Week 10 AFC East Report: Miami Dolphins

[ckparrothead]

Again, ya'll know the story. This is something I do for billsbuzz.com, I'm just sharing it with you guys too.

Miami Dolphins

by Chris Kouffman


The Dolphins dropped a close loss against a good football team for the second time in as many weeks, losing to the Patriots when a game-tying fourth down touchdown pass was dropped by Chris Chambers in the end zone.

This makes the fourth loss in which the Dolphins were competitive until the very end. Out of five competitive games that were decided late in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins have only managed to walk away with a victory against the Carolina Panthers.

The good news is that such a phenomenon is often a signal of an improving team, especially compared to the cellar-dwelling 2004 version of the Miami Dolphins that were rarely competitive in any game even when the score was close. The Dolphins need the personnel to help get them over the top on some of the close games.

Specifically on offense, the Dolphins desperately need help at quarterback, could use some more muscle along the offensive line, and could use some heart in the wide receiver corp. On defense, the Dolphins need to add some more star power at outside linebacker, need a long term answer for the nose tackle position manned by the aged Keith Traylor, desperately need a game-changing safety, and a cornerback not named Reggie Howard. They could also use a few more sticky mitts in the defensive secondary, but should get the help of at least one ball hawk in Will Poole when he returns from an ACL injury next season.

Chris Chambers had another mixed day as a receiver. He was getting open with consistency and playing fast, but he had three dropped balls including a potential game-tying touchdown that was fit into a tight spot where only Chambers could have caught the ball. Chambers also had two touchdown passes on the day, one of them a beautiful leaping grab on a fade route where Chambers leaped over Asante Samuel and grabbed the ball off of Samuel’s back shoulder then brought the ball around his helmet and into Chambers’ breadbasket. The day epitomizes Chambers’ career. He can always do so much, yet he can always do so much more.

Gus Frerotte had a good day against a struggling Patriots secondary that had allowed quarterbacks to amass a 100.0 quarterback rating prior to the Dolphins game. During the first half, Ronnie Brown ran 10 times for 51 yards and Gus Frerotte completed 12 of 17 passes for 167 yards, 1 TD, and 0 interceptions. The Dolphins had squandered a possible 17 point half with a missed short field goal and Randy McMichael’s fumble inside the opponent’s 10 yard line.

The Patriots adjusted well at half time, and Scott Linehan attempted to pounce on weaknesses in the secondary with 30 passes out of 39 plays during the second half. During the third quarter and beginning of the fourth quarter, the Dolphins had run the ball 6 times compared with 12 passes, and went three-and-out on a number of drives. With approximately 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter and down by 8 points, the Dolphins decided to go no-huddle. The move was successful, netting an immediate field goal to cut the lead to 5 points, and eventually a touchdown that put the Dolphins ahead by one point with less than three minutes left to play.

Unfortunately, it took precisely two plays for the Patriots to gain back a 7 point lead, as Tom Brady completed a deep pass to Tim Dwight, and another to Ben Watson. Still, the quick strike was much preferable to a time-consuming game-winning field goal, which also seemed inevitable the way Tom Brady was continually able to pick on Reggie Howard in the secondary. The result gave the Dolphins two minutes and two timeouts to drive down the field for a game-tying touchdown. The Dolphins did just that with heroics from third wide receiver Wes Welker, running back Ronnie Brown, and tight end Randy McMichael, who caught passes for 47, 23, and 10 yards, respectively. This landed the Dolphins with a 1st and Goal from the New England 5 yard line, and then it happened…again.

Scott Linehan once again called a series of plays in a goal-to-go situation that baffles the mind. The sun was peeking over the top of Dolphins Stadium, shining sharp and bright onto a strip of end zone about 4 yards wide. Anyone using their head would realize that the sun would blind any receiver in that four yard strip looking up at the sky to locate a thrown ball. Scott Linehan decided to throw a fade pass toward a wide receiver on that strip of grass…twice. After the first failed attempt, Marty Booker came off the field complaining that the sun was in his eyes and he could not see the ball. Scott Linehan’s answer to this complaint was running the exact same play with Chris Chambers, instead. Predictably, Chambers ended the play walking off the field complaining that the sun was too bright just like Booker. Perhaps we should give Linehan the benefit of the doubt. Marty Booker may have the reputation of being a compulsive liar, and Scott Linehan may have been wearing sunglasses. Who knows? On third down, the Dolphins called another pass play, which Gus Frerotte promptly threw to a well-covered Ronnie Brown for a 5 yard loss. Then came the magical fourth down when Gus managed to produce a beautiful tight throw to Chambers on an in-pattern. The ball was placed low because Chambers did not have that much separation on his coverage and the end zone was full of defenders. Chambers crouched, and let the ball slip right through his fingers.

