Pats/Dolphins

[RaynorShyne]

Brady's interception:

See?  Put a touch of pressure on belladonna and he wilts in the sun

[Cali-Steeler]

This is interesting... But in the end Brady - lady will come back and smash the Doll-fins...

[Cali-Steeler]

Dolfins exposing the Pats run defense?

[Rollers]

Brady's interception:

See?  Put a touch of pressure on belladonna and he wilts in the sun

It's not just the pressure.  If you notice their corners are actually covering someone.  Their corners are pressing the receivers and running with them.  Our DBs will NOT do anything close to that.  Perhaps Brady will be Brady in the second half and the Dolphins will wilt.  But they have shown if you press and provide pressure the Pats can be contained  We won't do that but it's possible.

[Rollers]

Miami's corners are pressing the hell out of those receivers. Will we? Doubt it.

[dbsfgyd1]

The problem with our secondary is not so much the corners, it’s the safeties that suck. Actually, Burns was playing some press. The deployment of Davis in the short zones has exposed Mitchell.

Truth be told, the biggest issue with our defense at the moment is not our pass defense, it’s our run defense, in particular, the DL, and Tuitt in particular by having a nasty habit of not staying in his rush fit. He’s been getting trucked inside towards the Center, and the RB cutting outside of him and inside Dupree who is running up the arc for no apparent purpose.

If we can stop the run, we’ll be fine. But we haven’t, and it needs to get fixed.

[dbsfgyd1]

Dolphins up by 17, and the “hoodie” is looking non-plused...

Actually, the Dolphins are playing like they want to win. Great game plan, and the Pats look unprepared. Perhaps theyv’e been worried about that “400 pound gorilla” waiting for them in the Burgh and are caught looking ahead???

[Rollers]

The problem with our secondary is not so much the corners, it’s the safeties that suck. Actually, Burns was playing some press. The deployment of Davis in the short zones has exposed Mitchell.

Truth be told, the biggest issue with our defense at the moment is not our pass defense, it’s our run defense, in particular, the DL, and Tuitt in particular by having a nasty habit of not staying in his rush fit. He’s been getting trucked inside towards the Center, and the RB cutting outside of him and inside Dupree who is running up the arc for no apparent purpose.

If we can stop the run, we’ll be fine. But we haven’t, and it needs to get fixed.

The Dolphins are showing you how to do it.  PRESS the receivers and apply pressure.  There's nothing hard about it really.  I can't even tell you if a safety for the Dolphins have made a play tonight  One thing i do know is that Gronk will be back for our game and that opens up the entire play book for the pats

[dbsfgyd1]

Pressure up the gut. I’ve been saying it since last years AFCCG. Here is the the deal though, if Tuitt doesn’t stay in his lane, we are going to get gashed on runs. One other issue, we haven’t been real great defending middle screens.

That said, the Patriots are not scary, and coming in on a short week from a game they got the snot knocked out of them, we should take care of them. If Miami can beat them, so can we.. this go around...

[Rollers]

Pressure up the gut. I’ve been saying it since last years AFCCG. Here is the the deal though, if Tuitt doesn’t stay in his lane, we are going to get gashed  on runs. One other issue, we haven’t been real great defending middle screens.

That said, the Patriots are not scary, and coming in on a short week from a game they got the snot knocked out of them, we should take care of them. If Miami can beat them, so can we.. this go around...

TJ watt,  Dupree,  both brought in to rush the passer, both pretty non existent until the last play of the game against B more.  Something has to change.  We are NOT getting the pressure up the gut or from anywhere else.  Miami brought people all the time.  You HAVE to have someone on Gronk to do that.  you can't allow Brady to simply dump the ball off to him over and over.  I don't know that we have anyone that can do that now.  No clue.  I guess Watt could but that's not his job.  Why can teams design blitzes to get to the QB and we can't?  What are we doing that others aren't?  Why does it seem like when our guys blitz there's always someone there to pick them up?  I don't know.  I'm at a loss.  If we play a damn soft zone against the Pats with Gronk back we're dead.  PUre and simple.  Burns is going backwards.   He has played horribly lately.  Sensebaugh?  joke.  Gay?  horrible.  Safeties?  What safeties?  Glad we had Ben on top of his game against B more and that was without JuJu.  Now if Bryant could actually start putting in the effort.  If there was ever a year we could beat the Pats this is it

[dbsfgyd1]

My only concern in this game is if Moreli’s crew is officiating the game.

