How do you explain the performance in Cleveland? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

How do you explain the performance in Cleveland?

SkapePhin

SkapePhin

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In light of recent performance, I am still trying to figure out how the Dolphins just got slaughtered by the Browns.. Was this a Ray Lucas Effect type thing? Wherein Sage was trying to do so much, completely choked and effected the performance of the overall team, or was it more of a lack of preperation by Saban and Co. after a close loss?

I love how Saban has gotten this team to rebound after such a shallacking, Im not sure Wanny would have been able to do the same. It probably would have lead to a meltdown and a string of losses during the Wanny regime. But still, a 20-0 loss still seems out of character for this team.
 
i personally feel its similar to the texans game a couple years ago...where we went in thinking we should walk over a team and then get kicked in the mouth
 
We are an OK team. That's all.

As an OK team, if you don't come in ready to play you will get your teeth kicked in.

Also, Cleveland just gave Cinncinati all that they can handle
 
zachseau13 said:
We are an OK team. That's all.

As an OK team, if you don't come in ready to play you will get your teeth kicked in.

Also, Cleveland just gave Cinncinati all that they can handle
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Ya, Im aware Cleveland isnt a dreadful team. Romeo has them playing hard.. But to get shutout? Man, the Dolphins looked lost and listless that day. But I guess it happens to the best of them.. 2003 opening day the Pats got whopped good by Buffalo, then barely lost a game after that..
 
That was the last game before Linehan moved to the sidelines... Honeslty I think it was motivation and faith in the system. Zach Thomas told Jim Mora that the difference between now and the Cleveland Game was that all players are now buying into the system.

It makes me wonder who WASN'T buying into the system... The only person I can think of that might have had a significant impact on the psyhce and perfromance of the team is Sam Madison. Maybe Sam was so good for so long on his own that he thought he knew better than Saban and it took a whooping like Cleveland to humble him. Look how well he has played since.
 
Linehan wasn't on the sideline yet, and we had Sage starting at QB. I think when a team knows deep down that their QB can't get it done, they feel pretty demoralized and end up playing without much pizazz. Look at the 49ers with Alex Smith -- he looks totally jumpy and lost out there (just like Sage against Cleveland), and the rest of the team isn't playing much better.

The Bills game was different for the team with Sage out there because they had Linehan on the sideline and could "get around" the fact that Sage was at QB by talking to Linehan directly and telling him what they thought would work on offense. McMichael also took a very strong and vocal leadership role with Sage in that game, and I think the rest of the team responded to McMichael's belief that they could win and the passion he showed on the field. For example, I think the defensive stop with 2 minutes left after the INT by the Bills' D-lineman was in large part because McMichael showed his frustration on the field and inspired the defense to keep fighting.

Could be a ridiculous theory, but that's my guess.
 
clev was the favorite that game, so i wouldnt say we came in thinking we would own them. We just had an off day, that is all, and Clev isnt doing too bad. They play tough week in and week out
 
Penthos said:
That was the last game before Linehan moved to the sidelines... Honeslty I think it was motivation and faith in the system. Zach Thomas told Jim Mora that the difference between now and the Cleveland Game was that all players are now buying into the system.

It makes me wonder who WASN'T buying into the system... The only person I can think of that might have had a significant impact on the psyhce and perfromance of the team is Sam Madison. Maybe Sam was so good for so long on his own that he thought he knew better than Saban and it took a whooping like Cleveland to humble him. Look how well he has played since.
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That's a good point, because the only other game in which the team played like it has for the past three games was against the Saints, when Madison was out due to injury. Interesting perspective. Saban also came the closest he ever has to calling a player out in public after the Browns game, and it was Madison's "tackling on the perimeter of the defense" that he was talking about.

Plus, I think both Madison and Chambers have responded to Saban's infamous quote about "evaluating players" after the Browns game. I think those two guys were the biggest underachievers at that point, so maybe they've turned it on in response.
 
After seeing the way Cleveland gave Cincinnati a run for their money I'm not surprised we lost but to get shut out is different. There are some days when it seems like nothing goes right. Maybe that was one of those days.
 
ocdfinsfan said:
a wake up call... or a motivational spark
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Both........that was rock bottom, imo. If that didn't wake us up, nothing would've. Saban has done a great job of getting his players motivated again. I'm sure the team was at least lectured, if not chewed out, by him after that Cleveland loss. That had to be the one of the most uninspired team efforts that I'd seen from the Dolphins in the past several years. I'm glad we've been able to move past that debacle of game in such a big way. Coach Saban would have to be considered for COTY for the way he's turned this team around if we finish at least .500.
 
Every team has bad games - it happens. Besides the Colts I think you could look at a loss or a game where almost every team has played terrible.

Also has anyone noticed this team plays to the level of its opponents? When we play bad teams we play terrible (Jets, Bills, Browns) and when we play good teams we play great (Broncos, Panthers, Falcons, Chargers)?
 
CalDolFan10x14 said:
Both........that was rock bottom, imo. If that didn't wake us up, nothing would've. Saban has done a great job of getting his players motivated again. I'm sure the team was at least lectured, if not chewed out, by him after that Cleveland loss. That had to be the one of the most uninspired team efforts that I'd seen from the Dolphins in the past several years. I'm glad we've been able to move past that debacle of game in such a big way. Coach Saban would have to be considered for COTY for the way he's turned this team around if we finish at least .500.
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Right, and the papers said Saban addressed the team in a very "stern and intense voice" after that loss. I think he basically told them that that wasn't "Miami Dolphins football," and anybody who played like that regularly would be shipped outta here.

I think a lot of good things came out of that loss.
 
i think it was just cuz of sage startingand choking, simple as that. its all good now though ;)
 
I think it was just part of the rebuilding. Take this for example, in the military during boot camp they break you down and build you up. It takes some time but when you turn that corner everything just falls into place.
 
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