The Dolphins now travel to face a Cleveland Browns team that is depleted of quality players and struggling under new head coach Romeo Crennel. The Dolphins should come away with the victory in this game, and may do it without Gus Frerotte, whose finger is badly injured and swollen after banging it on a helmet in the Patriots game. There is speculation that the coaches will pull the old inflated injury charges move to get Sage Rosenfels in the game to see what he has while avoiding a “controversy,†but that is not really Nick Saban’s style. Frerotte will likely start the game, but Rosenfels may finish it if Saban decides that a poor first half showing from Frerotte is directly attributable to the finger injury. How Sage manages the game from there will determine whether or not Gus Frerotte sees the field again this season.

 

[alexwr4]

I know this is a better team than last year, but when you see how close the victorie is from you... damn kind of frustrating ...
Any way, I support the Fins till the very end!

 

[ROSCO P.C. JR]

that was a good assesment of our team . It looks like if we were to look at our needs I would have to prioritize the next draft as followqs.
#1 most paramount get a qb . brad smith or brady quinn will do.
#2 get two safties and a cb.
#3 please get two wrs that will open up the compitition.
#4 draft one dt although i am not sure how we are here.
#5 draft 2 linebackers asap.
in free agency we could trade ricky for kellen winslow and then keep mcmichael and diamond.

as for the oline we may be fine here but i would bring in a fa lineman with experience.

 

[callaway1234]

ricky for kellen winslow... AHAHHHA
What has he done in two years in the league (and only a handful of games actually playing in). . . .

 

[ckparrothead]

Lance Schulters can stick around, nobody would mind. We could really use one of those lights out strong safeties though. If LaRon Landry looks like that kind of player and we have a lower first round pick, he could be the guy man. Reminds me a bit of Darren Sharper.

We could definitely use some more muscle on the OL. Houck's got them all filling their assignments and getting a hat on a hat, but we need people-moving power now in addition to the discipline. A huge powerful OT would go a loooong way for us. I stagger to think what Hudson Houck could do with someone with the kind of potential that Eric Winston has shown.

I mean it when I say Will Poole will help our hands get a bit stickier in the secondary, but we still need that #1 type guy who can run like the wind grooming to take over for Sam at some point. Would help if we had a better insurance policy for Daniels, Madison, and Poole than Reggie Howard, anyway...so I see an opening for that in one of the early rounds.

We'll need to find out if Manny Wright is the right guy to take over for Traylor eventually...and we'll have to see if Kevin Vickerson can be a contributor at the other DT spot, but I do not see Jeff Zgonina being on this team next year and that leaves a spot open for another role player either via the draft or free agency. Of course, that role player COULD end up being Holliday if we get ourselves a stellar DT/DE in free agency or right in the first round of the draft (doubtful).

Then I think Saban will start wanting to add some big bodies at linebacker to man the outsides. Right now we're still smallish there especially if Seau retires.

 

[ATS16]

If it helps you out let me point out some of the items I disagree with.

I don't think that 4th down game tying TD catch was so much a drop as a bad pass.

Desparately need help at QB I would phrase as upgraded needed, I mean Gus isn't JP Loseman.

I think were VERY competitive last year in most of the games and if it not for TD interceptions going the other way we would have made the playoff.

 

[JBinSD]

that was a good assesment of our team . It looks like if we were to look at our needs I would have to prioritize the next draft as followqs.
#1 most paramount get a qb . brad smith or brady quinn will do.
#2 get two safties and a cb.
#3 please get two wrs that will open up the compitition.
#4 draft one dt although i am not sure how we are here.
#5 draft 2 linebackers asap.
in free agency we could trade ricky for kellen winslow and then keep mcmichael and diamond.

as for the oline we may be fine here but i would bring in a fa lineman with experience.

I don't mean to be a punk, but you come up with some crazy stuff.

