While Bill Belichick and Brian Flores are good coaches, it takes talent and the right mesh of skillsets to win. What should Phins fans make of the roster heading into Foxborough this week? And what should we expect coming out of the game? Pay Per Head bookie Services To Win At Online Gambling.
Phins chose Edwards over McKinney
When all NFL teams were required to trim their rosters down to the league required 53 man limit, the biggest surprise for the Dolphins was the release of Linebacker Benardrick McKinney. The main reason this was the biggest surprise was because the Dolphins traded Shaq Lawson to the Houston Texans for McKinney. Most pay per head solutions bet this would guarantee him a spot on the team. However, this regime once again proved no one is safe from being shown the door. With Elandon Roberts healthy, Flores felt more comfortable with Roberts than McKinney.
That was a big shock for me. But, if Miami can stop the run and Roberts makes his couple of big stops per game, then this was a big win for the Phins! On the other hand, what if the Phins struggle against the run? You’d have to start wondering if the much larger and productive McKinney should have been kept. Given how this Pats team is built, we will know very quickly if the Phins have improved at stopping the run on defense.
Sam Eguavoen’s monster game against the Falcons a couple of weeks ago and his familiarity with Coach Flores’ defense appear to have given him the edge over McKinney. Also the other former Texan linebacker Brennan Scarlett made the team over Mckinney as well. Most thought McKinney would have been on the team before Scarlett.
I think from a team-building standpoint, salary played a major part in this equation as well. Did the Jerome Baker big payout force them into making a monetary move?
Scarlett is making $1 million, Eguavoen $850k, and Edwards $1.35 million. Their combined salaries were near equal to McKinney’s contract post restructure that would have had him making $3 million with 200k in incentives! The Patriots game will tell us if Miami made more with less or less with more.
Another thing to consider is given that we have a 17 game schedule this year, quality depth over peak talent may play out as the more important factor over the long haul. So, even if we do struggle to stop the run, we’ll need to see more to make any sweeping conclusions.
Either way, the Patriots will rush the ball a ton and fans will get to see what the Phins are made of against the run. I’m hoping a win and a smothering run defense is in the cards!
If you want to become a bookie then you need to know the tricks of the trade.
Will depth over peak talent play out as a win for Miami? What do the rest of the Miami Dolphins news fans think?
I was very angry when I learned about McKinney’s release. We were not bad against the run last year, but not great. Like you said, the strength of our defense is defending the pass. However, if a team can run well against you, this opens the passing game. I hope I am wrong, but I felt that this was a mistake. McKinney is larger and more physical. Maybe he had a tough time grasping the Dolphins defense which is complex. I heard that because of his injury, he just did not have that “burst” or “pop”. Roberts and Equavoen have been in this defense for a few years now, and they have played together for a time as well. I think the Pats will attempt to run and run more to keep Jone from having to pass into one of the best secondaries in the leaque. Tua will certainly see his share of blitz and pressure too. However, I think our receiving core is healthy and complete. We have more weapons in the passing game vs. Pats. Go Fins!!
GM MJ had big plans for McKinney!!! This was Jimmy article with my editing sprinkled in the next one is in this vein and mine. Pats are back to the past and plan to run the ball down our throats… we must stop them. I’m not thrilled about our defense in a physical matchup because we has such small LBs… could be wrong and hope tomorrow I am prove wrong. I love Daivs though and he might be our saving grace…. can’t wait to see the game… really excited and nervous!!!!
Jimmy,
I was very angry when I learned about McKinney’s release. We were not bad against the run last year, but not great. Like you said, the strength of our defense is defending the pass. However, if a team can run well against you, this opens the passing game. I hope I am wrong, but I felt that this was a mistake. McKinney is larger and more physical. Maybe he had a tough time grasping the Dolphins defense which is complex. I heard that because of his injury, he just did not have that “burst” or “pop”. Roberts and Equavoen have been in this defense for a few years now, and they have played together for a time as well. I think the Pats will attempt to run and run more to keep Jone from having to pass into one of the best secondaries in the leaque. Tua will certainly see his share of blitz and pressure too. However, I think our receiving core is healthy and complete. We have more weapons in the passing game vs. Pats. Go Fins!!
GM MJ had big plans for McKinney!!! This was Jimmy article with my editing sprinkled in the next one is in this vein and mine. Pats are back to the past and plan to run the ball down our throats… we must stop them. I’m not thrilled about our defense in a physical matchup because we has such small LBs… could be wrong and hope tomorrow I am prove wrong. I love Daivs though and he might be our saving grace…. can’t wait to see the game… really excited and nervous!!!!