The LBs didn't improve outside of maybe Kiko Alonso, but that could just be the fact that he's healthier. I don't get the Adam Gase praise. We beat teams we were supposed to beat, which is more than can be said for Philbin, but isn't saying much. We beat one team with a winning record all season- the Steelers without Big Ben for most of the game. Sure, you can blame the schedule all you want, but we got stomped by good, healthy teams like the Ravens, Patriots and Steelers. On top of that, Gase lucked into Ajayi. He started Foster, who freaking retired, and was forced to stick with Ajayi after he rushed for 200 yards several times. He also stuck with Tannehill who was outplayed by Moore. I'm not confident in his evaluations. I want Wade Phillips but I'm prepared to be disappointed as usual. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We were almost unanimously picked to lose to San Diego. We weren't favored in the Rams game either. And very few thought we'd beat the cardinals. Nor the bills either time, really. You're discrediting the wins way too much. By the time we played the steelers/patriots we were down to one starter in the secondary, Lippett. Who, compared to the other 3 we lost, was the worst starter. And elite QBs know how to exploit that, and they did. Also, Wade Phillips runs the 3-4, we are not a 3-4 defense nor do we have any players for it.
Projections don't matter. San Diego was so bad, they gave the Browns their only win. The Rams were so bad, they finally fired Jeff Fisher. The Cardinals completely imploded despite having the best RB in football. We beat the Bills in their stadium with Moore and Ajayi, two players who outperformed the starters that Gase selected. All teams have injuries. Yes, our DBs went down like flies, but we had no chance against those teams. It wasn't even close. The only credit I'll give is beating who we were supposed to beat, which is more than can be said for Philbin. It doesn't matter. Wade Phillips understands the 4-3 well enough. He can evaluate talent, that's much more important. A 3-4 and 4-3 is just the base. Every team runs all sorts of schemes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Probably has a little to do with the fact this is a 6 win roster. Please don't tell me about all the teams we should have beat with this roster. Because there was less then 5 on our schedule. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Did you even read what I posted? Gase lucked into a surprisingly easy schedule and more competent backups than the starters he selected. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yea I read it twice. And it was even dumber the second time. The only competent backup he had was Ajayi. Who was really only benched due to lack of maturity, professionalism, and work ethic. Not talent. So, seems like his benching was actually a pretty damn good call. This is called setting a standard and changing the culture. 6 win roster. Jay Ajayi including. With our schedule. Our schedule was easy. But in case you don't remember, I don't know, majority of the last 15 years, we were that easy game on everyone's schedule, even if they were a bad team. We were a joke. Joke of teams don't win 9 of 10 just because of their schedule or they lucked into a running back that had 4 good games. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If Ajayi was the only competent backup then how bad is Tannehill for having worse stats than Moore, the backup? It's a 6 win roster if Philbin is coaching. Gase is a step up but that's not saying much. Actually, pretenders do go on winning streaks because of their schedule and lucking into guys like Ajayi. That's exactly what happened in case you forgot. We got dominated by good teams and only beat who we were supposed to except when we knocked out Big Ben. Oh, and don't call my post dumb. Keep it civil. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We were not "supposed to beat" anybody. Seriously, where are you getting that from? We went into every single game with everyone expecting us to fail. The jets games were only game I can safely say we were highly expected to win. And Ajayi is 100% Gase' doing. As nappy said, he was benched for being immature and lazy. That benching lit a fire under his *** and set him straight. It was an excellent coaching decision that paid off big. Gase didn't luck into ****, he knew exactly what he was doing.
The defense had no talent. Did we forget? Do you remember last camp? We had to let OV go and Miller go. We were rebuilding. We actually were so desperate at CB and LB, we made a trade in the draft. Gase is hellbent on not changing terminology or scheme. Everyone here forget Gase took a rebuilt team and sent them to the playoffs?
What the Dolphins did this year and what Phillips has done are closer philosophically to each other than they are a lot of other 4-3 or 3-4 fronts. 3-4 vs. 4-3 is pretty meaningless, because there's a whole bunch of other information(alignments, run fits, coverage shells) that can make two seemingly disparate defenses much more aligned in reality. Going to Phillips defense would be more like modifying what you've already done than tossing it out.
