"Making The Leap, No. 20: Miami dolphins' Lamar Miller" - NFL.com
11 replies
Bpkluxury_boxOPAlthough billed as a home-run threat, Miller also showed good balance and ran with more authority on the interior than expected. He has an impressive initial burst through the hole, excellent change-of-direction and the ability to inflict damage on the perimeter once he accelerates......
NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock cautioned that Miller "doesn't show up" on third down, in short-yardage or at the goal line on his college tape. The same held true for Miller's NFL rookie season because of pass-protection concerns, a lack of physicality and questionable hole selection.
I charted Miller with 20 of 51 attempts (nearly 40 percent) at 2 yards or less last season. Much like an early career C.J. Spiller or a late-model Chris Johnson, there's a boom-or-bust aspect to Miller's game. When he trusted his blocking and stayed inside, he enjoyed success. Too often, though, he hesitated to read the hole and broke outside in search of the big play.
What I like about Miller is that he's an inside-out runner, meaning he looks inside first. Too many guys with speed try to get outside first, and avoid getting up between the tackles. He has power, shiftiness, more solid build than people realize, decent hands and a great burst and top speed. Mayock's observations about his lack of showing up for clutch 3rd down and goalline plays concerns me a bit.
djphinfansubscriberI keep seeing a bit of a hop step before he picks his hole, maybe that's what keeps him from being a good goal line back, need to keep looking at that.
rafaelforum_veteranI liked and agree with this part:
When you keep your ear to the NFL ground long enough, you develop an instinct for unproven players on the verge of success. It starts with a quiet confidence emanating from all corners of the organization. The front office creates an opportunity by shipping out the veteran place-holder, all the while singing the upstart's praises. The coaches note an increasing mental acuity that will enable the developing player to progress once placed in a featured role. Teammates and beat writers begin ramping up expectations.
This coaching staff doesn't strike me as one prone to hyperbole. It's pretty clear they are high on him. I know the more negative types here try to paint the "fans" as having unrealistic expectations about Miller, but I don't think that's accurate at all. It seems to me that the highest expectations for Miller are coming from the team.
DisgustipatesubscriberThey're pretty good in self-scouting in these areas, and when they've shown confidence in a player stepping into a prominent role the track record has been good. The stuff surrounding Lamar Miller is pretty comparable to Cameron Wake, Reshad Jones, etc. They're not shy about suggesting they have a winner, and they let established veterans walk.
djphinfansubscriber"Disgustipate wrote:
They're pretty good in self-scouting in these areas, and when they've shown confidence in a player stepping into a prominent role the track record has been good. The stuff surrounding Lamar Miller is pretty comparable to Cameron Wake, Reshad Jones, etc. They're not shy about suggesting they have a winner, and they let established veterans walk.
Interesting..
Limboforum_veteran"Disgustipate wrote:
They're pretty good in self-scouting in these areas, and when they've shown confidence in a player stepping into a prominent role the track record has been good. The stuff surrounding Lamar Miller is pretty comparable to Cameron Wake, Reshad Jones, etc. They're not shy about suggesting they have a winner, and they let established veterans walk.
True! Good point. I still don't really understand why, last year, they didn't give more touches to this guy they have so much confidence in; that's just odd to me. If they did think he was going to be THE guy, why not give him some more in-game looks with more work against better competition (not just the raiders, jets, bills)? Not like Reggie and DT were tearing it up. I look at Bernard Pierce and Robert Turbin who both got drafted near Miller, and both had 100 touches even though they back up legit pro-bowl RBs. I mean, I do think Pierce would start on alot of NFL teams, but apparently that goes for our guy, too.
But it is what it is now, Miller's the man this year and let's hope he can carry a significant increase in workload (sounds like it's going well for him this off-season!).
PhinsRockluxury_boxIf Lamar Miller lives up to building expectations we should have another Adrian Peterson on our team! The coolest part is, he COULD, we just really don't know. I believe our running game should be improved over last year, that's as far as I'm willing to go, and THAT is really just as much a question mark about the OL as it is about L. Miller in my opinion.
2011 & 2006 World Champions, 2013 National League Champions; St. Louis Cardinals!
rafaelforum_veteran"Limbo wrote:
True! Good point. I still don't really understand why, last year, they didn't give more touches to this guy they have so much confidence in; that's just odd to me. If they did think he was going to be THE guy, why not give him some more in-game looks with more work against better competition (not just the raiders, jets, bills)? Not like Reggie and DT were tearing it up. I look at Bernard Pierce and Robert Turbin who both got drafted near Miller, and both had 100 touches even though they back up legit pro-bowl RBs. I mean, I do think Pierce would start on alot of NFL teams, but apparently that goes for our guy, too.
But it is what it is now, Miller's the man this year and let's hope he can carry a significant increase in workload (sounds like it's going well for him this off-season!).
This staff has also shown a tendency to not play players who don't have the mental side down. The reports I heard were that Miller struggled in pass pro and check downs. Those are two things that will get your QB hurt and they said it was a priority to get RT through that first year. IMO that is the primary reason for the limited touches for Miller. I also think that when they played Miller in place of Bush in week 16 they became convinced that Miller would be an upgrade. Miller looked and produced like the better back with the same OL and against the same opponent. They probably didn't reach that conclusion until they studied the game film, but I believe that was the game that convinced them.
Fin Dforum_veteran"Limbo wrote:
True! Good point. I still don't really understand why, last year, they didn't give more touches to this guy they have so much confidence in; that's just odd to me. If they did think he was going to be THE guy, why not give him some more in-game looks with more work against better competition (not just the raiders, jets, bills)? Not like Reggie and DT were tearing it up. I look at Bernard Pierce and Robert Turbin who both got drafted near Miller, and both had 100 touches even though they back up legit pro-bowl RBs. I mean, I do think Pierce would start on alot of NFL teams, but apparently that goes for our guy, too.
But it is what it is now, Miller's the man this year and let's hope he can carry a significant increase in workload (sounds like it's going well for him this off-season!).
Its been said Miller had a hard time with pass protection and that's why he didn't get more carries. Why would you put in a guy who was having a hard time keeping the star rookie QB from getting killed when you didn't have to?
djphinfansubscriberWho would take Reggie back instead of giving Miller his time??
Bpkluxury_boxIt won't be fair to compare Miller's results with Wallace stretching the defense versus Reggie's results with Naanee not stretching it.
I think Reggie would have had a better year here this season than last season. That said, I am fine with moving on to Miller. He has more physicality, IMO, and saved us enough money that we were able to upgrade other spots.
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jdang307subscriber"djphinfan wrote:
Who would take Reggie back instead of giving Miller his time??
Both.
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