1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Lack of Explosive Players

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by dirtylandry, May 3, 2017.

  1. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

    10,488
    12,821
    113
    Nov 1, 2009
    According to Gase about a week ago, Pouncey is exactly where they expected him to be in rehab and they expect him to be fully active for training camp. Maybe that's all smoke and mirrors but Gase is generally a no **** guy on stuff like that.
     
  2. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    Here is a fun topic:is the player, himself, explosive or does the offense make him?
     
  3. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    You created the thread, so you define explosive. Like many adjectives used to describe things, it's a little open-ended.
     
  4. Dolphin North

    Dolphin North Well-Known Member

    366
    387
    63
    Apr 30, 2017
    Just that I think he can still play at as high a level as ever (100%), but I really don't expect him to remain healthy, as in durable enough to do it for a full season, without expecting another related injury. Sorry, I see that was a strangely written sentence. :)
    The rest was about why I feel that way and how I think teams plan for certain players, who have a lot to offer but cannot usually make it through a whole season. Gronk comes to mind as a more extreme example. With him, I think they have even held him out from coming back until it was time for a run to the playoffs. Was that last year?
     
    KeyFin and Dol-Fan Dupree like this.
  5. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

    40,533
    33,035
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    I think Gase's offense is more explosive than Lazor's.
     
  6. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

    10,488
    12,821
    113
    Nov 1, 2009
    Definitely the player. The offense is there to create space, the player does the rest....except for the J-Train. No blocking required for him.
     
  7. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    Someone who consistently and effectively is a threat to score any time. I will give examples, Julio, EE, AJ Green. Stills had a great season, but I need production with yards too to move the ball. So to answer you, a stat hog.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  8. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

    8,560
    4,133
    113
    May 9, 2008

    1. I don't think this team avoids "explosive players." If you're talking about elite athletes, we've got a few. They're not easy to come by. The ones with top physical measurables that can be had in later rounds are usually deficient in other areas. Guys like you mentioned have more than serious character concerns. Mixon has been accused by multiple woman of violence. Cook has a laundry list of concerns... It's why they fell in the draft and why all the teams ignored them in the first, and half of them in the second.

    2. Of the top 10 selling jerseys, only two have championships. Brady and Gronk. One is arguably GOAT and isn't explosive in anyway. The other is forever hurt, but is a bad mother when healthy. If Miami builds a winning franchise that competes year in and out, the "face of the franchise" takes care of itself.

    3. "Explosive players are the ones that score." I think Ajayi, Stills, Parker, Landry, potentially Thomas are a really solid squad of skill players. Parker has shown big play ability while never being at 100%. If he can stay healthy, he's a perennial 1,000 yard - 10 TD kind of receiver. And Thomas is about as good of an athlete at TE as there is when healthy. NE just won a SB without it's most explosive player (Gronk) and an underwhelming group of skill guys. Denver won a SB with a washed up QB, marginalizing their skill guys. Carolina went to the SB without any explosive skill players on offensive. Contrary to popular belief, the team with the best skill players on offense doesn't usually win SB's. Building a solid foundation of better than average starters with a few marquee stars is a formula for competing for championships.
     
  9. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Fin-O

    Fin-O Initiated Club Member

    11,375
    11,392
    113
    Sep 28, 2015
    No but he has the ability to make a HUGE play on any given play.

    To me, him evolving will define if our offense is good or great.
     
  11. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    Thank you.

    And on defense? Or is your focus only offense?
     
  12. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

    8,560
    4,133
    113
    May 9, 2008
    Ajayi, Parker, and Thomas fit your description (RB, WR, TE). Stills and Landry are a mix and match of what you're looking for... I don't see how this group of skill players is lacking, aside from health. They're all above average talent (and I don't mean that with any kind of negative connotations), capable of chunk yards, moving the chains, scoring TD's. It's a very well rounded group. And I think you're really sleeping on what Thomas brings at TE when healthy. As I said earlier, he's among the best athletes in the NFL playing TE. When Miami's o-line was intact, we went on a stretch of some really terrific offense. I think the bigger issue is a lack of durability on offense., as oppose to explosiveness.
     
