Anyone else worry about our defense?

[AZStryker]

Almost lost....not a loss. 450 yards doesn't matter, still held to 20. PPG & turnovers are the bulk of what really matter.

Fair enough. Though would it be fair to say both Tannehill and the defense have been awesome and dreadful at times??? As there's no way you can make a case that the defense has been more consistent or better.

Oh and The pats average 21 points w/o gronk and 32 with him.

 

[Ruckus45]

Fair enough. Though would it be fair to say both Tannehill and the defense have been awesome and dreadful at times??? As there's no way you can make a case that the defense has been more consistent or better.

Oh and The pats average 21 points w/o gronk and 32 with him.

Awesome and dreadful can be said about any team at any time during a season. Ill totally agree. I see us as a young team that is going to have those issues. I see a team that is getting better and is really maturing before our eyes. Sadly you have to go for a ride like this with a second year QB that had little college experience, a 2nd year HC, and a team that had 19 rookies on the roster last year. This offseason can be huge for our future. Get into playoffs this year and get experience, resign key players, and draft for depth and BPA then I feel our inconsistencies will drop.

Also, regarding the D. Our D stays on the field consistently in the top 5 of the league for the most time. Those guys are gassed- a better OL that can run block can help that a lot.

 

[Sirspud]

Against Cincy, blew 14 point lead
Against Pitt, blown lead
Against NE, blown lead
Against ATL, blew most of the game except for a ST turnover
Against CLE, who cares (Cleveland is an awful team and they weren't close enough in the game)

Let's go over some others -
New England I (blew large lead)
Tampa Bay - promptly gave up TD after offense had regained the lead
Panthers - blew lead at end of game


So, I feel good now. Couple of picks and a sack to end drives in these...solid play. The only bad one was against the Panthers which you could attribute to poor coaching and a fake penalty when Newton flopped out of bounds.

There are more terrible defenses in the league by far; just look at the Cowboys, Bears, and Redskins. Those defenses give up countless big plays. Our weakness is different. We're not good at covering the middle of the field with our linebackers and safeties, so teams move the ball at will when they neutralize our pass rush with the medium passing game (New England's practice squad talent at receiver stalled a couple of their drives). Despite adding Grimes, we have almost zero pick potential. It's pretty telling that the guy who made the game winning play yesterday was the one who has spent almost no time with this team. That because besides Grimes, none of these guys even know what a game changing play even feels like anymore, at least not since Reshad Jones got paid. Our free safety is choke artist, the Chad Henne of safeties, a guy who when given a chance to end the game with a great play giftwrapped for him, fails ten out of ten times.

The skill position players on this offense have manned up against Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New England, Cincinatti, mounting clutch game winning or game tying drives. They have failed in some games because the offensive line didn't give them time to succeed. I'm still more convinced that they are the ones manning up and winning games than the offense, and the ones whose job is being made vastly more difficult by the other unit because they almost always follow up offensive success by giving up a touchdown to the opposition.

 

[Ruckus45]

There are more terrible defenses in the league by far; just look at the Cowboys, Bears, and Redskins. Those defenses give up countless big plays. Our weakness is different. We're not good at covering the middle of the field with our linebackers and safeties, so teams move the ball at will when they neutralize our pass rush with the medium passing game (New England's practice squad talent at receiver stalled a couple of their drives). Despite adding Grimes, we have almost zero pick potential. It's pretty telling that the guy who made the game winning play yesterday was the one who has spent almost no time with this team. That because besides Grimes, none of these guys even know what a game changing play even feels like anymore, at least not since Reshad Jones got paid. Our free safety is choke artist, the Chad Henne of safeties, a guy who when given a chance to end the game with a great play giftwrapped for him, fails ten out of ten times.

Zero pick potential? We're tied for 6th in the league for ints.

 

[Sirspud]

Also, regarding the D. Our D stays on the field consistently in the top 5 of the league for the most time. Those guys are gassed- a better OL that can run block can help that a lot.

The defense is almost solely response for its length of time on the field by its general inability to consistently stop an opposition offense from mounting long drives. The offense would be able to run the ball more if their multiscore leads weren't given up promptly by the defense the very drive after they've been established. The offense is constantly in score now mode because doing anything else is suicide.

 

[Sirspud]

Zero pick potential? We're tied for 6th in the league for ints.

