Are the Dolphins coaches dropping the ball? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Are the Dolphins coaches dropping the ball?

DKphin

DKphin

Club Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
14,535
Reaction score
6,353
Location
Pattaya, Thailand
One of the few times I agree with Omar:
While it's my job to be critical, regularly second-guessing everything the Miami Dolphins do, there's one line I usually don't cross.
I'll second guess strategy, analyze schemes, and pick apart personnel moves (cutting Matt Roth still doesn't make sense, no matter what the Trifecta says, or doesn't say. Roth's seven tackles and one sack in his first game for the Browns makes me call B.S. on that one). But I have a hard time, extremely hard time, criticizing play-calling.
Why? Because it's easy to play Monday Morning Quarterback AFTER you know the results.
Often times the same play call that gets labeled as dumb (for instance, Ricky Williams' throw into the end zone that turned into an interception on the first drive of the Bills game) would be called genius if it had worked.
What people don't know is that coaches prep for every possible situation during the week. They script every kind of play for every kind of situation. That custom made game-plan, based on hours and hours worth of film breakdown, and practices, gives them a better idea of what might work if executed properly. Sometimes you'll see a play they've worked on for two months and think they just put it in this week, but that's not the case.
These calls are usually well thought out, regularly practiced, and often designed to attack an opponents weakness, a certain coverage, or created to set something else up later in the game.

That's why it's hard for me to come down on Tony Sparano and offensive coordinator Dan Henningfor some of the plays they've called against the Bills, or some of the schemes they lean heavily on, like the Wildcat and the Pat Package (that's what Sparano's calling it these days).
BUT, if you ask me if I'm on board with the theory that the Dolphins coaches have dropped the ball at times this season by getting too cute....I'm gonna have to plea the fifth Amendment, or as Dave Chappelle puts it, The FIF.
Click to expand...
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2009/12/are-the-dolphins-poorly-coached.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sports%2FMiamiDolphinsweblog+%28Miami+Dolphins+|+Sun-Sentinel+Blogs%29
 
To answer your thread question, the answer is yes.

While Sparano has done a fantastic job in changing the culture, his mismanagement on gameday and inability to define an identity for this team on offense has been his demise. We play smashmouth, then get cute, then pound, then run a reverse, then a gadget play. It's stupid really. I also think his high school theatrics on the sidelines (going ape$hit when the opposing kicker misses a FG, signalling first down while screaming, etc) are lame at best.
 
Makes sense, but the law of averages needs to apply. When your averaging almost 6 yards a carry and you are first and goal from the 3, and have Jake Long on the left, you smash the ball in.
 
Yes, our coordinators. But Good god, Omar has been whining all week, he needs to move the **** on
 
Third Eye said:
To answer your thread question, the answer is yes.

While Sparano has done a fantastic job in changing the culture, his mismanagement on gameday and inability to define an identity for this team on offense has been his demise. We play smashmouth, then get cute, then pound, then run a reverse, then a gadget play. It's stupid really. I also think his high school theatrics on the sidelines (going ape$hit when the opposing kicker misses a FG, signalling first down while screaming, etc) are lame at best.
Click to expand...
I feel the same if your o-line is is man handling there d-line there is no reason for trick plays ...so yes it was a bonehead call!
 
If the Ricky pass works it still is a stupid play call. Have Henne playaction to Ricky and boot opposite throwing to a TE then fine, the defense would expect Ricky to run and playaction would make any TE wide open.
Having Ricky throw is just plain ignorant to the flow of play calling, you have to set plays up and just picking a play out of nowhere makes no sense. 4 cracks at running up the gut makes more sense, there's no defending that one.
 
Third Eye said:
To answer your thread question, the answer is yes.

While Sparano has done a fantastic job in changing the culture, his mismanagement on gameday and inability to define an identity for this team on offense has been his demise. We play smashmouth, then get cute, then pound, then run a reverse, then a gadget play. It's stupid really. I also think his high school theatrics on the sidelines (going ape$hit when the opposing kicker misses a FG, signalling first down while screaming, etc) are lame at best.
Click to expand...

LOL so true... Sporano gets a pass form me this year but if I see the same lameness next year I will be calling for his head
 
I give Sparano a pass because its not the right time to call out your OC's playcalling in the first quarter of a game. He should have addressed it at halftime or after the game. If a play like that happens again, I would then put it on Sparano. As for now I would blame Henning, and even Ricky for attempting that lame pass. How come nobody blames Ricky for that play?
 
at that moment sparano should have stripped him of play calling duties, you are getting chunks of yards on the run, they cannot stop you and you oc calls a pass play WTF. i do not see him back next year, i could see david lee take over or i would love for them to bring in weis, and of course romeo for defense, boy will belicheat love that
 
BIG DOG said:
at that moment sparano should have stripped him of play calling duties, you are getting chunks of yards on the run, they cannot stop you and you oc calls a pass play WTF. i do not see him back next year, i could see david lee take over or i would love for them to bring in weis, and of course romeo for defense, boy will belicheat love that
Click to expand...

What is with all the love in here for David Lee as a play caller? Something in my gut tells me with his profound love of the wildcat, he is instrumental in many of these play designs - plays that belong in a junior high playbook, not the NFL.
 
Zounds said:
I give Sparano a pass because its not the right time to call out your OC's playcalling in the first quarter of a game. He should have addressed it at halftime or after the game. If a play like that happens again, I would then put it on Sparano. As for now I would blame Henning, and even Ricky for attempting that lame pass. How come nobody blames Ricky for that play?
Click to expand...
I don't understand why TS got a pass. What is the head phone for? He is the HC, he can override the call anytime he want.
I blame OC for making a stupid call, and I blame TS for letting it go.
 
Could Sparano be afraid to fire Henning?It was Parcells who hired Henning.

Seriously what has Henning done since being here?The guy calls some of the dumbest plays and makes the strangest call such as Ricky passing.Even Ditka said Ricky can't throw the ball.

And it was not Henning that implemented the Wildcat it was Lee.

The Dolphins need a new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

Does Sparano have the balls to fire his bosses buddy Henning?If he doesn't I can see Tony being gone after next year.
 
4THand10 said:
Could Sparano be afraid to fire Henning?It was Parcells who hired Henning.

Seriously what has Henning done since being here?The guy calls some of the dumbest plays and makes the strangest call such as Ricky passing.Even Ditka said Ricky can't throw the ball.

And it was not Henning that implemented the Wildcat it was Lee.

The Dolphins need a new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

Does Sparano have the balls to fire his bosses buddy Henning?If he doesn't I can see Tony being gone after next year.
Click to expand...
We are not talking about firing OC, we are talking about changing the call at the spot.
TS either a) think is a good call
b) caught up in the moment
or c) as you said, afraid to.

either way, Sparano is to blame.
 
Third Eye said:
To answer your thread question, the answer is yes.

While Sparano has done a fantastic job in changing the culture, his mismanagement on gameday and inability to define an identity for this team on offense has been his demise. We play smashmouth, then get cute, then pound, then run a reverse, then a gadget play. It's stupid really. I also think his high school theatrics on the sidelines (going ape$hit when the opposing kicker misses a FG, signalling first down while screaming, etc) are lame at best.
Click to expand...

maybe he isn't looking for an identity, but looking to become unpredictable.
I am all for it but damn not when u dont have the talent to do so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom