marino2duper73
Active Roster
My first Dolphins game. The intimate atmosphere of a 29,000 seat soccer stadium, multiplied times a hundred with the incredible Dolphins fanbase that showed up. Watching the players in warmups, getting a thumbs up or a verbal "fins up" from several players, and even the unequivocal "let's go!" from Jay Ajayi as he ran a lap near our seats at the end zone.
I can't say enough how much fun it was to watch my team in person for the first time. My unbiased observations:
OL: Opened some good lanes for Ajayi on the perimeter. Seemed the interior runs were more of a challenge. Pass protection better than expected with Bosa and Ingram coming at us. James did better in the first half. Tunsil held his own. Guard play needs improvement. Up the gut running was a challenge. Pouncey looked good. Very aggressive.
WR Group: The WR screen/bubble screen plays were ineffective, most to Landry, as you can see by his 13 catches for under 80 yards. However, Juice was his usual self, catching crucial "move the chains" passes on a few third downs. Stills seemed to have issues getting open, besides the TD catch matched up on a LB. Parker is relentless on his ball skills. He deserved the attention he got from the secondary, and still made plays. Grant didn't line up once outside. This group will get better, but in my opinion, they will only get better if they spread the field. Trips tight seemed to be Gase's favorite formation.
TE: Thomas looks like he is unmotivated. No separation up the middle with a LB not named Ingram on him. Looks like another iffy FA reach, though I know it's week 1(2). Fasano looked very disciplined in run blocking. He had several nice blocks to get Ajayi to the outside. Gray no impact.
RB: Ajayi ran with his pads down. Very smooth. If he gets that first block, he is so good at getting to the second level. Seemed his YAC wasn't as prominent, but he did break several tackles when outside, compared to his up the gut success like last year. Need more screen passes to him imo. Drake and Williams no impact. They'll need to step up if J Train is going to last 16 games.
QB: Cutler impressed me. His decision making is underrated. His evasion of the pass rush on several plays was more than human considering what's expected. He looked poised and in control of the offense. No huddle suits him well. He didn't turn the ball over, and he sure has a gun. The Hail Mary before halftime was the funniest thing I've seen in person at a game.
DL: On the surface, you would see the stats and say we didn't pressure Rivers. The quick passing of the Chargers over the middle was most of this. They took away the rush of Wake, Suh, and the others by getting the ball out quick. Run D was exceptional. Stats don't lie on that one. Overall, the D Line did ok. Great against the run, below average at pursuit on the screen passes. It'll get better.
LB: No surprise here that the LB play was horrendous. I know Hull had 13 tackles, but vs the TE/WR routes over the middle, Hull was lost. Kiko made a few nice plays, but this group will be exposed week in and week out, if it does not have Timmons and/or another LB FA that can blast the middle pass routes. Rivers killed us all day over the middle. Imagine what Brady/Carr/Ryan will do with their offenses. Scary.
Secondary: The deep ball was covered well. Maxwell and Howard were all over the place, however they struggled to come up on the screens and crossing routes. Jones was up in the box a lot, looking to cover up the LB weakness, with Allen deep most of the game. Jones PI call in the end zone was garbage. Ball was five yards out of bounds and uncatchable. The tackling from the corners was solid vs WRs. Need to improve the red zone coverage, as two corners on Gates and still allowing that catch for the TD is inexcusable.
SP Teams: Parkey was money. No need to explain. Just solid. Haack shanked his first punt for 18 yards, and it was awful to watch. He recovered and kicked the ball well after that. It was obvious that left-footed punts are more difficult to field. Jakeem Grant has wheels that you can't translate on tv. That dude is the fastest player on the field. The last punt return that gave Miami great field position for the go-ahead FG was all speed. He is more sure-handed on PR. Kenyan Drake got most of the kickoff duties, as the Chargers kicked away from Grant all day. The partial punt block was crucial. Instead of having the ball inside our five, starting at the 19 Kelly the field position battle reasonable.
Coaching: Gase's play calling seemed very scripted in the first half. Once the WR screens were obviously deemed ineffective, he still called on those plays, hoping for a breakdown on the Chargers D. It seemed that when MIA went no huddle, the offense had more success throwing. Cutler in shotgun always meant quick throws, and Gase adjusted well after the Chargers picked up on that trend in the third quarter. Cutler is best under center imo. Overall, the second half was more defensive on both sides. Burke called some weird blitzes on 1st and 2nd downs, which Rivers audible readily and easily to those middle of the field crossing/slant passes. I was puzzled at the red zone defensive calls. Several zone blitzes when the Chargers had two TE sets with Gordon in the backfield. It was obvious he was trying to hide the lack of LB coverage skills. It showed that NFL QBs can see that a mile away.
I'm not very good at these analytical posts, but I figured I'd attempt it once considering my perspective of being addy the game and seeing so much of the things you DON'T see on tv.
