Droopington
09-04-2010, 12:23 PM
Hello all,
As we are gearing up for the Dolphins 2010-2011 regular season, I would like to break down both training camp and the pre-season
I would then like to know what you think and finally get a prediction for the season with predicted scores for at least the first quarter (games 1-4.)
Jeff Ireland and Parcells made aggressive moves this off-season by effectively replacing Jason Taylor with a much younger equal in Karlos Dansby from Arizona. Let's be honest...Brandon Marshall was an early Christmas present for us Dol-fans :) . Marshall will definitely provide a big physical target for our up and coming quarterback Chad Henne. Other notable acquisitions include Richie Incognito, David Martin (back again), Tim Dobbins, Marques Douglas and Charles Grant.
The Draft also provided interesting talent. Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, John Jerry and Nolan Carroll add depth to positions that were serious ??? Let us not forget our two diamonds in the rough that expert talent scout Jeff Ireland managed to find in Marlon Moore, and Roberto Wallace.
With all the notable additions outlined let's briefly evaluate training camp. Word on the street is that our injury prone RB Ronnie Brown has fully recovered from his liz Frank injury. Speaking of injuries Philip Merling didn't do us or himself any favours by blowing up his Achilles! Koa Misi and John Jerry made a splash in training camp and provided some eye opening competition at their respective positions. Karlos Dansby was the head-liner of camp, impressing coach Tony Sporano daily! Brandon Marshall on the other hand, had a case of the droppsies...
As we all know pre-season is a way to evaluate certain players as well as a way to give other players some needed work. "Superstars" generally dread the idea of playing more than a series or two in pre-season for the simple reason that they have nothing to prove, because their job is affectively secure, and the dreaded injury bug is not the worth the "extra" reps.
That being said I will break down position by position analysis of the entire pre-season:
QB:
Chad Henne provided a B- effort. The most impressive improvement in his game is his intermediate pass. He managed to complete quite a few 20+ passes to Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, Brandon Marshall, and Anthony Fasano. His ball looked tight and accurate. Henne's footwork looked great, but when he was forced to move around a little because of bad blocking, he would usually misfire. Henne made few mental errors with the one glaring mistake being the interception against the Bucs, where he targeted Anthony Fasano in the red-zone The only problem with this was that Fasano was triple covered and Brandon Marshall had 1 on 1. So forcing the ball into a pile of defenders in the end-zone usually ends in misery. Red-zone turnovers are the ultimate no-no. Henne will throw for 3,800 yards, 28 TD's and 14 int's
Chad Pennington provided a B effort. This was the Chad Pennington you read about! He was very accurate and mistake free. As usual he has no intermediate-deep routes that he can routinely complete. On the other hand he has been a great mentor to Henne and will be vital in his development in Henne's key second season as the primary starter!
Tyler Thigpen provided a B- effort. Thigpen is the clear third string QB. Thigpen has an accurate deep ball and is not afraid to make mistakes...but sometimes that is his problem! Thigpen is more mobile than either of our other QB's and can throw on the run. If both Chad's go down I believe Thigpen can go .500.
RB's:
Ronnie Brown provided a C- effort. Brown is back from a serious foot injury. His comeback has been somewhat remarkable, but Brown can now be listed as injury prone. With a patchwork offensive line Brown didn't break any runs, however he did appear to have his speed and cutting ability back. He managed to push the pile with his strong legs and limited blocking. All this being said the Dolphins tend to be very vanilla in the pre-season and will not reveal any of their main rushing plays until the regular season. I am predicting Ronnie to rush for 850 yards and 7 TD's as well as 15 rec for 100 yds
Ricky Williams provided a B effort. Williams was his typical self and showed amazing bursts of speeds and great hands out of the backfield. As we saw on Thursday night, all Ricky needs is some day light and at that point he can let his speed take over! He hit the hole hard and ran rail-road tracks towards the end-zone before getting tackled after 42 yards. Ronnie is the thunder and Ricky is the lightening! Ricky is looking for a big year and so am I! Ricky will rush for 1000 yards and 7 TD's as well as 20 rec's for 200 yds and 2 TD's
Patrick Cobbs seems to be back from his injury and will provide a great third down back and backup for our starting duo.
