Miami Dolphins lineup is what it is

BUFFALO -- Earlier this week Dolphins coach Joe Philbin was asked if the changing of players' roles is more difficult this week based on the fact tonight's game allowed little time for change. And the coach was coy, knowing full well that he's basically locked in on practically every role and job.

“I don’t know that anything’s out of the question," Philbin said. "We’re obviously putting together the plan for Buffalo as we speak. We came back last night and worked on it. We’ll see as it unfolds during the course of the week."

Yeah, great.

Look, the truth is the Dolphins seem locked in for this game. And, furthermore, most players seem locked into their current job because circumstances are demanding it.

Sean Smith is going to start cornerback whether he plays well as he did earlier in the season or doesn't as he's shown the past two weeks.

Ryan Tannehill is going to start the rest of this season whether he plays well or not.

Jake Long is going to start at left tackle whether he plays well or not.

Jimmy Wilson has been terrible as the nickel cornerback except on the occasions he's blitzing -- he's been excellent doing that while struggling in coverage.

Richie Incognito is likely going to remain the starting left guard whether he struggles or not, commits a dumb penalty or not.

The truth is the Dolphins don't have enough depth in the secondary and viable talent behind the starters to make a significant change. The truth is Long has not been his typical self, but no one behind him is challenging him. The truth is regardless of how much Anthony Fasano disappears (three receptions the last three week), Michael Egnew is not ready to step up.

The fact is there is only one starter whose performance is lately not up to par that can be replaced by his backups and that's running back Reggie Bush. And while Bush can be replaced on a physical and performance level, that move might have repurcussions throughout the locker room making the move dangerous.

So, basically, these are your Miami Dolphins. Things aren't going to change much the rest of the season. Get used to it.

But here's the caveat to all that ...

Jobs are not necessarily at stake now or for the rest of this year. But there are players -- Smith, Long, Fasano, Randy Starks, Brian Hartline, Bush, Reshad Jones -- who must perform well to get the kind of contracts they all want once this season is over and their current deals expire.

That and professional pride will have to be the motivation.

Fear of being replaced?

Doesn't look that way.

Comments

[Mark in Toronto]

If every single player in the league doesn't play for professional pride adn their next contract then what on earth are they playing for?

[Kris]

LOL @ 3:17....

[Rushteinberg]

We should try to trade Bush for Tebow.

[mattybfromnc]

The Falcons just installed that fear in one of their players but had someone to back them up.. The depth will come creating more competion thus making us a better team.. just not this year..

[Rushteinberg]

Can we get Ronnie Brown back? He's contributing 80 total yards a game and 6 yards per touch to the Chargers.

[Rushteinberg]

We should beg Ricky Williams to unretire and then put him at QB and run a QB draw every single play.

[Rushteinberg]

Let's put Smith in at WR and tell him to "go deep."

[mattybfromnc]

Glad to hear that Tannehill himself said that he feels better and back to 100%.

[Rushteinberg]

Go deep. Is what it!!! That should be our new rallying cry.

Is what it!!!

[Cartman]

We should be 6-3 god damn it!!!!

[Mark in Toronto]

@ 3:17 is funny indeed.

[UMGM]

It's time to shake things up. Why not try Smith out at WR?

[mattybfromnc]

Because he cant catch the INT's that fall into his hands.. much less a designed pass play

[Kris]

CommonSense....

Gotcha...

and I agree on that...

I coudn't ask that question without it reading like a snide remark....so I understand you being defensive...I just didn't under the name calling....

buyt I agree @ 3:16...Philbin and Sherman are working to fix it...

Posted by: Kris | November 15, 2012 at 03:23 PM

[Romeo]

They are who we thought they were!

[Fins Fan]

Hears an idea, hows about giving Reggie Bush more then 4 touches. Your best player needs to get touches to match plays.

[Kris]

LOL @ 3:28 then...

[CommonSense]

Haha, gotcha.

so to sum that up... "It is what it is"

Well hopefully they beat up the Bills. Either way I'll be watching as usual.

