Coordinators make their appearance

Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning talked ot the media for about 14 minutes today and I was fascinated by the discussion about what this group of coaches -- and obviously the personnel dept. -- thinks of the balance between having a group of mediocre receivers or a group that is excellent and might include a so-called diva.

"We like this group of receivers," Henning said. "I've told you that before. They're like Rodney Dangerfield. [Greg] Camarillo and [Davone] Bess weren't even drafted. [Brian] Hartline was drafted but he was drafted after another guy on the same team [Pat Turner] and three or four other guys that went before him. And no one thought he was as good as we thought he was. And Teddy has been chronicled around here as ... he's been villified. And the only guy that has it worse than him right now is Tiger, I guess.

"But they like one another. They work together. They bought in to what we're teaching and so, you know, when you're talking about a coaching situation, everyone would love to have the most talented, biggest, strongest, fastest guy with the best hands. We don't have that and don't get them all the time. But even when you have that, as some people have found with certain individuals in this league, the best thing to have in a coaching situation is these type of guys."

Henning says Camarillo knows all four receiver spots. Bess knows three of the four. Hartline is learning all four. And Ginn knows two.

"We're getting a lot out of them," Henning said. "And we don't have any diva problems. Diva problems can suck the energy out of your football team."

Henning agrees sometimes having a reciever that tilts the field is worth the trouble. But he is very cautious about it.

"Yeah, but he's got to be good," the coach said when asked if he'd take a diva. "He's got to be good."

Why?

"It does take away," Henning said. "You just can't have discord because it's a team operation and when that's being talked about all the time and everybody's afraid to get into a guy's aura and you have to tiptoe around a locker room, it takes away from your team. So the guys' got to be pretty good. He's got to be an Alpha and a definite game-changer."

Look, my personal opinion? There are no perfect players because there are no perfect people. So if you have to pick between a bunch of great guys that stuggle on the field and a couple of great guys and some "divas" that take you to Super Bowls, I pick the latter.

Period.

Mark Clayton and Mark Duper were troubled people. You think Dan Marino isn't thankful he had them?

Santonio Holmes got in all sorts of trouble his first couple of years in Pittsburgh. You think that game-winning catch to win the Super Bowl last year wasn't worth that trouble?

Dolphins defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni talked to the media for almost 10 minutes and in that time he kept shroudded the fact on which player -- Sean Smith or Gibril Wilson -- had the ultimate responsibility on that 63-yard pass last week versus Carolina.

"We're supposed to cover the guy," Pasqualoni said. "I can't get into the details of the coverage. But in any of those coverages that we play, technically, you'd like fo the guy not to run between two guys. Ideally, you'd like to intercept it or knock it down."

The Dolphins have yielded 31 pass plays of 25 yards or more this year. That's an average of more than two per game.

And for the record, on plays where the corner is supposed to have help over the top from the free safety, the free safety is charged with getting over in time to knock down the pass.

I asked Pasqualoni about Jason Taylor's recent sack drought. He hasn't had a full sack since Oct. 25. Part of that is due to the fact he wasn't getting many opportunities, as he was curiously coming off the field on third down. But last game, Taylor got pass-rush chances.

He is locked at 6 sacks so far.

"They come in streaks," Pasqualoni said of sacks. "You get hot and sometimes you cool off. Sometimes it doesn't go your way. A couple of weeks ago when we were playing the Patriots, I don't think we had any sacks. At the end of the day, and I know that sacks [are] a big deal and big statistic in this league, but we just got through talking about team defense. We beat the Patriots and we didn't sack the guy once, but we win the game.

"You tell me? What would you rather do? Have fives sacks and lose to the Patriots? Or have no sacks and beat the Patriots? So to me, it all depends on the way it's going. If they come, they come. That's great. If they don't, it's not the most important statistic on the goal board. that won-loss is the most important one. That's the way I look at it. I would not get all out of shape about out, I really wouldn't."

