When the Dolphins signed Mike Wallace ...they bargained for a deep threat receiver who would blow the top off defenses with regularity.

It is something Wallace did often with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But as the first quarter of this season is over and those big plays have not happened, Wallace is now concerned.

"I'm definitely worried about it because it's game four," Wallace said Wednesday. "I'm not paranoid or anything but in Week Four it's not the way I imagined my first four weeks going. Definitely not. I'm pretty sure it's not the way anybody imagined it going. So for myself, and starting with myself, [quarterback] Ryan [Tannehill] and coaches, we all got to do a better job and find a way to make it work."

...

But the Dolphins' system doesn't seem to be a fit and his chemistry with Tannehill isn't the best.

...

Armando Salguero @ArmandoSalguero

Former Pitt. OC Bruce Arians motioned Wallace. Put him in slot at times. Dolphins just line him up on right side 90% of time. No movement.

Wallace has to catch better, Tannehill has to throw better, OL needs to protect better, coaches need to design it better and call it more.

He better be worried. He doesn't turn it up a few notches, that $60 million contract of his will vanish like a fart in the wind.

This dude shouldn't be saying anything after that pathetic performance Monday night. Try catching the ball first, then you can complain.

To be honest, both parties are wrong. Wallace needs to play with fire, but the coaches have to find ways to tap his talent. Gruden mentioned that him ad Hartline line up on the same side every play (90%) which is dumb. Mover him around, try an end around, bubble screen, but when the ball is thrown deep, he needs to make a better effort and catch it. I don't care if he has never jumped for a deep ball, try it or start practicing.

So wait .... when Bess was jettisoned all I ever heard from the enthusiasts of that trade was that we acquired Gibson to fit an offense where they didn't want the WR's pigeon-holed. Supposedly we wanted to be able to move our WR's around in order to keep defenses guessing.

LOL, so much for that.

This dude shouldn't be saying anything after that pathetic performance Monday night. Try catching the ball first, then you can complain.

He's been a decoy for 2 of 3 games...probably though RT wasn't going to throw it. I guess the bottom line is he probably needs to take RT to dinner because its apparent to me these guys are reading different playbooks. You get more love with sugar than you do with crap. Unfortunately the Wallace Romance is souring quickly in Miami. My opinion is, just as it was when Marshall began his crying, he needs to be benched. The HC needs to insert himself into this situation. If he can't go all out for 60 million, he needs to be reminded of the humiliation of watching a guy like Matthews make 8-10 grabs in a game.

Keep making the excuses. The bottom line is between Sherman and RT, they're not getting the ball to Wallace. You can continue to be an apologist for both but it doesn't address the fact that our 60 million, lightening bolt WR is not a significant part of the offense. Until they figure that out as a group, this offense will struggle to score points.

Right, because RT has seen magnificent results when forcing the ball to Wallace. Who is being an apologist? I've seen plenty of Sherman and RT bashing the past week. But Wallace sucked on Monday as well.

I can agree that it is dumb to simply have him line up in the same spot since that is the opposite of what made him successful in Pittsburgh. But what are these excuses you are seeing versus what you've witnessed while watching games? Wallace hasn't made the best of his opportunities and you can't deny that might be part of why Hartline and Gibson get the ball more.

I posted an entire thread of photos that one person after another excused. Look the bottom line is this...expect DC's to start focusing on Hartline, Clay and Gibson because Wallace is just a distraction at this point.

Omar Kelly ✔ @OmarKelly


@finnns2003: Don't think I forgot about Mike Wallace's drops. He's doing the same thing here in Miami, told ya."» 3 drops in 28 targets

To @finnns2003 Brandon Gibson has the same amount of drops in 28 targets for Miami. Hartline has 2 drops in 30 targets. Everyone sucks! SMH

If you're obsessed about Mike Wallace's drops more so than his stagnant use, then you've got the football intelligence of a pee wee player

...

