Sports Buzz • Several Miami Dolphins are not playing up to expectations

• Starks' falloff has been dramatic -- from 56 tackles and seven sacks last season to 18 (a pace for 29) and two. Last year, PFF ranked him second-best among all 3-4 defensive ends. This year, he's 18th and last (45th) against the run.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/21/1935642/several-dolphins-are-not-playing.html#ixzz15vIIzcoM

I am giving Starks a pass .After he was told he was going to be a NT this year,gained weight accordingly and prepared for it.

If you remember he was very good at getting into the backfield last year.He is not that quick anymore .Added weight will do that to you.

Some around the Dolphins expect this will be the final season for offensive coordinator Dan Henning, who is respected by his players but has made some calls this season that mystified some of them. But he has never received more national criticism than after Thursday. ``I don't know what Henning was thinking,'' ESPN's Tedy Bruschi said of Miami's lack of rushing attempts. Said Mark Schlereth: ``Inexcusable. I could have put this game plan together with a box of crayons and pizza box.'' One caveat: Tyler Thigpen chose to pass on several plays he had the option to call runs.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/21/1935642_p2/several-dolphins-are-not-playing.html#ixzz15vJARnl4

I think we all agree that the game has passed by Henning.He needs to retire or be retired.:yes:

Neither of our Running Backs has been all that impressive. But i don't feel thats due to them at all. I feel it's the OC and the fact they just dont get the touches to show what they can do. We have shown when our runners get hot, we will cool them down ourselves. Teams dont have to stop our running game anymore, we do it for them.

Anyone who expected Channing Crowder to be above average hasn't watched him for the last five seasons. The season he is having is no different than usual. The guy is an average LB at best. I didn't buy it for a second that he would be better next to Dansby. I even said it here that it would further expose his weaknesses. We definitely need to upgrade the ILB position and get rid of Crowder. We have a young defense and Channing obviously isn't going to get better. Move on.

As for Ronnie I am totally speechless over the way they have used him. There is no way in hell you leave him on the sideline like that. All I heard from posters here was that they were saving him and didn't want to get him hurt early in the season. What! That was the most ludicrous idea ever but we soon found out that wasn't the case. This team just doesn't want to run the football because all of a sudden they decided to be a pass first offense. Taking the running game out, which was a major strength has absolutely tanked this offense.

I've said since watching the Steelers game that Carey is not playing well, and that he could very well be shown the door the offseason. He's expensive and frankly isn't playing as well as he should. The problem is that without that 2nd rounder we are somewhat hamstrung in terms of what we can acquire.

"Killerphins wrote:

Anyone who expected Channing Crowder to be above average haven't watched him for the last five seasons. The season he is having is no different than usual. The guy is an average LB at best. I didn't buy it for a second that he would be better next to Dansby. I even said it here that it would further expose his weaknesses. We definitely need to upgrade the ILB position and get rid of Crowder. We have a young defense and Channing obviously isn't going to get better. Move on.

As for Ronnie I am totally speechless over the way they have used him. There is no way in hell you leave him on the sideline like that. All I heard from posters here was that they were saving him and didn't want to get him hurt early in the season. What! That was the most ludicrous idea ever but we soon found out that wasn't the case. This team just doesn't want to run the football because all of a sudden they decided to be a pass first offense. Taking the running game out, which was a major strength has absolutely tanked this offense.

If Mark Herzlich tests out well, which he may as he will be even further removed from his cancer therapy would be a damn nice addition to our LB corp. Then you could truly say it might be one of the best in the game. A guy like Herzlich next to Dansby would be fun to watch to say the least.

"Conuficus wrote:

If Mark Herzlich tests out well, which he may as he will be even further removed from his cancer therapy would be a damn nice addition to our LB corp. Then you could truly say it might be one of the best in the game. A guy like Herzlich next to Dansby would be fun to watch to say the least.

Herzlich has mind blowing talent. Every time I watch the guy, he puts out a quality game.

"Conuficus wrote:

I've said since watching the Steelers game that Carey is not playing well, and that he could very well be shown the door the offseason. He's expensive and frankly isn't playing as well as he should. The problem is that without that 2nd rounder we are somewhat hamstrung in terms of what we can acquire.

Or, they could plug a healthy Nate Garner in at RT?

Carey should be moved to guard next season. Jerry or somebody else at RT. Vern just is too slow at RT.

"Jagfish wrote:

Carey should be moved to guard next season. Jerry or somebody else at RT. Vern just is too slow at RT.

Would you trust Carey to be able to actually get out in front when he's asked to pull? I certainly wouldn't considering his foot speed is an issue right now. The guy has just slowed down and frankly if someone else wants him at guard I'd gladly send him to you for a pick.

I little creativity in play design and in play calling goes a LOOOOONG way in making your would-be (or should-be) stars look better and excel the way we would all expect. Henning truly does need to go.

That's a really awful article given that the entire thing is pretty much based on Pro Football Focus rankings, yet cherry-picks them pretty shamelessly.

Channing Crowder is doing well. He's not going to have a bunch of tackles, because he's often off the field(281 of 402 defensive snaps since he returned from injury) because he's only in on a single Nickel package which they don't use all that often. His role now also includes more stuff that isn't going to reflect statistically, and his coverage hasn't been bad like last year. I don't know why they are mentioning PFF rating in the article without mentioning he's got a really good run defense score relative to his snap count.

