Yup, no arguments there. That contract is awful both in terms of value and structure.smastroyin said:
2014 Miami Dolphins: Raw Doggin' It
- Thread starter pdaj
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smastroyin said:
Haha, thanks for posting that. I have to admit, sometimes that's how I read many of the comments posted from Pats' fans in this thread, especially when NE is rolling. But it comes with the territory of being on this site. Overall, though, the benefits outweigh the negatives; it's pretty cool getting an opposing team's view of your favorite football team. You don't get that anywhere else on the internet.
Kenny F'ing Powers said:
The loss of Moreno and Albert sucks -- but the success of this team has come, largely, through the performance of their defense. The loss of Michael Thomas and Will Davis will test some of the squad's depth, and could impact ST; but for the most part, the strength of the unit is intact. Finnegan's injury, which forced Jamar Taylor to step up last week, will only further improve the team's secondary once they're back at FT. If the Fins can stay healthy and get to the playoffs, I they'll be a tough out for anyone.
Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:
You know, on paper, and in looking at the stats, Wallace isn't worth the money. But as a fan who watches every game, interview, post-game breakdown, etc.; I think Wallace has earned every penny of his contract this season. It's not an exaggeration when I say that Wallace has had an opportunity to catch a 50+ TD catch nearly every game; and for the most part, Tanny's inaccuracy is the reason why this hasn't happened. In re-watching nearly all of this season's contests, defenses are still accounting for Wallace's speed, as he's rarely left 1:1, without a safety over the top. This has allowed Tannehill an easier time operating in his comfort zone -- the short-to-medium routes in the middle of the field. (Although, RT doesn't get enough credit for his work outside the numbers. As far as young QB are concerned, I haven't seen anyone do it better, Luck included.) Clay, Landry, and (now recently) Hartline have feasted over the middle, thanks to Wallace.
In addition, Wallace has been a vocal leader all year long. According to reports, he's brought it every practice. He holds the offense accountable, without throwing his teammates under the bus. He's done everything the coaches have asked him to do. During the games, it's clear (to me), that he's one of those players that manages to get his teammates jacked up.
I believe the coaches are hoping that as Tannehill's game continues to improve/develop, the Wallace connection (deep) eventually becomes part of his repertoire. As others have noted, they'll get a whole 'nother season to work on it.
Wallace has been anything but the "diva" I thought he was last year. He's been an easy guy to root for.
Fair enough, although a 17M cap hit this year is still hard to swallow. Nevertheless, that's an interesting (and impressive) turnaround given his prior reputation as a me-first guy.pdaj said:
Weather Underground is projecting a temperature of 33 at kickoff, falling into the high 20s as the game wears on. I'm not sure which team that helps more. Manning has his frequently rehashed cold weather struggles. But I can't imagine the Dolphins play in that kind of cold very often either.
This is a good point. As much as I've lamented their chronic inability to figure this part of the passing game out (and as much as it's been hammered on in the media), Wallace is usually well-covered on those deep routes. Teams are still respecting the big-play potential there and Wallace hasn't usually gained more than a step or two of separation from defenders in whatever coverage he's seen, so many of the chances Tanny has missed would have required near-perfect throws. As long as this is opening things up for the rest of Tannehill's game, the issue is mitigated. Still, it would be nice not to have to rely on 8-minute, 12-play drives to score every touchdown, or to expect your D to keep teeing up great field position for you.pdaj said:
Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/miami-dolphins/mike-wallace/
According this site, Wallace's cap hit was only 3.25 million last season, jumping to 17.5 this year. For the remainder of the contract, his cap # will be 12.1 (15) and 13.7 (16 and 17). He'll be a realistic cap casualty after next season, but a lot can happen before then. He and Tanny have some time.
Some really interesting activity in here. Glad to see (most) Patriot fans taking Miami seriously as a legitimate threat.
I'm with pdaj. I think Wallace has 100% lived up to his contract and the only reason he isn't leading the league in yards is Tannehill's inability to hit him while he's open deep. Every single game he gets behind the defense at least once. Every game. If Tannehill can ever let it rip and hit him deep, Miami's defense completely gains a new dimension. That's a large if that I wouldn't count on happening this year.
