From: v073pzuy@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Mr. Tinkertrain)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro
Subject: Re: Dolphins vs Bills observations
Date: 8 Oct 92 17:21:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <2764@ceylon.gte.com>, chf0@harvey.gte.com (Curtis Fennell) writes...
>The notable exception was the shutdown of the Bill's running game.
>The Miami Defense used a new defensive alignment of 2 down linemen, 4
>linebackers and 5 defensive backs with a mixture of man-to-man and
>zone pass coverage.  Now, ordinarily, playing a 4-2 would not be a
>good way to shut down the run, but with Chuck Klingbeil and Jeff
>Cross jamming up the middle, Griggs and Offerdahl backing them up and
>Cox and Coleman controlling the outside, Thurman Thomas had no place
>to go.  

Not to nitpick, but it's called a 2-4, not a 4-2.

But the Bills (ie., Jim Kelly) abandoned the running game.  Therein lay the
problem.

>Miami's defensive linemen and linebackers did an excellent job
>standing their ground and jamming the middle.  They were not pushed
>off the ball by Buffalo's offensive line and this set up the first
>part of the run defense.  The second part was the pursuit of the DB's
>and linebackers.  When Thurman would hit the line and find it blocked
>off, he would then try to bounce outside or inside, only to be
>swarmed on by Miami's linebackers and DB's.  Typically, it takes more
>than one hit to bring down Thurman Thomas and Miami responded by
>providing as many as it took.
>Thurman was limited to 33 yards on 11 carries by Miami's defense.

There are easier ways to beat this.  One is to mix in more of the play-action
passes.  Another would have been to zing the swarming Miami defense with a 
Kelly-to-Thomas-to-Kelly-to-Reed flea-flicker in the second quarter, which I
personally feel would have given a great shot at a big gain, and probably
scoring.

>Now, I know that this game was not the SuperBowl, but it is difficult
>to overestimate how important this game was for the Dolphins. Because
>until the Dolphins could go into Rich Stadium and beat the Bills,
>they could never go back to the Super Bowl.  

Actually, they'd better sweep them, or they're going to be hard up to win the
division.  Remember, with a tie, the Bills have a leg up on the Niners game,
which will be stiff competition for Marino and Co.

>But the Dolphins are back, football fans!  And it is very fitting
>that on the 20th anniversary of the perfect season, the Dolphins are
>once again establishing themselves as one of the league's elite
>teams.

They were there 2 years ago.  Nice to see a race this year for the division.
The Bills should respond in the usual seasonal response (ie., get on a roll).

>Curt

Hats off to the Miami defensive coordinators, though.  The Bills should still
have taken the opportunity to continually run the ball.  Buffalo was 22 for
63.  Factor out the 7-yard loss by WR Andre Reed on the end-around and you have
21 rushes for 70 yards, which isn't too bad.  The problem was that the rushing
game was let go and not utilized until the game was out of hand.

The game obviously turned on Oliver's INT return.

>Curt "I always pick the Dolphins - even against Buffalo!"  Fennell
>			DOLFAN in New England.             
>'72 Dolphins - The perfect team in the perfect season - 17-0

					---Chet Zeshonski
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro