Phins were circling the drain & now are on Cloud 9 with their defense
The foundations of the world shook as the football gods decided to let the 2-7 Miami Dolphins beat down the 6-2 Baltimore Ravens. Miami was circling the drain with the season, their coach, quarterback, offensive line, and defense…
…And now, the fanbase and the media are wondering ‘what just happened’?
What to make of the victory?
The Miami Dolphins defense wasn’t the disaster the media and many made it out to be throughout the season. It also isn’t the world beating monster they are making it out to be now.
Here is a bunch of context to help bring the perception into a middle ground:
- Defense, offense, and special team all depend on each other. Miami’s offense has been otherworldly bad and has given little support all season… but, the last few weeks it has had some semi-coherent stretches.
- Time of Possession is a critical stat for defenses. Fresh defenders make plays, tired ones give them up. The Dolphins TOP has shifted closer to even over the last few weeks.
- Raekwon Davis was injured 5 plays into the 2021 Season. Davis is a talented player with a unique gift that for a very specific, but crucial role. The Dolphins defense slowly developed quality run defense when he returned from I.R. This wasn’t a coincidence.
- High priced corners Byron Jones and Xavien Howard were injured in Week 4. While Jones looks healed, Howard hasn’t fully recovered it appears. But, the recent string of QBs and their Oline haven’t been good enough to beat the pressure defense and it’s man coverage and allowed QBs to attack Howard.
- Rookies Jaylan Phillips and Jevon Holland are finding their legs in their transition from collegiate ranks to the pros.
Matchups are major determiners on how things play out. Miami can’t and won’t play this style defense against every QB.
- Lamar and Tyrod are smaller QBs who aren’t masters of throwing outside the hashes and taking advantage of hot routes. They also have devastated O-lines and limited talent at receiver.
- Josh Allen is huge and tall and can beat the all out blitz or break the tackle from a much smaller Holland and Jones. He also has one hellava’ group of receivers.
- Tom Brady and Matt Ryan can out think the defense with alerts and hot routes and have extremely talented receiving group.
- Mac Jones was blitzed and stood in the pocket strong enough to make the Phins pay.
- John Gruden and Derrick Carr along with that group of receivers forced the Dolphins to be more cautious.
NFL evaluation isn’t often effective with cookie cutter takes.
Brian Flores IS a brilliant defensive mind and Josh Boyer has proved a capable young understudy.
Unfortunately, the offense isn’t nearly the equal.
So goes the offense, so goes the defense. A handful of plays would have us 6-4. Only 8 points is the difference in three wins instead of three losses. On top of this, Miami held the Bills down most of the game three weeks ago and only 14 point through two and half quarters in their first meeting, before they were gassed. Same with the Colts game, Miami limited the Colts to 7pts until 6:31 left in the third. If this defense had the compliment of even an average offense, the narrative of this season would have been flipped.
So, here we are again, much like the 2019 Season with the media drumming up hate to tossing tulips at the Dolphins and Flores. You can’t bet with the best pay per heads that the first chance they get to flip the script they’ll do it again with extra mayo on top.
Let us Phins fans not buy into it! If you want to pour out angst, pour it out on Chris Grier who strapped Flores with this offense and forced out Chan Gailey and Steven Marshall. Go Phins!!!