Next test for Josh Rosen? Start him against Bucs

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The first taste of quarterback Josh Rosen was more palatable than expected, save for the interception that briefly lodged in the throat.

That new dish called Preston Williams was a delight – gives us more, more, more of that, please. The undrafted wide receiver showed the possibility of something special.

The offensive line and overall defense are recipes that obviously need a lot of work. Watching left me with indigestion – and the former nearly got Rosen crushed a few times.

Overall, the Dolphins’ 34-27 had more merit than usual for an exhibition opener, which tend to be an inedible stew.

Most important, I saw more to like in Rosen than not.

If the newcomer from UCLA, by way of Arizona, progresses from here there’s no reason that he shouldn’t get the reins for the season opener against the Ravens on Sept. 8.

Prep for that should begin with a test in that role in next week’s exhibition at Tampa Bay. Preseason is all about discovery.

As coach Brian Flores said earlier in the week, it would be premature to anoint Rosen as the future right now.

His first performance in a Dolphins uniform was certainly flawed. He displayed inexperience, inconsistency. He made mistakes while going 13 of 20 for 191 yards and a passer rating of 75.2.

QB hints of risk but also reward

So, clearly, a product that needs much more than spit and polished. It needs refinement.

But Rosen also showed he’s got the arm, resourcefulness, instincts and guts.

His gunslinger mentality, which both Flores and Rosen alluded to afterward, carries risk, and it was evident.

But after seven years of a quarterback who was more likely to unravel than rally, an alternative with the fortitude to makes plays with the game on the line is a welcome change.

Rosen doesn’t like to give up on a play, and he showed the ability to convert under pressure with a key completion to Williams while being dragged down.

Despite the completion, Flores said it may be wiser to take the sack in that situation.

To his credit, Rosen acknowledges he needs to learn when to hold it and when to fling it.

“I’ve got to find that balance of knowing when to kind of push the edge and when to just take the sack and live to play another day,” he said.

Toward that end, Rosen needs to play as much as possible in the next two exhibitions to aid in that development and for the Dolphins to see if the 22-year-old can be trusted.

Notably, he should be given the opportunity to further that process while playing with the first team. He led the second-team offense Thursday as he mainly has during training camp.

Offensive line a concern

Rosen must have had flashbacks to his regrettable rookie season behind the porous Cardinals offense line while being harried and hurried by Falcons defenders Thursday night.

Though he led a touchdown drive on his first possession, Rosen was ragged in the second quarter. Protection by the reserve linemen was a bit better in the third quarter, and so was Rosen as he went 6 for 6 for 93 yards and led a drive for a go-ahead touchdown.

It is always difficult to draw conclusions from exhibition games, which tend to be misleading due to who is playing and who is not. But they provide the best preliminary test available for who can play at the highest level and who can’t.

We already know that 15-year veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick is perfectly suited to be the Dolphins’ backup quarterback.

We need more evidence about whether Rosen is ready to be the starter.

Good, bad and the urgency

Overall, the deficiencies of the roster were evident.

The first-team defense couldn’t stop the Falcons regulars led by veteran Matt Schaub, who repeatedly picked on free-agent rookie cornerback Nik Needham. But Needham, playing because Eric Rowe was out with an injury, won’t be in that spot when games count.

Nonetheless, it was apparent that competent defense is going to be difficult to produce, even with Flores’ Patriots pedigree.

The lack of a pass rush was glaringly evident, as feared.

Ditto, effective offensive line play, which has been a Dolphins trouble spot for years. Tackle Laremy Tunsil, their best lineman, didn’t play, so again the results are a bit of a mirage.

But rookie left guard Michael Deiter, the third-round pick out of Wisconsin, was disappointing in his debut.

Shaq Calhoun, who garnered attention as an undrafted rookie elevated to start at the other guard, also failed to impress. Why can’t the Dolphins ever get the guard play right?

Praise for Preston Williams

Meanwhile, another undrafted rookie was the star of the night. Williams, the rangy receiver from Colorado State, caught four of the five balls thrown to him for 97 yards.

Williams looked like what DeVante Parker, the 14th overall pick in 2015, was supposed to be as a featured receiver but has never become.

As for this year’s top Dolphins draft pick, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins didn’t stand out but was solid in the middle as a run stopper and disruptor.

