Game 4 thoughts: Titans at Dolphins

white1 wrote:I wonder if it's less athletic ability and more the offense has become too predictable.

We've read that in an effort to get better production, the offense has been "dumbed down" with fewer options.  It's possible defenders know what routes are coming based on reads that are easy to make.  If they know the route, it's going to take a lot of work to separate.

You need misdirection, and you need some level of unpredictability to get receivers open.  It's possible teams are just playing a lot of man (or zone for that matter), and knowing with high confidence where receivers are trying to go - then just get there first.  Game over.

Excellent points. We also never throw deep - I counted one deep pass total in the last two games - and we never use motion, or even different formations for that matter. It seems like we only use 3-4 formations and run the same couple of plays out of them - not counting the bullshit wildcat plays.

All these things only add to the predictability.

In case the current staff has any doubts, I have a tip for them.

That play where they throw quick to a receiver behind the line of scrimmage has run its course. It's not fooling anyone, and we never gain more than a couple yards. In fact, most of the time we LOSE yardage. What a horrible play to watch, a receiver behind the line trying to out-juke a swarm of defenders, with another receiver haplessly trying to block one of them.

Throw it out. Lineup like you're going to do it and do something ELSE instead.

In fairness to all, It starts with the OL. Seriously, we have done nothing to improve our offensive line at all. It seems as though the FO overestimate their talent evaluating skills. We haven’t had a ton of success on the line and we essentially have 4 1st round draft picks on the line.

No one has built a line like Miami. No one in the league has put as much draft stock as Miami. When you don’t have a decent line then you better have Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers who can make quick decisions. It doesn’t help that the routes are limited because of the snap to throw timing. It doesn’t help that every team can just load the box and dare Miami to beat them deep.

To beat Miami, every team in has to employ a running game or a short to medium pass offense to eat clock. Eating clock negates the Miami’s best asset on offense. Making Miami pass block almost every down. Which in turn, leads to Miami’s weakness. Making the defense play almost with no break.

The one thing I’ve learned is that a shitty OL leads to every aspect of the game.....LMAO

Umix10 wrote:In fairness to all, It starts with the OL.  Seriously, we have done nothing to improve our offensive line at all.  It seems as though the FO overestimate their talent evaluating skills.  We haven’t had a ton of success on the line and we essentially have 4 1st round draft picks on the line.  

No one has built a line like Miami.  No one in the league has put as much draft stock as Miami.  When you don’t have a decent line then you better have Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers who can make quick decisions.  It doesn’t help that the routes are limited because of the snap to throw timing.  It doesn’t help that every team can just load the box and dare Miami to beat them deep.  

To beat Miami, every team in has to employ a running game or a short to medium pass offense to eat clock.  Eating clock negates the Miami’s best asset on offense.  Making Miami pass block almost every down.  Which in turn, leads to Miami’s weakness. Making the defense play almost with no break.  

The one thing I’ve learned is that a shitty OL leads to every aspect of the game.....LMAO

This is the worst run blocking line I've ever seen. I swear, even Marino's Phins had better run blockers. They literally can't block anyone on running plays...never seen anything like it. There's a jailbreak on every carry.

But - I don't think the pass pro has been any worse than it was last season. A lot of times, Cutler feels "phantom pressure" and bails out of the pocket when there's no one near him. There was one play yesterday where he was bouncing off his linemen like a pinball, but no defender was near him - he was just jumping around like his ass was on fire for no apparent reason. I think he's scared to get hit. He just wants to collect his $10 million without getting hurt.

That said, Tunsil is really starting to look like a bad pick. He's been terrible. But no one is worse than Bushrod...that guy just flat out sucks.

That said, Tunsil is really starting to look like a bad pick. He's been terrible.

I was really down on Tunsil after the first two games. From what I've read he's playing better over the last two, and I don't think he's allowed a sack in two games. You may be seeing Steen getting overmatched on that side, pass blocking is actually his weakness.

white1 wrote:

That said, Tunsil is really starting to look like a bad pick. He's been terrible.

I was really down on Tunsil after the first two games.  From what I've read he's playing better over the last two, and I don't think he's allowed a sack in two games.  You may be seeing Steen getting overmatched on that side, pass blocking is actually his weakness.

I don't follow PFF grades...they rarely match what I see. I see Tunsil giving up too much pressure in pass pro and doing nothing in the run game. He looks slow and overmatched, and his footwork has regressed since college. Steen is a disaster, which certainly doesn't help Tunsil.

Tunsil being a bust on top of everything else is the last thing this team needed