It is certainly early, but I feel like now is the time to bring this up given that the team (at this point) has not looked prepared in either of the preseason games. I understand the idiosyncracies of a new coaching staff, new techniques, new points of view; but there has not seemed to be any real consistency or continuity in any facet of this team's production (save maybe the kicking game). Winning quells most of the questions, but this team has not looked like a team primed for winning. My query: do you think the production and inconsistencies are simply part of the fact that this is the first year under Philbin and staff, or is there some disconnect between this coaching staff and its players?
I remember 2007, then remember losing the first 2 games of 2008 with a new regime thinking along these lines before we took down the AFC E. Maybe I'm a homer, but I am optimistic for the future under this regime.
I don't think you need faith in anything, you need to realize it's pre-season. You can't write everything off, but success is secondary to evaluation and development.
I think that's actually untrue. I think unpreparedness would be shown in penalties and broken plays, and I don't think we've seen an inordinate amount of either of those. In fact I think we've seen relatively few. The coaching is there; the talent is not.
I had a longer thought in mind with a solid conclusion, but I am taking care of my wife at the moment and have not had the time to really justify my side. I will try to work on it tomorrow. I understand this is rebuilding time (as one as inferred), but a team can be coached into playing well, playing....as a team (San Fran is a recent team who comes in mind). I certainly think we have some talent, though amiss with some players (every team has them). My disconnect question relies on the 'square peg, round hole' expression. Do we have a bunch of square peg players (left from the previous regime) with a coaching staff trying to fit them in a round hole? I guess more than anything, I am becoming weary of 'rebuilding' and would like to see progress six years ago. The parity of how the NFL is run allows for teams to come back quickly from poor seasons. I just question how long Miami is going to be rebuilding and what direction this staff is taking the team. I know I am a little bit of everywhere with my thoughts, and I hope I can some back later and explain my side a little bit better.
I completely agree, and am well aware that this is preseason. In no way have I written everything off, but how long must this team eval and develop before seeing results? I know, new coaching staff, etc., etc.
This is why I'm not hammering the panic button about Jonathan Martin or the defense. But in the end, it's rebuilding. Any time a team drafts a QB in the first round, they're either already rebuilding (Colts; Andrew Luck) or think they're about to rebuild (Packers; Aaron Rodgers). To talk about a lack of faith the coaching staff misses that point, because there's an underlying assumption that the team is trying to win the Super Bowl this year. This team has no shot at the Super Bowl.
although martin and the defense in particular have looked bad, i will still hold my judgement until the atlanta game, where they will build a gameplan and the week leading up to this is handled like game week
I was one of the B Marshall homers so I lost faith when we traded him for this year but I hope I'm wrong
I was unaware that the team did not plan for the game. If this is the case, then my starting the thread is poopie. I, do, however, wish the starters who were in would have "won" the game.
According to the owner, the Dolphins are NOT rebuilding and they are loaded with talent. Therefore based on his comments, I expect the Dolphins to win the majority of their games this season and make the playoffs. If they don't, fire the coaches, fire the GM, and Ross should sell the team.
My main concern with any of the coaching staff member would be with Kevin Coyle. Just based on what I've seen in the preseason, I think he's got certain players trying to fill roles they're not suited for; though for some of them I don't think a better player is on Miami's roster at present. I just hope the role isn't too big for him. My hope is that he wasn't just giving coach-speak in his presser last week saying he's purposefully calling certain defenses/coverages/blitzes regardless of what the offense is doing just to see who fits where.
This scares me. Although he may have confidence in his play-calling, I think the conceptual things should be used minimally in these preseason games given the newness of the staff and players' understanding of the system. Unless this is "base" stuff, then I am okay with that. But I still think that there should be some real adaptation of what's on paper being put to work during these practice games so the team can build on that. Confidence goes a long way when the things practiced produce results on the field. I guess we will see in the third preseason game.
Im not worried so much about the Defense. I'm VERY worried about the right side of our O-line (Martin especially) getting Tannehill killed. Im not sure i've ever seen a worse display of "blocking". He has 2 weeks to make major improvement or he'll be watching from the bleachers.
I don't know why it scares you, you've got to figure out what you can do. You've got to figure out what your "base" defense is, the core of stuff you do well. Like they moved Jason Trusnik from Koa Misi's back-up to Kevin Burnett's back-up over the course of the last week. Did it work out? No, obviously not, but it's good to know if he can do it in a pinch. Should Koa Misi be in man coverage on the line of scrimmage vs. Greg Olsen? Probably not regularly, but it would be helpful to know at what level Misi handles true "linebacker" duties. Etc. and so on.
I'd be more curious to see Trusnik at OLB and Spitler at MLB.. they really seem to play well together. No clue why, but the chemistry and communication is there.
Makes sense. I guess with the new CBA rules on length of practices, they really do not have much time to work entirely on that stuff during practices, so bring it to the game and see what happens. I get it now. But it still sounds a little off that they would not necessarily plan going into the game. Given that, and given how the switch (from the accounts I have read) to this 4-3 is not much different, there should be tape on how these guys performed under similar situations, therefor, giving the staff some level of performance and suitability of the players. Hopefully, we will see in game 3 if there will be some semblance of fusion from the staff and field play.
any of you did hear the Philbin Press Conference? I found it interesting (and also quite honest in certain moments), about play calling, preparation, WR batlle etc http://www.miamidolphins.com/media/...ence-819/a79c171e-d433-4058-80f8-a7b4cbb4830b (if the link was already posted elsewhere, I apologize)
I don't think it's even a new CBA thing, this is basically what pre-season is and has been. In practice you're playing against your team, it's tendencies, formations, and ways of doing things, and you've got to figure out if your ideas stack up to different schemes and ways of doing things.
