Sports Buzz...Jake Long tries to rebound; Dansby changes positions;

Does anyone else get irritated when Sean Smith talks?

 

Yeah, Smith and Dansby have replaced Crowder and Marshall on my please just shut up list.

 

Hard to tell what the context of that quote, but I think a LOT of people will take that the wrong way.

 

Because he hates Sean Smith and has made it known plenty of times. It doesn't matter what Smith says, he'll find a way to complain about it. Smith could say he just saved a school full of children from a burning building and DJ would probably complain that he's not focusing on football enough.

 

I've seen no reason at all to like Sean Smith. I guess if you like dropped int's he's your guy.

 

A lot of what you hear is so typical.

The defense will be 'simpler' so that everyone can play 'faster'. Yet it will also be more 'unpredictable' and the coach is more 'detail oriented'. Oh and don't forget 'more aggressive'. No defensive coaching change in the history of the league has resulted in the installation of a scheme that is less aggressive.

Riiiiiiight.

To borrow a line from the popular Game of Thrones show, "words are wind".

 

And look at last year or tw with all the "we are going to be an attacking defense", "players are being put into position to make plays", "we will create more turnovers", yadda yadda yadda with the Nolan defense.

 

should not even be a question

 

Exactly. I keep imagining that the only people that are impressed by those quotes haven't been following football closely for very long.

 

I personally could care less either way. I don't get hell bent on hating one player or favoring another. They're the Miami Dolphins, I root for all of them.

 

Smith and Dansby both get on my nerves when they talk. Why Smith needs the coaches to stay on him is beyond me? Perhaps if he would just grow up and take responsibility for the fact he has been a very mediocre player in the NFL since he was drafted, he wouldn't need the coaches to constantly correct him. The better players in the NFL are self motivated and they know how to play up to their abilities without having to rely on the coaching staff to constantly motivate them.

Dansby was the highest paid LB in the NFL when the Dolphins signed him in free agency a few years ago. He certainly has not played up to his contract and while he was decent in the latter part of 2011, he played terrible and was in lousy shape during the early part of the 2011 season. He is no where near the LB Zack Thomas was during Zack's years with the Dolphins and it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't start playing better, the Dolphins cut him after the 2012 season.

 

Talk about making mountains of mole hills with the Sean Smith quotes. I have seen GREAT players say that they respond better to hard coaching. How in tarnation Sean Smith became the whipping boy for attitude/character instead of Vontae Davis is beyond me.

 

Lol..I'll try to explain my position..first off, I want him to be successful, but when a player from the get, starts talking, and doesn't back it up, but act like he does, that bothers me, so I'm gonna ride his *** til he at least backs up his mouth, really, if the guy showed me something to be positive about, I would..The comment about coaches staying on him, I don't know, maybe I'm taking that out of context and how he really said it, but your essentially a very young player, hopefully you can self motivate yourself, and zero in on your craft.

 

He's been more consistent than Vontae, in my opinion.

 

It's my own personal way of riding one of our players, I know it means nothing, just thinking out loud with my friends here, as for your 2nd point about him responding to hard coaching..Ok, that's a good point, and maybe an indictment on the previous coaching staff..

For me in general, his game is lacking overall, but you wouldnt be able to tell that with the swagger he plays with, I'm hopeful and encouraged that he can elevate his game, especially considering what Dansby said about him, but where I get a little confused is, I'm not sure he thinks he needs to elevate his game.

 

in what way?

 

Smith's performance from week to week is more steady than Vontae's has been, especially last season. Sometimes Vontae Davis looks like Darrelle Revis 2.0; sometimes Vontae Davis looks lost.

 

Covering receivers. Showing up to practice sober. Not missing games with rinky dink injuries.

 

I don't think Vontae Davis has either hit the highs or lows of Smith. He looked ascendant in mid-late 2010, but like a raging dumpster fire in 2011.

There's good reason why Richard Marshall is considered an insurance policy in part for Smith and not Davis. Smith's play last season is untenable from a starting cornerback.

 

In 2010, Vontae played nearly every defensive snap while Smith played only 661, though in his time on the field, Smith was more effective in both comp pct allowed and passer rating allowed.
Then in 2011, it was as if they reversed roles. Smith played nearly every snap on defense while Vontae played only 699. But, Vontae had the lower com pct allowed and a much lower passer rating allowed.

 

I think it's simple. 2010 was the year of Sean Smith. 2011 was the year of Vontae Davis.

Difference is in 2010 Vontae Davis was still OK while Smith was horrible last season.

 

dinky dink injuries and sobriety I'll give you, but not being a better, more explosive,more consistent, overall better corner on the field, and I don't think it's close, Vds last 8 games last year, is something that Sean Smith hasn't sniffed yet imo.

 

One thing people consider is tackling abilty. Not generally looked at for corners, however Vontae is almost at linebacker level when it comes to tackling and Smith is close to wide receiver/quarterback level.

Another thing people consider is big plays. Neither makes a lot, however Vontae is very much ahead of Smith when it comes to big plays.

 

Better overall corner on the field? That goes to Vontae. More consistent on the field? That goes to Sean Smith.

 

Still not sure what you mean but imo He's not consistent at tackling, not at intercepting, not making plays, and not earning my trust out there at the position.

 

If we were to assume both will remain healthy and start 15-16 games apiece and both play at the level of their two previous seasons combined, then I'd put Vontae ahead of Smith going forward. Vontae was solid both seasons when he was healthy and able to play. Smith was very good in '10 and even though he played the 2nd highest number of defensive snaps in '11, he did not perform well. I think though, that both have shown the ability to be good corners, if we can have both be consistently durable.

 

And Smith doesnt look lost on the field since his arrival ?, VD has flashed big time ability, will come up and play the run as good as anybody, and hit you harder than any corner in the league, makes ints, and has played more consistent ball than Sean smith has..I'd like to know what you think Sean does well thus far?

 

It's as if you're ignoring the fact that he was tremendous in 2010. He played at a really high level that year. Better than any season Davis has had thus far.

 

I would not use the word "tremendous in any fashion as it pertains to Sean Smiths game thus far,and I'm not ignoring anything, he's never been better than Vontae from what I've seen, at anything on the field.

 

Then you're ignoring his 2010, the season in which he was very good. Most certainly better than any season Davis has had so far.

 

I wished I felt like we were fortunate nasty, unfortunately up until this point, I only feel that way about 21, and it's all because of what I see in their games, in terms of coverage ability, Vontae plays the #1 receiver, Smith has issues with changing direction horizontally, Vontae last year, 2nd half, a case could be made that he played as well as anyone in the league..Smith was rated # 105 by PFF, I'm not a stat guy or even care, but it seems pretty accurate..I can only hope that he plays as good as Vontae has since their arrival Nasty.

 

Crazy talk man with no name.