after studying the tape...

[thecoordinator]

just my opinion...

First, the run blocking as it was in preseason is down right pathetic and it really falls on the shoulders of 2 guys. James and Hadnot. It's getting old watching Jeno get pushed into the backfield and Hadnot whiffing. It was the same in the preseason tapes. There is always penetration off the snap and it fudges our running play before it even gets started.

Also, Barnes has done a pretty poor job. I'm not sure why Beasley was cut, he did not look as bad as Barnes in the tapes I've reviewed. In fact I'm still waiting for Darian to block someone. Anderson actually did a decent job last night. He wasn't a liability. I'm really impressed with the play of Carey and Shelton. They have been solid and the most consistent since preseason game 1. MC is inconsistent. Sometimes he makes a nice block and sometimes he's pretty bad. Overall he does ok though. And now...for something alot of you guys aren't going to like and something I don't like saying; Ronnie Brown does not show the vision and natural instincts as a runner that the elite backs in the NFL have. And I'm not sure that is something that can be learned or gained from experience. I'm not gonna start breaking that down but just study a tape of someone like Ricky and then watch Ronnie. You'll see what I'm talking about. Ronnie cannot make something from nothing nor turn a 3 yard run into a 60 yard run with vision and instinct. He has to rely on his awesome physical talent. I don't want to argue this with you guys. Just take it for what it is; one man's opinion.

As for our pass blocking it's like night and day compared to our running game. Usually guys are able to run block but struggle in pass protection. Not the case here. I'll put our pass protection up against any other team's in the NFL. I don't think you can ask for any more in this department. Sure from time to time someone will get beat but this is common on every offensive line in the league.

on the flip side we're a little short on personnel to execute saban's scheme like it is intended(breaking news, i know). as with last year, our 3-4 front is more vulnerable against the run than our 4-3 package and our blitz is not effective enough. we've certainly gotten more athletic in the secondary but speed doesn't equal talent. the 1st and 10 from the Pitt 12 yard line with 6:25 remaining looked like cover 0. We were 100% sure they were gonna run and they passed. Zach was in a severe mismatch with their TE and we just got caught with our pants down. they had the perfect play on for our D. And it was a questionable D call. I'd like to hear nick's comments on it. Perhaps there was an error at safety because there was no one back. That was a very atypical defensive call given the circumstances.

so, to make a long post even longer....overall i think im satisfied with where we're at. No, we aren't a superbowl contender right now but that does't matter because it will be played in February not September. Daunte will be fine. He just needs more reps to get comfortable with his knee. He was not using his lower body to throw last night and thats a reason alot of passes didn't have zip on them and the flats passes were short. mooolarky will eventually catch on that this team is far better at passing than it is at running. our game plan will start to reflect that with spread sets and alot of passes which will in turn create some running room from those same formations. but the doom and gloom has gotta stop. we had a 17-14 lead late in the 4th vs the defending superbowl champs on opening night in their house. we just couldnt finish it. there are alot of things that are correctable and im confident saban will do just that.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Shelton was manhandled all night!

 

[Kdawg954]

Yep, was a good effort . . . but we have a division game next week . . . which is more important than the game we just played . . . time for the troops to regroup and come out swinging next sunday.

 

[adamprez2003]

I would add that Carey looked bad also at RT. I also thought that having Zach on Miller was horrendous coaching though some have said that was the safety's responsibility. I dont see it since the safety was on a wr so either he was covering for a blown coverage by a cb or he was doing what the play called for. Good analysis though

 

[ckparrothead]

Yeah it would be difficult to disagree with you more on Darian Barnes, LJ Shelton, and Randy...but seeing as how we both did extensive film study in the preseason and came out with completely different conclusions, that isn't surprising to me.