In Baltimore's offense the Ravens move Smith around to create favorable matchups. And not just for Smith, but for the entire team. One snap he's the Z, one snap he's the Y, the next series he's the X.

The Ravens use Smith like a chess piece.

Larry Fitzgerald moves in Arizona. Brandon Marshall moves in Chicago. Andre Johnson moves in Houston, and Desean Jackson is all over the place in Philadelphia. ...

Why is Wallace, who came to the Dolphins averaging 17.1 yards per carry, so stagnant in Miami's offense?

“There are a number of reasons," coach Joe Philbin tried to explain. "Primarily, when we are in our quick tempo and moving things around, we want to get guys in a position where they can line up a little bit faster, get the play entry in and get the clock moving. That’s the primary reason.”

Hold up! Are the Dolphins a quick, uptempo team? NO. Rarely!

Even without huddling, how difficult would it be to put Wallace in motion, or have him line up as the slot? ...

“They can match up. There will not be a lot of mysteries to what side, as you mentioned, to where we line up," Philbin explained. "That’s their decision. I can’t speak to how much of an advantage it is.”

So, Philbin just said there's no mystery to the Dolphins offense? No attempt to confuse defenses, no desire to create favorable mismatches?

That's a head-scratcher!

“There’s different ways of doing it," Philbin said, explaining why Wallace doesn't get moved. "That’s just a decision we made, and that’s how we do it. I don’t know if there is a specific downside to it.”

WELL, I'd say having the Dolphins' most expensive player, and the biggest offensive playmaker serve as a decoy is a major downside. ...

So no fan can constructively criticize the Dolphins because they're 3-1? That is ridiculous.

By Armando Salguero
asalguero@MiamiHerald.com

...

When Wallace had his great seasons in Pittsburgh, then-offensive coordinator Bruce Arians moved him around the formation, sometimes placing him outside, sometimes in the slot, sometimes bunched near the line of scrimmage. Arians also put Wallace in motion ostensibly so defenders would have to chase the speedy receiver even before the play began.

The Dolphins rarely have put Wallace in motion in any game other than the one against Indianapolis.

...

“There will not be a lot of mysteries to what side … to where we line up,” Philbin said before launching a defense of the strategy. “… I can’t speak to how much of an advantage it is [for the defense].

“There’s different ways of doing it. I don’t know if there is any downside. That’s just a decision we made, and that’s how we do it. I don’t know if there is a specific downside to it.”

Here’s a downside, Coach: The Dolphins line up Wallace to the right and ask Tannehill to connect with him deep, although Tannehill is not all that effective throwing deep toward the right side.

Stats tell the story

According to the football metrics website ProFootballFocus.com, Tannehill has so far in his career completed 28 of 56 passes (50 percent completion rate) for 504 yards, with seven touchdowns and only one interception throwing passes of 10 yards or more in the air to his left.

Seven touchdowns, one interception throwing deep left.

On his throws of 10 yards or more to the right side in his NFL career, Tannehill has completed 34 of  75 passes (45 percent) for 799 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions.

One touchdown, three interceptions throwing deep right.

That’s not a coincidental statistic, as it spans 20 games. And the numbers for this year’s four games are more startling.

This season, Tannehill has completed 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions throwing passes beyond 10 yards to his left.

He has completed only 4 of 14 attempts for 84 yards without a touchdown or interception throwing to his right beyond 10 yards in the air.

“I don’t even think about it,” Tannehill said.

Perhaps he should start, ...

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/10/05/3 ... rylink=cpy

sounds bad..who was he throwing to..and how do those pretty good looking numbers compare.....

he is helping us win though, right?

I hate this guy so much.

Drops and bad passed, something is not right with Wallace. OL sucks.

Did Wallace whining for the ball during the week pressure Tannehill into forcing the ball to him when it wasnt the best choice, or am I overreacting?

Your not over reacting, your exactly correct. His whining plus his contract is why we are forcing the ball to him.