Well. It's a simple question. Can Nolan's defense be among the league's best this year assuming we address FS, and OLB in the draft, leaving NT on the back burner? If you say no, please explain.
We certainly have the talent on the rest of the line to make up for average NT play but dominant may be a bit of a stretch. I think that we have so many other positions that still need to take care of that NT is not a top priority at the moment.
We were 25th in the NFL in points allowed How many teams go from 25th to dominant in one season? We would need to hit on every defensive draft pick in a huge way plus the rest of the defense would have to step up then step up again.I think a more reasonable expectation would be to become and average defense and work our way up from there
Maybe, Defenses can improve more rapildly than offenses, and the core of the Dline is moving into their prime years and Vontae and Smith have OJT. Toss in YBell and Cam Wake and Carlos Dansby, and while not "dominating" as we won't spend the resources, we could be top 10.
how many teams replace 5 starters on defense, and no longer have 2 rookies at CB? Denver replaced something like 9 starters on defense last year and Nolan dramatically improved that D in one year. It's not impossible by any means.
i guess we cant use his initials as part of his nickname. padre will be wondering who the hell KD58 is.
The problem with our defense isn't stopping the run. We can do that as is. If we can actually force teams to run the ball, instead of scoring in 3 plays, I think that suits our team's identity much better. If we can produce a top ranked pass defense, I think the rest is gravy. Look at the Jets. Even without Kris Jenkins, their defense was elite. Stop the pass first, then stopping the run is much easier when you know its coming.
A dominant nose tackle would be the closest point to stop the run i think our D will improve already but a top dog NT would help plug the middle making it more possible to be dominant.
NT play won't be an issue with Wake and Anderson as our starting OLBers and Culver as our FS. Not a dig on those three players, but none are ready to suddenly become dominant right now. In Wakes case, it could happen, but he's still pretty raw. Anderson...if it hadn't happened by now....just about the same thing with Culver. Don't get me wrong, Nolan's scheme can help these guys out, but none are synonymous with greatness.
Paul P was a horrible schemer coming down to the end of the year. We couldn't make any adjustments. Nolan has the grade of a Top-Flight DC. I think we had more talent than we showed last year aside from certain players. I think Nolan will make us much better and the maturation of some players will help. Soliai, Davis, Smith, Merling, Langford, Starks will have even more experience not one of them over 26.
Obviously this is a bit of a stretch to read the future and our draft... But... Sparano believes Solia has the potential to be a good NT and with further mentoring from Ferg he should be good. Not to mention that McDaniels helped and looked good at times and even enjoys the role. Starks, Langford and Merling will do there job holding down the outside and Dansby and Crowder will be a force together on the inside! Especially Dansby! Wake will grow and develop and after the draft we'll pick JT back up for the other side. I just can't conceive of a better way to go than JT. All he wants is a slight raise (which he deserves) for such play and mentoring and leadership???? How could that be a bad move? Kindle? McClain? Williams? Bryant? Who knows? But the D will be better regardless! Add Nolan and YES, what a difference a year makes... I've been waiting years to see a Dolphins Defense in attack mode! Gish, if you don't think we'll even pick up a NT in the later rounds I think it would be a little crazy!
I love what JT has brought to the Fins, but he's obviously not the player he was two years ago. When a DL gets to be JT's age, his athletic edge can break down at any time. It was obvious he wasn't the player we had as the DPOY last year, and he can only break down further this coming year. JT isn't the best option at SOLB...just isn't...
i am comfortable starting the year with Soliai, Starks and McDaniel .... then Fergie can come in ~ week 8 .... maybe even be healthy for the playoffs. So, will our D be 'dominating' this year ... probably not -- as we won't have our game changing OLB in the fold. Maybe we take Graham with #12, maybe we take Worilds with #43 (or earlier if we pick up extra picks). But don't think either of these 2 are 'special' - but both can be very good. We can plug ILB (which we for the most part already did, but we'll still draft or sign another); we can draft a S (maybe sign someone as a stop gap - Sharper is still out there); our DEs are decent, but not great. we can have a top 10 'D' at best, depending on how the draft and FA end up. good enough to get us to the playoffs. we need a top 5 'D' and the stand out WR to make to the SB ... it can all get done this year, depending on how the chips fall ....