Sorry for the lengthy post. It was an experience of a lifetime, although I know when I go to my first HOME game in Miami, THAT will top this one. :)
I can't say enough how much fun it was to watch my team in person for the first time. My unbiased observations:
OL: Opened some good lanes for Ajayi on the perimeter. Seemed the interior runs were more of a challenge. Pass protection better than expected with Bosa and Ingram coming at us. James did better in the first half. Tunsil held his own. Guard play needs improvement. Up the gut running was a challenge. Pouncey looked good. Very aggressive.
WR Group: The WR screen/bubble screen plays were ineffective, most to Landry, as you can see by his 13 catches for under 80 yards. However, Juice was his usual self, catching crucial "move the chains" passes on a few third downs. Stills seemed to have issues getting open, besides the TD catch matched up on a LB. Parker is relentless on his ball skills. He deserved the attention he got from the secondary, and still made plays. Grant didn't line up once outside. This group will get better, but in my opinion, they will only get better if they spread the field. Trips tight seemed to be Gase's favorite formation.
TE: Thomas looks like he is unmotivated. No separation up the middle with a LB not named Ingram on him. Looks like another iffy FA reach, though I know it's week 1(2). Fasano looked very disciplined in run blocking. He had several nice blocks to get Ajayi to the outside. Gray no impact.
RB: Ajayi ran with his pads down. Very smooth. If he gets that first block, he is so good at getting to the second level. Seemed his YAC wasn't as prominent, but he did break several tackles when outside, compared to his up the gut success like last year. Need more screen passes to him imo. Drake and Williams no impact. They'll need to step up if J Train is going to last 16 games.
QB: Cutler impressed me. His decision making is underrated. His evasion of the pass rush on several plays was more than human considering what's expected. He looked poised and in control of the offense. No huddle suits him well. He didn't turn the ball over, and he sure has a gun. The Hail Mary before halftime was the funniest thing I've seen in person at a game.
DL: On the surface, you would see the stats and say we didn't pressure Rivers. The quick passing of the Chargers over the middle was most of this. They took away the rush of Wake, Suh, and the others by getting the ball out quick. Run D was exceptional. Stats don't lie on that one. Overall, the D Line did ok. Great against the run, below average at pursuit on the screen passes. It'll get better.
LB: No surprise here that the LB play was horrendous. I know Hull had 13 tackles, but vs the TE/WR routes over the middle, Hull was lost. Kiko made a few nice plays, but this group will be exposed week in and week out, if it does not have Timmons and/or another LB FA that can blast the middle pass routes. Rivers killed us all day over the middle. Imagine what Brady/Carr/Ryan will do with their offenses. Scary.
Secondary: The deep ball was covered well. Maxwell and Howard were all over the place, however they struggled to come up on the screens and crossing routes. Jones was up in the box a lot, looking to cover up the LB weakness, with Allen deep most of the game. Jones PI call in the end zone was garbage. Ball was five yards out of bounds and uncatchable. The tackling from the corners was solid vs WRs. Need to improve the red zone coverage, as two corners on Gates and still allowing that catch for the TD is inexcusable.
SP Teams: Parkey was money. No need to explain. Just solid. Haack shanked his first punt for 18 yards, and it was awful to watch. He recovered and kicked the ball well after that. It was obvious that left-footed punts are more difficult to field. Jakeem Grant has wheels that you can't translate on tv. That dude is the fastest player on the field. The last punt return that gave Miami great field position for the go-ahead FG was all speed. He is more sure-handed on PR. Kenyan Drake got most of the kickoff duties, as the Chargers kicked away from Grant all day. The partial punt block was crucial. Instead of having the ball inside our five, starting at the 19 Kelly the field position battle reasonable.
Coaching: Gase's play calling seemed very scripted in the first half. Once the WR screens were obviously deemed ineffective, he still called on those plays, hoping for a breakdown on the Chargers D. It seemed that when MIA went no huddle, the offense had more success throwing. Cutler in shotgun always meant quick throws, and Gase adjusted well after the Chargers picked up on that trend in the third quarter. Cutler is best under center imo. Overall, the second half was more defensive on both sides. Burke called some weird blitzes on 1st and 2nd downs, which Rivers audible readily and easily to those middle of the field crossing/slant passes. I was puzzled at the red zone defensive calls. Several zone blitzes when the Chargers had two TE sets with Gordon in the backfield. It was obvious he was trying to hide the lack of LB coverage skills. It showed that NFL QBs can see that a mile away.
I'm not very good at these analytical posts, but I figured I'd attempt it once considering my perspective of being addy the game and seeing so much of the things you DON'T see on tv.
Sorry for the lengthy post. It was an experience of a lifetime, although I know when I go to my first HOME game in Miami, THAT will top this one. :)
