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NFL Preseason/Training Camp/Disrespect 2015 |OT| - Building a better quarterback
- Thread starter chuckddd
- Start date
- Status
Played the heck out of PSO on gamecube when it came out.
My hands are blistered to hell after hitting 180 balls at the driving range.
Damn, are you trying to kill him?
Tyrion is really the best written character in a long time isn't he? He was great in the books but Dinklage takes him over the top. Starting Season 5, sad Sandor Clegane died too, I really liked his character.
Get ready for 1,800+ words on the Panthers folks!
Carolina Panthers 2015 Season Preview
2014 Season Review
Everyone can agree that the Panthers had one of the strangest regular seasons in recent memory last year. Franchise QB Cam Newton was never healthy, dealing with a multitude of setbacks including offseason ankle surgery, fractured ribs in a preseason game vs. the Patriots, a weekly pounding behind a porous offensive line, and the capper, two transverse process fractures in his back thanks to a late season car accident (which could have been much worse). The running game sputtered thanks to the aforementioned offensive line issues as well as the seemingly yearly injury woes and ineffectiveness of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, respectively. Defensively, while the front seven was as good as ever (even without troubled yet talented Greg Hardy for 15 games), the secondary struggled mightily, with stopgap signings Antoine Cason and Thomas DeCoud being burnt to crisps (so much so that they didnt even last the season before being cut).
Reading the above paragraph, youd think the season was a disaster. And for the first 12 weeks, you were correct. However, thanks to a division that became miserable overnight with the collapse of both the Falcons and Saints, the Panthers were still in the thick of the playoff race while sitting at 3-8-1. At this point in the season, everything went right for the Panthers. The offense went from bottom feeding to respectable thanks to a bit of stability at offensive line (UDFA rookies Andrew Norwell and Mike Remmers were inserted at LG and RT, respectively, and proved to be diamonds in the rough) and late season health from Newton and Stewart. The secondary coalesced into a competent unit with the insertion of rookies Bene Benwikere and Tre Boston at CB and S, respectively.
Thanks to the youth infusion and late season health, the Panthers went on a run, winning the final four games of the regular season, the last game being a 34-3 slaughter of the Falcons in the Georgia Dome with the division title on the line, culminating in the first ever repeat division champion in NFC South history. The Panthers received a lucky break in getting to face the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card round of the playoffs (a team decimated by injuries to the QB position) and won its first playoff game in the Newton era. The ride ended with a divisional round loss to the (should-be two-time defending Super Bowl champion) Seattle Seahawks, but the late season run and even the competitive first half vs. the Seahawks left reason for optimism for the future of the Carolina Panthers.
Offseason Review
The Panthers entered the offseason with two main goals in mind - to sign franchise QB Cam Newton to an extension and to bolster the supporting cast around him, particularly the offensive line and receiving corps. The former was accomplished, with Panthers signing Newton to a 5-year, $103.8m contract extension. As for the latter, the jury remains out. The Panthers signed offensive tackles Michael Oher and Jonathan Martin to bolster the LT position, but early reviews from camp on Oher have been middling at best and Martin lasted only 2 months before retiring. The Panthers resigned WR Ted Ginn Jr., who left prior to the 2014 season after the only season in which he looked like a legitimate receiving option (2013 with Carolina: 36 rec, 556 yds, 5 TDs) to chase a check with the Arizona Cardinals. His return should add speed to the receiving corps as well as stabilize a special teams unit that ranked dead last due to a multitude of reasons (shaky options at KR/PR and poor coaching chief among them).
In the draft, the Panthers focused on two things: size on offense and speed on defense. Carolina drafted OLB Shaq Thompson at 25, who played LB, S, and RB during his career at Washington. Thompson is in the mold of current Panthers OLB Thomas Davis, himself a converted college S. In the 2nd round, the Panthers traded up to add another mammoth target in WR Devin Funchess, a 64 WR from Michigan. Given that Cam Newton has a penchant for missing throws high, adding Funchess to go along with last years pick, 65 WR Kelvin Benjamin and 65 TE Greg Olsen should have a positive effect on Newtons completion rate.
The only other notable picks were 4th round OT Daryl Williams and 5th round RB Cameron Artis-Payne. Williams is a likely candidate to bring size and depth to the RT position. Williams has received positive reviews in camp, and while likely a RT at the NFL level, the Panthers have given him a few snaps at LT in camp and he seems to have performed adequately. Artis-Payne has quietly had a very solid camp, running hard and making decisive cuts. If he can learn the pass protection and blitz pickups, there is a good chance he could be the #2 back behind Stewart sooner rather than later.
