Week 1 was quite a surprise for me. I expected the Dolphins offense to look good, but it was really the defense that I expected to shine, and until the end of the game when they sealed the victory, the defense was a huge letdown. Chargers running backs Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley combined for 208 yards rushing on 32 carries for a ridiculous 6.5 YPC. Ekeler is indeed one of the best in the game but both he and Kelley feasted. Ekeler had a long run of 55 yards. I’m pretty sure all of us thought David Long was an upgrade at ILB, but on opening day, Long played only 17 snaps and gave us 1 tackle. In contrast, Andrew Van Ginkel played a surprising 63% of the snaps at LB, and produced a modest 5 combined tackles. For additional contrast, former Dolphins LB Elandon Roberts started for the Steelers and played 43% of the defensive snaps and had 8 tackles, and 2 tackles for a loss. This an early disappointment, and something that we’ll need to keep an eye on.
The offense though was better than I could have hoped for. It’s been well documented how the Chargers shut down Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense last year during that horrific west coast trip that started with a beatdown in San Francisco and ended with a stymied offensive output against the Chargers who took away the short passing lanes, and the Dolphins at that time had no answers. This past Sunday however, the Dolphins had all the answers and absolutely shredded the Chargers defense to the tune of 536 yards, 466 of those yards through the air, compared to 145 yards on a paltry 10 completions out of 28 pass attempts. Tyreek Hill was unstoppable, and provided nearly half of the receiving yards with 215 yards receiving and 2 TD’s. Jaylen Waddle had a nice day as well, 4 receptions for 78 yards, but that pales in comparison to the monster day Hill had. We were running the football well, but basically stopped running, although the results say we did the right thing because the LA defense could not contain the passing game.
One game is not enough information to really identify what a team is all about. We know Head Coach Bill Belichick well, and we all know here that he will simply not allow Tyreek Hill to beat his defense. That’s what he does, his M.O. is to take away the thing you do best, and make you beat them a different way. Raheem Mostert has been practicing, so he’s likely to start, and the run game should get a boost from rookie De’Von Achane who has also been practicing and will play this Sunday night. You never know what the gameplan will be, but if I could conjure a guess, it would be that we will be running more than we did against the Chargers, and also that De’Von Achane will get his share of touches. With extra attention on Tyreek Hill, others will benefit, like Achae, Waddle and perhaps even Durham Smythe, who will see his former TE mate against our defense for the first time, Mike Gesicki. As far as the defense, I also expect a better effort against the Patriots, who don’t have top tier talent at the skill positions that the Chargers have, namely Herbert, Ekeler, Allen and Williams. Instead, it will be QB Mac Jones, WR’s DeVante Parker and Kennrick Bourne, big back Rhamondre Stevenson and TE’s Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
The Patriots hung in there opening day against a very good Philadelphia Eagles team. It was a close game, the Patriots came back from a 1st quarter 16 point deficit, but ended up losing 25-20. The Eagles defense contained Rhamondre Stevenson to just 25 yards on 12 carries, but Ezekiel Elliott had moderately more success, 29 yards on 7 carries. In general, the Patriots offense doesn’t scare opposing teams, but a Bill Belichick team is always a dangerous team, although the Dolphins have recently had Bill’s number, taking 4 of 6 games in the last 3 seasons, and more importantly, winning every game QB Tua Tagovailoa played in, 4-0. I’m sure the Patriots will try and disrupt the rhythm Tua has with his receivers, and if that’s the case, Tua may need to find secondary and tertiary targets, which is why I think there’s potential for Achane to have a fair amount of action Sunday night. Waddle, Berrios, Cracraft and Ezukanma should also see more action. This would be Achane’s first NFL action, so I should probably temper my enthusiasm for him, but if he’s healthy, this is what he’s here for.
It was frustrating seeing the defense gashed in the run game, and of course even more frustrating, for me at least, to see our vaunted pass rush neutralized nearly the entire game. At the end, we made the plays to seal the victory, but Wilkins, Davis, Sieler, Phillips and Chubb didn’t get to Herbert most of the game, and if not for absurdly gaudy offensive day, the Chargers 433 yards and 34 points would have been a really good offensive output. If this defense is going to be a top unit in the NFL, we’re going to have to better than last week’s effort. One other surprise on defense was S DeShon Elliott playing 100% of the defensive snaps. Clearly, S Brandon Jones is not where he needs to be yet, but Elliott rose to the occasion with 13 total tackles, 8 solo. CB Kader Kohou got the start and of course had the huuuuge sack on Justin Herbert that was nearly a safety. Kohou played 98% of the defensive snaps and has been a huge pickup for our team. Eli Apple played 74% of the defensive snaps, but it was clearly Kohou who is in the drivers seat. I’m curious to see if CB Cam Smith will get any defensive snaps, he played only special teams against the Chargers.
