Offensive line allows Ricky, Dolphins to shine
The Miami Dolphins finally gave fans and themselves something to cheer about. They won a game. Additionally, in winning they showed some much needed improvement in various areas.
The first drive of the ball game produced plenty of sighs in Dol-Fan's living rooms and in Dolphins Stadium. The Dolphins finally scored a touchdown with their first team offense and they did it with excellent command. The 8-play 77 yard drive was a great start to the game. Ricky Williams rushed 5 times for 31 yards and the touchdown, Gus Frerotte fired a crucial 31-yard pass to Randy McMichael on third and one, and this was all made possible by the excellent blocking of the offensive line.
During last week's practice Nick Saban and Hudson Houck (the team's offensive line coach) decided to pull Stockar McDougle from and insert Damion McIntosh into the starting lineup. McDougle had two crucial holding penalties and allowed a sack in the Miami Dolphins third pre-season game agaisnt the Steelers.
In doing this however, left tackle Vernon Carey was moved to the right side so McIntosh could fill his natural position on the left.
This worked out to great success despite South Florida and National writers raising questions as to whether it would be smart to move Carey from left to right after he'd been groomed on the left all off-season.
Saban quieted those doubts with a simple, straight forward, obvious statement that eventually proved to be true on Saturday night.
"You put your hand in the dirt, you got a guy sitting right there, you have to block him," Saban said. "You don't block him, what does it make any difference whether you are playing right guard, right tackle, left guard or left tackle? You have to move the guy. I think we are overrating anything that we have done, because we are totally missing the point."
Hudson Houck also quited the local Miami CBS Media after they presented him with the idiotic question of what he's trying to do with the offensive line.
"Well," Houck considered, "We're trying to make sure we open holes for the running backs and that we stop the pass rush so the quarterback doesn't get sacked."
The South Florida media still hasn't gotten used to Nick Saban and his coaching staff's literal mentality. There are no twisted quotes and excuses like that of the Dave Wannstedt era, but rather, if they ask a question like the CBS team did, they are going to get the logical answer in it's simplest form.
Saban and his coaching staff are all about teaching and coaching Football 101. If players can succeed at the fundamentals of the game, they will have success in the win column. So, questions like "How did Ricky Williams look in practice today" and "what are you trying to do with the offensive line" are going to receive answers that the reporters could have answered themselves.
 Anyway, however Houck is geniusly teaching these guys to open holes and stop the rush, it is starting to work. Ricky Williams had 10 carries, 59 yards and a touchdown - that's 5.9 yards a carry against a very good Tampa Bay defense. Also, the line didn't allow a sack all game, something that has not happened yet this pre-season, and the QBs had a comfortable amount of time to throw.
Quarterback Gus Frerotte seemed rather confused by his time to step up in the pocket on a few deep balls. He overshot his receiver at least three times down the field by at least 10 yards on each throw. Hopefully the line will continue playing like this consistently and Frerotte won't be so anxious to shoot the ball down field, but rather take his time to lob it into the receiver's hands.
Saban was pleased with the Dolphins opening drive, but says that the offense needs to stay consistent with drives like it.
"We had a great first drive," Saban said. "We looked like a good football team. But we've got to do that with consistency."
Ronnie Brown was not spectacular in his Dolphins debut: gaining 20 yards on 6 carries and fumbling it away once, but he has too much upside to believe he won't improve... a lot. When Williams returns to the lineup in Week 6 against none other than Tampa Bay, the combination of he and Brown in the back-field could be one of the greatest threats in the NFL.
What can I say about Jason Taylor? He should flourish in this defense. Not only is he still an excellent pass rusher, but he obviously can drop back into pass coverage - and do it well. Taylor has the opportunity to be a defensive MVP of the league this season in this new defensive system. This defensive line actually looks like it could potentially stuff the run with the additions of Vonnie Holliday, Kevin Carter, and Keith Traylor. Then you add the upsides of Manuel Wright and Kevin Vickerson and you've got an All-Pro line.
 Channing Crowder got the start this week ahead of Zach Thomas because Zach twisted his ankle in Wednesday's practice. Crowder has performed well all pre-season and did so again on Saturday night. He seems a lot like Zach: has a nose for the football and always seems to climb out from the bottom of a pile. I wouldn't worry about his bar fights in college either. He's determined to improve his image and he's got an excellent cast of characters to look up to on that defense.
Frerotte has looked inconsistent in has last two starts, but Saban isn't about to change the starter because he knows that consistency on the playing field will come with consistency at who is playing the positions. Frerotte and his receievers still need to create a bond. A.J. Feeley looked good with the second team, but if the line every collapses, which it likely will a few times this season, he folds and makes terrible decisions.
A win for the good guys is what it comes down to. A win, and some excellent play by some key positions, especially on the offensive line. Hopefully the Dolphins can build on this and end the pre-season with two wins against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday.
|
