Every NFL analyst has hot decisions and there were three in particular that stood out on Monday featuring the Miami Dolphins.
One was very complimentary, one not so much and one somewhere in the middle.
Let’s break them down.
Tannenbaum High on Dolphins Playmakers
We’ll start with the extra point that came from former Dolphin vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum.
Writing for the 33rd team, Tannenbaum divided the offensive weapons of each team into seven levels, and he placed the Dolphins as one of three teams in Tier 1, along with the Cincinnati Bengals and Las Vegas Raiders.
“These are the teams that have first-class talent in all 3 positions considered in our discussion of weapons,” Tanenbaum wrote. “They have at least 2 receivers in their team, which can be WR1, with great depth of position RB and TE. Some players at this level are familiar faces in new places (Tyrek Hill and (Davante) Adams) as well as the play group that helped the Bengals lead to the Super Bowl. “:
For the Dolphins, the two receivers that could be WR1 are obviously Hill and Jaylan Waddle, and the running depth includes Sonny Michelle, Rahim Mostert, Chase Edmunds and Miles Gaskin, and the time-out includes Mike Gesiki, Durham Smythe, Adam Shahin. , Seaton Carter and Hunter Long.
Tannenbaum was much less compliment last week when he ranked each team’s starting quarterback, again in seven levels.
Tua Tagovailoa was one of five quarterbacks to be placed in Tier 6, along with Davis Mills, Jared Goff, Carson Wentz and Jalen Herts.
“Tier 6 are players you can win with if the situation around them is perfect,” Tannenbaum wrote. “They need time in their pockets, a strong game plan, weapons in the backfield and outside. strong defenses, game plans, defenses and weapons, there may be victories, but they must overcome mental errors and injuries along the way. “
Orlovski QB categories
While Tanenbaum has long been skeptical of Tagovailoa’s potential in the NFL – he said in the pre-draft record that Justin Herbert is a better prospect – the same is not true for ESPN analyst Dan Orlowski.
Orlovski, a former NFL quarterback, has often defended Tua and expressed confidence that he could become an elite, but Orlovski clearly understands that Tua is not there yet.
That’s why Orlowski was Tua among 10 quarterbacks in his “Quarterbacks to Win Games” category, a group that included Mc Jones, selected from the first round of New England 2021.
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And from this point of view, Orlovski’s assessment is on a level.
His list of “Quarterbacks you win games for” included 11 names, and the place where it’s not so good for the Dolphins here is that eight of them play in the AFC, including Josh Allen of Buffalo Bills.
The other seven were Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Deshon Watson, Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, Derek Carr and Patrick Mahoms.
The 100 bold predictions of Or
SI Connor Orr’s 100 predictions include two directly related to dolphins and two more indirectly related.
At number 70, Orr predicts that Tyrick Hill will have an average lower reception yard in his first year with the Dolphins.
“The Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill to make the fast-paced game more successful. Coach Mike McDaniel will get the ball out of Tua Tagovailoa’s hands as soon as possible in most downs. That means fewer beautiful, consistent throws to Hill, resulting in remarkable touchdowns. “
For the record, Hill’s low career acceptance average was 9.7, which came during his rookie season in 2016. That would actually be very disappointing, because one of the problems with Jaylen Waddle’s great rookie season was that he averaged only 9.8 yards per reception.
Orr may not have counted Hill’s rookie season, in which case the lowest average catch in his career was 11.2, which happened last year.
Orr’s rationale is perfectly logical, as the Hill plan certainly calls for moving the chains more than just removing bombs.
At number 78, Orr predicts that the Dolphins will finish in the top three in the NFL in a quick attempt.
“Mike McDaniel’s draft of the running backs this off-season (Sony Michel, Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds) was no accident. Of course, WR Tyreek Hill will get its options, but it is a system designed to push the ball down your throat. Have fun solving this nightmare in fantasy football. “
This will probably be good news for the Dolphins, because teams are not inclined to run so much when they are behind.
Orr’s two predictions, indirectly related to the Dolphins, included a return to prominence, and Zach Wilson finished second at AFC East in touchdown passes.
There are several ways to look at the latter, starting with the idea that predicting dolphins will drop the ball can greatly reduce the chances of throwing touchdown passes. But Orr follows his comment that Wilson is likely to make a big improvement in 2022, assuming it could be Mc Jones, who is ultimately the second best quarterback in the division (apparently behind Josh Allen).
Missed in this whole conversation is Tagovailoa, which certainly follows along with the idea that the Dolphins’ quarterback still has skeptics to win.