Offense
Ive touched on the a lot of the offseason moves made to bolster the offensive side of the ball above, but the biggest thing for the Panthers offense is to have a healthy Cam Newton back. As noted, Newton was never 100% healthy at any point last season and it clearly affected him. He was less explosive as a runner and even more erratic with his mechanics (with a sore ankle and ribs literally the entire season, Im not surprised his mechanics were out of whack).
With that said, now that Cam is healthy and the latest QB to join the $100 million club, he will be expected to show marked improvement in his mechanics and passing production going into his 5th season. As the most talented player on the team and the offensive nature of todays league, the Panthers will only go as far as Newton can take them.
With respect to the weapons around Newton, this is arguably the most talented offensive unit in his time as a Panther. Stewart and Mike Tolbert are healthy and have participated in all of camp (remember, Stewart had the 2nd most rushing yards in the league in the last 5 weeks of the regular season, behind DeMarco Murray). From all accounts, WR Kelvin Benjamin has been the early MVP of training camp, catching nearly everything thrown his way. The WR corps, with Funchess, Ginn, and Corey Brown, is probably the most talented group Cam has had to work with since the 2013 season, not to mention TE Greg Olsen who continues to be Old Reliable.
Really, the biggest question mark for the Panthers offense is the OL, and specifically, LT. The interior line is solid, led by All-Pro C Ryan Kalil. Hes flanked by second-year OGs Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner who both turned in solid campaigns last season. RT is currently held down by Mike Remmers, although I wouldnt be surprised if rookie Daryl Williams ends up taking over for him sooner rather than later. If Michael Oher can just be serviceable protecting Cam Newtons blind side, then the offense has a chance to be something special this season. Then again, thats a BIG if.
Defense
The Panthers defense, led by the elite LB duo of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, is the engine that makes the Panthers go. This unit has ranked in the top 10 every year since Kuechly assumed the MLB position in 2012. I expect nothing less this year; in fact, I believe the Panthers have their most talented defense since the 2013 season, where they ranked second in the league behind the Seattle Seahawks.
The defensive line is led by DE Charles Johnson, a double digit sack master. While Johnson started slow last season (0 sacks in the first month of the season), he still ended up with 8.5 sacks. The main candidates to start opposite Johnson are Frank Alexander, Mario Addison, and 2014 2nd round pick Kony Ealy. Alexander and Addison have impressed in camp while Ealy has struggled. Alexander missed 12 games last season due to substance abuse violations, but has shown up in great shape to camp and is eager to prove that he belongs in the league. The interior DL is stocked with talent and depth, with the tandem of DTs Star Lotululei and Kawaan Short combining to form one of the best young interior duos in the league (although Star is dealing with a stress reaction in his surgically repaired left foot that will keep him out of at least the first two preseason games which is something to monitor).
Not much to say about the LB corps, as Kuechly and Davis form arguably the best LB tandem in the league given the rash of retirements in San Francisco. The only viable argument would be in Seattle with Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright. Shaq Thompson should start at the other OLB position, giving the Panthers one of, if not the, fastest and most athletic LB corps in the league.
Again, the main question mark for the Panthers is their Legion of Whom secondary. But as noted, the secondary improved markedly in the last month of the 2014 season with rookies Bene Benwikere and Tre Boston bringing speed and length to the group. CB Josh Norman, one of the one bright spots of the secondary throughout last season, is entering a contract year and aims to prove that he is worthy of being considered a top 10 CB in the NFL. The secondary is rounded out by veteran Roman Harper, although he could very well be pushed to the bench by FA signing Kurt Coleman who has impressed in camp thus far.
Summary and Prediction
To be completely honest, I think this years edition of the Carolina Panthers is the most complete and talented one yet in the Rivera/Newton era. I think the fans sense this year could be something special too, as this past weekends annual Fan Fest event drew in excess of 55,000 fans (easily a franchise record; last year had ~30k in attendance). Additionally, the schedule sets up well for a fast start, with games against the Jags, the Foster-less Texans, the Saints in Carolina, and a trip to the Buccaneers in the first month. Anything less than 3-1 would be a disappointment.
A fast start is absolutely necessary, as the next month proves to be the most brutal stretch of the schedule. Following an early Week 5 bye, the Panthers take a trip to the Clink to face the two-time defending NFC champion Seahawks, then come home for the next three weeks with a pair of primetime games vs. the Eagles and Colts and a tilt with Aaron Rodgers Packers. If the Panthers can somehow force a 2-2 split from that stretch (3 of the 4 games being in Carolina helps), the rest of the schedule sets up well.
I expect the Panthers to win 9-11 games and a third consecutive NFC South division crown. Anything less, given the relative progress of the last two seasons, would be a disappointment. Can the Panthers then make the leap and challenge to join the NFCs elite in Seattle and Green Bay? That remains to be seen. But tis the season for optimism!
