Decisions '07: Wright vs. Freeman, Brown vs. Chatman

     Kyle Wright or Kirby Freeman for UM starting quarterback: We've seen what Wright can do. Is he good enough ... or is it time to give Freeman his shot?

 

     Ronnie Brown or Jesse Chatman for Dolphins featured running back: We've seen what Brown can do. Is he good enough ... or is it time to give Chatman the ball?

     [Notice we didn't add Trent Green vs. Cleo Lemon? The official announcement today that the job is Green's surprises nobody who's been paying attention].

Comments

[Carl Peterson]

Trent Green is going to start?

Let't talk about Priest Holmes.

[MO]

Ronnie should definitely be given the chance. He only averaged 18 carries a game last season under Saban. He only had 5 games with more than 20 ATTs and averaged 115 yards in those games. He averaged 4.2 yards a carry for the season and rushed for over a 1000 yards despite missing 3 games and behind a horrible O-line. Give him at 20 carries a game and a full season and he will be somewhere in the top 5-7 in the NFL for total rushing yards. Give him a chance!

[Pat]

The only system Ronnie Brown has ever really excelled in was the 2 back system. Why not enlist that type of running offense now?

[FinFan]

If Green deserves to be the starting QB and has been awful this preseason than Ronnie deserve to be starting as well considering he has played much better. There is no way Green should be starting and everyone on this blog knows it! Pure and simple favoritism.

[Westernfin]

The one thing I have learned reading these blogs is negative bloggers really do not have a clue! I question my reading of them.They are a waste of time , of no value and very irritating .

[Tom]

Dear Westernfin

You have things backwards. It is the perpetural homer kool-aid drinkers who are deluded. Don't waste space griping about the gripers. Tell me why the Fish are better than they appear and don't just tell me because the coach knows better than me. I must tell you from what I have seen so far this year, I really doubt Cameraon knows more than me. So far his top pick Ginn has been a bust so much so that Cameron called him a "work in process" yesterday. On the other hand, my choice for the top pick, Brady Quinn, looked pretty good on Saturday so much so that the Browns head coach indicated he needs to reevaluate his selection of a starting QB.

Now Cameron may turn out right, but I doubt it. He has not done a single thing to instill confidence. All I hear are excuses, the latest being he doesn't want to show our competitors what we really have. Hmm, is that because he fears being laughed off the field

My prediction for this season, with every hope that I am as wrong as I can be, is 4-12, if we're lucky.

Look at what we have. Our good players are old. Are young players are not so good. Our coach so far has shown nothing. We have an owner who, though well-intentioned, is an idiot. And a player personnel staff more interested in drafting the family of players (remember we drafted the Ginn family), than just plain old talented players. Where is the hope? In the kool-aid you're drinking.

[Jonathan]

Both Wright and Freeman should have playing time versus Marshall. That game should decide who starts against Oklahoma, assuming Wright's knee will be fine by then of course.

The second question is unnecessary. Ronnie Brown is without question the starting rb for the dolphins. That was a really dumb question, excuse me while I laugh about it.

[Rick]

Brown should start, but if Chatman is good he should get some carries too. I'm still VERY concerned about the QB. Funny how Culpepper doesnt fit, yet Trent Green can shank passes all over the field and be given errrrrrr win the starting job.

[the shadow knows]

daunte culppeper looks reasonably healthy in the pre-season; it was ridiculous for the dolphins (read nick saban) to have paid him big bucks and then force him to play while not near 100%. culpepper looked terrible and hurt in last season's exhibition games and should have never played at season's start. at this point he has looked as good as trent green in the summer.

[Frank in Boynton]

Nice post by TOM, too bad he couldn't be a bit more negative. He's also wrong. Brady Quinn looked good against third string. The fact that those third string guys were in a PREVENT DEFENCE made his stats a total joke. I saw receivers with nobody within 15 yards of them. He had a tougher time in 7 on 7 drills. Quinn has shown nothing so there can be no comparison what so ever. Cameron has brought in something we have not had and need desperately. LINEMEN. Tom must not have seen our D-line look more than adaquate and Taylor, Thomas, Traylor, and Porter hav not played. We have some good young guys getting quality reps. We have 3 rookies that are on the O-line. One is our starting center! Even if a couple of these guys don't end up starting over vets they are quality backups this season. We have some really fast running backs. Lehan is showing signs of being a quality corner. We have some talent at TE. The offense will be more productive if for no other reason than we will not be predictable. We have what looks to be an outstanding punter. Ever heard of field position? We also have a rookie QB that is the real deal unlike Quinn. Our starting QB is old but what has killed us for years at that position is MISTAKES. All our QBs over the last 5 years could move around and throw. They also would make those mistakes at the end of a game that put a dagger in your heart. Green won't make those mistakes. Say what you want but do us all a favor. Post something that shows some intelligent thought. Stop and think before you spew crap.

