Oooooh the rich, creamy, delicious irony that the Central Florida Golden Knights — known for bucking the establishment by naming themselves national champions after beating the team who beat the team that won the national championship game — lost to the team with the best chance of finally representing the Group of 5 in the college football playoff.
Cincinnati rose to No. 2 after dominating UCF 56-21 this past week. Running back Jerome Ford looked like a Heisman candidate after rushing for 189 yards and four touchdowns, one of which went for 79 yards. The Bearcats scored 35 unanswered points in the first half and by the time the game was finally over, Cincy would have amassed 336 rushing yards.
Both UCF and Cincinnati will join the ranks of the Power Five next season once they ditch the American Athletic Conference for the Big 12 but for now, a chance at history is there for the taking.
Half of the conferences have been oppressed by the system and disqualified from competing for a national title well before the first kickoff of the season. Any team from the WAC, C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt, Mountain West and AAC with a perfect record were roundly dismissed by the gatekeepers of the crystal ball and golden scepter. The strength of schedule were instant argument enders no mater how high the margin of victory was.
Even Cincinnati, at a time when it was considered members of a power conference, were left out in 2009 despite a perfect record. Had Texas lost to Nebraska in the Big 12 title game that year, or there were four playoff spots like there is now, would the Bearcats been given a fair shake? Hopefully we will find out this year.
Cincinnati’s path to the playoff was two years in the making. The Bearcats had to establish their credibility last season by going 9-0 and coming close against Georgia in the Peach Bowl. Beating Notre Dame in a landslide this year backs up their best attempt to dominate their conference and remain in the top 4.
Boise State crawled for a decade so that UCF could power walk so that Cincinnati could sprint towards being the first Group of 5 program with a legitimate chance at the national championship.
The path for the Bearcats seems clear with No. 21 SMU being the only team left on the schedule with a winning record.
Realignment over the years
It’s amazing to look back and see how far college football has come in the last 18 years. In 2003, Boise State was trying to break through the glass ceiling in the WAC, which had SMU and Tulsa at the time. The ACC had 9 teams and five future members were in the Big East with Rutgers, West Virginia and Temple. The Miami Hurricanes could dominate the Big East but not the ACC Coastal? Cincinnati was in the C-USA with a lot of members of the AAC including Louisville and TCU. Meanwhile UCF, for some unknown reason, was in the MAC. New Mexico State and Idaho were in the Sun Belt before and after being in the WAC. Those were funny times.
Miami and Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2004. Boston College followed in 2005, opening the door for Cincinnati, Louisville, UConn and South Florida to join the Big East. FIU and FAU began as FBS programs, joining the Sun Belt. TCU joined the Mountain West in 2006 as the WAC and C-USA took familiar form.
2011-2013 saw a major shift in the landscape. You look up and the Pac-10 has 12 teams now, the Big 12 no longer has 12 teams, the Mountain West all but completely absorb the WAC the same way the ACC absorbed the Big East. The C-USA of the previous decade spawned the AAC that’s here today. What’s left of the C-USA took a handful of Sun Belt teams while that conference replenished itself with eventual newcomers.
The same thing will happen in the near future. The SEC will be an even bigger monster with the edition of Texas and Oklahoma. The Big 12 will finally have 12 teams again with the addition of Cincinnati, UCF, BYU and Houston. Ironically, the two west coast conferences, the Pac-12 and Mountain West, have remained the most consistent.
By the time this new shift of college football realignment is done, the playoff will have no choice but to expand.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1235920654-e1634425724690-1024x682-1.jpg6821024Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2021-10-19 03:26:332021-10-19 03:26:33Road to the Orange Bowl: Cincinnati needs to make it to the CFP
The Miami Dolphins are officially lower than they’ve ever been during the Brian Flores era. In 2019, it was excusable because the entire point of that season was to strip the roster down and start over from scratch. Miami went 5-11, and somehow should have been worse than that. However, the young players on the team overachieved behind Flores’s coaching, and there was hope for the future.
In 2020, the Dolphins signed a lot of expensive free agents, including veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy, guard Ereck Flowers, and cornerback Byron Jones. Miami’s defense was a force to be reckoned with that season, and they went 10-6 with nowhere to go but up.
Or so everyone thought.
Now here they are in 2021. The expectations were through the roof. The Dolphins were supposed to compete for the playoffs this season. Right now, they are essentially the worst team in the NFL, losing to the formerly winless Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
“It starts with me.” Coach Flores said after the game. “I’m not doing a good enough job getting these guys ready to play. Not playing consistently enough, we’re not coaching well enough. We’re not playing well enough, we’re just not playing consistently enough. I mean, it’s in spurts. We had a couple – some positive plays, consistent ball in the first half, even a little bit in the second half. But we’re just not putting it together, and that starts with me.”
That’s the sentiment Flores has given for the past few weeks. It starts with him. Execution is bad. They’ll watch the tape and evaluate. And yet, every week, they promise to do better and they don’t. One has to wonder why that is. Why are the Miami Dolphins incapable of putting it all together when it counts? What has changed from last season to this one?
One easy answer? Veteran leadership.
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Experience Matters
Examining the Dolphins roster reveals a very telling reality. Miami only has three players in their 30s. Those players are 34-year old DB Jason McCourty – a free agent signing from New England, 32-year old DT John Jenkins – who is in his second stint with the Dolphins, and 30-year old OL Jesse Davis.
If you count DE Jabaal Sheard on the practice squad, then you can make the count to four.
Veteran leadership, that’s what Miami is missing. Aside from McCourty, it’s hard to pinpoint players on this team that can be considered true mentor types. Which means that the Dolphins are relying entirely on the coaching staff to get these young and inexperienced players ready week in and week out. That is not a wise move. In fact, one could argue it speaks to a certain arrogance and hubris that the coaches believe they don’t need veteran players to be successful. They traded mental acuity and experience for raw talent and athleticism.