Funny, In Gase's first year at the helm, he comes in and gets the team to it's first playoff appearance since '08. He's the man, but yet, to some, he still has no idea what he's doing. Hmm.
Uh, yeah we were. There's clearly more talent on this team than the 49ers and Browns, for example. But if you're used to the results Philbin had, then I guess your expectations are warped. Uh, no he wasn't. The front office and coaching staff made the decision to sign Foster and start him. You think Gase wanted to start 1-4 just to light a fire under Ajayi's *** so he could carry us 9-1 the rest of the way? You think that's a sign he knew exactly what he was doing? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wonder why he didn't go to Denver with Joseph? They have worked together before and he could easily have been the DC there.
Probably because Burke was someone they had identified as the DC-in-waiting here, the Dolphins wouldn't have to let him interview, and it'd be bad form to poach a guy laterally like that.
I dunno, what Hitman8 said is pretty heavy: How does Dolphins brass look at a mountain of failure and make so many excuses as to actually promote the guy in charge of a horribly-performing unit. Our LBs almost always seemed to be in the wrong position. I look at a guy like Neville Hewitt who seemed to be making great strides by the end of 2015 just look awful all year long this season. Neville has all kinds of physical ability to be an NFL linebacker, so why was he so bad? Is there any kind of evidence to suggest that our linebackers were 'well-coached'? I can only think of one great play by a linebacker all year, and that was Alonso's pick-6 vs Rivers. All I can think of is our LBs running themselves into blockers all year while the RB went the other way, or being within 2 feet of a receiver and never making a play. The passes-defensed stat by our LBs has to be the worst in the NFL. Our linebackers not named Alonso couldn't cover Stephen Hawkings.
We won 9 out of 11 games to end the season and did so with a very depleted roster. maybe you should look back at our history and see when was the last time that happened.
so, on to more important things, who are the candidates for LB coach, and who are the candidates to replace Washburn?
It takes eight weeks for an offense or defense to learn a new system and thats after preseason. Gase had everyone on the same page by week six. That's a sign of a good coach
He can thank Ajayi and the OL for carrying the team through that 9-1 streak. You know, the guy he benched and went 1-4 with Foster instead. But I guess he was willing to sacrifice wins to light a fire under Ajayi. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, reluctantly. He went 1-4 after choosing Foster. Ajayi forced him by having several 200 yard rushing games. You think he made Ajayi what he is? He didn't even start him! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Take a look at how many rushing attempts he had until we finally won. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Week 1 Foster had 13. Ajayi had 0. Week 2 Foster had 3. Ajayi had 5. This is because Foster suffered a groin injury. Thank God because Gase made a stupid decision. Week 3-5 Foster had 0. Gase still limited Ajayi to 6, 7, and 13 rushing attempts. We didn't win another game until Ajayi had 25 rushing attempts. So don't talk to me about how Gase knew exactly what he was doing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Still more attempts than any other back. Are you saying that Gase just decided to not run the ball because he didn't want to start Jay? lol
What's your point? My point is Gase didn't know exactly what he was doing as you claimed. He went with the lesser RB and didn't give enough opportunities to Ajayi until we were already 1-4. My point is he lucked into Ajayi after Foster got injured AGAIN. Thank God Ajayi forced Gase to feed him because he wasn't gonna do that either. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wrong. Ajayi was basically the starter from game 2-3 on. The Dolphins fell behind early in those first 4 weeks due to many reason, Gase not being one of them, and thus they didn't run the ball often when playing catch up. Which isn't usual.
No, I said VJ is a bad defensive coordinator but a pretty good DB coach. I've said gase did an overall good job in his first year as HC, but that doesnt mean he was perfect and didn't make mistakes. Not playing ajayi more the first five games was one of those mistakes. Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk
I agree that Gase wanting Foster to start over him come the first game was a personnel mistake..from what we know Ajayi had lost about 8 to 10 lbs and had a very intense offseason workout program..probably the reason why he got pissed before the last preseason game.. First year coaches make mistakes..gotta forgive him on this one.. Are there any others that your holding against him?
He was also a little too predictable with his play calling and run-pass mix. Also threw too many bubble screens. He spammed those all season long even though they never worked. Didn't use play action enough as well. Other than that I think he did a good job. I like his honesty most of all. Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk