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05 Nov 2009
Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss and former Pats linebacker Tedy Bruschi cover all the bases in an exhaustive preview of Sunday's New England-Miami game. Especially interesting are Bruschi's thoughts on defending the Wildcat the first time Miami rolled it out, and how these two teams are really built in Bill Parcells' image (making me think, more and more, that only Paul Brown and Bill Walsh exceed the Tuna's scope of influence among coaches and personnel people).
I've heard Bruschi break stuff down before (though not in this specific venue), and I've been tremendously impressed. More, please!
25 comments, Last at 07 Nov 2009, 11:26am by Mr Shush
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Comments
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Like how he points out how Gostkowski can possibly neutralize Ginn on kickoffs. Supports the FO assertion that his primary value over Viniateri was on kickoffs.
I do wonder how valuable his toughness meter is; all run based. The players' version of the establishment clause?
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Does Walsh even exceed Parcells? That seems pretty close to me. Of course, I'm also an unabashed Parcells fan, so maybe I'm biased.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
I think considering that his coaching tree is the largest, most plentiful coaching tree in league history(especially if you put Dungy under Green under Walsh - which I have seen some do). Also, his offense was run or is run by nearly 2/3 of the teams in the NFL, I think so. That man's legacy and influence will be felt forever.
Then again, I have a sizable man crush on the late, great Bill Walsh.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
However, he said, "among coaches and personnel people."
I would say that it seems that Parcells has more of an influence on the latter than Walsh and that rather evens them out. Of course it's rather unimportant since both have incredible influences that will be felt for many, many years if not, as you say, forever.
I wonder, though, who really should be in a coaching tree? My first thought is it should only be coaches who actually worked under a coach somewhere, but then it's not really tree, per se. So what is the cutoff? That could be an interesting discussion.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Walsh is very, very underrated as a personnel guy - but I don't think he had much of an influence on other people's assessment of personnel. Nobody in the Walsh tree (that I can think of) has much of a reputation as a good personnel evaluator
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Andy Reid? And I think Gary Kubiak could be beginning to merit a place on that list.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
You'd almost have to ask the coaches. Jim Caldwell in Indy? Too easy to categorize him as Dungyite (and a lots of good reasons to do it, too), but he might say he's from the Paterno tree. Dungy might say Noll, whom he played and coached on the D side of the game under, and not Walsh who was an O guy.
When does a guy form his own tree? Dungy is a good example--There are maybe six current and former coordinators or HCs we could trace to him (would they?)--I once saw a kind of roundtable discussion with them--it was pretty cool. If they say "Yeah, I'm a Dungy guy" then do we track them back to Noll or Walsh too, or all the way back to Adam and Eve? Mangini and McDaniels and Crennel--Parcells or Belichick?
I think the cutoff is determined by the coach--Maybe those yahoos in the Coors commercials can ask "Hey coach, who's your biggest influence?" CUT TO: Ditka screaming "God! God! God!" CUT TO: Billick screaming "Ref! Ref! Ref!" CUT TO: Cowher spraying spit and CUT TO: Joe Walton picking his nose..... (come on Jets fans, you're with me on that, right? His most memorable moment on the sidelines.)
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Also consider that if you don't cut off, you could look at whoever groomed Walsh and Parcells and say it's their tree. You definitely need to assess each case individually.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Coaching trees are interesting. I would say coaches that they influenced, so in Walsh's case, all the west-coast guys, like Holmgren, Shanny, Reid, Gruden, etc. However, it could be anybody who you brought into the NFL. However, it is usually seen as all the coaches who worked with you who are famous for working for you, like Seifert is in Walsh's tree. Seifert was a DC but he's still put in Walsh's tree.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
"he is 40-12 against the AFC East, and eight of those losses have come against Miami."
I knew Miami always played us tough, but thats pretty ridiculous.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Must be the altitude, er, I mean humidity. How many of those were in Miami and in either monsoon or steam room conditions?
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Most of them. For a while, the league effectively took away each team's HFA by scheduling the Foxboro game early in the season and the Miami late, but it seems lately that they've reversed course on that decision....letting Patriots suffer in the September humdity and Dolphins in the December ice and snow.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
So they're having the same experience the Bills did in the '90s, when Miami always came in to Rich early in the season. Interesting pattern - it seems like it certainly isn't random.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
1. And on the flip side, Miami has had to play late-season games in wintery Buffalo/Foxboro/New Jersey. It all evens out.
2. I would argue that Miami's success against NE can be more attributed to the stellar play of Jason Taylor than humidity.
