Miami’s Impact Players

[Avigatorx]

I think an elite QB would equal 2-3 impact players at any other position. We’re having a hard time naming impact players for Miami, it’s no wonder Miami never seems to be able to take over a game through just being more talented

It is ALOT harder for a team to take a QB out of the game, and totally agree with you.

It is a numbers game. If you want to remove a skill position guy, like a RB, WR, or TE from another team's arsenal, usually a double-team can be effective, or slanting coverages a certain way to take that player's typical routes away from him.

For a QB, it's alot harder. You need to be able to cover all his options downfield and at the same time generate pressure. If your front 4 can't get there, you need to remove a guy from coverage to blitz. Or if you drop more guys into coverage a 5 man oline against 3 pass rushers will give the guy all day long and the secondary needs to maintain tight coverage for longer than most are able to.

If that guy is a running threat as well.....well...its really pick your poison and hope your 11 are better than their 11.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

who are they? Who are the current players on the roster right now that opposing coaches worry about game planning for so they don’t let that player beat them or affect the game greatly? I wanna know what people think.

Here is the problem . . .
Would Julio be an impact player on this team? Would Elliott? QB and OL are so bad, I don't know if there are impact players or not

 

[Beach Bum]

I think an elite QB would equal 2-3 impact players at any other position. We’re having a hard time naming impact players for Miami, it’s no wonder Miami never seems to be able to take over a game through just being more talented

Ya know, it's kind of funny now that I think about it, but Cutler makes Tannehill look like he plays with purpose. I like the Tannehill we saw last year, he had more energy, but when he played with Sherman as OC he was very conservative. I think part of our offensive problems stem from what I perceive as Cutler's lack of energy. He makes me just want to go to sleep. I think our other offensive players sense his lack of energy also, and seem to be a step or two slower. Of course, when you consider Thomas, that perception is reality. I normally try and support all Dolphins, but I can't stand that guy.

 

[<O>]

If you listen to other coaches, Suh and Landry are the guys they gameplan to take away from Miami. I'm not trying to argue they are so good they need to be accounted for, just that other HCs and coordinators actually DO gameplan for them.

Suh is pretty obvious of course, it is easy to see the double teams.

Landry is the other one, however this year something is off with that kid.

I'd have said Wake and Ajayi, but for obvious reasons Ajayi isnt a factor, and Wake has jumped the shark. I havent seen him getting DT'd often this year (could be wrong on that.)

And in Landry's case, the only reason for that is because the offense is funneled through him to such an extent that shutting him down equals all but making the offense grind to a halt. It has far more to do with that than it does his own talent or the threat he poses to win the game.

If you don't focus on Landry and shut him down, the offense simply sustains drives better, and Landry finishes with a typical stat line of let's say 8 catches for 95 yards and maybe a touchdown.

By contrast, if you don't focus on wide receivers like AJ Green, Julio Jones, and Deandre Hopkins, they finish with 12 catches for 150+ yards and maybe two touchdowns.

Landry isn't anywhere near the game-winning threat those kinds of players are. Again he's focused on by opposing defenses more or less because there's nothing else to focus on.

Devante Parker was supposed to be like them, but obviously he's nowhere near that either.

 

[<O>]

Here is the problem . . .
Would Julio be an impact player on this team? Would Elliott? QB and OL are so bad, I don't know if there are impact players or not

Or would the offensive line play better because opposing defenses would need to allocate more attention to better skilled position players of that nature, thus keeping opposing defenses from sending an all-out assault on the QB and the running game through the offensive line?

Those kinds of relationships among players are bidirectional. They don't go in only one direction.

 

[<O>]

I think an elite QB would equal 2-3 impact players at any other position. We’re having a hard time naming impact players for Miami, it’s no wonder Miami never seems to be able to take over a game through just being more talented

And there you have the reason why teams with such players are so much more competitive in the league.

They need only average-level defenses to be playoff-caliber.

 

[little biggen]

Dude has the record for catches in his first 4 years but only 18 tds? That is the definition of over rated. Look I love Landry but he is not a game changer. By comparison his buddy bedlam has 38 tds and prolly faces twice the amount of double coverage. He gets force feed the ball at 5 yds or less at a alarming rate.

 

[Avigatorx]

And in Landry's case, the only reason for that is because the offense is funneled through him to such an extent that shutting him down equals all but making the offense grind to a halt. It has far more to do with that than it does his own talent or the threat he poses to win the game.