Maybe Karlos does? If we draft OLB and FS well, hit on a decent draft defensively, I really think we could have a top 10 D this season, there is some solid talent along the Dl and our CB's, Y. Bell, Dansby now, Soliai coming into his own and more than anything I think Mike Nolan will make a huge difference with this D. All that said, we need to draft a decent NT to back up and rest Soliai until Fergie gets done with his suspension, but I think we can do that in the later rounds.
You do realize he was playing a new position as well, right? Given that, if we moved him to his natural side he'd be a beast again...
Soliai played really well last year. He is only getting better. He had many playes last year where he looked great. All the other plays he looked good. That is much better then being good most of the time and having some plays where he sucked. I'm not worried about NT this year. Ferg will come back just in time for Soliai to catch a break.
Depends on your definition of Dominant. Top 5 defense? I doubt it. Top 10? Maybe. I just remember losing that top 5 run defense when Ferguson was gone. So unless Soliai makes strides this season to step up, I think we're kind of going to have trouble in that regard. But hey, the defense is basically like brand new. New Driver, new tires, maybe we'll be fine with some new direction.
Veteran football players are NOT like fine wine I wish they did get better with age but reality says otherwise
Yes, it can be dominant without a new NT. First, you have a player who is developing in Soliai. He should at the least be a decent 2 down NT this season. Second, the key to winning on defense is not stopping the run but stopping the pass. On pass downs the Dolphins like to shift a pass pressure guy like Starks and/or McDaniel inside anyways.
you do realize he is 36 years old and not getting any younger. there are no guarantees that jt becomes a beast again to me the odds are stacked against him considering his age and the injury we cant keep hoping or relying on taylor to be a savior on defense those days are gone
I was not saying that... I think we need his leadership and mentoring as much as play! Even if he were a backup or role player.
you did say that i was saying there are no guarantees especially considering his age. ill admit he could be a role player but at what price and whos to say he is really any better at the moment than the current group of role players we have. everyone says it but does that make it true at this point
Agreed, JT, maybe, could get 10 sacks this yr the way Trace Armstrong did in the early 2000's in his mid 30's. As for the NT, maybe they like Soliai more than we know?
w/ Nolan @ the reigns & the return of JT, in a word yes it is critical to draft a NT in 2010 because it normally takes 2 years to develop one Randy Starks & Tony McDaniel can rotate with Soliai until mid season then Ferguson will return to finish the second half of the year would have been a good thing to add one one in FA however, we should be alright this year, provided we fix FreeSafety not so bad re-sign JT & fix FreeSafety
How can a 3-4 defense be dominant without a solid nose tackle??? I believe in a 3-4 defense, the nose tackle position is what makes or breaks their dominance. So my answer is no.
I don't think a dominant NT alone will make you have a spectacular defense in the 3-4, and I don't think having only an above average one means you cant be dominant either. Just my opinion.
It makes a difference certainly, but we have a better chance of improving Soliai's play then we do of drafting a first round NT and immediately expecting miracles out of him.
Re-read my post. I said the nose tackle can make or break a dominant defense. I never said a dominant nose tackle alone will make a defense dominant. And for your second part, an only above average nose tackle can not make the Phins defense dominant considering the personnel.
Completely disagree. A 3-4 defense cannot be dominant with a developing or "decent" nose tackle, just not happening and especially not with our personnel. And the key to winning is not stopping the pass over stopping the run, its winning 2 of 3. Winning the offensive side of the ball, defensive side, or special teams. Winning 2 of those is the key to winning.