4 of those came from a guy who didn't even play as many quarters on the year. 4 came from Grimes, who I mentioned. The most anyone else has is two, which is also the career high of anyone not named Grimes seeing time in our secondary. Or anyone not named Reshad Jones, who has really been flexing his INT muscles by contributing a grand total of one. Without Patterson, we've lost a huge amount of our turnover potential, and since that's what we will be for the rest of the year, that's how I will judge this defense.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Honestly "Worried" is not the word.

I don't have any confidence in this team.

Here is what I believe would be a more appropriate avatar for you.
Droopy Deputy

 

[nick1]

4 of those came from a guy who didn't even play as many quarters on the year. 4 came from Grimes, who I mentioned. The most anyone else has is two, which is also the career high of anyone not named Grimes seeing time in our secondary. Or anyone not named Reshad Jones, who has really been flexing his INT muscles by contributing a grand total of one. Without Patterson, we've lost a huge amount of our turnover potential, and since that's what we will be for the rest of the year, that's how I will judge this defense.

just be happy buddy, Thomas just played his first career game and already has a pick ;-) its coming from everyone. I'd rather have a team full of 2 pick guys then 1 guy with 10. easy to avoid that one guy not easy to avoid everyone. will davis is a ball hawk and just started playing too

 

[iambanned]

I'd like to see what Will Davis and Michael Thomas can do with a full week of practice, though Id rather see, at least, a healthy Grimes out there in Buffalo.
Michael Thomas made another play people might forget. A beautiful, open-field 1-1 tackle vs Shane Vereen early in that drive. I don't know if his measurables didn't impress scouts or what, but the kid can flat-out play football.

 

[Sirspud]

just be happy buddy, Thomas just played his first career game and already has a pick ;-) its coming from everyone. I'd rather have a team full of 2 pick guys then 1 guy with 10. easy to avoid that one guy not easy to avoid everyone. will davis is a ball hawk and just started playing too

I'm happy for Thomas, but doesn't anyone find it disconcerting that only guys who come from elsewhere show any ability to pick the ball? 8 of our. picks came from guys who probably won't be here next year. 11 of them came from guys trained elsewhere. I'd like to see the guys who are longterm Dolphins show some ability in this regard. My only hope for the future is Davis, but he has to learn to cover before he can use his ball skills.

 

[AZStryker]

The defense is almost solely response for its length of time on the field by its general inability to consistently stop an opposition offense from mounting long drives. The offense would be able to run the ball more if their multiscore leads weren't given up promptly by the defense the very drive after they've been established. The offense is constantly in score now mode because doing anything else is suicide.

Absolutely 100% correct!

 

[dimitri416]

Absolutely 100% correct!

That is why I think we are in a huge disadvantage up in Buffalo next week. Freezy rain, ice like conditions and a wind gusting to 21km/hr, i think thats 13 m/hr for you Americans. These conditions will nuetralize what make this team highly successful and that's the passing game. Dolphins D continuously shows inability to stop the run and prevent long drives. Buffalo can run the bleep out of the football. Really see this game as almost impossible to win considering this teams strengths on offense and deficiencies on defence. I think the weather will neutralize our strengths and play into the hands of our weakness'

 

[Ruckus45]

4 of those came from a guy who didn't even play as many quarters on the year. 4 came from Grimes, who I mentioned. The most anyone else has is two, which is also the career high of anyone not named Grimes seeing time in our secondary. Or anyone not named Reshad Jones, who has really been flexing his INT muscles by contributing a grand total of one. Without Patterson, we've lost a huge amount of our turnover potential, and since that's what we will be for the rest of the year, that's how I will judge this defense.

You'll never be happy. You just look for reasons to complain. We are 6th in the league with ints and you're not happy with how we get them? I'm sure you think most of our sacks are because the QB slipped.

 

[Phinatic8u]

Miami's D has it's moments.

They give up way too many long 3rd downs, our LB is usually subpar (although Elerbee is getting better) and S play is laughable at best.

We can't stop the run due to our LBs having no instincts, our Dline always shows up, so does Grimes.

Also if I see Chris Clemons drop another gift wrapped INT I'm gonna explode, if dude could catch he would have atleast 6 ints this year..

 

[Canadianfishfan]

Sunday's game reminded me of the "bend but don't break" Dolphin defenses of the Wanny years. granted we had much better defensive players back then, but I remember moments just like that were you were screaming for a stop when the opponent were still in their half of the field. Then by some miracle we'd get bailed out.

Don't like it. Not one bit. It would be nice if our defense was dominant on the line of scrimmage more often. Which likely won't happen as long as Soliai is out..

Next man up... let's see what cha got!