Dolphins’ Mike Sherman should be ‘Sherminated’
The games are many, and become fused together into a nightmarish and macabre collage of something we don’t fully understand. Yes, we were lacking credibility as a team with real deep threat and yes we had an offensive line which could not protect their QB. But that didn’t stop coach Sherman from calling plays early in games, which managed to circumvent those deficiencies. He rolled Tannehill out and by doing that, it forced potential shallow members of the opposition’s secondary to stay put and not rush, which in and itself allowed if not the deep threat,, at least other midfield route receivers to shake off the coverage and become open.
Adding additional protection on the right side by lining up an additional TE like Egnew off the line, had early positive results but wasn’t used consistently enough to say the least. He would also, at times when the running game was working, go to the shotgun play action which also had a similar effect of keeping potential rushers from committing and over pursuing the QB. Another good call we would see early on during these games, was the bootleg. These plays, even in the case of a rush, could’ve ended up having a similar effect to the option, by either freeing shorter route receivers from additional pressure or have the QB take off downfield for a chunk of yards.
The Dolphins would all too often go into halftime with a lead as a result of very astute game plans and play calling only to throw it all away along with the lead, by inexplicably get away from the more dynamic play calling to a hyper-predictable offense. We saw 3 and out after 3 out when after halftime, the offense would just settle into a predictable pattern of 7-step drop backs to pass or of Tannehill sitting from the shotgun waiting for someone to either get open deep or get sacked. When someone would finally manage to get open deep, the pass would too often be underthrown Screens to the right side never worked either, because of the right tackle lacking the speed and mobility to execute his role efficiently. Yet we always seemed too eager to try that. Over and over, drive after drive, would come to abrupt end because it was as if someone didn’t get it.. Meanwhile, our defense became exhausted and the floodgates of scoring opportunities for the other teams would open widely.
I can understand if this had happened once, and it would all be chalked to experience, but it would happen for entire second halves, play after play, down after down, game after game. Was Sherman looking at another game on his Ipad? Is he delusional or something else which I would dare not suggest, so I will not? Whatever the reason was, the Dolphins must remove any and all play calling responsibilities from Sherman or Sherman all together. I think most Dolphin fans are together on this one.
The off season saga will continue. We have some unresolved issues pending with other members of the Dolphins coaching staff and we need to take a closer look at other coaches and the defense coordinator, not to mention the head coach himself. Stay tuned. Happy New Year!!!