The Dolphins are half way done with their preseason games, and sports gambling fans are beginning to get a clearer picture of what this team is lacking. There are 3 main concerns that are consistently becoming a problem, and will most likely continue to be a problem when the regular season commences.
The first problem is that this rebuilt offensive line is still going to be a work in progress. The amount of sacks that Tannehill takes this season should go down, due to his quicker release and the faster tempo offense. However, the run blocking seems to be non-existent at the moment and it’s hard to imagine a dramatic turn around when the season begins. The reality is that the right guard position is definitely going to be the Achilles heel of the line, and until Pouncey comes back from his hip injury, the Center spot is going to be a bit shaky. Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner do not at the moment appear to be starting NFL caliber guards, so either the phins need to start looking for an upgrades or suffer continued issues at the guard position.
The second problem is that the Koa Misi experiment of moving him to the middle linebacker position does not seem to be that much of an upgrade from Ellerbe. At the moment the coaching staff is in the process of experimenting with different players such as rookies Jordan Tripp and Chris McCain, but the fact is that the linebacking unit as a whole is clearly lacking in talent. This was known before the season, but unfortunately the Dolphins could only address so many issues in one off-season. This is another position that Hickey should start looking outside of the team to help find an upgrade, and a possible solution, because our linebackers are really going to create problems for the rest of our defense.
The last major problem is related to our linebacker problem, it is our tackling problem. The first preseason game was a disgrace in regards to tackling, and even though there was an improvement in the second game, it was still evident that missed tackles are going to be an issue. One faithful reader wisely pointed out that our linebackers do not have that killer attitude. All the best defenses in the league, like the 49ers and Seahawks have that killer attitude, and as a result they do not miss a lot of tackles. The point is that tackling is not just a skill, but it is also an attitude, and it is clear that the linebackers do not have the correct tackling attitude. That is not something that the coaching staff can change over night. It starts with the personnel, and it is evident that our current linebackers are missing that character trait. Either we bring in someone new or unfortunately stick with what we have, and suffer the consequences of losing close games because our linebackers can’t tackle, and cover running backs and tight ends in the passing game.