Randy Starks I think is unfair, given the circumstances. He gained weight and practiced all off-season for Nose Tackle, comes in and gets moved to DE, and then he's playing a fair amount of 2-gap at the position which isn't doing him a load of favors in the running game. On passing situations he's fine. Once again, they are mentioning PFF stats, but they've got Starks ranked the #3 3-4 DE in terms of pass rush.

Carey is having an uneven year, but it's not in any sense bad. Once again, they are cherry picking. The article states only 9 tackles have more sacks allowed than Carey, which is untrue if you pay attention to the rankings. There are actually 12 players with more than his sacks. If you include the players with the same number or more sacks than Carey, it's 25 players. In terms of overall rank, he's #10 among offensive tackles.

"Jagfish wrote:

Carey should be moved to guard next season. Jerry or somebody else at RT. Vern just is too slow at RT.

John Jerry doesn't look like he has the pass protection skills to start at any position in the NFL at this point, much less RT.

Carey gets no love at all and it's really baffling. He's not having that bad of a season by any means. He had a bad game against Pittsburgh, but it happens. As bad as he was that game, it was nowhere even remotely close to as bad as say, what Joe Thomas did vs. Atlanta, or what Ryan Clady did against Tennessee this year. He didn't have a great game vs. the Bears, but he's playing with a knee injury and went to the sidelines at least twice during the game.

I think that Carey and Berger overall have been a little above average, and not as good as I expected. Our guard play has been horrible which does affect both. I have to give Jerry some time. Gardner coming back will help.

Crowder has been a big help vs the run, and Edds should help next year.

Polite has been disappointing, and I have no idea why.

"Conuficus wrote:

If Mark Herzlich tests out well, which he may as he will be even further removed from his cancer therapy would be a damn nice addition to our LB corp. Then you could truly say it might be one of the best in the game. A guy like Herzlich next to Dansby would be fun to watch to say the least.

The issue as I see it is where do you draft him?

Truly I hope he is cancer free , but you never know. Virtually all of us have experienced this with someone close to us. You can spend a first on him can you?

Rather it comes from being fired or retired, just cant see Henning staying after this season. Sparano isnt happy with the offense and he will do the same thing to Henning as he did to Pas if he doesnt retire first.

So I'm hoping with a new OC, better scheme that fits our strengths, that Henne will regain the starting job and take that next step. We are a passing team trying to fit the mold of being a down hill running team. The OL isnt fit for that anymore and we have weapons now on the offense that we need to start throwing. Time to take the kid gloves off of Henne and let him start slinging the ball around. And hopefully the new guy will be aware of that and adjust to what Henne is best at. Unlike Henning.

"Dude wrote:

Rather it comes from being fired or retired, just cant see Henning staying after this season. Sparano isnt happy with the offense and he will do the same thing to Henning as he did to Pas if he doesnt retire first.

So I'm hoping with a new OC, better scheme that fits our strengths, that Henne will regain the starting job and take that next step. We are a passing team trying to fit the mold of being a down hill running team. The OL isnt fit for that anymore and we have weapons now on the offense that we need to start throwing. Time to take the kid gloves off of Henne and let him start slinging the ball around. And hopefully the new guy will be aware of that and adjust to what Henne is best at. Unlike Henning.

I would go with David Lee, and hire Penny as QB coach. Who knows Henne better?

"Southbeach wrote:

I would go with David Lee, and hire Penny as QB coach. Who knows Henne better?

I dunno about promoting Lee but Penny would be a great hire as a QB coach. Hope to see that next year if he does decide to retire which I think he will after suffering yet another shoulder injury.

OL depends on the scheme they're going to run. If they want the running game they had in 2009 they need to switch up the interior OL. I think Jerry is fine at RG. Carey healthy is fine at RT. For 5m per year it's difficult to get another good RT and spending a first on one might not be the best idea right now. Light a fire under his ass, get him healthy. A Logan Mankins would really help.

LT- Long, LG- Mankings, C- Berger, RG- Jerry, RT- Carey

Could get the job done finally.

Cutting Carey though because of one subpar year is ludicrous. What are we going to do use a third round pick to replace him? Are you serious? Jerry was a highly rated guard and they still haven't gotten him up to speed.

"Conuficus wrote:

If Mark Herzlich tests out well, which he may as he will be even further removed from his cancer therapy would be a damn nice addition to our LB corp. Then you could truly say it might be one of the best in the game. A guy like Herzlich next to Dansby would be fun to watch to say the least.

dammit, I cant figure out the way to thank your post

It's nice of Sparano and company to limit Ronnie Brown's touches so that he can be fresh for whichever rival offers him the best contract next season.

"muscle979 wrote:

It's nice of Sparano and company to limit Ronnie Brown's touches so that he can be fresh for whichever rival offers him the best contract next season.

agreed, wtf....I cant believe that idiot {henning} took his skillset from him...taking away the wildcat from ronnie brown is so the nail in his coffin...moron.

"djphinfan wrote:

dammit, I cant figure out the way to thank your post

It looks like the thanks feature is gone for good. People were talking about it's disappearance last night and I'm yet to see the staff address it.
Sad to see it go.

"Gitrdone wrote:

Neither of our Running Backs has been all that impressive. But i don't feel thats due to them at all. I feel it's the OC and the fact they just dont get the touches to show what they can do. We have shown when our runners get hot, we will cool them down ourselves. Teams dont have to stop our running game anymore, we do it for them.

I agree, in part. The reason they don't get the touches is that the offensive line, for whatever reason, is not doing its job. No push and the blocking schemes are Kindergarten.