Defense will need to be great...

[kelbail21]

and they sure were dominant on Saturday. Unfortunately, they are going to have to be that great week in and week out if they hope to make a playoff run in 2015. Why? Because Ryan Tannehill, and maybe even Bill Lazor, seem to have no interest in converting 3rd downs. Twice they faced 3rd and longs and basically just gave up. The first time they ran a draw. The second time, facing a three man rush, Tannehill didn't even attempt to buy time and simply dumped the ball off on a three yard pass. At the 9:48 mark of the 2nd Quarter we're 3rd and 6. Tannehill drops back. He has Jordan Cameron running a flag to the right with a LB trailing him. Great matchup, easy lob pass over the top. Nope. He has LaMike James all alone in the right flat for an easy 1st down, maybe touchdown. Nope. Two yard pass left to Matthews with a guy draped all over him. I don't see the maturity in RTs game in critical situations. Maybe he's a little more poised on 1st and 2nd down but he is a loser on 3rd downs and that is going to cost us games. I just don't understand it. We can cheer him on for the numbers he puts up and his completion percentage but 4,000+ yards and 27 and 12 got us to 8-8 last year and if he doesn't wake up and become a winner on 3rd downs, we're going to need all of that defense to get us over .500 this year. He better find some game and situation awareness and a sense of urgency. He's being paid as a playMAKER , especially on 3rd downs. Are we ever going to see some athleticism in the pocket? Because when the game is on the line and we need to keep a drive going, he's showed me nothing over three years and a fourth preseason that he is a guy we can count on to make something happen. And the worst part is he seems to be apathetic each time he jogs the offense off the field in defeat. He's like the 3rd down Roberto Duran. I love our defense. I like RTs tools and the thought of what he is capable of. I'm just very concerned that all the efforts of the defense will lead to painful low scoring defeats that will metaphorically put our defense into the hands of Tom Brady and be deflated.
Attn RT: There is so much room behind the line of scrimmage to throw from and you are so able to get to all of these points. Concerning your OL- "Help them, help you."
Very concerned. Must improve.

[DolphinsFreak]

You are pointing out things that I have been complaining about. He will make the completion but he will NOT throw to the best option, he throws to the safest option. It drives me crazy! I am hoping that Tannehill won't be making these type of throws in the regular season this year because I have been watching him do this for three years now and I am tired of it. His NUMBERS might get slightly better playing like this but they will never go to the playoffs as long as he keeps playing it safe like this. He needs to TRUST in himself and allow himself to possibly make a mistake and once he does this his confidence will grow and he will get better in all phases of the game, including the deep ball. Tannehill lacks confidence, that is one of his biggest problems, and once he figures out how to gain this confidences, the sky is the limit.

[Alpha]

While I agree that for Miami to become a true contender, Tannehill has to elevate his game....I think this post is awfully "doom and gloom" when talking about a guy that is 33 for 41 (over 80% completions) 3 TDs, 0 INT and 303 yards this preseason (121.8 QBR). He's improved steadily over his first three years - passing for 4000+ 27 TDs and a 92.8 QBR last season. I think Miami has far bigger problems than QB.


We need a line to protect him (he's the most sacked QB in the NFL over his career), we need improvement at LB and really need playmakers in the secondary besides Grimes. We need depth at several spots because a few injuries could really derail the season.

Sure I'd like to see Tannehill become a top 10 QB (I think he will this year)....or even top 5 QB. Out of all the concerns I have going into this season, though, he's way down my list.

[kelbail21]

I don't see this as doom and gloom at all. It's like Freak said. It's the confidence to break from routine of drop, set, throw when that routine just leads to a punt and putting the defense back on the field. If he would just get it through his head to reverse spin and utilize the whole left side of the field when the RDE crashes in or just keep taking retreat steps and sliding around while he surveys the field or getting deep in his drop to pull the DEs upfield and then stepping up I don't just think it willjust make him better, I think he will transform into the best Quarterback in the NFL. I wouldn't be wasting my breath and these key strokes if I didn't think it was all right there in front of him. He just has the grasp it and go with it. He's just about perfected the strokes Lazor has put on paper for him. Now it's time for Ryan to orchestrate this offense into his own symphony. He is the Maestro after all. The music will go where he tells it to.

[HndRkyaBong34]

This Defense is going to have to carry this team this year...When you can't win one pre-season game and nothing about this offense is screaming "Awesome Play" or "Did you see that!? Lets HOPE we have one hell of a defense... Good teams win! Pre-season or not!.. Damn I hope we're better then this...

[ONole1]

I think the defense will be very good, not sure about great yet but very good. However, don't sleep on the offense, I think it will be very good as well. I haven't been this optimistic about a Dolphins team since...hell I can't even remember when. I think they have a very good mix of Vets and young players, time to get over that hump.

[Daytona Dolfan]

If the Offense can score points, and I don't see why they can't from watching the first team in preseason, then the Defense should be able to hold opponents. I feel really good about the D. Our Dline is going to be very tough to handle. Even the second guys are bringing something. With this rotation I expect the D to stay fresh longer during games and into the season. If the O can keep them on the bench, I see no reason for us not to have a great season.

[phinfanfrom70s]

i'm hoping that the reason that there was no real wow moments on offense,was because the vanilla playcalling by lazor. as someone else mentioned that tannehill really didn't look for the best wr open but the one that got the ball out of his hannds before disaster.