Greg Cote: Tannehill doesn’t need to be great — just consistently good

[mnphinfan]

Why Melty Ice is relevant to WV's OCD-fixated "critiques" on Tannehill.. and to anyone else who's still pissing and moaning about not taking the choker.

It's about credibility. Every time Melty Ice has had an opportunity to extend a postseason, he's crapped the bed big time. Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, but 6 times going back to being shut out in the second half of the ACC title game vs VT - a team he beat during the season. Does that sound familiar? With Melty, almost no lead is safe. And that includes the 20-0 lead vs Seattle in 12 he took into the second half and ended up having to "come from behind" on a good Gonzalez effort to set up a field goal (I believe.). Going back to the VT game, and then forward, he's been offensively shut out in one game and in 8 of the final 12 third and fourth quarters he's played. And that's with elite receivers and the greatest of all time Tight End! He's put up mid 70sQBR, 2TD, 1 Int, and an avg 105/avg yds cumulatively for his second halfs. Of the 140 QBs who have won at least 1 playoff game in history, he ranks 140 out of 140.

Why does he have a Tannehill equivalent approx .425 winning percentage vs playoff teams in-season, yet has won 1 out of 5 NFL postseason games (.200)?? Here's the reason, he's a choker. His testicles do not descend when he knows it's win or go home. He's no Flacco (who would have been a better trade down or up cuz he actually rises to the occasion time and again.). Sorry, but when Melty does so well in season with his elite weapons but tanks so badly especially by being outscored by only 6 points in 5 playoff first halfs but over 80 in those same 5 second halfs, it's not an anomaly but instead the reality! The first time he does better than producing 10 points in a 2nd half will be the first time... and still must be considered the anomaly (if it ever does happen!)

Now, if WV was as "objective" over his admitted fanboyism over Melty, he would admit that there's something serious lacking between his ears and legs instead of declaring "he's a winner." And that's the crux of it. If he can't admit what as obvious as the nose on his face because of his fandom, it discredits any opinions he might have on other QBs as subjective, including Tannehill. So anytime he goes off which is often, he needs to be reminded how oblivious and damn disingenuous he is when it comes to Melty Ice. And anyone who thinks that the "Blue Ball QB" who couldn't succeed with elite weapons would have thrived in the 08-12 version of the Fins, well hell, I've got some commercially-zoned swampland in the Everglades I can sell you cheap before the first building wave gooses up land value.

Now there's nothing wrong with being a fanboy. I'm one too when it comes to Aaron Rodgers and I curse another one of his favorites, the inept HC and de facto GM liar and quitter, every time I watch Aaron perform miracles because it not for the love of the SEC, a part time running back and thinking that a QB best known for banging his head against concrete walls could be our future, any arguments about who we should have taken afterwards or the QBs we have would have been blissfully moot.

That is the one draft choice that truly pisses me off. Even more than Brees. I wanted Rodgers so bad in the draft that year I can't even watch Packers games. It still crushes my soul to this day.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

I don't care about Matt Ryan. I only care about Dolphin QB's. I don't compare Tannehill to anybody, I'm only interested in his play.

To an extent, I agree with you. Problem is that many have no baseline to compare his play other than the highlights they see on ESPN of Brady. Manning, Rodgers, and Brees.

 

[Ilovemyfins4eva]

Speak your mind pal. Don't worry about my title here. Just be as civil as you can.

---------- Post added at 10:55 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:53 AM ----------



In order with the QB to do well the OL needs to block and WRs need to get open and hang onto the ball. It's a total team effort.

i get that man, i have just been trying to say, while all that is true, the qb is going to be the guy at the end of the day, he is going to be the one looked at as the reason for success/failure.

obviously he is not 100 percent responsible, but as we all know, conditions r never going to be perfect, no team, even the ones with the good qbs, have all pro o linemen at every position, or 2-3 all pro wrs.

i dont know how u feel, but i feel this team is talented enough to at least make the playoffs the way its constructed.

i am just fed up, the frustration is building, because i and everyone on here has not seen success with this team for the past 10 plus years. i want to win, at least playoff berth, not even asking for the superbowl this year, lol.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

In order with the QB to do well the OL needs to block and WRs need to get open and hang onto the ball. It's a total team effort.

The discussion really should be that simple. Start with exactly what you said, then ask something like these questions:

Was the team prepared? No mental mistakes? Play with energy? Fundamentally sound?
Was the offense balanced? Minimize third and long?
Did the play calling create mismatches? Keep the defense off balance?
Did the OL play up to professional standards? Pass block? Run block? Pickup blitzes?
Did the QB play up to professional standards? Set his protection? Escape pressure sometimes? Deliver the ball on time? Find the open receivers? Throw accurately?
Did the receivers play up to professional standards? Did they run the routes correctly? Get open? Catch the ball? Get YAC? Block?
Did the RBs play up to professional standards? Run hard? Hit the right hole? Break tackles? Pass block?

