Dolphins-Bills score predictions

OK, let the ugliness begin.

I really, really want to say that I think the Phins will pull off a major upset - but I'd be lying.

This one is going to be an epic slaughter. The Miami defense can't get to the QB and can't cover anyone - and the Bills will absolutely exploit those weaknesses. I do feel like the Dolphins can put up some points IF Tua can continue to avoid the constant pressure he'll see and get the ball out quickly - but whatever Tua does, it won't be enough. Not behind this OL.

This game will be over long before halftime. I'm thinking something like 52-31...but it won't really be that close.

CarsonChris wrote:Tua has been given a pile of shit. Not only has Grier given Tua a pile of shit to work with but they keep piling the shit on.

Perfectly stated - this is a perfect description of this mess.

Watson will truly be the skanky ass street walker when he gets to jail. If he goes to gen pop, he's going to make a lot of new "friends", no doubt about that.

I keep coming back to Grier.  Yes, he has us in great salary cap shape.  The flip side of that coin is we have one - ONE - blue chip talent in X Howard.  And a corner can't be very good if there is no pass rush, and we have no pass rush. 

He's constantly drafting and signing guys with extensive injury history "because value".  So that leads to guys like Parker, Williams, Fuller, and Grant (for years) making this team and then promptly missing time to injury. 

I don't know how to explain the o-line except abject incompetence.  Drafting ten guys and signing five more in free agency and the starting five are still not good enough, with street free agents or practice squad players coming in from other teams AND STARTING.  It's just mind boggling.

Good post, white. I think we're well passed the point in this rebuild where "value" matters. I'm not sauing that we should spend like a drunken sailor in free agency like the Patriots just did, but at some point you need to stop pinching pennies and start swinging for the fences. (How's that for mixed metaphors...3 in one sentence! LOL)

Get some real coaches in here and spend money on a couple of GREAT players - and then we might have something. (And of course - start drafting some difference-makers too!!!)

DolFan 316 wrote:

white1 wrote:I keep coming back to Grier.  Yes, he has us in great salary cap shape.  The flip side of that coin is we have one - ONE - blue chip talent in X Howard.  And a corner can't be very good if there is no pass rush, and we have no pass rush. 

He's constantly drafting and signing guys with extensive injury history "because value".  So that leads to guys like Parker, Williams, Fuller, and Grant (for years) making this team and then promptly missing time to injury. 

I don't know how to explain the o-line except abject incompetence.  Drafting ten guys and signing five more in free agency and the starting five are still not good enough, with street free agents or practice squad players coming in from other teams AND STARTING.  It's just mind boggling.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the scouting department's complete inability to properly evaluate O-line talent goes at least as far back as '95. You remember '95 don't you? The infamous Billy Milner/Andrew Greene draft debacle in a disastrous attempt to recreate the success of the Webb/Sims draft of five years before.

That 1995 draft is the ultimate cautionary tale in completely disregarding the future in favor of the present.

As you'll recall, the heat was on Shula once Jimmy Johnson resigned from the Cowboys and the 1994 team blew that 21-6 lead in San Diego. That horrible loss really was the beginning of the end, since it directly led to the JJ era and inevitable Wanny Error once the former began.

Shula signed every free agent he could find for 1995 to try and replicate the 1994 success the 49ers had in doing the same. He whiffed on Deion, who predictably went to Dallas eventually, but signed Eric Green and discarded Keith Jackson (an actual downgrade--Green was bigger, a better blocker, and prone to give less than his best effort. What an ideal guy to give a big FA contract to!), signed Gary Clark, etc. Not all was bad. Trace Armstrong was a nice pickup and productive for several seasons.

But in the draft, he left himself no other option but to address the O-line, because the FA focus was on virtually every other area of the team. And with 1995 being a do or die season for Shula, there would be no picks on guys who might take a while to develop.

After Korey Stringer was snatched up one spot in front of us, Milner was clearly a panic pick, and a bad one. Blake Brockermeyer, who would have been what we really wanted, was taken 4 picks later. HOF LB Derrick Brooks wasn't even considered; he helped TB win a SB later after going 3 picks later. Matt O'Dwyer and Zach Wiegart were long-time starters at G who also would have been fine there, and went within the next 12 picks. Andrew Greene was a complete disaster, taken one pick before Scott Gragg (starter for a decade at RT) and 3 spots before a multi-year starter in Barrett Brooks at the same position.

Just panic mode. There were two picks who amounted to something later on, but Pete Mitchell was traded to Jax stupidly for journeyman WR Mike Williams (must win NOWWWWWW!) and then a real gem, Norman Hand, didn't survive the regime change to JJ but had a great career in San Diego and New Orleans.

Ugh. God I hate revisiting that draft and season.....

Oh, and the score Sunday? My guess is Buffalo 41, Miami 20.

merc wrote:coaching.

nufff said.

Yep - I lay the blame for the horrendous OL directly at the feet of the OL coach, Lemuel Jeanpierre. Every player from last season (except Deiter) has gotten SIGNIFICANTLY worse this season. And while Eich was borderline-great in college, he looks less than mediocre playing for Jeanpierre. Jeanpierre seems like a cool dude - but he is clearly NOT getting the job done. It's inexcusable for these guys to be playing so poorly.