I'm with pdaj. I think Wallace has 100% lived up to his contract and the only reason he isn't leading the league in yards is Tannehill's inability to hit him while he's open deep. Every single game he gets behind the defense at least once. Every game. If Tannehill can ever let it rip and hit him deep, Miami's defense completely gains a new dimension. That's a large if that I wouldn't count on happening this year.
Depends what you mean by legitimate threat. If you mean team playing well and might go to the playoffs and be a semi-tough out, sure. If you are talking about winning the division, not really, 2 out with six to play and road games left against Denver and NE means that's 90% over.sodenj5 said:
Wallace is currently 36th in receiving yardage
While some complain that if you defend the Pats you must be a homer.....I find it funny that each week our opponent is "Really Tough" until beaten.....then they sucked.pappymojo said:
http://central.sonsofsamhorn.net/nfl/new-england-patriots/know-your-enemy-jets-defense/
The Jets Front 7 IS impressive and "Vaunted".
Their secondary sucks.
At the time there was legitimate concern and discussion that the Jets (based primarily on a strong Defensive effort) could beat the Pats.
So while you might not agree with me that the Pats are better then the Dolphins and that the Pats should have an easy time handling them in Foxborough and that the Dolphins are probably not as serious a threat to them as the Broncos, Colts and Bengals, thats fine.
But lets not play the game where the week leading up to a team we proclaim them one of the toughest ever... "a real challenge" ....then the week after....claim they sucked.
All teams are a "Challenge". That does not supersede the notion that a team should still be beaten.
No one's claiming they are the toughest matchup ever, and I think even the Dolphins fans would say the Patriots are better. What you're doing is you're discrediting the Dolphin's defense, which is probably top 3 in the NFL and significantly better than the Jets. When you do something as well as the Dolphins, you are a threat to win the game even when you can make up a laundry list of things the Patriots do better. They're much better than the Jets, which I think was the main point of contention; not that the Patriots "should" win.
I don't see anything in that article that implies the Jets are a vaunted defense. It seems that the nature of the article is to review our opponent in detail for the coming week.bakahump said:
Here's my take on the division (and I'm a Patriots fanboy). This is going to be a little unfocused as it's more stream-of-thought.
The Patriots are an elite team in the league and they are clearly the best team in their division. Currently, the Dolphins are clearly the second best team in the division. If they played in a lesser division, they would be fighting for a bye week. While a step below the Patriots, the Dolphins seem to be improving on a year-to-year basis through the organic, positive growth that you want to see in a football team. As an outsider, it appears they are building their team at the defensive live, the offensive line and the secondary. They also seem to have a conservative offense that, thanks in large part to their defense, can compete against any opponent as long as they minimize their turn-overs and mistakes.
Sidebar: when I think back to last year as a Patriots fan, I have a lot of 'what ifs.' If we win those games against the Jets and Panthers, do we host Denver in the playoffs, and if so, does Talib remain healthy and if healthy how would we have done in the super bowl? I still don't think we would have had a realistic shot to beat the Seahawks last year, but our chances would have been improved if a couple of plays here and there broke differently during the regular season.
I think the Dolphins may look back on this year with that same sense of 'what if.' They played the Packers and the Lions close and easily could have won both of those games. If they had won those games, this discussion of how good the Dolphins are and where they stand in the division is wildly different.
Furthermore, I will say that the Dolphins seem to be the exact type of team that can best compete with the Patriots. I don't think it's any coincidence that the worst two games the Patriots have played this year were against the Dolphins and Chiefs. You could almost call the Dolphins a team in the Seahawks mold.
In the division, I think it then goes Buffalo and then the Jets. Buffalo is similar to the Dolphins but maybe a year or two behind in their development. Solid defensive line. Capable secondary. An offense that is trying to find itself and fighting injuries.
The Jets are clearly the worst team in the division and in consideration for the worst team in the league. Their defensive line is good, but their secondary blows and their offense blows.
Overall, I think Dolphins fans should be happy with their team's development. I don't think this year is their year, but they are trending in the right direction and with continued growth they should be able to narrow the gap between themselves and the Patriots over the next couple of years.