Cheers all, enjoy the game.

[mattybfromnc]

lol thats funny.. why so sensative on someone calling out the typo?

[Jets Garbage]

In other news, the Marlins did good. I understand stupid sheep fans overreacting as they are instructed to do, but I thought Cote and that other guy are professionals? The team lost 93 games. Good job trading the losers who lost those games. Give new kids a chance next year. That's how we got Cabrera when he was young. We have 2 World Series Titles. I'll take a title every decade using a "Major League" (movie) approach over being a Cubs or Expos fan any day.

[Jets Garbage]

Typo fixed. You're welcome.

[mattybfromnc]

I guess they heard your message Jets Garbage.. they fixed the title of the blog topic

[Dr. Bernstein]

Does anyone know if Goldrush will have the game on?

[Kris]

jets Garbage....

thanks....

Now if ONLY the HERALD STAFF it figure out that the LINK (LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE)....still had the TYPO.....then they might be in business ....

GET TO WORK OSCAR.....

[Kris]

GOOD JOB OSCAR...good job....

[Kris]

:)

[cpt. obvious]

FEAR THE TYPO

[Huh?]

give thomas 35 carries and watch an offensive explosion of Petersonian proportions

[The Braided Coconut Omar]

I've been telling anyone foolish enuf to listen that corner back Smith is an elite Pro Bowl playa!

This year
I've told ya Smith would put it all together.
Just remember all those dropped interceptions go down as PDs

Thank God, that will help my asinine Smith grandstanding on the stat sheets as long as you don't watch the game and listen only to me.

[Mark in Toronto]

@3:35 as a Jays fan, trust me the marlins got some excellent young players. it will just take time. In the meantime those guys coming to Toronto will have to contribute fast and the team will have to do good right off or it can turn ugly fast.

[Marc]

Sean smith at wr you guys forgot something HE CAN'T CATCH THE BALL stupid is as stupid does

[Mark in Toronto]

Truth, happy 1998 to you too!!!

haha, I played that song steadily in my 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse Turbo on the steady. Such fun i had in that ride ...

[Marc]

How about running a true west coast split backs no shotgun run the old 49ers offense mix the rush with the pass chew the clock control the ball and win

[The Blog Intern]

Sorry guys. Please don't tell Mando!

[Marc]

Our offense is struggling

[Truth]

Mark, in all seriousness, I could write a book. I'm being serious (and yeah good song at the time...now I can't stand Limp Bizkit and skip every time it comes on my shuffle). But anyway, women complain that "all men are dogs." Women should thank their lucky stars for that. Every bit of work and progress that has ever happened in the world (building buildings to live in, inventing useful things, killing and learning how to grow food, everything) is because a man wants to earn some nookie. Women would be starving to death or being killed by wild animals if men didn't want the nookie so badly.

[Truth]

Marc is correct that we do NOT run a west coast offense. Simply declaring that we do does not make it so. Bill Walsh's 49ers WCO emphasized running the ball with Roger Craig and throwing to the TE and FB, with occasional deep passes to the WR to keep everyone honest. I promise you Walsh did not coach one game in which his team ran the ball less than 35 times, let alone 20 times, which Sherman has perpetrated on us 6 times already in 9 games. What Sherman is running in no way resembles Walsh's WCO.

[Truth]

And as proof, recall all those years from 1983-1999 in which Montana's QBR and completion % was much better than Marino's but with about 200 less pass attempts and 1200 less yards. It was the Fins and Marino in the 80s who were chucking it all around and piling up passing yards and TDs (but also INTS, and with no running game, no ball control, thus tiring out the D), while the 49ers used Montana (the great one) as what would today be condescendingly called a "game manager", throwing the ball far less and running the ball far more.

Funny, today's 14-2 49ers are doing the same thing, with Smith (before injury) throwing only 22 times a game and doing ridiculous things like being 19 for 22 for 220 yards, 2 TDs, no INTS. Very Montanaish stats, actually.

So we never learn.

