The Phins have tried everything on offense, BUT commit to the running game
I’m not talking about returning to the run-heavy glory days of the ’70s, but come on, this offensive staff shy away from running the football like a cat to water!! Miami currently ranks dead last in both rushing attempts and yards and 18th in passing attempts 20th in pass yards. It would seem our only option with Tua back is to pass our way out of this offensive funk because at least we are getting ‘some’ success in the pass game.
Well, let’s take a closer look at this idea:
Run, Forest! Run!!!
In 5 games, Miami has played two of the Top 5 rushing defenses in the Bills and Bucs, the Patriots and Colts are 14th and 15th, and the Raiders 25th with the Jags 20th on deck.
Throw out both the Top 5 rush defenses and with their backs, Miami has rushed 17 for 69 (4.0 YPC) against the Pats, 20 for 96 (4.8YPC) against the Raiders, and 13 for 27 (2.0YPC) against the Colts. BUT, Myles Gaskin only had 2 carries in the Colts game. Against the Bucs vaunted defense, Gaskin had 5 carries for 25 yards (5.0 YPC), which is near his year average as Gaskin has 34 carries for 167 yards and a 4.9 YPC in 2021.
Clearly, this offensive staff wants to fun and gun with this offense. This plan hasn’t gone over like a lead zeppelin with the Dolphins offensive line struggling in perpetual pass protection, Tua getting knocked out, and the team currently ranked 31st in Time of Possession with mindboggling 25:38 secs of ball control per game.
The fall out of this disastrous offensive concept is that the defense has been on the field over way too long with a OT drive as the cherry on top…
…or up the tailpipe, however, you slice it.
Defense & Offense must work to support each other
Somewhere along the way, it was forgotten that this team is built on defense… and Time of Possession is critical to a defensive team, especially one that’s smallish and athletic.
I did a very in-depth analysis of the 2021 Top 10 defenses and what they share in common… you’ll be very surprised as some of the findings. Clearly, by the data, this Dolphins defense is being highly hampered by this offense.
Remember when the Miami Dolphins defense was legit and all the rave last season?!
Let’s look at how Chan Gailey, who supposedly sucked, handled the offense to boost the defense. Even with Tua who didn’t fully know the playbook and wasn’t totally healed, Gailey maneuvered the Dolphins to 7th best TOP controlling the football for 31:16 per game! Big difference, huh?! Despite three rookie O-linemen, Miami ranked 22nd in rush yards and 16th in rush attempts. Gailey was a former 3-time Head Coach and a true veteran offensive coordinator who understood both the micro and the grand scheme level. This staff doesn’t, not in the least.
Again, check my finding in the above video for a full breakdown beyond just the TOP. If you compare the TOP of the 2020 Top 10 defenses, you’ll find 8 out of those defenses had Top 10 Time of Possession. Now, it’s not to say the only way to achieve ball control is through the run game and rushing attempts. There is more than one way to skin a cat. But, Gailey understood rushing attempts as the easiest way to achieve it for an offense struggling to find it’s way. Yes, you can get it through the pass game if you have Aaron Rodgers or John Gruden to call up winning pass plays. But, we have neither… although, maybe this staff thinks differently.
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Repeating the same actions over and over and expecting different results…
Myles Gaskin is a very talented player who SHOULD be a key cog in this offense in both the run and pass game. Add in Tua is coming back after a long layoff without Parker and Fuller.
There’s no Xavien Howard either.
I’m already worried that they keep forcing in Austin Jackson…
…But, if they try to throw their way to glory with Jaylen Waddle, Albert Wilson, Mack Hollins, Isaiah Ford, and Kirk Merritt and flop, I wash my hands of this staff. Maybe Flores too.
I don’t fully blame Flores for this ugly situation. Up to this point, he has a wide berth of leeway in my mind because he had Gailey and Marshal, but they were stripped from him by whoever forced Tua in without consulting Gailey. Now though, this is a simple read! Run Gaskin and Brown and give diverse looks as we did in the very first drive against the Patriots.
Flores can and must make this call! And if he doesn’t, it’s a good bet with the best pay per head that they’ll lose this game. And if the Phins lose Sunday against the lowly Jags, this regime will crumble like a house of cards with a 20ton wrecking ball dropped on it... and maybe Flores’s job in Miami along with it. Go Phins!!!
The Miami Dolphins must finally commit to running the football if they want to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and save this season and regime from collapsing.