Over- and Under-Performance

[ForksPhin]

I posted about this in the PFF thread, but it made me interested in hearing some other opinions.

The bright spots on this team are clearly the low-cost FA additions. Brewer, Jonnu Smith, Jordyn Brooks, Calais Campbell. All have come in and been excellent, beyond expectations of most observers.

Meanwhile, invariably, outside of Seiler, the holdovers have underperformed. Hard to think of any player who has played better than expected, whether due to injury or straight-up regression. This includes Tua, Tyreek, Waddle, Mostert, Achane (yes, he’s been solid, but where are the explosive plays, where is the game-breaking speed?), the offensive line with the exception of Brewer, Holland, Ramsey (recent decline, minimal game-changing plays), David Long, etc.

So, the question…why?

The players who have their first exposure to the coaching staff are performing well. Maybe enjoying the less intense approach to practices, the laid-back environment, the “friendly” coaching.

Whereas, the players who have been exposed to this staff for 2-3 years are taking steps backwards. Are they tuning out these coaches? Is the country club approach taking hold in their preparation? Are they no longer buying in to the message?

 

[fansinceGWilson]

I posted about this in the PFF thread, but it made me interested in hearing some other opinions.

The bright spots on this team are clearly the low-cost FA additions. Brewer, Jonnu Smith, Jordyn Brooks, Calais Campbell. All have come in and been excellent, beyond expectations of most observers.

Meanwhile, invariably, outside of Seiler, the holdovers have underperformed. Hard to think of any player who has played better than expected, whether due to injury or straight-up regression. This includes Tua, Tyreek, Waddle, Mostert, Achane (yes, he’s been solid, but where are the explosive plays, where is the game-breaking speed?), the offensive line with the exception of Brewer, Holland, Ramsey (recent decline, minimal game-changing plays), David Long, etc.

So, the question…why?

The players who have their first exposure to the coaching staff are performing well. Maybe enjoying the less intense approach to practices, the laid-back environment, the “friendly” coaching.

Whereas, the players who have been exposed to this staff for 2-3 years are taking steps backwards. Are they tuning out these coaches? Is the country club approach taking hold in their preparation? Are they no longer buying in to the message?

Agree with the conclusion, but I'll tweak the reasoning. It is possible anyone exposed to Mcd's 'system' is destined to deteriorate. TH's 1st/2nd year quite good. This year? waddle this year? The entire O this year? Poor. It seems, after a couple of years, everyone's stats have suffered, even with TT playing. One thing is certain. when just about every players stats deteriorate, it's not the players.

 

[coalesce]

I think it’s a combination of a player’s inevitable deterioration (injury, age) and the rest of the league getting tape on what you like to do and scheming how to defend/neutralize it. It’s a very inexact science, but it happens to every team, every time. Some years it’s way more noticeable than others.

 

[Phinslife]

I posted about this in the PFF thread, but it made me interested in hearing some other opinions.

The bright spots on this team are clearly the low-cost FA additions. Brewer, Jonnu Smith, Jordyn Brooks, Calais Campbell. All have come in and been excellent, beyond expectations of most observers.

Meanwhile, invariably, outside of Seiler, the holdovers have underperformed. Hard to think of any player who has played better than expected, whether due to injury or straight-up regression. This includes Tua, Tyreek, Waddle, Mostert, Achane (yes, he’s been solid, but where are the explosive plays, where is the game-breaking speed?), the offensive line with the exception of Brewer, Holland, Ramsey (recent decline, minimal game-changing plays), David Long, etc.

So, the question…why?

The players who have their first exposure to the coaching staff are performing well. Maybe enjoying the less intense approach to practices, the laid-back environment, the “friendly” coaching.

Whereas, the players who have been exposed to this staff for 2-3 years are taking steps backwards. Are they tuning out these coaches? Is the country club approach taking hold in their preparation? Are they no longer buying in to the message?

The knock on Tua is. He really needs to figure out how to win games aka not turn the ball over in big games AT ALL if so only ONCE. he seems to do too much sometimes. I love Tua, I do think he is top 5 but he still needs to figure this **** out. Time is running out. If he is his own worse enemy and teams don't beat him, he beats himself.

 

[ForksPhin]

I think it’s a combination of a player’s inevitable deterioration (injury, age) and the rest of the league getting tape on what you like to do and scheming how to defend/neutralize it. It’s a very inexact science, but it happens to every team, every time. Some years it’s way more noticeable than others.

