Game 1: Buccaneers vs. Dolphins

[mdbw]

So what are your thoughts on the Bucs game this Saturday? What do you want to see out of the starting offense/defense in the 1 or 2 series they will get. Does Henne HAVE to drive down the field and score in his only chance? Does Marshall HAVE to light it up?

On the other hand, what would worry you? Turnovers, 3 and outs, dropped passes?

Is winning during the pre-season important to team morale?

[fishface]

First of all, I have to say I am PUMPED that the season is finally here. For a while there I thought I was a candidate for the crazy farm. What do I want to see? Well, of course I want to see Henne light it up in the first quarter. If it goes to Marshall, that's great, but I just want to see Henne move the offense with authority. On the other side of the ball I want to see an effective pass rush from the starters and some decent run stuffing. A win doesn't really matter, but it would be nice to see the starters leave the field with a lead. GO DOLPHINS!!

[fishface]

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2010/08/dolphins-primer-to-the-bucs-preseason-game.html

For you out of town fans, the game is on NFL Network at 7 PM.

[mdbw]

Wow, Miami getting National exposure right from the get-go. There will also be a live game blog right here in this thread for anyone who is interested to join, just click the register button at the top and sign up for an account with us!

[fishface]

OK, are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!! Game about to start.

[fishface]

Dolphins to receive in the rain. Trystan Davis bobbles it but gets to the 18. Henne a little touch pass to Polite for 5, then 7 for Ronnie and another 7 in the baseball mud. Then Brown held to no gain, but then gains 1st down on 3rd down, but Carey called for holding. Henne's dump off to Ricky is incomplete. Punt.

[fishface]

Tampa from their 46

[fishface]

Freeman at QB, completion for 1st down then Smith tackles Cadillac Wiliams & stops a possible TD. Crowder stops Freeman on 3rd down, pushing him out of bounds at about the 37 Punt & downed at Miami's 5 yd line. Long way to go for the offense. Miami special teams are not doing well at he moment.

[fishface]

Ricky for 4 up the middle. Incomplete to Mashall. False start. Tipped and almost intercepted. Punt from the end zone. Huge 59 yd bomb from Fields gets the ball back in Tampa territory.

[fishface]

40 yd line. Cadillac out to the 47. Good hustle from Clemons & Smith but 1st down Tampa. Freeman to Mike Williams for 25 yds over Vontae Davis. TD Tampa. 12 yd pass to Straughter (spelling?) Clemons beaten.

[fishface]

Sorry for the description here guys. My keyboard is giving up on me. Not sure how much longer it will hold up.

[mdbw]

According to the stats it doesnt look good. How is the defense handling josh freeman? Henne look confused? Ronnie Brown with a coupke nice runs to start the game.

[mdbw]

So what's the verdict? We won but the stats don't look that impressive and the starters did nothing.

[Zacko54]

I taped the game, but just found out we won reading here.. I will still watch after the wife goes to bed, my verdict will come later. Answer to a question I read, I'll take any win anytime.

[Zacko54]

Just finished watching, Highlight's: I think Thigpen played a good game, he looked pretty comfortable in there, Running out of the pocket and throwing on the run, I thought he did ok. Defense looked pretty good, A few nice catches by the young guys.
Lowlights.: Offense, still can't score. Marshall can't catch.
All in all, still along way to go, should be ok come September
Grade: C-
But it F$#&ing great to see my boys on the field again.

[fishface]

Did a long summary on another computer last night but by the time I'd finished it and tried to post the reply I'd timed out and lost what I'd written! Will try again this pm when I get the chance.

[mdbw]

That stinks! I'm about to go watch the game now, I recorded it too. Will add my thoughts.

[fishface]

Just some quick thoughts.

The first quarter, which was basically the time for the starters to show their stuff, was totally made redundant by a mini tropical storm. To judge anyone’s performance based on that would be a waste of time. Particularly while playing in the baseball diamond which was slop and slush. That’s where Henne spent most of his time. Actually, he got a couple of decent throws out of there, and it wasn’t his fault that a beauty leading Brandon Marshall across the middle went zipping through the receiver’s hands. That was a great move by Marshall getting open, and a nice pass from Henne. Would have been big yards if he’d hung on.

Ronnie looked solid for a couple of runs, but as I say, it’s hard to judge any of the starters. It really couldn’t have been easy for the O line to keep their footing.

As for the rest, I was impressed with Soliai, who might have finally seen the light. Good news if he has. All of the receivers fighting for that 5th spot had their moments, particularly Turner who got open a couple of times, and Moore. I continue to like the look of this guy Nolan Carroll who may be the find of the Draft, and Ness was outstanding when he had a chance. Rex Hilliard continues to impress. He’s big and powerful, and I really think he deserves to hang around. He may be the future if Ricky hangs up his boots and Ronnie moves on. We are strong at RB.

All in all, a sloppy game with nothing to feel warm and fuzzy about from the starters. Let’s hope that things are better next week in Jacksonville.

[mdbw]

I agree with fishface RE: the starters, especially on offense. The elements were absolutely dismal and I'm amazed any of the QBs were even able to throw the ball. It's good practice in that kind of weather now. Makes you wonder if it would have been such an issue if we didn't have that Nick Saban bubble?

Henne actually looked fine to me. I was a little worried about him after seeing the stats, but then you see that Marshall dropped two balls and Hartline dropped another. Had those been caught, he'd have been 8/11 for about 70 yards and who knows what more had those drives stayed alive?

Then, there were the mental mistakes besides the dropped passes. Twice drives were killed because of penalties. The first was a holding call on Vernon Carey that negated a Ronnie Brown first down run, and the second was a false start deep in our own end by I don't remember who. I think this was the same drive Marshall ended up dropping that slant that would have been a first down.

I also agree with fishface on the standouts. Paul Soliai got GREAT push and was constantly in the backfield. Koa Misi definitely lived up to the hype and reminds me of Zach Thomas. He is ALWAYS around the ball, and had some great tackles. Speaking of tackling, Sean Smith and Vontae Davis are as sure tacklers at cornerback I have seen. They are gonna be good this year. Both had mental lapses in coverage, but they'll learn from that. Nolan Carrol has an extra surge of energy towards the ball right when he needs it which he put on display when he knocked that ball away from whomever he was covering. Nate Ness was EXTREMELY impressive to me. Considering Will Allen's injury, I am very very comfortable with what we have in the secondary without him.

Random points of interest:


Cameron Wake made a nice run-stopping tackle which made me cheer a little bit.
Marquis Douglas looks like a great pickup from the Jets after we lost Merling and Ferguson.
Patrick Turner MIGHT just make the team, and I am rooting for him all the way! He definitely could be good, and got open.
Speaking of getting open, though Brandon Marshall dropped those two balls, it is very apparent how different his route running is compared to Ted Ginn. The guy just knows how to separate himself from the defender.
I am not worried about Ronnie Brown, he looks great, and made some excellent cuts to get something out of nothing on a couple occasions.
Brandon Fields is a BEAST. That 59 yard bomb out of his own endzone? Amazing.
Pat White is so endangered that he might be extinct before the third pre-season game.
My sister and I will be at the Jags game this Saturday so look for us!