Seriously, we will score points on the Pats, and we will give up more than a few. If we can control the clock, keeping Brady off of the field as much as possible, we will win this game.

[RaynorShyne]

The problem with our secondary is not so much the corners, it’s the safeties that suck. Actually, Burns was playing some press. The deployment of Davis in the short zones has exposed Mitchell.

Truth be told, the biggest issue with our defense at the moment is not our pass defense, it’s our run defense, in particular, the DL, and Tuitt in particular by having a nasty habit of not staying in his rush fit. He’s been getting trucked inside towards the Center, and the RB cutting outside of him and inside Dupree who is running up the arc for no apparent purpose.

If we can stop the run, we’ll be fine. But we haven’t, and it needs to get fixed.

The Dolphins are showing you how to do it.  PRESS the receivers and apply pressure.  There's nothing hard about it really.  I can't even tell you if a safety for the Dolphins have made a play tonight  One thing i do know is that Gronk will be back for our game and that opens up the entire play book for the pats

The key is highlighted above.  

Question is - will the Stillers listen?

[dbsfgyd1]

Kind of a chicken and egg statement here, but the secondary can only cover for so long. The critical issue is how fast you can pressure the pocket. Frankly, as I’ve observed, we are having an issue with Tuitt not staying in his defensive fit, and the more I look at it, it may be design.

It looks like he is trying to crash the guard-center gap, which has two issues, the biggest one is that it is leaving a huge hole between him and Dupree, who like usual, is being run up the arc. This makes us vulnerable to delayed running plays, and QB scrambles. Without Shazier’s speed to close it, this is a huge flaw.

The second is, Tuitt is usually up against a doubleteam, and stymied at the LOS. Further, it clogs up the interior rush lanes for blitzing linebackers, not to mention getting in Hargrave’s way.

Check it out.

[Rollers]

Kind of a chicken and egg statement here, but the secondary can only cover for so long. The critical issue is how fast you can pressure the pocket. Frankly, as I’ve observed, we are having an issue with Tuitt not staying in his defensive fit, and the more I look at it, it may be design.

It looks like he is trying to crash the guard-center gap, which has two issues, the biggest one is that it is leaving a huge hole between him and Dupree, who like usual, is being run up the arc. This makes us vulnerable to delayed running plays, and QB scrambles. Without Shazier’s speed to close it, this is a huge flaw.

The second is, Tuitt is usually up against a doubleteam, and stymied at the LOS. Further, it clogs up the interior rush lanes for blitzing linebackers, not to mention getting in Hargrave’s way.

Check it out.

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

[mcmillenandwife]

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

[Rollers]

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

[RaynorShyne]

 

...and somehow we're 11-2

[dbsfgyd1]

Kind of a chicken and egg statement here, but the secondary can only cover for so long. The critical issue is how fast you can pressure the pocket. Frankly, as I’ve observed, we are having an issue with Tuitt not staying in his defensive fit, and the more I look at it, it may be design.

It looks like he is trying to crash the guard-center gap, which has two issues, the biggest one is that it is leaving a huge hole between him and Dupree, who like usual, is being run up the arc. This makes us vulnerable to delayed running plays, and QB scrambles. Without Shazier’s speed to close it, this is a huge flaw.

The second is, Tuitt is usually up against a doubleteam, and stymied at the LOS. Further, it clogs up the interior rush lanes for blitzing linebackers, not to mention getting in Hargrave’s way.

Check it out.

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

We don’t have Suh on our DL that can dominate a game.

[dbsfgyd1]

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Frankly, I’m not sold on our DL as being all that. Heyward is a good player for sure, but have you ever seen him take over a game? Maybe a play or two or three in a game, but all game long? How about  Tuitt?  Hargrave? Alualu?