That strategy only works if the coaching staff is elite at developing players. So far, there’s no indication of that being the case. The amount of turnover among the assistant coaches also doesn’t help matters. That’s where having a veteran presence on the active roster helps drastically. Having players who have been around the block more than once and know what to expect on Sunday is a factor that is regularly overlooked.
These past two seasons, the de facto veteran of the team was quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. No one dared question his intelligence, and the team often followed his lead. He wasn’t a superstar by any stretch, but everyone wanted him to tutor Tua Tagovailoa, share his knowledge and experience with the Alabama standout. But why? If Fitzpatrick isn’t an elite player, why would anyone care if he taught Tagovailoa or not?
Because experience does matter. Fitzpatrick is good, not great. But the fact he’s lasted this long and is still in the conversation to be a starting quarterback is proof positive that experience is valuable. Either as a player, or a coach.
Miami’s philosophy demands execution above all else. All 11 players need to perform for plays to turn out the way they should. If not, then things tend to fall apart. But that level of execution comes with NFL experience. With the likes of Van Noy, Flowers and others gone, the Dolphins are relying on talented – but young – players to pick up the slack. Unfortunately, they just aren’t there yet. They’re making mental mistakes, like Brandon Jones rushing in to down the wide receiver, letting Jacksonville call timeout with one second left to kick the game-winning field goal. Veteran players would know to leave him alone until the clock ticks down to force overtime.
Jones, and many others, are very talented players. But Miami can’t afford to wait for them to stop making those small, mental errors.
Around the League
Looking at other teams around the league, many of the top teams feature vast amounts of experience either in the coaching staff, the roster, or both. The most obvious example is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are currently 5-1. Head coach Bruce Arians is now the oldest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl at age 68. His resume is impressive, and his ability as a coach is unquestioned.
As for the roster itself? The Buccaneers have 20 players (including practice squad and injured reserve) over the age of 30. QB Tom Brady (44 years old) is the headliner, but other notable veterans include DT Ndamukong Suh (34), CB Richard Sherman (33), WR Antonio Brown (33), OLB Jason Pierre-Paul (32), ILB Lavonte David (31), OL Ryan Jensen (30), and more. Essentially, a bunch of old guys got together and decided to show the young players of the NFL how it’s done. And they did.
The 5-1 Baltimore Ravens have had John Harbaugh coaching them since 2008, and he always seems to hire experienced assistants to handle both the offense and the defense. Also, Baltimore features 16 players over 30 on their active roster. Notable ones include DE Calais Campbell (35), OT Alejandro Villanueva (33), and RB Latavius Murray (31).
The Dallas Cowboys are on a roll this season under Mike McCarthy, who is in his 15th year as a head coach in the NFL. He brought in Dan Quinn, who is well known for his intelligence as a defensive coach and has some head coaching experience of his own, to be the defensive coordinator. The roster features eight players over 30, including offensive linemen Tyron Smith (30) and Zack Martin (30).
The currently undefeated Arizona Cardinals have 18 players over the age of 30. LB Chandler Jones is 31 years old, OT Kelvin Beachum is 32, DE J.J. Watt is 32, WR A.J. Green is 33, and so on.
The Buffalo Bills have nine players over 30. How about the Los Angeles Chargers who have 10? The Green Bay Packers have eight.
While many of these players aren’t as good as they used to be in their prime (Watt and Green stand out), they do have valuable experience they can impart to the young up and comers. Experience like that can’t come from a coach. It’s different coming from a teammate. Most good NFL franchises know how important having that veteran presence is for young players. There’s a reason Bill Belichick keeps bringing back his old players even when they don’t play well in their new homes. That experience in the system is invaluable, which Kyle Van Noy proves.
Brian Flores and the Miami Dolphins have chosen to disregard this.
The Dolphins Solution
The question now is simply this: If Miami had more older players, would they be better off? Maybe yes, and maybe no. Again, having older players doesn’t guarantee success. However, having experienced, proven players does. Ask the LA Rams how they view first round draft picks. They’re just ammunition to trade for players like CB Jalen Ramsey.
If the Dolphins had prioritized keeping veteran players along the offensive line instead of trusting in the young, inexperienced talent, the Dolphins may not have lost Tua Tagovailoa for three weeks. Miami basically paid OL Ereck Flowers to leave, and now he’s a solid guard for the Washington Football Team. Almost immediately after the Dolphins released Kyle Van Noy, he was re-signed back in New England and is back doing what he did to get paid in the first place. LB Benardrick McKinney was acquired and released in the same offseason, in spite of how well he played as a run-stopping linebacker. Miami now has one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.
Strangely enough, there’s still hope for the Dolphins. The Detroit Lions have Taylor Decker, a solid left tackle. And the Lions need wide receiver help. Miami could send DeVante Parker and a pick to Detroit and instantly shore up that side of the line if Decker stays healthy. Veteran right tackle Mitchell Schwartz is still available and is a stabilizing presence on the other side of the offensive line. He too is an injury risk, but is very good when healthy.
Having those veterans helps the likes of Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson immensely. Let them learn the game, instead of forcing them to start before they’re ready. Next season, there are some veteran offensive linemen who will be free agents. The Dolphins should prioritize signing a few to protect Tagovailoa, regardless of who the coach is. Find assistant coaches who know what they’re doing, and veteran players who are proven producers. It isn’t as hard as it looks.
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Maybe Brian Flores, if he stays, can convince Dante Scarnecchia to come out of retirement again. That would be a huge boon for the offensive line. Maybe he can bring back Jim Caldwell to be the offensive coordinator if he’s healthy again, or someone like Mike Mularkey or Mike Shula. All of these coaches have experience and a proven track record. That’s what Flores needs more than anything.
