Samphin's keys to the game -week 1 Denver Broncos

[vinivedivichi]

Hoofbeats:

That was an excellent write-up IMO. It's not entirely correct, but it's as objective as you can expect from fans of an opposing team. I agree with most of what you said, but here are a couple of rebuttals:

1- As someone previously mentioned, comparisons between last years Dolphin team and this years are off base. So much has changed, not the least of which is the fact that we have a coach that will gameplan. Expect this years version of the Dolphins to pick at opposing teams weaknesses rather than sit back and rely on sheer talent. With all the turnover and changes this offseason from the fish, it's almost impossible to predict what will happen in game one, but indications are that the defense will perform well. The offense? Who knows. It may be ugly, but I do know that we will keep your defense off balance. It definitely won't be the run up the gut on 1st and 2nd, then short pass on 3rd offense you guys saw last year.

2. The heat will be a factor; it always is in the month of September in Miami. Also, there is no comparison between Arizona and Miami; The humidity in South Florida is unreal. IMO there's no bigger home field advantage in football than September in Miami.

3. Our running game will be better than you expect. One bright spot on offense this preseason has been the push in the running game from our offensive line. Ronnie Brown has impressed me with his ability to wait for holes to open, then attack them when they do. Our ratio of Pass to run in the preseason was more than 2:1; that tells me that Saban's not too worried about us being able to run the ball.

This game will be closer than Bronco fans expect. You guys have listened to the national media barrage us, but we're not quite as bad as they would have you believe. We have some weapons on offense, and the defense has been retooled and re-imagined. The only way it gets out of hand is if Gus shows that he likes to throw TD's the other way like AJ/Jay did last year.

The Dolphins are underdogs in this game, and rightly so. Will the offensive line protect Gus; if so will he be able to get the ball to our offensive weapons? You have to assume many of the Dolphins' questions will be answered in a positive way to think the Dolphins are gonna win this game. I'm not gonna write my fish off, but I doubt everything comes together in week one. Like another poster already said, I think you guys benefit greatly by playing us early.

My prediction: Broncos 17 Fins 13

 

[Ballhawk]

Couple more things to add:
I think that we (Denver) have 2 solid rotations at Dline, we will see how good they are, but it is a full 8 guys that have started in this league. This will help against the Heat index down there (damn humidity can wer us down).

Also we have 2 starting caliber RBs in M Anderson and Bell, which will also help out if MA needs to take a breather, or craps up.

Looking at last years games to determine this outcome is just plain foolish. Last year we blew Oakland out @Oak by 30+, then lost at home against them.

Good luck Fin Fans, I hope it is a good game and no injuries.

Prediction 24-13 Broncos

 

[jlfin]

One key to the game is to NOT have Gus Ferotte hit the wall again....

Mod Edit: Take your smack talk to the depths forum.

How original

 

[djfresh47]

Denver was ranked very highly on offense and defense last year I believe. Miami has to play the field position game, and let the defense try to win them the game. Jake will make some mistakes, and the Phins really need to capitalize on any and all of them. Denver is a decent team, I don't know if they're better than Jets/Bills/Pats, but they should beat the Phins on paper. I think Lynch is a good player, but I would attack him in the passing game, alot. It's so generic in analysis, but the team that wins the turnover battle, will probably win.

 

[CRAZYDOLFAN305]

One key to the game is to NOT have Gus Ferotte hit the wall again....

Mod Edit: Take your smack talk to the depths forum.

Wow, you are so original..How about telling Plummer not to stick his middle finger to his home crowd, when he's the one sucking against a 4-12 team..

 

[rafael]

The point the Bronco's fans keep harping on is our woeful run D ranking last year however that was primarily due to the vast number of injuries. Our DL has been rebuilt and talent wise is closer to the one we had prior to last year that didn't allow a 100 yd rusher all season. In the preseason the starting DL has been excellent. The only time anybody ran on them is outside on Madison's corner. Anderson or Dayne are unlikely to exploit that. Bell might be able to but that is unlikely to happen more than twice all game due to his playing time and our LB/CB blitzes.

IMO the key for Miami is the OL. They have been inconsistent in preseason. Occasionally dominant and occasionally sieve-like. We'll see which one shows up. Also I'm excited about watching Brown. IMO he is the right style of runner to attack Denver's excellent LBs.

The x-factor in Miami's favor is the turnover battle. Miami's core D players have historically caused many turnovers even though we used very vanilla schemes. Saban's D schemes are anything but vanilla and caused quite a few turnovers as well both in college and in the NFL with Cleveland. Saban's D has morphed though since Cleveland and IMO more closely resembles the D used in NE. Which makes sense b/c according to BB, Saban helped him design those D schemes. I expect to see some big plays from JT who is being used similar to the way BB uses Vrabel. They mostly kept JT under wraps in the preseason, but in the few instances they showcased him he was nothing short of dominant.

On the other side, Plummer has historically been turnover prone. I know he avoided that this preseason, but he's been particularly turnover prone against Miami. We'll see which trend continues. Also, Dayne has been a turnover machine.

I see this game as a defensive battle. I believe that at season's end both of these Ds will finish in the top 5. The offense will struggle and a turnover or bounce will determine the final score.

 

[Hoofbeats]

This is one of the best threads I've read. Great analysis and biased form both sides. I'm glad that Broncos fans can come on here and actually give their opnions without talking all kinds of smack. Hoofbeats, Your points are very vaild. You using the preseason to talk about how well your Dline is playing can work the other way. Our First string D has played very well all preseason. But neither have played a game that counts. We will all have to wait three more long painful days until we get to see our teams play.

Preseason is meaningless. However it is not difficult to judge effort. Warren was terriffic in terms of his effort, which is what most have complained was his problem.

