Film Study: Phins Defense Run-Stop Collapse
Phins Defense has fallen apart at every corner
Phins Defense is a complete mess in run defense.The Miami Dolphins defense has fallen to pieces. Matt Burke is getting a lot of heat. Whether it’s his fault due to poor play calls or not, the buck stops at Burke’s door.
Miami’s defense had a total breakdown in all facets of the game Thursday against the Texans.
The breakdowns in the passing game and who missed their assignments are obvious. In the run game, it’s not so obvious.
I am hearing everything from the play calls to D-line run fits and plain ole’ poor tackling.
Obviously given this level or poor play everything is at fault to some degree. But where does the majority of responsibility lay?
Below is a breakdown of every run play by the Dolphins defense until the early 3rd Quarter split up into 3 videos. I had planned on doing the whole game, but by the second play of the 3rd Quarter, the primary culprits were obvious… at least to me. Let’s see if you agree with my findings…
Miami was getting gashed early in the run game
At the end of the 1st quarter, Miami had given up 34 yards on the ground with a chunk run. The chunk runs would gain steam after that.
By midway through the 2nd Quarter DT Vincent Taylor was down due to injury
Counteraction by design and the running backs instincts is kryptonite for the Dolphins defense since Preseason.
You can certainly find fault in some run fits by the Defensive Line. But given they were down Taylor and the complete lack of discipline by McMillan and Kiko, it’s hard to find them the most responsible.
Kiko is over aggressive, over-pursues at times, and has trouble shedding. But his speed allows him to make up for many of his mistakes. Also, he creates plenty of big plays. Both Baker and Kiko mostly balance out their weakness.
McMillan though is the big Mike… who can’t shed, has poor diagnosis and instinct, and is very slow.
Said this in August about McMillan:
- Doesn’t stack and shed well
- Overpursues, impatient, vacates the middle too quickly
- Bites on / doesn’t take into account counteraction, which is accentuated by #2
- Slow which accentuates issues #1-3
Not much has changed to alter the pay per head sites early prediction for 2018.
Opposing offenses and running backs know the Dolphins LBs over pursue. This is game planned in to take advantage of this tendency… week after week.
McMillan and to a lesser extent Kiko are certainly not the only reason for the defense’s failures. Secondary breakdowns and lack of pass rush aren’t due to their failings. But, you can’t have this defensive scheme with a lost Mike LB who can’t shed and is slow as paint drying.
My problem with Matt Burke isn’t his calls… it’s sticking with McMillan.
Yes, McMillan is a 2nd Round pick. He may have the game slow down for him at some point and make an impact. And there’s no doubt McMillan is a great kid. But right now, he’s a complete liability and accentuates Kiko’s weakness.
Together McMillan and Kiko aren’t good enough to have a winning season.
Maybe if Kiko was more disciplined it would lessen McMillan as a liability. Maybe if Kiko and Baker were bigger and better shedders, McMillan’s inability to get off blocks wouldn’t be so bad. This isn’t even cracking open McMillan’s issues in coverage. But wouldn’t it be easier to have had a backup plan? This is always the problem when you guarantee a starting spot to an unknown. Gase and Burke have bet heart of the defense on McMillan… and so far they have lost. They might lose it all on this gamble. Go Phins!!!
Every NFL team can learn from the 49er’s
Note: How much did Jimmy Garoppolo?, the wonder boy signed this off season to a contract worth as much as $137.5 million, tore his ACL in Week 3 and is out for the season. Garoppolo’s replacement, C.J. Beathard, suffered a wrist injury that kept him from starting, and San Francisco released quarterback Tom Savage earlier on Thursday afternoon. That left Mullens,
The second-year undrafted quarterback out of Southern Miss was in complete control from the very start of the 49ers primetime matchup against the Oakland Raiders. He didn’t look like a guy taking the field for the first time, but instead looked like a player that had been doing this week in and week out for years.When Mullens final line is compared to those other recent quarterbacks that debuted with the 49ers, he appears to have the makings of a future star. He finished his first game with 16 completions in 22 attempts, piling up 262 yards along the way. He threw three touchdowns and wasn’t intercepted, leading to a nearly perfect passer rating of 151.9.