 

[mnphinfan]

just curious how i was owned?

stats do not tell the entire story. great, they put up nice stats, but those teams did not get good enough consistent qb play throughout the year, hence the reason there teams records were ****ty.

i didnt think i needed to mention how every aspect on offense needs to click, but for u to sit here and deny that the qb is not more important than any other position, it makes u seem delusional.

yes, tannehill or any qb can not play 1 on 11, i get that, i didnt think i needed to state that, but at the same time, there is a reason why teams with good qbs, have had success over the long term, and its not because they have all pros at every position.

just take a look for example at the difference between the 2008 and 2009 vikings.

same all pro running back both years, same wrs, same tight end, same o line, same defensive players, but tavaris jackson was there qb. they go from a decent team at 10-6, to the following year 13-3, and nfc championship appearance.

my point is an top notch qb can make a major difference on a team.

to win a superbowl, yes, everything needs to pretty much be perfect, or peyton would prob have more than 1 ring, as would our guy marino have a ring.

However, there is no reason why behind ryan tannehill, with especially the way the division looks this year, we should not win this division with solid qb play, not even elite type qb play.

Um, I think you are forgetting about the 2010 Vikings who had the same rosters as those prior teams who went 4-7 with Favre as their starting QB before he got hurt. So that example pretty much means squat as it was the lack of respect for the coaching staff that did that team in. A coaching staff that Favre repeatedly called out which caused a mutiny in the locker room.

 

[utahphinsfan]

So Greg Cote is the guy dressed as a doorman in the Hotels.com commercials?

 

[roy_miami]

The discussion really should be that simple. Start with exactly what you said, then ask something like these questions:

Was the team prepared? No mental mistakes? Play with energy? Fundamentally sound?
Was the offense balanced? Minimize third and long?
Did the play calling create mismatches? Keep the defense off balance?
Did the OL play up to professional standards? Pass block? Run block? Pickup blitzes?
Did the QB play up to professional standards? Set his protection? Escape pressure sometimes? Deliver the ball on time? Find the open receivers? Throw accurately?
Did the receivers play up to professional standards? Did they run the routes correctly? Get open? Catch the ball? Get YAC? Block?
Did the RBs play up to professional standards? Run hard? Hit the right hole? Break tackles? Pass block?

I have one simple question: did the QB play well? If the answer is no then everything else is moot.

 

[Ilovemyfins4eva]

Um, I think you are forgetting about the 2010 Vikings who had the same rosters as those prior teams who went 4-7 with Favre as their starting QB before he got hurt. So that example pretty much means squat as it was the lack of respect for the coaching staff that did that team in. A coaching staff that Favre repeatedly called out which caused a mutiny in the locker room.

or maybe the previous year was the final nail in the coffin for favre , and his age caught up to him?

maybe 2009 he had 1 great year left in him, and after a long season taking countless amount of hits, with the finale in the superdome in the nfc championship game, it took a toll.

who knows though, i was just showing how an elite qb can elevate a team.

i deff respect ur opinion though.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

I have one simple question: did the QB play well? If the answer is no then everything else is moot.

No it is not. If it were really that simple, then teams should draft 7 QBs every season and pickup scrubs for every other position. Yet, nobody does.

The best QB would win the SB every year, but we know that is not true.

 

[Sarnics13]

just curious how i was owned?

stats do not tell the entire story. great, they put up nice stats, but those teams did not get good enough consistent qb play throughout the year, hence the reason there teams records were ****ty.

i didnt think i needed to mention how every aspect on offense needs to click, but for u to sit here and deny that the qb is not more important than any other position, it makes u seem delusional.

yes, tannehill or any qb can not play 1 on 11, i get that, i didnt think i needed to state that, but at the same time, there is a reason why teams with good qbs, have had success over the long term, and its not because they have all pros at every position.

just take a look for example at the difference between the 2008 and 2009 vikings.

same all pro running back both years, same wrs, same tight end, same o line, same defensive players, but tavaris jackson was there qb. they go from a decent team at 10-6, to the following year 13-3, and nfc championship appearance.

my point is an top notch qb can make a major difference on a team.

to win a superbowl, yes, everything needs to pretty much be perfect, or peyton would prob have more than 1 ring, as would our guy marino have a ring.

However, there is no reason why behind ryan tannehill, with especially the way the division looks this year, we should not win this division with solid qb play, not even elite type qb play.

Ummm....because you did. You stated a "fact" that was quickly dis proven.

