Will Tannehill Continue To Show He Isn’t The Issue
The issue with Tannehill has been his consistency and clutch play.
Is Tannehill’s issue of consistency solely based on his play?
Especially in this new era of the NFL, the maxim of “it’s a Quarterback driven league” is alive and well. Ryan Tannehill is experiencing the burden of the continuing “issue” that his team’s success or failure lands squarely on his arm as the starting QB.
In a sport where teams have a 53 man roster, it would seem unfair and unreasonable for one individual’s performance to be so crucial that it can make or break a squad of 11. The truth is that football IS a team sport, and no one man can solely determine a game’s outcome. But, it’s also the truth that the vast majority of perennial playoff teams all have the top QB’s in the league.
Tannehill has been the Miami Dolphins starting QB since the day he’s been drafted. And since that day, he has been an absolute ironman in terms of not missing any playing time and surviving both mentally and physically the effects of playing behind a terrible line. As the most sacked QB in the entire league in that 4 year span,Tannehill has had some success, but the major issue he has had to deal with is his inconsistent play.
In the latest preseason game against Dallas, Tannehill showed the best pay per head gambling fans that he has the skills and ability to be a good QB in this league — when he receives the proper support.
In the Dallas game, I was extremely impressed with Tannehill’s accuracy. He threw a good long ball to Stills on the 55 yard roll-out, and on Stills 2nd touchdown, he threw a difficult, yet perfect pass. The only real criticism was his one bad throw over the middle in the Red-Zone where he was bailed out by Landry.
In addition, he threw a perfect pass to Jordan Cameron and Jarvis Landry in the End Zone, both of which were dropped. This along with bad protection has been a theme that sometimes gets lost in the issue of his play. When you go back and look at Tannehill’s tape over the years, you will see that his receivers have dropped a lot of passes that have literally hit them right in their hands. This year will provide Tannehill with his best wide-out core of his career and this shouldn’t be a major issue in 2016.
The most crucial issue, as most of us can plainly see, is Offensive Linemen play.
This Thursday night, Miami will play it’s third Preseason game and reveal the most clear glimpse of what they will be like in 2016. Yes, Miami will run vanilla defense and scrubbed down offense, but unit cohesion and talent levels will be on full display.
And it will be Tannehill and his Offensive Line that will be and should be the most scrutinized.
The uncertainty of the Offensive Line will be compounded with the loss of Mike Pouncey. I don’t view his absence as the negative that it might initially appear, but reality that viewpoint will begin to be determined Thursday night.
The over-view of the line is this: Albert has been sub-par; Tunsil is growing, but falling short in the run game; Steen, Douglas or Urbik as the starter at Center is yet to be determined…as is the Right Guard spot with Bushrod, Thomas and Turner; James has been the most consistent of the linemen, but still must dial it in a bit more.
This foundation will once again provide or deny Tannehill the opportunity to show what he is as a QB.
This is why Adam Gase must coach the best week of his Dolphins career thus far because this week’s game is a big one in the terms of setting up confidence and credibility. While perception isn’t the end all be all, it certainly does have effect. Gase must coach up this line to perform and provide a functional running game and at least adequate protection so Tannehill can show his team, Miami fans and his critics that he isn’t the issue. Go Fins!!!
Hello Fin Fans
NO SUGAR COATING FACTS:
Offensive attack that would create the most difficulty to defend listed below.
1. Foster and Pead in the back field on the same plays with Williams as the relief back which he has earned.
2. Drake if all possible health wise mid season???
3. Tannehill needs to have 40% rushing and 60% passing ration
4. We need A Tight End ASAP!
5. I keep saying the Dolphins have the Pieces these Players are Pro Players they only
have to learn how to Win.
6. Who will be healthy by mid season will determine how
far we will go? That why I would still go after Bishop
Sankey Tennessee he will be on the Market in a few
weeks?
This will keep the fins on the field longer vs 1,2,3 out? Remember we still are ranked 26th offensely.
I truely believe that our offense will dictate how well our defense pick up their game.
Who’s healthy Mid season will dictate how far we can go? So we need the best reserved players.
