If you take your eyes off the question of WHICH QB starts for us...

[ckparrothead]

...you can come to realize something very positive. The deep ball is back in Miami, no matter which QB starts for us.

Like all of you, I've assiduously scoured every bit of training camp report from our fellow FinHeaven posters, as well as local Miami media and in some cases national media. Every day we look for some sign of which QB is going to start for the Miami Dolphins.

But sometimes you fail to see the forest for the trees if you look that closely. The fact of the matter is I can't remember very many training camp reports the last week or so that did not make mention of some beautiful deep ball to Chambers, some beautiful deep ball to Boston, or a beauty to Derrius Thompson...or Maurice Mann or Josh Davis.

I'm talking about progress. The kind of progress we haven't made since Marino left. Not only is the deep ball being THROWN constantly, it is damn well being connected. There are still plenty of "what the heck?!?" moments when Gus Frerotte throws a lame duck off his back foot or Feeley turfs a few balls in a row, but every day we hear about more deep completions and they are getting better and better at it. There's plenty of "oh ****" moments when Jeno James, Taylor Whitley, or Seth McKinney get blown up by our rookies and lowest rung defensive linemen...

But most of us here would be happy with a mediocre offense that places 16th in the league after the horrid performance last year. What I'm saying, is if you add Vernon Carey and Stockar McDougle's improved play at the tackle spots, to Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, with the recent developments in the ability to complete the deep pass, and already our offense is bound to be a heck of a lot better than last year's offense. We've locked in important gains to the offensive side of the football, while we're still knitpicking about whether Feeley or Frerotte start at QB.

 

[byroan]

I agree. Like Chambers said in an interview, this is going to be an open offense. I can't wait to see it in action.

 

[Agua]

Yeah, call me whatever you think applies, but all you folks cheering a pass happy offense better be ready to take all the 3 & outs and ints that come along with it when there's not an all pro at QB.

 

[Rocky Raccoon]

I have some feeling they're going deep on the first play in Canton on Monday night.

 

[ckparrothead]

I agree. Like Chambers said in an interview, this is going to be an open offense. I can't wait to see it in action.

It's one thing to talk about an open offense. We've heard that talk before. Most fans on all teams have heard that talk before. Teams are always trying to "open it up" a little bit. No coach in his right mind ever makes a statement to the press saying "we were going to open it up a little bit, but we decided to close it up a little bit instead, and play some knuckle ball..."

What excites me is Linehan brought the promise of a vertical passing game, said we were going to do lots of deep repetitions, and you absolutely can not manufacture a deep game unless you do lots of repetitions...and those repetitions are WORKING. It has become obvious to me every time I read a new camp report.

 

[ASCII]

...you can come to realize something very positive. The deep ball is back in Miami, no matter which QB starts for us.

Like all of you, I've assiduously scoured every bit of training camp report from our fellow FinHeaven posters, as well as local Miami media and in some cases national media. Every day we look for some sign of which QB is going to start for the Miami Dolphins.

But sometimes you fail to see the forest for the trees if you look that closely. The fact of the matter is I can't remember very many training camp reports the last week or so that did not make mention of some beautiful deep ball to Chambers, some beautiful deep ball to Boston, or a beauty to Derrius Thompson...or Maurice Mann or Josh Davis.

I'm talking about progress. The kind of progress we haven't made since Marino left. Not only is the deep ball being THROWN constantly, it is damn well being connected. There are still plenty of "what the heck?!?" moments when Gus Frerotte throws a lame duck off his back foot or Feeley turfs a few balls in a row, but every day we hear about more deep completions and they are getting better and better at it. There's plenty of "oh ****" moments when Jeno James, Taylor Whitley, or Seth McKinney get blown up by our rookies and lowest rung defensive linemen...

But most of us here would be happy with a mediocre offense that places 16th in the league after the horrid performance last year. What I'm saying, is if you add Vernon Carey and Stockar McDougle's improved play at the tackle spots, to Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, with the recent developments in the ability to complete the deep pass, and already our offense is bound to be a heck of a lot better than last year's offense. We've locked in important gains to the offensive side of the football, while we're still knitpicking about whether Feeley or Frerotte start at QB.

:stupid::stupid::stupid: yeah i agree! god bless the long ball back in miami!!

 

[Dol-Fan Dupree]

Yeah, call me whatever you think applies, but all you folks cheering a pass happy offense better be ready to take all the 3 & outs and ints that come along with it when there's not an all pro at QB.

Unlike last year?

 

[byroan]

Yeah, call me whatever you think applies, but all you folks cheering a pass happy offense better be ready to take all the 3 & outs and ints that come along with it when there's not an all pro at QB.

As long as we're not running the ball on 3rd and 8 then I'll take a 3 & out.

 

[ckparrothead]

Yeah, call me whatever you think applies, but all you folks cheering a pass happy offense better be ready to take all the 3 & outs and ints that come along with it when there's not an all pro at QB.

Offensive ineptitude comes just as easily when you try to "settle" for what on the outset looks like "easier" yardage in the short and intermediate areas of the field. But the truth is when you settle enough, you absolutely, positively lose your ability as a team to generate deep plays in the passing game. And when that happens, the defense absolutely knows it, closes up those short and intermediate areas of the field, and you're left sitting with your thumb up your butt because there's so many deep opportunities out there and your team isn't capitalizing on any of them because whenever you try something little goes wrong. Inefficiency and predictability come hand in hand. When you are inefficient at something, you become very predictable.

 

[ckparrothead]

As long as we're not running the ball on 3rd and 8 then I'll take a 3 & out.

Funny part about that. When you're predictably running the ball on 3rd and 8 because you don't generally show confidence in your passing game enough to fire off a pass, you have no chance of converting the 3rd and 8. But Jake Delhomme noted a time in a very important game during the Panthers' super bowl campaign, when on 3rd and 8 they did do a draw play and Stephen Davis took it and ran for a dang touchdown.

If you look dangerous on 1st and 2nd down throwing the ball, draws will work on 3rd and 8 at an alarmingly high rate.

 

[Dolphin1184]

Great read. I agree totally!

 

[VaDolfan4life]

As long as we're not running the ball on 3rd and 8 then I'll take a 3 & out.

with the SERIOUS threat to stretch the field, some of those 3rd and long situations can be hand offs out of the gun. or draws... not all the time though.

 

[ASCII]

Yeah, call me whatever you think applies, but all you folks cheering a pass happy offense better be ready to take all the 3 & outs and ints that come along with it when there's not an all pro at QB.

yeah because we definetly don't have a backfield....:confused:

 

[ckparrothead]

with the SERIOUS threat to stretch the field, some of those 3rd and long situations can be hand offs out of the gun. or draws... not all the time though.

With Ronnie Brown in that backfield, they'd better damn well pay attention to the draw play on 3rd and long because Ronnie can eat that ground in no time he's so fast and powerful.

 

[VaDolfan4life]

Just think back over the last 3 seasons. How many times did our D have teams in 3rd and long situations and teams ran a shuttle pass reciever screen or a draw and get first downs on us. When Your corners and lb have their backs turned while covering the wide outs, it's not as hard to get those yards. You have to respect the pass.