Also the D on the Miller play was a cover three deep zone.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

I would add that Carey looked bad also at RT. I also thought that having Zach on Miller was horrendous coaching though some have said that was the safety's responsibility. I dont see it since the safety was on a wr so either he was covering for a blown coverage by a cb or he was doing what the play called for. Good analysis though

If you watch after the play, they show Saban letting into a Saftey (I think it was Hill)

 

[twg76]

I am almost through the game for the second time. I recorded it to DVR last night, so I am able to slow things down and rewind.

You hit the nail on the head when you said the O-line is having trouble with the run blocking. It is a combination of two things:

#1 No push at the line on the snap
#2 Ronnie is not getting into the right gap in time

The O-line is late in getting on their blocks. This causes holes to be unclear and late to develop. BUT there are still usually some spots that could be used for positive yards. BUT Ronnie isn't finding those holes. It seems like he is trying to run the play "by the book" and use his physical power to break tackles. It is resulting in VERY short gains. It shows his physical toughness, but it isn't getting first downs.

So that is a serious concern for Miami. The O-line run blocking and Ronnie's "vision". I think Ronnie can improve though.

The other area of concern is definitely the secondary. You hit the nail on the head again. I see lots of athletic ability in the secondary. I think Jason Allen fits that mold. BUT WHERE ARE THE INSTINCTS? Where is the timing back there? Do they need more time to develop the chemistry?

Andre Goodman had a really bad game last night. If you watch the tape again, he just barely played good enough to avoid being called a Reggie Howard by the Howard-haters. He cost Miami 7 points on that pass interference, and then by letting Ward run right in front of him for the TD. He was also called for a penalty in the 3rd quarter, along with Lehan, that kept the Steeler drive alive while the front seven were dominating. The call of "hands to the face" on Lehan was a cheap call.

So I think Miami desperately needs to get Daniels back in the lineup. I would like to see Daniels starting in place of Goodman. I know Goodman is better than what he played last night. So he should still get some time at CB.

The secondary makes me nervous. Jason Allen is the #1 pick this year. He has to be able to come in at some point this year and make an impact. Miami needs him badly. I hope he steps up soon.

 

[Sethdaddy8]

As far as the Miller play, that was a blown cover 3, in Will Allens third of the zone. Barnes played like poop last night, but I thought he had a good pre-season. And I agree with you 100% about Ronnie Brown. I do think his phenominal physical attributes will still allow him to be a star, but he lacks football instincts.(in regard to running...the kid is a natural blocker)

 

[thecoordinator]

Also the D on the Miller play was a cover three deep zone.

nah man you might wanna run that back again. its cover 1. the cbs were in man coverage as was the slb. mlb short zone over the middle and wlb responsible for the rb who stayed into block. the fs runs with the split end streak and it was the ss responsibility to run with the te but he runs to the flats like he's got the fb or maybe he was running to the flanker who ran a short curl but either way he didnt pick up the te and like it was said thats why saban chewed him out.

 

[Springveldt]

nah man you might wanna run that back again. its cover 1. the cbs were in man coverage as was the slb. mlb short zone over the middle and wlb responsible for the rb who stayed into block. the fs runs with the split end streak and it was the ss responsibility to run with the te but he runs to the flats like he's got the fb or maybe he was running to the flanker who ran a short curl but either way he didnt pick up the te and like it was said thats why saban chewed him out.

Well Saban said it was a cover 3, maybe you should argue with him about it? It was a cover 3 that all 3 deep men blew their assignments on, amazing.
Will Allen was horrendous in zone coverage and if you watch the highlights again you could easily blame him for all 3 TD's.

 

[twg76]

Will Allen was horrendous in zone coverage.

This is somewhat true. I don't think he caused "all 3 TDs", but I know for a fact that he left #85 wide open for that first TD. Tillman tried to get over to pick him up, but it was too late. Allen didn't even run with #85 like he should have.

He did point though. So maybe Tillman was late getting over? This is evidence of a lack of chemistry. It will take some time back there.

