from Piggy

Q – Mike, watching the game, I thought we were running the ball well in the 1st half.  Then I see we finished with 64 total rushing yards.  What happened?  Also, how do you think Foster did in his debut?  He averaged under 3 yards per carry, but it felt like he made something out of nothing.

I don’t think Foster was really effective running the ball, and I felt like Gase didn’t trust anyone else to get carries against that D.  Foster did have 19 touches overall, and I think he was much more effective receiving, when he had a little space and a head of steam going.  To be fair, he wasn’t getting holes to run through, and that, combined with not having Ajayi made Gase give up on the run game.  I can’t really compare that to Carroll staying with the running game, he had the horses with Michael and Rawls, so my guess was Gase didn’t love his second option of Damien Williams, and I can’t blame him.

I think Foster needs to be part of a tandem system, and at least early on, shouldn’t be carrying a big load of the offense if we want him to make it through the season.  I expect Ajayi to bounce back real nicely with some fire in his belly, so watch for that this week against the Patriots.

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from Boulder

Q – Hi Mike,

 Can you tell us when we can expect the phins back in the playoffs? It seems like every year we say we’re a couple of years away but never get there.

 Thanks,

 Boulder

I know many will disagree with me, but I think that was a playoff caliber defensive performance this past Sunday.  Someone has to lose, and unfortunately, it was us, but the defense played great, and that’s good enough to be in the playoffs.  Sure they didn’t hold at the end of the game, but if they play like this week in and week out, and the offense does it’s job better, we’ll be in the playoffs in 2016

I do think the offense will be better when Parker is healthy and able to contribute, and I also think Ajayi makes a much bigger impact on the run game.  Gase didn’t want to stop running, he just didn’t have guys he was comfortable with in the backfield.  That won’t happen from here on in.

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from Stanger

 Q – Jimmy Garoppolo had a 106 QB rating against a tough Cardinals D and without Gronk.

 You figure we show him respect after that or go with every crazy look we can think of to go after him?   He’s still a young QB and not Brady.

 stanger

I expect that we’ll be coming after young Jimmy, or as Son put it so well, Janeane Garafolo.  Our front 4 need to harass him, and yes, the game plan for NE will be a nice dose of Blount, and a quick short passing game that will test our LB’s with Julian Edleman, either Martellus Bennett or Gronks, or even worse, both.  Pressure will be key, because if young Jimmy has time, he will probably slice us up like he did to Arizona.

I don’t expect a lot of blitzes, because that leaves huge holes in the coverage, but I’m sure we’ll dial up a couple of them, and hopefully, they are well timed.  From what I saw last week, I like our chances against NE, we just need our offense to do more, and I think they will.

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from Wyoming

 Q – Who was your biggest surprise among the offseason additions to the team?

I would have to say getting Laremy Tunsil at pick #13.  You know I’ve wanted O-line help for a long time, and was all crazy about us drafting La’el Collins until the investigation fiasco went down.  We needed so badly to shore up the O-line, and getting a potential top LT at #13, who can play OG while we have #76, Branden Albert, was perfect for us.  That was huge.  No way I thought we had a shot at him, so that would be it for me.  I could have said getting Coach Gase too, because for once, we actually got the hottest guy on the market.

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from New Age

 Q – We are playing another team with a great defense this week. Which player (besides Tannehill) needs to have a ‘breakout’ game for this offense to score the points needed to win?

There’s a few I could pick, because I think it;s going to take more than one player to step up to beat the Patriots at home, but if I had to pick one, it would be Devante Parker.  It was really a virtual tie between him and Jay Ajayi, but due to the fact that Foster still may start, and end up getting more touches, I chose Parker.  Both NE CB’s are 5’11”, not small necessarily, but Parker at 6’3″ is the guy that should be able to give them trouble.  I think Ajayi though could play a big role this week, because it was obvious Gase had no confidence in anyone else behind Foster, and I think we were all under the impression Gase was committed to running the football, so I think Ajayi should see plenty of action, as many as 15 carries and maybe a a few passes out of the backfield as well.

Man, it would be nice if we got ANY production out of the TE’s.  If the Patriots ignore Cameron (I would), he could have a big game, but I just can’t pick him, because like Gase has no confidence in Damien Williams, I just have no confidence in Jordan Cameron.

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from SB7

Q – Do you feel this team tried to rely too much on the same people offensively during the Seahawks game and what should we attempt to do differently in the Pats game that we didn’t do in Seattle to spark the offense?

 SB7MVP

I do SB, but I think it was mostly due to a lack of quality depth.  At WR, we did get Carroo involved a bit, and obviously Stills too, who started, but at RB, the depth was real thin, so with Ajayi back in the fold, we’ll see much better balance from the RB’s.   With Devante Parker hopefully returning healthy this week,  that’s another big target for Tannehill, so I expect the ball to be spread around much more evenly in the Patriots game.

I also think Tannehill may have been a part of the reason, because I get the impression he doesn’t feel completely comfortable with TE Jordan Cameron (Why should he?), and then after the Stills drop, I think he may have felt the same way about Stills.  Neither guy to date has given Tannehill a reason to be comfortable with, so I think Tanny played a part in the lack of distribution.

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from Tim

 Q – What part of the team right now concerns you the most? Thank you!

I think the worst unit on this 2016 Miami Dolphins team is the TE’s.  The depth is pretty dismal, and you well know I’m no fan of starter Jordan Cameron.  Last year he was 26th in receptions, and he had only 3 TD’s, which ties him for 19th.  Considering he’s not even a good in-line blocker, that’s horrible.  FWIW, he did throw a pretty nice block this past Sunday, but we need him to be the seam threat he should be, and start making some big plays.  Dion Sims seems to have disappeared entirely, and then after Sims we have the ST ace MarQeuis Gray.

On the PS lurks UCLA TE Thomas Duarte, who I feel could help our team from a receiving standpoint.  I hope the kid gets a shot to make that happen, but it’s unlikely, so either Sims needs to return earth and start doing something, or Cameron needs to recapture the magic he had that one glorious year in CLE.  Otherwise, we may be the worst TE unit in the NFL.

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