As an appetizer, the exhibition opener left you hungry for more – especially for another plate of Rosen and Williams in the coming weeks.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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Top three performers from the Dolphins’ exhibition opener

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Preseason Week 1CHARLES TRAINOR JR CTRAINOR@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Bottom 3 performers from preseason Week 1 – Dolphins vs. Falcons

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The Miami Dolphins have come out on top against the Atlanta Falcons in their first preseason game of 2019, but it would be foolish to assume everything was wonderful. Even though plenty of players managed to shine, there were a lot of players who struggled mightily. Here are just the bottom three players who need to start showing major improvement in a hurry.

Nik Needham, CB

No one struggled on the field more than undrafted free agent Nik Needham did on Thursday. Needham is in the running to win the starting cornerback job opposite Pro Bowler Xavien Howard. He did not make a good case for himself, especially since he was sent to the field from the first quarter, all the way until nearly the end of the game. It didn’t matter if it was Matt Schaub or Matt Simms, Needham failed to make any sort of positive impact.

He was routinely picked on, lost track of coverage, missed tackles, committed costly penalties; name it, he did it.

It’s yet to be revealed how heavily coach Flores weighs preseason performances in his decision making. In the eyes of many, Needham has already played himself out of contention for a roster spot. It’s hard to blame them, given just how bad he was. There are other players who want his spot on the roster, not the least of which is Jomal Wiltz (who also struggled a bit).

Truly, it’s a shame that Cordrea Tankersley seems stuck on the PUP list. The Dolphins could use him right now. And with Eric Rowe out of the picture for an undetermined length of time with an undisclosed injury, Miami’s second boundary corner spot is looking extremely weak.

Jordan Mills, OT

Laremy Tunsil did not play on Thursday for precautionary reasons, which meant that someone needed to take his place at left tackle. That someone turned out to be veteran tackle Jordan Mills. Needless to say, it wasn’t pretty to watch. Mills routinely allowed defenders to get past him, forcing both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen to make miraculous plays just to keep drives alive. He’s slow out of his stance, he’s unable to keep up with rushers, he’s showing why the Buffalo Bills let him walk.

Granted, Mills hasn’t played left tackle since 2009, back when he was in college. However, the fact Jesse Davis already ranks above him at right tackle as well speaks volumes. Miami needs to find someone else to compete in preseason if Mills can’t measure up to expectations. Ironically enough, Sam Young, Miami’s former utility tackle, is still on the market. Recently, Young worked out for the Buffalo Bills, but left without a contract.

If Mills continues to play like this, the Dolphins should give Young a call. He’s by no means a superstar, but he will provide better backup potential than Mills seems capable of.

Michael Deiter, G

It hurts to see this, but rookie guard Michael Deiter makes the worst player list. True, the Wisconsin guard is still young and inexperienced, but he’s supposed to be a solid player. Third round pick, comes from a school famous for producing offensive linemen, what could go wrong? Evidently, enough that Deiter couldn’t hold his own against the Falcons pass rush. Even undrafted free agent Shaq Calhoun, who also struggled, performed better than Deiter.

After the rest of the starters on the OL came out of the game, Deiter and Calhoun remained. Head coach Brian Flores apparently wanted them to get in more snaps, and he was justified in making that decision. Offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo said that Deiter needed work, and he was right. Deiter even admitted as such himself, and he was also right. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time for Deiter to develop, so things aren’t hopeless yet.

However, if Deiter wants to legitimately be named the starter, he’ll have to get his act together before the preseason ends. Brian Flores will continue to stress basics and fundamentals, and Deiter needs to continue mastering them.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Preseason Week 1Ethan Skolnick

Top 3 performers from preseason Week 1 – Dolphins vs. Falcons

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The Miami Dolphins have come out on top against the Atlanta Falcons in their first preseason game of 2019 with a score of 34-27. Things were shaky at first, the starting offense and defense clearly have some bugs to work out. However, there’s no denying that at least a few players shined bright against Atlanta. Some players also did badly. But here, it’s time to breakdown the top three players from Thursday’s game.

Preston Williams, WR

Williams was one of the players to watch for the first preseason game, and Williams really delivered. The former Colorado State standout put on a show, making four receptions for 97 yards, averaging 24.3 yards per catch. However, those catches were anything but routine. One catch was made as Rosen was being dragged to the ground, and he dove to make it. Then another was made over the hands of a defender deep.

