The Rope a Dope

After thinking about the defense's performance all I can say is the game plan worked to perfection. The Chargers greatest weapon is Hebert. The Dolphins defense played to prevent the pass. Because we played to prevent the pass but allow the run the Chargers ran. This kept the ball out of Hebert's hands and kept him from getting into a passing rhythm. We covered up for 4 quarters and let the Chargers hit us with a jab. We got up on the score card and when the Chargers needed a knockout we unleashed the rush. Something they hasn't seen all game long and weren't prepared to handle! 

Congratulations Vic Fangio on a great game plan! We hit them at the right time! It was a true heavyweight battle out there!

CarsonChris wrote:The Chargers greatest weapon is Hebert.

What does ex-Saints and Falcons QB Bobby Hebert have to do with anything?

Haha j/k I actually agree with you that Fangio was out there playing 5D chess. Also, it was so sweet that the moment Herbert actually had to do something besides hide behind the running game, he got exposed as the poseur he is and always was

I doubt Fangio liked giving up 200+ rushing yards, but yes, he pulled the classic Belichick "don't let the opponent's best player beat you" move. In hindsight, it was brilliant to force the Chargers themselves to take the ball out of Herbert's hands - and then when they needed him at the end, he just couldn't do anything.

JMP wrote:I doubt Fangio liked giving up 200+ rushing yards

with that i am certain.

i'd like to believe you guys that this was all by Fangio design to keep the ball out of Herbert's hands, but i just don't think that is true. i think it was more about the Chargers trying to control the clock and throw cold water on Tyreek and Tua. it came close, but in the end, it didn't work.

mercury22nathan wrote:

JMP wrote:I doubt Fangio liked giving up 200+ rushing yards

with that i am certain.

i'd like to believe you guys that this was all by Fangio design to keep the ball out of Herbert's hands, but i just don't think that is true.  i think it was more about the Chargers trying to control the clock and throw cold water on Tyreek and Tua.  it came close, but in the end, it didn't work.

That strategy's been outdated and antiquated since at least '09, when the Fins controlled the ball for OVER 45 minutes (3/4 of the game) and still lost to the Colts. The problem is, each team gets the same number of possessions in a game, barring stuff like half-ending/game-ending kneeldowns and non-offensive scores. Just because Team A takes half a quarter to score doesn't mean Team B can't score on their next drive in 1-2 plays.

Hell, the Belichick strategy of letting Thurman Thomas run because he surmised that the Bills' passing game was far more dangerous would've backfired and the Giants would've lost that Super Bowl even with a 2:1 time of possession advantage if Scott Norwood doesn't miss that FG at the end, and that was well over 30 years ago now.

Miami also turned the ball over twice in the red zone. This game could have been us winning by 9-16.  Miami came from behind more than once to win this. Tua cooked all game long! Last year the Chargers took away our passing game. We did to them what they did to us last year.  Neutralized their star.

DolFan 316 wrote:That strategy's been outdated and antiquated...

perhaps true, but that doesn't stop supposed modern NFL "geniuses" from still trying it.

Miami also turned the ball over twice in the red zone. This game could have been us winning by 9-16. Miami came from behind more than once to win this.

Excellent point CC, I was going to raise this as well but you beat me to it.

Fangio / McDaniel were planning on building a lead with our explosive offense. The bet was that once they fell behind by two scores, the Charges coaching staff would lose patience with the run. Fangio game plan was to limit the pass so they couldn't pivot effectively.

I live with a Bunch of Communists in my House always rooting for the Fins to Lose, So I was talking smack after it was over, that Last Defense Series was a Thing of Beauty with a Forced Intentional Grounding and The Two Sacks especially the Last one ended up being 4 Players around Herbert when he was sacked. That Last TD pass by Tua was a Ballsy throw considering how Perfect it had to be Placed.

Dang! I guess nobody thinks the Chargers Oline is good at all?

I just have a hard time understanding WHY the Chargers never doubled up on Hill?

Yeah, with all the motion and other receivers, McD's offense makes it hard to double one receiver, but Hill was the primary. I think I would have said to heck with it, and if Waddle and the others can beat us, then we are beat, but I am not going to let Hill beat us all by himself!

Again... What's with all the drubbing on Herbert? The Chargers have scored 92 points over their last three games... AND LOST all three!!

The Chargers offense and Herbert are NOT the problem IMO.

When Bama-Tua is playing, the Phins are mighty hard to beat! Let's hope we see more Bama-Tua than Bad_Tua.

Still some things to clean up on offense, and where is the rushing game... and the defense... I hope this is just a learning curve but they stanky in this game.... despite two sacks at the end to seal the victory.