  13. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

    52,652
    25,565
    113
    Nov 13, 2009
    We can still get Darrelle Revis.
     
  14. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    I just need to stop the run and get off the field. Nothing spectacular. See Patriots for refernce


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  15. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    Thatta boy


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  16. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    I hear everyone's opinion but we were 23rd in offense so as explosive as we thought those players were, they really weren't. What were Dallas and Atlanta ranked. That one guy or two on a team that consistently breaks the 50-70 one play, makes offenses score 7 more and go from low 300s on yards to 400


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  17. Clark Kent

    Clark Kent Fighter of the Nightman

    8,560
    4,133
    113
    May 9, 2008
    Right, but our starting TE got hurt. Various O-lineman were hurt at different times, which hampered our offense. We didn't get a chance to see Ajayi shine until after the 1st quarter of the season. Parker's hamstring was injured all season. And the team was still learning/adjusting to a new offense.

    Atlanta ranked #1 in scoring offense. Ranked 23rd the year before, in Kyle Shannhan's first season as OC. The entire offense, especially Matt Ryan, took a big leap in year 2. Same could happen in Miami (although I doubt we'll be 1st, but top 10? Top 5?) New England, was without their most explosive players most of the year (Gronk, Dion Lewis) and they were just fine with Edelman, James White, Blount, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Martellus Bennett... I like our skill players > that group... As for Dallas? Come on, that offensive line is so ridiculously good. Clearly the strength of their team. Dez Bryant missed a bunch of games and Dallas still won without him. In fact, he was a non issue most of the season. Devante Parker had similar receptions and yards on a year long bum wheel and less reps.

    I'd love to have Julio, AJ Green, OBJ, Antonio Brown... But they're not infinite. There's only so many to go around.
     
    dirtylandry likes this.
  18. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    It seems we always have excuses, injuries, perfect line, etc... I respect what you say, but just sick of mediocrity


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  19. jdang307

    jdang307 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    39,159
    21,798
    113
    Nov 29, 2007
    San Diego
    We potentially have two guys who have that ability. Parker if he gets his head right, and Stills if they can figure out how to get him to 60-65% catch rate (he was in the 70s with Brees) and a few more Targets.

    Those two can make our offense great.
     
  20. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    I may regret this post, and I hope I do. Gase's presser about the team having more swag and confidence leads me to believe that year 2 will be exponential
     
  21. rafael

    rafael Well-Known Member

    27,364
    31,261
    113
    Apr 6, 2008
    IMO your criticism is misplaced. I don't agree that we lacked explosive players. I believe we lacked snaps. We were last or second to last in the league in total offense snaps. Most of our offensive efficiency numbers (outside of third down efficiency) were very good (top half or better). So our offense was good in their limited snaps. They just didn't have enough of them. I see that as the biggest issue for our offense last season. Fortunately, I think they recognized that and worked to correct that with a couple of specific strategies. I expect better offensive results for the following three reasons:

    1. Improving our run defense: I see the additions of Hayes, Timmons and Raekwon were meant to address this. Those three are all plus run defenders. Those additions along with the return of Jones should improve our run defense dramatically which should in turn help get our defense off the field.

    2. Improving our rushing offense: Fasano was the number 1 run blocking TE in the league last season. He alone should help significantly. I know many of us would have liked more attention to the interior OL, but it should be improved at least somewhat over last season with the addition of Asiata, a hopefully healthy Bushrod and a better back-up C in Larson should Pouncey go down again. I also felt that James took awhile to get the new system down. He was far better in the last quarter than he'd been the rest of the year. That along with it being Ajayi and Drake's second year in the system should help our rush offense.

    3. Third down efficiency: Just returning our top receivers and QB to a second year in the same system should improve our consistency. I felt there were a ton of missed opportunities. Some was pass blocking, but we also left yards on the field b/c receivers ran poor routes or Tannehill just didn't see them. Year 2 in the same system should see a reduction in those missed opportunities.
     
    miami365 and Fin D like this.

Share This Page