In other news: Reggie Torbor returned to practice at least on a limited basis today. He is still nursing a hamstring injury which pretty much has assured he'll not start ahead of Akin Ayodele this week despite playing better than Ayodele last week.

Comments

[Armando Salguero]

Maybe if you had a more interesting coment than this blog sucks, the blog wouldn't suck

[Po White Trash]

JerryCT....

So does your mother!

[JerryCT]

No I'm sure it still would

[Mark in Toronto]

Dam, Peyton makes it look so easy. I hate him.

[Po White Trash]

Heard she swallows too!

[Mark in Toronto]

Mother jokes are sure to liven things up ....

[Po White Trash]

Phins talk,

Investment advice,

And Mother jokes too!

[Mark in Toronto]

Been one of the more well rounded discussions.

[Po White Trash]

Gotta love it...

Thats why we keep commin back!

[Supermike13]

Go fins

[Mark in Toronto]

Brutal kick!

[Armando Salguero]

Awight, got the directv working. And I'm logged in for real.

What up, men?

[Mark in Toronto]

Colts will not lose, Peyton is on fire!

[Po White Trash]

Mando!

Split on this one….

Dolphins undefeated or Jags lose and we are on our way to the playoffs!

Thoughts?

[Armando Salguero]

I want the Colts to lose. It's not that I'm a hater. But I just think being the only franchise with a perfect team is historic.

The get to the playoffs or not stuff is fleeting.

[Armando Salguero]

So Mark, do you and Lipsin Toronto know each other?

[Po White Trash]

My thoughts Exactly!

Great to have you here.

Colts to lose tonight and then beat the saints for it all.

Then no harm done.

Next year is ours.(please GOD)

[Mark in Toronto]

No, Mando. There are 3 million people in Toronto - not everyone knows each other, haha. BTW, a lot of Phin fans up here!

[Armando Salguero]

Next year will have a totally different feel for the Dolphins, Po.

I believe they will really make significant moves this offseason. I'm truly excited about them being aggressive this offseason.

[Po White Trash]

Ohhhh Sh*t!

Big play!

[ALoco]

In case anyone missed my prior post. Here are the pics of Cuban Menance and myself barebacksecrets.com. Yeah we know how to party.

[Armando Salguero]

Millen just called Dallas Clark ... Darryl Clark.

Why do you guys think he's so good?

[Mark in Toronto]

Hostorically, year 3 is when Parcells' teams become elite. NYJ, Dallas

[Armando Salguero]

I thought Canadians were like Cubans. We all know each other and live together. In the same house.

[Ace]

Armando agree with you on Colts losing. You say the fins will be more aggressive this offseason. In your opinion,what areas do you think they will target?

[Armando Salguero]

My big concern about the third year offseason not bringing the big return everyone thought is that there might not be, probably won't be a CBA.

Parcells worked off the assumption there would be and a lot of free agents would hit the market that won't if there is no CBA.

Bummer.

[Mark in Toronto]

Hahahaa, being Canadian, I actually get to go to Cuba on vacation quite often. Beautiful island.

[Po White Trash]

Mando,

Really appreciate your blog and articles, can’t stop coming back. Thanks for the tolerance, you know what I mean.

We are on our way, the Phins are doing it right!

Soon we shall be legend!

[tim stim]

I didn't know the PSU qb was playing tonight. He has fullback written all over him.

[Armando Salguero]

I think the Dolphins target OLB, NT, WR, maybe TE.

They know they need to add playmakers. But a guy who busts the pocket and causes a turnover by hitting the QB is a playmaker.

And Parcells picks those kind of guys moreso than a WR.

[Versimillitude]

absolutely putrid "effort" by Colts D........why should OUR season hinge on such piss-poor play

[Po White Trash]

Thats the Dolphins story here or late...

Hope to live at least another 30 Years.

If we don't get a SB now we will get one later.

I can wait, dont want to though.

