The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

This article from Ben Volin is a good read...

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedailydolphin/2011/05/09/all-signs-point-to-miami-dolphins-refreshing-not-retiring-the-wildcat-offense-in-2011/#more-14120

If so I'm checking out. If I wanted to watch college football I'll do it on Saturdays. Hopefully that ship has sailed!

Wow.

Haven't the Dolphins figured out yet that the Wildcat was nothing but hype and a fad? The reason it worked in 2008 was because no-one prepared for it or knew really what it was. The minute coaches started planning for its one-dimensional narrow approach, it got shut down big time.

Why do the Dolphins continue to try to squeeze the square peg into the round hole?

From the article:
Unless you're arguing that it took two full seasons (and exactly two full seasons) for the NFL to solve it, I'd say the stats do not support your assessment.

Looking at the David Lee video in that article, there's no consideration for defense.  He illustrates the three variations of the wildcat offense, but all you need is a defense that "stays home" to beat it.  The counter relies on a fake and over-pursuing weak-side linebackers.  That doesn't work in the NFL.

I was hoping that Henning would take the Wildcat with him when he left.  I am not so confident after reading this...

i mean they have to do something... just lining henne up back there to take all the snaps next year isn't going to win you very many games. what with all of his 15 touchdown passes.

unless the defense scores like 20 touchdowns for them next year, they have to manufacture scores somehow.

Could I get a link to the psychic statistics page you're going off of that says Henne is going to only throw 15 TDs this next season? Or are you just assuming that the stats a player puts up will be the exact same as the previous season?

[/end educational sarcasm]

IMO, in order to run the wildcat effectively on a consistent basis, you need the threat of the pass as well as someone who could run the ball. Henne ain't gonna do that. When you put Brown in and take Henne out, the D knows that the wildcat is coming and the chances of Brown throwing are slim. Especially with our lackluster receivers. With who we have now or had last year. Thigpen was the best option for the wildcat with his running ability, if of course we got some receivers and Thiggy got a bit more consistent on conventional plays.

Notwithstanding the fact that neither of us are NFL coordinators, it seems to me that if you simply "stay home" you are looking at a straight concession of 4-5 yards if the Wildcat team has a quality OL (more if the RB can break tackles/make someone miss).

If the Wildcat was really that simple to stop, do you think Bill Belichick would have had 5 TDs dropped on him by it?  He could have come up with a solution (particularly that super-simple solution) on the sideline.

I feel like a pariah when I point out that when we had a good rushing team, the Wildcat worked well, and when we sucked at running the ball from any formation, amazingly the Wildcat also sucked.

Some coaches just don't get it.

Sparano reminds me more and more of Rich Kotite everyday

^^^ Ye gads, he invoked the name of Kotite... If that's not the "Kiss of Death," it's at least the "Reacharound of Doom."

On an AFC East coach-related note: Every time I see him, Rex Ryan reminds me more and more of Jackie Gleason. Not so much the late-career, brumpy Smokey and the Bandit Gleason (Buford T. Justice), but more the old Ralph Kramden "To the moon, Alice!" version from the Honeymooners.

1You're on the right track with this, but let throw some "spices" on this..yes, the threat of a pass is what made the wildcat so dangerous in 2008 (along with the fact that it wasn’t seen yet in the NFL, but just entertain the thought)..the difference is Henne was only in a handful of the wildcat packages, whereas Pennington was in on almost all of them, and Penny doesn’t exactly have the “scrambler” title in his game.  Not having the QB on the field is the downfall of the wildcat because, in the defense’s eyes, it’s 99% chance of a run.  I understand the wildcat usually results in a run regardless, but you have to account the QB on the filed, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for disaster

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDfmsoN1O5M

16 seconds in (they used the same play last year..against the Texans..couldn’t find that video so I settled on this one)..point of the story, I have wet dreams of Henne to Gates on a play like this..Henne has the arm strength that Penny always lacked..a Henne/Pennington combo (Chad Henneton if you will), would be an ideal QB in this league (probably going to get heat for that comment, but if you really think about it..it’s the truth..but I disgress)

In conclusion, I agree that wildcat should be thrown out of the playbook, but lets be optimistic and hope for a revival of sorts, if in fact it is here to stay

EXACTLY!

The original flavour of the Wildcat worked better because until the players were running to the line, the opposition still didn't know what was coming, when you drag the QB out it's obvious.

One word of caution, we ran the wildcat with RW and RB, two experienced running backs who had lots of time to rep. With one or both likely to be gone and reduced pre-season time, and a rookie RB the liklihood of it being repped is low IMHO.

^^^ That rookie RB is a former QB with Wildcat experience already though. I'd say we see it again.

