Dolphins Offense
The Dolphins offense resembles the Browns offense due to Rob Chudzinski
tutelage under Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron but the Dolphins offense
currently reminds me of the pre-Chud era. There is simply no chemistry within
this offense.
While many Browns fans are ready for the Brady Quinn era to begin, an equal
amount of Dolphin fans are ready to see what rookie quarterback John Beck can
bring to the table. The BYU quarterback could see hear his name called this week
if Cleo Lemon struggles. Veteran Trent Green was lost last week due to yet
another concussion but his play thus far is one of the reasons the Dolphins are
sporting an 0-5 record. If Lemon struggles early do not be surprised to see Beck
make his debut. He is a tough kid with a good arm and the ability to lead.
The one area the Dolphins have locked down is the running back position.
Ronnie Brown is simply playing at a higher level than any running back in the
National Football League. The only thing holding him back is the lack of any
passing attack and a defense that isn't able to get anyone off the field. If the
Dolphins are to have any chance at pulling the upset, the Dolphins must give
Ronnie Brown more than 30 rushing attempts. Brown reminds me a great deal of the
young Jamal Lewis. He has the size and tremendous power, but he has that balance
along with break away speed that makes him virtually unstoppable during the
game. Ronnie gets stronger as the game wears on but due to playing from behind,
he has been taken out of this offense when he is at his best.
The Dolphins offensive line is very one-dimensional. They struggle to protect
the quarterback but they do a good job of trapping and sealing which allows
Brown to have his success running the ball. I have been very impressed with the
Dolphins rookie center Samson Satele. He is very athletic but extremely powerful
with his leg drive as he is able to push much larger men into the lap of the
linebackers. Tackles LJ Shelton and Vernon Carey struggle with speed the speed
end that possesses flexibility. They will have their hands full with the Browns
speedy outside linebackers.
The Dolphins receiving corps is in dire need for a go-to threat to emerge.
Former Buckeye Ted Ginn Jr. was brought in to add speed and explosion to this
offense but thus far he is struggling to gain separation in a timely manner.
This is the reason he has but 2 receptions. Veteran Chris Chambers is still a
receiving threat but he is more of a number 2 receiver than the number one
option. Look for the Dolphins to place Ginn in the slot to create a one on one
situation with the struggling Browns safeties.
Browns Defense
The Browns run defense hasn't been able to stop anyone and their pass defense
simply breaks down at key moments. The Browns have issues with simply wrapping
up their man at first contact. This should improve as they will have plenty of
practice this week trying to bring down Ronnie Brown. The key will be in how
well the inside backers slide to fill the gap.
The only time we see this defense really step up is on the rare occasion when
they mix things up and bring the blitz. Those occasions are few and far between
as the bend-and-eventually-break defense is in place. I would love to see this
team use the run blitz towards the quarterback to get pressure in the pocket.
The vanilla approach just doesn't seem to inspire fans nor players. It was once
said that the blitz is a desperation move and this defense is indeed desperate
but more importantly it is boring to watch as teams methodically move the chains
on 14 play drives.
There are some bright spots for the Browns defense. Rookie corner Eric Wright
has put together back--to back performances that have been a pleasure to watch.
He gave Randy Moss fits last week as he spent most of the game in one on one
coverage against one of the NFL's elite receivers.
Robaire Smith is also proving to be the Browns best free agent acquisition.
He has been the lone bright spot on the Browns struggling defensive line.
Robaire will force the double team and is also finding a way to hold down his
side of the line on a rather consistent basis and occasionally slip the double
to provide pressure in the pocket.
Browns Offense
The hottest receiver in football may very well be Braylon Edwards. Braylon is
a human highlight reel this season as he simply makes the unbelievable catch
over and over. Not only has Braylon cured his case of the dropsies, he is
quietly becoming a leader on and off the field. He is simply letting his play
speak for itself. This week he will find himself matched up against former Brown
Michael Lehan. This should be a very exciting battle to watch.