There are a few things I’d like to see this Sunday night against the Patriots. We know Terron Armstead is a scratch, he’ll be given at least one more week to heal up, which means T Kendall Lamm will play at least one more game. The offensive line was better than any of us could have hoped for, 45 pass attempts, ZERO sacks. That’s pretty much a shock if we’re being fair. I’d love to see that continue of course and I’d like to see more out of our running game, and that can include short passes to the RB’s either behind the line of scrimmage or beyond, but I want to see Mostert, Achane, Ahmed and even Ezuknama get some touches if the defense is doubling or even tripling Hill. These guys need to make the NE defense pay if they go all in on stopping Tyreek Hill. Mostly, I want to see the defense bounce back and look dominant, and not get pushed around in the run game and be ineffective getting to the QB. I want to see Tua remain upright making plays, and as mentioned, let’s the exciting rookie De’Von Achane get some touches and see what he can do!
GO DOLPHINS!!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
I DO believe the time has come for a publicly open debate to challenge Bill Belicheat*, his cheating ways, and his lack of ability to win without Tom Brady.
And not talking about here at the FMU, I’m talking about the NFL world at large. Oh, IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN, believe me.
Now to be sure, he certainly doesn’t suck. However, I think he’s half the coach he’s made out to be without Brady.
Brady was nothing, until Belicheat drafted him, if another team had drafted him later or no one drafted him, chances are he’d never have started an NFL game
Belicheat allowed him to develop into what he became, that short passing game with an occasional long pass was the perfect fit, as the years went on Brady being a celebrity changed his diet, his image and turned into a superstar and overtook Belicheat as the Batman
They needed each other to achieve what they did
Agreed, Steve. As I stated, they meshed exceptionally well. I don’t think one would have had the collective success without the other.
All of that stated… I don’t think Belicheat* would have succeeded without Brady… and vice-versa.
Brady was a phenomenon….on his ow.n. Belichick took advantage of thst as any good ciach would do…. facts
Well tht was terrible…lmao
THAT!
At the very least, Brady and Belicheat* meshed exceptionally well.
Not sure what you mean, but MM is light years on Bel..imo
BBL…
The new ‘Ahsoka’ episode is about to drop!
I’m just gad that the days of having to eat a Tom, or a Bill “Dick Sandwich” are in the past!
I don’t give a fuck about either one!
Too much gonja tonight I see
Ganja? Lmfao…
See my response before the page turn, it’s taken from Brady
You don’t have a clue…..lmfao
Belichick has coached in 12 Super Bowls. Three without Brady, not as a head coach but come on that’s quite the resume.
Don Shula went to one Super Bowl with Marino over 13 years and he’s considered king. Think about it.🤔
Carry on….lmfao
Steve is basically saying the same thing as me. What’s clueless and carry on about?
Shula failed Marino and everyone knows it except for bias homers.🤣
Forget the running game, Marino didn’t need a Barry Sanders. He needed a solid defense and for most of Mariano’s career it was awful. That’s the history.
From above…
mf13ss says:
September 19, 2023 at 10:27 pm
Agreed, Steve. As I stated, they meshed exceptionally well. I don’t think one would have had the collective success without the other.
All of that stated… I don’t think Belicheat* would have succeeded without Brady… and vice-versa.
Right place, right time, right recipe, and right happenstance.
Not many coaches win without good QBs. Very few don’t win with great ones.🙄
Agreed… and at least not with long-term success. Trent Dilfer bloody SUCKED! 😉
As did Brad Johnson!
So what you’re saying is 52 other players were coached to greatness.
Something that I AM sayin’? Look at Belicheat’s* record BEFORE Tom Brady, and now AFTER Tom Brady.
Now y’all know why the rumors are swirling around that Belicheat* might get fired if he has another losing season in New England.
The Dolphins should have moved on from Shula after 1989. 30-33 from 86 through 89. A huge part of Marino’s early prime. Sorry… be honest.
