Dolphins’ New Secret Weapon: The Running Game

[fansinceGWilson]

Oh, he's made it through training camp healthy already? I guess I didn't get that memo.

Oh, he's made it through training camp healthy already? I guess I didn't get that memo.

I beeeelve Goat made that as a prospective statement.

 

[LoneStarPhin]

Expressive writing. Sometimes profanity can help get a point across better.

i get that, and in a vacuum, that would make sense. in the big picture, to me, it's like someone jumping off a cliff because that's the shortest route down. (talking about the GD word specifically).

on the other hand, calling something "horse ****" on occasion does have its impact!

 

[dirkey]

And you would doubt that why?

And please. I’m asking very nicely. Before you even try to bring some “injury prone” bullshit...bring friends.

I don't think he's injury prone at all. And I think it's very unlikely to happen. And I obviously know a fit tannehill is far better than cutler. I'm just saying it's possible. So, to my original point, we can't conclusively state, as fact like you did,, that we've improved until we make it through camp and see performances in live action

 

[Buff]

Injury prone IMO means numerous injuries to different body parts. All he has had is a knee, yes, twice, but thats hardly injury prone.

Luck would be considered injury prone if thats the case.

Now Bradford...that is injury prone.

 

[FSU Truth]

i get that, and in a vacuum, that would make sense. in the big picture, to me, it's like someone jumping off a cliff because that's the shortest route down. (talking about the GD word specifically).

on the other hand, calling something "horse ****" on occasion does have its impact!

Ahhh the religious thing...ok.

 

[russianbear]

I don't understand how anyone can think we'll win less than 7 games with Tannehill coming back assuming he's at full go.

This could be a breakout year for Drake, but as others has said, where our o-line goes, our running game goes.

Pouncey may not have been ideal but he could get to the second level.

 

[dirkey]

I beeeelve Goat made that as a prospective statement.

The initial statement was basically that people are idiots if they think we are worse, having improved at various positions. My reply was that, we don't know if we have for sure given we've a long way to go and haven't seen any action. My opinion was then called silly, with some strawman argument about me believing a fit tannehill wasn't better than cutler.

 

[kingfin23]

You think a better O-Line, a better QB, a better secondary and better LB, minus Landry and Suh equals a WORSE team than last year?

I actually do. This schedule is tough. Very tough

 

[fansinceGWilson]

I actually do. This schedule is tough. Very tough

So the schedule determines if a team is better or worse?

 

[joenhre]

I actually do. This schedule is tough. Very tough

Not seeing it. The schedule looks no harder than last year. Actually if you factor in no London "Home" game and no west coast trips the schedule actually looks less daunting IMO.

 

[Chuck-182]

The Eagles just won the SB without a legit #1.

The best WR in football can’t seem to get to the Super Bowl anymore. OBJ can’t even make the playoffs. An elite WR isn’t a need for a winning team, we’re not anywhere near as bad as we were when Brian Hartline was our #1 WR

This

 

[BenchFiedler]

What secret? If there is anything the Dolphins did successfully this last decade was the running game.
Ricky, Ronnie, Lamar Miller, Ajayi...helll even Reggie Bush who is a 3rd down back by definition was a full time starter for the Dolphins and found sucess behind a "always not so good" O-Line.
What is the secret exactly?

 

[gofins60]

What secret? If there is anything the Dolphins did successfully this last decade was the running game.
Ricky, Ronnie, Lamar Miller, Ajayi...helll even Reggie Bush who is a 3rd down back by definition was a full time starter for the Dolphins and found sucess behind a "always not so good" O-Line.
What is the secret exactly?

Unfortunately, the guy who will be calling the plays is the same guy who publicly admitted that he had to tell his OC to keep reminding him to run the ball because he'd rather throw it all of the time. With the addition of new TEs and WRs I expect Gase to be extra pass-happy this season.

 

[KTDolphins]

Someone forgot the 3 rules of fight club.

 

[Digital]

The grooming of Jesse Davis helps us in the run game, and I was always excited about that. But the addition of Josh Sitton brings another level of opening running lanes. With two guards who can run block, and guys like Tunsil and Kilgore who are not bad at it, we can finally present a run threat each game. This makes everything easier for us on offense.

Tannehill can use his excellent play-action fakes to hit our new seam threat Gesicki. We can audible into run plays when the defense subs into dime. We can force some of those safeties to commit closer to the line of scrimmage, and then pass behind them. We can make opposing CB's have to tackle more and take more physical punishment. And most importantly, we have options to grind out clock and convert short yardage.

I definitely think we improved our run blocking by jettisoning Bushrod and Pouncey. Now Mike Pouncey was very good pulling, but the problem was that our OL did not open run lanes nearly enough, and Pouncey was poor at the point of attack. Kilgore isn't the puller that Pouncey was, but he'll be better at the point of attack. We became one-dimensional way too easy over the last 5 or 6 years. This new OL offers an opportunity to change that. I'm excited to see it.