Why did I even type this up no one is going to read it ;_;
Carolina Panthers 2015 Season Preview
2014 Season Review
Everyone can agree that the Panthers had one of the strangest regular seasons in recent memory last year. Franchise QB Cam Newton was never healthy, dealing with a multitude of setbacks including offseason ankle surgery, fractured ribs in a preseason game vs. the Patriots, a weekly pounding behind a porous offensive line, and the capper, two transverse process fractures in his back thanks to a late season car accident (which could have been much worse). The running game sputtered thanks to the aforementioned offensive line issues as well as the seemingly yearly injury woes and ineffectiveness of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams, respectively. Defensively, while the front seven was as good as ever (even without troubled yet talented Greg Hardy for 15 games), the secondary struggled mightily, with stopgap signings Antoine Cason and Thomas DeCoud being burnt to crisps (so much so that they didnt even last the season before being cut).
Reading the above paragraph, youd think the season was a disaster. And for the first 12 weeks, you were correct. However, thanks to a division that became miserable overnight with the collapse of both the Falcons and Saints, the Panthers were still in the thick of the playoff race while sitting at 3-8-1. At this point in the season, everything went right for the Panthers. The offense went from bottom feeding to respectable thanks to a bit of stability at offensive line (UDFA rookies Andrew Norwell and Mike Remmers were inserted at LG and RT, respectively, and proved to be diamonds in the rough) and late season health from Newton and Stewart. The secondary coalesced into a competent unit with the insertion of rookies Bene Benwikere and Tre Boston at CB and S, respectively.
Thanks to the youth infusion and late season health, the Panthers went on a run, winning the final four games of the regular season, the last game being a 34-3 slaughter of the Falcons in the Georgia Dome with the division title on the line, culminating in the first ever repeat division champion in NFC South history. The Panthers received a lucky break in getting to face the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card round of the playoffs (a team decimated by injuries to the QB position) and won its first playoff game in the Newton era. The ride ended with a divisional round loss to the (should-be two-time defending Super Bowl champion) Seattle Seahawks, but the late season run and even the competitive first half vs. the Seahawks left reason for optimism for the future of the Carolina Panthers.
Offseason Review
The Panthers entered the offseason with two main goals in mind - to sign franchise QB Cam Newton to an extension and to bolster the supporting cast around him, particularly the offensive line and receiving corps. The former was accomplished, with Panthers signing Newton to a 5-year, $103.8m contract extension. As for the latter, the jury remains out. The Panthers signed offensive tackles Michael Oher and Jonathan Martin to bolster the LT position, but early reviews from camp on Oher have been middling at best and Martin lasted only 2 months before retiring. The Panthers resigned WR Ted Ginn Jr., who left prior to the 2014 season after the only season in which he looked like a legitimate receiving option (2013 with Carolina: 36 rec, 556 yds, 5 TDs) to chase a check with the Arizona Cardinals. His return should add speed to the receiving corps as well as stabilize a special teams unit that ranked dead last due to a multitude of reasons (shaky options at KR/PR and poor coaching chief among them).
In the draft, the Panthers focused on two things: size on offense and speed on defense. Carolina drafted OLB Shaq Thompson at 25, who played LB, S, and RB during his career at Washington. Thompson is in the mold of current Panthers OLB Thomas Davis, himself a converted college S. In the 2nd round, the Panthers traded up to add another mammoth target in WR Devin Funchess, a 64 WR from Michigan. Given that Cam Newton has a penchant for missing throws high, adding Funchess to go along with last years pick, 65 WR Kelvin Benjamin and 65 TE Greg Olsen should have a positive effect on Newtons completion rate.
The only other notable picks were 4th round OT Daryl Williams and 5th round RB Cameron Artis-Payne. Williams is a likely candidate to bring size and depth to the RT position. Williams has received positive reviews in camp, and while likely a RT at the NFL level, the Panthers have given him a few snaps at LT in camp and he seems to have performed adequately. Artis-Payne has quietly had a very solid camp, running hard and making decisive cuts. If he can learn the pass protection and blitz pickups, there is a good chance he could be the #2 back behind Stewart sooner rather than later.
Offense
Ive touched on the a lot of the offseason moves made to bolster the offensive side of the ball above, but the biggest thing for the Panthers offense is to have a healthy Cam Newton back. As noted, Newton was never 100% healthy at any point last season and it clearly affected him. He was less explosive as a runner and even more erratic with his mechanics (with a sore ankle and ribs literally the entire season, Im not surprised his mechanics were out of whack).
With that said, now that Cam is healthy and the latest QB to join the $100 million club, he will be expected to show marked improvement in his mechanics and passing production going into his 5th season. As the most talented player on the team and the offensive nature of todays league, the Panthers will only go as far as Newton can take them.
