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11/23 Sports Buzz - Dolphins Nuggets

Daytona Fin

Daytona Fin

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The Dolphins made this abundantly clear during the offseason:

They needed to develop their young players, mostly their own draft picks, and give them meaningful roles, instead of throwing free agent money at every position.

As a theory, in a vacuum, that approach seems prudent.

But it doesn’t work if the players are flawed.

And in the Dolphins’ case, that invest-in-your-own approach hasn’t worked out nearly as well as management hoped at three positions that concerned them all offseason: guard, strongside linebacker and boundary cornerback.

Last spring, the Dolphins decided they would invest in three young guards (Dallas Thomas, Billy Turner and Jamil Douglas), an undrafted second-year player at strongside linebacker (Chris McCain) and second- and third-round draft picks at the cornerback spot opposite Brent Grimes (Jamar Taylor and Will Davis).

The only veterans added at those positions were journeymen making at or near the minimum: guard/tackle Jeff Linkenbach, guard Jacques McClendon, linebacker Spencer Paysinger and cornerback Zack Bowman. Brice McCain was given a two-year, $5.5 million deal to replace Jimmy Wilson at slot corner.

The Chris McCain project fall apart rather quickly; he was beaten out by Kelvin Sheppard in training camp, meaning Koa Misi returned to strongside linebacker, and McCain was then shifted to fifth-string defensive end.

And even with the injury to Cameron Wake, McCain has played only 37 snaps all season, including just four Sunday.

At guard, Douglas – the team’s 2015 fourth-round pick – was benched after four weeks, after allowing the most quarterback hurries of any guard in the league.

Turner, who replaced him, hasn’t been awful but has had a few regrettable penalties and is rated in the bottom half of guards by Pro Football Focus (58th of 81).

The bigger problem has been Thomas, who is rated 80th of 81 qualifying guards by PFF. The fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Dallas epitomized Thomas’ struggles as a Dolphin.

With Miami trailing 21-14 early in the fourth, Thomas was beaten by a Cowboys rusher on third down, forcing Ryan Tannehill to throw the ball prematurely (and inaccurately) to Jarvis Landry.

On Miami’s next drive, with the Cowboys leading 24-14, Tyrone Crawford beat Thomas for a sack on 2nd and 6, resulting in an 11-yard loss. The Dolphins punted two plays later.

At cornerback, the Dolphins are still searching for an above-average option opposite Brent Grimes. They hoped Taylor or Davis would be, but Davis was dealt to Baltimore for a seventh-round pick on Sept. 21 and then sustained a torn ACL for the second time in a year.

Taylor, meanwhile, has slipped to 105th of 112 qualifying cornerbacks, according to PFF’s ratings of 2015 performance.

This is also disconcerting: Taylor has allowed 33 of the 50 passes thrown in his coverage area to be caught this season, and 70 of 103 in his career, equaling 68 percent.

On Sunday, Taylor allowed four catches for 79 yards against Terrance Williams, committed a defensive holding penalty (which negated a drive-ending sack by Olivier Vernon), and was beaten by Williams for a touchdown pass on that drive. “I played horrible,” Taylor said.

Pro Football Focus was unforgiving in its analysis of Taylor:

“The Dolphins’ issues in the secondary mostly center on the struggles of the corners,” PFF said Monday. “Brent Grimes (+0.1 Sunday) is having a down season, even if he had a solid game against the Cowboys, especially in coverage (+1.2). Really though, it’s right corner Jamar Taylor who is the biggest issue.

“He has graded positively just three times all year and had a few really poor games in coverage. This was the worst of his season, as he recorded a -3.8 grade. Taylor gave up all five targets as completions for 98 yards and a touchdown. He allowed himself to get beat deep on the third-and-long for Williams’ touchdown.

“Taylor subsequently gave up a number of underneath throws, particularly comebacks, falling down on one such play. It enabled the Cowboys to move the ball efficiently without having to take any risks.”

Two weeks ago, the Dolphins were hopeful that rookie fifth-round pick Bobby McCain could become a major factor at boundary corner. But after playing 95 snaps against Philadelphia, McCain played only one on Sunday.



NOTEWORTHY

### The Dolphins allocated only 33 snaps to their entire 2015 Dolphins draft class on Sunday: four by first-round receiver DeVante Parker, 16 for second-round defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, 12 for fifth-round running back Jay Ajayi and one for McCain.

The Dolphins need to get their rookies work when they’re realistically/mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, if not sooner.

### PFF gave Reshad Jones his best grade of the season on Sunday (a plus 3.8). He’s rated second among all safeties.

### PFF praised the work of Olivier Vernon, who had three hits, three hurries, a sack and another sack taken away by penalty in 31 pass-rushing chances.

He also had four tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage on running plays. Derrick Shelby, conversely, was given a poor grade Sunday (minus 3.8).

### Greg Jennings received only two snaps Sunday, and one of them ended with Rolando McClain’s interception return of Ryan Tannehill for a touchdown.

