Dolphins at Cowboys running notes
So my new home’s internet/cable problems are finally over. As soon as I turn it on, I see FSN Southwest is replaying last night’s game.
Wazoo!
So here it is, some running notes from a game that meant nothing and everything all at the same time.
Cowboys take the field first and are off on a quick three and out. Kendall Langford looks good and Miami has Davone Bess returning punts.
(FYI: I discussed this in yesterday’s post. Miami is playing their starters, Dallas is not. Actually Dallas is playing Stephen McGee the whole game behind center, so they don’t care much. The ‘Fins on the other hand are making this a big deal. This could boom or bust.)
Spoiler alert: BIG BUST!
Miami scores a field goal on their first drive after stalling out on the Dallas 10-yard line. Poor Ronnie Brown gets hit as soon as he touches the ball everytime.
Brandon Marshall is getting double covered, safety over-top on coverage. This frees up Bess for a couple clutch catches.
Chad Henne misses wide open Brian Hartline streaking down the field on their first play, way short. Every pass after, besides the Marshall drop in the endzone, Henne goes through three reads before checking down.
Nobody is getting open.
Ricky Williams and Bess look great early, the offensive line however looks absolutely horrible. Horrible.
Later in the quarter McGee connects with Tashard Choice in the flats and Choice takes off. He is finally caught 38 yards later by – Jared Odrick. Love it.
Langford continues to look good and here comes my favorite Dolphin, Cameron “Earthquake” Wake. Big pressure, non-stop, then a big sack.
Didn’t Miami sign Karlos Dansby? If so, he must have switched jerseys with Charlie Anderson, becuase he looks much better than the former Card.
Williams’ big run up the middle is the starting offense’s only good play of “starters time.” The “S.T.” ends when Henne is fumble-sacked and Jake Long gets injured.
In comes Chad Pennington, and touchdown pass to Hartline give Miami a little life. Now a quarter and a half of boredom.
Then there was the fourth quarter, let the scoring begin. By the way, is there a Marlon Moore jersey? If so, please send me one.
He is a bad man.
Well Dallas wins on a last second field goal. Doesn’t really matter, what I saw in the first half does.
The Cowboys bench mathced Miami tit-for-tat. This was supposed to be a boost for the team, now the staff looks pretty bad.
This was a horrible idea. First full ‘Fins preseason game I’ve watched and couldn’t be more dissapointed.
Stay tuned for more on this and what we look forward to next week.
Dolphins starters playing against Dallas
Not a good sign.
Head coach Tony Sparano has said his starters will be taking the field against the Dallas Cowboys tonight. It is the fourth and final week of the preseason, a week when bubble players get a last chance to show the coaching staff they deserve to be on the team.
This is a week of mop-up duty, scrubs and under-appreciated rookies making the grade. But in Miami, it’s about the starters showing they are ready to go.
Something they haven’t showed yet. After losing to Atlanta 16-6 and getting dominated by the Falcons defense, Miami may have a long way to go.
Maybe tonight is about Chad Henne keeping his starting job. Maybe it’s to see what 8-9 offensive linemen will make the roster now that Nate Garner has been put on injured reserve.
Or maybe it’s to give them a little confidence heading into the regular season. I mean, beating up on third stringers is practically what every major NCAA team does to open their regular season.
So why can’t the Dolphins do it?
Let’s just say Miami goes up and kills it against Dallas. Say 35-10. You’d feel a lot better wouldn’t you?
Me too. If for no more reason than knowing our offensive players know what the endzone looks like once the regular season starts.
Ronnie Brown is averaging just two yards a carry. If he breaks a big one that has got to give him confidence heading into the regular season. Right?
If Brandon Marshall catches every ball thrown his way over a 5-foot-9 third string corner back, wouldn’t that give him his mojo back?
So, while signs of struggle are shining bright in Miami, maybe all the Dolphins need is a good rear-stomping to remind them they should be a playoff contender this year.
Is the sky falling, or is that the weather?
Wow.
It’s hard to put into words.
If you’ve seen the Falcons game highlights you know what I am talking about. To say our offense is struggling would be a huge understatement.