WR's
Brandon Marshall our new weapon graded out with a B. Marshall didn't actually look like he was seriously participating during pre-season Towards the end of halves he seemed to change his mentality showing his physical dominance, and route running ability. Marshall has great hands in pass catching but also can block down-field Marshall isn't scared to go over the middle, and will provide a large reliable target for Henne especial in the intermediate range (10-30yds,) but also will be great on 3rd down situations as well as in the red-zone! Just a prediction but look for Marshall to catch 85 balls for 1,150 yards and 8 TD's.
Davone Bess has become one of the top 5 slot receivers in the NFL. Bess's grade for the pre-season is A-. Bess was perhaps the most impressive player during the pre-season He ran VERY precise routes, had great hands, and made no mistakes. Bess was unbelievable on 3rd down, and made mistakes handling punts. Bess will be Henne's favourite target during the regular season. I believe Bess will have 75 receptions, 900 yards and 7 TD's.
Brian Hartline is trying his best to be the Dolphins number two receiver Hartline's grade is a B-. Hartline played well for most of the pre-season, but he did have a couple drops and a penalty. Hartline should improve throughout the season but unlike our other two above-mentioned receivers, I would still consider Hartline a work in progress. Look for Hartline to have 40 receptions for 650 yards and 4 TD's.
The Dolphins have a tough decision today and will have to cut either Patrick Turner, Marlon Moore, or Roberto Wallace. All three stepped it up during training camp and Pre-season The bottom line is Moore and Wallace, both undrafted rookies, have shown a dedicated work ethic and significant improvement and loads of potential. Patrick Turner on the other hand has improved his work ethic but seems to have peeked and lacks future potential. Marlon Moore has been most impressive and could eventually be a true starter at receiver Marlon Moore could be a great 4th receiver with his big size and big play ability. Sorry P. Turner but you are the odd man out...be expecting a phone call later today.
TE's
Anthony Fasano earned a B this pre-season Fasano proved he has potential to be a great pass catching tight end. The touchdown against the Bucs was the product of a GREAT Brandon Marshall block. The other touchdown against the Jags was all Fasano if I remember correctly. Fasano has proven to be mistake free and doesn't usually drop passes. Fasano is a mediocre blocker and could improve in this area. Fasano will have a decent year with 45-50 receptions for 600 yards and 5 TD's
David Martin is the other tight end and he should do well double tight end sets. Martin is a good pass catcher and should provide a few hundred yards of receiving and a few touchdowns.
OL:
I am going to grade the O-Line as a group and they earned a D+. This group has been interchanged and due to injury and position battles, haven't really had a chance to play together for any extended period of time. Jake Long and Vernon Carey played well especially pass blocking. Run blocking however was a different story. Holes were few and far in-between The Center and guards played average at best. John Jerry showed he can be a starter. Jerry seems to be learning and should improve throughout the season. Hopefully Richie Incognito can play well and improve his inside blocking.
Although there was few penalties on the O-Line they didn't block well on the inside. They are partially to blame for Ricky's and Ronnie's lack of production, as well as, Henne's lack of time in the pocket. They need to provide more time for Henne in his five and seven step drops if Henne is going to be able to throw an accurate deep ball this year. I predict the line will give up 30 sacks this year.
Defensive Line:
The defensive line played ok in the pre-season They deserve a C grade. Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, and Jared Odrick should improve as the season goes along. Tony McDaniel and Paul Soliai are great backups and third down specialists. This group is generally good against the run but lacks pass rush ability. As long as they can clog up the holes in the middle we will be fine, because our talented linebackers will be able to move freely, help pass rush, and make tackles. Look for this group to have 160-180 tackles and 6 sacks, 1int, and 6-8 forced fumbles.
Linebackers:
The linebackers played well this pre-season A grade of B is rightfully deserved for their production. This group operated without Channing Crowder who is basically resting for the regular season. Crowder who is considered injury prone is being rested in the hope that he can last the length of the season. Koa Misi our rookie played very well and proved he will be an immediate starter. Misi may develop into a pro bowl type linebacker in a few years! Tim Dobbins filled in well for Crowder. Dobbins could be a starter on most NFL teams so he seems to be a good value pick-up Karlos Dansby has been great. His size, speed, and physicality has been noted. He is able to cover backs out of the backfield, slot receiver's, and pass catching tight ends. He has great hands and can get off blocks and make tackles. Dansby rarely makes mistakes. His knowledge of the game allows him to flow to the ball without thinking. Cameron Wake played admirably. He had a few sacks this pre-season and will now have to step up to the plate as a starting outside linebacker. We all know he can come in at 3rd and long situations and provide pressure...but what about playing as a starter and stopping the run? I guess we will find it in 8 days. This group will have the majority of the tackles in the 3-4 defence I predict they have 25 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 5 forced fumbles with 5 fumble recoveries.
