I must say I pretty happy with the offense and very happy with the way the defense looks. Yes we have some concerns at WR, but that does not scare me as much as the special teams. Our special teams has not been very good for a few years now, I really believe Ireland will be looking at the cuts and going for good special teams players. What worries you going into the season?
Nailed it - special teams. Last year, after about midway through the season, they improved to "competent". I guess this coach is a pal of Tony's, but I'm unimpressed.
I am scared that we will be too conservative on offense and will not make enough plays down the field to open up the running games. Of course this was my concern last year and everything turned out ok.
1) Lack of power run game, particularly thru the middle of the OL. 2) Propensity to not be able to get off the field on 3rd downs (defensively). 3) Big plays given up by STs. 4) Inability to get the ball to the WRs consistently.
The #1 worry has to be our STs coverage. I think we're okay on returns although it's nothing exciting. I would add a punt returner if a good one became available. After that there is a lesser concern about our S coverage. I'm hoping that our front 7 will provide enough pressure to mask that potential deficiency. The next two worries are OL, but I believe we have the talent and they just need time together. And whether the WRs can make enough plays. I think they are "good enough" but if given the opportunity I would like to upgrade the talent there.
The only thing that really concerns me about this team is that it seems to not have progressed in run-blocking one bit over last year. That's the one concern I have.
special teams are the worst unit but my biggest concern is the oline. They have had 4 games and still look flat. They have to improve for us to have a chance at the division. if not we'll be lucky to get to.500
hard to argue with those four... ranked in importance: 1. ST's 2. 3rd downs 3. WR's 4. inside runnnig I wouldn't be surprised, with the OC's getting fired lately, that our ST's coach gets the axe shortly.
I believe it has to be the coverage on special teams. After last night's punt return for a touchdown, this will probably be a popular choice. However, this was, in my opinion, the biggest problem going into the game. The return didn't make it the biggest problem, it just revealed it as such.
1. As many have already mentioned; our interior OL. While I like what Smiley does when he pulls, I've been disappointed so far with all 3 guys play inside. We seem to be fine with runs off tackle and with pass protection. But if we are going to be that run first, ball possession team that we're supposed to be we need to be able to succeed between the tackles. 2. Our screens suck 3. Our defense against the screen also leaves a lot to be desired. 4. ST coverage needs LOTS of work.
Sparano, buck naked, with a martini by a fire, waiting for me in my living room, when he says, "Hello Sexy Beast, I've been waiting for you to come home." And the under utilization of Ronnie Brown. What? Why are you all looking at me like that? Do you think Ronnie is over rated or something?
The running game looks like it could be a problem early in the season. This O-Line needs to gel more and Ronnie needs to get more consistent. He really needs to hit the holes while they're still open, to me it always seems like he looks to get 15 yards every play. Get me 4 or 5 yards and put this team in 2nd and short situations. Last year we had a lot of 3rd and 10 and 3rd and long situations and that was a big problem.
What scares me, is oversleeping, waking up in a cold sweat, and running down the street on a random Sunday afternoon to the local sports pub, getting to my seat, only to realize that I was naked, and they were out of beer! Does that scare anyone else??? Other than that, I am cool with this squad for where we are one full season removed from our worst ever!
Special teams(not so much the kicking and punting aspects) and 3rd and long defensively. We just tend to struggle there.
sparano naked definitely scares me. BigDog would also scare me. I was saying me walking into a bar naked wouldnt scare me so much as them not having any beer. It might scare the customers but as long as they had beer and the Dolphins game on I would be fine.
Just wanted to make friends, that's all. You got to understand the only thing that scares me more than armed conservatives is armed conservatives with a secret!!! I keed, I keed.
What scares me? ST's scare the hell oughta me. Teams should not be starting so close to the 40-50 yrd line. Thats putting WAY to much pressure on the defense. If our ST's is gonna continue to suck so bad...we might look at getting a kicker who can kick it out of the endzone all the time....
Actually, I thought inside running was #1. The thought on that is that if the power run game is working, particularly in the middle, it'll open up the play-action passing game and perhaps cure the WR issues... I don't see STs as the major issue only because once the season begins, they'll settle down with a regular set of players and become better from there, much like we did last year. It's just disappointing that they seem to have the same issues in TC so far as they did during the season last year... Getting off the field, we see the same...have to have better support from the Ss in that respect...
Offensive line-(NOT BEING ABLE TO RUN BETWEEN THE TACKLES) Defensive line-(HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME STOPPING THE RUN) safeties-(not being able to excel in pass coverage offense-(becoming very predictable with playing dink and dunk, small football) Jt and Joey-(not the best against the run plus will either one poop out like Porter did the last part of the season) special teams-(not so special-tell Anderson he doesn't have to have a penalty every game) Ted Ginn -(will the team allow Ted to get more involved... he needs the ball in his hands tight ends-(will the perform like last season which was fantastic or will they regress...didn't see to much in the pre-season Linebackers-(will Joey and Jason age before our eyes? Will they be able to stop the run?Will the other LBs step up?Will wake emerge as anything? QBs-(please-please throw down the field more than once a game.)Remember Ted Ginn is on the roster! It is possible to throw on first down...yes it is 3RD downs(please-please-please-please-please-please-please-please-please-please) total defense...(WORK ON LEARNING TO TACKLE)
two things: 1) Offensive Line needs to get stronger @ the point of attack, get the push that opens the running game consistently. they need to find rhythm & coordinate their strike against the defense with better precision. by game four they should be in stride & we should be off to the races. 2) Special Teams is a very, very big problem. I'd do two things immediately: (a) use the best players we have on Offense & Defense on Special Teams if they are the right fit, for example GinnJr @ KR's, Bess/Cobbs @ PR's. Wake, Davis, Hartline, Polite, Hilliard, Gibril Wilson & Bell would find their-self somewhere in the mix too. (b) I'd be looking for a replacement for John Bonemego as STC. I'm sure the Trifecta could call on one of their associates from the past to step up & lend a hand. this is an emergency that will not just go away or correct itself.
I have one that I didn't see mentioned and that is the ability to stuff the run and consistent play at DT. The special teams will need to improve, but is not going to be a glaring weakness with a few games under their belt. The offense will not be big play orientated, so get used to that. The question is, can the offense score enough points to keep the defense on the sideline. That is the biggest "scare" for me...........shhhhhhhhh.......don't tell anyone!
Offensive line. They brought up a stat where our Oline is the most expensive in the league? They certainly don't live up to bill.
Special Teams is also my biggest concern....if Sparano doesn't get this area fixed soon we are going to give up some big punt/kickoff returns. We also don't seem to have anyone who is good at running back kicks. Maybe we can find someone after teams cut down to 53???
1. Special Teams- everyone has said it and I agree. No need to elaborate further. 2. That last year was a "fluke". That we really aren't a play off team. I said during the 1-15 season that loosing 6 games by 3 points or less has a lot to do with bad luck, coin toss, 1 bad play, etc. How much of last season was good luck? Brady going down week 1. The success of the Wild Cat. The realtively few ammount of injuries. What scares me are some of those "intangibles" that we and the team have little to no control of.
This is exactly what the Dallas Cowboys did.....as the Cowboys had 75 kickoffs last year and not a single one was a touchback. They drafted a guy from USC in the 5th round named David Buehler to boom kicks deep into the end zone....and it looks like he will make the team. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/01/sports/s153103D11.DTL We need somone who can regularly kick it through the end zone.