If Flores gets fired, then whoever the next choice is, they will hopefully understand the importance of veteran leadership. Youth is fine, but only when tempered by experience.
Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter:@LuisDSung
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https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/a3f74be87e1f2792e009a394e9096976.jpg427640Luis Sunghttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgLuis Sung2021-10-17 18:09:502021-10-18 17:26:48Fresh Perspective: Dolphins downfall is lack of veteran leadership
Ever since the College Football Playoff was established in 2014, the conference championship game has been reduced to being nothing more than the method of propping up the flag carrier. Look no further than the Big 12. The lack of a title game left out TCU and Baylor in the first year of the new era. It is the only Power 5 conference to have a title game without divisions, meaning the top two teams in the standings play for the crown.
It’s basically a bonus ranked game for Oklahoma, whom has won the conference championship every year since 2015. We all got a sequel of the Red River Rivalry in 2018 because of it and this year might bring back-to-back Bedlam. Both No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 12 Oklahoma State are currently undefeated.
Pac-12
The Pac-12 is another example of a conference that needs the perfect matchup in the title game to give them a chance in the playoff. One of things I personally love about the Pac-12 is the parity, nearly every game is competitive. Unfortunately, the CFP committee doesn’t look at parity too kindly. Which means the top two teams need to meet for the conference title game for their best chance at crashing the party.
No. 9 Oregon and No. 18 Arizona State are both on top of their respective divisions and won face each other unless they meet in the title game. The Ducks lost to Stanford in overtime but the Sun Devils avoided the Cardinal’s attempt at a second consecutive upset with a 28-10 blowout win on Friday.
Oregon should win its remaining six games as there are no ranked teams left on the schedule. An early season win over No. 3 Ohio State served as the only ranked matchup and victory for the Ducks. That makes playing Arizona State in the title game important. The Sun Devils have gone 1-1 in ranked matchups but are one of two teams with perfect conference records in the Pac-12. That will change this week when ASU takes on Utah.
It is in the Pac-12’s best interest to have both Oregon and Arizona State meet in the conference title game without another loss. But will that be enough to distinguish the winner with Cincinnati?
AAC
Cincinnati has so far backed its perfect regular season last year with a 5-0 record including a win over No. 9 Notre Dame. The No. 3 Bearcats only have one more ranked matchup remaining in the schedule, assuming No. 23 SMU doesn’t lose until then. It would be interesting to see if the committee will respect Cincinnati’s victories or gradually move the Bearcats down the rankings.
SEC
Alabama has been so good for so long the Crimson Tide basically goes into every year with a +1 handicap.
The fact that they lost on the road to Texas A&M on the road by a field goal will not derail their playoff chances, especially when they run through the remaining six games of the schedule, which consists of a road game at Mississippi State, four straight home games and Auburn on the road, which is always tricky.
What the loss does do is eliminate the nightmare scenario in which a SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia would result with both teams going to the playoffs regardless of the outcome. If No. 1 Georgia were to win that matchup then a two-loss Alabama team will be left out.
Big Ten
With Iowa beating Penn State, a battle between No. 3 and No. 4, the No.2 Hawkeyes serve as the top opponent for whomever emerges from the Big Ten East. Both Michigan and Michigan State remain undefeated, which makes their incoming matchup a highly anticipated affair. Ohio State already has a loss on its record but is a perfect 3-0 in conference play. The path for all three and even Penn State would be to win out and defeat Iowa for the conference title. There is a guarantee that the playoff committee will award the Big Ten with a playoff spot just like it will for the SEC.
ACC
With the fall of Clemson, the ACC has largely been forgotten in the playoff conversation. It be time for the nation to accept this version of Wake Forest for what it is, a high scoring team that will let their opponents catch up, only to make the game more entertaining. The No. 19 Demon Deacons avoided a scare with a 40-37 overtime win at Syracuse.
No matter who they play, they always seem to score somewhere between 35-42 points. Wake Forest is a fun team to bet the over on. Sadly it may not be enough for a playoff push unless they go undefeated.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/1B50F557-28A3-4639-8D49-B029C77CB6D9.jpeg15362304Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2021-10-11 04:32:152021-10-11 04:38:01Road to the Orange Bowl: The purpose of the conference championship game
As let down as Miami Dolphins followers feel about this 1-4 train wreck of a start to the season, imagine the gut punch for the 81-year-old team owner.
Steve Ross went all in on the Brian Flores/Chris Grier regime leading a rebuilding effort to finally get the Dolphins off the NFL island of lost causes. Instead we are reminded that one 10-win season with a young coach is no basis to declare him a success, as Flores follows the trajectory of predecessor Adam Gase that may lead him to oblivion.
The surprise is that the failings of Flores’ strength as a defensive technician may become his downfall.
Granted, Sunday’s trip to Tampa Bay to face the defending champion Buccaneers wasn’t a likely win. But the 45-17 debacle was an absolute indictment of Flores’ defense, which was supposed to be the cornerstone for improving on a 10-6 season.
There may be no opposing coach with the basis for defending against Tom Brady that Flores has, from all the years they spent on the same sideline in New England. And there was the Dolphins win in the regular-season finale of 2019 – Flores’ first season in Miami – that prematurely ended Brady’s Patriots career.
But Brady at 44 had his way with Flores’ defenders all day Sunday, making it look ridiculously easy while throwing for 411 yards, five touchdowns and a 144.4 passer rating.
The Bucs scored touchdowns on six of nine drives (not counting the final possession when they ran out the clock). They made a field goal, missed one and punted only once.
Dolphins disaster on third down
Perhaps most notable, Tampa Bay converted eight of 11 third-down chances.