Tim Knight says:
September 19, 2023 at 10:41 pm
So what you’re saying is 52 other players were coached to greatness.
———–
In a manner of speaking… yes. There was no long-term success with Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson… even though they had ELITE HCs in Brian Billick and Tony Dungy (Chucky), respectively.
Belicheat* went to town a riding on a pony (Brady).
He stuck a feather in his hat and I call it all bologna.
Or baloney. Funny how many ways there are to spell it.
MF-13; I agree with you that a more thorough review of Belicheat’s misdeeds needs to occur. Minus Brady, Belicheat has a LOSING record as a head coach. In fact, Belicheat may break the NFL’s all-time record for LOSSES by a head coach BEFORE he breaks Shula’s all time record for wins. Shula got to the Super Bowl WITH DAVID WOODLEY AS HIS STARTING QB, something Mr. Cheat couldn’t do on his best day. Critics of Shula are right when they point out his failure to win an SB with Marino. But this does NOT make Belicheat a better HC. Simply put, Belicheat cheated better over the decades and benefited greatly when his FO decided to draft Brady in round 6 of the NFL draft.
Today’s amoral sportswriters are sure to vote Belicheat into Canton. But, in my opinion, he’s NOT the best coach in NFL history. He is, however, a serious candidate for the title of BEST CHEATER IN NFL HISTORY.
AMEN!!!
Thank you, Mr. Campbell!!!
So very, very many scandals pollute Belicheat’s* record.
GOTTA GET UP AT 6:00 am. CAN’T BELICHEAT my way to work. And no one’s gonna hand me a numismatic “Tom Brady” to achieve my daily work goals. Good Night!
G’night, my guy!
Hey, look… if Mac Jones (a 1st-round draft pick by Belicheat*) can’t get the Patsies* back to relevance, I don’t know what to tell y’all who stick up for Belicheat*.
Belicheat* is certainly one of the most pragmatic minds the game has ever seen, but he’s a loser without Tom Brady.
And Shula did what with Marino? He couldn’t have fucked it up more. Be honest!
Tim Knight says:
September 19, 2023 at 10:53 pm
The Dolphins should have moved on from Shula after 1989. 30-33 from 86 through 89. A huge part of Marino’s early prime. Sorry… be honest.
————-
I’ll be honest… Shula’s loyalty to Olivadotti was a total embarrassment to our franchise.
Blind loyalty can be fatal.
It wasn’t just Ollivadotti. He’s the scapegoat! Shula was the top voice of the team. Who retained Ollivadotti? Who had a major say in draft picks?
This was before free agency. Horrible drafts and mediocrity because we had Dan Marino. Take him out and those teams were 4-12 maybe 6-10 teams. One year we were 6-10 with Marino in his 6th season. We should have been winning championships not getting destroyed by the Pats and Bills in big games.
Anyway, right now it’s fun🙂
https://thejetpress.com/posts/ny-jets-end-dalvin-cook-experiment
Anyone that wanted to sign Dalvin Cook, he’s cooked
Kind of a “buyer beware” thing. Glad we didn’t go there.
NICE when your competition takes a bullet.
Forget the running game, Marino didn’t need a Barry Sanders. He needed a solid defense and for most of Mariano’s career it was awful. That’s the history.
———————
Don’t know why people try to give all the credit to Brady. Look at those defenses the Pats had over those 20ish years. Solid on all levels.
Marino never had that and that was the difference why Dan never made it back. That and poor drafting.
Agreed the Pats had a very balanced team.
M, that was nice by shaq!
https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3484893/miami-dolphins-star-cornerback-xavien-howard-allegedly-got-4-women-pregnant-at-the-same-time
How is that even possible?
I guess after 3 hours he didn’t go to the hospital?
Had coffee containment problems at this line:
Xavien Howard battled a groin injury for the majority of the 2022 NFL season, now we know why.
Now wiping screen down.
No wonder X wanted to get paid more with all those baby momma’s
Can’t even take a knee without a fumble. FFS how long have they had to practice this? If CW weren’t a good centre he’d be gone by now I’m guessing.
That looks to be on Tua???
Tough to say, but I’m blaming the C cos Tua gets enough blame for the whole of the team normally
Maybe CW farted uncontrollably when he snapped the ball. Happens to me sometimes when I bend over to pick something up. Just sayin’. LOL
Wow, I didn’t notice that either.