The Browns offensive line has been very effective in providing the
quarterback with a solid pocket. Last week, that pocket showed several holes in
it. Part of the struggle was replacing Kevin Shaffer with Ryan Tucker at right
tackle. Tucker is no longer a starting caliber tackle in this league. He can
still be very effective at right guard but his pass protection simply isn't on
the same level with Shaffer.
Another concern last week was the lack of communication amongst the interior
of the line. It wasn't that the individual player was beaten by the Patriots but
the lack of communication resulted in sacks and hit on the quarterback as often
the guard and tackle would be blocking the same man and allowing the remaining
defender a free run at the quarterback. If this doesn't improve quickly, it may
hurry up the recovery process of center LeCharles Bentley.
Derek Anderson may not be the most accurate quarterback and he does make some
very bad decisions but one thing you have to say about this kid is that he plays
with confidence in his own ability. He doesn't allow those mistakes to make him
afraid to throw the football, which is something we have not seen in some time.
Anderson can become a good NFL quarterback but he must learn to be a bit more
patient and settle down before his throw. When his feet are moving, he loses all
of his accuracy. He needs a solid week to hold off Brady Quinn. With the bye
week coming up there will be a lot of Brady Quinn talk in Cleveland.
Kellen Winslow will have a huge game this week. Former Steeler Joey Porter
has been looking to rekindle old rivalries and this time Winslow is on a team
good enough to silence the outspoken linebacker. Look for Winslow to exploit the
young safeties and also the slower linebackers of the Dolphins.
It is unlikely Jamal Lewis will be ready to play this week. If Lewis is out,
look for Jerome Harrison to finally make the active roster this year. His speed
will be needed against this defense that is very slow to fill the gaps. Also use
of the counter trey this week could pay off huge. This is where the running back
fakes going one direction, and then cuts it back the other way, following the
pulling guard and tackle as the rest of the line seal the back side of the run.
If the Browns can get Steinbach and Thomas pulling against the slower (but high
pressure) defense of the Dolphins, huge gains can be made.
Dolphins Defense
The Dolphins run a bit of a hybrid 3-4/4-3 defense. Their defense simply has
too much talent to play the way they have thus far. They are similar to the
Browns in that lack of discipline is one of the issues plaguing this team. They
aren't maintaining gap integrity and are prone to abandoning their
responsibility especially when misdirection is involved.
Jason Taylor is one of those elite pass rushers that can take over a game.
The match up between Taylor and rookie Joe Thomas should be a great learning
experience for the rookie. The winner of this battle could very well decide this
game.
Joey Porter, Channing Crowder and Zach Thomas make up one of the most
physical linebacking corps in football. Browns fullback Lawrence Vickers will
have his hands full this week as Thomas is one of the most difficult linebackers
to locate and eliminate in football. He has a knack for sprinting through the
hole without squaring his body until he finds the running back. This doesn’t
give the lead blocker a huge target and the blows are often glancing. Keeping
Thomas in check is vital in this one.
Joey Porter looks slow. He hasn't been the same player since he left
Pittsburgh. When he blitzes, he isn't getting the corner as quickly as he should
and that is leaving a huge running lane from the spot he just vacated. Look for
the Browns to challenge Porter early and often in this one.
The Dolphins secondary is somewhat shaky. Former Browns, Michael Lehan is
having a good year for the Dolphins. Lehan is long and lanky and he can be very
difficult to throw on due to his leaping ability. He will be in for a very tough
battle with Braylon Edwards.
Look for the Browns to challenge Travis Daniels quite often this week. He is
entering his 3rd year but he is inexperienced and similar to Brodney Pool, he is
slow to react in coverage to what is happening in front of him. Also Renaldo Hill is known for being vulnerable in coverage. They will have their hands full
this week with Kellen Winslow.
Special Teams
Browns punter Dave Zastudil will make his return this week as the Browns
released veteran Scott Player. Josh Cribbs is having a pro bowl caliber year in
the return game but he could find himself more and more involved in this offense
especially as the slot receiver.
Final Analysis
This game could very well be the battle of run vs. pass as the Dolphins will
attempt to pound it out on the Browns while the Browns attempt to throw all over
the porous Dolphins defense. The Browns will look to finish this one early in
order to take the Dolphins out of their run game. This is a must win game
for both teams.