I think we'll start to see channing become more active in the opposing backfeild for once this season.

 

Fun stuff but I'm already ready to see some game action... COME ON 14th!!!

 

Thanks

 

Here's an interesting Tweet from Omar.

Something to keep in mind as the battles in camp continue, especially at safety and guard.

 

This was pretty evident throughout last season, highlighted when Sam Aiken, let me repeat that for dramatic effect -- Sam Aiken, ate his lunch on a jump ball en route to an 80+ yard touchdown. For those of you who erased the aforementioned play from your memory for purposes of maintaining your mental stability, here's a refresher:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eqyUwAIwL8"]YouTube- Sam Aiken Catch vs. Miami December 6, 2009 Highlight[/ame]

I'm not ready to bury this guy for his poor execution on one play during his rookie season, but I need to see alot more from this young CB duo (especially Sean Smith) before I start tossing around the lofty comparisons I've seen on this board -- Madison and Surtain -- and if you want to go even further back, Troy Vincent.

 

Sean Smith really needs to step it up a notch.

 

yeah...because other corners never lose jump balls or get beat deep

 

Youre very correct. However, other corners also get interceptions. That is something Sean Smith does not have.

 

What are you talking about?

The above example was simply one of many instances at various points throughout last year where Smith's lack of awareness down the field hurt the secondary (a play with Braylon Edwards in the endzone during the game @ the Meadowlands also comes to mind). In each of those instances, he was in position to make a play and failed to convert. You combine his lack of awareness down the field with his lack of physicality (certainly not an issue in Vontae's game) and yeah -- I think you have an appropriate basis to question what exactly the Dolphins have in their young cornerback.

EDIT: And here is exhibit B...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llDtylhECQQ"]YouTube- Braylon Edwards pounds his way into the endzone for the TD - MIA @ NYJ Week 8 2009[/ame]

 

IMO i think Vontae Davis and Will Allen will be the starters this season.

 

Hopefully he can turn it around.

 

Which is really strange, because in college he seemed to play the ball really well in the air, and even in the preseason '09 he found it with some consistency.

I'm just wondering if he's so afraid of losing his man that he forgets about the ball.

 

Good news on the LB's so far...Our secondary looks like crap from what I'm hearing.

 

All told, I love what the offense looks like on paper and despite some of the departures from the front 7, I'm confident they'll be solid against the run and able to generate pretty consistent pressure on the QB. That said, I am deathly afraid of the production -- or lackthereof -- we could potentially see from the secondary. In today's NFL, I think the FS spot is way too crucial a position to gamble on with the likes of two recent 5th round draft choices. Lastly, I have very real reservations about what types of players we have in our young CB duo acquired last year via the draft (Sean Smith especially). It certainly helps to have Will Allen (a very solid player) back in the fold, but he's coming off reconstructive knee surgery -- typically a two-year recovery time.

There's no contingency plan for the secondary -- its pretty terrifying.

 

Reshad Jones seems to be doing his job well so far. One of the concerns the coaching staff has with him was knowing his pre-snap callouts and reads. I haven't been paying too much attention to him so far this camp, but he appears to be around the ball quite a bit so far.

Can anyone expand upon this further? If true, we may have found our other safety and shored up a MAJOR concern of ours going in to the camp.

 

Not surprised about White at all, although I am a bit concerned with Smith...

 

You confusing Jones with Clemons? I may be off but I don't recall him having issues with reads and making coverage calls.

 

Reshad Jones is a rookie too. So "this camp" is his first :D

 

I've been beating this drum since October. Sean has is strengths, but IMO, they are outnumbered by his weaknesses at this point.

-He's not physical, borderline timid
-He doesn't get his head around/find the ball in time to make a play
-He does a poor job re-routing/jamming WRs at the line

Not finding the ball or getting a good jam is forgivable and correctable. Not using your helmet or shoulder pads is the type of problem that typically doesn't go away with time.

Smith was primarily a trail technique corner last year, and he'll be pigeonholed into that technique for the foreseeable future if he doesn't start hitting someone. He was beaten deep several times, but there were many occasions where he was beaten deep but the pass was overthrown, not a coincidence IMO. QBs are wary of under-throwing passes in Sean's direction, for obvious reasons. An under thrown ball @ 24 is likely to get picked.

