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A Few Takeaways from Lions Game (2014)

ReppinThe941

ReppinThe941

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Got the NFL Rewind Package tonight and killed some time by studying the Lions match up from last season. Attempted to pick a moderately pivotal point of the season to re-watch. Plus I wanted to watch Suh. Just a few things I noticed...

Phins / Lions:

Offense:
- Tannehill got knocked around all game and showed some tremendous toughness. Showed great resolve battling back from that early INT.
- Wallace is so soft and painful to watch fight for the football.
- Miller must have been banged up earlier, was not impressed by his showing.
- Damian Williams was tough, clutch, and a spark.
- Clay had some key conversions but had a brutal drop in a huge moment.
- Hartline was non existent.
- After Albert wen't down, O-line was rough.
- Satele and Smith were dominated all day by a number of different Lions defenders.
- Dallas Thomas had his moments for face palming. But actually held is own a few times in one on one opportunities with Suh. "Flashed" a few times, specifically in the run game.
- Suh was an absolute Monster the entire game. Lined up all along the front, beat everyone he faced one on one. Countless Pressures / Hurries. Schwartz also used him at the 5 and stunted him inside pulling the T/G, leaving Ansah (From the 3) with a free path to crush Tanney. Would love to see some similar movement this season from Wake / Suh.
- Running game was killed by penetration from Suh / Mosley.
- Late 3 and Out was crushing.
- Offensive Game Plan was vanilla. *Execution was awful though, so weighted score for Lazor.

Defense:
- Grimes is a baller, Spent majority of the day shadowing Megatron. If you asked Calvin, I bet you he would say Grimes won the battle. *Not buying this Grimes took a step back in 2014 talk.
- Delmas / Jones Combo is real solid.
- May have been Dion Jordan's best day as a pro.
- Lack of Nickle CB killed us in defending Tate. Definitely doesn't help when you try to do it with a Tweener / Special Teamer (J Wilson).
- Zero toughness up front (Excluding Mitchell) in stopping the run. Bell was punishing defenders.
- Koa is tough man, and had a big moment in an early Lions Red Zone opportunity.
- Finnegan played nasty, then got hurt.
- Jenkins had some poor open field tackling / coverage from backs out of the backfield into the flat.
- OV never flashed.
- Lions entire Game Plan was predicated around not letting Wake make an impact.
- Choke at the end really gives a sour taste from an overall solid performance.
- Defensive game Plan was real tactful. Coyle didn't let trying to be too cute get in the way (Like Normal).

Conclusion:

A tough game on the road against a playoff team. Had a brutal Injury to Albert, terrible offensive execution all day, and a few unlucky bounces; yet we were still in the driver seat up until the end. Tanney had a moderate game from a stats perspective, but this guy put the team on his back. He got his ass kicked all day, late in the 4th was still standing in and still taking the licks to try and deliver. If Clay holds onto that damn 3rd and Goal, would have been Phins Up. Other than Tannehill, Damian Williams was real solid. Really excited about the depth at RB this season with Ajayi in the mix.

Special Teams was on point. Rizzi battled back from an early Lions fake punt. Baited them in another situation with Walt Aikens making the play. Landry had a sick return and Mitchell blocked the field goal with Jordan returning deep in Lions territory. Also would have had a snap to the up back for a first had the boys been lined up quick enough.

Coyle probably lost a weeks worth of sleep. Having Grimes shadow tron was key, but mixed it up enough with Finnegan on the press and Jordan in the red zone and that one deep pass everyone talks about. Misi manned the middle in fantastic fashion. Coyle Played more coverage than normal and think it took the Lions out of their game plan, they obviously came in ready to see a ton of pressure packages. Late Game defense sucked and we choked. Reshad Jones should know better than to let Theo Riddick beat him to the corner. Maybe one day the Philbin led Phins will play complimentary football in late game situations!

Figured Id throw out some thoughts since I did spend 2 hours of my life watching it.....
 
Good write up man, I do seem to remember Golden Tate tearing us apart with ease. Wish we could have him on our team. He is a baller
 
do Denver next and pretend Shelley Smith is playing for the Broncos instead.
 
Never forget Coyle's comments after the game. "we thought we had won the game the first time"

Then the offense goes 3 and out and give the ball right back to Detroit. That was Coyle's frustration boiling over after the offense has done this to him for the umpteenth time.
 
Fins1971 said:
Never forget Coyle's comments after the game. "we thought we had won the game the first time"

Then the offense goes 3 and out and give the ball right back to Detroit. That was Coyle's frustration boiling over after the offense has done this to him for the umpteenth time.
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Yeah, I don't think so. After Week 3, following the Pats game and the losses to Buffalo and KC (two games in which the Fins never led)...

