Dolphins/Jags Report(with fancy pics I made myself)

[OCinBuffalo]

I decided to spend my $19.99 $14.99 (always search for a promo code), and my Friday night, on watching the Dolphins, Jets and Pats games. I shoulda posted this last night but I fell asleep. This thread is what I saw during the Dolphin game. Before we begin, a small comment: Being color blind usually sucks. Not tonight. The Jags new unis must have been a haze for the normal people.

 

Dolphins start with ball:

1st and 10 Counter play, well blocked, 5 yards.

2nd and 5 Sack. Right guard = turnstile. Looks like the RG was supposed get help from the C, but, the DE Marks split them and was on Tannehill before he could do anything.

3rd and 11 Sack. Let me just call this one right now: Tannehill is nowhere near the QB he has been hyped to be.

 

I will now prove this...with the promised fancy pics. First the setup:

 

Yes, unlike last time, the O line has this one blocked fairly well. Or, at least enough to give Tannehill the time he needs. 1 and 2 are covered, for long enough to make Tannehill make dumb decisions. 3's rout has to develop, but as we'll see, 3 is more about clearing space for 4, and later, 5, than it is about actually being a target.

 

Now, understand: it's 3rd and 11, so, 2 is the fisrt read. 2 is going to get the 1st down easily. So, as you can see above, Tannehill is staring 2 down. Staring it down to the point that after first LB lets 2 go, the MLB(POZ) and the safety are both there immediately. You'll see that in the third pic. Anyhow, #4 ends up being the right choice see here:

 

Yep, good ole Ryan still staring down 2. Look at the pic #1, and then pic #2. His helmet never moves. I'm no expert, but IMHO, 4 is the right choice. Yes, with 2 LBs standing there, it may not get you the 1st. But, that guy is open by a lot. Nothing says he can't make a play. When the alternative is what's coming? You throw it to 4. Now would be a good time to say, 1 is going to come open as well, but, Tannehill focuses on 2, and when it's not there? Well, see this:

 

 

Now 2 is double covered. Tannehill wound up to throw it anyway, but, now seeing the double coverage, pulls it down, and proceeds to get happy feet. 4 is still open, and you can see, 1 is about to be open. 5 is wide open and could get the first. But, instead of staying with the play and progressing through the reads, Tannehill overcommitted to 2 from the snap, failed to make the reads and tried to "run". He ended up running away from his protection, and getting thrown like a freestyle wrestler:

 

 

As you can see, 4 has been open, 1 is open, and 5 is open. You can also see that half the Jag D line is on the ground, wondering how they ended up with a sack. Tannehil never gave this play a chance, because he only looked at the primary receiver. 3 and out.

 

Moving on:

The Jags are in deep trouble on O. It makes evaluating the Dophin Defense pointless, for the most part. Gabbert stinks, but that is old news, nobody is saying he's "going to be great". Look for Tenne to be starting for the Jags by game 4. Joeckle's first NFL experience = getting burned by Cameron Wake and giving up a QB hurry. Jags also go 3 and out.

 

Moving on again:

Dolphins ball on their 34.

1st and 10. Run for no gain. Terrible play design. The guys blocked it, but nobody was on the middle LB? He just trotted up the field and made the tackle, untouched. Tear that play out of the playbook.

2nd and 10. Tannehil shys away as soon as the D line starts to get close, and throws it, off his back foot as he dances away, behind the safety valve RB. Incomplete.

3rd and 10. Tannehill flushed out of pocket by a stong rush from the D line...but that only came from 4 guys. O line is very inconsistent. Tannehill nearly throws a pick to the Jag LB along the sideline. No reason for throwing that ball anywhere but to the gatorade guy, instead he hit the LB in the hands.

 

Jags with ball = FAIL. Their O? Isn't worth your time.

Dolphins D looks competent against the run, unlike in the HOF game.

 

Moving on:

Dolphins ball on their 20.

1st and 10. Hooray! First completion of the day! On the third drive. Good throw, rout and catch, for 8. Brian Hartline.

2nd and 2. Jags D line wins against the run. Gain of a foot.

3rd and 1. Shotgun, play action to rb, 2 O lineman lose their men + nobody open. This one isn't Tannehill's fault, yet. He does a good job of eluding the pressure, and rolls away, then he goes into full Dilfer mode, and tries to throw it off is back foot down the field. Tannehill threw it so that only the LB had a chance to make the catch. Low and behind the WR, and hit the LB in the hands. Not gonna say "should have been INTed" but, the LB did have a chance.