Luckily, as a Patriots fan, I feel that the Patriots have also continued to improve both from what they were earlier this year and from what they were a year ago.
I love Bill Belichick.
Here are the AFC players who have a bigger cap hit than Mike Wallace in 2014:
Ben Roethlisburger
Mario Williams
Peyton Manning
Again, this is the return for his tiny cap hit last year, but it's hard to say he has been worth every penny when you start looking at all the pennies.
Ben Roethlisburger
Mario Williams
Peyton Manning
Again, this is the return for his tiny cap hit last year, but it's hard to say he has been worth every penny when you start looking at all the pennies.
smastroyin said:
But this year's cap hit is due to the unique structure of the contract. As I noted above, he was around 3.5 last season (the first year of the deal), and will be around 12, a much more reasonable #, going forward. I do agree, though, that he's going to have to produce some big time numbers to remain with the Fins beyond 2015. Beyond the field, he's been a terrific leader and teammate -- it's been surprising after the way he handled himself last year. I'm hoping it works out going forward.
In other news, Finnegan didn't practice again today -- I'm still holding out hope that he'll give it a go on Sunday. Meanwhile, Thomas and Sanders haven't practiced, either. In Fox's interview today, it seemed as though he was preparing on having "other players step up."
http://soshcentral.com/nfl/jelani-jenkins-dolphins-savior/
Check out my latest article for Football Central: Jelani Jenkins, Dolphins Savior
[SIZE=13.63636302948px]Always great to read the accolades and, deserved as they may be, talk to me after the game on Sunday night after the Dolphins have the Broncos on the ropes, Denver needing a TD to win, the clock winding down, in their own territory with the ball in Manning's hands.....pdaj said:
Don't get me wrong, I'm pumped for this game, but if this D is the best in the league, they've gotta stop coming up short in that scenario.[/SIZE]
Nice work again, sodenj.sodenj5 said:
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MentalDisabldLst
Guest
whats the denver-miami line at? has it moved over the course of the week, as the status of sanders and julius has been reinforced?
MentalDisabldLst said:
opened at Den -8.5 and quickly moved to Denver -7. It is still there I think.
I thought Sanders was still questionable? Thomas not likely to play?
Taking Miami and the points looks like the smart bet. I wouldn't be shocked they won the game outright.
jsinger121 said:
At the start of the week, I thought Miami might have gotten lucky, catching Denver at the right time. But with Sanders now playing, Finnegan and Charles Clay most likely out, and Lamar Miller banged up, beyond the shoulder, I don't believe the Fins are catching any "breaks". I think the Dolphins keep it close and cover -- but most likely fall short. I envision Peyton and co. making just enough plays in the passing game to grab this one.
I've been waiting for this team to get healthy and play at (near) full strength all season, but it just hasn't happened. While it's certainly the nature of the NFL, it hasn't made it any less frustrating for me.
My focus today is on Jamar Taylor, filling in for Finnegan, in pass coverage ... and James (LT) and Thomas (RT) in pass protection. If Clay can't go, we'll probably see more 4 WR sets than typical, which means Matthews or Gibson could come out of nowhere with a big day.
Hoping to see my Friars demolish the Irish in basketball in a few hours ... followed by the "Manning face" for an additional 3. Can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday.
Hoping to see my Friars demolish the Irish in basketball in a few hours ... followed by the "Manning face" for an additional 3. Can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday.
News update: Emmanuel Sanders will play -- hopefully he's truly good to play safely. Julius Thomas is out.
Are you guys worried about how much Miller's condition will impact the offense? Not having Clay sucks, but let's face it, his influence most of this year has been marginal due to his shaky health. But without Miller at or near 100%, can they keep that Denver D-line honest?
I thought CBS just showed Thomas as still "questionable."pdaj said:
dwainw said:
He'll get his 15 touches -- which is about what he's been getting. He looked pretty good vs Buffalo ... ran really hard. I'm expecting the same today. I'm curious to see what Damien Williams does with the few touches he gets. I like him.
Edit:
Sorry, meant to include this, per Rotoworld ...