 

[ckparrothead]

nah man you might wanna run that back again. its cover 1. the cbs were in man coverage as was the slb. mlb short zone over the middle and wlb responsible for the rb who stayed into block. the fs runs with the split end streak and it was the ss responsibility to run with the te but he runs to the flats like he's got the fb or maybe he was running to the flanker who ran a short curl but either way he didnt pick up the te and like it was said thats why saban chewed him out.

According to this, it was a three deep zone.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphi...ersside_0908.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46

The confusion based on how the play LOOKS is because, as has been noted many times, all the defenders were not on the same page.

It looked like Renaldo Hill had coverage responsibility for the deep middle. Instead, he played the deep right as if it were cover two.

Meanwhile on the other side of the field, Will Allen also played like the play was a cover two zone, playing the short right side.

Yet Andre Goodman played the three deep zone, following the split end on the streak as you said, and it lookes like Travares Tillman played the three deep zone as well by playing robber.

The MOST LIKELY problem, was that when the Steelers lined up Twins Off-I, Miami started off in the three deep zone. When Hines Ward went in motion out to the right side, half of Miami's secondary audibled into what genuinely looks like cover two, and half of them stayed in the same coverage. This is most likely what Renaldo Hill meant when he said that they played "multiple coverages".

Afterwards, I've heard people claim that Nick came up and gave Renaldo Hill the business but that's not really true. He sought out where both Hill and Allen were and you could clearly see him talking pretty damn calmly with both of them, not just Hill.

 

[ckparrothead]

Well Saban said it was a cover 3, maybe you should argue with him about it? It was a cover 3 that all 3 deep men blew their assignments on, amazing.
Will Allen was horrendous in zone coverage and if you watch the highlights again you could easily blame him for all 3 TD's.

After a little review this isn't completely true. Renaldo Hill covered deep, so did Andre Goodman. They both covered the same man. It really appears that Andre and Travares (the two least experienced players) continued to play cover three while Will Allen and Renaldo Hill opted into cover two after the flanker went in motion from twins out into the right side.

 

[ckparrothead]

From Saban's press conference.

"It was an error in coverage. Couple guys playin one thing, couple guys were playin somethin else...and, it all goes back to communication, from the call in the huddle, to communicating together. The safeties should have communicated, and the safeties carry it out to the corners. And, if we don't get it right, then we didn't practice it enough, but we had done it correctly on the same call at least a dozen times during the game."

Sounds exactly like I laid out. One safety and one corner played one way, one safety and one corner played another way. Tillman at left safety and Goodman at right corner were on one page, Hill at right safety and Allen at left corner were on another page.

 

[Tigers2003]

Actually in preseason I though James and Hadnot did alright especially the JAX game. Nobody blocked well in Carolina game. LJ did a yeoman's job vs Steelers. Carey was Carey. Sometimes good and sometimes bad.

I do agree the pass protection was good. Parrothead's synopsis of RB I am not sure about. I do believe he could have followed his blockers better to get to what space was available. He can certainly run over people. The take that he lacks vision to turn a two yard gain into a 20 or more I want to see more evidence. I think RB will be fine and no he is not quit yet in the elite league. At this point I am going to blame the blocking more than Ronnie for our lack of a running game last night.

Eventhough I have TIVO like a d(*)&^&* I forgot to activate it DUH!! But from seeing every minute of the game live I will have to say that the Steelers did gameplan very well and caught us with everthing down on the Miller TD reception and other plays. Leaving our LBs in mismatches and Safety's not executing is not a good sign. It is a concern. But, I am actually more concerned with Parker getting over 100 on us. We GOT TO do something about that- that is executing vs. the run better.

On a good note way to go Welker and Booker! Somebody posted this past week that Booker could be a key in this game and he did produce. Also, yeah he had trouble but RB did score TDs! Take away the two INTS and Culpepper had a fine night. Y'all just consider we were playing a D loaded with playmakers. I mean no one executes the zone blitz like they do. But, Culpepper does share some blame since he did not read the defenses well and did not put the ball where it needed to be on those INTs.