Commentary: Miami Dolphins defense won't be feared until it creates more takeaways | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Commentary: Miami Dolphins defense won't be feared until it creates more takeaways

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BAMAPHIN 22

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It's time to start taking away possession, certainly more than the 19 times it did last season - more than only two other NFL teams.

"It's not their ball," Wake said. "When the ball is in the quarterback's hands, it's our ball. When it's in the air, it's our ball. When the running back has it, it's ours. Get it on the ground, get it out of his hands, take it out of the air."

That last part may prove most challenging. Grandmothers would freely send out the Dolphins defensive backs with wet hair and no coats in Antarctica; that's how slim the chance that they would catch anything. In the absence of thievery, there's been mockery.

"Shoot, we had one guy drop about eight picks," linebacker Karlos Dansby said. "I've never seen anything like that in my life. His hands got to stay on the Jugs machine."

Does that guy have the initials S and S?

"Definitely," Dansby said of cornerback Sean Smith. "It just goes to show you, the plays are there to be made, we've just got to make them. Shoot, I dropped two picks myself, so I can't rag on him without putting me in the same hat."

Dansby said that with the scheme designed by coordinator Mike Nolan and the unit's overall talent, takeaways should come naturally.

"We don't have to do anything out of character to get it done," Dansby said.

That's easier said than done, of course, or the Dolphins would have done it already. The Dolphins had only 11 interceptions last season, and three were by Jason Allen, who's no longer around.

The four starting defensive backs had one apiece, which could have been doubled if Smith had held onto any number of others, including a gift against Baltimore.

It wasn't just the starting secondary either. Benny Sapp blew one against Buffalo. Nolan Carroll flubbed one against Cleveland. Even lineman Kendall Langford botched one against the Jets.

"Last year was crazy," safety Yeremiah Bell said. "We were in the right position a lot of times.

"Interceptions are sometimes harder than they appear. It depends on what position your body is in when you see the ball. It's easy to track a ball once it's thrown and you can see it. But you're running and trying to cover a guy and you turn your head and the ball is there at the last minute, and you stick your hands out, and you drop it. You want to catch those but, still, it's hard to do."

Bell recalls dropping "a couple."

"You may get one opportunity a game to get an interception," Bell said. "It's golden. Your body can be in the most messed-up position, but you get your hands on it, so you've still got to make it count."
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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports...feared-until-1806682.html?cxtype=rss_dolphins
 
Absolutely. Turnovers can also lead to defensive touchdowns which is an area that we need to boost, as well. Last year, the Steelers had 21 interceptions and 3 defensive touchdowns. The Packers had 24 interceptions and 4 defensive touchdowns. Creating turnovers is apart of being elite and if the defense is going to take that next step, it's obviously something that they need to improve upon.
 
We haven't had an interception since the Atlanta game and we've had plenty of opportunities in the Carolina and Tampa Bay games. Sean Smith, Bell, Clemons...3 of our 4 starters can't catch crap.
 
The Clemons/T.O. TD still haunts me. That was a disgrace

101209_jim_mora-1.jpg
 
I still think its one of those flukey things and the secondary is gonna have a game where they grab 3 or 4 of em and then its gonna start coming in bunches.

[video=youtube;tG1t_m3Acws]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG1t_m3Acws&feature=related[/video]
 
This is why I am p*ssed off to see Reggie Bush out there on his own - last man in from practice - at the juggs machine spinning around to make split-second catches to improve his hand-eye coordination and make Henne's life easier.

Why isn't Sean Smith the last guy in every so often, or any other of the defense? I'm sure it happens, but the media certainly aren't reporting from Davie that the defense is doing extra after-practice work to get better at pulling in picks.
 
i think the Langford one against the jets last year was difficult to take me personally, but they will get it corrected and we can all cheer when we start taaking the ball away.
 
INTERCEPTIONS? WE TALKING INTERCEPTIONS!?? This team doesnt need interceptions, we only need field goals!
 
Mmmhmm. Early in the Tampa game if we come away with that INT we are right on their 30 or so I believe. I don't know why our DB's can't catch ****. Not like the opportunities aren't there ;(.

ps - I dislike Sean Smith.
 
Kdawg954 said:
I still think its one of those flukey things and the secondary is gonna have a game where they grab 3 or 4 of em and then its gonna start coming in bunches.

[video=youtube;tG1t_m3Acws]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG1t_m3Acws&feature=related[/video]
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That video is from a preseason game in his rookie season. Two years later he has 1 INT in his career.
 
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