Week 4: Comfortable win vs. Raiders. 2nd half scoring: Miami 14, Oakland 7
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: Loss to Packers: Dolphins 3-and-outs in the 2nd half? One. 2nd half scoring: Miami 21, GB 17
Week 7: Comfortable win @ Chicago. 2nd half scoring: Miami 13, Chicago 14.
Week 8: Comfortable win @ Jacksonville. 2nd half scoring: Miami 17, Jax 10.
Week 9: Comfortable win vs SD. 2nd half scoring: Miami 17, SD 0.
Week 10: Lions game. 3-amd outs in the 2nd half? One (Not including the D. Thomas fumble). 2nd half scoring: Miami 13, Detroit 10.

You can try to paint it any way you want, but this was NOT all on the offense. They outscored their opponents 5 out of the six previous games in the second half.

And as much as you can say "the offense didn't score when it mattered," one can turn the whole thing around and easily say "Oh, sure...the defense looks good against Detroit for most of the game, but when it really mattered, they folded up like a cheap tent and choked away the game for the Dolphins.

It's a team sport. Both sides are accountable.
 
The Goat said:
Yeah, I don't think so. After Week 3, following the Pats game and the losses to Buffalo and KC (two games in which the Fins never led)...

Week 4: Comfortable win vs. Raiders. 2nd half scoring: Miami 14, Oakland 7
Week 5: Bye
Week 6: Loss to Packers: Dolphins 3-and-outs in the 2nd half? One. 2nd half scoring: Miami 21, GB 17
Week 7: Comfortable win @ Chicago. 2nd half scoring: Miami 13, Chicago 14.
Week 8: Comfortable win @ Jacksonville. 2nd half scoring: Miami 17, Jax 10.
Week 9: Comfortable win vs SD. 2nd half scoring: Miami 17, SD 0.
Week 10: Lions game. 3-amd outs in the 2nd half? One (Not including the D. Thomas fumble). 2nd half scoring: Miami 13, Detroit 10.

You can try to paint it any way you want, but this was NOT all on the offense. They outscored their opponents 5 out of the six previous games in the second half.

And as much as you can say "the offense didn't score when it mattered," one can turn the whole thing around and easily say "Oh, sure...the defense looks good against Detroit for most of the game, but when it really mattered, they folded up like a cheap tent and choked away the game for the Dolphins.

It's a team sport. Both sides are accountable.
Click to expand...

I was talking about the following games that Coyle's defense did enough to win but the offense failed to run out the clock. (BUF 13, CAR 13, GB 14, DET 14). 4 times in his 2 years this has happened and we have lost when we should have won. Yes both side were accountable for the loss. But Coyle's frustration boiling over after this one.

His defense had to face Buffalo 3 times before failing. Then they had to face Carolina 4 times before failing. Both Green bay and Detroit got 2 chances before the defense gave in.

In his 2 years here his defense has never given up a lead on the ensuing series when the offense scores late. His defense always gives the ball back to offense with the lead. It is only when they are forced to do it repeatedly that they fail.
 
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Travis34 said:
Good write up man, I do seem to remember Golden Tate tearing us apart with ease. Wish we could have him on our team. He is a baller
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Ya I was driving home from NYC and unfortunately was able to only listen to the game on sirius, and i remember always hearing Golden Tate keeping every one of their drives alive!!
 
finbully said:
Expecting more of this and more Damian Williams.

Besides Schwartz being in Buffalo last year, completely agree.
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Good catch on Schwartz, I watched the Bills game after the Lions and at 3:00am, they were all running together lol
 
Fins1971 said:
I was talking about the following games that Coyle's defense did enough to win but the offense failed to run out the clock. (BUF 13, CAR 13, GB 14, DET 14). 4 times in his 2 years this has happened and we have lost when we should have won. Yes both side were accountable for the loss. But Coyle's frustration boiling over after this one.

His defense had to face Buffalo 3 times before failing. Then they had to face Carolina 4 times before failing. Both Green bay and Detroit got 2 chances before the defense gave in.

In his 2 years here his defense has never given up a lead on the ensuing series when the offense scores late. His defense always gives the ball back to offense with the lead. It is only when they are forced to do it repeatedly that they fail.
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Fair enough. In a couple of those games, it WAS the second possession that killed them. But I know what you mean. It's easy enough to look at it from each perspective. It's just particularly frustrating to debate the Detroit game when the offense punted ONCE in the 2nd half.
 
This year's offense won't be as bad just with the difference in personal.

Hartline being non existent is inexcusable from a #2 WR.
 
hooshoops said:
so you watched us get our asses kicked up front for 60 minutes
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It was a slug it out matchup in the trenches, with Detroit obviously having the upper hand.

For the record, Shelby played very tough along with James at both T spots.

I am really hoping that the Suh addition and the Big Bodied Phillips being added into the rotation, will give us that identity everyone is looking for.
 
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