What should we expect from tonight’s “game” against the Bears? In a word: nothing.
Seriously, you have to go into these games knowing that they are a glorified practice session, rather than a true contest of who can score the most points. If the Dolphins win or lose, that doesn’t matter of course.
But just because the game itself doesn’t mean anything, there are still things to pay attention to. The Miami Herald (and their copycat friends at The Phinsiders) continue to report the obvious: The Dolphins are unsettled at the guard position. Caleb Sturgis has a challenger. The running backs are all fighting for a position on the team. Ho hum…we hear the same exact stories every single year. Zzzzzzz.
Here’s what I’m going to look for. The Dolphins won’t give away their playbook this early, so all the plays that the first-team offense runs will be basic plays, just trying to get the rust off. But I will be looking for the pace of the play. Even when the second, third, and fourth-string scrubs are in the game, pay attention to how fast their pace is.
This is the second year in a row that we’ve heard Bill Lazor talk about a fast-paced offense. We certainly didn’t see it last year, and let’s hope we see some glimpses tonight.
Another thing I’ll pay attention to is the demeanor of Joe Philbin. Will he at least TRY to look like as trong, confident leader out there? Or will it be the same old Clueless Joe, always looking around for answers,
I’m also watching Rishard Matthews. He has a chip on his shoulder and should see plenty of reps tonight. With DeVante Parker expected to miss the entire preseason (because Dolphin management drafted yet another player with known, pre-existing injuries), Matthews has a chance to make a bid for a job.
Look for linebacker Mike Hull, who’s looked really great in camp. Making tackles is nice, but I’m more concerned about his smarts…being in the right position at the right time, and his instincts, etc. Too many times, we see the Dolphins LBs yelling at each other right before the snap. They have no clue where they’re supposed to be, and Coyle rarely corrects it. Let’s see how the rookie flows to the ball.
Go ‘Phins, and I look forward to everyone’s comments tomorrow.
I wasn’t able to watch the game, so in effect – no comment!
Dissapointing to not even be in the game against the lowly Bears. This team needs to develop a habit of winning and i dont see that. The 1st team looked good for a few minutes and the rest of the game was a mismatch. Lack of depth is still a problem especially when injuries happen,