Only 40%!!! Man Steve, I figured a higher % from you!! I would like closer to high 40’s IF they can actually run the ball. I’m very concerned about Pouncey’s return. He is a drain on the run game….especially paired next to Tunsil who is meh and Albert who just doesn’t seem like he’s recovered. The more I see, the more it looks like some of his bend is not there. Miami will not see a run Dline like they saw against the Falcons very much. They need to pick it up. I get that with there pace they will be able to wear D’s down and take advantage late, but still they MUST be able to run even decently early. I appears Pead might start on short term IR and DRake will start the 53 man…we’ll see. I really like the back core we have, but this run blocking is a huge anchor on them. They must pick it up…the running game (but more about the blocking) will determine how far this team goes….
…it was fascinating to watch the fin offense actually stick to the up tempo, no huddle attack …after so many times hearing Lazer yammer about it but never really doing it …hoping that practice makes perfect and it carries over into the real season
…Steve makes a good point about RTs release time …its a cliche of course but none-the-less true …he holds the ball too long too often …or has in the past …here’s hoping Gase can change that for good …its long overdue
Yeah, Steve nailed it. Alot of it I think was coaching. If Steve gets his way and Miami adds a running game (which with Pouncy gone, it should improve through addition by subtraction) and add in quick throws and play action, a whole new T-Hill should spring up. Gase said most of his game plan is 10 yards or less…so, Steve might be Miami’s O-coordinator mini-me. I think things aren’t as bleak as they appear. Tomorrow will be a big one though.
Key to Dolphins on Offense:
1. Discipline Run Game do not abandon.
2. Hire a Proven offense line coach Now! NO excuse having Pro Bowlers and 4
1st round drafted players.
3. Do not allow Tannehill to hold the ball more that 2.5 to 3 second then use his
legs and to take charge of his team.
4. Replaced the Tight Ends Now and bring in one Full Back.
5. Identify who is injured and bring back when healthy later in the season don’t make the
injury worst rushing the player.
6. No one has automatic position on the team play who is hungry.
Steve, I’m way in your corner as far as the running game. I remember crying when the Fins lost to the 49ers as a kid. When Rickey came, it helped me get over the few years interim between the old and new era. Football for me has always been about the runner…and always will be. BUT, as far as Miami’s future, they need to figure out what T-Hill is. The absolute worst case is they still don’t know by the season’s end. I think this game will be a huge step forward in the run game. I think Pouncy is a HUGE liability in the run game. I think teams know that and attack him. It forces a double, and if not, then he gets blown up. Not sure on Steen. I saw him he jacked a couple of times. That’s why Urbik, for me, is the guy. I don’t see a FB this year. It would shred Gase’s system of fast pace as the’d have to shuffle him out, unless they had a guy like Clay…miss him. This is a huge game and I am very excited to watch…in hopes we see a move in the right direction in the ground game.
Admin thanks for the comments Brother!
Admin and Jimmy If we select our R/B by 2016 Preseason production it would look this way?
Rushing Player Att Yds Yds/Att Long TD
Isaiah Pead 15 99 6.6 45 0
Daniel Thomas 22 73 3.3 10 0
Ryan Tannehill 4 38 9.5 22 0
Jay Ajayi 15 36 2.4 8 0
Damien Williams 16 32 2 13 2
Arian Foster 7 5 0.7 6 1
Good effort with Thomas But! Only way Thomas make this quad He would have to be the Best Blocking Back base on his pass years they suck?
Only way Thomas makes the team is if two Rb’s retire…a nice showing, but not enough.
It is certainly a concern that Pouncey is hurt once again, but we have much worse problems with the defense. Neither the DL nor the LB corps has one player that is giving 100%. The secondary has shown heart even though they are a mixture of rookies, underachievers, injured and disgruntled. The secondary has promise. The DL looks like guys waiting to be paid! There is no effort on their part. The LB corps look like the cast from the Walking Dead. If the front doesn’t come alive, I am going to start calling them the Zombie Squad!
Van the LB’s are my only real concern on D…the Dl will preform…they are star vets playing without wake. They did a solid job against the run (except Williams missed tackle) it was the LB’s who got sucked up, couldn’t shed or played their zones too short. Pouncy I hope he never comes back, honestly. What we lose in regards to second level blocking and agility, we gain in LOS drive blocking. All those surgeries and leg injuries have sapped all his strength…we (Quoting Steve) will live or die on the run game. If you can go back and watch the 3rd qtr of last weeks game and watch Urbick kill D linemen and how it affected the run game…then go back and watch Pouncey get killed again, and again…I think Steen or Urbik will bring the run game to life and with it the team.