Conservative Play Calling
David
they acquired a touchdown lead against the Bills in the second half. Without
advocating or defending his decision, it appears that Shula is coaching for the
long-term rather than trying to win the game at hand. I think he realizes that to
be successful in the playoffs he has to try to establish the running game,
especially in the second half, even if it risks allowing a team back in the game.
While I too was screaming at the television set to no avail "throw the #$@!& ball
down the field!", it was impressive to watch the running game dominate the second
half. In fact, it was our inability to shut down Natrone Means in the second half
that led to the playoff loss last year. Having Marino throw the ball continually
may give the Dolphins a 13-3 record, but it was give us far less of a chance to
beat teams like Oakland and Dallas in the playoffs. What is more troublesome is
that the passing game is out-of-sync. Marino frequently is forcing the ball into
coverage while stepping backwards and it appears that the receivers are running
different patterns than Marino anticipates.
The San Diego game could be the determining point of the season. Despite the
revenge factor which should motivate Miami, San Diego is a desperate team fighting
for its playoff life. It's also the type of team that you want to have a ball
control offense against to prevent Means from wearing the defense out like he
did last year.
While I am getting anxious for Marino to break the record for career touchdown
passes, it is more impressive to win 23-6 than 38-21.
Benjamin Carr jr
philosophy that you can use present games to "establish the run" in any
future games. What the heck does that mean???? Does that mean that just
because, hypothetically, that a team that rushes for 130 yards in 5
consecutive games is going to do it in the 6th game. Hell no!
Establishing a run is done against an individual team in an individual
week. If "establishing a run" were keyed by past performance, why do
teams fluctuate so much each week? Why does Barry Sanders get 27 yards
one week and 167 the next? It's the opposition, stupid. I say you
figure out what it is that the defense you're playing defends the most
poorly and attack it. Do not construe me as suggesting that you never
try to get a running game going, because I think that should be the
objective in every game, but daggone it, when something works, stick with
it. If the passing game is successful...keep passing....if the run is
working, keep running. What the Fins (or any team for that matter) does
on any given week or all weeks combined has no relevance once the ball is
kicked off in that first playoff. Then the question is who has the best
game plan and which players came ready to knock some slobber.
Finally, I pose this question to those who may argue the point...how
is it "establishing the run" when you are "running" against a defense
that has been on the field 3/4 of the game? By that time, you're
"establishing a run" only because you have "established the lead". As a
matter of fact, that is what I probably should have said to begin with.
The best way to "establish the run" in any game is to "establish the
lead", and the best way to "establish the lead" is to do what you do best.
Anyway, as you can guess, I for one think that Marino should have been
passing later in the game, and I don't mean 20 yard patterns, I mean the
short, ball controlled passes that are virtually indefensible. Taking
the ball out of Dan's hands is similar to putting Michael Jordan on the
bench with 3 minutes left in a basketball game. To hell with
"establishing the run". Let's instead "establish the win!" whatever it
takes.
Ben "The Fin Man" Carr
wil...@ibm.net
> I am starting to really get fed up with everyone who advocates the
>philosophy that you can use present games to "establish the run" in any
>future games. What the heck does that mean???? Does that mean that just
>because, hypothetically, that a team that rushes for 130 yards in 5
>consecutive games is going to do it in the 6th game. Hell no!
>Establishing a run is done against an individual team in an individual
>week. If "establishing a run" were keyed by past performance, why do
>teams fluctuate so much each week? Why does Barry Sanders get 27 yards
>one week and 167 the next?
The idea of using the game your in to establish the run in future games is mainly
to give the defense in the next games something to think about. When a team goes
up against the Lions, they always try and stop the run. If you can have an offensive
team with more than one strength, it makes it harder for the opposition's D to prepare.
> Anyway, as you can guess, I for one think that Marino should have been
>passing later in the game, and I don't mean 20 yard patterns, I mean the
>short, ball controlled passes that are virtually indefensible. Taking
>the ball out of Dan's hands is similar to putting Michael Jordan on the
>bench with 3 minutes left in a basketball game. To hell with
>"establishing the run". Let's instead "establish the win!" whatever it
>takes.
