What will be the Phins' Achilles Heel this Season?

[KYfinfan]

I'm afraid it will be the offensive play calling. That's the thing that scares me the most. The talent is there. You will be hard pressed to find a team as talented from top to bottom. I was pretty excited about Collier, but I don't know what to think about Foerester. If Trestman, Sullivan, and Collier can all contribute without ego's getting in the way it may work out.

 

[darkoak]

I think coaching is just fine and has been for awhile. Remember, this staff has yet to be outcoached by the best staff in the league (New England). Their players have simply been out-executed.

Can't blame the woeful OL, inconsistency at QB, and non-existent #2 WR on Wanny the coach.

Yes I can.

 

[Muck]

Yes I can.

Ok. Disprove me then.

 

[Disnardo]

Like many others have stated, the OL and QBs are still question marks, as far as improvements go....

 

[Disnardo]

Ohh, Ohh, I feel a remark of the team has won due to it's talent inspite of DW post coming...

 

[darkoak]

Ok. Disprove me then.

DW picks the starting Qb, he picks the starting O-line and he picks the starting wide-outs. He was responsible for that entire woeful line-up, and misjudged the abilities of his players. The passing game lost it's tight-end because McMicheal had to stay in to help the line. That left Ricky and Chambers as the only passing threats because Thompson was not at all as good as DW thought he was. Banking on Dixon being healthy and Nails returning to form after an Achillies tendon tear ( Got to be hard to recover from when you are over 300 lbs.), the entire left side if our line ( the blind side by the way ) was a shambles. The only bright light from this was the play of Smith, he tried hard on every down. We're lucky he turned out otherwise they would have had to give out frequent sacker miles to the guys pounding Fiedler.

 

[SkapePhin]

darkoak, your criticism regard Wanny the GM, NOT the coach.. I think thats what Muck was trying to get at.

 

[minus]

I think coaching is just fine and has been for awhile. Remember, this staff has yet to be outcoached by the best staff in the league (New England). Their players have simply been out-executed.

Can't blame the woeful OL, inconsistency at QB, and non-existent #2 WR on Wanny the coach.

His conservative style has cost ous game.You need to keep attacking not become conservative in the second half.

 

[Muck]

DW picks the starting Qb, he picks the starting O-line and he picks the starting wide-outs. He was responsible for that entire woeful line-up, and misjudged the abilities of his players.

So you're saying there was a better QB on the bench?? That's a tough sell. Brian Griese and Sage Rosenfels over Jay Fiedler. I don't think that's really true.

While it's debatable whether or not Thompson deserved to start over McKnight in 2003, McKnight still seemed to struggle starting opposite Chambers in 2002.

The passing game lost it's tight-end because McMicheal had to stay in to help the line. That left Ricky and Chambers as the only passing threats because Thompson was not at all as good as DW thought he was.

Sounds like the GM misjudged the talent level of the WR he aquired.

Banking on Dixon being healthy and Nails returning to form after an Achillies tendon tear ( Got to be hard to recover from when you are over 300 lbs.), the entire left side if our line ( the blind side by the way ) was a shambles.

Aquiring healthy, able-bodied men. That sounds an awful lot like the GM's job.

This is why Wanny now coaches the players and Rick decides who Wanny will coach.

 

[phatmatt]

I think coaching is just fine and has been for awhile. Remember, this staff has yet to be outcoached by the best staff in the league (New England). Their players have simply been out-executed.

Actually I think DW was thouroughly outcoached in the 2nd game vs NE in the cold, wind and snow. I may be the minority here, but I believe Ricky should have had more carries than Fiedler did pass attempts....which he did not. DW insisted on throwing the ball with Rubber arm Feidler despite the weather conditions. If ever there were a game when RW should have been a workhorse.

As far as this years weakness goes, I think QB could be a concern, as could OL. Despite my earlier remarks, I don't think coaching will be an issue (I was just stating that I thought our staff was outwitted by NE last year). I don't think we'll have a good return game on special teams (like that's anything new). And I also think that someone is going to have to step up at the Safety spot besides Knight (either Freeman, Edwards or Bell).

 

[Muck]

His conservative style has cost ous game.You need to keep attacking not become conservative in the second half.

Sounds great in theory. But the fact is, it's hard when your QB can't make teams pay for daring him to burn them. Double whammy when the OL can't sustain a block, open a whole, or form a pocket.

Being aggressive is the easy part. Having the horses to follow thru makes things dicey.

 

[minus]

Sounds great in theory. But the fact is, it's hard when your QB can't make teams pay for daring him to burn them. Double whammy when the OL can't sustain a block, open a whole, or form a pocket.

Being aggressive is the easy part. Having the horses to follow thru makes things dicey.

Don't try to direct all the blame to QB position because it all start upfront with the oline.

Let me stay on topic.

There was so many game in '02 that offense was doing well in the first half (Including QB) and DW decided to become predictable allowing teams to comeback.I'm sorry but DW deserve his share of the blame for his style of coaching.

 

[Muck]

Actually I think DW was thouroughly outcoached in the 2nd game vs NE in the cold, wind and snow. I may be the minority here, but I believe Ricky should have had more carries than Fiedler did pass attempts....which he did not. DW insisted on throwing the ball with Rubber arm Feidler despite the weather conditions. If ever there were a game when RW should have been a workhorse.

Ricky had 25 carries for 68 yards. That's 2.7 ypc. The team ran Ricky plenty. The problem was that we were consistently in 3rd and longs. And the Phins went a dismal 4-18 on 3rd down.

 

[Y-TownPhinVet]

I agree with Muck!!!!

 

[Muck]

Don't try to direct all the blame to QB position because it all start upfront with the oline.

Let me stay on topic.

What the heck are you talking about?? I said Jay isn't accurate and the line couldn't block for squat. And somehow you got "it's all Jay's fault" out of that?? Dude, teach me that trick. :tongue:

There was so many game in '02 that offense was doing well in the first half (Including QB) and DW decided to become predictable allowing teams to comeback.I'm sorry but DW deserve his share of the blame for his style of coaching.

Which games were those?? I agree that we needed to be more aggressive with what we had when we were up. But offensive conservatism didn't contribute to many if any comebacks by the opposition in '02. Defensive collapses and lack of talent offensively contributed to that. Hate to say it, but we didn't have a lot of ammo as far as putting your foot on another team's throat. We could run Ricky down some teams' throats and that's about it. A little more creativity certainly wouldn't have hurt. But the fact is this OL couldn't pass block in '02 either.