Dolphins, not Cowboys, will play their starters on Thursday night

Not a good idea, IMO. Tony should let them rest.

 

It's probably more psychological than utilitarian. It's a form of rectal mastication. Coach is showing his deep displeasure, shall we say, with the quality of execution and the learning of assignments. It's his way of giving the first unit an "F." The way he sees it, we're going in the crapper if we play the way we did against Atlanta anyway, so the need for live reps outweighs the risk of injury and need for rest. They have ten days before the opener to rest from the game. Remember that this man was a center and then an offensive line coach, and we can't run the ball. Only one thing occurs to him: Reps.

 

I am with Tony as well.....at least for the OL the most to me....I hope they get Marshall, Brown, Henne, Ricky, Dansby, Long, Starks and Vontae out quickly though...

 

Im SOOOOO with Tony.

Anyone see how long Tom Brady played in a meaningless pre-season game last week? If the team you are trying to catch in your division, is putting it on the line to get better in a pre season game, then you better damn well do the same. If we had played differently against Atlanta, different discussion...we didnt.

The injury thing is just part of football. Guys get lost for the season in practice....I never hear anyone saying not to practice hard. Pre Season games R practice.

 

Ouch. Let's just hope the injury bug stays away.

 

2 series tops

 

With the way they played last week they dont deserve a game off.

 

the entire point of the preseason is to get reps to find your groove. i would definitely say we have not yet gotten there. make them play.

plus i have some pints on the line here with a friend that is a cowboys fan; hearing that the cowboys are playing their 3rd stringers and we're playing our starters, perhaps i should throw some money down too

 

This probably reduces the number of plays Sparano would like to see from the starting unit. What good is having your first stringers in there if the other team is playing at a college level?

Two series, max.

 

Bottom line? If Sparano thought his starters were ready for Week One, they wouldn't be playing on Thursday night. And he doesn't think they're ready.

"Look guys, I've already told you this, we didn't play well," Sparano said. "We stunk the other night. I mean can I be any clearer with that? We were not good the other night against Atlanta. I didn't like any of it. . . . I'm looking at this fourth preseason game and saying, 'Hey, it's a game.' We get to measure ourselves against somebody else. They keep score and we want to win it. . . . So I just want to see [the starters' play until I'm satisfied with how they play one way or the other."

I am basically & totally in agreement w/ his decision. have already posted an entire thread after game three clarifying what I thought w/ deterring a "quick start" in September... would like to see what has changed the season is upon us.

 

I think what might play a factor in Tony's decision to play the starters tomorrow night might have to do with the fact on how we have come out the gate the last couple of years. We tend to start slow, and with our schedule this year, especially the first half of the season or so, we can't afford to start slow. If we do, it can mean trouble for our season.

P.S. I still can't understand how nfl.com has our schedule ranked 17th. Am I crazy or does nfl.com have it wrong?

 

I'm sure they've been very busy since game three & Sparano has a lot to consider in this last preseason:

1) the Offensive Line w/ our strongest unit & has become a work in progress. they set the pace & attitude of the game, as go the big guys up front, so goes the season. Ironically, I see them as our number one concern as we prepare to enter the regular season. they have played like the Flipper-Five, nothing Orca about this bunch so far...
2) Henne has to step up, make the right decisions & lead the team. w/o a Franchise QB we will not go to the SuperBowl. In the first serious dress rehearsal, the IceMan went 10 for 22 for a 123 yards & an interception. this is not good.

3) the Defensive Backfield is inexperienced & already struggling in preseason. Smith &, more importantly, Clemons are not ready to start the season. the secondary remains our Achilles heel. what to do?

4) Special Teams is being rebuilt in year three? How's that going to work? Special teams is the quiet, uncelebrated third rail of football. got to win two of the three to win: offense, defense, special teams.

5) what I'm seeing overall in the preseason that concerns most is a lack of aggressive & consistent play. the team looks disorganized and/or disinterested. we lack the intensity, brutality, the tenacity that has become, up until now, engrained into the spirit & character of the new Miami Dolphins.

P.S. always play to win, its a mind-set.

 

Maybe it's not the players........maybe Sparano is still trying to figure out how to get the team to not come out flat. Lord knows he could use the practice..

 

its the team & I've listed what I think are 5 concrete concerns.

you don't take this kind of chance playing starters, if there are not major issues to be resolved before game one.

if it were a wrinkle or two, things would have been resolved in camp w/o the potential for injury in the midst of the brutality of a game where players are desperately attempting to show-case their wares before the entire NFL, maybe for the last time.

the logical conclusion can only be that Sparano thinks we are not ready for game one & need that "quick Start' in September.

 

You had me at rectal mastication...

 

Well if the team stays healthy I'm all for it. :crosses fingers:

 

A failing of this present staff has clearly been not being ready to play early in the season. I hope this is part of recognizing this and moving to correct it. If Tony thinks the team needs more work, the team needs more work.

 

They have a week and a half after their preseason game. I doubt he plays them for more than a few series either.

 

Hopefully it's only one series. I hope they score on their first series and get it over with. It's against the Cowboys backups, he must just be doing this so they can go out with something positive. They better not look bad against backups.

 

I don't like this. Even if it's only for two series. What's the point?

 

Im with Tony in that the starters should play but i also think it should not be past the first quarter. Theres a point where it becomes too risky.

 

the first dress rehersal didn't go so well. you confident with that going into opening night?

 

the season hasnt even started.....what are they needing resting from?

 

having to sit through a Pat White performance

that one was dedicated to Padre

 

I agree. Last thing you need is some roster bubble guy trying to be a hero and hurting one of our guys.

 

Lets just hope they play good right out the gate. Good lesson to learn and the faster they can come out.

I really like the idea.

 

Two series or even one quarter of football isn't going to change that. All this does is expose them to injury unnecessarily. Sparano is going to look like an idiot if one of our starters gets hurt.

 

respectfully disagree.

 

big mistake. the risk outweighs the reward. this is just plain dumb if true

 

Odd, the starters played for a Qtr last yr as well.

AFTER THEY PLAYED LIKE CRAP THE PREVIOUS WEEK VS THE BUCCANEERS IN THE ALL IMPORTANT GAME#3..

Has there been some sort emofluenza epidemic?

 

agree...
meaningless game. I want this game to be in the books already.

 

Disagree, the Oline needs to have it's line up settled as well as getting their timing down as a unit.

As well as rediscovering their aggressiveness.

In many ways, that butt whipping the Falcons laid on the Oline was the best thing that could have happened to them, j Abraham ate Jake Long alive on Opening Day in 09, Long settled back down the next game, but still, complacency has no room on this team.

 

What if for some strange reason the 1st team looks like **** against their backups. I think this board might explode.

 

A preseason game in Dallas won't prove what the OL has to offer.
Work in progress. sure everyone seems to think all of it we be settled and fixed
Nah.. You get this garbage football game out of the way pod and game plan for something real.
Being efficient in this game is fairly impossible.

 

I step back from cliff jumpers and live to see another day.

 

Doubt we will agree Killah, as for the oline it won't matter who they are blocking, it matters "how" they are blocking them.

Think crisp block, turn out, running back hits the hole on time.

 

something like that, I'd like to see Pat White come in and whip some butt just to give us something to chat about..

 

If that happens in Buffalo... chances are I'll be a little less grumpy



Damn Abraham does own Jake