What Can Phins Fans Take from the Super Bowl!
The Super Bowl show cases the peak NFL teams & philosophies
The Miami Dolphins are entering a crucial offseason for this regime… and Phins fans sanity! The Super Bowl is always a show case for the NFL’s best in team construction, players, and philosophies and it’s always a great chance to see wat the sweat spots of success are. This Super Bowl though really hit him of Dolphins fans in many ways–other than I wished our team would be there.
So, what can we learn about the Phins from Philadelphia Eagles victory over the Kansas City Chiefs?
Eagles beat down of the Chiefs speaks volumes
The obvious key is even a great quarterback can’t always offset a big weakness on their offensive line when facing an ultra talented team. Despite the volumes ESPN style coverage that quarterbacks determine if a Super Bowl is won or not, the truth is football is a team game and the signal caller determines a lot, just not everything or as much as we are told.
We had Dan Marino, and the lesson should be clear! Great QBs need at least very good team especially offensive lines to thrive, and you can bet with the best pay per head that even more so to bring home a Lombardi.
Patrick Mahomes is the top quarterback in the league and can move and has a cannon for an arm. Still, he was neutered for the second straight Super Bowl when his offensive line crumbled. Mahomes was first humbled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and now the Eagles when his protection collapsed.
Our old defensive coordinator Vic Fangio dialed up zero blitzes and his defense sacked Mahomes 7 times with 50% pressure rate with 2 interceptions. Conversely, Jalen Hurts was blitzed 31% of his drop backs and sacked only twice with 34% pressure and throwing 1 interception. While Hurts isn’t a slouch and can grind out yards on the ground, Mahomes is the better quarterback by a couple of levels.
The Eagles offensive line is big, talented, and deep
If you compare the Chiefs offensive this season, they had a ton of similarities with the Dolphins offense. Andy Ried sped up the time to throw from 2023 of 2.40 to 2.28 in 2024. While Miami is still much faster in their clean time to throw of 2.04, the speed of throw shift is similar. Also, the Chiefs also threw at or behind the line of scrimmage 27% of the time and led the NFL in RPO’s, beating second place Miami by 2 calls. During the playoffs, the Chiefs only had 7 passes 10 yards or greater. they added a few in garbage time in the Super Bowl, but this was an ultra-conservative offense all year.
Mahomes has a gun and is an all-time great, so did he suddenly forget how to play or hit his expiration date?
No, Reid understood the failing of his offensive line and to some extent his receiving group and had to reel the offense in. The Chiefs banked big on Jawaan Taylor to the tune of nearly $26 million a year which was a miss Also, their 2nd Round pick Kingsley Suamataia wasn’t ready and was pulled from starting spot early in the season. The depth of the offensive line was then exposed, and they went fishing mid-season, but injuries forced stud guard Joe Thuney to move to tackle and UDFA Mike Caliendo to start at left guard. To their credit, the Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl, but the Eagles exposed this weakness big time.
Sound familiar?
Can Grier figure out 1+1?
This isn’t to say Tua just needs an offensive line to shine because he isn’t Mahomes and needs to work on aspects of his game, especially his health. But we’ve heard the quick game and screens are because of his lack of arm strength. There is some truth to that, but far more is about the Dolphins offensive line… or lack thereof.
Again, if the great and ultra talented Patrick Mahomes has to adjust and struggles based on his offensive line, how much more is Tua in need of a quality blocking!
Let’s see if Grier can get this right or will he double down on dumb this offseason? Go Phins!!!
MJ,
You said it. It’s all about the trenches. This team MUST focus big time in the draft and FA on the OL and DL. The goal should be to be the meanest and toughest/best OL & DL in the league. After this I would put Edge/DE and a quality young QB that has the potential to eventually replace Tua since he won’t last! I am hearing that the team is interested in talking to the Vikings about their 1st round pick last year a QB who was injured in pre-season and was done for the year. With Darnold having a very good year for the Vikes, the word is that they might be open to a trade. In addition to rebuilding the OL, we need a “freight train”/bull of a running back 230+ lbs. that can run inside/outside and punish tacklers. This team with OL/DL needs to get much more physical like the Eagles. This was a big take away for me from the game! Hopefully Grier and company were paying attention and taking notes and what it is that is needed to seriously challenge for a championship. Your thoughts.
I don’t think the power back will work here because I expect us to double down on what we are doing and draft finesse Ols to fit the outside zone. I think they are too deep into what they are doing to turn around to another style. I expect us to draft OL’s … maybe two and maybe not one in the first round even. Grier will Grier until proven otherwise, brother. I wished we’d move more physical… but I just don’t see it. sadly, hope all is well, Stephen.