>
> Ben "The Fin Man" Carr
>
All the winning teams have a succesfull running game to one extent or the other.
There was no reason for the Dolphins to risk throwing passes at the end of the
game vs. the Bills. You run the ball to keep control of the game and run out the
clock. The problem has been the offense constantly turned the ball over (with the
exception of the bills game), making that strategy look stupid. At the end of a
basketball game, you see the winning team play keep away - or in other words
ball control.
Larry Helm
>A lot of people have commented about Shula's conservative playing calling once
>they acquired a touchdown lead against the Bills in the second half. Without
>advocating or defending his decision, it appears that Shula is coaching for the
>long-term rather than trying to win the game at hand. I think he realizes that to
>be successful in the playoffs he has to try to establish the running game,
>especially in the second half, even if it risks allowing a team back in the game.
I agree. Our running game has been criticized for many years. Marino is only one man,
and even if Bernie can back him up (4 points in two games is not a lot to lose by), you
don't want to be hamstrung (sorry, Dan) without him. Parmalee and Kirby (Spikes? any
ideas when he will be back?) can run, and the Phins should let them. yadda yadda yadda
nothing new...
>
>The San Diego game could be the determining point of the season. Despite the
>revenge factor which should motivate Miami, San Diego is a desperate team fighting
>for its playoff life.
Didn't we just have the determining point of the season? When you have three losses,
every game between now and December is a determining point. Let's face it, the way the
AFC is bouncing around even a 9-7 team could Go All The Way. A loss to San Diego would
be bad, but not season-ending. A more decisive game I think will be against the
Patriots. They upset the Bills, and another AFC east loss for us would close down hope
of taking the division. Then there's the 49ers coming to town with a brand new Steve
Young. And the Chiefs later. And a road trip to Buffalo... I think every game is
critical.
>While I am getting anxious for Marino to break the record for career touchdown
>passes, it is more impressive to win 23-6 than 38-21.
yep. even if we have to run the ball into the End Zone. So much for the Bills defense.
-Larry Helm
Another PHins Phan in Skins Land
wil...@ibm.net
>
> Maybe I didn't do a good job explaining. Allow me another
>opportunity. If a team has a total of 150 yards rushing in a game, that
>sounds good doesn't it? But, what if 75 of those yards came on the last
>drive of the game after the other defense had been on the field most of
>the game .<ref to the detroit game>. The team with the 150 yards did not
> "establish the run" until late in the game when factors
>other than the ability to rush against other team came into play.
Point well taken. I'd like to think that defensive coordinators are smart enough
to know when stats have been inflated by end of game padding. I think however
you could make a case that this hasn't entirely been the case the past two weeks
when as a team, the Dolphins rushed for over 100 yards each game. I don't know
what the rushing stats have been for the other games, so you might be able to make
a case that the past two games were flukes. I don't think that this is the case
however.
>Now, I concede, admit and agree that if we could consistently
>generate a ground game, all is well and good, but had Buffalo's K-Gun
>been fully loaded, I doubt that the Fins would have had the luxury of
>sticking with a nominal ground game. Again, the point is that the
>running game worked for reasons other than simply the Fins ability to run.
It's hard to talk about what might have been against the Bills if Thomas & Reed
had played. Maybe the defense would've risen to the occasion held them in check.
Then again, maybe not. But, the defense that the Dolphins played against (to the
best of my knowledge) was the starting unit w/out any major injuries (that I heard
about). The Phins managed to run fairly well against this D and I'd like to have the
confidence that they would've been equally successful no matter who was or was not
playing.
> ... I wholehearted agree that if the run is working, stay
>with it, but at times, it was a lot more risky to try the run than a
>short swing pass or to hit a back underneath.
I'm not sure I understand why you think it would be more risky to run the ball than to
pass the ball. Could you elaborate?
DCD
Another Dolphan stuck in DC named Dave