The other reason for the trail tech is YAC. Sean is no Vontae, he cant be relied upon to come up and make a tackle on a short throw. The trail tech is designed to prevent the short/underneath throw, and for the most part, Sean's lack of physicality wasn't exposed the way it would've been had he been playing in another scheme/coverage. I can live with a CB who doesn't tackle well, or gives up plays, IF he's making big plays for the defense as well. But Sean made no plays last year. He tipped a couple passes into Gibril Wilson's hands (Wilson dropped both) but that's not good enough.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I'd rather see (a healthy) Will Allen starting in our base packages. Sean would be the nickel, but W Allen would slide inside to cover the slot while Sean stayed outside at RCB. Allen can play any coverage/technique. Having him on the field will help the young FS, and send a message to Sean that he needs to spend less time on Twitter, more time in the film/weight room, and that it's OK to hit someone every once in a while.

 

thought my point was pretty straight forward

 

No, I will have to find the article, but it was specifically about Jones and what the coaching staff needed to see form him. It came out around the time of mini-camps.

I know he is a rookie. My point was, I have been looking at other positions so far during this camp, thus I haven't paid a ton of attention to him Jones or the other safeties battling it out. :up:

 

i think we 'knew' the secondary would take some more work ... exactly why we have put an emphasis on the DL -- to make up for it with pressure ...

 

It can, should, and will happen. Just ask Sam Madison or Surtain. They got beat quite often deep, but what made the difference was that more often than not, the safeties were there to help. No Cb is NOT going to give up a TD to a long ball. It's a fantasy to think otherwise. Signed Tedd Ginn from Revis Island.. :lol:

The guys only problem last season was getting his head turned around on some plays but for damn sure, the majority of snaps, he won, and from what we saw, he was in great position quite often. For a young Cb, he's done a very good job.

 

Both of your examples show him getting beat but, imo a lot of it had to do more with the opposing Wr just making a GREAT play on the ball. This example may be a little better but the Braylon Edwards catch happened lighting fast and was a great throw, and catch. Smith still almost came away with it.

 

OZ when are you gonna start earning that badge brother, I need my ozzy fix man.

 

So your saying Smith cannot tackle well? I would beg to differ somewhat. He is a pretty decent tackler, but Davis is just excellent and Allen is as well. Smith is far better than Madison ever was and more on the lines of a Surtain when tackling.

Totally disagree on the trail thing. BUT it would help him to stay more WITH the Wr or keep him more in front of him, if he was better at his line jams. The Cb is almost always keeping some sort of "trail" on his man if it is indeed man to man. He DOES need to be better at his outside techniques and with some practice, it is not too hard to do. It's all about strength and positioning of the hands and hips....

 

Sean trails his WR for the most part. Meaning, he'll always be late getting his head around b/c he has his back to the QB and doesn't look for the ball until his WR looks back or raises his hands. If he could read, react, come up and make tackles (like Allen or Davis) he wouldn't have to play trail technique so often. But he cant/won't tackle, his speed and lateral quickness is average, so is his backpedal/transition. If he can improve in those areas, he can eschew the trail technique when needed, and he'll have more opportunities to use those great ball skills of his. Till then, we'll have to live with a lot almosts and near misses. Or start Will Allen.

 

I'll get there a couple times this week. I have some crap going on with FPL at my job and have been totally whooped when i get home. So I have not been able to slip away....

 

Well, I would not call trailing a set technique but it's something that Revis excells at. Whenever he is slightly beaten, he simply makes up for it with speed and great movements of his hips. Sean is hardly ever far from his man so I'd say he is not far off if, and sure, it could be a big IF, he works hard. Making tackles though, has nothing to do with what happens in the passing game. He just needs to be more physical and learn to jam his man for an instant. He played more scared to get beat than anything imo and some confidence would go a long long way there...

I do agree with a lot that you say, just maybe not all the terms or exact reasoning. Not really trying to nitpick but just making convo...

 

Hey, nitpick all you want man. I learn something new every day from the sharps here, so don't hold back :lol:.

I say trail technique in the sense that Miami was one of the few teams I've ever seen with CBs who habitually (and purposely) allowed WRs to get behind them, despite the fact that there was likely to be no safety help over the top. I asked a few defensive coaches about this and they suggested it might be b/c Sean's backpedal and transition are average, and his tackling is, well you know. That being the case, coaches might be more inclined to accept the risk of a long pass provided Sean could force a perfect throw. Rather that than allow teams to throw easy/short passes in front of Sean all game long and watch as the WR breaks his tackle attempt and runs for 15-20 yds. Just an idea, but it made sense when I heard it.

I agree he needs to be more physical, and that's what frustrates me. He plays like a man 40 lbs lighter than he is, and it creates glaring weaknesses in his game. If he he adopts a more physical style, he could easily be an elite corner by year 3-4.

 

Hmmm...I'm guessing Clemons will start at FS. Donald Thomas at LG and John Jerry at RG?

 

im of course hoping sean smith takes that next step as a pro, but will allen was playing pro bowl caliber ball prior to his injury. we got serious talent at cb.