But that is simply a continuation of what we have seen all season. Flores’ defense has gone from the best in the NFL on third down in 2020 (31.2 conversion rate) to second worst (54.2 percent) in the first four weeks. That was before the Bucs, missing Rob Gronkowski, converted 72.7 percent on third down.
This Dolphins defense has been a sieve on every down so far this season.
They were sixth in scoring defense last season, allowing 21.1 points a game.
They have given up an average 30.8 through five games this season, which would have all been losses if Xavien Howard hadn’t wrestled a fumble away from the Patriots in the final minutes of the opener.
But Howard was beaten by Antonio Brown for two touchdowns Sunday, including a 62-yard scorcher. Brady fended off the Dolphins’ highly paid cornerback duo of Howard and Byron Jones like a couple of common houseflies.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay averaged 4.8 yards a carry rushing, which made Brady’s task easier.
The offense showed some promise early. It helped to have Preston Williams (three catches for 60 yards) back at wide receiver and Myles Gaskin (99 all-purpose yards, two touchdowns) back in the game plan.
They’re still not getting what was expected of rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle, who has his moments but too many drops.
The bottom line is these Dolphins look like a team in need of a rebuild rather than one in the third year of a complete makeover that was supposed to lead to the playoffs this season.
Granted the schedule looks more favorable the rest of the way (the 0-5 Jaguars next week in London). But the flaws of this team are plentiful and glaring.
Clearly they’ve miscalculated in player evaluation because they are getting pushed around up front and beaten at the skilled positions.
Most damning is the lack of impact so far from the nine draft picks taken in the first two rounds in the past two drafts.
Waddle may yet turn into a star, and fellow 2021 first-rounder Jaelan Phillips is looking better each week (first full sack Sunday). The jury is still out on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who may return next week.
But how patient will octogenarian owner Ross be as he watches another coach/front office combo foundering?
That may be more interesting to watch than anything that transpires on upcoming Sundays. Specifically, will Ross go into damn-the-torpedoes mode and order full-fledged pursuit of Deshaun Watson despite the legal issues hanging over the troubled Houston quarterback?
After all, it’s tough to justify refusing to part with a stockpile of high draft picks if you keep firing blanks year after year and remain mired in the same muck of mediocrity.
Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/fins-howard.jpg573963Craig Davishttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgCraig Davis2021-10-10 19:03:012021-10-10 19:08:12Pressure Point: Dolphins’ decline on defense adds to heat on Flores
The Miami Dolphins play Tom Brady and the Buccaneers this upcoming Sunday; However, the biggest story regarding the Miami Dolphins right now is their 1-3 start.
Many might have not anticipated a 1-3 start in the beginning of the season. The outlook has been bleak ever since the injuries to Tua Tagovailoa, Raekwon Davis and Will Fuller V. It has also been rough water due to losses against the Bills, Raiders, and Colts.
Parker hurt again
There could be another loss this Sunday in Devante Parker. Death, Taxes and Devante Parkers hamstring injuries
DeVante Parker’s status (hamstring – popped up yesterday) will likely be a game time decision, per Brian Flores.
Devante Parker was limited on Friday because of his shoulder and hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay.
Parker, who is the most experienced WR for the Dolphins had four catches, 77 yards, and one touchdown. Offensive Coordinator echoed more opportunities should be given to Devante Parker.
If Parker is unable to suit up against the Buccaneers, this is a golden opportunity for Preston Williams to show he is capable of being the “X” receiver.
“He is preparing so he can take advantage of that opportunity,” Flores on Preston Williams, who seems to be getting a call up.
Williams, who was a healthy scratch against the Colts, is destined for an increased role on offense this Sunday.
Williams doesn’t boast much utility on special teams, so it was difficult for the Dolphins to justify making him active for the Week 4 loss to the Colts.
Albert Wilson has been ineffective the last four games, Williams could have a clear path not only to being active versus Tampa Bay but potentially gaining meaningful snaps against a decimated Buccaneers secondary.
In 2019 where Williams played only 8 games due to a knee injury, showed consistency in making big plays when it mattered. Not to mention using his 6’5 220 lb frame to get 428 yards. An ankle injury forced Williams to sit out the 2020 season.
.@Tua delivers a perfect ball to Preston Williams. #FinsUp
The Dolphins will have to rely on Williams in the redzone as he and Mike Gesicki are the only notable pass catchers that create mismatches with their size when the field gets smaller. Williams, in his short playing career has done most of his damage in the endzone.
In regards to Preston Williams I have heard that he is, and I do quote “Ready to go”
So this is what passing a kidney stone feels like.
Ball at the Colts 3 yard line.
First down.
Down 20-3.
After accumulating fewer than 80 yards in the first three quarters, there are signs of life for the Miami Dolphins, after remembering Devante Parker and Mike Gesicki exist…. and enough time (12 minutes) to make the end reasonably interesting.
It’s a situation that calls for creativity, especially if you’re aware of your offense’s undeniable inadequacies.
Malcolm Brown over right guard. Two yards.
Jacoby Brissett keeper over the center. Nothing.
Brown over left guard. Nothing.
Finally, on fourth down, a circus catch from Gesicki on another errant Brissett throw, for the team’s first touchdown.
It turned out to be too little, too late, but absolutely appropriate for the afternoon. For the Dolphins on offense, everything is excruciating, to the point of being embarrassing. And even those of us who have been faithful supporters of the Brian Flores regime are starting to wonder. The fans already seem to be ahead of us.
Simply, it shouldn’t be this hard.
Not in the third season of a regime. Not against a winless team at home. Not when you’ve had so many draft picks and free agent dollars to expand the offensive talent base. Not even when you’re starting a backup quarterback, since that quarterback (Brissett) was decent enough to start plenty of the games for the team on the other side.