These are solid players, but not what I would call game changers. As for our “doofus” coach, you can’t make what ain’t. 
‘

[mcmillenandwife]

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Part of it is match-ups. But again... sometimes, it's just your night.

If the Pats and Dolphins played again this weekend and you had to bet $1000 on who would win, you know darn well you'd put your money on the Pats.

[Rollers]

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Part of it is match-ups. But again... sometimes, it's just your night.

If the Pats and Dolphins played again this weekend and you had to bet $1000 on who would win, you know darn well you'd put your money on the Pats.

I would also have put my money on the Steerlers against the Bears.  How would that have worked out?  Look my only point is that for that game the Fins had a plan and it worked.  I just don't get this need to minimize what they did.  They showed the matchups that can be exploited.  I guess I just don't get it

[Rollers]

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Frankly, I’m not sold on our DL as being all that. Heyward is a good player for sure, but have you ever seen him take over a game? Maybe a play or two or three in a game, but all game long? How about  Tuitt?  Hargrave? Alualu?

These are solid players, but not what I would call game changers. As for our “doofus” coach, you can’t make what ain’t. 
‘

ok Miami just has better talent.  Wish we had their defense I guess

[dbsfgyd1]

The Dolphins had no problem getting to Brady.  So why can't we look at what they did and fix it?  Is our D coordinator a doofus?

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Frankly, I’m not sold on our DL as being all that. Heyward is a good player for sure, but have you ever seen him take over a game? Maybe a play or two or three in a game, but all game long? How about  Tuitt?  Hargrave? Alualu?

These are solid players, but not what I would call game changers. As for our “doofus” coach, you can’t make what ain’t. 
‘

ok Miami just has better talent.  Wish we had their defense I guess

Yep, on Monday night Miami had a better defense. For a 16 game season and a following playoff run, I wouldn’t recommend switching.

[dbsfgyd1]

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Part of it is match-ups. But again... sometimes, it's just your night.

If the Pats and Dolphins played again this weekend and you had to bet $1000 on who would win, you know darn well you'd put your money on the Pats.

I would also have put my money on the Steerlers against the Bears.  How would that have worked out?  Look my only point is that for that game the Fins had a plan and it worked.  I just don't get this need to minimize what they did.  They showed the matchups that can be exploited.  I guess I just don't get it

The NFL was started by gamblers. I wouldn’t recommend betting on it.

[Rollers]

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Frankly, I’m not sold on our DL as being all that. Heyward is a good player for sure, but have you ever seen him take over a game? Maybe a play or two or three in a game, but all game long? How about  Tuitt?  Hargrave? Alualu?

These are solid players, but not what I would call game changers. As for our “doofus” coach, you can’t make what ain’t. 
‘

ok Miami just has better talent.  Wish we had their defense I guess

Yep, on Monday night Miami had a better defense. For a 16 game season and a following playoff run, I wouldn’t recommend switching.

I give up .  no sense arguing with that kind of logic.

[dbsfgyd1]

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Frankly, I’m not sold on our DL as being all that. Heyward is a good player for sure, but have you ever seen him take over a game? Maybe a play or two or three in a game, but all game long? How about  Tuitt?  Hargrave? Alualu?

These are solid players, but not what I would call game changers. As for our “doofus” coach, you can’t make what ain’t. 
‘

ok Miami just has better talent.  Wish we had their defense I guess

Yep, on Monday night Miami had a better defense. For a 16 game season and a following playoff run, I wouldn’t recommend switching.

I give up .  no sense arguing with that kind of logic.

Have you ever heard the expression “On any given Sunday”? 2-3 weeks ago the Patriots offense tore this very same defense to shreads. These things happen. I don’t understand why this is so hard to understand. It’s life in the NFL.

 There are no guarantees on the outcome of any game. I’ve been trying to get this message to you guys for years. It doesn’t matter how good you are, how much talent you have, how great your coaching staff is, there are NO guaranteed victories. 

