AP: AFC East preseason preview

[Daytona Fin]

Here is the Associated Press Dolphins preseason preview. They currently have us at #19 in their rankings.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-8)

OPEN CAMP: July 25, Davie, Florida.

LAST YEAR: Dolphins were wildly inconsistent, their season rocked by bullying scandal that raised questions about locker room leadership. To make postseason for first time in five years, they needed to win one of final two games against Bills or the Jets, both out of playoff chase. Instead, Miami lost by combined 39-7. General manager Jeff Ireland left after six years. Coach Joe Philbin returns for third season, might need to make playoffs to keep job.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: GM Dennis Hickey; offensive coordinator Bill Lazor; OL coach John Benton; LT Branden Albert and RT Ja'Wuan James; DT Earl Mitchell; RB Knowshon Moreno; S Louis Delmas; WR Jarvis Landry; CB Cortland Finnegan; OLs Shelley Smith, Jason Fox, Daryn Colledge and Billy Turner.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: Ireland; offensive coordinator Mike Sherman; OL coach Jim Turner; OTs Jonathan Martin, Tyson Clabo and Bryant McKinnie; G Richie Incognito; DT Paul Soliai; S Chris Clemons; CBs Nolan Carroll and Dimitri Patterson; TE Dustin Keller.

CAMP NEEDS: Offense must adjust to Lazor's system while finding firepower after Dolphins scored once in final 24 possessions last year. Sort out O-line with five new starters after departures of Martin and Incognito, both involved in bullying scandal. Secondary will have two new starters. Should they keep Koa Misi at MLB after moving him there during offseason drills.

EXPECTATIONS: Dolphins were outgained by 743 yards last year, suggesting they overachieved to go 8-8. Neither offense nor defense appears to be first-place caliber, and unless QB Ryan Tannehill makes dramatic improvement in third NFL season, another Miami coaching search is more likely in January than a playoff game.

http://pro32.ap.org/article/afc-east-preseason-capsules-0

 

[dolphinswin]

His outlook is poor for but I pretty much have to agree, we got a tough sched........go phins

 

[fishfanmiami]

IMPORTANT LOSSES: Ireland; offensive coordinator Mike Sherman; OL coach Jim Turner; OTs Jonathan Martin, Tyson Clabo

No one on that list that is an important loss. It's called addition by subtraction.

 

[utahphinsfan]

All 4 teams in the AFC East are potential playoff contenders.

Buffalo IMO won't the division simply because of injuries already accrued. Miami & the jest could if all breaks well including stellar QB play.

That said, its very likely the pats win 10 w/ the phins, jest, & bills each winning 8.

 

[rent this space]

I agree that it's all on Ryan Tannehill this year. I think Hickey and Philbin understand this, virtually everything done on offense this offseason was done to help him throw the ball.

 

[PhinsPhan11]

That's about right. As of now the Dolphins haven't showed anything besides being an average team. We can talk about potential until we're blue in the face, so the Dolphins need to show something sooner rather than later.

 

[Daytona Fin]

Here's more notes from AP on the Dolphins: http://pro32.ap.org/article/revamped-ol-will-be-dolphins-focus-camp

Sorting out replacements will be coach Joe Philbin's top priority when training camp begins Friday. Here are some things to watch as the Dolphins begin six weeks of drills:

WHO'S GOING TO BLOCK?: The Dolphins thought they had acquired a long-term left tackle when they took Martin in the second round of the 2012 draft. They rebooted in March by signing free agent Branden Albert to a $47 million, five-year deal. Then they took Tennessee right tackle Ja'Wuan James with the 19th overall pick in the draft.

The guard spots remain up for grabs, and Miami also needs a fill-in for Pouncey.

"We're a work in progress," James said.

New offensive line coach John Benton will try to retool a unit largely to blame both for the bullying scandal and for the Dolphins' feeble offense. They led the NFL in sacks allowed, and top rusher Lamar Thomas scored just twice. The Dolphins managed only one touchdown in their final 24 possessions during a late-season meltdown that cost them a playoff berth.

NEW PLAYBOOK: Offensive coordinator Mike Sherman was fired after the Dolphins finished 27th in yards, and replacement Bill Lazor brought with him a new system. The Dolphins are expected to throw more and run plays quicker. Reviews during offseason drills were mixed.

"The guys are moving fast," defensive end Olivier Vernon said. "They're doing a lot of things I've never seen before. They confuse the heck out of me sometimes."

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was less impressed.

"When you're out here running these plays for the first time, it may not be pretty," he said. "We're all figuring things out."

TANNEHILL'S TIME: The Dolphins' 17th starting quarterback since Dan Marino has given the team stability at the position, starting all 32 games in his first two NFL seasons.

But if Tannehill is to keep his job, he needs to improve on his 15-17 record. He knows it.

"It's a big year for myself. It's a big year for our team," he said.

