PRESSURE points for tonight's Indy game

[BAMAPHIN 22]

These are the areas that, finding resolution, will bring victory to the Dolphins. And lacking resolution, would send the Dolphins down in defeat. The pressure points:

The secondary -- Last week the Dolphins dodged a bullet. Sean Smith had terrible technique on two or three plays and Matt Ryan found him each time. But the Atlanta QB either overthrew, or underthrew passes to open receivers that would have shredded the secondary. So Smith's first game was not a disaster. It was fine.

The Colts have nearly as good a complement of receivers as the Falcons -- although Anthony Gonzalez will not play tonight -- and their QB is much better. Peyton Manning makes throwing mistakes in tosses to open receivers, too, like any other QB. But he doesn't do it two or three times in one game as Ryan did.

So Smith must show improvement. He told me his greatest problem was keeping his technique good when running with a receiver that went in motion across the formation. He said he worked on that all this week. We'll see.

The offensive line -- Read my column on the unit. If gives insight into the difference in philosophy between the football side and business side of the Miami Dolphins. It also makes the point that if the OL plays well tonight, the Dolphins will likely win.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2009/09/pressure-points-for-tonights-indy-game.html

 

[SpaceMountain16]

I've been saying the same thing all week, Manning isn't going to miss open WR's like Ryan did last weekend. We HAVE to pressure him, and we HAVE to play well in coverage. I'm actually fairly confident that we'll win this game if we can do that, because the running game should be able to give problems to the Colts defense without Sanders (assuming Henning actually runs the ball).

 

[Clipse]

Pressuring Manning and good coverage are obviously very important. But O-Line play is going to be very important. If they play like last week, especially Long on Freeney, it will be a long day. Also the playcalling needs to get better. We have Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams on this team, use them! We do not run the ball nearly enough.

 

[3rdandinches]

Keeping him off the field as long as possible is the best defense, run the ball and eat the clock.