[Frank in Boynton]

The shadow knows not what he talks about. Maybe he is related to Tom. Speaking of shadows, Culpepper is a shadow of the QB he used to be. He only had one outstanding season. He also averaged almost 500 yards a season running. Why do NFL QBs run? The correct answer would be to buy time for someone to get open downfield so they can THROW the ball. QBs like Elway, Young, Montana, etc ran to throw. Culpepper runs because he doesn't know where to throw it as he can't read defences. Randy Moss allowed Culpepper to run around a second or two and then throw it downfield as far as he could where Moss would outjump the 5'10 DB. Moss is what, 6'3? No Moss, and Culpepper is average. Culpepper without his speed is a liability. The Raiders have always loved the DEEP BALL. That is the only reason they gave him a shot. That and the fact they can't sign the #1 pick they drafted at QB.

[NYScott]

Hey TOM! "Why the Phins are better than they appear"? Who said they were and this team has been run into the ground for ten years by 3 previous coaches who only cared about their own egos. You've given Cam 5 months and 2 preseason games and have already declared him incompetent?!

[NYScott]

Hey TOM! You can't call a player a bust who hasn't even played an NFL game yet! Traditionally players are given 2 years before being called a bust,especially a wide receiver who is learning punt ret.,kick returns,WR routes,AND blocking assignments. This is the second reason you know nothing about football.

[NYScott]

Hey TOM! You're choice for the top pick was Quinn? Who are YOU? Did YOU interview Quinn? Did YOU test his knowledge? Did YOU watch him practice? Did YOU break down all of his college plays to see if he could excell in your system? So let me ask you again,who are YOU and what makes you think you know more than our head coach about whether Quinn or Beck would be a good fit for the Dolphins? Oh that's right,you must have heard Mel Kiper and believed him because he's always right. ROFLMAO. Reason 3 you know nothing about football.

[NYScott]

Hey TOM!He has not done a single thing to give you confidence? So finding Abe Wright in the 7th round (someone JT and Holliday have raved about),Getting rid of overpaid underacheivers like McMichael,Culpepper,Mare,and a slew of others, hold Brown accountable for his lackluster performances,draft 2 of the fastest guys out of college this year, draft John Beck who will be starting by next year,Reagan Mauia who is a beast,Samson Satele and Mormino who are both tough as nails (and will anchor that line for the next ten years), and start to rebuild an offense that has been ignored for over a decade isn't enough to give you confidence? WOW!

[NYScott]

Hey TOMMYBOY! Our owner is an idiot? You mispelled Cameron and used 'are' where you should've used 'our', yet it's the owner who's an idiot? ALLLLLLRIGHTY THEN.

[NYScott]

Hey TOM! He doesn't want to show competitors what we have because he is trying to give our team an advantage. This is a practice that has been used by great coaches like Landry,Walsh and many others. This is not a new concept to preseason football and if you knew ONE thing about football you would know this. Did you just start watching or something? They run and practice their bread and butter during PRACTICE. What is the advantage of pulling your entire playbook out in a meaningless pre-season game? So that you can see them score more? Yeah, that would surely help our team be succesful. Reason #,,,,,hell I dont even know what # we're up to,,,there are soi many reasons you know nothing about football.

[NYScott]

HEY TOM! He said he drafted the Ginn family because he wanted everyone to know that we will not tolerate thugs and primadonnas on this team anymore! BOO-YA for Cam, it's about time we have a coach who understands what it takes to build a winning team. That is a team filled with character guys who come from well rounded upstanding families. Guys who care about the importance of family and humility. Thank you Cam.

[NYScott]

Hey TOM! This is the end I promise. YOU'RE prediction for OUR team is 4-12. First of all say that to Taylor or Thomas and I'm sure they would bitch slap you. Secondly, lets just say they go 4-12. Are you saying that's Cams fault alone? The past coaches who have screwed our team with wasted draft picks and giving away picks with nothing to show for it, the same guys who ignored the offense for so long, they will take no blame for this? The guy who is trying to turn this ship around and realizes it will take more than 5 months to build a championship team, this is the person you will lay the blame on? Clueless,,,,thy name is TOM.

[OC Dolphin]

Quinn did look pretty good. And NYScott was right in that he was doing this against 3rd stringers who were in 15 yards prevent. Quinn also is the beneficiary of playing under Charlie's semi-pro offense so there's easier transition there.

Still much rather have Beck over Quinn.

My view on Quinn hasn't changed. While Quinn may prove to do well professionally, his delivery (and I hope that I'm wrong) is an accident waiting to happen. The next time you see that guy just watch how he always ends up on his left leg (baseball pitcher style). If he doesn't correct that motion, his leg is going to snap like a mailbox hit by a semi. One good rush coupled with him staying in the pocket and - snap! The kid does show heart though.

[Tom Hartman]

I cannot see this team winning 8 games. That's good, because it gives us another good draft choice.

That's bad, because like this year, we will blow the choice.

I can't help to wonder what is in the water people are drinking who see John Beck as the future of this team.

TH

[the shadow knows]

frank in boynton,

learning is a positive experience for me- what exactly did i write that you find to be "wrong"? is it

A) culpepper looks reasonably healthy, or

B) he shouldn't have been played last year while severly damaged, or

C) he has looked as good as trent green this summer.

any or all of the above?