A great win and let's hope it carries over. The Pats threw a scare into the Eagles, so they ain't gonna be pushovers. I will be very surprised if Belicheck lets Ty Hill beat the Pats.

finskev wrote:That Last TD pass by Tua was a Ballsy throw considering how Perfect it had to be Placed.

There is a closeup view of that last pass floating around online that I saw earlier today, and when I saw where that pass actually landed my jaw dropped. I mean, perfect doesn't even begin to describe it. Wow!

finfanatic wrote:Dang! I guess nobody thinks the Chargers Oline is good at all?

I just have a hard time understanding WHY the Chargers never doubled up on Hill?

Yeah, with all the motion and other receivers, McD's offense makes it hard to double one receiver, but Hill was the primary. I think I would have said to heck with it, and if Waddle and the others can beat us, then we are beat, but I am not going to let Hill beat us all by himself!

Again... What's with all the drubbing on Herbert? The Chargers have scored 92 points over their last three games... AND LOST all three!!

The Chargers offense and Herbert are NOT the problem IMO.

When Bama-Tua is playing, the Phins are mighty hard to beat!  Let's hope we see more Bama-Tua than Bad_Tua.

Still some things to clean up on offense, and where is the rushing game... and the defense... I hope this is just a learning curve but they stanky in this game.... despite two sacks at the end to seal the victory.

A great win and let's hope it carries over. The Pats threw a scare into the Eagles, so they ain't gonna be pushovers. I will be very surprised if Belicheck lets Ty Hill beat the Pats.

The Chargers OL is actually excellent. I think that last drive was just pure genius by Fangio. Look at the defensive alignments on those last couple of plays - very odd looks, and I'm sure they confused the hell out of everyone on offense.

The reason Herbert gets trashed by me and others is because he is viewed as one of the greatest QBs on the planet by seemingly everyone "in the know", yet he struggles to win games and he has far too many instances where he just completely chokes. Obviously the big problem on that team is Staley, but Herbert is showing time and time again that he is nothing more than a compiler. The numbers are amazing - the win-loss record...not so much. Sure, it's not all on him - but he's just not a winner and never has been.

JMP wrote:The reason Herbert gets trashed by me and others is because he is viewed as one of the greatest QBs on the planet by seemingly everyone "in the know", yet he struggles to win games and he has far too many instances where he just completely chokes.  Obviously the big problem on that team is Staley, but Herbert is showing time and time again that he is nothing more than a compiler.  The numbers are amazing - the win-loss record...not so much.  Sure, it's not all on him - but he's just not a winner and never has been.

HA!!! PREACH AWN, BRUTHA!!!

After 3 years this supposed ubermensch has as many playoff wins as any of us do, and only one more appearance! Tua is now 2-1 against him--with a worse O-line on paper I might add--and yet people routinely bash and trash him and the Fins for the "mistake" of drafting him over Herbert as if it's on the same level as the 49ers trading up for Trey Lance! Also, somehow Tua's national title means nothing compared to Herbert's one non-playoff Rose Bowl win over a Wisconsin team ranked about 10 spots lower for some reason All I know is that in this game, the mighty God's gift to QBs Herbert needed two turnovers and a 230-plus yard rushing attack just to stay in it, STILL trailed with a minute and a half left, and then when he had to pass...got swarmed over by a D that until that point even had DolFans calling it the worst effort in franchise history!

I don't even have anything against Herbert personally. Hell, he seems like the sort of person there needs to be more of in the NFL and humanity in general. But the combination of all his manufactured hype and Tua hate because of it (as if both couldn't be good at the same time) is just too much for me to take!!! And you guys should KNOW how big a statement that is considering what a patient, tolerant, chill dude *I* am.

Perfect post, 316 - nailed it.

The poor Chargers. Fouts, Rivers and now Herbert. Great QBs, but just not able to win when it counts.

JMP wrote:Perfect post, 316 - nailed it.

The poor Chargers. Fouts, Rivers and now Herbert.  Great QBs, but just not able to win when it counts.

I still think the Chargers problems are more to blame on coaching than Herbert.

But then again... There does seem to be a pattern what with Fouts and Rivers. Of course, they did experiment with Leaf too, so...

Herbert is just putting up crazy numbers, so of course most football nitwits think that is the end all be all of football.

I think if we keep seeing Bama-Tua, they might start talking about Tua the same way! And then the Phins will be on the hook for 50 plus mill per season!!

Which I guess would be a good thing? Right? Right??

The Chargers got to their Super Bowl with Stan Humphries. Mainly because Miami and Pittsburgh both botched opportunities to stop that team in the playoffs and send a better AFC rep to the SB, but still, a 6th round pick got the job done.