With respect to the weapons around Newton, this is arguably the most talented offensive unit in his time as a Panther. Stewart and Mike Tolbert are healthy and have participated in all of camp (remember, Stewart had the 2nd most rushing yards in the league in the last 5 weeks of the regular season, behind DeMarco Murray). From all accounts, WR Kelvin Benjamin has been the early MVP of training camp, catching nearly everything thrown his way. The WR corps, with Funchess, Ginn, and Corey Brown, is probably the most talented group Cam has had to work with since the 2013 season, not to mention TE Greg Olsen who continues to be Old Reliable.
Really, the biggest question mark for the Panthers offense is the OL, and specifically, LT. The interior line is solid, led by All-Pro C Ryan Kalil. Hes flanked by second-year OGs Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner who both turned in solid campaigns last season. RT is currently held down by Mike Remmers, although I wouldnt be surprised if rookie Daryl Williams ends up taking over for him sooner rather than later. If Michael Oher can just be serviceable protecting Cam Newtons blind side, then the offense has a chance to be something special this season. Then again, thats a BIG if.
Defense
The Panthers defense, led by the elite LB duo of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, is the engine that makes the Panthers go. This unit has ranked in the top 10 every year since Kuechly assumed the MLB position in 2012. I expect nothing less this year; in fact, I believe the Panthers have their most talented defense since the 2013 season, where they ranked second in the league behind the Seattle Seahawks.
The defensive line is led by DE Charles Johnson, a double digit sack master. While Johnson started slow last season (0 sacks in the first month of the season), he still ended up with 8.5 sacks. The main candidates to start opposite Johnson are Frank Alexander, Mario Addison, and 2014 2nd round pick Kony Ealy. Alexander and Addison have impressed in camp while Ealy has struggled. Alexander missed 12 games last season due to substance abuse violations, but has shown up in great shape to camp and is eager to prove that he belongs in the league. The interior DL is stocked with talent and depth, with the tandem of DTs Star Lotululei and Kawaan Short combining to form one of the best young interior duos in the league (although Star is dealing with a stress reaction in his surgically repaired left foot that will keep him out of at least the first two preseason games which is something to monitor).
Not much to say about the LB corps, as Kuechly and Davis form arguably the best LB tandem in the league given the rash of retirements in San Francisco. The only viable argument would be in Seattle with Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright. Shaq Thompson should start at the other OLB position, giving the Panthers one of, if not the, fastest and most athletic LB corps in the league.
Again, the main question mark for the Panthers is their Legion of Whom secondary. But as noted, the secondary improved markedly in the last month of the 2014 season with rookies Bene Benwikere and Tre Boston bringing speed and length to the group. CB Josh Norman, one of the one bright spots of the secondary throughout last season, is entering a contract year and aims to prove that he is worthy of being considered a top 10 CB in the NFL. The secondary is rounded out by veteran Roman Harper, although he could very well be pushed to the bench by FA signing Kurt Coleman who has impressed in camp thus far.
Summary and Prediction
To be completely honest, I think this years edition of the Carolina Panthers is the most complete and talented one yet in the Rivera/Newton era. I think the fans sense this year could be something special too, as this past weekends annual Fan Fest event drew in excess of 55,000 fans (easily a franchise record; last year had ~30k in attendance). Additionally, the schedule sets up well for a fast start, with games against the Jags, the Foster-less Texans, the Saints in Carolina, and a trip to the Buccaneers in the first month. Anything less than 3-1 would be a disappointment.
A fast start is absolutely necessary, as the next month proves to be the most brutal stretch of the schedule. Following an early Week 5 bye, the Panthers take a trip to the Clink to face the two-time defending NFC champion Seahawks, then come home for the next three weeks with a pair of primetime games vs. the Eagles and Colts and a tilt with Aaron Rodgers Packers. If the Panthers can somehow force a 2-2 split from that stretch (3 of the 4 games being in Carolina helps), the rest of the schedule sets up well.
I expect the Panthers to win 9-11 games and a third consecutive NFC South division crown. Anything less, given the relative progress of the last two seasons, would be a disappointment. Can the Panthers then make the leap and challenge to join the NFCs elite in Seattle and Green Bay? That remains to be seen. But tis the season for optimism!
skLaFarebear
Member
Played a ton of that game on GC with some friends. It was really fun.
damn. I think id still prefer my perforated eardrum to that.
Himynameischris
Member
Dolphins 2015 Season Preview
This was us last year:
Coming into this year we have the best QB in the AFC East leading our team.