There are too many variables. You got 100 players, throughout the season, game to game, even play to play, with some getting better, some getting worse. Injuries and recovery have a a huge impact on the quality of play. Added, you have a coach calling for a slider off the plate that hangs in the wind, a corner that slips, or a ref  with a questionable call, or even a different officiating team that has a completely different interpretation of a very subjective set of rules that can tip the balance. 

And ALL of this is supposed to be managed by a head coach to insure no losses, ever?

You’re right. I give up. Sheesh.

[Chucktownsteeler]

This is the same 6-7 Dolphins team that lost to the Ravens 40-0. Sometimes, it's just your night.

More to it than that.  They had a plan that worked.  The Pats were working to make it their night and not the fins.  So why do our guys blitzing run right into a blocker almost every single time?  Seems like the Fins were coming from places where there were no blockers?  Our blitzes have sucked for several years now.  Why?  I'm lost on it

Part of it is match-ups. But again... sometimes, it's just your night.

If the Pats and Dolphins played again this weekend and you had to bet $1000 on who would win, you know darn well you'd put your money on the Pats.

I would also have put my money on the Steerlers against the Bears.  How would that have worked out?  Look my only point is that for that game the Fins had a plan and it worked.  I just don't get this need to minimize what they did.  They showed the matchups that can be exploited.  I guess I just don't get it

Before you bet check out the Steeler's record at Soldier Field. Football can be a strange game.

[mcmillenandwife]

I would also have put my money on the Steerlers against the Bears.  How would that have worked out?  Look my only point is that for that game the Fins had a plan and it worked.  I just don't get this need to minimize what they did.  They showed the matchups that can be exploited.  I guess I just don't get it

Seriously, rollers? So are you saying you think the 4-9 Bears are a better team than the Steelers, capable of beating them again and again? Or do you concede that pretty much every team, no matter how great, slips up once or twice a year against a team they should beat (hence, the 1972 Dolphins still stand alone with a perfect season).  

I'm not minimizing what Miami did. I'm simply keeping it in perspective. Miami is a below-average team who caught New England on a bad night, and perhaps even caught them looking ahead to the Steelers game (in spite of the fact that some folks here would claim Belichick is such a "perfect" coach that looking ahead couldn't possibly happen). If the Cutler-led Dolphins play the Brady-led Patriots 20 times, I think New England wins 19 of them. Miami was part of the 5% club that night. Good for them. 

But I think it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the game THIS week. Different teams, different matchups, much more on the line.

[Rollers]

I would also have put my money on the Steerlers against the Bears.  How would that have worked out?  Look my only point is that for that game the Fins had a plan and it worked.  I just don't get this need to minimize what they did.  They showed the matchups that can be exploited.  I guess I just don't get it

Seriously, rollers? So are you saying you think the 4-9 Bears are a better team than the Steelers, capable of beating them again and again? Or do you concede that pretty much every team, no matter how great, slips up once or twice a year against a team they should beat (hence, the 1972 Dolphins still stand alone with a perfect season).  

I'm not minimizing what Miami did. I'm simply keeping it in perspective. Miami is a below-average team who caught New England on a bad night, and perhaps even caught them looking ahead to the Steelers game (in spite of the fact that some folks here would claim Belichick is such a "perfect" coach that looking ahead couldn't possibly happen). If the Cutler-led Dolphins play the Brady-led Patriots 20 times, I think New England wins 19 of them. Miami was part of the 5% club that night. Good for them. 

But I think it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the game THIS week. Different teams, different matchups, much more on the line.

I think you missed my whole point.  My point was I would have bet the Steelers would beat the bears handily.  I'm really tired of explaining this.  My WHOLE point is that Miami did something different and won the damn game.  No one knows if they were "looking past" the Fins.  That's pure speculation.  As to him being "perfect" no one said that either.  Not to my knowledge anyway.  I think he's the best coach in football.  I wish we had him.  Miami created the Pats bad night.  But if you guys think we can play our normal defense Sunday night and win this game ok.  I'm good with that.  I guess we'll see.  I wonder how you know when a below average team "catches someone on a bad night"?  That's an assumption driven by thinking the coach of the Pats is perfect?  I don't know.  Miami beat them up until they played that crappy prevent defense and almost blew it.  But then I'm not as smart as most