Phins Show Some Encouraging Signs During Scrimmage

Jimmy Bourbon

10 years ago

On Saturday the Miami Dolphins held their annual mini-camp scrimmage, which actually produced a lot of encouraging signs. Ryan Tannehill and the offensive were very efficient and effective in Bill Lazor‘s new offense, and this scrimmage hopefully was another subtle sign of good things to come.

Tannehill finished the scrimmage completing 15 of 27 passes for 139 yards, 2 touchdowns, a 2 point conversion, no turnovers, no sacks, and no QB-Center exchange issues. The main thing that jumps out when you look at Tannehill’s stat line is that he was not sacked. Even though this was only a scrimmage, the proof is in the pudding, when Tannehill is not running for his life and spending his afternoon caked in mud, then he can be a productive QB. The offensive line played well lead by Nate Garner at the center, and it was obvious to football betting software fans that Bill Lazor’s quick up-tempo, motion-filled offense plays to the strengths of this group of offensive linemen. Not only did the offensive line keep Tannehill’s jersey clean, but they also provided open running lanes for Lamar Miller who ran 6 times for 36 yards. Miller also showed his effectiveness by catching passes in the flat twice for 26 yards and a touchdown. One other side note that should be mentioned, is that Tannehill was able to move his offense up and down the field without the help of some of his key weapons such as Mike Wallace (hamstring injury), Charles Clay (leg injury), and Brian Hartline (unknown). Even with the absence of these key contributors, the offense was able to get a lot of production from their back up players. This proves that the depth of this team has also improved, which is a key component for playoff-caliber teams.

AcePerHead.com is the number one best pay per head software provider. We offer a wide range of bookie software services, all bundled together into one great price.

Even though the Defense failed to create any disruptive plays against Tannehill and the first-string offense, they were able to put a lot of pressure on the second string offense. Cortland Finnegan and Jimmy Wilson each pulled down an interception, Cameron Wake and Dannell Ellerbe each had one of the 5 sacks that the defense tallied, and Jordan Tripp added a strip and fumble recovery for a 73-yard touchdown. This is the type of productive disruptions that the team is hoping will carry over into the regular season.

Once again, compared to Joe Philbin‘s other 2 mini-camps and off-season training sessions, this year has a different feel, with players actually stepping up and making plays in camp. The question becomes, are Phins fans actually seeing the improvement that will carry over into better play and more wins during the season, or are we seeing another mirage that will end up leading us into disappointment?

Check these 10 PPH Tips: