Who says the Fins looked bad?

[X-Era]

Not me.

Dont get me wrong, I hate the Fins with a passion and will NEVER root for them to win anything other than a trip to the NFL cellar.

But, if you look at their performance with an unbiased view, they played pretty well as far as Im concerned.

Wes Welker was a one man highlight real. Looks alot like Steve Tasker to me.

The Fins D looked strong. Pitt has the best o-line in the league and a helluva young RB. Yet, the Fins pretty much shut them down on the run. Yes, Parker ripped off a few long runs, but a team with a OL that good and a RB that productive should have ran all over the field on them, they didnt.

The Fins put up plenty of 3 and outs.

Culpepper looked like typical Culpepper. He will drill some in there making you think they have grabbed a superstar, and then he throws some rookie throws for int's. He doesnt scare me at all.

Im saying it now, Ronnie Brown was the biggest bust in that draft.

Overall, thsi was a team that went into Pitt against the world champs and went toe to toe with them right up till the end. Furthermore, they showed great ST, and strong at times defense.

I cant agree with anyone saying they look like chumps (as long as I look at it unbiased). Now, if I look at it as a Bills fan, they are ALWAYS the leagues biggest chumps!!!

[THATHURMANATOR]

If this was an assesment of the first half I am totally with you. Also I am not one saying the Phins still can't be a division winner, but they collapsed in the second half!

[FinFaninBuffalo]

Not me.

Dont get me wrong, I hate the Fins with a passion and will NEVER root for them to win anything other than a trip to the NFL cellar.

But, if you look at their performance with an unbiased view, they played pretty well as far as Im concerned.

Wes Welker was a one man highlight real. Looks alot like Steve Tasker to me.

The Fins D looked strong. Pitt has the best o-line in the league and a helluva young RB. Yet, the Fins pretty much shut them down on the run. Yes, Parker ripped off a few long runs, but a team with a OL that good and a RB that productive should have ran all over the field on them, they didnt.

The Fins put up plenty of 3 and outs.

Culpepper looked like typical Culpepper. He will drill some in there making you think they have grabbed a superstar, and then he throws some rookie throws for int's. He doesnt scare me at all.

Im saying it now, Ronnie Brown was the biggest bust in that draft.

Overall, thsi was a team that went into Pitt against the world champs and went toe to toe with them right up till the end. Furthermore, they showed great ST, and strong at times defense.

I cant agree with anyone saying they look like chumps (as long as I look at it unbiased). Now, if I look at it as a Bills fan, they are ALWAYS the leagues biggest chumps!!!

Pretty much agree with you except for a few details:

1. The defense disappointed me a bit. They held up early but beginning late in the 2nd quarter, Parker had decent room to run. Also too many mistakes in the secondary. The 87 yard TD was a back breaker.

2. Culpepper was pretty solid. The first INT was a bad decision but Troy P. is a great player and made a play. If you noticed, Chambers was two steps past the CB and its a TD if Troy P. doesn't make the play. The 2nd INT was a great play by Porter. He lined up over McMichael looking like he was going to rush the passer. Instead he drops into coverage and looks to be covering McMichael. His first few steps, he is covering McMichael. McMichael breaks in and should draw Porter with him. Porter breaks out instead, right into the passing lane. Perhaps Culpepper is telegraphing his passes, but Porter made a heads up play. All in all, it was good to see Culpepper making throws and moving around well. I'm not concerned.

3. Ronnie Brown had little room to run but still showed some power and ellusiveness. If the OL improves (or faces weaker DLs), Brown will be fine. He does seem a bit tentative though.

With 6 minutes to go in the game, the Fins had traded punches with a very good team and were winning. At that point it could have gone either way. Pitt's key players made plays when they needed them (Troy P, Porter, Parker, Miller, Ward).

IMO, the Fins are not at the elite level yet, but we are closer than we were last season at this point in the season. I still see 10-6 or 11-5 this season.

[FinFaninBuffalo]

If this was an assesment of the first half I am totally with you. Also I am not one saying the Phins still can't be a division winner, but they collapsed in the second half!

?? they were losing at the half and took the lead in the 2nd half. They had the lead until a blown coverage allowed the 87 yard TD. They wore down in the 4th quarter but until then, they played the Steelers tough.

I dismiss any whining about the refs. The Steelers deserved to win.

[THATHURMANATOR]

?? they were losing at the half and took the lead in the 2nd half. They had the lead until a blown coverage allowed the 87 yard TD. They wore down in the 4th quarter but until then, they played the Steelers tough.

I dismiss any whining about the refs. The Steelers deserved to win.
I am aware of that but I felt is was a closely played first half. Both teams came out in the second chance with an equal chance to win. That is all you can ask for in a road game. Then the second half was a total collapse. Why the question marks? What don't you understand?

[L.A. Playa]

Miami looked good for 3 1/2 Qtrs defensively and in the passing game, they made too many mistakes down the stretch though

[FinFaninBuffalo]

I am aware of that but I felt is was a closely played first half. Both teams came out in the second chance with an equal chance to win. That is all you can ask for in a road game. Then the second half was a total collapse. Why the question marks? What don't you understand?