### In the absence of Koa Misi and Jelani Jenkins, linebacker snaps were allocated thusly: Sheppard 70 of 71, Neville Hewitt 57, Zach Vigil 27, Mike Hull 7 and Chris McCain 4.
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http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...ds-at-three-problematic-positions-fins-n.html

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 PM ----------
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All true, but somehow it is all Tanneill's fault. The inability for this team to move on past horrible linemen over the last decade has been mind boggling. To think that the struggles that the O-Line had last year could be fixed with a 4th round draft pick is pretty idiotic!
 
I believe Jennings has checked out on the team. As the game ended, I noticed Jennings jogging to the locker room while everybody else lingered, as teams do. Not that it matters though because he has been all but useless. He will be a player that has his bags packed about 5 pm come week 17.
 
Two weeks ago, the Dolphins were hopeful that rookie fifth-round pick Bobby McCain could become a major factor at boundary corner. But after playing 95 snaps against Philadelphia, McCain played only one on Sunday.
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This is puzzling. Jamar Taylor clearly suks and needs to be replaced. How many sacks and drive ending plays have his stupid penalties cost us ?

“He has graded positively just three times all year and had a few really poor games in coverage. This was the worst of his season, as he recorded a -3.8 grade. Taylor gave up all five targets as completions for 98 yards and a touchdown. He allowed himself to get beat deep on the third-and-long for Williams’ touchdown.

“Taylor subsequently gave up a number of underneath throws, particularly comebacks, falling down on one such play. It enabled the Cowboys to move the ball efficiently without having to take any risks.”
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The only thing he does decent is run support. Waste of a second round pick.
 
Daytona Fin said:
I believe Jennings has checked out on the team. As the game ended, I noticed Jennings jogging to the locker room while everybody else lingered, as teams do. Not that it matters though because he has been all but useless. He will be a player that has his bags packed about 5 pm come week 17.
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That's funny, because I never knew he checked in.
 
fishfanmiami said:
This is puzzling. Jamar Taylor clearly suks and needs to be replaced. How many sacks and drive ending plays have his stupid penalties cost us ?



The only thing he does decent is run support. Waste of a second round pick.
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Bobby isn't a boundary CB . . . Jamar Taylor is god awful, but Bobby ain't the one to take over that role. Why Bobby hasn't been given more work in the slot over McCain is the more questionable thing for me.

I just keep seeing Dion Jordan (traded up and gave up ANOTHER 2nd rounder for him) / Jamar Taylor / Dallas Thomas / Will Davis . . . . and keep thinking that may be the WORST run of draft selections in Dolphins history. Wtg Jeff.

How in the hell do you enter that draft with 5 picks in the first 3 rounds and end with that . . . smh.
 
I would take a look at Quentin Couples and put a claim in for him. He might work on this Dline.
 
So aside from a few guys who are worth something on the team (Wake, Jones, Landry, Stills to an extent, Cameron to an extent, Miller, maybe Ajayi if he ever gets playing time), the rest of the team is complete cow, horse, dog, and cat ****.

Terrific job of building this team Hickey, Tannenbaum, Philbin, and Ross.
 
It's time to see what Jamil Douglas can do at left guard. Send Dallas to the bench. Bench Taylor too. Get Bobby McCain reps in the slot and Brice on the boundary. Or give Lippett more snaps on the boundary. We virtually have no shot at the playoffs at this point. Lets see what we have on the back side of the roster.
 
loved the nickel lb kelvin sheppard run...that guy in the nickel is tragic...great plan

Zach vigil nice cod on the McFadden turn the corner run...this lb core is nauseating...vigil looked like he was slipping on a banana

dallas Thomas is hot garbage
 
Kdawg954 said:
Bobby isn't a boundary CB . . . Jamar Taylor is god awful, but Bobby ain't the one to take over that role. Why Bobby hasn't been given more work in the slot over McCain is the more questionable thing for me.
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He did ok filling in for Grimes on the boundary but yea he's probably better in the slot. Just get Taylor off the field.
 
There are holes on this team as there are on every team in the NFL. There's no way a better coaching staff doesn't produce more points with the playmakers this team has on offense.
 
Hayden Fox said:
I would take a look at Quentin Couples and put a claim in for him. He might work on this Dline.
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Jason Leskiw ‏@LeskiwSFBay 10m10 minutes ago
On Coples: #Raiders one of few teams remaining with $$ enough to claim off waivers.

Field Yates ‏@FieldYates
Quinton Coples can be claimed by any other team on waivers. He's due $534,840 for the rest of 2015 & has a$7.751M salary for 2016.
 
If I were the coaching staff, I would do what the Pats did to McCourtey and turn Taylor into a FS. He tackles well and has pretty good speed. I actually think he could handle that job better than Aikens at the moment. I would at least move him there next offseason and give him a chance instead of just cutting ties. Its not working at CB but maybe Safety he would see the game better. I also hate him in off man coverage but I don't think he's cut it for corner in the NFL. Move to Safety and see if he can play.
 
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