But the most impressive one of all, was made as Williams tiptoed the very edge of the sideline and forced the officials to review their call. It was reversed, and Williams was credited with an 18-yard gain.

This past week was filled with speculation regarding Williams and his rapport with Josh Rosen. There’s no more room for doubt, Williams is turning into a special wide receiver. Credit the coaching staff for taking a raw talent and refining him into a dangerous weapon. If this keeps up, Williams could go from merely making the roster, to becoming the team’s number one target.

Josh Rosen, QB

His box score doesn’t show it, but Josh Rosen was solid against the Atlanta Falcons. The Dolphins offensive line could barely find time to protect him, forcing the second-year quarterback to improvise more than he should’ve had to. However, that performance he put on doing just that shows Rosen just might be worth investing in. Rosen’s favorite target, as previously mentioned, was obviously Preston Williams. Their rapport could go a long way this season, if Rosen gets to start.

Having trust in a wide receiver makes QBs willing to take chances, which leads to big plays. Rosen completed 13 out of 20 passes, for 191 yards. His only real mistake was when he made an egregious interception to a linebacker just standing there waiting for him to throw the ball. No one’s perfect though. The big plays far outweighed the one mistake.

If nothing else, this week’s performance shows that Rosen deserves a chance to play with all the starters. Fitzpatrick was okay, but he did not do nearly as well as Rosen did. He was elusive, showed tremendous pocket presence and awareness, and he was accurate on his throws. That’s everything a quarterback needs to be. There was skepticism still surrounding Rosen, but if the offensive line can just find a way to protect him, he might just break out in 2019.

Dewayne Hendrix, DE

There are a lot of young players trying to stand out and make a case for why they deserve to be on the final 53-man roster, and the choice for week one of the preseason is Pitt defensive end Dewayne Hendrix. The undrafted free agent has had his moments in training camp, and he had a few against the Falcons on Thursday. Hendrix made two sacks on QB Chris Simms in timely moments, resulting in the defense stopping Atlanta before they could make a game-winning play.

Hendrix battled a lot of adversity making it to the NFL, his college career was rife with struggle for one reason or another. Clearly, he’s making the most of his opportunity. With Miami’s pass rush being as weak as it is, recording two sacks is nothing to sneeze at. He’s flashed in camp, now he’s flashing in preseason. All he has to do is keep this up, and his spot on the roster should be secured.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Josh Rosen has produced mixed results in his quest to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback.

Preseason: Dolphins vs. Falcons – Top 3 players to watch

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The Dolphins first preseason game is fast approaching, and there are a lot of players that need evaluating. So, the time has come to give a quick rundown of which three players fans should be keeping a close eye on as the Dolphins face the Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium.

Josh Rosen, QB

Did anyone not see this coming? Yes, Josh Rosen is at the top of the list of players to watch for the first preseason game. All throughout training camp, Rosen has steadily improved, but still fallen short of veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick will start the game for however long coach Brian Flores deems fit, but there is an advantage to Rosen not starting. Because he’s listed as the backup, Rosen will have a chance to get more snaps than usual.

Rosen needs all the practice he can get as he tries to get his career back in order. He was derailed in his rookie season by the dysfunctional Cardinals, and this will be his first game action since being traded. All Rosen has to do is show that he’s still worth investing in. Make smart plays, take calculated risks, and prove he’s worth the pick Miami traded to get him. The Falcons already had their first preseason game, so the defense will have a head start. Seeing how he does against them will offer some insight.

Michael Deiter, G

Strangely enough, undrafted free agent Shaq Calhoun is doing just as well, if not more so, than the Dolphins 2019 third round pick. This puts a certain amount of pressure on Deiter. By his own admission, offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo says he still has a lot to work on.

“That I need to get better and that I’m nowhere near where I need to be, which is good. I’m not. He’s right.” Deiter said on Tuesday. “But I’m getting better, for sure, and making strides. The biggest thing is mastering the offense and getting as comfortable as I can mentally, that way I can come out here and just cut it loose without thinking.”

DeGuglielmo is not shy about letting young players play; the antithesis of fired OL coach Pat Flaherty. As a result, Deiter is going through his growing pains now. It will be interesting to see how he holds up against a defensive front going all out.