I don’t know if it’s Tua, Williams, or both, (probably both), but if they don’t get that shit fixed, it’ll cost us a game at some point.
Chuckle
🤣🤣🤣
Our WRs are going to have their heads on swivels on Sunday
Perfect dinner party guest? (not)
https://twitter.com/IanSteeleABC6/status/1704490444573352445
Kind of a weird argument on the Belichick Brady topic, but when aren’t the arguments around here weird?
“In a manner of speaking… yes. There was no long-term success with Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson… even though they had ELITE HCs in Brian Billick and Tony Dungy (Chucky), respectively.”
Dingy wasn’t Chucky. John Gruden was Chucky.
Nor were either great coaches
This is a great angle to watch ‘Heem but also to watch the OL block for him. Our OL has at worst been serviceable weeks 1 thru 2, but occasionally really good. G & C blocking at second level on some of these plays.
I think Mostert is the perfect back for what MM wants to do, give him a seam and he’s gone, shifty enough to allude many tackles for a loss, strong enough to push the pile some and fight for that extra yard
158 yards at 5.6 ypc, always seems to be around 5, and can catch
7 sacks thru 3 games several huge ones, no one with more than 1 is a little surprising, but who cares who gets them as long as we get them
1 against, the 7-1 ratio will work
2 games?
It sound like the guy who died at the Pats game didn’t die from being punched but from a medical issue. That said, I wonder if none of that happened would he have died anyway? Still sad either way, and his son was with him.
We’re 7th in pass defense, 31st in blitz rate and 3rd in pressure rate. I think I like it.🙂
pheloniusphish says:
September 20, 2023 at 11:27 am
“In a manner of speaking… yes. There was no long-term success with Trent Dilfer or Brad Johnson… even though they had ELITE HCs in Brian Billick and Tony Dungy (Chucky), respectively.”
Dingy wasn’t Chucky. John Gruden was Chucky.
—————-
I knew after I typed this that it was confounding. Tony Dungy was the one who built the Bucs (even brought Brad Johnson in, in 2001), but it was Chucky who got the Super Bowl win in 2002.
I’m just giving Dungy his proper due, even though it was Gruden who took them to Super Bowl glory.
I’ve always been a fan of Dungy. Chucky? Not so much.
Agreed
Dungy built that great Bucs defense and they even called his coverage the Tampa 2.
Great players make great coaches better and great coaches make great coaches better. Bottom line is you need both to win SBs. And I hate both Brady and Bellichek. I cannot wish for enough bad things to happen to them both. 😈
Great coaches make great players better ^
Kareem Hunt returning to Browns on one-year deal worth up to $4M
—–
Could almost see the writing on the wall
Yep!
Bears QB Justin Fields says coaching could be reason he’s playing ‘robotic’
—-
Fields doesn’t like being taught how to be and NFL QB. Wants to play yard ball.
He reminds me of U of Texas QB who got so stressed by being forced to run the offense that he had to retire.
Vince Young?
LB Mitchell Agude from Dolphins TC signed to Lions PS.
BBMike,
———-
Seems to me that Fangio has ‘unlocked’ AVG.
I wish Ryder had included the incredible spin move I saw from AVG (NOT the one that’s included in this video).
During the game, there was a second time AVG used his spin move and my fucking jaw dropped. Unfortunately, it was inconsequential to the result of the play.
It was damn near Barry Sanders-esque.
He’s always been underrated to me. He’s excellent on STs, can rush off the edge and can play the run and cover. He’s not elite at anything but he’s pretty darn good overall.
You can tell that AVG has been working on his skills. That’s how relentless he’s been. I’m SO happy we re-signed him!
Agreed I felt he got better every year. He was a quality 5th round pick.
Thanks! He said he was going to do this one. I was waiting for it.
Anytime, my friend!
BBMike,
Don’t know if you’re aware (perhaps you are), but Shaq had a solo album out back in 1993… and it actually didn’t suck. His debut was with the Fu-Schnickens (a few of us here probably remember them… Elephant Rider comes to mind).
Anyway, here’s one of his songs back in ’93. I always liked this one…
And there are some very sexy bodies in this one!
I remember it well
Oh yeah?!! Nice!!! I’ve always admired Shaq as a human being… and he’s also a sheriff.
I thought he was a deputy. Is he actually the Sheriff?
Perhaps it is deputy. I may be mistaken.
So THIRTY YEARS LATER/, he dropped the single I posted last evening for ya. Pretty incredible!
