Why wasn't S.Smith covering Moss last game....???

[McMichael]

Anyone have any idea on why this was? I thought Moss was the type of receiver Smith would excel at covering.. and that he would be worse vs smaller shiftier types...

Especially on that 2 point conversion play in the endzone, why in the hell wasn't Smith covering Moss there??? Makes no sense to me at all... is it just that Moss is too fast for Smith in a straight line or did the coaching staff just mess up?

Anyone any conclusive evidence / answers ??

 

[Rhody Phins Fan]

Vontae is faster and quicker than Smith so he had a better chance of staying with Moss. He also has ridiculous jumping ability that negates the height difference. I think the staff made the right choice on that one.

 

[McMichael]

Vontae is faster and quicker than Smith so he had a better chance of staying with Moss. He also has ridiculous jumping ability that negates the height difference. I think the staff made the right choice on that one.

Did it negate the height difference on the 2 point conversion play where they simply threw it high to Moss?

Vontae had one good play on the first snap.. but after that he got burnt many many times.. not even just the stiff-arm play, he got burnt for another long touchdown besides that, a few long catches, and the 2 point conversion play obviously.

I think S.Smith is just not as good as a lot of people on this board seem to think he is, and Vontae was pretty much our only chance at even covering Moss at all...

 

[Howard Stern]

I think S.Smith is just not as good as a lot of people on this board seem to think he is, and Vontae was pretty much our only chance at even covering Moss at all...

Maybe, but where the hell did you hear we cut Pat Turner? You posted that in the Folsom thread and you never responded to my question.

 

[ADavieDolphin]

Yeah whenthe game started up I was suprised to see Vontae lined up vrs Moss.
Then I thought about it and it makes sense, Moss is very physical, and vontae even more so. Sean Smith, Love him, wanted him in 1st round... but I overlooked his tackling and physicality. Smith has actuaclly been kind of soft, in coverage and especially on tackles.

I imagine Sparano knew if Smith was on Moss, Randall could abuse him physically.. Vontae did a good job vrs. Randy, I think he lunged to early after being stiff armed, give him 10 more yards.. just make the tackle.

I'd expect Sean to bulk up, and go against some of those number one's soon.. Vontae can at least stay right on Moss, and blow him up if need be. Sean smith doesn't blow anyone up and is susceptable to double moves, and we all know Gibril doesn't offer viable safety help.

The game plan was there.. the execution was not. really poor pass rush, imagine if we had that going, our cb's would have made even more plays

 

[Tigers2003]

Did it negate the height difference on the 2 point conversion play where they simply threw it high to Moss?

Vontae had one good play on the first snap.. but after that he got burnt many many times.. not even just the stiff-arm play, he got burnt for another long touchdown besides that, a few long catches, and the 2 point conversion play obviously.

I think S.Smith is just not as good as a lot of people on this board seem to think he is, and Vontae was pretty much our only chance at even covering Moss at all...

Moss is a bad matchup for any corner nontheless a rookie. Vontae has speed advantage but not the size. Admittedly I expected Smith covering him with his height. Not using Smith vs. Moss says something. They don't trust Smith vs. the fastest wr on the opposing team. The choice is do you give up height disadvantage to match up as best as you can on pure speed or do you take your chance with the slower cb? Choose your poison vs. Moss.

 

[Doctor Phibes]

Smith plays RCB - simple as that. They're rookies so best not to over-complicate things by switching positions. In fact even with an experienced vet like Will Allen I doubt they'd shift him around

 

[CalFishman]

Exactly. Sparano said our CBs like most in the league play one side our the other. It was NE who was chosing who covers Moss.

 

[Dajesus]

Really? We are going to question who was covering Moss? He is Randy Moss and we had two rookies starting the game. If you ask a question about coverage then you ask why there was not a safety helping who ever Moss lined up against. The first big play to Moss it would not have mattered who was covering him. Davis had great coverage, and Moss made a Moss play. The 2nd play was 3rd and short and Miami sold out looking for a run, and Randy destroyed Davis on a crossing route. Not really his fault as their should have been safety help or a LB in that zone, but as I said they sold out against the run. We had a chance to win the game despite having two rookies going up against one of the best passing attacks in the NFL, but Miami the offense did not make the plays. The only decision that should be 2nd guessed was the punt from the 40 yard line late in the 4th quarter. 4th and 5 would on New England's side of the field would have been better than 4th and 15 from our 25.

 

[Gitrdone]

Smith plays RCB - simple as that. They're rookies so best not to over-complicate things by switching positions. In fact even with an experienced vet like Will Allen I doubt they'd shift him around

Basically thats exactly what it is. He plays the one CB spot, and he doesn't leave that position. Now Davis plays all CB spots, so he is able to follow Moss no matter where he goes after the huddle, unlike Smith. So there is the reason Davis was on him all game. He made some good plays, and gave up some big plays, he will learn from it.

 

[Two-Gappin]

No No No No!!!!!

I Read That Yesterday, Thats That Damn Coach P Talking About The Technique And Footwork That Comes With Different Sides,bah!!! Smitty Is Easily The Better Match Up And You Better Know That Smith Has The Speed To Keep Up With Moss. I Like Smith On Moss Because He Can Bump And Run Like A Young Albert Lewis When He Played With The Chiefs, Smitty Wont Let People Off The Line Remember What He Did To Torry Holt In Preseason, He Can Bump And Run Like Hell And Thats Sum Bull**** About The Side These Corners Are Smart Not Dumb But Smart Like Fredo, But Anyway If We Get After The Qb's *** By The Time He Gets The Ball Off Wr Will Just Be Getting Off The Line Into Their Route, We Have To Jam The Wr People, Thats Why I Like Matt Roth, He Didn't Have That Many Sacks Last Year Because He Had The Tight End Jacked Up In The Air Jamming Him Off His Routes Then He Went Into A Pass Rush!! Thats What We Need Is Press Coverage With Wake And Jt Coming Off The Corner 46 Please With Roth Jacking The Tight End Up And Wake And Jt Coming Hard!!!!!! Smith Is Clearly The Better Match Up And Vontae Should Be On Welker Because He Had Nate Jones Turn Inside Out And Jones Is A Helluva Blitzer I Like Him Just Not On Welker

 

[justdev7]

Smith will probably get assigned to guys like Moss in the future but right now his jam isn't good enough to disrupt top shelf wide receivers. He'll get it though

 

[TuaClockSomewhere]

because smith is soft and doesn't look like he knows whats going on right now and vontae is very confident and is overall a much better corner right now

 

[IceStorm]

I dunno. I watched Davis perform very well against the Pats considering he's a rookie. He gave up one big play and a few little ones. But for all his tackles, his coverages, I think he's going to be very good.
Even the commentators mentioned that the Dolphins are going to have two very good backs for years to come with these two and that we might have the best backfield in a few years from now.

 

[DolfanISS]

I think I remember one time while watching the Dolphins that one of our CB's covered a WR regardless of where he lines up and that was in 2002 when Sam Madison made the decision on his own to shadow Marvin Harrison who was killing Jammar Fletcher. Seriously, despite Finheaven being obsessed with the matchups, I think we always have a LCB, RCB and Nickel and they cover whoever lines up opposite them regardless of who it is. As long as I can remember it has been this way. I remember seeing Davis on Moss the majority of the time but also remember seeing Smith and Jones cover him as well. I think my point was made when Jason Allen entered the game for Vontae and he covered Moss. The Miami Dolphins NEVER have a particular corner cover a particular WR, whoever they line up on is who they get.