Dolphins quarterbacks absorbed eight sacks and 29 hits within the final two weeks. And in final week’s 24-16 loss in opposition to Minnesota there are only a few snapshots of the Dolphins utilizing six-man cross protections.
The query, contemplating quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns from concussion protocol to start out Sunday evening’s sport in opposition to Pittsburgh, is whether or not the Dolphins should beef up their cross safety to maintain Tagovailoa upright.
It appears completely important that the Dolphins do one thing except for saying they simply want to enhance on their five-man cross safety fundamentals, which has been their chorus. Keep a operating again or tight finish within the backfield for further muscle, for instance. But, no, they’re sticking to their technique.
“Ultimately you don’t look at it as pertaining to Tua,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith stated. “You look at it as just making sure we protect all the quarterbacks because that’s an area we’ve been trying to improve with our fundamentals and just overall understanding of our launch points, timings and working as an offense.”
Planning on any such enchancment is a dicey proposition.
Plus, Tagovailoa, as a result of he’s already had a concussion, may be watched extra intently this week by the concussion watchdogs – the UNC (Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant) and the spotter.
But Tagovailoa additionally performs a task in staying upright.
Coach Mike McDaniel stated he loves Tagovailoa’s competitiveness, however he should make higher selections on eliminating the ball as a substitute of attempting to increase performs. McDaniel stated he’s talked to Tagovailoa about this topic.
“You just need to be able to understand your importance to the team and how sometimes the best play you can make is a throwaway,” McDaniel stated.
Tagovailoa is attempting to dwell that message.
“Throwing the ball away hasn’t been something that I’ve done in the past really well because I’m trying to make plays,” he stated. “So just learning from that, if it’s not there, it’s OK to throw it away.”
To a sure extent, the Dolphins are appropriate in saying they simply want to enhance on the basics. After all, they acquire an enormous benefit through the use of 5 eligible receivers to stretch the sector horizontally and vertically in McDaniel’s dynamic offense.
And when you think about two of these receivers are lighting-fast Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, you start to grasp the pressured selection the Dolphins power on defenses. They can ship six-man rushes in the event that they select, however that’s fewer individuals to cowl, or deal with, Hill and Waddle.
On the opposite hand, it’s been six video games and there’s been no enchancment within the five-man cross safety fundamentals, solely quarterbacks being knocked out of video games, which has occurred 3 times this season.
Something should change.
Defenses aren’t having a troublesome time mounting a cross rush.
Dolphins quarterbacks have been blitzed 43 occasions this season, in accordance with Pro Football Reference. That’s tied for the third-fewest within the league.
However, Dolphins quarterbacks have been pressured 31% of the time they drop again to cross, which is third-most within the league. And Dolphins quarterbacks have been sacked 15 occasions, tied for ninth-most within the league.
In different phrases, groups are attending to Dolphins quarterbacks with out bringing further individuals.
That’s one motive, Dolphins gamers and coaches say, that utilizing six-man protections isn’t essential now or sooner or later. The Dolphins should be higher at getting “a hat on a hat,” because the saying goes.
Dolphins gamers say they’ll run a number of completely different performs from the identical formation, greater than most groups, which helps to maintain the cross rush at bay.
Beyond that, the Dolphins say they’ve the choice of utilizing a further particular person for cross safety, that the operating backs and tight ends make a learn earlier than going into their patterns. So the alternate plan exists, it’s simply not enacted fairly often.
Pittsburgh is a middle-of-the-pack workforce relating to blitzes. The Steelers blitz 24.5% of the time, nineteenth within the league. The Steelers’ 12 sacks are tied for twentieth (with the Dolphins and Rams), and their pressures (16%) rank twenty ninth, simply forward of the Dolphins’ protection (15.7%).
The truth Pittsburgh received’t have All Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt (pectoral) is a large reduction. But the Steelers’ cross rush, such because the Dolphins’ different opponents, will nonetheless pose an issue.
The Dolphins ought to get left deal with Terron Armstead again after an almost-two-game absence attributable to a toe damage. That’ll be an enormous enhance. But each different spot on the offensive line is susceptible, which makes Tagovailoa susceptible.
That will get us again to McDaniel’s message to Tagovailoa that it’s OK to throw the ball away.
“It’s the longevity of me just being able to be the quarterback for this team and not try to make something out of nothing,” Tagovailoa stated. “Plays will come to us, and that’s kind of what our mantra for our offense is.”
One factor to contemplate is the overwhelming majority of Tagovailoa’s throws, corresponding to the remainder of the league, are not more than 9 yards past the road of scrimmage, which reduces the necessities for prolonged cross safety. Tagovailoa is 39 for 52 (75%) for 302 yards, one landing and no interceptions on these passes, in accordance with Pro Football Focus.
Interestingly, Tagovailoa can also be 11 of 13 on passes behind the road of scrimmage, which means 65 of his passes (59%) are inside 9 yards of the road of scrimmage or behind the road of scrimmage.
So maybe the details say there’s no nice want for the Dolphins to alter what they’re doing relating to cross safety.
But in some unspecified time in the future, after you’ve got three quarterbacks knocked out of video games, the details ought to flip right into a plea for change.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com