I know its preseason and its all about tryibg things but i better not see dumbass playcalling like the one we had 2 yards away from the goal line during the regular season

 

Where is everyone on this site? Why is it so dead

 

Well, if Tua goes down this team isn't winning a game lol

 

Backup QBs look terrible as usual

Ollie Gordon looked really good

 

Huh. We actually have a decent O-line?

 

Thought the o-line coped well with the Bears 2nd string defense pretty well.

Gordon looks useful. McLendon flashed too.

The QB play outside of Tua looked like a giant red flag. Channing Tindall continues to not flash anything of note which is a shame because I wanted that to work when we got him.

 

It's hard to gauge anything from the first preseason game. Even with Wilson and Ewers because it's their first application of what they've been taught. IMO, today was a chance to establish baselines and anybody who performs at today's level in the next game is problematic. There's tape and a ton of teaching to be done. I'm neither encouraged nor concerned by anything after this game.

 

Two things,
Tua is better than people give him credit for
And neither Zach Wilson or Quinn Ewers are winning a game for us in the regular season.

 

Cant speak for anybody else but I have finally gotten tired of the decades of failure by this franchise. I've decided to watch the games and not really care about the whys of why this team sucks because nothing will change. Maybe things will change if they ever get ownership and management that has a ****ing clue. The current regime has sucked the joy out of it and all we ever get is lip service with no results. Every year, same ****. Wash, rinse, repeat, ad nauseum.

 

It's only preseason game one, It's too early to make that call but based on the performance by both things don't look promising.
I couldn't figure out why Zach Wilson looked like a deer caught in headlights in the pocket, how many years has been in the league he doesn't know how to step up in the pocket or just throw the boy away?

 

Atrocious footwork. Everything off the back foot.

 

Definitely know that feeling, it’s been a long time since we’ve been relevant…

 

Wilson is done as an NFL QB, dude needs to head to Canada. If we have to rely on Ewers to lead us anywhere, I am not that enthused.

 

Ewers is a rookie and that was his first preseason game. Meh. Silly to judge at this point.

Wilson... Not a rookie, not his first preseason game, much less NFL action. He looks like he always has. Better than what we had last year, maybe, but... Tua needs to stay healthy.

 

Not to mention Ewers was playing with 4 undrafted receivers and a bunch of players who are fighting for a job

I mean there is so much you can evaluate from a preseason game, he is not setup to succeed thats for sure

i didnt think wilson did that bad.. some coverage sacks but he had a nice deep throw on third down..

I still feel better about this group than last.. huntley couldnt complete a pass to waddle or hill.

 

I think people are seriously going to underrate the Dolphins defense this year. All the talk is offense, offense, offense. The defense is flying under the radar especially the front seven. If they can add a veteran cornerback before the season I think they can be a top defense in the league.

 

To some degree sure. But we comfortably have the worst CB room in the league and that just has to limit things. Pressure and a stout run defense will help the coverage, but the absolute lack of talent will bite us.

 

This has been the narrative for like 20 years. "It's just preseason."

 

I think what gets the most confusing is what we read prior to preseason verses what we eventually see in preseason and then of course into the regular season. When I read things like "Zach Wilson looks razor sharp in Dolphins practices" and then we see him look completely lost in preseason it's a bit concerning. People then say "well it's just preseason, what a silly thing to be concerned about." Then you eventually see him in a real game because Tua is hurt again and people say "he's just a backup, what do you expect?" We hear these things every year. "Well it always take an offense four weeks of play in order to catch up with the defense." No...Come regular season We're either going to have it right out the gate or it's going to be yet another season like the ones we've been having. Highs, lows, hope, doubt, and tons of bickering on this forum. So yes...It is just one preseason game, and I personally don't put much stock into those games. But after that, the excuses will shift elsewhere until they reach McDaniel, on to Grier, and then to Ross. The only cure for that is winning.

 

From what I hear about the CBs, we’re going to be okay with this group, thx to the front 7 and the scheme from Weaver. I think as well that the D will be legit especially if Grant develops (as it seems he’s not having a „great“ camp), it will all come down to Tuas health and the performance of the O next season.

 

Agree completely

 

See, I remember Skylar Thompson looking like Joe Montana in preseason and everyone losing their **** over it like he was going to take Tuas job. Completely opposite of what Ewers showed us.
Zach Wilson has been getting nonstop praise for his laser focus and rejuvenated attitude and then he turns in a bad performance against a third string unit of future gym teachers and plumbers.

You end the paragraph saying maybe these backups are better than last years. I don't think that they are. I think Zach Wilson was a horrible signing. There were much better options available. Jameis Winston for one. I can't hate the Ewers pickup because it's worth a gamble. I like the kid, but he's not ready. Zach Wilson will never be ready. This is going to sink us again once Tua goes down. Maybe a competent veteran will shake loose once the roster cuts go down and we can grab them.

 

I would also rather have Winston because at least it would be fun to watch him sling it but people do need to get over who the backup is because it won't matter. They will look like complete *** no matter who the backup is.

 

Zach Wilsons regular season passer rating is 73, Thompsons is 66, we know who played with better receivers. Thompson had one good preseason and the usual Tua haters decided he was going to take his job, it was absurd. Ewers and Thompson were both 7th round picks and that should set expectations. Ewers has the higher ceiling but needs work. Thompson is also 28 years old vs Ewers 22 (Tua is 27, and Wilson 26 for reference). Thompson redshirted and stayed for all 4 years. I am more interested to see how next years preseason games go for Ewers, he needs a full off season in a NFL program. I am also more comfortable saying that Thompson doesn't have a lot of developing left and is what he is.

 

Had to take a break from the boards for a while, as it looks like many did. The season ended with way too much rancor. Hopefully this season won’t be a repeat of last season’s bitterness.

Training camp is just that…training. Teaching new players the schemes and letting them practice what’s being taught. Some will grasp it, others will not. That’s what preseason is for. Who has a handle on the offensive and defensive schemes and who doesn’t. Keep in mind, nearly half of the players NFL teams have on their current rosters won’t be on their respective teams come opening day, including the Dolphins. So what am I looking for in the preseason?

While there is so much chatter about this skill position and that skill position, I’m most interested in the trenches. After only one preseason game against the Bears, I feel pretty good about the defensive line and in general, the front 7. They were able to close gaps, stop runs and get decent pressure on the quarterback. And that was with the backups and those who won’t even make the team. That will definitely help out the secondary and not put all of the pressure on them.

On the offensive side of the ball, I need to see hard nosed, smash mouth blocking, more so in the running game than the passing game. Tua’s quick decision making and release can mask weak pass blocking but the line needs to be able to open up holes and let Achane, Wright and (hopefully) Gordon wreak havoc on the ground. If the Dolphins can commit to and have success on the ground, that’s going to take a metric sh!t of pressure off Tua and the receivers. Whoever is under center, be it Tua, Wilson or Ewers is going to be irrelevant if the line can’t win in the trenches.

This is what I’ll be looking for in the two remaining preseason games before I make any judgments on this season.

 

The main reason for the bitterness is the Dolphins ineptitude. Winning cures all, and it's not looking good right now.

Other than Tua's health, my main concern personnel-wise is at CB. It's a passing league and rarely do you see defenses succeed without good CBs. On the offensive side of the ball my main concern is McDaniel. He doesn't seem to be able to adapt, while defenses have adapted.