Preston Williams, WR

Oh look, Williams makes another list. Surprise, surprise. Yes, the time has come to see what Williams can do in a real game. He impresses in practice, even in full pads. But this is an actual opponent, which means no punches will be pulled. It may only be preseason, but there are a lot of players gunning for a spot on each team’s final roster. Even if it’s sloppy, players will be giving it everything they’ve got.

With all the rotation the Dolphins are doing in practice, there’s no way to guess who will start and who will play later. Maybe there is no set number of snaps for players. Maybe Williams will play with Fitzpatrick and Rosen in the same game. All anyone can do is wait and see how Flores coaches his first ever NFL game. Williams still has something to prove, and a competition to win. A strong performance against Atlanta will go a long way for him.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Las sensaciones que dejó el Barcelona 2 Napoli 1 en el Hard Rock Stadium

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Bruno Gomez y Alejandro Villegas analizan el funcionamiento táctico del Napoli de Italia y el FC Barcelona tras la victoria del equipo catalán 2 a 1 en el primero de dos encuentros amistosos en los Estados Unidos. Lo que vimos de Neto, el héroe del Barca, Antoine Griezmann, Riqui Puig, Carles Pérez, Luis Suárez, Rakitic, Busquets, Junior Firpo en su debut, Dembelé y De Jong desde la banca y mucho más.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2gzzumlMLo]

Stephen Ross

Stephen Ross and conflicting messages create PR mess for Dolphins

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For those that don’t know, Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross has been an avid supporter of Donald Trump for many years. However, despite the President’s stance on race and equality in America, Ross has continued to fund R.I.S.E, one of the biggest non-profit organizations supporting racial equality in the world.

According to the official website, R.I.S.E stands for:

“We are a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.”

So why is this a thing now?

Stephen Ross supports Donald Trump

Wait, WTF?!?!

That’s right, folks. Ross, the man that supported players protesting the national anthem, is now holding a very expensive luncheon for the president. A president who’s entire campaign was built upon racism and other unethical fallacies. So which is it Ross? Do you support the players and those affected by racial inequality. Or do you back the mouth-breathing, racist in the oval office, doing whatever it takes to counter those very ideas that R.I.S.E stands for.

I call BS, and so does one of the one of the biggest advocates for racial equality – Dolphins’ wide receiver Kenny Stills.

Stills took to Twitter early yesterday morning, and dropped an atom bomb that would send shock waves throughout the sports world.

 

Now regardless of which side of the political landscape you are on, Stills has a point. After all, Trump symbolizes all that is wrong in today’s society. Race, hatred, and of course, his hair. So how can someone so adamantly for racial equality, support someone so against it.  Worst of all, how can he not see the divide this could create among his other entities, specifically his football team.  And for what?  A tax cut?

It just makes you wonder how such a successful business man, could be so foolish.

Sure, Ross has done a lot for the community.  And as an owner, he’s used his hard earned money to fund stadium renovations, making Hard Rock one of the premier stadiums in all of sports.  But as an owner, Ross has fell short.  Yes, every March he opens his checkbook and adds lots of zeros to highly-coveted free agents that never seem to pan out.  And yes, every three or four years he embarks on a coaching search, trying to turn this team into a contender-which he’s failed to do since taking over the team in 2008.

Truth is, Ross is a bad owner and his recent comments have been less than ideal.  His name is now in the media for all the wrong reason.  But as you can expect Twitter took the news exactly how you’d expect.  All. Hell. Broke. Loose.

Here are some of the best reactions from Twitter over the last 24 hours.

TWITTER

 

 

Conclusion

In the end, Stephen Ross is an absentee owner that has done very little right during his hobby of owning an NFL team.  And for a guy so hypocritical, perhaps the time is now for him to sell this once historic franchise.  After all, Ross is 79 years old and doesn’t have many more years to watch this team struggle among the NFL’s elite.  Today, we saw what Ross is truly invested in. What he truly cares about.  And for a successful businessman that’s done so much right as an entrepreneur , he could not be more wrong.

Fasten your seat belts,  it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

 

Josh Houtz (@houtz) contributes to several platforms on Five Reasons Sports, including Smark Your Territory — after all, wrestling is a little like politics.

