Well after the Jets epic collapse last night, the Dolphins defense has moved up to 4th in the NFL, ahead of the Steelers and Ravens. They haven't given up more than 17 points since the Ravens game. [But apparently it only takes 13 points to beat us, so hopefully they can hold the Jets to 9] It's a shame the offense is so schizo, because nobody talks about the Dolphins defense because of them, and they aren't getting the respect they should. Even Cameron Wake, there are still tons of people who don't know his name and he leads the NFL in sacks ahead of Clay Matthews. Major props to Mike Nolan... now if only we can find someone to do that to this on offense before it's too late. It's not all the offenses fault though, the Dolphins have dropped so many INTs, including about 6-8 probable Pick 6's that could've been the difference in at least 2 more wins and would've surely got the defense attention. It's always something.
Great turnaround year, and we missed Odie and Merling and Will Allen and Edds all season. Now the real question is whether or not they can continue the upwards trend over the last 4 games as I would really love to head into 2011 with a rock solid, and very young Defense to build upon. Next up..Special Teams
3rd round pick/fulltime returner..done. with those 4 dudes coming back to our defense, this draft turns offensive..
Its been amazing how the deep balls that were killing us last year have virtually disappeared, without the expected drop off in run defense. I credit Nolan and the maturation of our secondary, along with the heat from Wake. Hopefully we can now turn our attention to getting some play makers on offense and teaching our DBs how to catch. That'd be nice.
Brad Smith can be had this offseason. He can return and cover kicks as well as run the Wildcat. He and James Jones would fit in nicely on our WR corps. Upgrades, but without breaking the bank or spending all of our Deangelo Williams & Johnathan Joseph money .
The defense is playing lights out - especially considering that they don't get a lot of help from poor field position from the offense and STs.
Imagine if we could actually have any pass rush other then Wake out there? or DBs that caught the ball? we have a good defense, but we could be great. Im really really looking forward to that defense next season, thats for sure.
To high of a draft pick for that deej, that could be our next Center. The Return game is actually really great this yr, Carroll is over 25 ypa, Dbess over 10 ypa. Real problem areas are blocking on FG's and Punts which is a esoteric area to fix as the guys who do those jobs well you or I have never heard of.. Darren Rizzi has done a good, not great, job on ST, it would not surprise if he came back for 2011, but I'd like someone like Frank Gansz Jr from UCLA.
I had dexter mccluster or Javier arenas on my mock draft in the third last year, if one was available they were gonna be a dolphin...they both went in the 2nd..
When I think ST rankings I think less of our return abilities, and more about our COVERAGE failures. And that includes BLOCKING to get the kicks off to begin with. We have been bad - inconsistent in coverage all year.
Wouldn't say that BDH, we have given up some return TD's (2?) overall though we do a good job of limiting return yards overall.
Jonathan Joseph is a very, very good CB, but has no hands either. I wouldn't be upset if we threw money at DeAngelo Williams, but personally, I'd rather throw it at any 2 of the following 3 in Logan Mankins, Carl Nicks, or Davin Joseph and draft a RB like Mark Ingram, Mikel LeShoure, or Kendall Hunter.
They still need another pass rusher. I'm against the whole obsession of drafting for the offense entirely because that doesn't do anything for you. Especially on the offensive side of the ball it takes a long time to develop anything. QB? Not unless he's a top of the first round guy and if he isn't he's probably not much better than Henne with the way QBs are in the NFL there right now (heavily first round pick dominated and upper tier guys that were either drafted high or slipped, not the Jason Campbells/Joe Flaccos). This forum will hate this, but I'd much rather draft a SOLB, see if Misi can play ILB, and see if we can make a truly dominant defense the likes of which Brady will piss his pants playing against. Not spending a 1st on a f'in mediocre TE in Rudolph, WRs that are hit or miss and not guaranteed to be better than Hartline, and RBs you can get almost anywhere. Forget that. That's 2007 draft bull****. Don't settle for very good. At least let teams know that when they play the Dolphins, they're playing a defense as good as or dare I say one day better than Baltimore/Pittsburgh/NY/Chicago. I want the best defense in the league. I think we can have it and I know we would for a fact if we had Patrick Willis. Not letting that opportunity go through your hands again is critical.
I agree on not drafting the TE, WR or QB but I really like the team would improve more with a great RBing then an OLB
Waste of a first round pick. Improve the OL, sign one, draft one later whatever you wish but if the guy isn't flat out special (Ingram with deep speed would be) no thanks. Only the Steelers out of the four primary competitors we have have spent a first round pick on a RB. He's not even that great. You improve your running game from let's say 4 YPC with Ronnie (most years) to 4.5 in a RBC. That's 9 yards. No really that's nine yards you've improved during the course of a game. Imagine we had Woodley opposite of Wake that's probably a loss of nine yards each possession.
Isn't LaMarr Woodley scheduled to be a free agent at seasons end? Or is he one of those cases where the CBA determines his free agent status? I would love to have him opposite Cam Wake.
He is I think. If he's not franchised, forget Mankins. By the way if Murtha replaces Carey well at RT (big test coming up), we may have more money to go after another player such as a Woodley. I can only imagine how that defense would look. Leeggggeeen-darrrrry! Heck throw your first round pick at defense too maybe at Akeem Ayers. DE- Starks, Odrick NT- Soliai, Starks, Baker DE- Langford, McDaniels, Merling LOLB- Woodley, Misi, Francis LILB- Dansby, Edds RILB- Ayers, Dobbins ROLB- Wake, Moses CB- Davis, Allen, Sapp CB- Smith, Caroll FS- Clemons, Culver SS- Bell, Jones #1 D?
That offense has plenty of talent. You can't throw money and picks and expect it to get better just like that. We're not a true shutout defense.
Abut half our D has not hit Prime Time, and is still learning. They should all get better. Add in Merling, Odrick, Edds, Jones, Allen and Carroll coming back. I am very excited about our D.
I feel bad for me. Why? Because this D lacks the ability to turn a big play, because I can''t excuse the dropped picks and its like a kick in the nuts every time I watch it. You want pity look between paltry & puny in the dictionary.
I think I might prefer Malcolm Floyd to Jones. He's probably going to be set free with the attention on McNeill, Gates, and Jackson.
Well, what will improve ST is continuity, the same guys coming back into their roles in 2011 as in 2010, it is interesting to note that the best ST Coach in the NFL, Bobby April is having a hard go of it in Philly, he did not get stupid overnight it takes time to build a unit, a good unit on ST. As for FA for a returner, eh, well, I like Brad Smith as he would instantly make the Wildcat far more deadly, and he is a great returner, other than that I am not seeing anyone who would make the unit take a huge leap upwards in 2011 on FA. On offense..you got me bro, think we need a Te, think Cobbs should see more time as the scatback, think we need some new blood in the backfield as well, and maybe we need a Center and would like to see Nate Garner have a shot at it first though.
I just saw a clip of that quote you have in your sig Greyson....translation.....we didnt have the effort necessary to win.
If Sparano wants to keep his job (if he has one come the draft) his # 1 priority has to be on offense. If not, and they draft several O guys and some D....if I am Ross both Sparano & Ireland would be gone before the next OTA or mini-camp.
