Merling and Langford must improve next season....

[RealityBites]

These two huge guys had more of an impact in 2008 as rookies than they did this year... Langford had a nice play today on big Ben, and Merling had some nice plays this year too, but we're not getting enough consistent pressure out of either of them yet. Starks and McDaniel's easilly played better than them.

I like them both, but in 2010 they have to emerge as a force if we're to have a chance at competing at all for the Division. We also need Starks and McDaniel's to continue their solid work too. Quickly grooming a newly drafted DT rotating with Jason Ferguson(hopefully) is a must.

However if our Linebacker and Safety play isn't greatly improved, all is for not once again. :rolleyes2:

 

[Phinatic8u]

OMG!!. Why don't people realize they are 3-4 ENDS...There not supposed to be sack monsters. Thats the OLB position in a 3-4

 

[Dr. Phin]

Are you kidding? Langford may be one of the best players on the team. The guy is solid!!! He does his job and doesn't mess up. He is playing at a level just below Starks.

Merling has actually done well this year compared to last year. He is progressing. His balance appears to have improved and he didn't end up on his backside near as much as last year. He has actually had a few games in which he played well.

Overall, they are doing fine for second-year 3-4 DE's....

 

[Dr. Phin]

By the way...they were drafted in 2008....not 2007!!! Don't give that douche Cameron the credit for drafting them.

Also, McDaniel did not do very much at all this year. He played OK...but that was about it. Langford is clearly better than McDaniel.

 

[RealityBites]

By the way...they were drafted in 2008....not 2007!!! Don't give that douche Cameron the credit for drafting them.

Also, McDaniel did not do very much at all this year. He played OK...but that was about it. Langford is clearly better than McDaniel.

HA HA! True! :up: We need these guys to become beasts out there...get off their blocks and start doing damage...2010 will be their 3rd year, and time to run with it. :)

I did say I like the guys you MONKEYS on this board!!! LOL

 

[Kdawg954]

After a season of being burnt in the secondary, lacking a pass rush, lack of deep plays on our offense and losing our veteran NT . . . . . u want more production out of 2 guys who help man the STRONGEST unit on the team (DE)?

U are reaching now. Langford, Merling, Starks and McDaniel make a very solid 3-4 DE rotation . . . and if anything, maybe a 3-4 team will be willing to give up a 2nd (wishful thinking) for a guy like Merling (which I would do simply because u are still strong there, u have a guy in Dotsen u obviously like who would fill the depth). I would do the 2nd, and THEN maybe think of a WR in the draft.

 

[RealityBites]

After a season of being burnt in the secondary, lacking a pass rush, lack of deep plays on our offense and losing our veteran NT . . . . . u want more production out of 2 guys who help man the STRONGEST unit on the team (DE)?

U are reaching now. Langford, Merling, Starks and McDaniel make a very solid 3-4 DE rotation . . . and if anything, maybe a 3-4 team will be willing to give up a 2nd (wishful thinking) for a guy like Merling (which I would do simply because u are still strong there, u have a guy in Dotsen u obviously like who would fill the depth). I would do the 2nd, and THEN maybe think of a WR in the draft.

What are you talking about?! Did I say trade either of the guys pal...I said they need to Improve!!!!!! I didn't say they sucked, or they shouldn't be starters...WTH is wrong with you people here?

If you think they are good the way they are, great..settle for mediocrity, I'm sure Parcells is expecting them to take it to the next level too, that's why he took them where he did in the draft.

Also, what does that say about our Defense when they currently are the best part of it...not much...Starks is our Best Defensive player and we didn't even draft the guy. :up:

 

[painnotpleasure]

We have A LOT of troubles on defense, but Langford and Merlings aren't the reason nor a problem. Both solid players with bright futures in Miami in my opinion.

 

[GeauxFinns3705]

What are you talking about?! Did I say trade either of the guys pal...I said they need to Improve!!!!!! I didn't say they sucked, or they shouldn't be starters...WTH is wrong with you people here?

If you think they are good the way they are, great..settle for mediocrity, I'm sure Parcells is expecting them to take it to the next level too, that's why he took them where he did in the draft.

Also, what does that say about our Defense when they currently are the best part of it...not much...Starks is our Best Defensive player and we didn't even draft the guy. :up:

I am in total agreement with you and I don't understand these peoples obsession with the status quo. These two guys were high draft picks. They are ok. Only ok. Langford is better. Merling was a first rounder, for Pete's sake. I hope like hell our future first rounders will have more impact that what Merling has had.

Right now, I see one outstanding player on our team, Jake Long. And he was the first player overall picked. Even I could have gotten a good player from #1 overall.