Secondary:
The secondary was suspect in the pre-season They graded out at C+. Yeriamiah Bell and Chris Clemons both played well. Bell had a pick and Clemons, I don't believe was beaten on any plays. Vontae Davis played ok but did get beat a few times once for a TD. Sean Smith didn't play so well. Smith Consistently got beat once or twice for TD's. Smith needs to step up his game if he is going to guard the receivers the Fins are going to face this season. Will Allen should be an adequate 2nd or nickel corner this year. I am looking for rookie Nolan Carrol to play dime as he seems to have a lot of potential. Look for this group to be ranked 20th against the pass. They will have 300 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles and 3 fumbles
recovered.
Special Teams:
The Dolphins special teams have some areas that need work. They graded out at a C-. The coverage units were mediocre. Punt coverage is fine, but kick off coverage is poor. It seems that the Fins get down quickly but are out of control and have trouble breaking down and actually making the tackle. Our field goal and punting units are fine. The blocking looks good and the kickers are accurate and have strong legs. Look for our kick-off coverage to be a problem as usual this season. Possibly 1-3 kick-off's returned for scores. Our kicker should make between 28-32 FG's which is pretty high. Our punt or Kick return should provide a touchdown or two this season.
Overall:
The Dolphins graded out with the grade of B-. Although we have a tough schedule I believe this will bode well for the Dolphins because we will need to be prepared early on. Coach Sparano has the countdown clock in the locker room and this will emphasize the fact that we have limited time in preparing for this season. T-Minus 8 days! GO FINS!!!!
Season Prediction: 10-6
Buffalo W 31-17
Minnesota L 35-21
NYJ L 24-21
NE W 35-28
Green Bay L 31-17
Pittsburgh W 20-10
Cincinnati W 23-14
Baltimore W 17-10
Tennessee L 21-20
Chicago L 24-16
Oakland W 45-9
Cleveland W 27-21
NYJ W 14-13
Buffalo W 32-7
Detroit L 33-28
NE W 21-18
As we are gearing up for the Dolphins 2010-2011 regular season, I would like to break down both training camp and the pre-season
I would then like to know what you think and finally get a prediction for the season with predicted scores for at least the first quarter (games 1-4.)
Jeff Ireland and Parcells made aggressive moves this off-season by effectively replacing Jason Taylor with a much younger equal in Karlos Dansby from Arizona. Let's be honest...Brandon Marshall was an early Christmas present for us Dol-fans :) . Marshall will definitely provide a big physical target for our up and coming quarterback Chad Henne. Other notable acquisitions include Richie Incognito, David Martin (back again), Tim Dobbins, Marques Douglas and Charles Grant.
The Draft also provided interesting talent. Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, John Jerry and Nolan Carroll add depth to positions that were serious ??? Let us not forget our two diamonds in the rough that expert talent scout Jeff Ireland managed to find in Marlon Moore, and Roberto Wallace.
With all the notable additions outlined let's briefly evaluate training camp. Word on the street is that our injury prone RB Ronnie Brown has fully recovered from his liz Frank injury. Speaking of injuries Philip Merling didn't do us or himself any favours by blowing up his Achilles! Koa Misi and John Jerry made a splash in training camp and provided some eye opening competition at their respective positions. Karlos Dansby was the head-liner of camp, impressing coach Tony Sporano daily! Brandon Marshall on the other hand, had a case of the droppsies...
As we all know pre-season is a way to evaluate certain players as well as a way to give other players some needed work. "Superstars" generally dread the idea of playing more than a series or two in pre-season for the simple reason that they have nothing to prove, because their job is affectively secure, and the dreaded injury bug is not the worth the "extra" reps.
That being said I will break down position by position analysis of the entire pre-season:
QB:
Chad Henne provided a B- effort. The most impressive improvement in his game is his intermediate pass. He managed to complete quite a few 20+ passes to Davone Bess, Brian Hartline, Brandon Marshall, and Anthony Fasano. His ball looked tight and accurate. Henne's footwork looked great, but when he was forced to move around a little because of bad blocking, he would usually misfire. Henne made few mental errors with the one glaring mistake being the interception against the Bucs, where he targeted Anthony Fasano in the red-zone The only problem with this was that Fasano was triple covered and Brandon Marshall had 1 on 1. So forcing the ball into a pile of defenders in the end-zone usually ends in misery. Red-zone turnovers are the ultimate no-no. Henne will throw for 3,800 yards, 28 TD's and 14 int's
Chad Pennington provided a B effort. This was the Chad Pennington you read about! He was very accurate and mistake free. As usual he has no intermediate-deep routes that he can routinely complete. On the other hand he has been a great mentor to Henne and will be vital in his development in Henne's key second season as the primary starter!
