This is another topic which is subject to great debate amongst us fans. We all know how effective it was when it was first introduced in the 2008 season, but, how effective will it continue to be from here on out and should we base some or any of our draft choices on this one play alone? I have a post about this on my blog at [removed]
IMO, I think it is an effective tool for the team. Sparano's policy is to have a particular type of offensive line. It so happens that the offensive lineman he likes fits the Wildcat. If he has an effective triggerman, I say stick with it. It's very effective the way Miami runs it. I vote: YES!
If it still proves effective I wouldnt mind seeing them run it in certain situations. I think we used it too much at times ,especially when our basic offense was moving the chains. Keep it in our game plan to keep the opposing defense guessing,but dont over do it IMO. Also,I would not enter the draft with wildcat help on our minds.
I think they did a decent job at getting away from it when it was ineffective. There were times when they tried to push it, but I think they got the picture when it was not working. I think the reason they might have tried to push it is because that's kind of Miami's ace in the sleeve. It works.
As long as we keep Ronnie we should keep the package. It was very effective early this season. Imagine Ronnie in the backfield with CJ Spiller in the wildcat position. Not that it would ever happen, but it would be awesome
Why would it be time to retire it? They used it less as the season progressed, but they basically got down to a single runningback when the formation as it stood normally had three plus a fullback.
I'm not a fan of you guys running, or my team for that matter, but if it works, why the hell not? Did I like that the Jets ran it in Week 17? No. Did it work? Hell yes. Would I run it again? Absolutely. Do what wins. Ronnie Brown + Ricky Williams + Henne + White is too good/proven with Wildcat to not run it. Maybe cut back for the element of surprise, but why deviate from success? I understand it may not have worked as well down the stretch, but that was without Ronnie Brown.
You will see the trend if you go there. That's not to say I think we should retire it I just know people's opinion on this subjectrange from I love it so much we should draft Tebow for it to I hate it and never want to see it again
I agree that that is the key. You have to have two backs with the skill of Ronnie and Ricky to run it effectively. We saw that you can't just plug anybody into it. The opposing D has to really fear the threat of the sweep for it to work.
It worked because of the two running backs we had in it. Much like the reason it worked in college was that D.McFadden and F.Jones were running it. IMO, one big reason the Wildcat started to lose his punch was that we took the Ricky Sweep Option out of it. That is a important part of the formation. It works so well that Ricky made yards even with Pat White "QBing" it. Mid season our Wildcat became Ronnie taking the snap and just running up in the middle with no other possible play on the table. I never understood why we took the option out of it. If we get a good back up QB to replace Pat White we could risk using Thigpen in the Wildcat and we would have a real threat to pass. Thigpen is only half the runner Ronnie is but he is 10 times the passer. Also, if Thigpen moved over to the WR spot, he would be a real threat to catch a pass (he has caught a TD pass in the NFL) or to take a hand off and pass the ball. But all in all, once Chad Henne came in and started making plays and we were running well out of our normal formations, the Wildcat did not have the same important.
The original idea was to get Ronnie and Ricky in the same backfield at the same time .Without Ronnie there is no need to do that . White has to prove he can pass in the NFL before he becomes a factor.So far Ronnie has proved he is a better passer than White.
Not at all!! But I would hope that with the growth of Henne and once we get a true #1 WR, we won't have to use it as much. Therefore making it more effective when we do. You don't stop using a play that works, until it doesn't work any longer.
That was definitely a big part of it the other thing is after the first two games in the '08 season we were searching for a way to just get the running game going they mapped it out on the plane ride home from Arizona I read an article back then that talked about the offensive meeting the next day. Sparano, Henning, Lee were asking who wanted to take the direct snap. Ronnie raised his hand and said I will. The Dolphins dropped NE's jaw the following week putting up over 200 rushing yards definitely no reason to run it without him
I say yes if: - it stunts the growth of Chad Henne - it creates more negative plays than positive - it becomes a drive killer I say no if: - it averages 5 yards a carry - it remains a low percentage of the offense - they are unable to run out of the base offense
I say we continue to use the wildcat as long as the right personnel is in the game. No Ronnie Brown = No wildcat. Pat White still has a lot to prove in this league. He was a winner in college so I remain hopeful that he can turn it around. I thought the 3 and 4 running back wildcat formation (which I now call the "fatcat") was unstoppable just about every time and could be lethal in the red zone. This wasn't used very often, but I do remember it being very successful at the beginning of the year before injuries depleted that position. Listen I think we only experienced the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wildcat and although I don't want it to interfere with Henne's growth, I don't think we can scratch it from the play book based on how well it worked for us.
Absolutely. The Wildcat kept us in games we had no business being competitive in, and helped us win the division in 2008. The real question isn't whether or not to bring the Wildcat back, but who will be the triggerman. Ricky really isn't good at it, try though he did; Ronnie will be given lighter duty as he recovers from injury; and Cobbs probably isn't the best man for the job either. I would go so far as to say we carry a fourth RB on the opening day roster, and that person will be the best Wildcat triggerman we can find not named Ronnie Brown.
Take away the wildcat from ronnie brown's repatoire, and your making a big mistake for the player, and the team.... Evolve the freakin hybrid offense......100 % in.... The title of this thread pisses me off, no disrespect to the poster....
The title was suppose to bring out emotions. This guy posted the same thread on a lot of Dolphin sites mainly I think to tell people about his "blog". I guess that is how you do it, not sure. Anyway, I just copied and pasted my answer to all the other sites aslo.
Not sure why you would pigeonhole yourself by eliminating any formation. Doesn't make sense to me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No ace brother, like you said it stopped for the most part because it was largely ineffective once Ronnie went down, coupled with Henne was getting more and more comfortable.......the Cat works with Ronnie working it, and sometimes handing it to Ricky...when it was Ricky running it, they zero'd him, and stacked the box (watch the tape), almost daring him to hand it off to Lex.... if they get a big time WR at the 1, I think you'll see it even less, Henning put the Cat in sometimes last year, even when Miami's offense had rhythm and where moving the ball nicely...u cant do that to a pocket passer...they drafted Henne to be that pocket passer, so something has to go...Henne or the Cat.... what do u think?? the Cat while nice was there simply because they didnt have the talent on offense to move the ball, why because nobody was scared of Penny's arm, with Henne you have to respect it, defenses arent playing at close to the LOS as they once did...
Yank, I dont think the cat is just a formation you use just because you lack some talent anymore, I think its a viable formation that can be integrated in any offense, IF, you have that special player..Its a power running game initself that exploits the strengths of your best player. i would run the wildcat with ronnie if tom brady was my qb.
I totally get what you are saying, but by "Ace", I am simply saying that with Ronnie, yes, it was more than effective. Miami HAD to try it with Ricky and let the cards fall where they may. Think about it, to a defense, Ricky is still a helluva back. Couple that with that potential of the Wildcat, and potentially, you have a similar result. It obviously did not work, but one has to think about what Henning and Sparano might have been thinking when they used Ricky at the trigger. They used it more without a man in motion, which takes a little away from the formation, but who did Miami really have? So why not try it solely with Ricky and see what happens? Defenses are not scared of our WR corps and with a "rook" throwing passes, Miami had to put the ball into the hands of our best offensive weapon. It did not work. We now know that. But to elaborate a little more by my using "Ace", I am only saying that Ricky was the best option, and the Wildcat was the most effective (we now know, con Ronnie). But of course, it was not as effective, so they went with the more traditional offense. They had to try it. We now know that not everyone can run it.