[tim stim]

Mando,
Do you think Parcels would draft Navaro Bowman from PSU. I go to a lot of PSU games and that kid is a ball hawk at linebacker.

[Armando Salguero]

Don't do it, Mark! Don't do it!

Go to Miami!

Go to Jamaica. The Bahamas. Don't go to Cuba!

[Mark in Toronto]

I've done it. Also been to Miami many times. I was a season ticket holder in 2003. Tough year.

[Armando Salguero]

Colts D packing it in. Freeney and Mathis out of the game and Jags shredding them.

Ouch.

[tim stim]

Bowman could could play strongside OLB. Just my opinion. He is a great cover LB, just check his INT for 6 against Indiana.

[Armando Salguero]

tim stim, I honestly don't know. The truth is I know only what my sources tell me and, frankly, they are mostly in regular-season mode still.

They're not in draft mode yet.

I do know Parcells is studying college players already, tho.

[Mark in Toronto]

Bowman is very fast, but too small for a 3-4. 230 lbs.

[tim stim]

True, I try not to think draft until the are officaly eliminated. I think Bowman wil go 25-30 in the draft. If you get a chance you should youtube that pick. The kid has some real speed.
Pluse I as PSU homer I would love to see him and Wake rip it up on Sundays.

[EmoFinFan]

This Colt D laydown really bugs me........bad karma for them in (very) near future from this lame endeavor.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Navaro bowmen is 6-1 233-35 pounds. he's way to small.

[tim stim]

True but they play a hybrid 4-3 and 3-4 in college. Pluse Miami has to make it 4 straight years of drafting Big 10 in the 1st round. 2 out 3 look are major players.

[Po White Trash]

Mark, lived in Lauderdale that year, The Lucis Year...

Went to the Phins Ravens game.

That sucked.

[Armando Salguero]

Somebody called one of the local radio stations here today and asked which is the bigger bust Ted Ginn Jr or Jason Allen.

And the show host said Ginn.

Amazing the ignorance on the airwaves.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Bowman won't even be on miami's draft board.

[EmoFinFan]

well there's always Peyton to make up for a multitude of sins

[tim stim]

I know he plays for the Bills, but Poz still might be my favorite LB in the NFL.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Mando , miami MUST also improve at the IlB Spot in the draft.

[Po White Trash]

Take Ginn over Allen.

Haten it though.

[Armando Salguero]

Priorities, NJ, priorities.

Do you think ILB is more a priority than OLB, NT or WR?

[Po White Trash]

Draft ILB and move Crowder to OLB.

[Armando Salguero]

My @#$%&! satellite signal is out again.

[tim stim]

Crowder would have to be strongside. To slow to blitz all the time. Crowder should stay at MLB and get a player to replace Akin and rotate in Torbor.

[Mark in Toronto]

Hhahaha, that is ignorance. Ginn has played a major role in at least 5 victories in the last 2 years.

Both NYJ games this year
Buffalo (175 yards), KC, huge 40+ yard end around td, and huge long TD in the divison clincher against the Jets in the finale last year.

I think the frustration comes from him not progressing and not playing up to his skill level. I mean Desean Jackson is of similar size/speed and look at what he does.

Still is a bust but not as bad as Allen. hard to imagine a healthy player being a worse pick.

[Po White Trash]

We had a good D when Zack was at middle and Crowder was OLB.

Know that was a 4-3 and not a 3-4.

Takes a GREAT NT to run a 3-4.

We just Need a great D however it can be.

Miss Bates.

[tim stim]

I would at Safety to that list Mando. Bell aint getting any younger and Wilson is well......ok sorry just threw up in my mouth.

[NJ PHIN FAN]

Mando , if there is a ILB still available that is higher rated than those other positions than yes. The Nt and wr positions in the drafts first round are not that srong . I can see olb. there's some good ones.

[tim stim]

I wouldn't mind seeing them sign Coy Wire from the Falcons to help with special teams.

[Armando Salguero]

Good answer 99 percentile!