Offense:
Lazor came in last season as our new offensive coordinator. He improved our offense from 27th overall to 14th in total offense and 11th in PPG, scoring 388 points over the season; the most since 1995. The biggest issues on offense were red-zone efficiency (24th) and pass protection. Despite Tannehill having improved every year he’s been in the league, posting career highs in yards, completions and TDs, our star LT Brandon Albert got hurt and was out for the season, leaving our rookie Ja’Wuan James to protect Tannehills blind side and Pouncey playing out of position as our Left Guard.
This year the expectations are that Tannehill will take the next step and become the franchise QB we’ve been looking for since Marino. With a revamped WR group consisting of Rookie and potential number 1 WR, Devante Parker, Veteran Greg Jennings, 2nd year slot receiver Javaris Landry and Jordan Cameron playing TE, Tannehill should post even better numbers this year despite still having a below average oline should Albert come back healthy and as dominating as he was before he got hurt.
QBs:
Nuff said.
For better or worse we have our QB of the near future. Tannehill signed a $95 million dollar contract extension in the offseason, cementing him as our franchise QB for at least the next few years. Tannehill has improved in every important QB stat every year he’s been in the league. He already has a few notable Dolphin franchise records in completions (392), completion percentage in career (61.9) and in one game (66.4)
Tannehill does have certain areas he needs to improve on such as:
-Decision making: In year 2 under Lazors offense Tannehill should make his reads quicker and will hopefully have better chemistry with his WR (Something he lacked with Wallace)
-Footwork
-Locking down receivers
-Adjusting blocking assignments before the snap
-Ball Placement
-Long Ball (JK here is a break down I did on why he doesn’t have long ball issues, but even if he did he’s certainly improving on it anyways)
RBs:
We are pretty much set at RB, Miller will return as our featured back but Philbin prefers to use his RBs by committee so look for first year Jay Ajayi to try to get some playing time in training camp/preseason in hopes of contributing during the season. We also have Damien Williams, LaMichael James and Mike Gillislee rounding out the RB battles during training camp. Look for the dolphins to keep only 3 on the roster (Miller, Ajayi, Williams would be my guess). Miller had an impressive year behind a terrible oline, rushing for 1,099 yards with a 5.1 average. If the oline improves or his work load increases, Millar should have another great year.
WRs:
The WR group has been redone, Wallace was traded to the Vikings, Hartline was put out to pasture (Browns) and Gibson was released. To replace them we drafted Devante Parker, selected 14th in the first round. Parker is expected to grow into the number one receiver spot and become Tannehills BFF. He has an outstanding catch radius and a big body that should help provides a big target for Tannehill in the red-zone. Next we have Greg Jennings, a vet with really good route running skills and Jarvis Landry, 2nd year slot WR that is quick and has an impressive catch radius as well. We also traded for Kenny Stills from the saints, who should provide a deep threat to our offense. With these new weapons Tannehill should have no problem finding a target.
TEs:
At TE we have Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims. Cameron when healthy he can be the big play TE that Miami has been missing. Providing Tannehill with another big target in the red-zone I expect the Dolphins to use more two-TE sets. Dion Sims is more of a blocking TE but he does have receiving skills, if he can improve on these the Dolphins will have two pass catching TEs but I don’t expect him to take a big step in this area. He will start as the back up to Cameron.
Oline:
They really suck…
Tannehill is one of the most sacked QB in his short 3 year career. He has a total of 139 sacks and 205 sacks/QB hits since being in the league. Our oline was ranked 32nd last year. With Albert going down it pretty much doomed our offense. This year with a healthy Albert and Pouncy playing back at his natural position, there is hope that this oline can become average at best. James will go back to being our RT leaving the two guard spots up for grabs. Fighting for those spots (and I use that term loosely) are 3 year vet Dallas Thomas (he sucks), second year player Billy Turner, rookie Jamil Douglas and free agent pick up Jeff Linkenbach. From this group the ideal line up would be Douglas at LG and Turner at RG. So far Douglas has looked the most impressive. If he continues to play well into preseason he should have his spot locked up leaving the other guard spot to either Turner, Thomas (lets hope not) or Linkenbach. If none of those players step up, the Dolphins could always try to get Mathis who is currently without a team. He would come at a price of about 5 million for the year which is something the dolphins are trying to avoid. If this group can stay healthy for the full year they can provide enough protection for Tannehill to continue his steady improvement. However if anyone of the starts gets hurt (albert, pouncy, james) RIP Tannehill…..
