cltchperf
Pro Bowler
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Messages
- 10,576
- Reaction score
- 6,246
After watching the good teams last season, the past seasons, and this season, I came up with the idea of why the bad teams truly lose, which Miami is right now. People on this forum like to blame this player, blame the head coach, and blame individuals. It might be easy to say it's the team, but I'm not talking about in the broad sense, I'm going to tell why this team is not winning and is a bad team. I might have been back in march or in the summer for the off-season where a reporter asked Saban if any single players should become leaders or Culpepper or the top players to take that role. Saban basically implied that he was not looking for individual leaders or players to look upon a few players, but to go out and do their role, thus all of the players playing to how they should. This is why Miami has a bad record and has lost six games this season, and looks like the team will lose quite a bit more. After watching the Patriots through the years, then the Steelers with their performance last season, plus the Seahawks, as well as the rest of the top teams in the league, I realize why these teams are good or great.
They obviously have the talent, but it is more than that. Brady is a great qb, but just like Peyton Manning and other top qbs, even Brady has some games where he struggles. So the offense stalls. So what happens? Bruschi, Vrabel, Harrison and co. "pick up the slack" and tighten up on defense and make big plays, three and outs, sacks, goal line stand, etc. Eventually, Brady wakes up, and the next thing you know the pats win a tough game. The defense locks up in the most crucial times and stops the other team’s offense from making a big play. Another game the Pats D is struggling. So what happens, Brady picks up the slack and puts up points on the board. I’ve also seen times where Brady or Hasselback struggles, but then Corry Dillon for the Pats gains good yards off the ground or Alexander. If Brady who is usually very accurate is not throwing as well, his WRs pick up the slack and catch almost every pass, and don't drop balls. There were some doubts of how the Seahawks would do without MVP Alexander against the Redskins. Well the passing game with Hasselback "picked up the slack." Special teams with returns, kickers, punter, Dbs, I could go on are also in this mix. My point is good or great teams usually play well, but just like any team they come across struggles, but they win because they have one position that picks up the slack of another position during that game.
That is Miami's problem. Miami starts moving the ball, but what happens next? offsides on the OL. Then no blocking and constant pressure on the qb. Ok, the ol starts to actually protect further into the game. What happens? The qb waits too long or gets jittery and throws way too soon and missing the opportunity of a wide open WR. Then another moment the line actually blocks and the Wrs are not getting open. Then the Wrs are open deep and the qb over throws them. Ok, so now the qb is throwing accurately now, but the WRs are dropping passes left and right on crucial downs and plays. The defense is just as accountable for the big plays. They play tough, but the offense sputters, but then when the offense finally starts scoring and has the most points of the season, and the defense just has to hold down the forts so that Miami's offense can finish of the game or milk the clock on the ground or the defense just ends it there. Well, Miami's offense starts scoring, and what does Miami's defense do? Allow a 70 yard run by Ahman Green, right when Miami was just gaining momentum and the offense was starting to go. Big pass plays, big runs plays at crucial times.
The DL puts good pressure but the Dbs get smoked. Then on another play the DBs are covering pretty well and the DL and lbs can't put any pressure. And so on. Then when Miami actually starts to click it's right when there's barely any time, and the coach decides to pass when there was more than enough time to run the ball on a draw and have a much better chance of getting since the Jets D was playing and set up for shotgun pass, it would have been a very helpful first down. They had one more time out and could have gained more yards after the first down to have a much better or higher percentage chance of Olindo making the field goal with the crappy jets field and conditions. Or the teams drives down and could actually tie the game, and even though it's a long kick. What happens next? You guessed it right; Olindo misses a crucial kick, thus special teams not picking up the slack there. Good and great teams pick up the slack and keep the momentum going to a victory. It seems like whenever Miami is doing something right, some player or positions negates the good performance with a sloppy performance, thus ending the momentum, and making Miami to fall just short again. Instead of picking up the slack it is almost like players and positions want to out do each other with playing sloppy or making mistakes. Ok, so Chambers is dropping passes.
Ok, Maybe Booker might pick up the slack. Nope. He drops passes on crucial plays or slips. And even Wes Welker who has done the best, but has seemed to get the Miami (dropped passes) illness that seems lurk in Miami from time to time and even drops some passes, even though less than the other Wrs. Well Hagan is a rookie, but maybe he will pick up the slack. Nope he "follows the crowd" as well. When it rains, it pours for Miami. I swear this is what is seems like Booker, Chambers and Mcmike, etc think when one the wRs drops passes. Booker: "Well Chambers has been dropping passes, so you know what, instead of me making plays regardless, I think I will follow "the leader" and drops passes as well, because that is the trendy thing to do. Or Chambers must be saying that when Booker drops passes, or McMike saying that, etc. When a position struggles or a player struggles the other position that "was" doing well follows pursuit, and the whole team flounders. The defense also does not create turnovers, and make enough big plays, whereas, the good teams do. What am trying to point out is that this team lacks players as unit as leaders. The only leaders I see are Taylor, Thomas and Crowder. But Thomas has not been doing as well. Obviously if the team consisted of these guys, and Welker too, they would be fine, but a few players can't do everything. And even these players can letdown sometimes at crucial times as well. This team does not consist of players that are responsible for their role, take leadership into their own hands, or play with any urgency. Therefore, Miami lacks "reliable" players that can pick up the slack when a player or position is struggling, which happens for every team during the course of the season. The players and team as a whole is anything but reliable. So what do guys think?