Tyler Thigpen provided a B- effort. Thigpen is the clear third string QB. Thigpen has an accurate deep ball and is not afraid to make mistakes...but sometimes that is his problem! Thigpen is more mobile than either of our other QB's and can throw on the run. If both Chad's go down I believe Thigpen can go .500.
RB's:
Ronnie Brown provided a C- effort. Brown is back from a serious foot injury. His comeback has been somewhat remarkable, but Brown can now be listed as injury prone. With a patchwork offensive line Brown didn't break any runs, however he did appear to have his speed and cutting ability back. He managed to push the pile with his strong legs and limited blocking. All this being said the Dolphins tend to be very vanilla in the pre-season and will not reveal any of their main rushing plays until the regular season. I am predicting Ronnie to rush for 850 yards and 7 TD's as well as 15 rec for 100 yds
Ricky Williams provided a B effort. Williams was his typical self and showed amazing bursts of speeds and great hands out of the backfield. As we saw on Thursday night, all Ricky needs is some day light and at that point he can let his speed take over! He hit the hole hard and ran rail-road tracks towards the end-zone before getting tackled after 42 yards. Ronnie is the thunder and Ricky is the lightening! Ricky is looking for a big year and so am I! Ricky will rush for 1000 yards and 7 TD's as well as 20 rec's for 200 yds and 2 TD's
Patrick Cobbs seems to be back from his injury and will provide a great third down back and backup for our starting duo.
WR's
Brandon Marshall our new weapon graded out with a B. Marshall didn't actually look like he was seriously participating during pre-season Towards the end of halves he seemed to change his mentality showing his physical dominance, and route running ability. Marshall has great hands in pass catching but also can block down-field Marshall isn't scared to go over the middle, and will provide a large reliable target for Henne especial in the intermediate range (10-30yds,) but also will be great on 3rd down situations as well as in the red-zone! Just a prediction but look for Marshall to catch 85 balls for 1,150 yards and 8 TD's.
Davone Bess has become one of the top 5 slot receivers in the NFL. Bess's grade for the pre-season is A-. Bess was perhaps the most impressive player during the pre-season He ran VERY precise routes, had great hands, and made no mistakes. Bess was unbelievable on 3rd down, and made mistakes handling punts. Bess will be Henne's favourite target during the regular season. I believe Bess will have 75 receptions, 900 yards and 7 TD's.
Brian Hartline is trying his best to be the Dolphins number two receiver Hartline's grade is a B-. Hartline played well for most of the pre-season, but he did have a couple drops and a penalty. Hartline should improve throughout the season but unlike our other two above-mentioned receivers, I would still consider Hartline a work in progress. Look for Hartline to have 40 receptions for 650 yards and 4 TD's.
The Dolphins have a tough decision today and will have to cut either Patrick Turner, Marlon Moore, or Roberto Wallace. All three stepped it up during training camp and Pre-season The bottom line is Moore and Wallace, both undrafted rookies, have shown a dedicated work ethic and significant improvement and loads of potential. Patrick Turner on the other hand has improved his work ethic but seems to have peeked and lacks future potential. Marlon Moore has been most impressive and could eventually be a true starter at receiver Marlon Moore could be a great 4th receiver with his big size and big play ability. Sorry P. Turner but you are the odd man out...be expecting a phone call later today.
TE's
Anthony Fasano earned a B this pre-season Fasano proved he has potential to be a great pass catching tight end. The touchdown against the Bucs was the product of a GREAT Brandon Marshall block. The other touchdown against the Jags was all Fasano if I remember correctly. Fasano has proven to be mistake free and doesn't usually drop passes. Fasano is a mediocre blocker and could improve in this area. Fasano will have a decent year with 45-50 receptions for 600 yards and 5 TD's
David Martin is the other tight end and he should do well double tight end sets. Martin is a good pass catcher and should provide a few hundred yards of receiving and a few touchdowns.