Seriously brother, you are calling people angry people but every one of your posts are loaded with irate comments and an over use of the asterisks. You are just spewing nonsense without even taking a second to think about what you are stating and it just comes across as blind hate....and that's going to get you about as far as the "blind homers" do with you.

Take a breath man, it's just a game.

 

[Vaark]

That is the one draft choice that truly pisses me off. Even more than Brees. I wanted Rodgers so bad in the draft that year I can't even watch Packers games. It still crushes my soul to this day.

Same here, Brees was a medical risk assessment...at least with Satan..not Wanny. With many of the draft boards flip flopping Rodgers and Smith as often the 2 best choices, and always the 2 top 10 picks, honestly, I wanted and expected us to take "sloppy seconds" and would have been happy. And of course, our resident in over his head NFL poseur thought it better to sign a journeyman concrete-wall headbanger, not develop either of them and draft a familiar part time SEC back.

 

[mnphinfan]

or maybe the previous year was the final nail in the coffin for favre , and his age caught up to him?

maybe 2009 he had 1 great year left in him, and after a long season taking countless amount of hits, with the finale in the superdome in the nfc championship game, it took a toll.

who knows though, i was just showing how an elite qb can elevate a team.

i deff respect ur opinion though.

I've got a buddy who is in Winter Park all of the time for shooting videos and he told me that it was the dissension in the locker room that caused all of the problems. Remember when the players had to fly down to Hattesburg to convince Favre to play again? It was because Favre didn't want to play for Childress anymore but the players convinced him that he could do it on his own without the poor coaching staff. Once the team started losing then Favre started to question everything the coaching staff did on the offensive side of the ball which in turn then caused the defensive players to questions their coaches. The players definitely respected Favre more than the coaching staff and once he turned against them it was all over.

I think the example you used actually goes both ways. It shows how much a QB can elevate his team and how poor they can play once the head coach loses the locker room.

 

[Ilovemyfins4eva]

I've got a buddy who is in Winter Park all of the time for shooting videos and he told me that it was the dissension in the locker room that caused all of the problems. Remember when the players had to fly down to Hattesburg to convince Favre to play again? It was because Favre didn't want to play for Childress anymore but the players convinced him that he could do it on his own without the poor coaching staff. Once the team started losing then Favre started to question everything the coaching staff did on the offensive side of the ball which in turn then caused the defensive players to questions their coaches. The players definitely respected Favre more than the coaching staff and once he turned against them it was all over.

I think the example you used actually goes both ways. It shows how much a QB can elevate his team and how poor they can play once the head coach loses the locker room.

good point.

that was all i was trying to say, good qbs can elevate a team to another level. its not a coincidence that with a guy like fave, pretty much every full season he played, his teams were competitive for the most part, through all his years.

yes though, anytime a team stops playing for a coach, that is never good. although i totally lose respect for players like that, because these guys r getting paid millions of dollars to play football no matter who the coach is.

u do not need to love ur coach, but u should be playing ur ass off weekly as long as u r collecting that fat paycheck. unfortunately with athletes, that is not the way it works, seen by ur example with the 2010 vikes.

 

[mnphinfan]

Same here, Brees was a medical risk assessment...at least with Satan..not Wanny. With many of the draft boards flip flopping Rodgers and Smith as often the 2 best choices, and always the 2 top 10 picks, honestly, I wanted and expected us to take "sloppy seconds" and would have been happy. And of course, our resident in over his head NFL poseur thought it better to sign a journeyman concrete-wall headbanger, not develop either of them and draft a familiar part time SEC back.

I was actually hoping that Rogers would be the sloppy seconds. I just loved him in college.

I have a really good friend that has season tickets to the Pack so whenever he brings up how good of a QB Rogers is I always remind him that if Nick Saban wasn't the coach of the Fins during that draft they would have never drafted him. He always laughs and says, but Saban was your head coach and that guy was an idiot. To which I reply "touche".

 

[ChambersWI]

Why does it have to be JUST Tannehill that is why the offense struggled? Why wasn't there also the 12 drops in the first 3 games? Why didn't we also talk about how ****ty our special team play was against Buffalo and KC? (ESPECIALLY Buffalo). Why wasn't it also that we gave up 21 points to KC due to poor coverage plays called by Coyle?

Point I'm making is that while Tannehill was inconsistent the first month of the season... so was the entire team. Honestly you can count on one hand the number of players who were consistent in September; Mike Wallace, Earl Mitchell,Jelani Jenkins, and Brendan Albert. You could also make a case for the secondary not named Jimmy Wilson.

Does Ryan Tannehill need to be more consistent? Absolutely, but he isn't the only one. Now if you want to criticize somebody for that Philbin may be the target.