He is very, very one dimensional. This offense needs speed not Hilliard.

 

The same Omar Kelly who thought Cam Wake was going to be a bust and Koa Misi looked lost.

There's just so much wrong with having "Lex Hilliard" and "feature back" in the same sentence that I don't even know where to start. Just no.

 

Gotcha. I wonder who Omar heard this from. Surely Tony Sparano is not that stupid...is he?

 

Thought Lexxy did a good job in 09, think DaBolll getting 1,300 yds out of Hillis is one of the reasons why he was hired, so give him a shot we have nothing to lose in so doing.

 

He can catch out of the backfield really well, that is at least two dimensions

 

Neither player, Sheets or Hilliard, has had enough carries or touches to say either way, Sheets has maybe 3 carries, Lexxy looked fine in late season fillin duty in 2009, that is sort of the point of having competition in Camp.

I think Lexxy has some flaws in his game, but nothing that would say he cannot do it, for example he needs to work on his body lean as he does not, or did not, pick up that extra 1 yrd by falling forward, he also could use some work on his stiff arm, but other than that his body type is suited to being a Featured player, 6'0 or less, a solid 230 pds if Green Ellis can gain 1k yds, so can Lexxy.

 

I think Hilliard has to be an option just b/c we have nobody else right now. Like Henne, he is viewed as our starter "right now", but everybody understands that we're looking to upgrade. Unlike QB, however, our chances of finding an upgrade at RB are pretty good since there will be more options in the draft and eventually in FA.

 

Unless we draft Colin Kaepernick, BOO YAH!

Yea what Raf said is true. It is also not like Hillard is so bad that he will hurt Miami. Like Chad Henne, Hillard is good enough. He will find the hole, he can break a few tackles, and once in a while he will have a good run. His blocking is decent, however his passing out of the backfield is much better than I ever imagined for him. He is the type of back that you start when there is nothing better, however he will be decent, like Lamar Smith.

The problem with offseason is even with a lot of holes there are so many that are fixable. Luckily to win a superbowl does not take fixing all the holes. There isn't one team in the NFL that doesn't have areas to improve. Even the superbowl champion Packers could use help at runningback and on the offensive line.

 

If henne is our starting QB AND Hilliard is our starting tailback, it's going to be a long season. I'll take Henne if we improve RB and Oline, and vice-versa. but if we don't improve one of those two, I think I will cancel NFL Sunday Ticket for the first time in over a decade.

 

Lamarr Smith is a good comparison with Hilliard, only Sparano doesn't ride running backs as hard as Wanny used to, so we'd need a complimentary back or vice versa.

 

Good enough for what exactly? Another 7-9 finish? Seriously?

Sparano better not be thinking that way, considering another sub-.500 finish means he'll be getting served his walking papers on Black Monday.

 

I think Ireland may have provided a hint when he spoke about Hilliard. For me, this indicates the running game will be reduced, while the base offense switching to a 3 WR, 1TE, and 1RB formation. The passing game role is elevated to control the ball, while running game is reduced to a back with Green Ellis capabilities.

If the passing game can move the ball between the hash and the boundary, it should stretch the middle of the defense; leading to some gaps for the RB and TE to exploit. The offense's current strength is its short passing with Marshall running 5-10 yard routes and Bess ability to weave his routes with other WRs. Perhaps, the offense may need another big target (Sims-Walker), which might allow Bess to vary where he lines up and increase the opportunities for his best rookie route - high %, ball-moving bubble screen. A passing game that sets up the run could compliment Hilliard skill set as he seems to get down-field quickly and has some ability to change direction while maintaining speed and balance.

Reducing the role (and value) of the RB may have other potential benefits. The QB play may have been hampered by a lack on a single, consistent relief value receiver as the QB had to adjust for Ricky, Ronnie, Polite, and multiple TEs. With a 3 WR offense and the defense playing an extra DB, I believe Bess could line up in the backfield since the position's blitz pickup should be limited to smaller defenders. Hopefully, Bess as a safety value receiver would allow the QB look longer at his down-field receivers before checking down.

 

Getting a new runningback means not getting a new ____________.