On to defense
Defense:
We sucked last year. I won’t even bother to post stats, we just sucked. Towards the end of the year everyone was gassed and we couldn’t stop Geno Smith. Coyle someone kept his job and will return this year. The only positive about that situation is that Coyle understood that he sucked and has adjusted his defensive scheme, making it less complex and he promised to stop putting his players in positions to fail. (Wake covering TEs? Idiot…
. The defense can really only get better because they were pretty much the worst last year.*
DL:
The Dline is perhaps the most talented group for the dolphins. With Suh and Wake leading the charge the Dolphins should have no problem pressuring QBs and stopping the run. This unit has a lot of depth at well with Vernon, Mitchell and Shelby playing well.
LBs:
The Linebacking starters are still a mystery to us. Jenkins has the weak side locked down but the middle and strong side positions are up for grabs between Misi, Sheppard and McCain providing an interesting battle during training camp. Ideally Misi would stay at MLB and McCain at SLB, but Misi had an ok year last year while playing at MLB (his first year at the position). McCain has been impressive in camp and could take over the MLB or SLB position depending on how well Misi plays. Outside of this core group we have very little in terms of depth, so any injuries would really hurt the Dolphins at this position.
CB/SS:
The secondary group is led by ProBowler Brent Grimes and star safety Reshad Jones, outside of these two though we have a similar battle, to the Line backing group, brewing in camp. The spot opposite Grimes is still up for grabs. Davis and Taylor were the two favorites to take over but neither has done much to impress. Brice McCain has actually been more impressive in camp. He usually plays out of the slot position but has made plays opposite grimes and has become the favorite to become the right side starter. For the safety’s I expect Jones and Delmas to continue being the starters. Delmas had an ok year last year and Jones should continue to be one of the top safeties in the league.
Kickers:
We have kicker Caleb Sturgis fighting for his job with Andrew Franks…Sturgis is very inconsistent, making about 70% of his kicks. Franks job to win.
Overall:
The feeling around the league for this team is that they are finally able to take that next step and become a playoff team. On paper this dolphin team has a lot of talent and more importantly a QB that could lead them into the playoffs. With new playmakers on offense and a stacked Dline these Dolphins should once again be in position for a playoff berth in December. Will they actually make it in or will they collapse like the last two years? Well that is left in the hands of this guy.
So 8-8 here we come!
It's not all bad though
*The pats and their fans are still the worst.
This was us last year:
The dolphin’s defense underperformed last year while giving up last minute leads to the Lions, Broncos and Packers. During the final 4 game stretch of the season, the Dolphins gave up an average of 35.75 points per game. While still in playoff contention we dropped 3 of the last 4 games to remain 8-8 for consecutive seasons.
Coming into this year we have the best QB in the AFC East leading our team.
Offense:
Lazor came in last season as our new offensive coordinator. He improved our offense from 27th overall to 14th in total offense and 11th in PPG, scoring 388 points over the season; the most since 1995. The biggest issues on offense were red-zone efficiency (24th) and pass protection. Despite Tannehill having improved every year he’s been in the league, posting career highs in yards, completions and TDs, our star LT Brandon Albert got hurt and was out for the season, leaving our rookie Ja’Wuan James to protect Tannehills blind side and Pouncey playing out of position as our Left Guard.
This year the expectations are that Tannehill will take the next step and become the franchise QB we’ve been looking for since Marino. With a revamped WR group consisting of Rookie and potential number 1 WR, Devante Parker, Veteran Greg Jennings, 2nd year slot receiver Javaris Landry and Jordan Cameron playing TE, Tannehill should post even better numbers this year despite still having a below average oline should Albert come back healthy and as dominating as he was before he got hurt.
QBs:
Nuff said.
For better or worse we have our QB of the near future. Tannehill signed a $95 million dollar contract extension in the offseason, cementing him as our franchise QB for at least the next few years. Tannehill has improved in every important QB stat every year he’s been in the league. He already has a few notable Dolphin franchise records in completions (392), completion percentage in career (61.9) and in one game (66.4)
Tannehill does have certain areas he needs to improve on such as:
-Decision making: In year 2 under Lazors offense Tannehill should make his reads quicker and will hopefully have better chemistry with his WR (Something he lacked with Wallace)
-Footwork
-Locking down receivers
-Adjusting blocking assignments before the snap
-Ball Placement
-Long Ball (JK here is a break down I did on why he doesn’t have long ball issues, but even if he did he’s certainly improving on it anyways)
RBs:
We are pretty much set at RB, Miller will return as our featured back but Philbin prefers to use his RBs by committee so look for first year Jay Ajayi to try to get some playing time in training camp/preseason in hopes of contributing during the season. We also have Damien Williams, LaMichael James and Mike Gillislee rounding out the RB battles during training camp. Look for the dolphins to keep only 3 on the roster (Miller, Ajayi, Williams would be my guess). Miller had an impressive year behind a terrible oline, rushing for 1,099 yards with a 5.1 average. If the oline improves or his work load increases, Millar should have another great year.