 

Miami has had 3 drives. 3, 3 and outs. 1-4, 2 sacks, and they have < 10 total yards. Yeah, announcer, the Jags coach does have something to be happy about: Miami's O is just as bad as his.

 

Jags with ball. First team to get a first down wins....and yes....it is the Jags who get the 1st first down. How embarassing. Cameron Wake looks as good as ever. Announcer making excuses for "Blaine". Miami announcer should start taking notes. Yawn 5 and out.

 

Dolphins muff the punt but recover.

Dolphins ball on their 22.

1st and 10. Hey! Poz makes a tackle only 1 yard behind the line.

2nd and 9. Buddy pass from Tannehil plus bad play design = 2 yard pass, but wait....holding on the Jags. Jags. Perfect name for that penalty, and this team. Pittsburgh people are laughing to this day.

1st and 10. Nice pass from Tannehil to Dustin Keller for ~30 yards. But, yet again, just like above, he stares down Keller the whole way. Both WRs on the other side are more open, one does a great job of it, but he doesn't even look at them. This time, Tannehill doesn't panic, because nobody gets close to him. The line gave him plenty of time, and he just waited until Keller got into the space between the LB and the S.

1st and 10. Yes, Poz reverts to form, and makes the tackle 9 yards down the field on a run.

2nd and 1. Elusive runnig plus counter blocking = nice run. Poz is really silly on this one. 5 yards are gained.

1st and 10. Dolphins RG gets abused again(they better do something here) Tannehill does a good job of getting away, and dumping it off. Gain of 6.

2nd and 4. Incomplete due to Tannehill throwing behind WR. This is the HOF game all over again.

3rd and 4. Another Jag being a Jag by getting a dumb penalty.

1st and 10. TD, by wounded duck pass. Tannehill throws a knuckle ball to the endzone, and is saved by Keller adjusting to the throw, and making a great play. That TD is all Keller.

 

Jags ball. Dolphin defense gets gashed by 3 big runs. So much for Miami's D looking competent against the run. But because they are Jags, the ball gets tipped and picked on the next play..

 

Dolphins ball. Matt Moore, who less of a chance of starting than Chad Henne does, but, still....

 

 

Conclusion:

This is a guy who has already played 16 games, and is supposed to be "good" this year? Well, you've seen it, what do you think? Awful is pretty much the norm. The TD he threw was the exception, and the TD was a wounded duck, that was thrown behind Dustin Keller. He made a highlight grab to get it.

 

Yeah, yeah, it's preseason. Remeber, I've watched Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Tom Brady, Ryan Mallet, Mark Stafford, and Shaun Hill play last night. ALL of them, including ButtFumble, were better by far. None of them locked on to a single receiver.

 

My pedicition? EJ Manuel is ahead of this guy, already. It's really not that bold of a prediction, if you think about it.

 

The way you beat Tannehill? Just get a DL to within 3 yards of him. If he thinks there's any chance that guy might get him? He will blow up the play. That's what he did tonight, every time.

 

It's up to you, but you might want to consider that this Tannehill thing is yet another ESPN (Big Market) boondoggle.

Edited August 10, 2013 by OCinBuffalo

[prissythecat]

No way.

 

 

Tannehill is going to be awesome since a number of posters here have said so. I remember even reading that he would throw 4 TDs against us in a game last season.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

Yeah and some of the Espn guys said they would make the playoffs and they spent a lot of $ in the offseason!

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

With all the hype of the Dolphins, I can't help but be reminded about the hype about the Bills last year and the hype about the Eagles in 2011.

 

With us, signing Mario Williams was going to solve everything, and with Fitz recovered from his rib injury, he was supposed to be all ready for action. Of course, Wanny called the most boring defense ever and Chan could never figure out that when you have a RB that can average 6 yards a carry, you should run the ball more.

 

With all the hype about the big money the Phins spent on free agency, I have to wonder if anyone thought about whether the chemistry would be there? It's a little early to say about Tannehill (much like it's too early to say about EJ) but I really wonder if I would trade our WR corps for theirs, especially considering how Graham and Goodwin have looked.