 

[JBinSD]

And CK -- I won't turn this into a CC bashing thread... But I'm glad you saw the dropped passes. I think it was a great article.

ATS16 -- if he had thrown that ball any other place, it was intercepted. He put it the only place where it could be caught. And Chris didn't make a play. It wasn't a gimme, but to win a game, you sometimes need someone to make a play.

 

[ckparrothead]

Saban had the best comment on that play. I've seen receivers make that catch before. I mean, that is all there is to it. 4th down, down by 7, ball is placed where a good receiver could catch it, and you don't step up to the plate.

It's not like anyone is saying he sucks. A sucky receiver might not have even been in position to catch that ball. A sucky receiver wouldn't have made that fade catch earlier. He's just not on the same level as some receivers that he is often compared with.

 

[ATS16]

And CK -- I won't turn this into a CC bashing thread... But I'm glad you saw the dropped passes. I think it was a great article.

ATS16 -- if he had thrown that ball any other place, it was intercepted. He put it the only place where it could be caught. And Chris didn't make a play. It wasn't a gimme, but to win a game, you sometimes need someone to make a play.

I'm at the disavantage of not actually watching the game so I only saw a quick highlight of it. If what you say is accurate then maybe Gus should have went elsewhere with the ball, though once again I don't know if anyone else was more open. Chamber had 4-5 drops before that he's obviously having a bad day do you go back to him again? Gus seemed to really be looking for Chris a lot. Making it hard to catch maybe be better for Chris since he tends to drop the easy ones:D

 

[Atila]

Saban had the best comment on that play. I've seen receivers make that catch before. I mean, that is all there is to it. 4th down, down by 7, ball is placed where a good receiver could catch it, and you don't step up to the plate.

It's not like anyone is saying he sucks. A sucky receiver might not have even been in position to catch that ball. A sucky receiver wouldn't have made that fade catch earlier. He's just not on the same level as some receivers that he is often compared with.

and thats the god damn truth

 

[ATS16]

Saban had the best comment on that play. I've seen receivers make that catch before. I mean, that is all there is to it. 4th down, down by 7, ball is placed where a good receiver could catch it, and you don't step up to the plate.

It's not like anyone is saying he sucks. A sucky receiver might not have even been in position to catch that ball. A sucky receiver wouldn't have made that fade catch earlier. He's just not on the same level as some receivers that he is often compared with.

I do agree with this and most of your article and thanks for posting it.
The fans that claim Chambers is a decent no # 3 WR are probably the same ones that last year used his name in the same sentence with Moss & Owens
IMO Truth is he's an above average # 2 having a up and down year like Gus

 

[MtnFinFan]

I think I saw someone mention it in another post, but what is the truth to Welker being open on that play?

 

[fishypete]

The pass wasn't a good pass....it could have been thrown higher with no problems...Chambers was the only player with a chance to catch it....low...or higher.
Chambers play has slacked alot....he wasn't a great receiver to begin with....but it seems he makes great one handed catches...and drops too many easy passes...to ever be a true number 1 receiver.

 

[HULKFish]

Saban had the best comment on that play. I've seen receivers make that catch before. I mean, that is all there is to it. 4th down, down by 7, ball is placed where a good receiver could catch it, and you don't step up to the plate.

It's not like anyone is saying he sucks. A sucky receiver might not have even been in position to catch that ball. A sucky receiver wouldn't have made that fade catch earlier. He's just not on the same level as some receivers that he is often compared with.

That's a fair assesment... EVERYONE and there brother and his sister and her pet gold fish can see Chambers potential, he just haven't YET lived up to it.

The article is pretty fair and accurate though. We could use a spine-crushing Center and Damion McIntosh isn't the long term answer at Left Tackle. Schulters is doing good and how about Yeremiah Bell??? No one has mentioned Bell? He had a really good game!

OLB is a concern, Seau can't stay healthy and this should be his last year. Crowder is playing really well where he is, next year we need someone to step in and step up next to Zach and Channing! :helmet:

Besides Truck getting old I think our DL can go as is another year or two with Taylor (of course), Carter, Holliday, Bowens and Zgonina.

I love Will Poole but obviously injuries are a concern, we need two descent CB's in my opinion.

Trade Ricky (although I like him) we don't really need him unless it's to spell Ronnie once in a while or for insurance if he stays cheap. Have to have a receiver to push Chambers for the #1 spot.