Dembelé pide espacio en el once del Barcelona

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Dembelé entra a esta temporada 2019-2020 como un suplente de lujo en la plantilla del FC Barcelona, sobretodo tras el fichaje del también francés Antoine Griezmann.

El equipo catalán tiene una sobrepoblación en el mediocampo y en la delantera, con Coutinho todavía a la expectativa a ver si va a ser cedido o vendido, ante la posible de llegada de Neymar.

A este Barcelona no le hace falta el brasileño. Le hace falta que despegue Dembelé.

El ciclo de Neymar con el Barcelona parece haber terminado, y de hecho, hace dos años cuando Neymar decidió irse al Paris Saint Germain, fue Dembelé quien llegó para suplirlo en esa posición.

El Barcelona venció 2 a 1 al Napoli la noche de este miércoles en el Hard Rock Stadium de Miami Gardens, en un partido en el que el equipo italiano fue superior y debió haber sacado un mejor resultado.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHCQRMhpjR8

Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suárez y Carles Pérez fueron los tres titulares. Dembelé vino como recambio en la segunda mitad.

El Barcelona fue superado ampliamente en la primera mitad, y logró adelantarse tras un disparo de Busquets desde fuera del área, en una primera mitad en la que el Napoli se cansó de fallar ocasiones claras de gol.

Riqui Puig jugó un muy buen partido, y aunque se sabe que no estará con el equipo de primera, se ve que hay generación de relevo en el Barcelona B en algunas posiciones.

El empate llegó a los pocos minutos producto de un autogol de Umtiti, en otra llegada peligrosa del equipo italiano, y nos fuimos al descanso con un empate que debió ser victoria del Napoli.

Ousmane Dembelé entró como variante en la segunda mitad y cambió la dinámica del juego.

El francés jugó por la izquierda, por donde comenzó Griezmann, y se nota que está mucho más cómodo por esa banda que su compañero recién adquirido.

Dembelé ha jugado mucho por derecha en esta pretemporada, pero Valverde debe haberse dado cuenta que es en esa banda, como comenzaba Neymar, que el joven francés destaca más.

Tanto enganchando hacia el medio, como desbordando, pues Dembelé maneja ambos perfiles, el delantero francés es una amenaza de gol constante.

¿Se animará Valverde a colocarlo de titular para el debut del FC Barcelona en La Liga el próximo viernes 18 de Agosto ante el Athletic de Bilbao?

Messi y Suárez no están en forma aún, así que tiene el pretexto perfecto para hacerlo.

Disfruta de toda nuestra cobertura del fútbol europeo en Cinco Razones Podcast y 90 + Cinco, con Bruno Gomez, Maria Hernandez y Octavio Sequera. 

Luis Suarez on Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Napoli

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En espanol!

Brian Flores Adam GaseEldon Jenson

Is Dolphins head coach Brian Flores the antithesis of Adam Gase?

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So far, head coach Brian Flores is making it clear that he expects a lot out of his players in his first year as head coach. The installation of the T.N.T. (Takes No Talent) wall as a disciplinary measure is also about building team unity. Everyone is in this together, and no one is bigger than the team, not even the coaches. Brian Flores himself runs to the wall when something goes wrong. His words are backed up by action.

“We’re all in this together. I think that’s what a team is.” He said this past Friday. “We don’t separate the players and the coaches, the coaches and the scouts, the scouts and the executives – we’re all in this together. The coaches run. I ran yesterday. I think it’s something that if you embrace the team atmosphere, team culture, put-the-team-first type of environment, I think one run, we all run. That’s the kind of environment that we’re trying to create. The coaches, they understand that. This is not a ‘you have to do it.’ It’s a team-first attitude that we’re looking for.”

This sort of talk is exactly what fans are looking for in a head coach. The schemes he’s installing are also very involved. There’s a lot of movement, players have to be on their toes, because anything could happen at any time. Safeties playing linebacker, corners blitzing while linebackers drop back into coverage, defensive linemen setting up all over the line of scrimmage to take advantage of matchups. The same goes for the offense.

It’s much more complicated than schemes of previous regimes, and demands a lot of dedication from players. However, there’s something to consider. The Dolphins have gone down this path before.

Flashback to Adam Gase

Since his firing, Adam Gase has already found a way to alienate his new city and team with his arguably insane methods. Once upon a time, Gase was considered one of the brightest young minds in the NFL. But now it’s starting to look more like the lights are not all on upstairs. He takes his work seriously, insanely seriously. During his time with the Dolphins, Gase would run to make sure he took care of his staff and players if they were in trouble.

