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Benjamin Barker

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Posts posted by Benjamin Barker

  1. Ben - Don’t have time to address your entire assessment but I did want to give my opinion on the defense as a whole - and defensive line and linebackers in particular. The D-line and linebackers finished 2009 ranked 30th against the run and allowed 4.7 yards per carry. The Dolphins are a pretty good rushing team, finishing 2009 ranked 4th in rushing and averaged 4.4 ypc. In this game, the Fins ran the ball 36 times for 132 yds for a 3.7 average. Looking at it a little more closely, the Fins had only 3 runs greater than 8 yards (17, 11, and 10). Take away those three runs and they gained 94 yards on their other 33 carries for a 2.8 yards per carry average. I’d say a damn good job and a hell of an improvement from last year. They didn’t generate a great deal of pressure, but when the game was on the line in the second half they picked it up – as Henne went 8-18 for 54 yards and was sacked twice and hurried a number of other times. In addition, while the linebackers had some coverage issues (as to be expected) they didn't exactly get eaten alive (we'll see how they do against Rodgers and Brady - but the assessment is for this game). Overall, the defense gave up a more than respectable 296 total yards. Considering they were on the field for almost 37 minutes and faced 73 plays – and gave up only 4.1 yds per play (and only 5 out of 73 plays greater than 10 yards – 21, 17, 16, 13, and 11) – I’d say pretty damn impressive. They didn't force any turnovers but it wasn't like they had a difficult time getting off the field either. I'd like to see them get their 3rd down conversion rate under 30% and they gave up 70 and 53 yard drives early in the game - but Miami had the ball eleven times and their other nine drives went for 21, 15, 2, 12, 3, 20, 54, 31, and 9. What I especially liked was that there were no 9 - 10 minute 70 yard drives late in the game that we have grown accustomed to over the last few years. This defense actually looked stronger as the game went on against a very physical running team. Again, impressive.

     

    There are some fair points in here to be honest. I think perhaps I put too much emphasis on Kelsay's wandering around aimlessly when I was grading the linebackers. They didn't give up 200 yards rushing, so it probably shouldn't be an F performance.

  2. If you are familiar with my posts, this may shock you, but I'm willing to admit there is a chance that Trent Edwards is not the absolute worst starting quarterback in NFL.

     

    Sanchez and Moore both looked very bad, and stand to give Edwards a solid run for his money in the quest to be the NFL's worst.

     

    I still think there is a very good chance Trent will be the undisputed champion of bad quarterbacking by year's end, but if Sanchez or Moore takes home the title and Trent only gets a podium place it wouldn't really surprise me.

  3. To everyone that thinks I am being overly harsh:

     

    The offense gained the fewest yards of any team in the NFL this week. They definitely deserve an F. I mean, they were the literal worst.

     

    The defense played reasonably well and doesn't deserve an F (I did give the corners an A, though).

     

    Maybe the overall grade should be a D or a D-.

  4. Chan is lucky the Dolphins didn't get a first down and run the clock out or he would have looked really bad.

     

    His decision is debatable, but really what is a far bigger issue is Chan's decision to play a little emo schoolgirl at QB in the first place.

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