Brian Flores needs to fix this. Soon. Or his tenure is going to take a troubling turn. One his predecessors have experienced, in which every decision is questioned rather than trusted. In which an impatient octogenarian owner (Steve Ross) starts getting antsy. In which even the media start wondering if he’s experienced and able enough to make the necessary adjustments.
“I think we need to take a look at everything,” Flores said after the 27-17 loss dropped Miami to 1-3 with the defending champion Buccaneers next. “But it’s really across the board, offense, defense, special teams. It starts with me coaching…. We are out there making mistakes in all three phases.”
Accountability is appreciated, but so is accuracy. It’s not really all three phases. No, the other two, special teams and defense, haven’t been exceptional, but it’s the offense that’s been offensive. The Dolphins had Hall of Famers, and near Hall of Famers, on their defense in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and even those defenses finally broke after the offense kept bending their patience, by putting them in adverse positions. This one can’t hold up if the offense is off the field in three or four or five plays, over and over.
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Through three quarters, the Dolphins had the same number of points (three) as they appear to have offensive coordinators, now that we’ve learned that Charlie Frye is actually sending in many of the plays. And those plays? Oof.
The Dolphins are coaching scared, and it starts from the top.
“We tried to be methodical early,” Flores admitted.
He said there were some big play possibilities that turned into safer checkdowns.
Perhaps. The tape will tell. But there were also big picture decisions that were overly conservative, indicating a lack of trust in the team that Flores and Chris Grier put together.
If you’re paying your kicker (Jason Sanders) big money and believe in your defense, why are you punting rather than trying a 55-yard field goal when you had momentum early?
“We wanted to play field position there,” Flores said, sounding like Dave Wannstedt from scared Dolphins teams gone by.
And they did down a punt at the one.
But is that better than a 60 percent shot at three points?
When even a missed kick would have kept the Colts on their side of the field. Isn’t your defense good enough to still stop them?
Those points could have come in handy later, when the Colts got going.
That’s the thing. Every team eventually does. Even the Dolphins do. It just comes so late, when other options are off the table, and they have no alternative but to press the action.
What’s become obvious through four games is that Flores and his offensive staffers, whom he handpicked, don’t believe in the talent they and the front office have assembled and elevated. What’s become obvious is Miami misfired by not acquiring at least a couple of experienced offensive linemen to assist the raw projects. What’s become obvious is that a team that starts Malcolm Brown at running back — because Myles Gaskin can’t protect? — is not a team that takes taking pressure off its quarterbacks seriously. What’s become obvious is that this rebuild, seemingly ahead of schedule, is still many miles away from fruition.
What’s become obvious is that, after a prolonged and warranted honeymoon, the tide is turning on Brian Flores.
“It’s a lack of focus, a lack of concentration, all of those things,” Flores said. “And that starts with me.”
He needs to put a stop to it — not just the mistakes, but also the mismanagement, of personnel, of approach, of attitude.
So his group starts scoring points.
Ethan Skolnick can be reached at @5ReasonsSports and @EthanJSkolnick. His columns are sponsored by www.EverythingTradeShows.com
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_9640.jpg15042016Ethan Skolnickhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgEthan Skolnick2021-10-03 17:54:382021-10-03 18:00:36Season Ticket: Brian Flores Needs to Fix This, Fast
There’s been more talk about a potential Deshaun Watson trade from the Houston Texans to the Miami Dolphins over the past several days.
Or rather, the last couple of months.
Rumor Mill
Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer recently reported that the Texans are starting to lower their asking price for the franchise quarterback.
ICYMI! On Sunday I shared that the Texans stance on trading Deshaun Watson has softened where they weren’t even returning calls from teams in camp. That has changed. As for teams, to me Miami makes the most sense and probably has the best chance to pull it off IF a deal gets done pic.twitter.com/QTljSUpNRi
CBS Sports HQ reporter and USA Today NFL Insider Josina Anderson updates us on the current trade rumors
The latest on the Deshaun Watson trade rumors from NFL insider @JosinaAnderson.
• Texans asking price = three 1st round picks + 3 additional assets • "Nothing firm has materialized" • "There are members in the Dolphins brass who are interested in pulling the trigger" pic.twitter.com/R1siIDp0aZ
In finance, this is what you would call a high risk, high reward scenario. His legal situation remains unsettled. Stephen Ross, a successful businessman, understand this very well.
Per source, Chris Grier does not want to bring in Deshaun Watson. Instead, it’s all about owner Stephen Ross wanting to bring him to Miami Gardens.
However, the Dolphins are trying to get more info on a possible suspension before any trigger is pulled. Whether something gets done on this front remains to be seen.
Texans and Dolphins discussing three 1st’s, one 2nd, and two 3rd round picks.
Possibility of Tua Tagovailoa on the move to Washington for a 2nd round pick.
Murmurs of Monday being the day of the trade(s)
Ross could direct general manager Chris Grier to make it happen ahead of the trade deadline. Ross is the power player in Miami. If he wants this to get done, there’s a good chance that it will happen.
The Dilemma
In this scenario, Tua would be traded to the Washington Football Team. The New NFL IR rules allow it to happen.
“Players on injured reserve can be traded if they were sent there after the aforementioned September 1 deadline. The acquiring team can then designate the player to return, or immediately activate the player if his previous team has already done so.”
Amidst the injury to Tua Tagovailoa and the losses to Buffalo and Las Vegas, Miami has fallen into a rut. Unquestionably, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding Watson, the health of Tua, Brissett’s production and the offensive line play.
After re-watching the Bills and Patriots game I came away with the following that the Miami Dolphins should not base their offense on the RPO
The Miami Dolphins have everything needed to make a playoff push which includes a talented defense. However, it has not been up to standards. The current offense does not pull its weight.
