Factual Look At Dolphins “D”: Run-Stop

Is it as simple as the Dolphins run-stop defense is terrible?

What’s was the reality of the Dolphins run-stop ability in week 2?

The word we heard all week was the Miami Dolphins defense was trash, and this high profile defensive line is a waste. High and low we heard, Miami can’t run-stop or defend the against the pass, and 2016 is going to be a 4-12 season: game over dude…GAME OVER!

I’m not going to prognosticate, as I am not a great best pay per head sportsbook. I will simply evaluate by using the facts of game photos on what Miami’s defensive situation really was — in context — what is true and false about all the reports of Miami’s defensive demise and what the “tape” reveals as Miami’s real issues on defense.

First, let’s frame up the context of last week. They were drummed on defense — no doubt about it. But, we first must understand that this is the second Preseason game of a new regime. This isn’t an excuse. Just a reality.

And the facts of this reality are this: this was a vanilla defense, and in a zone scheme vanilla defenses are particular weak, weaker than man schemes. Qb’s have seen vanilla zone scheme’s since JV, so there is a huge comfort level. In man, it’s a highly talent-expressive scheme, so vanilla doesn’t strip as much away as it does in zone because zone is more unit expressive. Two, there is really no game planning and you aren’t taking advantage of the other team’s weaknesses, you are evaluating the talent and scheme-understanding of YOUR players, so you mix and match just to get a gauge.

Again, it doesn’t excuse the drumming, but paints a realistic backdrop with which to gauge the defensive play.

Miami must run-stop to allow their pass rush to be at its most effective.

As a further proof, ask yourself how much of Miami’s vaunted Wide-Nine did Miami run?

Answer is, zero.

Okay, let’s start with the D-line and their run-stop ability.

Miami’s starting four D-Line, sans Cameron Wake, gave up one big run due to their failings. We all know by now the “legendary” missed tackle by Williams. After that, it was all blitzing Db’s faults, missed fills by LB’s and back-up D-linemen losing gap integrity and gap responsibility.

Look at the game picks below which are all Miami’s big runs given up on “D” in the first quarter and a half or so, minus Mario Williams missed tackle.

1. Back-up D-end Branch takes a wide pass-rushing attack angle and opens a wide lane. Jordan Phillips bites inside and is washed down the line where the patient RB bounces to the vacated left side. Branch took himself out of the play by losing gap responsibility, heavily aiding in giving Dallas the T.D. Also, the D-Line interior is all back-ups besides Phillips.
2. DT Jones comes in early in replace of Suh. He attacks by using a spin move and is washed down the line losing gap responsibility and gap integrity. Jones shows a propensity to struggle in the run game.
3. Same play as #2, but this time a secondary issue is attached: Alsono has trouble shedding blocks and can’t free himself from a TE. Of all the run defense issues, this is the most serious and concerning because Kiko Alsono is a starter, and in the Zone-Press, MLB is a huge key. MLB”s must be able to shed blockers.

Below (Left), Tony Lippett is blitzing clean from the offenses left strong-side with the D-Line shifted right. He loses gap responsibility and opens up the left-side just like Branch did. This is combined with (right) Alonso’s inability to shed blocks, which is less of a miscue due to an O-Line double team. This double team occurred because DE Jones is doubled (which allowed Lippett to come in clean) and DT Jones gets lost in the run game – again. Lippett MUST make this play.

Beyond these run plays, the rest of the substantial plays allowed on the ground happened with the second and third stringers running the defense, which says more about depth than it does the starters.

The next article will deal with Miami’s pass defense and pass rush. This is a more complicated response, but in context, it does offer some hope – although, some of Miami’s most concerning issue lurk in their pass defense. But, the tie-in of both pass defense and run defense is the same – LB’s not playing to the level needed.

In the end, a lot of these issue are correctable and Miami isn’t sunk — not by a long shot. The 3rd Preseason game will likely see improvement, beyond technical improvements, simply because starters will play longer. Go Fins!!!