Straight talk from Branch on why Dolphins were so bad against the run | Page 3 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Straight talk from Branch on why Dolphins were so bad against the run

Some of you guys are overthinking it. Our run defense stats will improve when we are able to score more points and get the lead. Our defense is built to play with the lead, when teams are forced to pass to catch up...we never get the lead and teams pound the rock and wear out our defensive line... IMHO...


:poop That's what happens to this defensive scheme in the playoffs, that philosophy turns to :poop.
 
My apologies. That was a quote from Jakeem the Dream not yourself.

Pretty sure it was my mistake in that I hit reply on the wrong post, then chose the correct one and this system will leave any old replies that you select in the reply box. Then when I went to edit the reply to JTDream, I mistakenly left your name but his post to reply to without checking before I sent it.

It definitely can get confusing... Ive started to make posts and try to use multiple quotes with the new system... i ended up leaving the page to start over and then just inserting them myself lol
 
Some of you guys are overthinking it. Our run defense stats will improve when we are able to score more points and get the lead. Our defense is built to play with the lead, when teams are forced to pass to catch up...we never get the lead and teams pound the rock and wear out our defensive line... IMHO...
I'd like to think that's the whole story but there have been quite a few times when we gave up third and forever first downs in addition to getting the ball jammed down our throats. It's one thing to say that your defense is built to play pass defense and it's a middle of the road defense against the run but that's not what I saw. We also didn't do all that well against the pass. We didn't get consistent pressure on passing downs, the LBs couldn't cover, the slot CB position was ineffective - all that in addition to not stopping the run.

We were (according to ESPN)
29th in total yards
30th in rushing yards
15th in passing yards

That statistic when you do rankings is a bit deceiving. How bad was the defense? We were only 24 yards a game averaged from being at the bottom in total defense.
Our "good" pass ranking at 15 is in a cluster of teams. The difference between us being 15th (256 yds/game) and ten spots lower at 25th is only 10 yards/ game. This is why our average ranking is so close to our run ranking 29th vs 30th. The pass defense was terrible too and some are missing it because they are not seeing the close cluster of performance.

There is no end to arguing about whether the offense should make it easy on the defense by staying off the field or scoring more versus the defense getting field position for the offense, etc. , but clearly the defense's problems were a lot more than being handicapped by not playing with a lead.
 
Joseph leaving will not have much impact because the frankly the defense could not perform any worse than last year.
Any improvement this year due to improved players and better talent at DE and LB along with depth and familiarity will solidify Burke as the DC.
Well played by both men.
I am curious to see how Burkes style and play calling pan out in key situations. I think he will be OK.
Until this defense and offense are top 10, we can forget about going deep into the playoffs.
 
If you really believe that take some time to go through all of Jim Schwartz's years as either HC or DC and view his defense's yards per carry. Talent has little to do with the flaws of the wide set front.




I thought he was smart until he called the "wide 9" a defense. :sick

The wide 9 is like the defensive version of the run and shoot offense.
 
Joseph leaving will not have much impact because the frankly the defense could not perform any worse than last year.
Any improvement this year due to improved players and better talent at DE and LB along with depth and familiarity will solidify Burke as the DC.
Well played by both men.
I am curious to see how Burkes style and play calling pan out in key situations. I think he will be OK.
Until this defense and offense are top 10, we can forget about going deep into the playoffs.

Completely wrong... VJ was far from perfect but our coaching on the defensive side of the ball is what kept us from being a disaster. I frankly could not care less about how many yards we give up as long as they tighten up in the end zone. Or as long as they make a big stop when needed. Which they did for the most part.

I mean, do you take into account how horrible our starting LB unit was? That was bottom 5 talent easily. The safety play?

Baccari Rambo
Michael Thomas
Spencer Paysinger

^All players that got significant starting snaps. I really don't know how you don't consider it a miracle that we didn't get blown out more often last season.
 
Completely wrong... VJ was far from perfect but our coaching on the defensive side of the ball is what kept us from being a disaster. I frankly could not care less about how many yards we give up as long as they tighten up in the end zone. Or as long as they make a big stop when needed. Which they did for the most part.

I mean, do you take into account how horrible our starting LB unit was? That was bottom 5 talent easily. The safety play?

Baccari Rambo
Michael Thomas
Spencer Paysinger

^All players that got significant starting snaps. I really don't know how you don't consider it a miracle that we didn't get blown out more often last season.
I agree plus the you have to remember Maxwell didn't catch on till the back half of the season, then Howard was hurt by then leaving Lippett a second year converted wide receiver the man at cornerback. The defensive line Wake and Suh were studs and that was really our strength. Thank goodness Wake came back along with Kiko from those injuries.
 
You are entitled to your opinion about VJ. I disagree. We'll find out soon enough.
The bottom line is the Fins defense should be better this year.
 
Reshad Jones for Baccari Rambo
Nate Allen & TJ McDonald for IAQ
Charles Harris for Mario Williams
William Hayes for Jason Jones
Kiko Alonso for (an injured) Jelani Jenkins
Reakwon McMillan for Kiko Alonso
Lawrence Timmons for Donald Butler
2017 Jordan Phillips for 2016 Jordan Phillips
Somebody for Earl Mitchell

I'll take all these upgrades over last year with the biggest questions coming at FS & DT. If the season starts unfolding like OTA's are developing (Jordan Phillips & Charles Harris impressing) then we should be much improved.
 
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