Yeah, liked it!
I can’t wait to Friday. The Mullett dropped another one. I like how he closes with George Carlin.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! THAT was fuckin’ GREAT!!! LOVE IT!!!
And I was born-n-raised on George Carlin to boot!!!
Did he give you a bottle and read you bed time stories?🤣
My dad turned me on to George Carlin
Carlin and Pryor were the comedians in the late 70’s and 80’s for a lot of us. They broke down barriers.
Tim Knight says:
September 20, 2023 at 4:03 pm
Did he give you a bottle and read you bed time stories?🤣
————
Maybe! LOL
😂
I have to say I’m confident in our Phins at a level I’m not totally used to expecting us to win, almost cocky… and that kind of scares me.😳
We all seemed to be last year after 3-0
We were also 8-3 so maybe it’s the same feeling. It’s all about Tua. He’s that good.
Howie’ List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
Dungy didn’t build anything and couldn’t win a Super Bowl until 5 years after he took over a perennial playoff team with Peyton Manning as the QB. He’s Probably one of the most overrated coaches in history.
The Tampa 2 wasn’t really much different from the defense Chuck Knoll ran when Dungy was an assistant in Pittsburgh. Dungy’s even admitted as much. The core players on defense were already there before Dungy was hired in 1996. He took over a 7-9 team and went 6-10 the following year.
Sapp 1995
Lynch 1993
D. Brooks 1995
Nickerson 1993
That being said, if Gruden isn’t playing against the Raiders in the SB, then I doubt they get the win. They definitely aren’t winning as easy. Other than the Raiders Center Barret Robbins going schitzo the night before the SB and disappearing, HC Callahan didn’t change any of the checks or calls from the offense Gruden built. Gruden stood in as the scout team QB the week before in practice so his D knew what was going to happen.
I always felt Belicheat made him look stupid head to head
I agree he’s not a great coach
Brady was the perfect QB to beat the Tampa 2 or Cover 2 because he was patient and accurate short-medium range. They had the right players to win that way.
Howie’ List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
Howie’ List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
Always seems to double paste, when I do the scores
You made me do it too…..lol
I can fix it, I’ll remove the extra. 🙂
Thanks Bob🤪
🔨
Howie’s List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
🐷 31 – 3 🐬
30-17 Phins.
Howie’s List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
🐷 31 – 3 🐬
⚔️ 30-17🐬
🗿41-24🐬
Howie’s List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
🐷 31 – 3 🐬
🐠🐟🦈 35-6 🐬
Dammit – Y’all quit posting while I’m posting
refresh more or type faster old man
I mean,it was 6 minutes OG
I’m typing as fast as two fingers can!
Don’t get me started on Mike Tomlin lol
Howie’s List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
🐷 31 – 3 🐬
⚔️ 30-17🐬
🗿41-24🐬
🐠🐟🦈 35-6 🐬
Rock may type faster, but he is just wishing he could look as good when he gets to my age…
LOL 😉
Mostert is probably going to start Sun, but with Ahmed banged up our rookies Thunder and lightning are going to have to contribute. I will say right now they each get more than 50 yards.
WOW not even a swap of next years picks, the year after that! Swap of what round?
So do the rams get the earlier pick – how does that even work 2 years in advance?
If the rams pick before the vikings in 2026, why would the Vikings want to swap?
👍
Awesome
Howie’s List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
🐷 31 – 3 🐬
⚔️ 30-17🐬
🗿41-24🐬
🐠🐟🦈 35-6 🐬
🦍 31-17 🐬
Meh
Who wants to swap lunches with me next week
I’ll give you Cam Akers
Only if you have a hostess cupcake
No bacon lunches
Okay then. Ham
You can have my Cuban. It has pickles so it makes it ok.
Wtf
This isn’t really a reliable source in my opinion
There was also a report that The Bears training facility was raided but that was denied by the Bears and Ian Rappaport also says that’s not true
He resigned
https://wgntv.com/sports/bears-report/bears-defensive-coordinator-alan-williams-has-resigned/
This makes more sense
Bag o’ chips
Was just going to tell you the pick wasn’t necessarily in same round
so does the direction swap on some trigger? I.e. plays so much the swap goes one way and doesn’t meet those criteria and the swap goes the other way?
RBs are here today gone tomorrow
I saw that Mahomes / Chad Henne commercial and it got me to check. That man made 38 million in the league (3 with Miami) 23 games 38 million to play in 23 games. He had to go to a lot of practices but the caveman did well.
