Buckley over Fletcher

[Dolfan0025]

signing T-buck i think was a great move.
I know he can beat Fletcher for a #3 cornerback job at any day at anytime.but does anybody think hes any good in lining up at wide receiver?

 

[Muck]

The position has been upgraded. T-Buck's only 31 years old.

 

[miamiDpower]

Tbuck can still be a hell of a cornerback and probably will provide veteran depth. I think he will easy beat jammar to third corner and will push jammar to a dime job.

 

[Dolfan0025]

On if the team expects him to be the third corner)
“We didn’t even talk about it. I’m coming here with Super Bowl aspirations and to do what I can do. Who knows? I might be the third or fourth receiver, or returning punts. I feel like being an athlete and playing anywhere I’m needed, I’m going to do whatever it takes. Winning is the bottom line. That’s one thing I’ve learned and grown to appreciate. Being a part of a Super Bowl team, I look back at some of the things that I’ve done. All the energy that you put in and stuff really doesn’t matter if you can stand up here with this trophy and help a team win. I wish everybody could experience that. I want to bring that here to a lot of the guys n this team that are still my friends.â€Â
T-BUCK...

 

[Dajesus]

They key to the T-Buck signing is the attitude. When JT isn't making a huge play there is no emotion with this D lately. T Buck will take over the nickel back, and more importantly give this team some leadership, and emotion. I also like th move because it give us the option of having Surtain shadow the best WR since T-Buck has played inside and out, and so has Surtain, so Surtain doesn' have to line up in the slot on all nickel situations.

 

[BSQX4]

T-Buck signing greatly decreases the damage Fletcher can do because he'll be asked to do less. On 2nd and long and 3rd and long the outside linebackers are off the field anyway so it's more important that we got T-Buck than Barry Gardner. Believe me, we will live without Barry Gardner. T-Buck is a guy that played here, we know him and he brings a winning attitude and some badly needed leadership. No longer will Fletch be exposed. That is very big in itself. I think we asked him to do too much without enough help. The result was not too favorable for the team at all. I'm not blaming Fletch alone but clearly a scheme that didn't work needs changing. It's a good thing that the need was recognized and addressed. IMO that little tweak makes us a better defense. Good work by Spielberg and the "Porno Mustache."

 

[VanDolPhan]

You guys are way off on this one. Sure he may challenge Fletcher but lets all pray and hope that Fletcher steps up to the challenge.

This move was all about Arturo Freeman. When we went into a DIME defense we came out with 3 DB's and 3 safeties. Hence why you would see the unfortunate match up of a good WR on Fletcher/Wooden. Now what this will mean is that when we go into the Dime we can play a true dime with 4 DB's and 2 safeties.

Remember this all goes back to the speech of Wanny's about giving Arturo less responsibility.

 

[Merman]

Originally posted by VanDolPhan
You guys are way off on this one. Sure he may challenge Fletcher but lets all pray and hope that Fletcher steps up to the challenge.

This move was all about Arturo Freeman. When we went into a DIME defense we came out with 3 DB's and 3 safeties. Hence why you would see the unfortunate match up of a good WR on Fletcher/Wooden. Now what this will mean is that when we go into the Dime we can play a true dime with 4 DB's and 2 safeties.

Remember this all goes back to the speech of Wanny's about giving Arturo less responsibility.

I agree that hopefully Fletcher steps up this year as I think he has the talent. But Freeman was not the reason for last year's scheme of putting Surtain in the slot where Fletcher would have to cover a speedy outside WR with saftey help, it was Fletcher. If he didn't need the sideline and double team help the schemes would have been more like previous years. I think the Dolphins learned their lessons with Jerry Wilson.

 

[VanDolPhan]

Surtain's been playing the slot since we had Buckley the first time. That has nothing to do with Fletcher. Surtain plays outside in the 4-3 and when they go to the nickel he slides into the slot. He pretty much plays both ways during games.

 

[Merman]

Yes the nickel back use to go to the slot but not last year. Fletcher was not playing well enough to cover a good receiver in space. Let's see what happens this year.

 

[VanDolPhan]

Originally posted by Merman
Yes the nickel back use to go to the slot but not last year. Fletcher was not playing well enough to cover a good receiver in space. Let's see what happens this year.

No not the nickel back. Surtain has always been the slot guy since Buckley's first go around here. He was the slot guy while Cousin was here also. Hence why you would get good WR's on Fletcher this year. Fletcher would play on the outside and all it would take for offenses to match their best WR was a simple switch of sides by keeping your #1 away from Madison.


4-3 defense Madison/Surtain outside
Nickel Madison/Fletcher outside Surtain inside/slot


Someone back me up here who can explain it better then I can :tongue:

 

[Merman]

Surtain was a nickle back who covered the slot when T-Buck was starting. When T-Buck was demoted he complained about playing the slot. Jerry Wilson played the slot as did Cousin. With Cousin, Surtain could move to cover the better WR, not so with Fletcher. Didn't you notice that with Fletcher having the double team, Madison got picked on when he had no saftey help?? No one is going to come to your rescue because that is just the way it is. :tongue:

From T-Bucks press conference after signing with the Dolphins

(On if he’s more comfortable playing inside now than when he left the Dolphins)
“That’s another thing. That’s why I said I can bring a lot to this team. Before I left, I really was not [comfortable]. Playing in New England where we matched up, one game I was inside and one game I was outside. You had to perform. Now it doesn’t matter, either way, left, right, safety, middle linebacker. It doesn’t matter. You’re laughing, but I played all of that. I played linebacker in the Super Bowl, about ten plays. Nobody could handle (Marshall) Faulk, so we had to get somebody who could handle Faulk, or try to handle Faulk. I don’t think anybody can handle the guy.â€Â

(On the biggest thing that’s changed for him being able to play the inside position)
“Attitude. Feeling comfortable and knowing that ‘Okay this is not my spot. I really don’t want to be in here.’ Getting from that attitude to, ‘I’m here on the field to make plays.’ I think that’s been the biggest difference in my game from the New England situation and dealing with Coach Belichick. My confidence and understanding of the game nd attitude are probably at an all-time high.â€Â

BTW I think you were trying to say base defense, nickle and then dime. :)

 

[angryphin]

The rationale for moving Fletcher to the outside and moving Surtain to the slot was for safety help on the outside? Couldn't the safety double on the slot receiver if Surtain stayed outside?

 

[wahwee]

On several plays where Madison was beaten, he had safety help, though it was late getting over. Eg. Madison tries for int, Moulds catches rebound, td. Right behind Madison was the safety. Eg2. Moulds runs down sideline in 1st game and Marion is late getting over, 15-20yd pass turns to long touchdown.

Buckley didn't play the slot with us. In his press conference, he talked about having to learn how to play slot while with the Patriots.

 

[Merman]

Originally posted by angryphin
The rationale for moving Fletcher to the outside and moving Surtain to the slot was for safety help on the outside? Couldn't the safety double on the slot receiver if Surtain stayed outside?

Don't forget the sideline helps too. If the corner gives the outside to the WR there is much less field to cover. In the slot you have to cover better, as you can't just force the WR to one side because in the middle they have both sides of the field to run to. It also makes it easier for a rookie to play the same types of cuts he will see if he consistently covers one side. Now if you start moving a weak corner all over the field for match ups he may make many more mistakes as there is now many more options to remember and react to. Also now that ofenses start bunching WRs at the line the D is using a short zone to avoid the picks that are designed into those plays. Thus sometimes no matter what you do you will get the worst match up. Maybe this year Fletcher will be ready for more and the scheme will change.