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Dolphins' linebackers showing promise

DKphin

DKphin

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I think wheeler may be living in another world. You can definitely lay alot of the defenses woes on the LB corps and especially on Wheeler himself. His stats are garbage time stats. He was constantly late to the play, allowing the ball carrier to pick up significant yardage before coming into the frame. As I stated earlier the LB corps was the weak link to our defense and he was the weakest.
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Miami Dolphins linebacker Koa Misi is seen during a drill during day 3 of training camp, Sunday, Jluy 27, 2014, at Nova Southeastern Universtiy in Davie. Joe Cavaretta / SunSentinel (Joe Cavaretta / Sun Sentinel / July 27, 2014)

Don't tell Dolphins linebacker Philip Wheeler that his unit was largely to blame for the defense ranking 24th in the NFL against the run last season.

"The total defense did," Wheeler said. "It wasn't just us."
Whatever the case, coach Joe Philbin and defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle blamed the faulty run defense (124.9 yards per game) on poor tackling and poor technique. They never identified the linebackers as the source, but that's where the change was made.
It'll be tough to determine much about the Dolphins' linebackers until preseason games begin. But the move seemed to be working fairly well Sunday, the third practice of training camp and the first in full pads.
The Dolphins retained their trio of starting linebackers in their 4-3 scheme, switching Koa Misi (54 tackles) to middle linebacker, Dannell Ellerbe (101 tackles, two interceptions, two recovered fumbles) to weakside linebacker, and leaving Wheeler (team-best 118 tackles) on the strongside.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-dolphins-feature-0728-20140727,0,5426716.story
 
If Koa Misi can turn into a top drawer MLB, that would be an amazing development for this defense. It would be a nice upgrade. I've seen the mike position as a major hole in the roster. If Misi solves it, then that's one less major need to fill next season. Although one way or another I think we draft LB help early next season.

If Misi plays well in the middle, thus defense may be substantially better this season. The run D graded around 24th in the league if memory serves. It's vital that that number come way down.
 
wheelers comments are hilarious...you were terrible boss...absolutely awful...worst clean to the ball starting lb probably in football...couldnt even cover a slug like hoomanui or whatever his name is for the pats

horrid contract
 
I'm probably not as down on Wheeler as many others around here. Our entire LB core was pretty bad last year, and none of them were much better than anyone else. I think a lot of that comes down to coaching. I expect big things from our new LB coach. The Jags had good LBs every year it seemed. I like Wheelers potential. There are certain things he will never be great at, but he has the speed and quickness to be pretty good if he gets the coaching to understand where he is going on every snap.
 
Linebackers need to play a lot better this year. Last year the play I remember most from Phillip Wheeler and the Dolphins run defense was when Giovanni Bernard dodged about 8 tackles to score a TD.

[video=youtube;2KgHCjlfSMU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KgHCjlfSMU[/video]
 
mrhankey81701 said:
Linebackers need to play a lot better this year. Last year the play I remember most from Phillip Wheeler and the Dolphins run defense was when Giovanni Bernard dodged about 8 tackles to score a TD.

[video=youtube;2KgHCjlfSMU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KgHCjlfSMU[/video]
Click to expand...

This play made me as angry as any play I've ever seen as a Dolphin fan. Yeah. Let's everyone jog around and hope he just falls down. Grimes missed TWICE on that same play.
 
I really hope that Jenkins and Tripp beat out Wheeler and Misi, so we can cut Wheeler next year and have our young LBs of the future.
 
grimes at least did his job and forced outside contain wheeler just overran the damn play...there's another brutal play from wheeler in the carolina game on a big run...and many more in pass coverage...not to mention all the times that clown was late to fill or overran it or late when clean to the spot...i kid you not most the late in game scoring drive plays by the opposition wheeler was involved in...god he was terrible

like i said worst clean to the ball starting lb probably in football last year

a move to strong provided misi can handle the poa stuff at mike more may help his game...but he's always been a scheme based production lb and completely overrated with the numbers...has zero instincts...
 
Tripp isn't even making the 2nd team LBs in practice, so I would go easy on the plans to cut players till he's at least contributing in training. Jenkins is somewhere between the 1s and 2s, Trusnik and Freeney are the other second teamers thus far.
 
The Goat said:
This play made me as angry as any play I've ever seen as a Dolphin fan. Yeah. Let's everyone jog around and hope he just falls down. Grimes missed TWICE on that same play.
Click to expand...

At least Grimes "tried" twice...I can't say the same for some of the others...

---------- Post added at 08:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 AM ----------

I am hoping that Tripp or Jenkins steps up an replaces Wheeler...
 
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