Dolphin's Forum

[Jimmy James]

Originally Posted by Petesburgh66

I would expect Ben to have a field day as well. Miami re-built there secondary and I expect the Steelers to take advantage of it.

You would be well advised to reconsider that expectation. If there was a year to hope to expose Miami's secondary, it was last year. Madison isn't the same player he once was, and Will Poole was hurt all last year. I know you guys don't know the name, but he's the guy who shut down Chad Johnson for almost the whole game the last time Miami played the Bengals. Surtain was out that game, and Chad had his only catch that mattered literally one play after Poole checked out of the game for a minor injury.

Poole should be back strong by the start of the season because he was hurt in minicamp last year. Travis Daniels was promising last year. Yeremiah Bell was also promising at safety. Those two return, and a host of proven veterans like Reynaldo Hill, Andre Goodman, and Will Allen have been added in addition to first round pick safety Jason Allen.

The defense is going to be stout. Pittsburgh's hope rests on the offense not having it together if you ask me.

[Petesburgh66]

Originally Posted by Jimmy James

Poole should be back strong by the start of the season because he was hurt in minicamp last year. Travis Daniels was promising last year. Yeremiah Bell was also promising at safety. Those two return, and a host of proven veterans like Reynaldo Hill, Andre Goodman, and Will Allen have been added in addition to first round pick safety Jason Allen.

The defense is going to be stout. Pittsburgh's hope rests on the offense not having it together if you ask me.

You don't make a strong arguement here to change my mind. Your saying Poole should be back, Daniels and Bell were promising. This is an unproven secondary in my view.

[Jimmy James]

Originally Posted by Petesburgh66

You don't make a strong arguement here to change my mind. Your saying Poole should be back, Daniels and Bell were promising. This is an unproven secondary in my view.

I'm looking at it from the perspective of improvement from last year. Last year, the secondary consisted of Madison (who had clearly lost a step to be kind), Daniels (a rookie), Bell (in his first year of significant playing time), and Schulters. It's pretty much a no brainer that the first three are going to be better. Poole is better than what Madison was last year. Daniels will be better. Bell will be better. We're looking at likely either Hill or Jason Allen at the other safety slot. That's all assuming that some other acquisition doesn't outperform somebody pencilled in as a starter. We can draw an inference from the fact that Hill was signed and Schulters was not pursued (despite being on the market a long time) that the coaching staff expects that last position will improve.

Last year's defense was pretty darn credible, particularly given the hit or miss presence of the offense last year. This year's defense will be better. Will it be up to the standard of say the 2002 or 2003 squad? Perhaps not.