What's the problem with our run game?

by Souwantmyname on Aug 18, 2009 12:20 AM EDT

I just watched the Dolphins/Jags game tonight and I was quite upset at the lack of push our O-line got in the run game. Granted Jacksonville has the man mountain in John Henderson but he should be neutralized pretty easily with a double team. From my observations it looks like our interior line is getting completely overwhelmed by 300+ defensive tackles. This is not so good since we are in a division that has Vince Wilfork, Kris Jenkins and Marcus Stroud. I thought we remedied our terrible run game game last year by trading away Satele who is not a strong run blocker. Apparently Samson wasn't the only problem area.

This is frustrating because if you recall the reason we implemented the Wildcat last year was because of the total lack of a running game. So the "gimmick" was used to run the ball why our base run offense continued to struggle all year. I don't know what's going on. We are a solid pass blocking line but seem to lose our continuity whenever we run the ball.

Well whatever happens I hope Miami can sort this out before the start of the regular season

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Grove was not very good tonight

Not a lot of push up the middle and a lot of standing around. On one play he actually had his back to the LOS and caught Ricky while he was running. He needs to get better.

I thought Thomas and Smiley were OK.

by ct1361 on Aug 18, 2009 12:40 AM EDT reply actions

Thomas was good idk about Smiley

I’m starting to think he may be the weak link. Satele is gone and Thomas was injured… So who’s left from our terrible inside running game

I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?

by Souwantmyname on Aug 18, 2009 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I wish I could have seen how tight the safeties were playing to the LOS

Were they honoring the deep ball from CP? Or were they stacking the box making it almost impossible to run?

by ct1361 on Aug 18, 2009 12:42 AM EDT reply actions

no they werent stackin the box

their d-line just owned our o-line

"Life's a bi*ch but god forbid the bi*ch divorce me"- Nas
"They ask me what I'm writin' for; I'm writin' to show you what we fightin' for"- Talib Kweli

by Davone_Is_BessT on Aug 18, 2009 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions

That would be something to look at but our line was getting pushed back into our RB's

It wasn’t until the 3rd string got in that we finally got some run lanes for Lex Hillliard (who I will be calling Rhino for the way he hits the hole)

I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?

by Souwantmyname on Aug 18, 2009 12:49 AM EDT reply actions

ya that kid has no fear

"Life's a bi*ch but god forbid the bi*ch divorce me"- Nas
"They ask me what I'm writin' for; I'm writin' to show you what we fightin' for"- Talib Kweli

by Davone_Is_BessT on Aug 18, 2009 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions

It was only one preseason game – I’d expect a lot of improvement between now and the next one.

Even so, I think people run harder when it counts, get more push off the line when it counts, and generally are more successful during the regular season then the preseason. Defenses often look better during the preseason since the offensive playbook is cut back so as not to reveal trick plays, etc.

"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy

by TEMSON on Aug 18, 2009 7:58 AM EDT reply actions

Hi Temson. So tell us what you think, a true outsiders view.

Attorney General of the Matty I Fan Club

by PhinsTifosi on Aug 18, 2009 8:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I didn’t watch the whole game but I wasn’t impressed with Grove, I’d be watching to see if that improves, and I, obviously, wasn’t impressed with the secondary. Then again – sack the quarterback enough and the secondary becomes superfluous (I don’t know why that was the first word that came to my head).

After the Bills game everyone was really worried that our starters only putting up 3 points but I guess that comes from our fear of a repeat of last year when we couldn’t score. If I were a Miami fan I would be mildly worried about the punt-FG-punt that you started the game with. Then again it was only one game and as I said before I think the defense has a slight advantage in preseason.

Matty said “the Defense Shines” allowing only one first down and forcing two 3 and outs. If that’s the case, I guess the Jags’ defense shone too allowing only 3 first downs and one FG on three Miami drives. I would guess that will change as your run game improves but it would be something I’d watch. 71 total offensive yards (I think) in just over a quarter with the starters isn’t something to be happy about, but at this early stage it certainly isn’t something to be pulling your hair out about either.

I think you guys were more excited then I would have been if I were a fan, but I don’t think you played poorly.

"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy

by TEMSON on Aug 18, 2009 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks Temson. Very good points. (also, nice to see that there are wordsmiths in Buffalo too! - lol)

I think the biggest thing is that it was the 1st pre-season game. If it had been a real game I would have called it fugly. It had some good things, bad things and some rain.

Attorney General of the Matty I Fan Club

by PhinsTifosi on Aug 18, 2009 8:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Exactly. The difference between preseason game 1 and 2 is huge – the difference between preseason game one and the season opener – they won’t even look like the same team.

"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy

by TEMSON on Aug 18, 2009 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Very good... thanks to you two!!

I missed the first team playing, so I missed the plays from the starters… your conversations and observations show me how much I just generally watch a football game… watching where the ball goes so-to-speak… than I do at specific units at play.

I also found myself trying to figure out what jersey numbers were on who’s back… to see who was in the game, etc…

Thanks for your view Temson…

Adjutant General, Matty Fan Club
64 "Phinsider Fued" Points..!!
"What's the point of getting in a sword fight with a guy you can run away from?" - Chris Doleman

by Alpha6 on Aug 18, 2009 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Jax starting D-line is good.

12-4 in 2009.

by phatfinfan on Aug 18, 2009 2:04 PM EDT reply actions

jag's can stop the run i saw that there corners can be decived

it wasen’t like we were trying to show a whole lot, to other teams in our devision. just maybe they (other teams) will think that our center is still a weakness.

by wild zion beaver on Aug 18, 2009 2:18 PM EDT reply actions