I don’t disagree that these factors have some impact on the offense. But we are seeing major underperformance from players on the defensive side as well. Also, there was tape on McDaniel’s offense in Year 2, and the offense didn’t significantly regress from Year 1.

 

[lynx]

The regression began when defenses started that two-high safety shell approach, which I think started about mid-season last year. The Dolphins adjusted to it this year to some success but when your offensive line is awful and the opposing defense can get pressure without blitzing, there's a lot of defensive coverage out there. Houston did a great job of that last weekend.

Before Armstead got hurt, the line was playing OK and the offense was rolling. Take away him, AJ and now Lamm, well, it's a disaster.

 

[ForksPhin]

The knock on Tua is. He really needs to figure out how to win games aka not turn the ball over in big games AT ALL if so only ONCE. he seems to do too much sometimes. I love Tua, I do think he is top 5 but he still needs to figure this **** out. Time is running out. If he is his own worse enemy and teams don't beat him, he beats himself.

I wasn’t really aiming for a Tua thread. Was more interested in opinions one whether Year 3 of McDaniel has turned into a situation where players are regressing due to the “country club” feel, tuning out the “friendly” coaches, the messaging becoming stale, etc.

Obviously, none of us have this answer, but opinions are welcome.

 

[NY8123]

I wasn’t really aiming for a Tua thread. Was more interested in opinions one whether Year 3 of McDaniel has turned into a situation where players are regressing due to the “country club” feel, tuning out the “friendly” coaches, the messaging becoming stale, etc.

Obviously, none of us have this answer, but opinions are welcome.

Absolutely. McDaniel himself has shown minimal improvement over year 1 and year 2 McDaniel. His offense is trash and he is supposed to be a "genius'. If you are truly a good coach you make the most out of what you have, he has weapons on offense, yeah yeah the line, the line play actually isn't terrible to be honest.

 

[Beach Bum]

What has caused our decline in execution? Injuries, inexperience, and poor overall game planning and coaching?

 

[ForksPhin]

The regression began when defenses started that two-high safety shell approach, which I think started about mid-season last year. The Dolphins adjusted to it this year to some success but when your offensive line is awful and the opposing defense can get pressure without blitzing, there's a lot of defensive coverage out there. Houston did a great job of that last weekend.

Before Armstead got hurt, the line was playing OK and the offense was rolling. Take away him, AJ and now Lamm, well, it's a disaster.

I don’t really feel like the offense has been rolling at all this season. Yes, we played some very efficient games once Tua returned and our scoring increased. But, there are plenty of games where the offense has struggled even though the “result” wasn’t poor.

 

[Ryan1973]

I don’t disagree that these factors have some impact on the offense. But we are seeing major underperformance from players on the defensive side as well. Also, there was tape on McDaniel’s offense in Year 2, and the offense didn’t significantly regress from Year 1.

The NFL not allowing the pre-snap motion for offenses anymore really hurt the Dolphins this year.

 

[ForksPhin]

Absolutely. McDaniel himself has shown minimal improvement over year 1 and year 2 McDaniel. His offense is trash and he is supposed to be a "genius'. If you are truly a good coach you make the most out of what you have, he has weapons on offense, yeah yeah the line, the line play actually isn't terrible to be honest.

I don’t think McDaniel has improved at all since his first season. If anything, I think he’s less effective.

And again, I worry about the difference between newcomers vs. holdovers. This hire was always “different” and many of us had questions about how someone like McDaniel would play as a head coach. Now, in Year 3, we are seeing dropoff from veteran players, while those who just joined the team this season seem to be overperforming. It’s an interesting dynamic.

 

[NY8123]

I don’t think McDaniel has improved at all since his first season. If anything, I think he’s less effective.

And again, I worry about the difference between newcomers vs. holdovers. This hire was always “different” and many of us had questions about how someone like McDaniel would play as a head coach. Now, in Year 3, we are seeing dropoff from veteran players, while those who just joined the team this season seem to be overperforming. It’s an interesting dynamic.

I was being nice lol.

 

[ForksPhin]

The NFL not allowing the pre snap motion for offenses anymore really hurt the Dolphins this year.

But we are still near the top of the league in pre-snap motion. There’s just less “forward” motion allowed.

 

[Ryan1973]

But we are still near the top of the league in pre-snap motion. There’s just less “forward” motion allowed.

Maybe but the offense isn't functioning the same against bad teams that it did the last two years and I'm not even including the games Tua missed this year.