Now compare it to something like this, and one has to wonder what goes on in that mind of his.

Scary. Nevertheless, that work-oriented brain of his had lots of ideas that never came to fruition. He drew up crazy plays, some of which were seen during his three year tenure with Miami. He was supposed to add flavor to an offense that suffered for years under the bland, vanilla ideals of Joe Philbin. At first, it seemed like things would work out that way. Gase cut several players and coaches that weren’t getting the job done, and fans cheered.

Then he benched players who were bigger names but weren’t performing up to his standards. Also something else fans loved. Clearly, if the players weren’t understanding the schemes Gase put in place, they weren’t good enough, right?

Wrong.

As time passed, it became apparent that whatever it was Gase wanted, the entire team apparently couldn’t grasp it. The longer they couldn’t grasp it, the more frustrated Gase became with his players.

Gase calls out players for not trying enough

At the beginning, Adam Gase accepted responsibility when he felt there was something wrong. He blamed himself for shortcomings, and it was a breath of fresh air. Eventually, however, Gase’s tune changed. It was no longer his fault, but the players were to blame for the team’s inability to capture his vision for the offense specifically.

On October 27, 2017, Adam Gase infamously called out his players – specifically his best players – for not putting forth the effort to understand the offense.

“I don’t think it’s a retain information thing.” He said. “It’s we’re not putting the work in. That’s what it comes down to. If you can’t remember it, you shouldn’t be in the NFL. At the end of the day, guys have got to actually take this stuff home and study it. They’re not going to just learn it all in meetings. We’ve got to find guys that will actually put forth effort to actually remember this stuff and really, it starts with our best players.”

Harsh.

Then as Miami prepared to go into the 2018 offseason, Gase called out his players for not taking responsibility again.

“It’s never going to be the way we really want it and the way we keep talking about it until guys really take control of this thing,” Gase said. “There are a lot of things I can do to make things the way we need it, but at the end of the day, player accountability, making sure that everybody is on the same page, you need your leaders to step up, you need them to be vocal, you need them to actually do their part in a leadership role.”

Ouch.

So what did Gase have in mind for the offense? Likely, no one will ever know.

Brian Flores also has complicated schemes

So once again, the Dolphins find themselves with a coach who wants to install very involved strategies. Arguably, it’s even harder now than when Gase was in charge.

“It’s definitely going to be interesting because we have a lot of different guys, especially in my case and a lot of guys in the back end’s case that can do a lot of different things and play a lot of different positions.” safety Bobby McCain said on Monday. “With this defense, you have to be able to know it all, and know – not everything, but you want to know a lot. You want to know more than you’re supposed to, and it will help you in the long run.”

Once again, the same goes for the offense. Brian Flores comes from a team that thrives on players being where they’re supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there. If someone gets off their route or has a lapse in judgment, everyone suffers. Gase overhauled the roster in 2018, and even then the offense wasn’t what he envisioned. Why should anyone expect a change in how players process what they’re doing? Were they truly just not trying hard enough?

Offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea doesn’t have that complaint.

“I can tell this about the offense: it’s a group that’s embraced everything that we’ve asked them to do.” He said back in late July. “They’ve worked extremely hard, they’ve been very diligent in the meeting rooms. They’ve come out to the practice field, and they truly have tried to have an edge. It’s a group that wants to prove something. It’s a group that wants to play good, quality football. I’ve been very pleased with their work ethic. I’ve been very pleased with their roles and how they’ve accepted the team approach here.”

What’s the difference?

So here’s the million dollar question. Why are players apparently capable of understanding Flores’s schemes, but not Gase’s? Naturally, everything is speculative until the Dolphins get into game action, but things project to go well so far all the same. So what’s the difference between the two? The most likely reason is a very simple one: Brian Flores preaches basics and fundamentals. Coming from the Patriots, Brian Flores knows that knowledge is power.

Gase clearly thinks so too. However, the difference between the two is that Gase apparently wanted his players to learn for themselves while he focused on other things. Flores is more hands-on about the education of his players.