I see what you are saying but Henne isn't a "scrambler" just like Pennington isn't a "scrambler". In order for the play to work, you need to have a real QB that can scramble and throw. That is why they drafted Pat White isn't it. The only thing we may have that will be able to do that is Thigpen (if we somehow retain him). As far as I'm concerned, they have to take Henne out for the wildcat package. He just isn't versatile enough. And if they are gonna take Henne out in the wildcat situation, Thigpen should be the one put in. He is was the only valid threat to run and pass on this team. If they plan on "more wildcat in 2011", they would be wise to retain him.

I predict we see the Tim Tebow jump pass from Thomas at least once this season.

if you have the right personel for it, then yeah go for it.  It's about the only thing Ronnie Brown does really well.  The problem isn't so much that we use it occasionally.  The problem is that while it's generally well executed, they only ever run 2 plays out of it in the same directon.  Look at the first game we ran it.  They generally ran it to the right, but also ran it to the left.  There was a reverse they used out of it a couple times and a halfback pass. 

The other thing I seemed to notice is they only really used it primarily at midfield.  It seems the perfect place to run it is when you're backed up behind your own 20 or in a goal to go situation. 

I'm not advocating that we run a whole offense out of it, but 5-10 plays to mix up a defense over the course of a whole game wouldn't hurt.  Just make sure they're not all run to the right side.

I am surprised not one person has mentioned the fact that the wild cat killed henne .
I watched A lot of games  where Chad had great drives from our 5 to 20 yard line.
He moved our offense down the field , He would make it to about the 40 and they would yank him out and throw in the wildcat witch resulted in a 3rd and 10 to a third and twenty. Then they would shove him back in GO DO SOMETHING .
 My prediction is we will give up a second round pick and A GREAT  player to the pats
To bring in mallet who will be beaten out by Henne

^^^
Kind of what I was getting at with using it more as a goal to go or backed up from your own endzone package, but your point is well taken. 

I've often wondered myself if taking Henne in and out of the game like that breaks his momentum and I got to thinking about when Pennington ran it but Pennington would stay on the field and flank out as a reciever.  Not the same as getting the snap yourself, but still keeps you in the flow of the game. 

the wildcat killed henne... the oline killed henne... brandon marshall killed henne... the coaches killed henne... lack of running game killed henne


good god, by the time u guys realize the only person responsible for killing henne is henne and his lack of nfl quarterback talent, the dolphins will be stuck rebuilding this entire team all over again.

The wildcat was a lot more effective when the QB stays in the game, which is what Mia did in 2008.  When you pull the QB as the dolphins have been doing ever since or the Jets do when they take out Sanchez and send in Smith there is no surprise. 

If you are going to pull the QB, the RB has to actually complete a pass on occasion to keep the defense honest.  That wasn't done last year.

I think too much is being made of the wildcat last year. Based on the stats, it neither helped nor hindered Miami much last year.

Miami lined up in the wildcat a total of 41 times. 39 were runs which netted 86 yards for a 2.2 yard average. 2 were passes, both incomplete.

That's a pretty poor average, but it didn't exactly prevent Miami from making the playoffs. If you break it down by opponent, we usually only ran it once or twice a game unless we had a bit of success with it. For example we used it 8 times versus the raiders, 8 runs for 24 yards and we used it 6 times versus the Jets (away) 5 runs for 15 yards and 1 incomplete pass. That's a 3 yard average running the ball in both of those games which isn't bad and we actually won both of those games.

Edit: Oops, I goofed. Those numbers above are only for Ronnie, I forgot to add in Ricky's numbers. Ricky actually ran the ball 12 times out of the wildcat for 92 yards for a healthy 7.6 yards per carry.

Adding both Ricky and Ronnie's numbers together you get 51 carries for 178 yards or 3.5 yards per carry.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Buy this man a beer. He gets it

That was my point. If they are going to run the wildcat it would be in their best interest to keep Thigpen. Unlike Henne, he is a threat to run and pass. The D would have to be somewhat honest with Thigpen (or someone mobile that can run and pass) instead of pinning their ears back and steamrolling Henne

Thigpen is a terrible QB. Worse than Henne. There is no offense on the face of the earth that makes him a quality QB.

Although I value your opinion, I have to respectfully disagree. Especially if the two were expected to be involved in the wildcat.

I have no problem with the Wildcat and feel it can be effective. The issue has always been our playcalling with it. It is always a snap to the RB and then a run right up the middle. No variation. To make matters worse, we seem to have used this during successful drives and it just ruins the flow.

Wildcat or not, you still have to be able to play and make plays. Thigpen has proven he is not capable of playing at an NFL level

Just like Henne hasn't proven himself. In the wildcat I would rather have Thigpen. If we would just get a REAL QB we wouldn't have to worry about it.

Henne is slightly better than Thigpen. Not a battle of champions, but better!

I think that we can agree that they should be competing for 2nd and 3rd string.............

Henne's case, YES. Thigpen no. Thigpen has proven now in 2 places when the starter goes down he isn't a capable backup and can't do much of anything when forced into action.