PROUDMONKEY
Practice Squad
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2005
- Messages
- 378
- Reaction score
- 0
What We learned…
For those of you expecting last night to be a cake walk due to the lack of Big Ben, I hope now you are able to see that we are yet a First Tier NFL team like the Steelers…but we are on our way.
Since last year, I have witnessed a greater physicality to the Dolphins, something lacking since the Don Shula era. Jimmy Johnson, the mastermind talent architect that he was for the Cowboys and Dolphins, built his team in Miami based on Defensive speed. Finesse. “Finesseive Defense†I liked to call it.
Wanny did nothing more than try to keep the Dolphins afloat between filming porn movies in his short tenure as the Dolphins ran in place on a treadmill of mediocrity.
Enter Nick Saban…
For a while there last night; we matched the tough physical style play of the Steelers punch for punch until the 4th quarter, where we were finally worn down by the Steelers superior rock solid offensive and defensive lines.
The trenches are where the Steelers and most Championships are won, and it is the trenches where Saban will ultimately build a champion in the Dolphins.
It is not rocket science to dissect the game last night. Without Big Ben we all felt we could sneak in to Pittsburgh with a win. But the two most vital elements to the Steelers Football philosophy were not absent last night, the starting offensive and defensive line from last years Superbowl run.
This is Steelers football, to punch their opponent’s offensive and defensive lines in the nose.
In the early quarters, The Steelers were committed to the run and Fast Willie was able to sustain 2-4 yards per carry compared to the Dolphins feeble 1-2 yards per carry. This is because our B+ defensive line was outplayed by an A+ Offensive line, and our B+ Offensive line was outplayed by a A+ Defensive line.
By the 4th quarter, their lines on both sides of the ball were wearing out ours, and Fast Willie suddenly starts running for 4-7 yards per carry, often times one tackle away from taking it to the house. Saban made the decision before halftime(or perhaps before the game) to concede our offensive rushing game and try to win in the air because he knew the Steelers defensive lines play would be superior to our offensive lines play.
We have an excellent pass rush, but it was non existent last night because of the Steelers offensive line is arguably the best in the league. Remember last year we were second in the league in total sacks, a stat that we will once again be a NFL leader in 2006. A true testament to the Steelers offensive line last night, you must give them props, they kept Dolphins rushers out of Batch’s’ kitchen all night.
Personally I think the season is getting ready to be a lot of fun for us Dolphin fans.
We will most likely be 5-2 or 6-1 at our bye week break. Our only other loss in the next 6 games will be at New England, we will dominate everyone else between now and the bye week
Stop and think about our last 4 out of 5 weeks, we have been going up against the best front 7 defensive fronts in the league(Jacksonville, Tampa, Carolina, Pittsburgh)
These 4 practice games and 1 real game against elite teams will make our offensive and defensive line learn to play tougher and more physical. This is what Saban wants, the inner core of our offensive and defensive lines to be the strength of the team. It will take time, we are still a handful of players away from joining the upper echelon of the NFL.
Be patient everyone, we should win 10-11 games this year, a trip to the playoffs and perhaps a victory in the postseason to boot. The good news is we will be better than last year, more physical, I saw many signs last night that told me so. Sabans work is incomplete, the good news is he knows it and will not let up until we win the Superbowl.
I feel sorry for Buffalo next week, it will not be a pretty day to be a Bills fan.
For those of you expecting last night to be a cake walk due to the lack of Big Ben, I hope now you are able to see that we are yet a First Tier NFL team like the Steelers…but we are on our way.
Since last year, I have witnessed a greater physicality to the Dolphins, something lacking since the Don Shula era. Jimmy Johnson, the mastermind talent architect that he was for the Cowboys and Dolphins, built his team in Miami based on Defensive speed. Finesse. “Finesseive Defense†I liked to call it.
Wanny did nothing more than try to keep the Dolphins afloat between filming porn movies in his short tenure as the Dolphins ran in place on a treadmill of mediocrity.
Enter Nick Saban…
For a while there last night; we matched the tough physical style play of the Steelers punch for punch until the 4th quarter, where we were finally worn down by the Steelers superior rock solid offensive and defensive lines.
The trenches are where the Steelers and most Championships are won, and it is the trenches where Saban will ultimately build a champion in the Dolphins.
It is not rocket science to dissect the game last night. Without Big Ben we all felt we could sneak in to Pittsburgh with a win. But the two most vital elements to the Steelers Football philosophy were not absent last night, the starting offensive and defensive line from last years Superbowl run.
This is Steelers football, to punch their opponent’s offensive and defensive lines in the nose.
In the early quarters, The Steelers were committed to the run and Fast Willie was able to sustain 2-4 yards per carry compared to the Dolphins feeble 1-2 yards per carry. This is because our B+ defensive line was outplayed by an A+ Offensive line, and our B+ Offensive line was outplayed by a A+ Defensive line.
By the 4th quarter, their lines on both sides of the ball were wearing out ours, and Fast Willie suddenly starts running for 4-7 yards per carry, often times one tackle away from taking it to the house. Saban made the decision before halftime(or perhaps before the game) to concede our offensive rushing game and try to win in the air because he knew the Steelers defensive lines play would be superior to our offensive lines play.
We have an excellent pass rush, but it was non existent last night because of the Steelers offensive line is arguably the best in the league. Remember last year we were second in the league in total sacks, a stat that we will once again be a NFL leader in 2006. A true testament to the Steelers offensive line last night, you must give them props, they kept Dolphins rushers out of Batch’s’ kitchen all night.
Personally I think the season is getting ready to be a lot of fun for us Dolphin fans.
We will most likely be 5-2 or 6-1 at our bye week break. Our only other loss in the next 6 games will be at New England, we will dominate everyone else between now and the bye week
Stop and think about our last 4 out of 5 weeks, we have been going up against the best front 7 defensive fronts in the league(Jacksonville, Tampa, Carolina, Pittsburgh)
These 4 practice games and 1 real game against elite teams will make our offensive and defensive line learn to play tougher and more physical. This is what Saban wants, the inner core of our offensive and defensive lines to be the strength of the team. It will take time, we are still a handful of players away from joining the upper echelon of the NFL.
Be patient everyone, we should win 10-11 games this year, a trip to the playoffs and perhaps a victory in the postseason to boot. The good news is we will be better than last year, more physical, I saw many signs last night that told me so. Sabans work is incomplete, the good news is he knows it and will not let up until we win the Superbowl.
I feel sorry for Buffalo next week, it will not be a pretty day to be a Bills fan.
