This is week 4 for Miami the next to the last preseason game. This is the preseason game where teams have a dry run, real game like preparation. Much like our regular season schedule Miami have been on the road for its first 3 games (the HOF game was in Ohio) so this game against Tampa Bay will be our preseason home opener.
Miami is 1-2 so far this preseason and it is quite clear that our Defense is still the better unit on this team. The offense is still trying to get itself on track and it starts with the QB. Tannehill has played ok so far, his best game was last week at Houston. But like the previous two games before the offense started off slow they failed to capitalize on a turnover (Brent Grimes INT) and ended up punting. They are trying to fix this slow start problem that is very evident so far in the preseason. I am not sure if it is nerves or what but its taken this offense at least 3 or 4 possessions to score and that will not do when you consider the early schedule.
What I am looking for in this game is an early score and not a field goal (even though that would be better than nothing) but a TD! Can they take the opening possession and go down and score a TD? Can Tannehill be a little more accurate, a little more poised, and play a lot faster? He still holds on to the ball to long. His ball placement can improve as well.
The offensive line seems to be getting in sync and hopefully our RG position will be manned by Lance Louis or John Jerry both of whom have had injury issues so far this preseason. Fortunately both are veteran players so they might have been trying to preserve their health and play them less by design. I will be paying close attention to the RG spot.
The RB’s are still in a battle and I must give props to Daniel Thomas who seems to be having his best camp to date he is out of my dog house and might be moving into my penthouse…In fact he is pushing Lamar Miller for playing time and Mike Sherman recently labeled both RB’s 1A & 1B and said he is happy to have backs so closely linked where the drop off is not that significant. The one thing that separates the two is Lamar Millers speed.
The TE position is also one to keep a close eye on now that Dustin Keller is lost for the season. The once whipping boy Michael Egnew is now our best TE to fit the role of Keller. With his height and athletic ability along with his improvement over last year he has an opportunity to step up and silence his unfair critics and I am hoping he does exactly that! He is still not listed as our starter but ironically Charles Clay is. Now to me it would seem Clay being on this team now 3 years is the guy who should get the criticism Egnew has received because Clay has teased us for 3 years already where Egnew is only starting year two. Either way we need our young TE’s to step up. Dion Sims just might prove to be our best fully rounded TE but being a rookie is it to much to ask of him this year? Time will tell.
Last but not least on offense can our WR’s get more receptions and TD’s? I still have not seen what I expect to see from our receivers, I feel we have in place the best receiver group in years in fact for some time! The only issue is who will be that 4th and 5th receiver if we keep 5. But the top 3 can show more production even if it is preseason. Who will separate themselves? This Tampa Game should provide a definitive answer. Whoever have the better game will be the one most likely to secure a spot on the team. (Keenan Davis, Jeff Fuller, Andrell Smith, Chad Bumphis, Rishard Matthews, Julius Pruitt,Brian Tyms, Marvin McNutt, Kenny Stafford) Someone needs to step up against Tampa Bay!
The only issue I have on defense is our CB’s I was somewhat surprised with the cut of CB Richard Marshall so early and I did in my article (https://dolphinseer.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/trade-bait-the-defense/) mention either him or Patterson as trade bait. But I never thought they would just outright cut the guy. That is a head scratcher to me….but now that he is gone I will be paying close attention to the CB’s and see how they play. I am not sold on either rookie yet because one Jamar Taylor has not been healthy and the other Will Davis is a turn style, he can intercept balls but he also gives up big plays because of his aggression and teams are savvy enough to expose him so he still needs seasoning……
Overall I consider or CB’s an upgrad over last year because we have two veteran CB’s Dimitri Patterson & Brent Grimes playing and our two young rookie CB’s taken relatively high in the draft to groom for the future. As they get to play in certain roles throughout the season.
Now I know that teams still try to not show to much in preseason and hopefully as this preseason like every other preseason fades away when the real games start, we will see that our team has the potential we all are hoping for and will prove it starting week one.
I have a nervous but excited spirit about this team and what they will do. I will soon give out my projection for the 2013 season and this game against Tampa Bay is pivotal in my assessment…..
Go Miami!
Homer Prediction: Miami 24, Tampa 19
The Dolphin Seer 
The loss of Keller is major as he and Tannehill were definitely on the same page. The position looks scary at the moment but if Egnew and Sims step up then things will be fine.
I suppose with Davis you could always play a safety deep as cover. Jamar Taylor should be up to speed within 4/5 games and could possibly beat out Patterson.
Rishard Matthews should be WR4 – he was ok end of last year and was connecting with Tannehill. He has also practiced well on return from injury.