The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

I was thinking of picking up both of our RBs for my fantasy league.  These guys are going places.

Usually backwards.

Need to fix this, ASAP.

It's painfully obvious our offensive line is the weak spot we thought it was. What can we do other than try and coach them up and pray no one gets injured.

I mean ... as a substitute for a running game we can turn to a short passing game but as far as getting the offensive line to man up and open a hole we are probably pretty limited. I'm not sure why the offensive line is really never a priority.

My thoughts exactly. Like with any other position, you can't just plug people in and hope it works.

It's been a priority, Ireland just misses on a lot of guys!

Long was a first round pick
Pouncey was a first round pick
Jerry a 3rd round pick
Dallas Thomas a 3rd round pick
big money free agents like Jake Grove were a bust

by the way, I watched arizona-rams yesterday. Jake Long "injured" twice in the first half. They had to stop the game twice as Long was down on the field. He came back but it was the same ole' with him

MikeO is right on this.  Miami has been treating the O-line as a priority for several years, especially if you add in the TE's that have been drafted.

I guess your right. Obviously Ireland needs some help when it comes to dealing with linemen and tight ends. Even after hitting on Long he blew resigning him. 

bingo.. too bad we just been missing
on the other hand we've been lights out with our d-line
who woulda knew

Some of us really do not agree with this. It looks to me like Long is a new version of Tony Boselli. He was dominant early in his career but it appears to me his skills have dropped off and that injuries are going to be a growing issue. I did not think he looked all that great before getting hurt last year.

^^^^ I haven't witnessed it but I was told he is looking pretty darned good right now by Rams fan.  Sometimes you have to gamble and if this true ... Ireland missed.

I watched that entire game yesterday, Long looked very average. Not an elite LT by any means. Plus he got dinged up twice in the first half

I too watched the game and Long looked fine yesterday. He stopped after getting a stinger but never left the game. Way to early to tell whether letting him go was a good move or not, for fucks sakes it was 1 game!!!!!!

The facts are that Long's injuries were continuing to mount and the Fins weren't prepared to invest big money in someone more than likely only seeing the field for parts of the season.  You move on and hopefully find a cheaper replacement....after winning yesterday, so far so good.

I don't think he blew re-signing him.  I liked Long, still do, would love to still have him on the team.  BUT, Long wanted too much money for his current situation (coming off some injuries); so I think Miami did the right thing in letting him go.

I thought our O-line did a very good job at pass protection. There were a few exceptions, but the stats would seem to back up my recollection... Tannehill only got hit 7 times (according to ESPN).

Although I don't have the numbers, it sure felt like Cleveland was bringing pressure often and the O-line at least gave Tannehill the chance to make a play.

The run-blocking was rather bad, no question, although I do wish we either had a speed back who could get around the D-line pressure or a power back who didn't drop at first contact. Lamar Miller seems to have a bit of both, but not enough of either to make an impact with our current O-line. Daniel Thomas showed a bit more power, but only marginally.

Tannehill's play-fake also still needs work. Despite not being able to run the ball, the hand-offs never came as a surprise.

Jake Long came out recently and said that Dolphins had "no chance" to re-sign him.  It has nothing to do with Ireland, Jake just didn't want to be here.

I guess it depends all in how you interpret the stats. You can say he only took 7 hits or you can say only 6 teams allowed their QB to get hit more than Tannehill which puts Miami very low in comparison.

True enough... however, 7 hits (and there were 4 more teams with that) is close to average. Less than a yard per carry isn't. So, while "a very good job" seems overly optimistic, the D-line's pass protection was still VERY good compared to it's run blocking. (For reference, no other team got less than twice as many yards per carry as the Dolphins did).

That's a self serving statement after the fact.  If the Dolphins had "no chance" of signing him then he would have signed earlier with another team.  He's probably not happy that the Fins wouldn't give him what he "thinks" he is worth.

Yep!

A year ago this time Miami offered him a contract that would have made him the HIGHEST PAID O-LINEMEN EVER! Jake said no and wanted to play out the season. Then in the offseason Miami offered him a lesser deal yet it still had more $$$ than the Rams offered. Jake said no and Jake was pissed Miami pulled there first offer (from September) off the table and it wasn't there for him in March, just this much lesser deal was there for him

Jake and his agent screwed up royally so Jake went elsewhere. It had NOTHING to do about money as Miami offered him more $$$ than the Rams did.

maybe so, but some players take a longer time to adapt to the pro game. I think it is half of it beign a new scheme and half of it being that the NFL has slowed down for him.

He grew up in Michigan, maybe he just didn't like the oppressively hot weather all year long.