If you don't focus on Landry and shut him down, the offense simply sustains drives better, and Landry finishes with a typical stat line of let's say 8 catches for 95 yards and maybe a touchdown.

By contrast, if you don't focus on wide receivers like AJ Green, Julio Jones, and Deandre Hopkins, they finish with 12 catches for 150+ yards and maybe two touchdowns.

Landry isn't anywhere near the game-winning threat those kinds of players are. Again he's focused on by opposing defenses more or less because there's nothing else to focus on.

Devante Parker was supposed to be like them, but obviously he's nowhere near that either.

Yep, that's a big part of the reason Gase's offense is so easy to defend against. It is compounded astronomically by the fact that we have a QB that has zero accuracy 20 yards+ downfield.

This year, you can shut down Landry, the running game, and the QB by simply pressing the line of scrimmage. Most teams leave one deep safety against us and crowd the LoS with their remaining 10 guys.

 

[<O>]

Yep, that's a big part of the reason Gase's offense is so easy to defend against. It is compounded astronomically by the fact that we have a QB that has zero accuracy 20 yards+ downfield.

This year, you can shut down Landry, the running game, and the QB by simply pressing the line of scrimmage. Most teams leave one deep safety against us and crowd the LoS with their remaining 10 guys.

Think of just the difference the threat of Tannehill to Stills downfield would pose, and how that would affect the other facets of the offense (including the offensive line) by way of opposing defenses' respect for that part of the game.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Or would the offensive line play better because opposing defenses would need to allocate more attention to better skilled position players of that nature, thus keeping opposing defenses from sending an all-out assault on the QB and the running game through the offensive line?

Those kinds of relationships among players are bidirectional. They don't go in only one direction.

Not going to disagree, but there's a difference between taking away 'the best' receiver and game-planning against an impact player. Guys like Julio and Dez can score on any given play. Can't say that for Landry. I would also add the reminder Gase is OC and we KNOW his play-calling. Again, I'm not disagreeing, but this OL, QB, OC would severely cripple any 'impact player' who came in. Not STOP their production, but noticeably cripple. Or, on the other end, how much production would Landry or DVP have with Brady or Rodgers?

 

[<O>]

Not going to disagree, but there's a difference between taking away 'the best' receiver and game-planning against an impact player. Guys like Julio and Dez can score on any given play. Can't say that for Landry. I would also add the reminder Gase is OC and we KNOW his play-calling. Again, I'm not disagreeing, but this OL, QB, OC would severely cripple any 'impact player' who came in. Not STOP their production, but noticeably cripple. Or, on the other end, how much production would Landry or DVP have with Brady or Rodgers?

I think you're right in that the QB is the limiting factor for any offense. Think of how Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady function with regard to pressure -- specifically how they evade it and often hit receivers downfield for big gains -- and apply that to how a defensive coordinator has to adjust with regard to the assault he places on the offensive line.

Now apply that to lesser QBs, and imagine the freedom that gives defensive coordinators to apply pressure, and how that makes opposing offensive lines look.

Then combine that with often being down on the scoreboard and being forced to pass, which is often the case with lesser QBs, and imagine now what defensive coordinators have the freedom to do.

In the end you have an offensive line that can't help but look like swiss cheese. The defensive talent throughout the league, combined with defensive coordinators' ability to let it run rampant under the above circumstances, would overwhelm just about any offensive line.

 

[Zounds]

I think our WR unit is pretty good. You just aren't seeing it because of shitty QB play.

 

[Danny]

The one player that could have a great impact imo is Parker but injuries and now not having Tannehill hurts his chances. Landry can catch 10 passes but he might just get 80 yards and no TD's while Parker is the type that can have 5 catches and two could go for TD's. Stills as well. We're not talking about who's the better WR here but who's the impact player. This season nobody on this team has made an impact on offense and only Suh on defense.

Ozzy rules!!

 

[scodoublet]

Landry, Suh, Wake, Jones

Stills is usually very good and can definitely impact a game
Hopefully Parker will be added to this list

 

[Avigatorx]

The one player that could have a great impact imo is Parker but injuries and now not having Tannehill hurts his chances. Landry can catch 10 passes but he might just get 80 yards and no TD's while Parker is the type that can have 5 catches and two could go for TD's. Stills as well. We're not talking about who's the better WR here but who's the impact player. This season nobody on this team has made an impact on offense and only Suh on defense.

Ozzy rules!!

Impact is more than just scoring TDs.

What Landry has done very well during his career is move the chains. No, he isnt going to score many 80 yard TDs, but he damn sure plays a big part in keeping your offense on the field.