The thought is that Deshaun Watson, arguably a top 3 QB in the league could mask deficiencies and would help, but comes with massive risk.
As reported yest. I'm told depositions in Deshaun Watson's civil cases are scheduled to begin early next week, per source. In the criminal case-investigations, the State has not yet indicated a date to present to the grand jury. Meanwhile, no new talks have evolved, as of then. https://t.co/0xKxnbMLLu
In year two of an already ahead of schedule rebuild, there is a risk for Tua’s development as a QB. Of course, shipping him off to a new team and giving away assets to secure Watson (with protections) will be questioned if Tua succeeds somewhere else.
The original fear going into the college football season was the SEC having two teams shoved into the playoff. The last time that happened, a team who didn’t play in the SEC title game went on to be the team who won the conference.
However last year saw two ACC teams in the playoff. For one pandemic crazed season, Notre Dame was a full member of the ACC rather than simply an independent.
This year the No. 8 Fighting Irish has returned to football independence and after four weeks, I’d bet the ACC wishes to have them back.
The ACC looks to be out of the running for the College Football Playoff. Clemson suffered its second loss of the season and dropped all the way down to No. 25. It doesn’t help that the two undefeated teams are Boston College and Wake Forest. Neither team has garnered much respect going into the season so it takes a while for the committee and AP to catch on.
Boston College proved to be an offensive force after beating Missouri 41-34 in overtime off the back of its rushing attack which is 19th in the nation in yards per game at 221.5. The Eagles will earn some respect if they beat Clemson and North Carolina State in the next two weeks.
Wake Forest also seems offensively inclined with a defense that averages 14.3 points per game, but its two best wins are the conference’s two last place teams. The Demon Deacons’ schedule is more backloaded with a November slate of North Carolina, NC State, Clemson and Boston College.
In a crazy way, the ACC’s best chance to spring board back into the playoffs may be for Boston College and Wake Forest to reach the end of the season with perfect records and their titanic clash to scintillate the nation.
Now or Never
Cincinnati was a feel good story last year after running the table and making it to the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. The No. 7 Bearcats were able to maintain their top 10 ranking by going 3-0 against Indiana and two mid-majors.
The real test comes on Saturday at Notre Dame. Beat the Fighting Irish on national television and the Bearcats will be made men so long as they can run the conference table.
Not good enough
Oklahoma is the only team in the top 10 to consistently go down the rankings for winning. A last second field goal against West Virginia isn’t good enough for the AP just like beating Tulane by five points wasn’t impressive either. At this rate, a loss might completely sink the Sooners chances at the playoff.
Crashing the party
Arkansas put the nation on notice when they defeated Texas by 19 points in Week 2. Now after beating Texas A&M 20-10, the No. 8 Razorbacks are presenting themselves as a force to be feared in the SEC. They are the classic big and scary SEC team that runs all over and snuffs out hope with their defense. Arkansas allows 14.5 points per game, which is the 10th lowest in the nation, and average 261 rushing yards per game, which is good for 8th most nationally.
The Razorbacks are running through the gauntlet. After Texas A&M comes a No. 2 Georgia team that just finished tenderizing Vanderbilt 62-0.
The Hawkeyes of Autumn
The Iowa Hawkeyes are No. 5 thanks in large part to their elite defense (11 PPG). It’s surely not because of their offense, which was held to 54 rushing yards against Colorado State. Whether or not Iowa truly deserves to be in the playoff conversation will depend on how they handle 4-0 Maryland on Friday and No. 4 Penn State the following week. Pass those two tests and the pathway to the Big Ten title game is wide open.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/0.jpeg8771169Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2021-09-27 03:39:142021-09-27 03:39:50Road to the Orange Bowl: Can Notre Dame come back to the ACC?
After the shellacking against Buffalo, I re-watched the first two games of the season, putting an emphasis on the offensive play calls and personnel groupings.
I came away with the following that the Miami Dolphins should not base their offense on the RPO and adapt a more pro-style approach to help with better play calling, personnel groupings and situational calls.
Overview
The rumblings coming out of this off-season was that the Dolphins would run more RPO’s for Tua Tagovailoa. Boding well for him, he was a great RPO QB in college and a fast trigger to do it, there is a big issue about revolving an offense based on RPO’s. The NFL is not designed to accommodate RPO heavy schemes.
Frank Reich and the Eagles pedestaled it onto the national stage during their super bowl run in 2018. It was a new concept in the NFL, the Chiefs also ran it sparingly. The biggest key- compared to College rules and NFL rules is that in College, Offensive lineman have leeway to go 3 yards downfield in coverage compared to one yard in the NFL.
This may be an unpublicized point of emphasis in the NFL, Ineligible Player Downfield:
2020 Fouls after week 2: 1 2021 Fouls after week 2: 14
The NFL has been cracking down on this as a result of increased RPO calls to maintain offensive and defensive balance.
When running an RPO, offenses have to remain simplistic with two to three options 3for the QB to do. This usually consists of the QB giving off the ball to the RB, and his first two reads on the field. The ball has to come out quick and the offense cannot get overly complex as you have to make the reads while defenders make their way to the QB.
The first few reads can be WR screens, slants, crossers and flat routes to get easy yards and move the chains. It acts as another form of running the ball without actually running the ball. In theory, you will likely have more defenders in the box leading at least one WR to get open.
The Chiefs integrated a 2 step speed out pre-snap RPO to their offense in 2019.
This has reduced the amount of post-snap RPO’s they used.
They always run it with Watkins as the receiver, and always to the boundary
Steve Sarkisian, former Alabama OC and current Texas HC, once said that the more options you give quarterbacks on RPO’s the more likely they’ll pass the ball. However, in the NFL defenses have adapted by overloading the box by taking away the run read, forcing the QB to pass the ball.