“This is a teaching camp.” Flores said back in April. “We’re not going to conquer the world over these next three days, but this is a teaching camp. We talked about that this morning with the players. It’s fundamentals, it’s technique, it’s our basic information, our basic installation. It’s getting out here, getting in and out of a huddle, the quarterback/center exchange, ball security – the basic, basic elements of football, because if you don’t have that as a foundation, we can’t do much after that.”

Basics. Fundamentals. Basics. Fundamentals.

Sometimes, that’s necessary to teach, even to professional football players. The New England Patriots have made a dynasty out of basics and fundamentals.

Reasonable chance for success

In conclusion, though there’s no surefire way to know how things will turn out until they play, looking back on history offers some idea of what to expect. There are many reasons why Adam Gase failed with the Dolphins. One of them, doubtlessly, is the fact he wouldn’t focus on fundamentals. Drawing up fancy plays and schemes and expecting players to execute them without first making sure their techniques are sound is a huge gamble.

Ironically, Brian Flores learned that lesson last season with the Patriots the hard way. Rob Gronkowski, now retired, did not know the basics of tackling and finding the right angle. The result? Miami came back to win on a desperation play known as the Miami Miracle.

Any other player well-versed in the basics of tackling makes that tackle. Gronkowski did not. Flores gambled on raw talent and size matchups to win for him, and he lost. Sound, disciplined football overcomes almost anything. That’s how New England routinely beats teams that, on paper, are superior to them. They never beat themselves, and take advantage of the mistakes of other teams.

This is what makes Brian Flores so different from Gase. The schemes are still complex. Players still have a lot to digest. But their foundation is solid. Gase tried to go big or go home, and he went home. Flores is starting small, and working his way up. He’s taken the lessons he’s learned, and applied them to his coaching style. Now, all that’s left is to sit back and see what exciting plans evolve from Flores’s focus on the basics.

“I think every once in a while, there’s a little bit of reflection from where I was 15 years ago to where I am now.” He said. “It’s nice to reflect that way … but as we move forward, I’m motivated to try to play some good, solid, fundamental, smart, tough, disciplined football for those people, for this community and try to improve on a daily basis.”

training camp day eleven

Top three Miami Dolphins training camp performers – Day 11

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The final Dolphins training camp open to the public has come to a close. It’s been a whirlwind, keeping a close watch on Josh Rosen as he battles for the starting job, watching players develop under the new staff, and figuring out how excited fans should realistically get.

So while practices will continue, they will do so without scrutiny from the public and the media. But for this last day, there are still players who stood out above the others, despite the walkthrough atmosphere. Here they are.

Adolphus Washington, DT

Even though he’s one of the more recent signings, defensive tackle Adolphus Washington is proving to be a valuable asset in training camp. The defensive tackle position is already loaded with talent: Christian Wilkins, Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor, Akeem Spence; it’s hard to imagine fitting him too. Nevertheless, Washington is making an amazing case for himself recently, and could force the coaches to make a hard decision.

Washington broke into the backfield on more than one occasion on Tuesday, giving quarterbacks Josh Rosen and Jake Rudock fits throughout scrimmage sessions. He has powerful hands, strong strikes, and he’s versatile along the defensive line. It seems unlikely the Dolphins will carry five defensive tackles, but Washington may force their hand.

Kalen Ballage, RB

In reality, both Drake and Ballage played well on Tuesday. But the edge goes to Ballage today as he was able to break free for big plays more often than Drake. Is it fair to Drake? After all, the offensive line has a lot to do with his success. Well, when the difference between them is one or two plays, distinction has to come from somewhere.

If nothing else, let it be a sign of things to come. It would be a stretch to put Drake and Ballage on the same level as Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, but they’re both extremely talented players that could eventually remind everyone what it was like to have them both at the same time.

Mark Walton, RB

Walton is here because it’s already been mentioned that Ballage and Drake produced about the same. However, Walton also flashed a lot on Tuesday, showing he’s capable of running every route of the passing tree available to halfbacks. It’s still unknown whether he’ll face long-term consequences for his off-the-field mistakes, but right now he has the third running back spot locked down tight.

All he has to do is continue on the path he’s on, and Walton will solidify his redemption. He runs hard, he catches passes, and he’s been consistent all through camp. True, he isn’t as explosive as Ballage or Drake, but he could be the bruiser back the offense will eventually need. If that happens, then the RB stable will be fully stocked.