Hillard is good enough for a 12-4 finish if Miami gets a great pass rushing outside linebacker, thumping linebacker, ball hawking free safty, speed routerunning quick receiver, seam busting tight end or good run/pass blocking inside offensive lineman.

 

I don't think it's that far-fetched of an idea. I don't know if these guys feel like using the #15 pick to reach for a RB because it's a need. Personally, I think he could be a good running back, but we need a good #2 to go along with him. That change of pace RB mentioned in the article above. One concern is that, from previous reading I believe (could be wrong), is he's struggled with blitz pickups.

 

I don't see why he can't have an increased role.

And I don't buy the argument that "If he's so good how come he didn't have more touches in 2010?". Same thing could have been said about Cameron Wake after 2009. Similar situations, actually. Lex Hilliard was stuck behind two guys that already weren't getting enough touches because our play calling was so ******ed during home games, and those two guys were probably venturing into overrated status just as Jason Taylor and Joey Porter were in 2009. But, there is a tendency with this coaching staff to not recognize when guys are getting old, overrated and ineffective, to the point where they toss in the younger and potentially more effective player. They stick with the old, overpaid, overrated guy because those older players are so "proven".

What I had heard is that Jeff Ireland thinks Lex Hilliard could be a 1000 yard back, and Tony Sparano disagrees.

Well, I trust Ireland's player evaluation more than I trust Sparano's. I don't see any real reason Hilliard shouldn't get increased touches. He had some runs in 2009 against Carolina that were pretty slick. He's been trained on as a 3rd down back to catch passes and to block. Give him a shot.

 

Knowing what we already know, I fundamentally disagree with the notion that this team could win 12 games with a combination of Henne and Hilliard in the backfield.

Outside of wishing and dreaming, I'm not sure how anyone could believe it.

 

There's no way this team gets to 12-4 with Henne at quarterback period. Hilliard could be the starting tailback on a 12-4 squad, though.

 

I think this is a case where something that actually looks like a smokescreen might be a smokescreen, but if they thought he was a good rusher, he'd have gotten rushes.

They've put him in mostly as a 3rd down back in his career, and most recently he took virtually all his snaps as a fullback this year. They don't seem to regard him as much of a rusher, and you'd think with Williams and Brown struggling, he'd get some sort of crack if they had high hopes for them.

 

Madness.

IMO If we had an elite QB that made running the ball a proverbial afterthought, then sure, we could go with Hilliard, or Green Ellis, or James Starks and still have success. But we have Chad Henne, and our chances of upgrading him this year are slim and none. We need AT LEAST one good-great back, preferably two, with Hilliard as the 3rd or 4th guy. We need guys who garner respect (Benson), if not outright fear (D Williams) from opposing defenses. In a perfect world we'd sign a vet, draft two rookies, and let the 3 of them fight it out with Hilliard and Sheets in camp. If there is a camp.

We have to address the run game decisively, or I don't see how we're going to have a consistently effective offense. Henne can't do it week in and week out, we've seen that. Defense and running game is our ticket to the playoffs, and I don't care how many 3rd and long draw plays he had vs Carolina, I don't think Hilliard can cut it a a starter on this team.

 

I think it comes from an understanding of football.

 

OUCH! I think they could if a lot of players on the defense improve and the interior line improves

 

:lol:

Your logic on this one is mind-numbingly asinine, no offense.

Or in other words, half of the AFC Pro Bowl roster. Brilliant.

 

Thank you for putting no offense. It made your insult less juvenile.

You have done an excellent job of backing up your point with an understanding of what makes a football team wins games. Your use of asinine was brilliant as now I understand how Lex Hillard and Chad Henne couldn't lead a 12-4 team.

 

Well, it would depend, Hilliard has had 83 touches in the NFL, hardly enough to say one way or another with him, but in the bigger picture our path to winning will have to be a balanced squad with the Defense being better than the offense and ST not being the liability it was in 2010.

I have the 2010 Bears in mind only with a better running game and not as effective of a passing game.

One of the keys to the Bears success was the presence of Devin Hester generating the best starting field position of any team in the NFL.

 

Do you not understand the word, "or"?

 

Forget Hilliard for a moment (as CK alluded to), your QB has to be able to defeat zone coverages on a consistent basis in order to win 12 games in today's NFL.

