocked out for the year.
     
  21. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Cart before the horse.
     
  22. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    The stretch play isn't working. Neither is any other play. My htinking is, they should limit it to straight running with a vet RB.
     
  23. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Blame the running back when he misses the hole. Not when there is no hole.

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  24. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    No, Bush would be a better RB for this team and if used properly, he could be used more in the passing game out of the backfield. It is funny how the Saints and Lions have figured ways to utilize Bush so effectively in their passing games but the Dolphins coaching staff could never figure it out. That is bad coaching to me.

    The only correct answer to keeping Tannehill upright is to find quality replacements for Martin, Clabo, and Jerry. Those replacements aren't on the roster at this time. So I'm afraid that Tannehill will probably be picking himself up after a sack, many more times this year.
     
  25. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    We had the horse, but they let him go in free agency. Now all we have is the cart.
     
  26. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    I think you have to move forward with Watkins and Dallas Thomas or Garner somehow. We need a change. I don't think we can sit here and say they're worse than what's starting. The OL is the biggest problem with the team currently.
     
  27. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Agree. How could it hurt?
     
  28. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    They are worse. When they played, we were dying for Jerry and Clabo. We have the best 5 on the roster starting.
     
  29. byroan

    byroan Giggity Staff Member Administrator Luxury Box

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    Huh?? They haven't played yet. At least Watkins sure hasn't.
     
  30. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Relax... Im all for trying them out, but I think its a stretch to say they are by far better, based on last year's tape. I was just curious as to what you see or know that makes them better, that our coaches may not be.
     
  31. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Always the same problems. Always the same solution.


    [video=youtube;-FvrTb-iJQY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FvrTb-iJQY[/video]
    Ninja attack.
     
  32. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    We can do that with Charles Clay who catches well out of the backfield and from the TE position. Why keep Bush as the running back who acts like a receiver?

    And Darren Sproles has Drew Brees and Co. Around him. We can't just duplicate what they have. Not as simple as having a fast guy run a wheel route. Every NFL has a fast guy at RB which can run those routes. Not to mention with our oline, the RB has to pass block to keep Tannehill from getting Baptized.

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  33. Limbo

    Limbo Mad Stillz

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    We've needed backfield help since we let Bush go, wanted us to draft a guy, oh well. Then we went out and signed OLinemen who. Weren't good run blockers. Writing was on the wall here, our run game never looked like it'd be reliable or even regularly competent.

    I just think we have to keep calling run plays no matter how effective/not they are. Baltimore's edge-rushers teed off all day, it was cake getting to Tanny. And the Ravens run game wasn't doing wonders early on, but eventually they found some cracks and reaped the benefits long-term in the latter stages of the game because they kept at it and Flacco was under constant heat. Stay with the run. And for god's sake, Miller needs to toughen the eff up. Should we try Gills or Thigpen rushing back there??

    I think the OLine will benefit from a week off, and not often do you get a front 5 that includes Ngata, Suggs, and Dumervil. I will say, though, the Jets front could ruin those two games - Wilkerson and Richardson are playing at a very high level from what I've seen.
     
  34. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    The coaching staff needs to push Tannehill into escaping the pocket if he sees it breaking down, for one. I'm not so sure about relying heavily on bootlegs and quarterback motion stuff, but I think that's also an avenue they need to explore to some degree. Tannehill should not be playing like he's Drew Bledsoe.

    They can be putting up better schemes, too. 6-man schemes with Daniel Thomas or Lamar Miller all day in and out aren't doing it. If you need to line up with fullback or tight end in pass protection frequently, do it. If Dion Sims isn't ready, find someone else. There are guys who can block defensive ends on the market, and there are guys who can do blitz pickup well from the backfield out there. They can't do much else, but I think it's worth it.
     
  35. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    It might not hurt you, but it could get Tannehill killed. Watkins, Garner, and especially Thomas are not starting caliber offensive linemen in the NFL. As bad as the OL is right now, putting these players in the starting lineup would only increase the sack totals on Tannehill.

    Garner and Thomas were terrible during the preseason and Watkins is here because no one else wanted him. Unfortunately it is going to take at least two great drafts and a lot of luck in free agency to get this OL to another level. Right now we can only hope they achieve mediocre instead of, bottle of the barrel in regards to their play the rest of this season.
     
  36. finwin

    finwin Active Member

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    Based on the Saints calling our OL Crap and what you saw today if you even saw the game.
     
  37. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    Just maybe this coaching staff is not the long term answer for this organization. So far I'm not impressed by the OL coach, the secondary coach or the LB coach. In fact I'm not impressed by the DC or the OC either. This all goes back to Philbin, who hired all these coaches. The next 11 games will tell us all if he is the right man for the job or not. It is a relatively easy schedule and anything less than ten wins would be a huge negative, as far as I am concerned. There is no reason a good team can't go 7-4 against the teams the Dolphins have left on their schedule.
     
  38. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Question for the oline gurus. Does it make sense to rollout Tannehill when the pressure primarily comes from the ends? Wouldn't you be essentially rolling Tanny into the pressure?

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  39. Rocky Raccoon

    Rocky Raccoon Greasepaint Ghost Staff Member

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    I'd like to see Dion Sims more involved in the pass game. The dude has a big frame and can get good positioning on defenders. We already saw his ability on the game winner against the Falcons. He could be a good target in the red zone and on 3rd downs.
     
  40. Paul 13

    Paul 13 Chaotic Neutral & Unstable Genius Staff Member

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    The obvious issue is that the offensive line isn't getting the job done, but what is not so obvious is that to help the offensive line, we MUST BE BALANCED offensively. We can't run the ball worth diddly poo. It doesn't matter who is back there, Miller or Thomas... neither one has been consistent. And even if the back does break the line of scrimmage, he's getting tackled on first contact. Our "best" runs recently have been draws and sweeps when Tannehill has been in the shotgun.

    We should have signed McGahee after the season started. We are too young at the running back position. No veteran presence to help the young guys mature. I would explore a trade for a back if the price is right.

    John Jerry is not good. I would look at replacing him with Watkins or via a trade. I would start Will Yeatman for Tyson Clabo. Hard to think of a worse free agent acquisition at the moment than Clabo this season.
     

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