WRs:
The WR group has been redone, Wallace was traded to the Vikings, Hartline was put out to pasture (Browns) and Gibson was released. To replace them we drafted Devante Parker, selected 14th in the first round. Parker is expected to grow into the number one receiver spot and become Tannehills BFF. He has an outstanding catch radius and a big body that should help provides a big target for Tannehill in the red-zone. Next we have Greg Jennings, a vet with really good route running skills and Jarvis Landry, 2nd year slot WR that is quick and has an impressive catch radius as well. We also traded for Kenny Stills from the saints, who should provide a deep threat to our offense. With these new weapons Tannehill should have no problem finding a target.
TEs:
At TE we have Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims. Cameron when healthy he can be the big play TE that Miami has been missing. Providing Tannehill with another big target in the red-zone I expect the Dolphins to use more two-TE sets. Dion Sims is more of a blocking TE but he does have receiving skills, if he can improve on these the Dolphins will have two pass catching TEs but I don’t expect him to take a big step in this area. He will start as the back up to Cameron.
Oline:
They really suck…
Tannehill is one of the most sacked QB in his short 3 year career. He has a total of 139 sacks and 205 sacks/QB hits since being in the league. Our oline was ranked 32nd last year. With Albert going down it pretty much doomed our offense. This year with a healthy Albert and Pouncy playing back at his natural position, there is hope that this oline can become average at best. James will go back to being our RT leaving the two guard spots up for grabs. Fighting for those spots (and I use that term loosely) are 3 year vet Dallas Thomas (he sucks), second year player Billy Turner, rookie Jamil Douglas and free agent pick up Jeff Linkenbach. From this group the ideal line up would be Douglas at LG and Turner at RG. So far Douglas has looked the most impressive. If he continues to play well into preseason he should have his spot locked up leaving the other guard spot to either Turner, Thomas (lets hope not) or Linkenbach. If none of those players step up, the Dolphins could always try to get Mathis who is currently without a team. He would come at a price of about 5 million for the year which is something the dolphins are trying to avoid. If this group can stay healthy for the full year they can provide enough protection for Tannehill to continue his steady improvement. However if anyone of the starts gets hurt (albert, pouncy, james) RIP Tannehill…..
On to defense
Defense:
We sucked last year. I won’t even bother to post stats, we just sucked. Towards the end of the year everyone was gassed and we couldn’t stop Geno Smith. Coyle someone kept his job and will return this year. The only positive about that situation is that Coyle understood that he sucked and has adjusted his defensive scheme, making it less complex and he promised to stop putting his players in positions to fail. (Wake covering TEs? Idiot…
. The defense can really only get better because they were pretty much the worst last year.*DL:
The Dline is perhaps the most talented group for the dolphins. With Suh and Wake leading the charge the Dolphins should have no problem pressuring QBs and stopping the run. This unit has a lot of depth at well with Vernon, Mitchell and Shelby playing well.
LBs:
The Linebacking starters are still a mystery to us. Jenkins has the weak side locked down but the middle and strong side positions are up for grabs between Misi, Sheppard and McCain providing an interesting battle during training camp. Ideally Misi would stay at MLB and McCain at SLB, but Misi had an ok year last year while playing at MLB (his first year at the position). McCain has been impressive in camp and could take over the MLB or SLB position depending on how well Misi plays. Outside of this core group we have very little in terms of depth, so any injuries would really hurt the Dolphins at this position.
CB/SS:
The secondary group is led by ProBowler Brent Grimes and star safety Reshad Jones, outside of these two though we have a similar battle, to the Line backing group, brewing in camp. The spot opposite Grimes is still up for grabs. Davis and Taylor were the two favorites to take over but neither has done much to impress. Brice McCain has actually been more impressive in camp. He usually plays out of the slot position but has made plays opposite grimes and has become the favorite to become the right side starter. For the safety’s I expect Jones and Delmas to continue being the starters. Delmas had an ok year last year and Jones should continue to be one of the top safeties in the league.
Kickers:
We have kicker Caleb Sturgis fighting for his job with Andrew Franks…Sturgis is very inconsistent, making about 70% of his kicks. Franks job to win.
Overall:
The feeling around the league for this team is that they are finally able to take that next step and become a playoff team. On paper this dolphin team has a lot of talent and more importantly a QB that could lead them into the playoffs. With new playmakers on offense and a stacked Dline these Dolphins should once again be in position for a playoff berth in December. Will they actually make it in or will they collapse like the last two years? Well that is left in the hands of this guy.
So 8-8 here we come!
It's not all bad though
*The pats and their fans are still the worst.
I read them!
Next stop: glue factory.
Thanks guys. Added to the op.