When has Henne ever shown that type of ability? And to further add to this point - what makes you so sure he will ever learn how to defeat zone coverages?

 

Says the man who started throwing the stones up-thread with this gem:

I'm not interested in getting into a pissing match with you. But I'd love for you to share with us all why you're so confident Henne will learn how to defeat zone coverages in 2011, while leading us to 12 victories?

Please, enlighten us.

 

Do you not understand how that is insulting?

I am not confident, I just know it is a possibility. Henne isn't that good and he cannot beat zone coverages at this moment. I think he is good enough if the rest of the team improves.

You act like Miami got 7-9 last year because that was the best they could have done. That isn't true. A few ball bounces the right way or cornerbacks that actually catch the ball, this team could have been 9-7 or 10-6 easily. A few players not get injured or sick even better.

Miami has a young defense and a mostly young offense. A few improvements they could be a good enough team with Hillard and Henne.

I would rather have better options , however I do not think either of them are THAT BAD.

 

That knife cuts both ways, you know.

They were a Santonio Holmes drop away from being swept by the Jets. They barely escaped Lambeau and the Metrodome with W's, hell even the season opener in Buffalo was decided by a few plays.

This whole idea that they 'could've been 10-6 easily' simply ignores the breaks and bounces in their favor. Its such a cop-out.

 

You must have missed the game against Buffalo a few weeks earlier.

Down 3, 41 seconds to go, 0 timeouts. 5 wide? 4 wide? Trips? No. Base personnel, I formation. Obviously the outside WRs are blanketed and Henne has to check it down to a RB who cant get out of bounds, and on 2nd down? Same personnel, same play call, same result, game over. The Bills coaches must have been laughing hysterically in their press box and wondering why we basically gave up.

 

of course it does.

That is your opinion. The idea of it being a 'cop-out' is completely silly and ignores the reality of the situation.

 

Running back is a fungible position, and hitting 1000 yards in the modern NFL is not particularly difficult or noteworthy.

Hilliard deserves and will probably receive a larger role, but I’m not sure I’d make him the featured guy.

 

I agree w/ you in general, but those are terrible examples. Jason Allen and Bennie Sapp both dropped easy Pick 6s in Buffalo. Ricky fumbled on the 1 yd line and Ronnie fumbled at the 20 in Minnesota, if not for those plays do the Vikings even score that day? Holmes dropped a sure TD in NY, so did Sean Smith. In fact, SS dropped about 5 INTs in that game, Henne fumbled a snap when we were in FG range to take a 10 pt lead. So you cant really say that we won any of those games b/c of bounces in our favor.

Lambeau is a better example, but what lucky break did we catch in that game? There was the illegal formation call on the Punt on 4th and 5 that led to our final TD. But there was also the Marshall TD that wasnt, and the bogus 4th and 1 call vs Ronnie Brown that cost us a chance at points in the 4th qtr. IMO, there was not a single game all year where we were outplayed and still won the game b/c of bounces in our favor. It was just one of those years where we couldn't "catch" a break. Pun intended.

 

I mostly agree with this. You are who your record says you are. The only real case we can make is that we could be 8-8 if not for that call at the end of the Pittsburgh game. everything else evened out pretty fairly, IMO.

IMO, good coaches, with aggressive playcalling will put you in a position where the lucky bounces are higher in number than the bad breaks. hate to say it, but Rex Ryan fits that mold, so does Belicheck. Our coaching staff did not fit that mold last year. Even with a new O-Coordinator, I'm not confident that Sparano will be better this year.

 

Nonsense, a starting running back touches the ball more often than a Wr, you need plays and production from that position.

 

You mention the Ricky and Ronnie fumbles. Didn't Minnesota turn the ball over 4 times (including the miraculous redzone interception by Vontae Davis) that day? Or 5 times if you want to include Adrian Peterson getting stuffed on the goaline by a combination of Dansby and Carpenter?

The point is they were fortunate to escape Minnesota with a victory, much like how they were unfortunate that Nolan Carroll didn't secure the game winning pick 6 in the waning moments of the Detroit/Cleveland game (I can't remember off the top of my head). If you're going to start with the revisionist history of the latter game, don't you also have to investigate the former as well?