Thanks foe the updates Pdaj, This game will be a good one and its a Sunday full of great football games. May all enjoy
Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I'm excited. Nervous, but the fact that it's really not a must-win takes the edge off.pdaj said:
Watching the Lions/Pats game will be a nice lead-in.
You'd like to think injuries to the secondary did the Dolphins in, but they got absolutely owned at the line of scrimmage. Once again, the "great" Miami defense comes up small late in a game. Not a back-breaker as far as the season goes, but a disappointing performance and a rude awakening nonetheless. Let's hope Finnegan makes it back next week.
I was pretty down on him earlier this year, but you have to be impressed with his development as it has progressed. One of the frustrating things about how this season is evolving is that, just as Tanny has started hitting his stride, the strongest part of the team has proven to be not up to the task of closing games out.Ed Hillel said:
57 total yards in the 2nd half by Tannehill and company before the last drive against a prevent (101 yards total in the 2nd half). I thought it was a disappointing effort by the Miami defense, sure, but also by their offense when it counted most.
.Tony C said:
Yes.
Plus Tannehill made some risky throws where he was lucky they were not picked off. He looked pretty horrible in the second half but there was no running game, and the receivers seemed pretty well covered from the TV angles. The offense needed one long drive on top of the punt coverage turnover to win the game, and it was all three and outs.
dwainw said:
Well, after a 5-day "cool down" period, I re-watched the game. There's no question, in my opinion, that this one was lost in the trenches. Denver's offensive line absolutely brought it -- and the Fins' defense got worn down in the 2nd-half. Perhaps the Denver air contributed, but it's the worst I've seen this front play all year, by far. The LB play was also subpar.
The Fins are now set to play two teams, the Jets and Ravens, who have had a lot of success running the ball. I wouldn't be surprised to see them both try to match Denver's execution. I think Miami will show that the Broncos' game was an aberration; but we'll have to see.
The NFL is a week-by-week season. Beat the Jets. Get healthy, especially in the secondary, and then beat the Ravens.
If those things happen, the playoffs are very realistic.
Well, Pitt, Balt, Cle, and KC lost. We even got a Pats' defeat for shits and giggles. It couldn't have been a more perfect Sunday for Miami's wildcard aspirations.
Of course, all this means nothing if Miami fucks up tomorrow.
The Fins have a lot injuries, but Wilkerson being out is just as huge.
I expect Miller to have a better-than-expected game running the ball.
Of course, all this means nothing if Miami fucks up tomorrow.
The Fins have a lot injuries, but Wilkerson being out is just as huge.
I expect Miller to have a better-than-expected game running the ball.
Looks like Miami would place themselves into the #6 seed with a win tonight.sodenj5 said:
I'm admittedly a worry-wart and somewhat of a pessimist about this team in general, but tonight's game concerns me greatly. They've lost this kind of game too many times in recent years to not be concerned. I think we're in for an ugly game, hopefully dictated by the Dolphins defense in the end. There's no reason it shouldn't be, but a divisional game on the road in December......yeah, God knows.
dwainw said:
This is definitely the type of game they've lost many, many times in the past. Just look to weeks 16 and 17 last year. If this team wants to prove they're cut from a different cloth, winning this game is a must. The Jets are a bad team, and they've just replaced one bad quarterback with an even worse one. Their passing defense is in shambles and their best defender will be watching the game.
While the fan in me worries, on paper, Miami should win this game by 2 scores.
dwainw said:
I win.sodenj5 said:
But seriously, good god, when I said ugly, I didn't mean fugly. I believe you called it in the game thread soden, but what on earth took them so long to load guys up on the line and dare them to let Geno use his arm? I don't think any of us are surprised the Jets made it tough for Tannehill & co., especially at their place, but geez, Lazor allowed the D to dig a dangerously deep hole early.
Anyway, put most of this game behind you and start thinking about Baltimore. Like now.
Amen, brother. The good Dolphins can win 3 of the next 4. And they're all home games.BigSoxFan said:
dynomite said:
So it turns out the Ravens are 7-5 and the Dolphins are 7-5. I still think BAL @ MIA next Sunday decides the #6 seed.
