- Joined
- Jan 5, 2009
- Messages
- 30,987
- Reaction score
- 1,249
Positives
Negatives
Overall Assessment
- Frank Gore had 90 yards on 13 carries for a 6.9 per carry. He had a huge run to start the game. Gore was Miami’s best offensive player vs. Green Bay.
- Danny Amendola 72 yards on 7 catches.
- Considering the offensive line injuries, the line playing four non-opening day starters held up well. They ran the ball effectively (5.7 per rush) and the pass pro was solid. I place the blame for some of the sacks on free rushers and the QB’s inability to hit the hot read or get out of the way from the coming defender. For all the doom and gloom pregame, the line played well.
- The defense held the Packers to 4-10 on 3rd down.
- Robert Quinn had his best game as a Fin. 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hits and 1.5 TFL. Quinn combined with Cam Wake on a 4th down sack to stop the Packers drive. Quinn also finished the half with a sack and knocked the Packers out of FG range.
- Got points off of the 4th down stop.
- The defense got another 4th down stop.
- Overall, Xavien Howard and Minkah Fitzpatrick had strong games.
- Ultimately, Aaron Rodgers did not go off and that is a positive for the defense.
- Special teams kept the team in the game. They caused a turnover on a punt (hits by Mike Hull and A.J. Derby and recovered by Leonte Carroo), lit up a lineman that got cute trying to return a kickoff, blocked a punt (Brandon Bolden) and executed a perfect fake punt (Carroo). Jason Sanders was money. He was 4-4 on kicks many times bailing out the offense. One kick, with the play clock running down, an additional blocker was needed and sprinted on the field. The operation got rushed yet Sanders nailed it.
Negatives
- - 1 Turnover Differential.
- 4-14 on 3rd down was the offense.
- Miami was 0-3 in the Red Zone.
- 3.8 per pass.
- The offense could not take advantage of prime field position the during the first three quarters.
- Brock Osweiler was not very good. The promising opening drive literally slipped through his hands on a snap that he could have handled. The ball bounded well down field and he could not corrall it...turnover. He was 23-37, 213 yards for 5.8 per attempt and 1 backbreaking pick. His QBR was 66.6 Osweiler could not move out of the way of pressure and was sacked or was moved off his launch point which led to throwaways. Osweiler missed a wide open Devante Parker before the end of the half. Down 15, but still with a heartbeat, Osweiler took a sack that killed anything that could be done on that drive.
- Zach Sterup gave up a sack in the Red Zone.
- The offense got three points and just a few plays later the defense gives up a long run and TD.
- The Packers offense was 4-4 in the Red Zone.
- 195 yards rushing yards for the Packers. They averaged 7.8 per carry.
- Gaping interior holes for Packers RB’s.
- The Packers facing a 2nd and forever….Aaron Rodgers zips a 25 pass in front of a host of Miami DB’s.
- Raekwon McMillan missing tackles in the run game and on a screen.
- Kickoff out of bounds.
- Walt Aikens not knowing where he was on the field on a great punt by Matt Haack.
- The team should have had the defense on the field on the Packers fake punt. It was an obvious spot for a fake and Miami should have been in a position to force the punt and fair catch it on the backend.
- Not sure why Adam Gase went away from Gore after his hot start. Gore should have been given 20 plus carries.
- Steve Tasker having no clue he was on TV. At what point is he off of television?
Overall Assessment
- As bad as the defense was giving up chunk plays, any semblance of QB/offensive play the Fins would have had a chance to win. Unreal to think about really.
- Osweiler is thinking too much. He is looking at the rush. He is so limited athletically. Look, Osweiler has played better than I thought he would based on the summer. However, the team needs more from him. Simply put, he needs to take care of the football. From there, he has to get something going in the red area. Finally, Osweiler has to hit on some deep throws. He did none of that yesterday or the two games before...outside not turning it over vs. the Jets. More is needed from Osweiler. Two games without a TD is in large part on the QB at this point.
- That said, the team needs Ryan Tannehill back. Perhaps a return from RT can jumpstart the team...get some momentum going. Of course, the team wants to assess Tannehill for future purposes. While many have written off Tannehill, if he can return and the team starts playing winning football, Tannehill’s time in Miami might not be over. I am not convinced we see him the rest of the year, but if one guy is tough enough and man up play, it is Ryan Tannehill.
- Shocking that Parker got hurt again.
- I like what we saw from Carroo on special teams. I have always believed in the axiom that if a player shines on Special Teams, that player will in the future be productive on offense or defense. Maybe with all the injuries, Carroo will show something at receiver for the team down the stretch.
- 5-5 at the bye. Fans and the media are angry. I get it. There are some ugly numbers. Bad numbers. Numbers that state the team should be well under .500. However, at the end of the day they are at 5-5 with a chance starting the week of Thanksgiving to make a run at the playoffs. To be honest, when I did the preseason prediction win/loss, I had them at 6-4 at this point. The difference is the Lions game. So without the starting QB and a host of injuries, Miami has survived to this point and is contending. I say that shows heart, character, talent and some good coaching. The bye week is huge for the staff to self-scout and get some injured and hurt players back next week. The keys are obvious to me at least. They have to start winning in the Red Zone a heck of a lot more than they are right now. They are not scoring TD’s on offense and they are not forcing FG’s on defense and allowing teams (outside the Jets) to score in the red area. That has to change. Defensively, there are way too many explosive plays happening. Miami has taken the ball away well this year...make teams go 12 plus plays to try to score. Maybe they mess up...but giving up a 40 yards run kills that idea. Miami still has potential with their pass rush to cause havoc. Make the opposition go 12 plays and maybe Wake gets to the QB and gets a strip-sack. Red Zone and explosive plays...add in TO differential and if Miami can turn these areas around, they can truly make some noise after the bye.
