Offense or Defense

What wins out on the field this weekend, offense or defense?

Chargers Dolphins is the game of the weekend on paper. Chargers are ranked as high as 6th in preseason football rankings with Miami coming in at 14. I think these teams are very evenly matched across from each other.

I think defense rules the overall score in an ugly game for Tua and Herbert as offenses have a hard time early in the season.

A low scoring game 20-17 with Miami eking out the win in a sloppy game with both quarterbacks giving away the ball a couple times each.

I'm not sure if offenses actually do have a hard time early in a season. I do know even the top offenses have a hard time late. Even if that's the case now--and I'd have to do a *lot* of research to determine that--it definitely wasn't back in the day. For example the '86 Fins lost their opener 50-28 and then 2 games later came the infamous 51-45 Jets loss. I also remember watching the '00 opener between the Rams and Broncos that ended with the Rams winning 41-36. There was also the '98 49ers-Jets opener that ended with a rather famous TD run in OT to win it for the 49ers 36-30. That's just off the top of my head.

But what truly blows my mind is that you of all people are predicting a Fins win

I think Herbert will struggle in his first game in a new offense, going up against a Fangio defense that reportedly has added new wrinkles to the coach's arsenal.

I also think Tua will come out on fire and shred the Chargers D, with a lot of big plays coming early from the short passing game.

So, I think offense AND defense win the game...for the Dolphins. 27-13, Dolphins.

Dolphins - 24
Chargers - 16

24-17 Dolphins. In the Recent Series the Teams have alternated Wins so this is Fins Game.

I still have PTSD from everybody (besides me) predicting an easy Fins win last season. I do have a feeling one team will score a lot and the other...won't. The score 45-17 kept flashing in my mind but surely even the mighty Herberts won't thrash this team by THAT much, right?

RIGHT?!?!

DolFan 316 wrote:I still have PTSD from everybody (besides me) predicting an easy Fins win last season. I do have a feeling one team will score a lot and the other...won't. The score 45-17 kept flashing in my mind but surely even the mighty Herberts won't thrash this team by THAT much, right?

RIGHT?!?!

I'm telling you, Sherbert is going to struggle in this game. The fact that he's playing his first game in a new offense is huge, and so is Fangio coming off a year where he got to reset and add new wrinkles to his scheme. I predict a lot of confusion and mistakes by the Chargers. Sherbert loves to dink and dunk, and if Fangio can find a way to limit Ekeler's effectiveness as a receiver, it's game over.

and let's not forget that Renaldo Hill (yes, that Renaldo Hill) who was the Chargers DC last year and put together the plan that stymied the Dolphins offense is now the Miami Dolphins' passing game coordinator and secondary coach.

but for me the real question is... will the electricity to the Dolphins' locker room "mysteriously" shut off during halftime. those of you who are old enough to remember know what i'm talking about.

mercury22nathan wrote:but for me the real question is...  will the electricity to the Dolphins' locker room "mysteriously" shut off during halftime.  those of you who are old enough to remember know what i'm talking about.

I'm actually more furious about the NFL refusing to punish the Chargers for that and seeming to think it was funny than I am about that loss itself.

I also love it when I see people yammering about the Fins "cheating" because the field was wet for the '82 AFC title game--as if they'd be afraid of the Jets' team speed after already beating them twice--but those same people never bring up this incident or the Snow Plow Game which were the two most blatant examples of in-game cheating in NFL history and put anything Belichick's ever done to shame IMO.

Let's hope Herbert struggles.

I don't know what to expect.

Herbert has Dan Marino-like production through three seasons... look it up. That's one reason he got paid 50 mill plus and was the highest paid QB in the league until Burrows got mad money.

I hope the Phins come out and play a good game. I am sorta expecting the Phins offense to look like it did versus the Pats in the opener last season; inconsistent. They did enough to get the win aided by the Pats terrible offense and the defense playing well for the Phins.

If the Herberts get on a roll and the Phins offense is inconsistent...

And it is a WC trip.

I just hope the Phins can run the ball and the HC actually keeps running the ball.

My hope is a Phins win: 23-21.

Herbert's put up fancy numbers all right, but where are the playoff wins? Where are the playoff appearances? Just one in three seasons so far. Marino reached a Super Bowl and an AFC title game in his first three seasons BTW.

In fact the 2018 pre-Herbert Chargers were better BY FAR than any of the Herbert teams.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sdg/

Burrow (who I wanted the entire time, remember) has also been to a Super Bowl and an AFC title game in his first three seasons. Maybe HE'S the one more like Marino, hmmm

Warren Moon was the king of what I call empty calorie numbers, but he at least reached the playoffs seven straight seasons. Wake me when Herbert manages that.

The real problem is optics. Herbert looks like he could thrash Tua in a fight, and he never misses games. But those are really the only things he has over Tua at this point. The reason I personally wouldn't have drafted Herbert is that he never actually won anything of substance in college or even played for a title. (And no, a Rose Bowl win his final season doesn't count, nobody cares about non-playoff bowl games.)

None of that BTW means Tua will accomplish anything significant in the NFL either, but I got sick of the Herbert hype train years ago. He's basically Josh Allen without playoff wins.

DF316 wrote:Herbert's put up fancy numbers all right, but where are the playoff wins? Where are the playoff appearances? Just one in three seasons so far. Marino reached a Super Bowl and an AFC title game in his first three seasons BTW.

That seems to be the argument against Herbert that gets used a lot. The TEAM has no playoff appearances, no SBs... When you cannot argue with the facts of his numbers, point to the TEAM's lack of success.

Would you rather have a QB putting up great numbers on a team that doesn't make the playoffs, or a QB who doesn't put up great numbers on a team that doesn't make the playoffs?

A QB is just one part of a team. Not the whole TEAM.

Burrow (who I wanted the entire time, remember) has also been to a Super Bowl and an AFC title game in his first three seasons. Maybe HE'S the one more like Marino, hmmm scratch

Reportedly, the Fins wanted Burrow very much also. I thought I read they made some serious high-power trade offers to get to the number one pick. However, even a franchise as hapless as the Bengals realized he is a franchise talent and they refused to trade away the pick.

Burrow is the real deal. I do not know if the Bengals have actually changed, though. They've had good seasons before and always seem to regress sooner than later.

I'm assuming the original question was answered emphatically today This game now officially joins the pantheon of opening shootouts I mentioned before. In fact it's at the top of the list

I believe I saw Tua yardage fourth highest in an opener - over full NFL history.

He might actually be really good….

Not much defense until that last Chargers drive. This was offense all day long. Dolphins got ran on and like I said during the game, let them run and keep running time off the clock! Miami's offense has the top receiver in the game and the Dolphins line held up against the Chargers. If Miami can keep Tua clean we have a shot at being special!

white1 wrote:I believe I saw Tua yardage fourth highest in an opener - over full NFL history.

He might actually be really good….

Not only that but Tyreke was 3 yards away from breaking Anquan Boldin's record for most receiving yards in an opener (in his first NFL game no less).