What kind of nonsense?
things and stuff and beer and whiskey and some vodka
The_Darkest_Red
Member
sf2fanatic
Member
So I see we get DM's team first week of season.
DM, "Are You Ready?"
DM, "Are You Ready?"
Banana Aeon
Member
Is someone doing a Rams write up?
skLaFarebear
Member
Great write up Chris. Definitely agree that O-line and LB is still the weakest points of the team and we can only hope that the other parts of our team can mask those weaknesses or players step up during the season.
unknownstranger
Member
I could do a Seahawks write up but Rando or Cdy could probably do it better.
8 X 11 Printer Paper
Member
For Kave/BG.
We've had multiple people post on the same team in the past. Nothing wrong with sharing your individual thoughts on it.
Banana Aeon
Member
So disrespectful.
sf2fanatic
Member
I decline to do a Titans write up.
Prediction record.
Prediction record.
5-12
Start Zach!
You going to lose to the bye?
PhoenixDark
Banned
Reporters' thoughts on Lions' Saturday Scrimmage (video)
some points
-Stafford started out training camp a bit rusty but has been on fire over the last few days. Accurate, nice touch on throws, and perhaps most importantly seems fully comfortable in the offense.
-Ebron has been impressive. Lots of catches over the middle, nice YAC, etc.
-Megatron is fully healthy. At this point I don't expect that to last, given his recent seasons, but I just hope he's at 90-99% during our first four brutal games this year.
-Lions backup QBs (Kellen Moore and Dan Orlowsky) have been HORRIBLE, to the point that the Lions might be a lottery team if Stafford goes down
-Defense looks good.
-Matt Prater is looking perfect.
some points
-Stafford started out training camp a bit rusty but has been on fire over the last few days. Accurate, nice touch on throws, and perhaps most importantly seems fully comfortable in the offense.
-Ebron has been impressive. Lots of catches over the middle, nice YAC, etc.
-Megatron is fully healthy. At this point I don't expect that to last, given his recent seasons, but I just hope he's at 90-99% during our first four brutal games this year.
-Lions backup QBs (Kellen Moore and Dan Orlowsky) have been HORRIBLE, to the point that the Lions might be a lottery team if Stafford goes down
-Defense looks good.
-Matt Prater is looking perfect.
Go for it if you want!
I dunno if I can pull myself away from DOTA long enough to write something up
Do it for Mech.
Please do it.
Nah. They're going to win the AFCS with 5 wins and get that extra loss in the playoffs.
The_Darkest_Red
Member
Great write up, Chris!
Makes sense
sf2fanatic
Member
Texans gonna beat them so bad that it counts as 2 losses.
(Im sure we lose now that i jinxed the team)
nah texans will lose so i can get a free bottle of jd
Probably lol. Losing streak is on you.
List of Steelers players to have missed time due to injury during camp.
DE Clifton Geathers, ILB Vince Williams, WR Markus Wheaton, QB Bruce Gradkowski, S Robert Golden, WR Martavis Bryant, TE Rob Blanchflower, RB Ross Scheuerman, S Gerod Holliman, OLB Jarvis Jones, ILB Ryan Shazier, CB Senquez Golson, S Mike Mitchell, S Ross Ventrone, OT Mike Adams, RB Josh Harris, CB Antwon Blake, C Maurkice Pouncey, S Shamarko Thomas, RB DeAngelo Williams, OG Ramon Foster, WR Eli Rogers, S Will Allen, OLB Shawn Lemon, OG Chris Hubbard, and DT Steve McLendon.
DE Clifton Geathers, ILB Vince Williams, WR Markus Wheaton, QB Bruce Gradkowski, S Robert Golden, WR Martavis Bryant, TE Rob Blanchflower, RB Ross Scheuerman, S Gerod Holliman, OLB Jarvis Jones, ILB Ryan Shazier, CB Senquez Golson, S Mike Mitchell, S Ross Ventrone, OT Mike Adams, RB Josh Harris, CB Antwon Blake, C Maurkice Pouncey, S Shamarko Thomas, RB DeAngelo Williams, OG Ramon Foster, WR Eli Rogers, S Will Allen, OLB Shawn Lemon, OG Chris Hubbard, and DT Steve McLendon.
BlackGhost
Banned
Holllllly shit, thats it.... Kave you know what to do. Pop the litter box on his disrespectful ass!!
Holllllyyy shitt.. Hnngh my heartFor Kave/BG.
Bucs have announced 5-year, $50m extension with Lavonte David (~$25m guaranteed): http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...agree-to-5year-extension?campaign=Twitter_atn
Nemesis121
Member
2 hours until i watch 5 mins of football..
Good deal for a good player
WOOOOOOOOOOO!
That's a sweet deal for the Bucs. This will likely be the best part of the season for us.
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