Tannehill has thrown 30 interceptions and been sacked 93 times in two seasons, which adds up to a lot of negative plays. And he backslid at the end of last year, going 30 for 67 for 286 yards in the final two games, both losses.

The Dolphins are especially eager to see an improvement in his accuracy on long passes. Tannehill repeatedly misfired deep to speedy Mike Wallace, who averaged only 12.7 yards per catch and scored five times, both career lows.

SECONDARY SHAKEUP: Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes is back to anchor a secondary that was one of Miami's strengths last year. But cornerback Nolan Carroll and safety Chris Clemons departed in free agency, ensuring a new look for a unit that ranked second best in the NFL in 2012-13 in touchdown passes allowed.

Free agent acquisition Louis Delmas is a lock at safety and might represent an upgrade over Clemons, but there will be a scramble for playing time among several cornerbacks. Contenders include Jamar Taylor and Will Davis, who saw little action as rookies last year because of injuries, and former All-Pro Cortland Finnegan, trying to mount a career comeback after starting only five games for the Rams in 2013.

MISI IN THE MIDDLE: Miami moved outside linebacker Koa Misi to the middle during offseason drills, and the experiment is expected to continue at the start of camp.

The Dolphins want better tackling and more big plays from their linebacking corps, but didn't address the position in free agency or the draft. Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler will likely be the other starters in Miami's 4-3 scheme.

 

[LANGER72]

8-8 is nothing to get excited about. Shula was run out of Miami for having 8-8 seasons. This team has been so bad for so long, I have no expectations.

 

[PhinFan1968]

That's about right. As of now the Dolphins haven't showed anything besides being an average team. We can talk about potential until we're blue in the face, so the Dolphins need to show something sooner rather than later.

Very average, yep. Too few goods, too many bads. Hopefully they evened that ratio out a bit for this season.

 

[Despacio]

We only go as far as Tannehill progresses. It's as simple as that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Krush]

The dolphins don't do well at in-game adjustments, the play calling last season was bush league, and there were no sense of urgency when they did get behind. I seen the Patriots the other day and I was observing his body language this guy has the mental make up of a warrior, he commands his position and he is coming to battle. Tannehill is coming to play football but not to battle, the patriots have the least talent in the AFC East and still win 12 games because they have a plan every single week and that plan is to unleash Tommy Brady. Sure we don't like him but I for one respect him for what he does for that team, Tannehill doesn't possess the will to win yet.

 

[13mademeafan13]

Here's more notes from AP on the Dolphins: http://pro32.ap.org/article/revamped-ol-will-be-dolphins-focus-camp

Sorting out replacements will be coach Joe Philbin's top priority when training camp begins Friday. Here are some things to watch as the Dolphins begin six weeks of drills:

Holy crap, did we go back to 1999/2000 for this story? When did we get Lamar Thomas back? Or is that the child Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas had? I just scanned though the rest after reading that. :crazy::crazy::crazy:

 

[Fin Thirteen]

The dolphins don't do well at in-game adjustments, the play calling last season was bush league, and there were no sense of urgency when they did get behind. I seen the Patriots the other day and I was observing his body language this guy has the mental make up of a warrior, he commands his position and he is coming to battle. Tannehill is coming to play football but not to battle, the patriots have the least talent in the AFC East and still win 12 games because they have a plan every single week and that plan is to unleash Tommy Brady. Sure we don't like him but I for one respect him for what he does for that team, Tannehill doesn't possess the will to win yet.

I think their plans from week to week are a bit more sophisticated than that, but I agree with the point of your post. Even if you don't trust your eyes and you need everything confirmed in stats, you'll see that guys like Brady and Wilson don't just do equally well in pressure situations, they actually get better. They thrive on it. I don't see any evidence that Tannehill thrives on it and looks forward to having some adversity to overcome. He's technically an excellent QB for his experience level, but he doesn't make things happen against the odds. He's decent in close games, good in the two-minute and has improved significantly in the redzone. But he doesn't have the arrogance to step away from the playbook, play to his personal strengths, buy himself time to make a chunk play or to be absolute money on third down, in the way the Bradys and Wilsons do. Will he ever be that guy? I think we'll know at the end of this season and its one reason I would have taken Bridgewater when he fell to us in the first.

 

[Chubby]

We only go as far as Tannehill progresses. It's as simple as that.
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I disagree with this... i think it has more to do with Philbin then Tannehill.. Tannehill will make progress again this year... has every year... so no reason not to think he will continue. But Philbin has been beyond mediocore as a coach. He personally allowed his BFF to sink our Offense and he just stood by. Philbin also has no pulse or control over this team.

So what I am hoping for is Philbin to step up as a HC and lead this team.

Another important aspect to this season will be our OL...without improvement its doom for this offense and team.

Here is hoping for a successful 2014/2015 season
Chubbs

 

[Dick Pepperwood]

8-8 sounds about right. Which is flipping sad. Same old stuff. Nothing changes around here. Mediocrity unless Tannehill steps up. Otherwise looking for new Coach and QB in 2015.