Easy money
Was it child porn?
The DC in Chicago?
I won’t speculate but I will admit that my mind jumped to that conclusion. He has to work on the health of his family because his wife is leaving with the kids because he is a perv? Damn, I said I wasn’t going to speculate. I wish there was some back button or something….😁
He has to work on his mental health
When I read his resignation excuse, I have to work on my health, I thought how lame
Or maybe he was doing lines in his office
Bet he wished that’s all it was
Why does everyone have to say we’re the best? Very good okay. Prove you’re the best before saying it. You’re not the 85 Bears until you accomplish that and win a championship.
Because saying we’re #2 isn’t anything to brag
I read an article this morning that said Miami’s D was first in the league against the past and 13th against the run. (only two games is a tiny sample) I had two questions about the statement. the first is by which metric is Miami #1? Other teams have allowed less yards, other teams have allowed less yards per catch and other have allowed less TD’s. The second question is was the pass defense’s numbers skewed because LA ran through our D like a hot knife through butter and racked up over 200 yards and didn’t have to pass?
You guys know how when players leave Miami and then come back to play us with another team, it seems like they have career games? (too many to list, but Duhntey comes to mind) Well here is to Chubb going off this Sunday and having a career game! \_/ * \_/
Chubb was good in New England
I also think he’s ripe for a good game against his former team
Howie’s List
Week 3
🐴 @ 🐬
🦬 34-24 🐬
🎰 28-20 🐬
🐷 31 – 3 🐬
⚔️ 30-17🐬
🗿41-24🐬
🐠🐟🦈 35-6 🐬
🦍 31-17 🐬
🇬🇧 38-21 🐬
Loved me some CC back in the day
He was really great at catching an impossible circus catch and then killing the next drive with a stupid drop placed right in his hands. I used to joke that the QB needed to make things harder on him.
The last time Miami faced Denver was in 2020 — a 20-13 defeat to the Vic Fangio-led Broncos. Bradley Chubb, who was also a member of the Broncos at the time, generated a career-high 11 pressures in that game.
Again, here is to Chubb having a NEW career high!
Was going to post an injury report but it was from yesterday. As of yesterday both Ahmed and Waddle were doubtful.
Not spam
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
You could say BB would rather have a pass-catching TE, but it’s pretty clear why he isn’t in Miami anymore 😂
Rock, #1 I believe our D is ranked first in pass D based off of QB rating against
#2 yes the numbers are schewed
ahhh thanks! I could not find one metric that showed the D in first place.
Tyreek on the injury report meaning
Denver, since Tyreek is injured no need to game plan him
If our OL continues to thrive Tua will easily lead the league in QB rating
Back in one of those years we terrible, 10+ years ago our run D was so bad our opponents just ran the ball and didn’t throw it much, .asking our pass D look good, until we had a close game and our pass D was exploited
This year’s D is nothing like that, but after only 2 games the pass D numbers are better than they should be
Not looking good for Waddle to play Sunday as of now.
It wouldn’t be so bad if he rests
I want everyone ready to go for Buffalo
From the teaser section of a PFF article before the rest goes behind a paywall;
• Kader Kohou emerges: Kohou was excellent a week ago and was even better in Week 2, vaulting him to the second spot in these rankings.
Woot woot! That is awesome to hear!
What a great find he was.
If Waddle doesn’t play Ekukanma should get more opportunities. We be nice to see him have a breakout game.
It’s will be a McDaniel experimental fest with Ekukanma
McDaniel loves to do unconventional things with him
Should be fun to watch
That’s a big blow to the Cowboys.
https://twitter.com/DanielOyefusi/status/1704962305585279302/photo/1
What do you guys think about Deshon Elliot’s play
He seems pretty solid so far
I want Brandon back. Elliot has done well but Brandon is mmm. A little more. Love 29
Jones is a great blitzing
Baldy did a breakdown on him and Holland and he was impressed with both of them.
Maybe they should tone down their practices a little
Nah, I think they’re doing a great job, they beat the jets and are weaker now
If I was betting, I’d take the cheats all day over the jets
At 1-3 jets probably start to think about someone other than Wilson
I couldn’t find the stats for QB rating or QBR against, but looking at the individual games the 49ers D us better in both, must’ve been a misprint to say our pass D was 1st in something
Yeah, that’s what I thought. The writer either was mistaken or just made shit up.