Today Sherman is trying to have a Marino offense (which didn't take us to the promised land even with Marino) except we don't have Marino, Duper, or Clayton. Ridiculous.

[Truth]

I meant to say 1989. From 1984-1989 (the last year Marino was anything other than a liability with his pick 6s), Montana had Alex Smith type numbers.

Montana's exact performance today would be condescendingly referred to as "game manager" type performance.

65% completion but for only 220 yards, but with 2.5 TDs and no INTs per game.

[2 watt]

1st

[2 watt]

5-5 or 4-6?

[Turd Ferguson]

Starks, Hartline & Bush are the only ones who have earned new ontracts.....

[Mark in Toronto]

Truth, 100% right and have always thought so. People say money makes the world go round ... WRONG ... money gets the cooch that makes the world go round ...

[Truth]

Yep. I'm sitting in my office right now because I need money for women. I don't even mean in a pathetic go get laid way. I have daughters. But even still. I have to work for them and for my wife. I hate working and I'm tired. But I can't just be a homeless man under a bridge who sleeps all day (which would be easy to do), which is why 99.9999% of men also work and are not homeless men sleeping under a bridge. But before I had kids and a wife, I needed to do well in school, work hard, have good income and be able to provide for a woman. Even the best women are partial gold diggers. Not necessarily horrible ones who are flat out whores for NBA stars, but even the average nobody guy is providing for a woman because of the biological urge for the nookie.

[odinseye]

Can anyone help me decipher this? IS Odinseye saying that i am posting as someone else and calling me a Troll Tard?

Posted by: mattybfromNC | November 15, 2012 at 08:23 AM

Matty,

I should have been more clear. But I was calling Tanne Tipped Again the TrollTard.

I read your posts and I like your contributions. Your not anywhere CLOSE to being a Troll in my Book.

Nice to see you in Blue!

[Mark in Toronto]

Truth, I have a motto .... "YOU ALWAYS PAY"

In fact strippers and ho-bags are probably your cheapest option over the long run.

[Voice of Reason]

Our QB is pathetic. Of couse the offense is struggling.

[red]

Say the hell with it, and put Bush in at WR..... let Thomas, Miller and lane handle RB duties.... What do we have to loose... Bush is one of our fastest guys, and can catch.... And no way put Smith at Wr, he was converted to CB in college for a reason..... HE CAN'T CATCH!

[FED UP]

Ross save the Dolphins. SELL THE TEAM!

[petrograd]

moisture.

[mattybfromnc]

Posted by: odinseye | November 15, 2012 at 04:42 PM

Ok good deal, I was confused and was waiting to see you posting so i could ask you.

Yeah I finally figured out how to do it lol

That would help clear up some of the troll stuff if everyone would register

[mattybfromnc]

Alright so CJ Spiller leads the league in yards per carry and he is going up against a, what was thought to be, tough run defense. Hopefully the front 7 shows up tonight and dominates...
Bush was also quoted this week saying it bothered him that he was benched.. this shows that he cares and I expect him, as long as hes given the chance with touches, to have a big game tonight.
We all saw what he could do when he was determined and had a chip on his shoulder. Hopefully that translates over to the field tonight..

[Shula 73]

If that darn Henne didnt get injured last year WE would have Andrew Luck.

[Shula 73]

We had a chance to draft Spiller as I remember.

[beerphin]

Lamar Miller Time!

[odinseye]

Matty, agreed on Bush!

CJ Spiller is a talent unto himself-lol! He's like having a WR threat that can beat you at any second.

The key with Spiller is to get to him quickly and get him on the ground hard. If he gets going or hits the 2nd level, watchout!

I would probably "Spy" him on alot of downs. Not every down, but alot just the same.

[Mark in Toronto]

Shula, no we did not. He was a number 8 pick by Buffalo, we had the number 12 pick and traded it away.

[Marc]

Spiller is a leathal weapon very scary

[Mr. Findlay of Tuckahoe]

Giraffes are stupid.

[bill connors]

i live in kc, topic on radio today was sherman becoming head coach of the chiefs,lol