The most recent debut before Mullens came last season, when third-round rookie C.J. Beathard took the field for the first time in week four. He played just one snap and accumulated no stats. Two weeks later he got onto the field again, replacing an ineffective Brian Hoyer, and got plenty more run. He was 19-for-36 passing for 245 yards, throwing a touchdown and an interception for a 72.1 rating.
Brian Hoyer He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Michigan State.
This is why I’m sold on a Quarterback Trio and the 3 below could help wins some future title games etc.
This is the route Miami should take 2019
1. Luke Falk: https://youtu.be/URAWVMYsjnE (We got him for ???)
2. WSU quarterback Gardner Minshew II https://youtu.be/iDY4Zh8GF50 (2019 draft 3r rounder)
3. Kyler Murray Full Highlights Oklahoma vs Texas || 10.06.18 || 396 Total Yards, 5 TDs
https://youtu.be/_p-yBTKDrVo (2019 draft 3rd to 5th rounder)
College Football Highlights: Oklahoma beats Baylor behind Kyler Murray’s 7 touchdowns | ESPN https://youtu.be/MjRcU5fhics
Oklahoma offense looks as dominant with Kyler Murray at helm as with Baker Mayfield
We should not looked for a sole starter but a three package quarterback system based on their gifts.
Theory on Washington State Quarterback
8 College QB’s Shaping Up To Be Solid NFL Prospects
https://youtu.be/P7MA1v7aF_M
Damn internet company had me sitting with no internet for nearly 4 days!! Least I couldn’t hear Jimmy’ complaints 🙂 If Gase stays I don’t see a QB early, he’ll be in save job mode.
Hello Admin and Dolphin Fans
The reason I left the Justin Hubert (doesn’t show up) and Drew Lock makes (too many bad decision)”, both have the skills but they are not performing well.
Garner with Washington state does not have the strong arm etc. But he has great pocket presents, he knows how to manipulate the defenses and he knows how to win, he shows up in all of his games. Projected in the 3rd or 4th round. Now talk about him for the Heisman I would select him over the top QB projected to go before him.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State
And as someone who’s thrown 2,745 passing yards this season – his 392 yards per game lead the FBS – and led WSU to a 6-1 start, not to mention the nation’s No. 14 ranking, he’s begun to win over NFL scouts, draft analysts and QB gurus who wouldn’t have known how to spell his name two months ago.
https://youtu.be/x9OqnedMkk8
Gardner Minshew 2017 ECU Highlights
https://youtu.be/KqHNn0MPG3g
If Murray comes out of college he would complete the circle of QB’s for the Dolphins. Having a three QB package
2019. We already stole Falk.
1. Luke Falk QB
2. Garner Minshew QB
3. Kyle Murray QB
Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
https://youtu.be/zcMbLS5Ebd8
We can build this way! Time to move on folks:
Falk, Tannehill, and Fales in 2019 if Gase stays… maybe a mid rounder… maybe… I’ll check them out when I catch up… thanks, Steve
In order to complete this season with some dignity: We need to put a side “PRIDE” and play Tannehill Brock Osweiler and David Fales (lets get over this next year QB will be better out of our blood) utilizing their different skill set packages. For sure those three will be the cause of Coach Gase losing his job in the future if he does not open his “Eye’s” We have prime time running backs on this team and a Pro
Bowl Tight End in Nick O’Leary But we insist on throwing away the game.
Scenario:
Miami Dolphins Running backs(if we can run 45 times a game—10 screen plays-10 dunk plays-10 runs-up the center-5 QB runs-3 double reverse),5 hand offs to Nick O’Leary,2 passes thrown by running backs. Minimize passing to second downs. Everyone expects a pass on 1st down and third down?
Frank Gore
Kenyan Drake
Senorise Perry
Brandon Bolden
Kalen Ballage
*Special Teams* we are in the NFL–Can we master double reverse on kick off and punts some times verses a boring dash to the twenty yard line?
(Its all about the QB with the Dolphins and this is why they have two decades of failure. 4 and 4 and this next game most likely will determine which direction the Fins are headed. We have the players! We have the players. I would not fire the Defensive Coordinator–He may pulled this thing off yet?
Honestly, I think Burke is good enough and Gase, but Gase has a strength of being stubborn… but it’s also a weakness and it may be his downfall. If they lose this week I expect a collapse. If they win, it will be a push till the next week… sadly, 7-9-9-7 sounds about where they’ll be. And if that’s the case is it enough to bring back Gase? Kinda’ would feel like 2019 would be much of the same… they need a strong run over this second half to bring my belief back… Run game is only viable if your defense keeps it close… not sure if this D can do it. Hope like hell though.
