By Staff Writer August 16, 2011 06:31 AM 1. Will Jake Long be ready for Game 1 - and what does it mean for Lydon Murtha? Everything is going according to plan for the Dolphins to have Long healthy for the New England opener. That's the word that keeps coming out. And there's no reason to doubt it as Long stays out of another week's practice to rehab his knee. But Long's status has ramifications across the line. If what's observed in practice and the first preseason game continue through Friday's second preseason game, you have to wonder this: Would Lydon Murtha be the best option at right tackle? Murtha currently is playing left tackle in place of Long. Marc Colombo, the right tackle, struggled last year in Dallas and hasn't been a picture of consistency in his first days with the Dolphins. It's early for Colombo still. And the Dolphins need a competent left tackle to get them through preseason. Murtha has been that. The question moving forward for the coaching staff is whether Murtha can help this line more at right tackle than Colombo. That answer has to wait for Long to return, though. 2. It's August and not December. But Jason Taylor looks like he has plenty left in the tank if used properly. http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/spo...og/2011/08/hyde5_will_jake_long_be_ready.html
Lydon Murtha has been much better than expected. It wouldn't surprise me to see him move into that starting RT spot. We're going to get a lot more information on the two of them these next two upcoming preseason games.
I think its probably your best option. People have gone way overboard on Colombo, but Murtha is probably your better option.
Murtha definitely has the athletic ability. If he can get some consistent push in the running game he could be our best option at RT. Long and Murtha at the bookends sounds pretty good to me.
Remember that interview a few months ago with Murtha and he was saying how he was going to be basically in an open competition for a starting tackle job with Carey? Most everyone here who posted about it expressed skepticism about whether Murtha could possibly even be serious. Now here we are a few months later and he appears our best hope for one starting tackle spot.
1. Will Jake Long be ready for Game 1 - and what does it mean for Lydon Murtha? Everything is going according to plan for the Dolphins to have Long healthy for the New England opener. That's the word that keeps coming out. And there's no reason to doubt it as Long stays out of another week's practice to rehab his knee. Not sure the word of Long is anywhere near that to be honest , let's hope so.
Not me I'm sure Mr C, I've liked Murtha's game, his problem is staying healthy, otherwise good athlete.
how is that transition Dpate under these circumstances, can a player because he's played left tackle for a month, all of a sudden switch to the right and expect a smooth transition?, is there anything but assignments, that stands out to you that could impede a smooth transition from a physical standpoint by switching from left to right last second?
I agree that he has the athleticism to pass block, but does he have the power and attitude to run block?
Well, recall that Daboll uses some Zone Blocking Concepts so he could be an asset with the athleticism
if Carey isn't returned to RT, its Murtha's start no surprise here had my eye on him since he was drafted by the lions at best: Right Tackle at worse: first back-up
I think it's almost all technique. You're switching sides of your body you do stuff with. Murtha has been a Right Tackle, so theoretically there is muscle memory there. You're still operating under the same blocking scheme, with the same rules of who the block and why. Functionally he might end up applying the rules a little bit differently because defenders might line up different on a LT than a RT in common formations, but it's not as if he is going to spend all day blocking a completely different defensive line technique that he wouldn't typically be exposed to as a LT. I certainly don't think they should do it at the last second, but I don't think it's unreasonable or strange that Murtha play LT if the ultimate plan is to shift him to RT. It might not be the most beneficial to Murtha, but I think if he's that much better than Allan Barbre or whomever it's beneficial enough to the team to have a decent LT in practice than Murtha get maximum snaps at his ultimate position.
Well, he's certainly getting a solid education going up against JT and Wake. Hope he retains some of it...
Having Long out presents a good opportunity to develop a competent reserve for the LT position. Everyone looks and hopes Long is back soon but if he isn't it could be a long (no pun intended) season. We all thought we were set at the tackle spots with Long and Carey now it seems less certain and now a question mark in a long era of question marks.