2008 - Miami wins @ NE on 9/21 (the Wildcat Coming Out Party)
2007 - No Miami Wins
2006 - Miami wins in Miami on December 10
2005 - Miami wins at NE on January 1
2004 - Miami wins in Miami on December 20
2003 - No Miami wins
2002 - Miami wins in Miami on October 6
2001 - Miami wins in Miami on October 7
2000 - Miami SWEEPS - wins in Miami on September 24 and at NE on December 24
So in the past 10 years, Miami has beaten New England at home once in September and twice in October. It is hot and humid in Miami in December. Not so much in October. Any arguments that the humid weather is the determining factor is BUNK!!!
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
To follow-up on my own post....
Of the 8 Miami wins vs. NE and Bellicheck:
3 occurred in New England;
2 occurred in Miami in December;
2 occurred in Miami in October; and
1 occurred in Miami in September.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Since it is the Brady-led Patriots that are the issue here, factoring 2000 in is a bit disingenuous. Also, I will point out that NE rested a significant number of their starters over the final 3 quarters in 2005, and still were a failed 2 point conversion from overtime - a conversion that was conspicuously errant by the QB at a time when NE clearly didn't want more wear and tear.
All that said, I agree that Jason Taylor is a huge factor. I'll take it another step and say that Miami's man-to-man press coverage also flummuxed NE a bit. Before Moss and Welker arrived, NE's passing offense was designed to scortch zone coverage, but they didn't have great receivers against good pressing teams. Branch was more shifty than forceful, so if he didn't make you miss his timing was all screwed up. Givens was strong enough to beat the jam but not as quick. Brown, despite his size, was probably the most compete receiver against press coverage.
All told, Miami's coverage along with their ability to mount a strong rush without blitzing was why they consistently game NE's offense fits.
That said, I will be surprised if Miami holds NE under 30 this week. They just don't have the horses in the secondary. Unless Porter and Taylor go off on Sunday, I see NE's offense moving at will.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
I'm not being disingenuous. The BELLECHEK-led Pats are the issue. I was debunking the assertion that the Dolphins are successful vs. the Pats due to humidity.
And Pats fans of all people shouldn't nit pick about losing close games.
The rookie Miami CBs have played great thus far. It will be a fun game.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
I'm not nitpicking about losing a close game, I am saying that NE rested their top 5-10 players for the final 45 minutes. Their objective for that game was "no injuries" and nothing more. Counting that game is like some team crowing because they beat the Jim Sorgi-led Colts in week 17.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
I'm not sure why you're insistent that Miami (and Arizona, San Diego, Houston) doesn't have a weather-related home field advantage early in the season and New England (and Buffalo, and Cleveland, and Green Bay) doesn't have one late in the season. Nobody's suggested that the Dolphins only beat the Patriots because of hot and humid weather.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Dryheat, you said "most of" Miami's wins vs New England were due to the heat/humidity.
The facts prove otherwise. That's all.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Yeah. I was writing from recollection. It seems they play a lot of close games in Miami early in the year, I recall the cramping and heavy breathing by the fourth quarter. Perhaps the Pats won their share of them ultimately. Good job doing the historical research.
I still maintain Miami has a huge HFA over northern teams early in the year. As for the primary reason they do a great job on Brady, I seem to remember Brady mentioning talent and scheme of their secondary, especially their safety play. Certainly, Taylor abusing Light over the years hasn't hurt any.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
"I still maintain Miami has a huge HFA over northern teams early in the year. "
I agree 100%. If it wasn't for the damn Marlins and their dirt infield, we'd have more. This year, we still haven't had any home 1:00 games.
In 2001, I almost died from heatstroke when we opened the season in early September against the Lions. And I was in the stands!!! I have no idea how a team wearing dark jerseys and pads and helmets survive in that heat.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
I'm Brazilian and I have the experience of passing out because of heat in Florida's Summer of 1994, in July. So it's hot and humid even for brazilian standards.
I went back there in 1995, but in September, and it was ok. The sad part: I was only 14 and missed a Steelers-Dolphins night game, the ticket was only U$45.00 dollars, because no one in my family wanted to go with me... Snif! Snif!
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Taking out both victories against the Colts in 2001, that no longer belongs to ACF East, NE has a 38-12 record within the divison since 2001. It's 10-6 against Miami and 28-6 against NY and Buffalo combined.
Re: Bruschi's Breakdown: Don't Underestimate the Dolphins
Totally off-topic, but it feels great to see there's another brazilian guy here.
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