This regime hasn't brought in another superstar. I think Langford is good, Starks is good, Vontae Davis looks good, and Hartline I think will be a stud in the slot. Henne, Merling, and "Shutdown" Smith have the jury still out.

I think we can consider the Pat White experiment looking to be a failure. Still way early, but the returns aren't looking so hot. Same with Patrick Turner...early, but not even active ONE game...I expect more from a third rounder.

Gerbil Wilson sucks. Grove, injury prone and overpaid. Crowder, overpaid. Carey, overpaid. Donald Thomas...ROFL...not overpaid, but grossly overhyped by these guys.

After two complete seasons, I give this regime a C-. Other than Jake Long, not one impact player. Seems like they would have accidentally found someone to make an impact.

Times are tough in Miami.

 

[twg76]

I actually think these guys played well. Our entire D-line is pretty good. It's our LBs that need upgrading. I hope Miami shakes up the LB position in 2010. I would like to see Akin Ayodele move on. He misses too many tackles. Crowder is over-rated, but Miami might still get something out of him. JT or JP need to move on as well. JT is getting very old. I'm even open to the idea of moving JT back to the D-line when 4 players are on the line. That would reduce his playing time, which I think is good for the team.

I know the coaching staff can find a way to get this done. Draft a superstar at LB. Get a tackler. Tackler, tackler, tackler. Let him play in the place of Akin Ayodele.

 

[Kdawg954]

What are you talking about?! Did I say trade either of the guys pal...I said they need to Improve!!!!!! I didn't say they sucked, or they shouldn't be starters...WTH is wrong with you people here?

If you think they are good the way they are, great..settle for mediocrity, I'm sure Parcells is expecting them to take it to the next level too, that's why he took them where he did in the draft.

Also, what does that say about our Defense when they currently are the best part of it...not much...Starks is our Best Defensive player and we didn't even draft the guy. :up:

First off, what are u talking about? I never said u said trade . . . I BROUGHT up trading. I think it would be smart to gauge the value of a guy like Merling, and see if u can pull a 2nd for him. We still would have 4 guys at DE that we like, and we could gain a 2nd rounder in the process.

Secondly, I want to know your definition of improvement? Because I think ur one of those guys who expect a 3-4 DE to put pressure on the QB all day. (I could be wrong) I want u to give me the names of the 3-4 ends who we need to be modeling these 2 guys after.

Thirdly when u bring up a thread criticizing 2 guys from the strongest unit on the team . . . . u damn right u should expect some backlash. There are alot more issues than the growth of Merling and Langford. Langford is one of the most solid 3-4 DE's u can have, and Merling does plenty while he is rotating. Randy is a beast in his own rigth, its not fair that because he has had some huge sacks this year, it makes it seem like we need to see that from all of our DE's . . . . Starks has played at a Pro Bowl level this season.

So what we didn't draft Starks, if anything it was a good job by this front office locating a 4-3 guys, and watching the success of him transforming into a 3-4 DE. U sound like u just want to complain about something that doesn't need it. We traded a 7th for McDaniel, I guess we shouldn't give the FO credit for finding QUALITY depth at a cheap price because technically it wasn't OUR draft pick. People were complaining that we overspent for Starks last year when we drafted 2 studs, and now Starks has proven to be a special player so we have to slight the 2008 DE picks. Nevermind that both of these guys are just 2 years in.

I'm all for the entire team to improve, but if thats the case u need to list guys like Jake Long, Ronnie Brown, etc. because everybody can improve. Right now, we need to address the areas which need the MOST improvement . . . and DE is no where on this list.

 

[RealityBites]

First off, what are u talking about? I never said u said trade . . . I BROUGHT up trading. I think it would be smart to gauge the value of a guy like Merling, and see if u can pull a 2nd for him. We still would have 4 guys at DE that we like, and we could gain a 2nd rounder in the process.

Secondly, I want to know your definition of improvement? Because I think ur one of those guys who expect a 3-4 DE to put pressure on the QB all day. (I could be wrong) I want u to give me the names of the 3-4 ends who we need to be modeling these 2 guys after.

Thirdly when u bring up a thread criticizing 2 guys from the strongest unit on the team . . . . u damn right u should expect some backlash. There are alot more issues than the growth of Merling and Langford. Langford is one of the most solid 3-4 DE's u can have, and Merling does plenty while he is rotating. Randy is a beast in his own rigth, its not fair that because he has had some huge sacks this year, it makes it seem like we need to see that from all of our DE's . . . . Starks has played at a Pro Bowl level this season.

