Miami’s defeat happened because of failure at nearly every level.
From Coaching to coverage, Miami was victimized, but will the failure continue?
It’s been a few days since the Miami Dolphins failure at the hands of the Ravens in Baltimore, and due to a vacation, this is the first chance I’ve had to analyze the game and write about a closer inspection.
Using game footage, instead of memory, this reanalysis has made Miami’s path to defeat more clear.
In this first part, I’ll break down how and why the Dolphins defensive coaching set the tone for the entire team’s failure.
First, we’ve seen this type of game from the Dolphins in every defeat but Seattle — nearly to a tee, actually.
Despite the ease it would take to blame the players first and foremost, upon deeper inspection, coaching is the prime mover to this defeat and attributed heavily to the players failures.
Scheme failure needs to be quickly diagnosed and responded to with adjustment.
Vance Joseph‘s decision to play a soft-zone with a free release from the Corners and Linebackers with an ‘over’ technique is what his philosophy is based off. It’s very similar to what Miami ran when they dominated on “D” with Taylor, Thomas, and Madison (minus the high degree of a free release). But, the difference in talent at the second level and the NFL’s adjustments to bolstering the passing game leaves this type of defense far more exposed than in previous incarnations — especially with the total lack of disruption in the receivers routes.
The primary problem with running this passive style of defense is that you are not challenging the QB’s progressions or his receivers routes. Yes, you challenge the offense with the pass rush, but if that’s not working at a high level, then the QB runs through his progressions with ease and picks you to pieces. Time is a primary catalyst in wrecking a ‘soft zone’, and with zero disruption at the line of scrimmage by employing a free release, a defense is in deep trouble if the pressure is not there, and you don’t have premier covering LB’s.
All of the above was plainly evident from the get-go.
Top coaches are quick to see game-plan failure.
And as in pic #6, a missed assignment with so much space offers a receiver too much opportunity for YAC…and that can prove disastrous.
I get that Joseph’s foundation for the defense is potent pass rush and limiting big plays. This first drive is understandable as you are setting a philosophy and game-plan, feeling out your opponent, and try to limit anything big at this early stage.
But, it’s drive #2 of the Raven offense that is a huge concern.
Joseph’s defensive call again was primarily a ‘soft-zone’ (although it appears this time there are some elements of man involved in play #4) with zero disruption of routes, and every time he used a free release concept, it failed — except once, when pressure disrupted the throw.
In play #2, he again went with a free release, this time with a man-coverage backed by six pass rushers. The coverage was too thin and was broken with a TE beating an LB trapped in open space. Most of the time this is a losing proposition for an LB, and no good pay per head sportsbook would say the odds of success are high.
Joseph’s heavy reliance on pass-rush combined with soft coverage is being exposed, and he is not responding.
Joseph called a Zone-Blitz in the Red Zone with Earl Mitchell dropping and disrupting the drag-route. This play broke both the TE’s route and the play’s timing causing a incomplete pass.
But, on the next play he returned to a soft-zone, which resulted in a touchdown.
Failure should never get a doubled-down.
At this point, Miami is down 14pts in the 1st Quarter and light speeding the Dolphins to a defeat.
Ryan Tannehill‘s first pick was a result of a slightly off throw, missing a better read and an amazing play by the safety. It’s not even close to being acceptable, but given all the elements involved it was a play made by the defense, and that happens because they get paid too.
But, these two defensive drives by Miami are systemic issues: slow diagnosis and adjustment by coaching. The most troubling part is that this isn’t even close to being an isolated event and is appearing to be a hardwired weakness in Joseph.
Joseph’s game-day coaching and weekly game-planning is proving to be a huge liability.
He doesn’t seem to have a fall back concept to adjust to when his gameplan and players weakness’ are exposed. And what’s more trouble is his primary philosophy and concept has been exposed often, and yet he still refuses to, or hasn’t found a way, to respond. In essence, he is quickly appearing a One-Trick Pony, and if that trick works, all is well, and if not, then the day is lost.
As much as I like Joseph, if he can’t evolve, then Miami needs to find either an All-Star roster or, more realistically, find a new defensive coach, because he fast becoming the Dolphins weakest link. Go Fins!!!