Hello DolFans
Admin very nice breakdown of the game and I agree Discipline/Technics and knowing your opponents tendencies are valuable tools to coach.
Nice breakdown of what went right and wrong in the Dolphins and Detroit loins game.
Brett Kollmann
Published on Oct 26, 2018
The Dolphins had no problem with Henry with the Titan as I can remember right Fins Fans?
Kerryon Johnson is the next Alvin Kamara – Why the Lions got a second round steal
https://youtu.be/bMA_Uk-z5Zs
What lesson are taken from this film study for this season and the 2019 draft?
Hey thanks looking at the vid now… Henry can’t cut back he’s too stiff… and they didn’t run much counteraction. Will watch the rest, but on the first play I disagree with him. The fault of that play wasn’t Quinn it was Kiko. Go back if you get the chance. Kiko is being kept clean by Quinn… he has inside help and for some odd reason he go back inside and relinquishes the edge. He should have cut the edge off and allowed pursuit to stop him. Players like Johnson you must allow pursuit to catch him. If Quinn goes hard upfield then Kiko is dealing with a Tackle… and that won’t go well. In my opinion, that was Kiko’s job to make the player or even just force the cutback… he was the edge LB. I’ll watch the rest of the vid. Thanks… I do really like Kollman and rarely disagree… maybe I’m wrong… let me know what you think. Thanks again, Steve.
Hey Admin
When I get the chance to go back and review it I surely will let you know.
Over the years I have placed emphasis on the Miami Dolphins ROAD TO success will come from having a serious running game.
There are running backs and then their are the elite running backs. It has been clear to me that the Patriots defeat will come from having a serious running attacked.
Even the Great! Dan Marino failed to bring home the Supper Bowl Ring because the Fins were consistently one dimensional lacking a Run Game plus serious Defense.
This thing is a Team Sport:
Man, do I agree… I came on with Czonka… we’ll his second run. I still hold firmly to the belief that run d and run o is how you set up consistency on a football team.
Admin
Really I’m not the expert here! But It clearly appear’s that the interior line is losing the battle up front too many times and I was under the impression that the line backers make the adjustment for the defense? I would never say they are not smart, I think they are! But really not applying the right game preparation each week.
I think Kiko is pretty smart pre snap as he makes the calls… but post snap the brass has said he is an instinct player and not a cerebral one. Lbs must be able to adjust… McMillan and to a lesser extent Kiko are easily tricked. It wouldn’t be bad if they had one player who had exceptional post snap smarts… or instincts… however you want to call it.
you are right on with the analysis! good film breakdown. Burke’s problem is limited talent. These guys were drafted with physical and mental limitations. Kiko is a dumb as Mc Millan. He is just a better athlete. Their lack of discipline stems from not being able to translate what is coached into play on the field. Their just stupid!
This defense has actually over achieved in my book. It’s going to be a long season! Say, what is Todd Haley doing?
That’s a good point… Kiko is an instinct player… they even made a joke about Kiko seeing an going was what they wanted that he had to think too much in 2017. They need a smart guy who can shed on 1st and 2nd down. McMillan ain’t that guy… I think they are bringing in Ziggy hood to let McMillan play cleaner… he’s much better when he’s clean…. but who isn’t. I think Gase doubles down and it might cost him his job… I really, really hate to say it. But he is and has been digging his grave on many things of his own choices that are actually able to be mitigated with better choices.
Admin
I was wrong about the Quarterbacks in the 1st round. Our Dolphins Best value of needs is too really pursue
theses individual in the 1st and 2nd round. Jeffery Simmons is the most polished Run/Pass rusher in my opinion.
Delvin White is there we must take him as linebacker.
Jeffery Simmons Mississippi State Highlights (2017) AROUND PICKED 11TH TO 15TH 1ST ROUND
https://youtu.be/2z4GgjkQKDI
https://youtu.be/WTiQyq84MKs
1 Devin White – LSU TO THE RAVEN PICKED 17TH 1ST ROUND https://youtu.be/-2vg38N3k40
2 T.J. Edwards – WISCONSIN 42ND PICKED SECOND ROUND https://youtu.be/WABbsjgACfo