Having key players out and still winning is a good sign, and the injured Stars won’t get hurt in that game
Some adversity is a good thing, next man up has working so far
At Buffalo we’ll need all hands on deck
Random thoughts…
— Those 10 pounds of muscle Raheem Mostert put on are truly showing, IMO. If he stays healthy as a result, he could easily surpass 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career… at age 31.
— Raekwon Davis looks like a man on a mission this year… so far, so good… stay healthy.
— AVG looks so much more comfortable — and effective — as an EDGE player, not so much as a MLB/ILB. It’s a bit of a problem when we already have Brandon Chubb and Jaelen Phillips as our EDGEs. Then factor in Emmanuel Ogbah as another (backup) EDGE, and we’ve got issues. The issue? Who is most effective. It’s not a bad problem to have.
— A healthy Tua is quite obviously a top-3 QB in the NFL.
— River Cracraft is the most unsung player on our Offense. His ability to block and make clutch receptions is amazing… and he’s currently the 3rd most productive receiver we have in terms of receiving yardage.
— Jason Sanders is a mere shadow of his former All-Pro form. If he doesn’t wake up soon, it’s time to sign someone else… perhaps Matt Araiza, who could even double as our Punter. Araiza seems to have been cleared of any and all charges against him.
— Jerome Baker has fallen off a cliff in terms of his production and reliability. Last year was bad enough, but this year he seems to have gotten even worse. He’s been targeted 14 times so far this season, giving up 13 receptions and a TD… and his missed tackle % has gone up from his bad season last year.
— Eli Apple isn’t the answer at CB opposite X. It’s only a matter of time before Cam Smith is healthy and experienced enough to take his place… the sooner the better.
— Our O-Line is finally looking somewhat respectable, granted it’s been aided by Tua getting rid of the ball faster than ever before… which was already fast. If this unit continues to gel, it may be the best O-Line we’ve had since 2008. Looking good in the run-blocking department, as well.
— Alec Ingold is absolutely amazing with his versatility and prowess.
— If Connor Williams and Tua don’t fix the snapping issues, it will come back to bite us at some time when the game is on the line. The Chargers went up 7-0 on us due to the fumble recovery when it was goal-to-go for us in the 1st QTR… and we barely escaped with the win.
— Darth Kader is certainly one of the greatest finds of GM Chris Grier’s career and is perhaps the most unsung player on our Defense. The near-safety sack of Justin Herbert in week 1 was stellar.
Jerome Baker has 13 tackles and has played 100% of the snaps on defense. I doubt the coaches feel that way about him because of PFF grades after two games.
So 6.5 tackles per game this year as a MLB/ILB? That’s very underwhelming, man. Look at Roquan Smith, for example.
I’m not talking about PFF ‘grades’… I’m talking about the STATS. Baker has certainly regressed. Seriously… 13 of 14 passes completed in his coverage? NOT GOOD.
Does it take into account the times he wasn’t targeted because his guy was covered? No it doesn’t. Missing 13% of tackle opportunities is less than 2 every 10 times. This is why PFF analytics don’t tell the whole story. I have not noticed Baker playing badly while watching the games. He’s a fast sideline to sideline LB who plays in a lot of zone. He’s not Dick Butkus.😂
The Flying Pig says:
September 21, 2023 at 5:02 pm
What do you guys think about Deshon Elliot’s play
He seems pretty solid so far
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Agreed! He’s been quite the surprise to me this season.
son of a son of a shula says:
September 21, 2023 at 5:04 pm
I want Brandon back. Elliot has done well but Brandon is mmm. A little more. Love 29
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Yup, I love #29 as well. Don’t know if he’s healthy enough to go, though.
And to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure he’s a fit in the Fangio Defense… but he certainly was in the Boyer Defense.
Why wouldn’t he be fit? Zone coverage is always good for safeties.
6’1″, 191 pounds? I don’t set the standards, and Brandon Jones is fine by me. But I’m not certain Fangio’s standards (mold) is a Safety that thin and light.
David Long is a bit short (5’11”) as a MLB/ILB to be guarding in pass-pro. That’s likely one of the reasons we’ve been experimenting with AVG (6’4″) on the inside. That, and Jerome Baker has regressed.
I wanted us to sign Drew Sanders in the worst way last Draft… we get to see him this Sunday when we play the Broncos.