They obviously have the talent, but it is more than that. Brady is a great qb, but just like Peyton Manning and other top qbs, even Brady has some games where he struggles. So the offense stalls. So what happens? Bruschi, Vrabel, Harrison and co. "pick up the slack" and tighten up on defense and make big plays, three and outs, sacks, goal line stand, etc. Eventually, Brady wakes up, and the next thing you know the pats win a tough game. The defense locks up in the most crucial times and stops the other team’s offense from making a big play. Another game the Pats D is struggling. So what happens, Brady picks up the slack and puts up points on the board. I’ve also seen times where Brady or Hasselback struggles, but then Corry Dillon for the Pats gains good yards off the ground or Alexander. If Brady who is usually very accurate is not throwing as well, his WRs pick up the slack and catch almost every pass, and don't drop balls. There were some doubts of how the Seahawks would do without MVP Alexander against the Redskins. Well the passing game with Hasselback "picked up the slack." Special teams with returns, kickers, punter, Dbs, I could go on are also in this mix. My point is good or great teams usually play well, but just like any team they come across struggles, but they win because they have one position that picks up the slack of another position during that game.
That is Miami's problem. Miami starts moving the ball, but what happens next? offsides on the OL. Then no blocking and constant pressure on the qb. Ok, the ol starts to actually protect further into the game. What happens? The qb waits too long or gets jittery and throws way too soon and missing the opportunity of a wide open WR. Then another moment the line actually blocks and the Wrs are not getting open. Then the Wrs are open deep and the qb over throws them. Ok, so now the qb is throwing accurately now, but the WRs are dropping passes left and right on crucial downs and plays. The defense is just as accountable for the big plays. They play tough, but the offense sputters, but then when the offense finally starts scoring and has the most points of the season, and the defense just has to hold down the forts so that Miami's offense can finish of the game or milk the clock on the ground or the defense just ends it there. Well, Miami's offense starts scoring, and what does Miami's defense do? Allow a 70 yard run by Ahman Green, right when Miami was just gaining momentum and the offense was starting to go. Big pass plays, big runs plays at crucial times.
The DL puts good pressure but the Dbs get smoked. Then on another play the DBs are covering pretty well and the DL and lbs can't put any pressure. And so on. Then when Miami actually starts to click it's right when there's barely any time, and the coach decides to pass when there was more than enough time to run the ball on a draw and have a much better chance of getting since the Jets D was playing and set up for shotgun pass, it would have been a very helpful first down. They had one more time out and could have gained more yards after the first down to have a much better or higher percentage chance of Olindo making the field goal with the crappy jets field and conditions. Or the teams drives down and could actually tie the game, and even though it's a long kick. What happens next? You guessed it right; Olindo misses a crucial kick, thus special teams not picking up the slack there. Good and great teams pick up the slack and keep the momentum going to a victory. It seems like whenever Miami is doing something right, some player or positions negates the good performance with a sloppy performance, thus ending the momentum, and making Miami to fall just short again. Instead of picking up the slack it is almost like players and positions want to out do each other with playing sloppy or making mistakes. Ok, so Chambers is dropping passes.
Ok, Maybe Booker might pick up the slack. Nope. He drops passes on crucial plays or slips. And even Wes Welker who has done the best, but has seemed to get the Miami (dropped passes) illness that seems lurk in Miami from time to time and even drops some passes, even though less than the other Wrs. Well Hagan is a rookie, but maybe he will pick up the slack. Nope he "follows the crowd" as well. When it rains, it pours for Miami. I swear this is what is seems like Booker, Chambers and Mcmike, etc think when one the wRs drops passes. Booker: "Well Chambers has been dropping passes, so you know what, instead of me making plays regardless, I think I will follow "the leader" and drops passes as well, because that is the trendy thing to do. Or Chambers must be saying that when Booker drops passes, or McMike saying that, etc. When a position struggles or a player struggles the other position that "was" doing well follows pursuit, and the whole team flounders. The defense also does not create turnovers, and make enough big plays, whereas, the good teams do. What am trying to point out is that this team lacks players as unit as leaders. The only leaders I see are Taylor, Thomas and Crowder. But Thomas has not been doing as well. Obviously if the team consisted of these guys, and Welker too, they would be fine, but a few players can't do everything. And even these players can letdown sometimes at crucial times as well. This team does not consist of players that are responsible for their role, take leadership into their own hands, or play with any urgency. Therefore, Miami lacks "reliable" players that can pick up the slack when a player or position is struggling, which happens for every team during the course of the season. The players and team as a whole is anything but reliable. So what do guys think?
: :billsbite :nesucks: :saberfigh