The typical counter to RPOs, particularly in the NFL, is to play man coverage. The RPO is built around creating conflict for defenders on whether to play run fits or coverage assignments.
The QB then punishes indecision or an aggressive run fit with the quick pass. Man coverage erases that conflict by telling the defenders to stick to their men and dropping a safety down to ensure they still have enough numbers in the box to stop the run.
The Problem
In a RPO, the first assignment executed is run blocking. Once a lineman has leverage while maintaining his block on the defender he drives him downfield and onto the second level. If the QB opts for the pass play and the OL keeps going downfield to the second level it will be called as an illegal man downfield. Remember, the rules dictate an OL can be 1 yard down the field.
LB coaches have learned this and coach players to wait for the run play to develop before heading towards the LOS. If the OL gets upfield the LB can win with speed and put pressure on the QB to disrupt a pass’ timing or an open lane to get a sack.
Tua’s playmaking ability can’t be understated (especially when moving to his left).
Although this play was called back due to ineligible man downfield, Tua makes a nice read to find Gesicki right at the sticke. Hope to see more of this pic.twitter.com/NsVnFxw0QI
Usually, RPO’s are done out of 11 personnel (3 WRs, 1 TE). Defenses counteract this by showing man coverage on the field side (wide side of the field). Miami has a 32% success rate in 11 personnel. Yeah, it’s a problem.
No QB should throw a screen pass in a 2 WR look on one side of the field when DB’s are playing press man or man coverage. Thus, defenses will expect and anticipate either a slant or stick flat concept on the other side of the field.
In this scenario, the run is taken away, you cannot throw a screen pass, what’s left is the stick play on the boundary which is a one-on-one matchup. Defenses they can load 6 defenders in the box, and DBs to cover each WR, leaving one safety to cover a TE and another to monitor the deep parts of the field or the middle hooks.
Similar to this:
This RPO looked as if it were executed as it should be and it was sound in theory. Just sometimes it’s good player vs. good player and you have to see which good player wins. pic.twitter.com/KBiLPAoo9j
We saw this on the very first play against Buffalo. The Safety doubles Devante Parker to make it a boundary throw and the play is dead as all options are covered up and Tua takes a sack from a free rusher. Another issue, sometimes because of scheme limitation– at time’s you have to allow a free rusher to come through.
I'll be delving into the limitations of the RPO offense for Miami in an article @5ReasonsSports soon.
If you take a look at Tua’s second read, Waddle is going deep but also covered up. Basically, the only read that could be successful would have been the run.
Which leads to another problem. Miami does not have aggressive run blockers that can allow their RB’s to get downhill. Linebackers know they can slow play the run because it takes longer to develop. Also, defenses know how to cover up the main route concepts of RPO’s. Since runs are based off of RPO’s there is no actual running game.
This in turn leads to no threat of a play action passing attack, defenses will not bite at all. They just have to send four to five blitzers at a time and get home and it has been working the last two games.
In the NFL, there’s little to no margin for error and a high risk of either committing a penalty or forcing a throw off a bad read. RPOs are designed to be quick and generally only include low yardage hitch routes, slants, and outside runs.
The Solution
NFL Defenses know how to workaround RPO’s, especially if an entire offense is based on the RPO. I may be overgeneralizing but what has Miami ran a lot of these past two weeks?
I am not saying that the RPO is a bad idea, it can work, it has worked in the past and is working now, but to a certain extent.
The overall point stands, if an offense is based on the RPO, vertical concepts and a real run game are diminished. You only hurt yourself.
“The biggest concern with RPOs is the quarterback getting hit… After all, part of the deal here is that they are blocking as if it’s a run play; they are not protecting the passer. [ESPN’s] Jon Gruden calls it ‘Ridiculous Pass-protection Offense,’ and I understand what he’s saying. We’ve got to get to where it’s sound, so we feel the quarterback can make a read, and if he’s correct in what he sees, then he shouldn’t take a hit”
In the college game, they can serve as the main focus of an entire playbook, the same way the triple option is. It cannot be done in the NFL.
In the NFL, RPOs are a wrinkle to a pro-style offense that can help force man coverage or bring better angles and numbers for the run game. However, without rule changes, they are nothing more than a gimmick to give the QB a fast option to punish an aggressive run defense.
What George Godsey and Eric Studesville need to figure out is play calling tendencies and personnel packages.
Last year Miami was successful running out of 12 Personnel (2 TE sets).
The numbers dont lie. In 2020, Miami had a 56% successful rate running plays in 12 personnel compared to 51% in 11 personnel (3 WR sets)
After re-watching both Patriots and Bills game, the main Blame is Godsey IMO.
Using a majority of 11 personnel for RPO's is an unsuccessful recipe in the NFL.
You have a deep threat in Waddle and MOF attacker in Gesicki who are mismatch nightmares and not use 12?
Per Sharp football stats, through two games of the 2021 season the Dolphins have a 55% success rate out of 12 personnel and a 32% success rate in 11 personnel. Miami has ran more 11 personnel (68 plays) compared to 12 personnel (38 plays)
Of the 38 plays, 16 were dropbacks, 11/14 on passing attempts, 1 TD , 7.6 YPA (yards per average), 1 sack and a 122.0 passer rating. 22 were run plays, with 4.6 YPC and 1 TD.
Of the 68 plays in 11 personnel, 57 were dropbacks, 27/51 on passing attemtps, 1 INT, 4.9 YPA, 6 sacks and a 58.4 passer rating. 11 run plays that went for 1.4 YPC.