[K-9]

Good stuff, OC. Been saying all off season that the 'Phins have the look of a team that is going to implode under the weight of expectations and the resentment of high-priced free agents by veteran players that have been there a while. And their OLine is terrible.

GO BILLS!!!

Edited August 10, 2013 by K-9

[Rubes]

Fun read, thanks. I think for them, like it is for most teams I suppose, it comes down to the line play. Their O-line needs to give Tanny time or, like you said, he implodes. I recall reading a story online a week or so back that talked about how Martin was not doing well for them. They need him to step it up or they have some big problems.

 

Same for their D-line -- they really need them to be stout against the run, or they're in for a long season. But I suppose none of this is great insight that doesn't apply to anyone, really. One thing you could say for the Bills is that at least we have a QB that can make something out of nothing if the protection fails.

 

[Beerball]

that was fitzesque in its execution

[NoSaint]

Any commentary on Blackmon melting down on the sidelines?

[Offside Number 76]

Throwing to 4 and 5 is exactly what we saw from the Bills for the last five years or so. Short of the marker, tackled, punt.

[OCinBuffalo]

Throwing to 4 and 5 is exactly what we saw from the Bills for the last five years or so. Short of the marker, tackled, punt.

Not so with Fitz. That was Trentative/Jauron ball.

 

And, the job is to get it to 1, if 2 isn't there. But that requires that the O line play is good, and that the QB doesn't have Losman patience/brain.

 

The bottom line: dancing, and not running, away from your protection, and not looking to hit any of the other 4 options at all = Sacked, every time.

[SBUffalo]

If he throws it to four at just about any point in this, four gets absolutely jacked up. Then look at the down and distance. And there's the two reasons four didn't get the ball.

 

Also, I'd love to have a quarterback that makes the perfect read on EVERY play.

Edited August 10, 2013 by DStebb716

[OCinBuffalo]

If he throws it to four at just about any point in this, four gets absolutely jacked up. Then look at the down and distance. And there's the two reasons four didn't get the ball.

 

Also, I'd love to have a quarterback that makes the perfect read on EVERY play.

Is it better to take the sack, than throw to 4?

[SBUffalo]

Is it better to take the sack, than throw to 4?

 

Depends. Do you like number 4? Are you okay with risking his career for a preseason first down?

 

5 should've got the ball if anyone.

Edited August 11, 2013 by DStebb716

[OCinBuffalo]

Depends. Do you like number 4? Are you okay with risking his career for a preseason first down?

 

5 should've got the ball if anyone.

It does depend. Would you rather have your supposed starting QB of the Future( we can only hope) ragdolled, like he was?

 

I really think 1 was the 2nd read, and 5 was the safety valve, followed by 4. I'd certainly have taken 5 over getting sacked.

[SBUffalo]

It does depend. Would you rather have your supposed starting QB of the Future( we can only hope) ragdolled, like he was?

 

I really think 1 was the 2nd read, and 5 was the safety valve, followed by 4. I'd certainly have taken 5 over getting sacked.

 

Yea, maybe a dumpoff was the best option. But it's the preseason. Maybe Tannehill was just thinking about taking a bigshot. He knows he has the job, so maybe he just wanted to try to make a big play. Not that big of a deal. I've seen flashes out of Tannehill that make me believe he'll be solid.

[OCinBuffalo]

Yea, maybe a dumpoff was the best option. But it's the preseason. Maybe Tannehill was just thinking about taking a bigshot. He knows he has the job, so maybe he just wanted to try to make a big play. Not that big of a deal. I've seen flashes out of Tannehill that make me believe he'll be solid.

Sure we probably should say: We'll see, and leave it at that.

 

But, I think I've seen enough. I'm willing to say he's not who they say he is right now. Moreover, I am definitely willing to say their O line is in trouble.

 

For me, it's about %s. What is the % chance that Tannehill is going to be good, based on what we've seen so far? I'd say 20%. If I see something new/different? Then that number could go up.

[Captain Hindsight]

Havent seen anything from tallywacker to suggest he has it. He looks the part, but doesnt play it to this point...

[Max997]

I just saw Jags new uniforms for the first time and wow are they hideous

[Gugny]

Tannehill is one of the most overrated QBs in the league.

 

Matt Moore is better. The longer Miami goes without coming to terms with that, the better off the Bills will be.

[PS 56]

OC this was an awesome analysis. Thanks for posting.