So what we didn't draft Starks, if anything it was a good job by this front office locating a 4-3 guys, and watching the success of him transforming into a 3-4 DE. U sound like u just want to complain about something that doesn't need it. We traded a 7th for McDaniel, I guess we shouldn't give the FO credit for finding QUALITY depth at a cheap price because technically it wasn't OUR draft pick. People were complaining that we overspent for Starks last year when we drafted 2 studs, and now Starks has proven to be a special player so we have to slight the 2008 DE picks. Nevermind that both of these guys are just 2 years in.

I'm all for the entire team to improve, but if thats the case u need to list guys like Jake Long, Ronnie Brown, etc. because everybody can improve. Right now, we need to address the areas which need the MOST improvement . . . and DE is no where on this list.

See Monkey read once again.....

If you think they are good the way they are, great..settle for mediocrity, I'm sure Parcells is expecting them to take it to the next level too, that's why he took them where he did in the draft.

If you don't agree with that....no biggie. :rastanana

 

[Awsi Dooger]

I am in total agreement with you and I don't understand these peoples obsession with the status quo. These two guys were high draft picks. They are ok. Only ok. Langford is better. Merling was a first rounder, for Pete's sake. I hope like hell our future first rounders will have more impact that what Merling has had.

Right now, I see one outstanding player on our team, Jake Long. And he was the first player overall picked. Even I could have gotten a good player from #1 overall.

This regime hasn't brought in another superstar. I think Langford is good, Starks is good, Vontae Davis looks good, and Hartline I think will be a stud in the slot. Henne, Merling, and "Shutdown" Smith have the jury still out.

I think we can consider the Pat White experiment looking to be a failure. Still way early, but the returns aren't looking so hot. Same with Patrick Turner...early, but not even active ONE game...I expect more from a third rounder.

Gerbil Wilson sucks. Grove, injury prone and overpaid. Crowder, overpaid. Carey, overpaid. Donald Thomas...ROFL...not overpaid, but grossly overhyped by these guys.

After two complete seasons, I give this regime a C-. Other than Jake Long, not one impact player. Seems like they would have accidentally found someone to make an impact.

Times are tough in Miami.

I concur. Much better to unearth a handful of star players than a bunch of solid guys. I never remember Merling is on the team. A few days ago I posted I'd take 5 great players and an empty roster over what we have now.

It always busts me up to read the 3-4 isn't designed for spectacular plays from linemen. Well, we certainly don't disappoint.

It's supposed to suppress the big pass play. We gave up 8.2 yards per attempt, the worst in the league.

The Giants denied the best team of the past decade, the '07 Patriots, by unleashing the front four. We never have to worry about that.

I don't like the 3-4 in an increasingly pass happy league. It was originally conceived to confuse run blocking schemes. Run blocking schemes no longer exist on the majority of plays. And with less natural pressure on the QB, the 3-4 puts a premium on coverage, requiring better players at LB and in the secondary than a 4-3, IMO. QBs hate pressure up the middle. In a 3-4 they don't have to worry about snorting penetrating DTs like Jerome Brown or Warren Sapp. You've got a NT double teamed and stationary. The 3-4 lends itself to allow first down passing, and indeed the percentage of success is way up. At least I've been taking advantage in terms of wagering.

Overall I think it's a cop out. We're scared we can't find great defensive linemen so we won't even try.

 

[Wadeshow]

What are they suppost to improve on? Langford is probably our best run stuffer. I want my 3-4 DEs holding up blockers so the OLBs can get to the QB and if they can shed the block and get some pressure that is a bonus. I also want them to be my best run stuffers. You will never see Langford or Merling get over 8 sacks in a year while we play a 3-4. What Starks did this year is special it won't happen every year.

We need players like Porter and Taylor to improve or get out of here and let Wake and a new OLB take the position of presenting pressure on the QB.

 

[GeauxFinns3705]

I don't know why anyone would have a problem admitting or agreeing that almost our whole team, at almost every position needs to be better next year.

Why is this controversial? Why is this worthy of backlash? Its beyond me.

And I do expect sacks (or at least pressure) from these two guys. Maybe not double digit sacks, but yeah, I want them to be bringing pressure and stuffing running lanes. We didn't do to well stuffing the run today, did we?

If Wilfork hits FA, I think we should spend what is necessary to get him. I think McClain might be there at 12. Right there, we will be better on defense by half. But even if we hit those two critical positions, we will still need to upgrade at OLB, S, OG, and WR. We need to see if we can upgrade at nickel CB and we still don't know if Henne is the real deal. So, who knows what direction these guys will go?

I see another year (esp with this coaching staff, having this team under prepared) of struggles, probably not reaching .500 (yet again).

Too bad we wasted picks on White and PT. What a shame, what a shame.