Now, before you get on me for saying the sky is falling, I’ll clear a few things up.
At www.rantsports.com I predicted the ‘Fins to win the East at 11-5. I sing high praises for Brandon Marshall, Ronnie Brown and the Miami defense in multiple fantasy circuts.
But the more I watch, the more I am starting to realize I may be horribly wrong.
Here are the facts:
1. The lone Dolphins to get into the endzone are Anthony Fasano, Lex Hilliard and Brown. Hilliard has the only rushing score and both of Chad Henne’s touchdowns went to Fasano.
2. Brown and Ricky Williams have combined for just 69 yards on 18 carries. Brown is averaging just two yards on his team-high 17 rushes. Chad Pennington had Miami’s longest run last week.
3. Henne has the team’s worst quarterback rating at 79.5. Even Pat White has done better.
So there are three things to make your skin crawl heading into the season. Oh, and our starters will be playing against Dallas tomorrow in a game which the Cowboys are starting a third-string quarterback.
Don’t hit the panic button just yet though, there are a few bright sides to the team’s play in the preseason. A few.
1. Dan Carpenter is 5-5 on field goals, including booting a 50+yarder. It’s good to have a big boot on any team.
2. Anthony Fasano could be emerging as a legitimate threat. His two touchdowns against Jacksonville were impressive and he now has 84 yards on four grabs.
3. Patrick Turner could actually fill in nicely as Miami’s fourth receiver, although I still wish we had do-it-all Greg Camarillo. Turner has 61 yards on four catches, behind only Brandon Marshall, Marlon Moore and Fasano.
So, while it doesn’t look good that the ‘Fins starters are playing in Week four, there may still be a light at the end of the tunnle.
I love a blocking receiver
Playing football growing up I was never the fastest, or strongest, but I had two things going for me.
I could catch and I could block. These skills worked for me best in high school when I had to play receiver in a wing-t offense. A couple passes a game and tons of blocking, but I relished my role.
So when I see a receiver just killing a corner downfield as a runningback blows by it get’s me all kind of giddie. Thank you Brandon Marshall.
If you haven’t seen the blocks yet, check them out. If you happen to coach youth football or have a son playing, show him the clips over and over again.
Marshall owned the smaller and weaker corners tasked with the job of keeping the ball out of his hands. I don’t think they saw it coming, which makes it so much better.
During those moments of ownership in blocking is when I would be in the corner’s ear the most. If you punish them enough they eventually stop playing so tight and want nothing to do with you.
That’s how I coach receivers, blocking is just as important as anything else. It’s how you assert your dominance.
So while Marshall, who had another drop, still continues to try and win over Miami fans and show the punt isn’t going to be a constant, his unselfish play on at least two plays against the Jags was picture perfect.
Now somebody get him some stick’em!
Finally for Anthony Fasano
Last season the addition of Anthony Fasano was supposed to provide a much needed offensive boost to the Dolphins.
I picked him up in two different fantasy leagues and after two weeks realized my mistakes.
Miami, having not much faith in the tight end, brought back David Martin to yet again provide a safety net for Chad Henne. Then came Saturday night.
Fasano had not one, but two touchdown grabs for a combined 66 yards. Granted Brandon Marshall should be just as credited as Fasano for the first one, but still.
The more weapons the merrier for Miami and if Fasano continues to play at a high level it would really give Marshall an opportunity to excell.
The Dolphins don’t need Fasano to score 50+ yard touchdowns every week – that’s what Marshall is for – they just need him to make a catch or two and take a linebacker or safety with him when he goes out on a route.
If he can get a safety to dedicate, even better. Just ask the Detroit Lions’ Matthew Stafford how much fun it is to have his No.1 receiver always covered by a corner and safety.
If Fasano can continue to play at a good, not great, level then Henne will have his best target in single coverage often enough to make opposing defenses pay. If they still double-cover, then Fasano, Brian Hartline, Devon Bess and every other pass-catcher will benefit greatly from being wide open .
Two more weeks until the season starts so there is plenty of time to have feelings turn around again, but there was flashes of an offense that will make teams pay for their coverages as long as everyone continues to fulfill their role.