Even as a Patriots fan without a rooting interest I'm looking forward. Should be a really fun game.
Hopefully. Then again, your definition of fun might not be 35 - 7, Miami, like mine. Anyway, good call by you and several others on circling that game. It won't guarantee the winner getting into the dance, but it will eliminate the loser, for all practical purposes.
My realistic side is quickly kicking in so I should note the serious concern these guys should have about their "sudden" vulnerability against a physical running attack like they've been presented with the last few weeks. Baltimore can run and Flacco obviously won't let them get away with packing all those guys up to stuff the run. They've got work to do.dwainw said:
What surprised me about this game was that Miami's coaching had shown, I felt, an ability to adjust within games, especially on defense. Tonight was bizarre in that respect. Maybe it's an anomaly, like Revis and McCourty both getting beat on the Jordy Nelson route yesterday...but it has to irritate the fanbase. How can an neon-lighted obviously one-dimensional team like the Jets have as much success? Or am I giving them too much credit? After all, they only scored 13 pts. A counter argument might be that, like the Pats yesterday, they were willing to concede yardage but not points...but Green Bay is far more dangerous than NYJ...
Just an odd game (and not very entertaining).
PS: how happy is Percy Harvin now?
Just an odd game (and not very entertaining).
PS: how happy is Percy Harvin now?
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MentalDisabldLst
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dwainw said:
Generally, the more painfully Baltimore loses, the more fun I have. Their last-minute, one-point loss at home to SD ranks pretty far up the fun scale. However, them getting demolished by the Ryan Tannehill Improv Express to the tune of 20+ points would top that, for sure.
I want to beat the Dolphins, when we play them. But I want the Baltimore Ravens, and their entire fanbase, to suffer an end akin to the finale of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and then have the earth near their stadium salted so that nothing may grow there again. Screw every last one of those guys.
(I'm not sure how dynomite has 'no rooting interest'. Maybe he's from the pre-Kraft-era Pats days, when the Dolphins were public enemy #1, and now feels conflicted.)
Win is a win. Again, why it took Coyle so long to start loading the box and stuff the run is beyond me. Very frustrating to watch the first half. Smith could literally do nothing. Apparently some of the defensive players talked to Coyle at half and asked him to start putting a safety in the box to help stop the run. He listened, which I guess you can credit him for not being stubborn or having an ego.
Baltimore does worry me because they can run the ball well, but Flacco is obviously not Geno Smith.
3 of the last 4 are at home. Game against Baltimore is basically a playoff game for both teams, and I expect the Ravens to play like it. Waiting a full half to make an adjustment will not be viable.
Baltimore does worry me because they can run the ball well, but Flacco is obviously not Geno Smith.
3 of the last 4 are at home. Game against Baltimore is basically a playoff game for both teams, and I expect the Ravens to play like it. Waiting a full half to make an adjustment will not be viable.
So that's what it's like to really care about, and be invested in a football game....
I haven't been so anxious watching a game since the past Sox World Series. An angst-filled roller coaster of frustration and anger in the 1st half, depression with the reality they could lose to the Jets, to desperation hanging on each play, and inevitably elation with the win.....And I loved it.
Great to feel that way about this team after a decade of futility.
I know they've had some heart-breaking loses already this year, so maybe I should have reached that point already....but it was the combination of it being the Jets, a game I 100% expected them to win going in, and it being (in all likelihood) a must-win, and for the first time in a decade a team I actually have faith in, that returned me to a fanatic.
Can't wait to do it again next week.
I haven't been so anxious watching a game since the past Sox World Series. An angst-filled roller coaster of frustration and anger in the 1st half, depression with the reality they could lose to the Jets, to desperation hanging on each play, and inevitably elation with the win.....And I loved it.
Great to feel that way about this team after a decade of futility.
I know they've had some heart-breaking loses already this year, so maybe I should have reached that point already....but it was the combination of it being the Jets, a game I 100% expected them to win going in, and it being (in all likelihood) a must-win, and for the first time in a decade a team I actually have faith in, that returned me to a fanatic.
Can't wait to do it again next week.
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