Your point about running against us and Traylor not being the solution has some holes. Denver never ran well against us when we had big body Tim Bowens in our line up. Traylor is the same type of player.

In the 1998 Divional playoffs Denver gained 250 yards rushing to Miami's 14. You forget that we see guys the size of Traylor and Bowens every game. We keep on running though.

The big bodies can't be moved laterally which in turn screws up your running lanes because you are expecting movement and linemen start to get stuck together with no lanes.

Huh? Pursuit is the key to stopping this kind of rushing game. When the D-Line doesn't puruse, you get plays like last week when Mike Anderson went 93 yard through a hole the size of minivan. No pursuit from big slow bodies=big plays.

P.S. I actually can't wait to watch the Patriots play tonight, as much as that huts to say, Football is back baby!!!! Whoooooooooo I hope Moss has a huge day against them. 0-1 would be great for the Pats.

Fun aint it?

 

[angryllama]

Our Dolphins are going to dominate this game. Forget the Broncos' stupid defensive rankings and all of those "good" players that they have like Al Wilson, DJ Williams, Champ Bailey, John Lynch, and Trevor Pryce...Our Dolphins are going to win because of humidity. Forget those punks. they cant beat mother nature, and she is a Dolphins phan, homie!!

 

[Samphin]

Our Dolphins are going to dominate this game. Forget the Broncos' stupid defensive rankings and all of those "good" players that they have like Al Wilson, DJ Williams, Champ Bailey, John Lynch, and Trevor Pryce...Our Dolphins are going to win because of humidity. Forget those punks. they cant beat mother nature, and she is a Dolphins phan, homie!!

Spin it anyway you want. Not once did I say the deciding factor to be humidity. It is a factor however and if Bronco players decide that it isn't then they will be in for a rude awakening.

In fact, I didn't predict an outcome at all so you can save your sarcasm for somebody else. I merely pointed out the keys to Miami winning. Obviously if they don't follow through then they most likely won't.

I find it funny that these Bronco fans come to a Miami board and expect some sort of internet fellatio to go on about how great their team is. They haven't won anything for awhile and the statue of limitations on Super Bowl wins is long since expired. They are a middle of the road team that could finish anywhere from first in their divsion, all the way down to last. The West is the second hardest division in the NFL behind the AFC East and Denver has been decent in that division.

However, don't fall into the trap of thinking you can come in here and will be facing the same team as last year. the roster, coaches, schemes and even GM is completely different and sois the attitude. Any player on Denver that takes us for granted should just look at the way Miami approached Houston two years ago and study. Any team can beat any other team on any given week.

Remember, that "vaunted" 10-6 team you guys had last year barely eeked out a win against our putrid 4-12 team. The gap has closed considerably if you ask me and Denver will be in for a fight. Predictions of a 20 point blowout by certain visiting fans is laughable, as is the same for our fans thinking we win by that much.

My question for you Rockies' fans is this. Will you stick around here past Sunday Night? Will you post here next week? I can think of two Bronco fans that I have seen post here on a somewhat regular basis and they have been the least vocal this past week. I suppose you guys are more of the lunatic fringe than our regular Bronco faithful.

So how about it? Will you guys be posting here in a week?

 

[Hoofbeats]

My question for you Rockies' fans is this. Will you stick around here past Sunday Night? Will you post here next week? I can think of two Bronco fans that I have seen post here on a somewhat regular basis and they have been the least vocal this past week. I suppose you guys are more of the lunatic fringe than our regular Bronco faithful.

So how about it? Will you guys be posting here in a week?

It's Rockies fan, singular...I forget his name.

I'll be here after the game either way, to graciously console if we win or contritely eat some crow if we lose. Will I be here in a week?

You're joking right?

 

[Samphin]

It's Rockies fan, singular...I forget his name.

I'll be here after the game either way, to graciously console if we win or contritely eat some crow if we lose. Will I be here in a week?

You're joking right?

As a Dodgers fan, I get a kick out of the Rockies correction.

As a Dolphins fan and a decent contributor to this board, I doubt you will be around. seeing how your sign up date was sometime within the past week and you are a Denver fan whp happens to be our opponent this week, something tells me you won't be posting as frequently if at all after this game.

Oh sure, you may come on to say I told you so or good game and what have you. But you won't be here to analyze our opponents next week and beyond will you? Didn't think so. I don't expect you too either. I just find it funny that people always say they will stick around and then magically they don't.

 

[Hoofbeats]

As a Dodgers fan, I get a kick out of the Rockies correction.

As a Dolphins fan and a decent contributor to this board, I doubt you will be around. seeing how your sign up date was sometime within the past week and you are a Denver fan whp happens to be our opponent this week, something tells me you won't be posting as frequently if at all after this game.

Oh sure, you may come on to say I told you so or good game and what have you. But you won't be here to analyze our opponents next week and beyond will you? Didn't think so. I don't expect you too either. I just find it funny that people always say they will stick around and then magically they don't.

Who said I'd stick around? I said I'd be here after the game win or lose. Why would I stick around to comment on other Fish games? Why would you want me to?

I might pop in during Faiders or Chefs week to wish you good luck though.:evil:

 

[cnc66]

Who said I'd stick around? I said I'd be here after the game win or lose. Why would I stick around to comment on other Fish games? Why would you want me to?

I might pop in during Faiders or Chefs week to wish you good luck though.:evil:

good deal, we'll have a better feel for who we are by then and will, I hope, be an improved team from what you guys will see this Sunday.

 

[Samphin]

Who said I'd stick around? I said I'd be here after the game win or lose. Why would I stick around to comment on other Fish games? Why would you want me to?

I might pop in during Faiders or Chefs week to wish you good luck though.:evil:

As long as you stay long enough to take your lumps or to get banned from you bragging too much is all I ask. :D