In the meantime, I’m still looking for the next Brian Urlacher in the ’24 Draft.
Or they just move guys around for flexibility to see how they fit in different spots
Possibly.
Tua doesn’t just get rid of the ball quick, because he has a fast release, any QB can just drop back and fire it
The quickest in the league getting rid of the ball is due to his first read being open often, give some credit to MM and the coaches for implementing game plans that are working
Sure the OL benefits, but when that first read isn’t there they’ve been pretty good
Kohou needs to be playing all game in Road’s spot on the outside, they cN put the Cowboys guy in slot
Tim Knight says:
September 21, 2023 at 5:55 pm
Does it take into account the times he wasn’t targeted because his guy was covered? No it doesn’t. Missing 13% of tackle opportunities is less than 2 every 10 times. This is why PFF analytics don’t tell the whole story. I have not noticed Baker playing badly while watching the games. He’s a fast sideline to sideline LB who plays in a lot of zone. He’s not Dick Butkus.😂
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A fast sideline-to-sideline LB is a good asset to have… but is Baker worth the bread we’re giving him, I ask? I’d say a firm and resounding NO. But that’s just me and my $.02.
There will be cap casualties next season… and Baker is going to get the pink slip. He’s not performing for what he’s paid.
By NO MEANS am I saying that Jerome Baker sucks… at all. It’s just that he isn’t a difference maker, and for the price we’re paying him. He kind of reminds me of Morlon Greenwood… nice, but not great.
He doesn’t fit this D well, on the other hand it seems to fit AVG, sucking or not isn’t in play, because we’ve seen him excel in other Ds
“I have not noticed him playing bad”
LAC – 233 yards rushing
We were in nickel defense most of that game along with AVG. Fangio explained all of that.
I don’t understand your point. Yes they were in Nickel. Baker played every snap. He was on the field for every defensive snap. He never came off the field once. He was the linebacker on the field, who gave up 233 yards.
It was like watching a four-year-old play in the waves at the beach
So your nickle still had 4 LB’s in it.
1:40 left in the 4th 2nd and 8, we have the ball and no TOs left for D, if we kneel on it there will be about 16 seconds left on the 4th down punt
Or any situation where we need to burn as much time as possible
I’d hand it off every play to Wilkins playing FB and put Seiler in as halfback to push the pile/scrum trying to keep the play going as long as possible, while wasting time😜
My Belichick moment on circumventing the rules
That would be awesome to watch too. LOL
The guy who plays every single snap sucks?
How does that square with us being a top defense?
Asking for a friend
I don’t recall ANYBODY saying anybody on our team “sucks”.
We are not a top offense, not per the record yet at least. Only two games. One they were embarrassed if not for our offense’s ability to keep up. Tell your friend to use his head and think about it. We got gashed for 233 yards up the middle Who’s fault is it, the kickers? DAMN RIGHT it’s the only MLB on the field who got washed out like a 4 year old in the waves at the beach.
**Not a top defense
If we have Baker playing MLB, Fangio is fucking up!
Bakr is an off line backer
Agreed
And he can’t compete with Phillips, Chubb, AVG, and Ogbah as an OLB.
mf13ss says:
September 21, 2023 at 9:09 pm
And he can’t compete with Phillips, Chubb, AVG, and Ogbah as an OLB.
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He’s an off the line chase/cover LB!
He is good on Blitzes, but not a Rush OLB!
Don’t try to pound round pegs into square holes!!!!!
Purdy sucks, just gets bailed out by his playmakers, he throws lots of bad passes
Does that make your point? 😉
Need I say more?
So any thoughts on Achane being the number 2 this week, and maybe having a chance to spread his wings. I am excited to see what MM does with the rook, hoping to see 5 carries, and at least 5 balls aired out to the speedster. I hope this is the beginning of a long 4-5 yr record breaking career. I think Mikey really wants this kid to shine!
Sucks
what does?
From PFF’s “One up One Down” article
Miami Dolphins
One up: Tua Tagovailoa, 1.98-second average time to throw
Tagovailoa is keeping himself upright by getting the ball out in a timely manner. He is PFF’s highest-graded quarterback through two weeks of play.
One down: Eli Apple, 43.7 coverage grade
New England picked on Apple in Week 2. He was targeted 10 times in coverage and allowed seven catches for 76 yards.
I hope Fangio is in his feelings a little bit this week and has spent some extra time cooking up something special to punish his former team!