OL:
I am going to grade the O-Line as a group and they earned a D+. This group has been interchanged and due to injury and position battles, haven't really had a chance to play together for any extended period of time. Jake Long and Vernon Carey played well especially pass blocking. Run blocking however was a different story. Holes were few and far in-between The Center and guards played average at best. John Jerry showed he can be a starter. Jerry seems to be learning and should improve throughout the season. Hopefully Richie Incognito can play well and improve his inside blocking.
Although there was few penalties on the O-Line they didn't block well on the inside. They are partially to blame for Ricky's and Ronnie's lack of production, as well as, Henne's lack of time in the pocket. They need to provide more time for Henne in his five and seven step drops if Henne is going to be able to throw an accurate deep ball this year. I predict the line will give up 30 sacks this year.
Defensive Line:
The defensive line played ok in the pre-season They deserve a C grade. Kendall Langford, Randy Starks, and Jared Odrick should improve as the season goes along. Tony McDaniel and Paul Soliai are great backups and third down specialists. This group is generally good against the run but lacks pass rush ability. As long as they can clog up the holes in the middle we will be fine, because our talented linebackers will be able to move freely, help pass rush, and make tackles. Look for this group to have 160-180 tackles and 6 sacks, 1int, and 6-8 forced fumbles.
Linebackers:
The linebackers played well this pre-season A grade of B is rightfully deserved for their production. This group operated without Channing Crowder who is basically resting for the regular season. Crowder who is considered injury prone is being rested in the hope that he can last the length of the season. Koa Misi our rookie played very well and proved he will be an immediate starter. Misi may develop into a pro bowl type linebacker in a few years! Tim Dobbins filled in well for Crowder. Dobbins could be a starter on most NFL teams so he seems to be a good value pick-up Karlos Dansby has been great. His size, speed, and physicality has been noted. He is able to cover backs out of the backfield, slot receiver's, and pass catching tight ends. He has great hands and can get off blocks and make tackles. Dansby rarely makes mistakes. His knowledge of the game allows him to flow to the ball without thinking. Cameron Wake played admirably. He had a few sacks this pre-season and will now have to step up to the plate as a starting outside linebacker. We all know he can come in at 3rd and long situations and provide pressure...but what about playing as a starter and stopping the run? I guess we will find it in 8 days. This group will have the majority of the tackles in the 3-4 defence I predict they have 25 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 5 forced fumbles with 5 fumble recoveries.
Secondary:
The secondary was suspect in the pre-season They graded out at C+. Yeriamiah Bell and Chris Clemons both played well. Bell had a pick and Clemons, I don't believe was beaten on any plays. Vontae Davis played ok but did get beat a few times once for a TD. Sean Smith didn't play so well. Smith Consistently got beat once or twice for TD's. Smith needs to step up his game if he is going to guard the receivers the Fins are going to face this season. Will Allen should be an adequate 2nd or nickel corner this year. I am looking for rookie Nolan Carrol to play dime as he seems to have a lot of potential. Look for this group to be ranked 20th against the pass. They will have 300 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles and 3 fumbles
recovered.
Special Teams:
The Dolphins special teams have some areas that need work. They graded out at a C-. The coverage units were mediocre. Punt coverage is fine, but kick off coverage is poor. It seems that the Fins get down quickly but are out of control and have trouble breaking down and actually making the tackle. Our field goal and punting units are fine. The blocking looks good and the kickers are accurate and have strong legs. Look for our kick-off coverage to be a problem as usual this season. Possibly 1-3 kick-off's returned for scores. Our kicker should make between 28-32 FG's which is pretty high. Our punt or Kick return should provide a touchdown or two this season.
Overall:
The Dolphins graded out with the grade of B-. Although we have a tough schedule I believe this will bode well for the Dolphins because we will need to be prepared early on. Coach Sparano has the countdown clock in the locker room and this will emphasize the fact that we have limited time in preparing for this season. T-Minus 8 days! GO FINS!!!!
Season Prediction: 10-6
Buffalo W 31-17
Minnesota L 35-21
NYJ L 24-21
NE W 35-28
Green Bay L 31-17
Pittsburgh W 20-10
Cincinnati W 23-14
Baltimore W 17-10
Tennessee L 21-20
Chicago L 24-16
Oakland W 45-9
Cleveland W 27-21
NYJ W 14-13
Buffalo W 32-7
Detroit L 33-28
NE W 21-18