I don't understand how you can claim that the seocnd have was a total collapse. They took the lead in the 3rd quarter with their best drive of the game. They had 3 drives of over 50 yards in the game. Two of those were in the 2nd half.

The problems started on defense mid-way through the 3rd quarter with the long drive that ended in the fumble. The offense had the chance to take control but the 3rd down and 2 play was terrible. If they score on that drive, Pitt is in trouble. 1 play later, Pitt is ahead.

[imbondz]

I don't understand how you can claim that the seocnd have was a total collapse. They took the lead in the 3rd quarter with their best drive of the game. They had 3 drives of over 50 yards in the game. Two of those were in the 2nd half.

The problems started on defense mid-way through the 3rd quarter with the long drive that ended in the fumble. The offense had the chance to take control but the 3rd down and 2 play was terrible. If they score on that drive, Pitt is in trouble. 1 play later, Pitt is ahead.

you answered your own question.

maybe not the second half, but certainly the 4th quarter.

[tampabay25690]

I think teh Fins looked pretty good my self. And I hate tos ay that....The thing that I dont like at all is they have 9 days to prepare for Buffalo and we have to go down there in the 90+ degree heat. THATS SCARY

[THATHURMANATOR]

I don't understand how you can claim that the seocnd have was a total collapse. They took the lead in the 3rd quarter with their best drive of the game. They had 3 drives of over 50 yards in the game. Two of those were in the 2nd half.

The problems started on defense mid-way through the 3rd quarter with the long drive that ended in the fumble. The offense had the chance to take control but the 3rd down and 2 play was terrible. If they score on that drive, Pitt is in trouble. 1 play later, Pitt is ahead.
Well I never said the entire second half was a collapse. I didn't think it needed to be spelled out, however the total collapse did occur in the second half.. Maybe I should have said 4th quarter. Sorry.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Well I never said the entire second half was a collapse. I didn't think it needed to be spelled out, however the total collapse did occur in the second half.. Maybe I should have said 4th quarter. Sorry.
Don't apologize. They sucked.

[carybillsfan]

Let's see they let a backup Qb throw 3TD's, rushed for 38yards(2.1yd/rush avg) while allowing the Steelers to rush for 143(3.8yd/rush). Their Qb threw 2 picks at a crucial juncture, one directly resulting in a TD. Converted only 5-13 3rd downs. You're right they were freakin awesome!!!! Every team should be worried. Miami is an average team at best they do not belong in the same class as the elite teams. Oh yeah an let a TE catch an 87yd TD pass, great defensive playing on that won.

[carybillsfan]

Oh I forgot one, their coach throws the replay flag like a girl. Damn sissy.

[bernielivsey_1]

My opinion is blinded by my hate for the fins and Kaptain trick play. They looked horrible. Batch looked like a starter against that defence.

[SABURZFAN]

the Fish didn't look bad overall.it was The Turnover Machine who had the meltdown in the 4th quarter.



:hail: Turnover Machine

[bflojohn]

Did anyone else here think that Daunte Culpeppers' out pattern throws were, at times, extremely weak? He bounced more than a couple of these! I really don't feel that he is 100% yet, but, man he is one tough player physically.

[dplus47]

miami's safeties looked BAD at several crucial times. this has to be encouraging for bills' fans, knowing lee evans should be taking the field against them soon.

i thought ronnie brown looked good, particularly in blitz pickups. there was also one drive where he was really running hard and wearing 'em down. i wish it could have continued. i wasn't expecting a lot of rushing yards against that D, however. they're not exactly giving it up on the ground from game to game.

[DynaPaul]

I fell asleep at halftime but from what I saw in the first half Miami's running game and defense looked real hot. I knew it was only a matter of time before Culpepper showed his real self and I unfortunately missed his double interception in the second half.

[Scumbag College]

There was obviously a blown coverage by the Fins secondary on Miller's 87 yd TD reception...if it wasn't for that play the last 6 minutes or so of that game would look alot different and the game probably would have come down to the very end...

I'd have to say Miami did look pretty promising in their first game, which by the way was at the reigning Super Bowl champs home field.

[HHURRICANE]

If this was an assesment of the first half I am totally with you. Also I am not one saying the Phins still can't be a division winner, but they collapsed in the second half!

Boy that's a change of tune. You were ready to bone Ronnie last week when I said he was overrated.

[HHURRICANE]

I say they played bad:

Culpepper 49.6 QB Rating. And we were getting crap about Losman?

Ronnie Brown 30 yards on 15 carries. 2 yards a carry?!

[Jauron733]

Game shouldn't have been as close as it was. Steelers fumble on 1 yard line, non call on Tillman pass interference deep down the field, Taylor's dropped INT in the endzone (though I don't remember how that drive ended)

Miami played decent on defense against a backup quarterback, front wore down as game went on, dbs don't look good. Personally I think they are moving Taylor around too much and that he becomes less effective this way, Culpepper looks very inaccurate though can make big plays, Fins O-Line seems very suspect both in pass protection and run blocking (see big Bennie)

[Billsrock4life]

i though culpepper played bad and ronnie brown really was racking up some stats with a total of 30 yards