Panthers/Dolphins game thread.

our new big money center fell down an awful lot also. looked like he needed different cleats.

 

I wouldn't presume Shelton's cut yet. This year, the 1st cut is only to 75, instead of 65. That's just cutting the guys who have no chance, and maybe a couple you're doing a favor to so they can sign somewhere else.

This game was looking at guys fighting for starting jobs. Next game the reserves will play most of the game, and those roster spots should be settled. My guess anyway.

 

I've been dissappointed in him so far. I know he's just getting into shape after the hernia surgery, so I'm hoping he'll come on.

 

All I know is that we are NOT ready for this season and we sure as hell don't look like a Super Bowl team that everybody's predicting.

 

First quarter notes:
* First play - I like that Foster puts his head down and gets low for 3 instead of trying to bounce it out.

* Second - Foster gives a picture perfect chip on Jason Taylor, putting him right back in front of Wharton, and then gets out into the pass pattern. Jake should have looked his way instead of air-mailing it past Goings. Odd that Jake already appeared to be pissed off about something.

* Solid pass protection, but Jake is still leading his receivers far too much.

* Foster makes a nice cut to the outside after seeing the middle clogged, but Carter does a poor job of blocking the CB. Instead of going up inside Carter, he tries to bounce it out for a bigger gain, expecting Carter to seal the defender, but he loses contact and Foster has to go out. Drew needs to work on this.

* This running play was run at least three times in the first quarter alone. I don't know the precise terminology, but it appears to be an option run of sorts, in that Foster has the choice of either taking it up inside or cutting out. It's obviously designed because Key comes in motion as the flanker and either cracks on the second level LB or takes the closest DB. Meanwhile Hoover comes out of the straight I to seal in the DE to that side. On this play Foster bounces it out to the left for a solid gain.

* On the 3rd and 1, our guys washed down but Foster was too indecisive about his cut and there were three Dolphins outside of our last man.

* Something I noticed about the special teams coverage all night is that we're so paranoid about keeping our lanes that it seems as if no one actually breaks to go after the return man. We always seem like we have it covered, but they'll just cut up and get too many yards.

* Adams looks strong in coverage.

* TD apparently thinks it's a zone call because he releases Ronnie Brown while everyone else trails their man. It's 20 yards before he catches up.

* Next play TD does a nice job of jamming the TE and then getting all the way out into the flat to pick up the FB there.

* Miami C tries to cut Lewis, who avoids it and shoots the gap, blowing up Brown in the backfield. Gamble also blitzed out of the nickel slot on that play, something he's done a lot this preseason.

* We're being more creative with our LB blitzes and again use the twist that worked for us last week. Culpepper senses Draft and dumps to Booker, where Marshall makes a nice tackle.

* Interesting that Seward is filling in for Morgan in base D, but Draft is the sub in nickel.

* Dick Stockton is stupid. He says Miami is checking on Culpepper's throwing hand when they're just looking at pictures. He makes several more dumb statements during the course of the name, and manages to mangle some player names. (It's MAR-(ay), not mar-AY)

* Miami LB fakes a blitz and Wharton slides down in protection, leaving Hoover to solo Jason Taylor. He does a surprisingly good job, but Jake stares down Key again and Tillman nearly comes away with the INT.

* Gross continues to give up too much ground before setting, and Colbert might have caught Jake's long pass if he had just kept running instead of jumping prematurely.

* Our screen was set up very nicely, but Wahle pointed to Hill and yelled for Hartwig to get him, only he didn't and Wahle didn't either, allowing Hill to blow up Foster for a 1 yard gain.

* We seem to be running a lot of 4-3 over this preseason, which is where the SLB lines up beside the DE while standing up. TD blitzes out of this formation.

* Jenkins looks awesome. He is man-handling Jeno James, and either Culpepper is going on one a lot or Jenkins has picked up a tip on the snap count. Nice to see him play so much, although I think he was completely gassed by the third quarter. Still, a dominating, dominating performance.

* Gamble tries to cut under the WR screen instead of playing it straight, allowing a decent gain. Fortunately SWilliams did a nice job of getting over to the sideline and stopped it. He's prett fast to have made it over there that quickly.

* Foster had another designed run I mentioned earlier, and cut it outside to the right this time.

* I thought the Key PI call was b.s., but the defender does have a right to that space.

* The draw on 1st and 25 from our 5 actually could have gone for a long gain if Mathis had only kicked out Jason Taylor. He was pulling on the play and no one was blocking 99, but Mathis cut up to see about getting someone at the second level even though they were all fooled into thinking it was a pass play.

* Another of that designed run, only Foster kept it inside this time. Should have been a solid gain except that Hartwig lost his block on Wilkinson.

* Rucker had nice penetration. The TE was supposed to block down on him, but Rucker was too fast and forced Brown deeper. Williams was up very quickly in run support.

* CB blitz again, with Lucas this time.

* I don't know if we were playing zone, or whose responsibility McMichael was (I think Draft), but he was wide fucking open.

* I didn't think Chambers' call was PI either, but he did hook Lucas. I still don't think we would have gotten the call if not for the PI on Key.

* Marshall played too far off on Booker, allowing a 17 yard gain on a slant. He has to know who he's playing against, as Booker isn't going to beat him deep.

* Lucas comes up very quickly in run support, and Jenkins again gets the snap count right.

 

Good stuff. What did you like about Adams, specifically? I was keeping somewhat of an eye on him, but didn't notice anything special. Didn't notice anything bad, either.

 

Thanks Collin. I had presumed the run plays were breaking down b/c of Mathis and Hartwig, but the insight on carter is nice.

I'm encouraged that it's Mathis and Hartwig - they're new and still figuring it out. Well, Mathis is, and hartwig is new here.

I think penalties killed us as much as anything.

Yeah - jenks looked awesome. Imma watch this one again, I'm sure.

 

I for one applaud the Collin / magnus break downs.

Keep it up!

 

It was too bad about that play, because he had a very good night overall. THe next one being a good indicator. And he really does play the TE well.

My emphasis added so as to remove ambiguity. The "over" calls are often a way of getting a 3-4 type look out of a 4-3, and vice versa. It's occasionally used for teams that don't want to break out of a base defense/calls but have seen a defense on tape really do wonders in situations with a different defense.
We were really good at running this with Fields in

the problem with this that I had, was that the DB initiated contact. It's partly because Key was coming like that, but if Key doesn't cut and keeps on that path, then the DB is impeding his path. If it hadn't been an out route, that'd have been more easily PI on the CB.

 

The 3-4 over, yes, but the 4-3 over looks nothing like a 3-4. In fact, it's basically a 5-2 with a stand-up end. A lot of times it seems we use this against an unbalanced formation with 2 TEs to one side, so that we can have the extra body already there.