Merling/Langford..Where Are They??? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Merling/Langford..Where Are They???

NYPhin24

NYPhin24

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Where have these guys been this season?

Merling:
2009- 20 tackles, 9 assisted, 2.5 sacks

2008- 20 tackles, 6 assited, 1.0 sack


Langford: 2009-
2009- 22 tackles, 10 assisted, 2.5 sacks

2008- 25 tackles, 6 assited, 2.0 sacks


I live in NY and have only seen 5 full games this season and watch the rest on NFL game center, but it just seems like they are never getting near the QB because most people including myself are staring at the QB and if someone sacks him or comes extremely close, thats who you notice. But the only consistently noticeable faces on the screen or showing up on the computer are Starks, Wake, and occasionally JT and Porter.

This is not to bash them but hoping people who get to watch every game could explain where these guys have been, and from their numbers it really does not seem as if they have really improved from their rookie season, i was excited about that DE tandem the same i am with Smith/Vontae, but it just seem like there just "there" but not really producing or making an impact

Also another clue that they have not really been doing a lot is the fact they are rarely ever talked about on this site at least not this year, usually if someone is doing good they will be hyped up and brought up very often, and the same if someone is doing bad, so it just seem they are "ehhh" in the middle or just not noticed

Thoughts/Insight?
 
Arent their numbers very similar to last season? Plus its hard to accumulate stats on the same DL as Randy ****ing Starks. The dude makes almost every play. Beast.
 
WVdolphan said:
Arent their numbers very similar to last season? Plus its hard to accumulate stats on the same DL as Randy ****ing Starks. The dude makes almost every play. Beast.
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Exactly, shouldnt there be some sort of significant or decent improvement?
 
#1dolphinsfan said:
not for merling he is doing what he did last year playing off the bench
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Is there a specific reason he is on the bench or at least not rotating a lot more? He was a 2nd round pick, just seems like he should be earning himself some more playing time and making a bigger impact for a 2nd round back...aka Pat White
 
I've seen lately Wake line up as a LEFT Defensive End to get after the QB so that can limit alot the play time for some of this guys.
 
TeddyGinn7 said:
Exactly, shouldnt there be some sort of significant or decent improvement?
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They are what they are. They are pretty decent players. Ferguson and Starks are the studs of our DL. Well was in Fergusons case.

Langford does a solid job. He isnt a stats type of player. He is in there to eat up blockers and stuff the running attack.

In a 3-4 alignment you are asking the DL to clog and push everything to the outside where you use speedy tough LBs to cut everything down.

We need to get younger at OLB going into next season and improve the overall quality of the position.

Our DL is pretty solid. We will also need to replace Ferguson as the key figure in the middle of the D. Starks is our horse on that DL. Langford is solid. Merling is what he is. A nice guy for the rotation. McDaniel and Solial have done a respectable job as well in there.

DL, OL, and QB are the areas of our team where we have a nice foundation. Every other positions could be addressed, especially WR and LB.
 
TeddyGinn7 said:
Is there a specific reason he is on the bench or at least not rotating a lot more? He was a 2nd round pick, just seems like he should be earning himself some more playing time and making a bigger impact for a 2nd round back...aka Pat White
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Merling was actually a first round pick. He isnt a bum. Just because he was selected 32nd overall dosent guarentee he is going to be a pro bowl player. Selecting a guy in the 4th round dosent mean he will always be just a special teamer or bench player.

It is what it is man. Merling and Langford are the least of our concerns right now. Both of them do a solid job for the most part.
 
Miami's lineman play a two gap defence in the 3-4 allignment. This means that the three guys up front have gap responsibilities they can't ignore. Their job is to attack their man, read the play and get off their block. When done correctly, and we saw this alot against the Titans, this defence can be extremely effective at closing down running lanes. These players have to be smart, disciplined, tough, and move well laterally.

In a one gap defence a player is responsible for (obviously), just one gap. The big difference is that he will attack his gap, not the lineman, either holding his gap or penetrating into the backfield. This defence covets players with burst, great handwork/moves, straight ahead quickness.

The positives of a 2 gap are:
i) reduces ILB gap duties so they can make plays. (they still have a gap but in theory they only have to fill it if the NT and DE's cannot)
ii) overlapping of responsibilities brings more players to the football. this in theory leads to less big plays, more fumble recoveries and more chance of a rip fumble.
iii) LB's can be better in playaction, and coverage in general. (minus the SOLB ) as they have more time to feel out the play.

Negatives:
i) lack of pass rush from interior lineman cause it aint their job. (you must have a great rushing WOLB and good blitzing ILB's.
ii) playaction will almost always halt any pass rush from the interior.
iii) if overpowered upfront the middle can be exploited. (the NT cannot give ground, even against double teams).

In your typical 4-3 1 gap D, it is the opposite. It can create alot of inside pressure, alot of minus plays, and can make one guy destroy a whole play. On the other hand if one guy misses a tackle or can't control his gap it can be a 2nd level or more run easy. It is also alot weaker against coverage and playaction, as the front seven have to watch their gap before all else.

For your question as to Merling and Langford. IMOP Langford is unbelievable, he does everything I want in a 2 gap end, and even gets a bit of pressure from time to time. Hard not to see #70 running around out there.

Merling has taken a small step back only because Starks is having a ProBowl year. He is still a good player and has great instincts.

Anyways, this team has nothing to worry about at DE, I even like McDaniel.
 
They're doing just fine.

It's tough to acquire eye-popping stats with Randy Starks playing the way he has been. As far as I'm concerned, our trenches are rock solid for a long time to come.
 
There's only room enough for 1 in the backfield and thats Starks, Randy Starks... In all reality Starks is playing lights out when he gets there he gets there quick.
 
Both guy's have improved their stats... with two games left, and Merling is not even a starter. I see a decent improvement in Langford and still a little in Merling. It's Starks that has been a pleasant surprise to most, and that has cost Merling PT. Imagine where we would be with a couple of studs at LB to complete the picture!
 
a 3-4 Defensive end doesn't get that many sacks, its the nature of the defense...

they play in the scheme and do well in it, disrupting run plays, tying up multiple blockers, etc...

to put it in perspective for 3-4 Defensive ends... Richard Seymour, a HOF caliber player, played that position his career in NE and never accumulated over 8 sacks in a season... its just not a position that lends itself to big sack numbers...
 
langford is playing well. merling is playing decent off the bench. its not their fault that starks is a step ahead of them. both are only second year players, they have their time, but right now, starks is the shining light on a very good D-line.
 
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