Defense, not QB, the biggest concern

[NWFLJoe]

Yes, there are lots of questions on offense, not the least of which is who will be the quarterback. After all, "If [Quincy] Carter is the answer as the signal-caller, it’s hard to imagine what the question is."

Pennington is an upgrade over John McHenne, at least in the near term. Williams and Parmele will give Ronnie Brown plenty of time to get his sea legs back. The line is significantly improved over last year and has the potential to grow into one of the best in the NFL, as soon as late this year.

But the defense is a mess. D-line is coming together but the linebacking corps and defensive backfield are unproven at best. And there's no way the offense will be explosive enough to match what the defense will allow.

Perhaps by mid-season the D will begin to gel but look for painful growth as opponents run and pass almost at will against the real weak link for the Dolphins as they enter 2008.

06. Will the Dolphins be able to stop the run?

STATUS: Unclear.

While no official announcement has been made by Sparano or defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni, it’s pretty clear with the release of the Dolphins' first depth chart that the team will run a base 3-4 in 2008. Jason Ferguson looks immovable at nose guard and veterans Vonnie Holliday and Matt Roth, along with second-round rookie Phillip Merling, have all impressed so far (at this point in training camp, though, the defense almost always looks better than the offense). The linebacking unit, unfortunately, has yet to gel. Newbies Charlie Anderson, Akin Ayodele and Reggie Torbor join returning backers Joey Porter and Channing Crowder in the defensive front seven. If the linebackers don’t come together quickly in camp, opponents may repeat 2007’s per-game rushing average of 153 yards per contest against the Dolphins.

07. Will fixing one problem reveal another?

STATUS: Unknown.

With safeties Yeremiah Bell and Jason Allen teaming with corners Will Allen and André Goodman, there seems to be plenty of talent in the defensive backfield; however, Bell played just one game in 2007 and Goodman missed the team’s first two contests with his second shoulder surgery in as many seasons and did not perform as he had in 2006. That means the team will have a largely untested unit defending the pass. The only potential good news for the secondary could be that the rush 'D' may be bad enough to give the pass defenders time to gel, though Sparano and Pasqualoni would much rather see the talented defensive backfield tested early by offenses that are struggling to run the ball.

http://www.realfootball365.com/index.php/articles/dolphins/12291

 

[Phinsfan210]

I like our defense this year. Their a young, energized, hungry defense. Now yes they are unproven, but I believe they will overall rank somewhere in the high teens, like 18th or 19th best defense by the time the year is done.

 

[NWFLJoe]

Maybe by the end of the year but the growing pains will be painful. Just be ready for that...

 

[MrClean]

I like our defense too. Even with the loss of Taylor and Thomas, this is a deeper unit than last year's defense, when you look 2 deep at every position. While we will probably not be as strong rushing the passer compared to last year, I think this unit is going to be much tougher to run on.

 

[hoops]

i expect that if the run d is improved and the pass rush regresses the secondary will be exposed.

 

[X-Pacolypse]

I like our defense. Especially the move of Matt Roth to LOLB. That position is a much more natural fit for him.

 

[moonman]

I think barring injuries the secondary can be very good.

Also, if Ferg does his job as well as it seems he's capable of look for the run defense to be rather good. That's how it works in the 3-4 no matter how many times people try to overlook it.

 

[NWFLJoe]

Excellent point, moonman. A nose tackle who can occupy two blockers and push (if not collapse) the center of the o-line is key to the 3-4. Ferguson is good at that.

My only question about him at this point is his durability. Going into his 11th year in the league, having played just 1 game last year, and having to come off the practice field several times thusfar in training camp, I'm not convinced. It's tough to drag 300+ pounds around the defensive line for a decade.

But Ferguson is a warrior and a leader. He'll go as long as his body will let him and will teach the younger guys along the way. I'm just not convinced his body will hold up for the entire season. I look for Soliai to get plenty of snaps in TC and he'll have to be ready to spell Ferguson during the season, especially early in Miami (due to the heat/humidity).

 

[jreg1]

Yes, there are lots of questions on offense, not the least of which is who will be the quarterback. After all, "If [Quincy] Carter is the answer as the signal-caller, it’s hard to imagine what the question is."

Pennington is an upgrade over John McHenne, at least in the near term. Williams and Parmele will give Ronnie Brown plenty of time to get his sea legs back. The line is significantly improved over last year and has the potential to grow into one of the best in the NFL, as soon as late this year.

But the defense is a mess. D-line is coming together but the linebacking corps and defensive backfield are unproven at best. And there's no way the offense will be explosive enough to match what the defense will allow.

Perhaps by mid-season the D will begin to gel but look for painful growth as opponents run and pass almost at will against the real weak link for the Dolphins as they enter 2008.




http://www.realfootball365.com/index.php/articles/dolphins/12291

If our noseguard cannot be blocked then won't that free up other players in the front seven to make plays!

 

[maverick50]

i think our defense will be better then we expect but our offense will be piss poor unless our wrs can catch the ball . my biggest fear is that our rbs get exposed because we cant throw the freaking ball and that is my fear. the special teams is more of a concern then the defense.