Allowing Tua, Jacoby, or Reid see the defense on the field and instead of having pre-set plays. Tua sees the field best in shotgun, 12 personnel, and empty sets. He allows his playmakers to operate in space and distributes the ball.
Running 2 TE sets in 12 personnel seems like the best solution, with sprinkles on RPO and direct play calls emphasizing run or pass plays to help make it easier on the Offensive Line and the Quarterback.
Lets hope they find a solution and implement it in against the Raiders
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/E806ABD2-C53D-4014-8606-B93813D1E110.jpeg9861752Hussam Patelhttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgHussam Patel2021-09-25 08:37:142021-09-25 08:37:14Why an RPO based offense won’t work for the Dolphins
Given the Week 4 rankings it’s going to be awfully difficult for the College Football Playoff committee to resist the urge to place two SEC teams in the final four.
Once again, No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia sit at the top of the rankings, along side with five other SEC members. The Crimson Tide held off a second half surge at No. 11 Florida while the Bulldogs dominated South Carolina at home.
The last time both Alabama and Georgia were in the playoff, they met in the title game. Alabama won the national championship despite not even playing in the SEC title game.
It’s likely that the only time these two titans face off will be in the SEC Championship Game. Should they both maintain their respective standing going into the title game, would the results be moot? Would the loser simply end up at No. 4 when it’s all said and done?
For the other conference front runners, that would hopefully not be the case. No. 4 Oklahoma continues to go up and down the rankings because of how close the Sooners’ soft non-conference matchups have been. Oregon moved up to No. 3 but might not have to luxury of a forgivable loss entering their conference slate. The Big Ten’s three Top 10 teams (No. 5 Iowa, No. 6 Penn State and No. 10 Ohio State) will likely beat each other up Until No. 8 Cincinnati enters the Big 12, the Bearcats will likely need to be perfect and hope for nationwide chaos to get in.
The road to the Orange Bowl will likely go through the SEC but Oregon remains the best hope to crash the party. However, there are other teams new to the rankings who could make a surprise entry.
The PAC is Wack
Speaking of Oregon, is it possible to count Fresno State as a signature win? The Ducks were initially looked at sideways after beating the Bulldogs by a single touchdown in Week 1, but Fresno State shocked the nation this past weekend with a 40-37 win over No. 13 UCLA, who dropped down to No. 22.
Overall it was a bad week for the Pac-12, starting with Colorado, which came close to knocking off a top 5 team a week ago, getting shutout at home 30-0 by Minnesota.
“That was a complete, I would say, beatdown in every way,” Colorado coach Karl Dorrell said.
On the plus side, Buffaloes linebacker Nate Landman continues to look like an NFL Draft prospect with his second consecutive 10 solo tackle game.
Utah became the second Pac-12 team to fall to San Diego State with a 33-31 overtime loss. The Aztecs previously dominated Arizona the week before. The Wildcats are so bad this season that after losing to FCS Northern Arizona for the first time since becoming a member of the Pac-12 a winless season is now a highly probable outcome.
“It’s embarrassing,” said wide receiver Stanley Berryhill III, possibly Arizona’s only good player.
Arizona travels to Oregon this week to be the Ducks’ late night sacrificial lamb on ESPN.
The Pac-12 now serves to prop up Oregon, who will now have to run the table in impressive fashion in order to have a chance at the playoffs. USC winning again and Stanford reestablishing itself with a dominating win over Vanderbilt has helped the Ducks’ potential playoff resume.
BYU is for real
The primary purpose of BYU going independent a decade ago was to have control over the schedule and give itself a better chance to get noticed by the BCS/CFP panel. Not only do the Cougars finally have that schedule but are also good enough to take advantage of it.
The Cougars started the season with three Pac-12 opponents and have cleaned the slate with a 27-17 win over No. 19 Arizona State, who fell off the rankings.
With 561 passing yards and seven touchdowns, BYU quarterback Jaren Hall seems to be picking up right where Zach Wilson left off.
“We’re 3-0 against good opponents,” Hall said. “What more can you ask for?”
The Cougars have Boise State, Virginia and USC as notable games. A perfect season for BYU might be enough to get the Cougars to a New Year Six Bowl if not the playoffs.
“WE ARE!”
Any time an SEC team loses a non-conference game, another conference gets its wings.
Memphis stunned Mississippi State 31-29, Stanford beat Vanderbilt by a 41-23 blowout, and Penn State took down Auburn 28-20.
With the win, Penn State is positioned in the Big Ten’s driver seat. While the Nittany Lions are expected to get through Villanova (this aint basketball) and Indiana with ease, their looming road matchup with Iowa will tell the story of the season for that conference.
Iowa knocked off the Big-12’s second best team in the most consequential matchup between the Hawkeyes and the No. 14 Iowa State Cyclones in recent history. Defense is their identity, so when the two teams face off on October 9, it will have the makings of a classic SEC slugfest, which might help both their causes.
OK Boomer Sooner
Oklahoma entered the season with the Heisman front runner and as a virtual lock to get into the playoff. While the Sooners are 3-0, as their supposed to be, two of their games have been too close to call. Both Tulane and Nebraska came within an arms reach of upsetting the Sooners, which have prompted the AP to penalize them in the rankings.
This may potentially be a down year for the Big 12, which is going to soon experience a boom in added teams before eventually losing their founding members in OU and Texas. Theres a good chance that the Sooners run the table once again and the title game ends up being a Bedlam rematch but until then, more ugly victories could potentially keep OU out this season.
https://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/Mullen-scaled-e1609404132824.jpg8581161Tony Capobiancohttps://www.fivereasonssports.com/wp-content/uploads/FiveReasonsWebsiteLogo.svgTony Capobianco2021-09-20 02:54:002021-09-20 02:54:00Road to the Orange Bowl: Two SEC teams in the playoffs, again?
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