What area will we regress in?

[foozool13]

Obviously there will be something that we regress on next year. Everything cant be better than last year. Its just how the competitiveness of the NFL works. SO I was wondering what you all thought we will regress in?

A. Pass Defense
B. Run Defense
C. Pass Offense
D. Running Game
E. Special Teams Coverage
F. Special Teams Return Yards
G. Causing Turnovers
H. Protecting the Ball (INTs, Fumbles, etc.)
I. More injuries
J. Get Less Sacks as a Team
K. Give up more Sacks
L. Other (please specify)
M. None - We will improve in every single aspect of the game

*I tried to put as many as I could think of, sorry if I missed anything obvious*

 

[ckparrothead]

The easiest one is H, protecting the ball. That's just because the Dolphins were so far below normal on that in 2008, that if they just revert to "normal" or even less than normal, it will look like a lot more turnovers compared with 2008.

I worry about any kind of regression in run defense. Jason Ferguson is no spring chicken. I didn't like hearing him talk about how he'll retire after this year unless the Dolphins still want him to play for them. That reminds me too much of the end of Keith Traylor's days. Also, Phil Merling is not as good a run defender as Vonnie Holliday was and that's just a fact. Randy Starks was better than both, hopefully he steps up. If the Dolphins use Jason Taylor and Joey Porter in tandem a lot, the run D could suffer...because Porter was a bad run defender and Taylor is only marginally better.

 

[Kdawg954]

Definitely @ protecting the ball, I mean more than anything else, that is what got us in the playoffs . . . and hopefully we are still good at that . . . but more than likely we will not be as good as we were last year at that.

 

[NBP81]

I voted Protecting the ball. One thing that could take a little drop this year could be game'closing drives. Last year it seemed like we couldnt be stop on offense in the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter... I hope we keep it up but still expect to flop some of those...

 

[redclamcrowder]

The easiest one is H, protecting the ball. That's just because the Dolphins were so far below normal on that in 2008, that if they just revert to "normal" or even less than normal, it will look like a lot more turnovers compared with 2008.

I worry about any kind of regression in run defense. Jason Ferguson is no spring chicken. I didn't like hearing him talk about how he'll retire after this year unless the Dolphins still want him to play for them. That reminds me too much of the end of Keith Traylor's days. Also, Phil Merling is not as good a run defender as Vonnie Holliday was and that's just a fact. Randy Starks was better than both, hopefully he steps up. If the Dolphins use Jason Taylor and Joey Porter in tandem a lot, the run D could suffer...because Porter was a bad run defender and Taylor is only marginally better.

Crap CK, you beat me to it :up: I read the preview of this thread and thought right away "RUN DEFENSE" and was ready to come here and reply it.

But the points you made were all good. I was thinking that losing Holliday's skills and experience, as well as Ferguson's age (and Solai's inexperience and unreliability should he have to fill Ferg's role for any amount of time) could impact the defensive line's ability to hold up at the point of attack on run plays. Also, as you noted, Taylor being paired with Joey Porter (both having poor metrics on defending the run, though stats arn't everything) may present opportunities for Offenses to try and spring surprise run plays on the Dolphins during downs that are likely passing downs (though short enough a draw might be useful in the right situation). I still expect Starks to take care of business (and hopefully he, Merling, and Langford) but I wonder how guys like McDaniels, Wright, and Dotson will do with greater responsibility (assuming all of them are still around following the 53-man roster trimming). With this many variables, run defense is the only area (outside of turnovers, etc. mentioned earlier in the thread) that I think has the most potential to suffer this year.

 

[Zounds]

I think we can protect the ball just fine. I know our coaches are on top of that. I dont see Chad's INT's going up either. I think he knows his limitations now, and plays to them. I'm not so sure he knew them when he came off that shoulder injury with the Jets. He was floating balls all over the field, but I never saw him do that with the fins, except in the playoffs. Being that Favre is out of our division, we will probably get less turnovers though.

 

[Dr. Phin]

I'll have to agree with CK and redclamcrowder and go with the run defense. I think Holiday will be missed and I do not have a lot of faith in Merling based on last year's showing. (I actually expect Starks to be better than Merling, but they may keep him in on the pass rush package instead of moving him up to be a first-down player.)

McDaniels is a wild card in this though...I really haven't seen him play, so I am not sure what we might have in him.

 

[Phinatic8u]

Booing Fans

 

[GoonBoss]

I have to go along with the gang here. Ball protection and run D are my concerns. I mean...when you consider how little we turned the ball over, it's not unreasonable to think we might turn the ball over just a little more. That would technically be a regression.

Also, by all reports, Pat White is going to be working the Wildcat. It's not unreasonable to think that a rookie QB will have a higher chance of turning the ball over than Pennington.

 

[Dr. Phin]

I just hope that in our regression as far as ball protection goes...that we still continue to be league leaders in the category. In such a case, the regression would be acceptable and even expected...

 

[phinphan4life]

Obviously there will be something that we regress on next year. Everything cant be better than last year. Its just how the competitiveness of the NFL works. SO I was wondering what you all thought we will regress in?

A. Pass Defense
B. Run Defense
C. Pass Offense
D. Running Game
E. Special Teams Coverage
F. Special Teams Return Yards
G. Causing Turnovers
H. Protecting the Ball (INTs, Fumbles, etc.)
I. More injuries
J. Get Less Sacks as a Team
K. Give up more Sacks
L. Other (please specify)
M. None - We will improve in every single aspect of the game

*I tried to put as many as I could think of, sorry if I missed anything obvious*

Losses.:up:

 

[JerryD]

I can't say Regress exactly, but we have quite a few sub-par areas where we need ALOT more improvement. It really shows against good teams & we could only improve so much, as we drafted DBs & WRs.
My concerns are in order:

O-line: Getting beat at the point of attack stifles our great runners & puts Chad in jeopardy, making us somewhat one-dimensional & predictable. We improved, but have a ways to go. (Last year we resorted to smoke, mirrors, & Wildcat.)

D-line: We're knocked off the line & bullied by good teams. Rooks will be 1 year better, NT thin, & we need everyone to step up big time.

Special Teams: ugh, nuff said!! Tony preached something about needing these "invisible yards." I know the regime is very concerned & hopefully the new faces & emphasis will pay off.

Another area to eyeball ... will the D-backfield gel so we can whip some disguised schemes on the opponents AND blitz a little ... or will they need another year to solidify? Last year's softness caused us to play vanilla-conservative & have all those inside-outside split responsibilities. (Did pretty decent though!!)

 

[insomnia411]

I voted passing offense for two reasons.

1. I doubt Pennington will be as proficient as he was last year again, although if he stays healthy there's no reason why he can't be great.

2. We simply did not address the receiver position. Ted Ginn isn't cutting it as a #1, Bess and Cam are slot players, and we have 0 proven on the roster outside of that. I'm somewhat of a fan of Pat Turner but the Hartline pick REALLY left me scratching my head. I really think we should have either signed Housh, or pulled the trigger on one of these WR trades that were floating around out there.

 

[fatkirstyalley]

Dolphin Losses will regress from 5 to 3

 

[BobDole]

protecting the ball is running away with that poll. i don't see us having that kind of luck again next year. hope we do though.