Tony Sparano Q&A: Defending third-and-long must improve

[BAMAPHIN 22]

On the defense and the 3rd-and-long conversation rate being so high (in 3rd/4th-and-7 or longer, that percentage is 47.6 since the opener) and why does he think that is: "Well (I mean) I would say that in 3rd and 10-plus going into the game the other day it was around 33% ...was the success rate and that's way too high in that down and distance. (I mean) our defense knows that. Going into that ball game we were very aware of that (you know) I think a little bit of it has to do--you have to give some credit to the opponent in that their quarterbacks and maybe not last week with Carson (Palmer) necessarily and I'm not (you know) trying to say anything negative there that guy is a tremendous quarterback but the weeks prior to that there's been some movement with these quarterbacks with Ben (Roethlisberger) and with Aaron Rogers and some of these guys that can get out of the pocket and throw (you know) you kind of got to pick your poison a little bit there, in other words, you rush three you rush four and the rush isn't really what's going to get there, your coverage has to hold up and then they buy time and somebody uncovers and the ball--so then now this week, somebody uncovered actually hurt him--(you know) the ball ended up going to Sean Smith. So, that happens a little bit. I think you really got to be good in the back end, disciplined in the back end when those things happen, so. (You know) you can't…and then down and distance is you don't want to bring five six guys after him--you can get hurt a different way there. So, we got to do a better job. We need to get off the field there, we've been very good on 3rd down with 3rd down defense right now it's been getting better and better. But, that's one area that it hadn't been very good at."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...mi-dolphins-transcript-110310,0,2757030.story

 

[dolpns13]

I feel more comfortable in us stopping a 3rd and 5 than a 3rd and 15.. How sad is that

 

[SRM]

Sparano has to be the best at turning 10 word answers into 100 word answers..

 

[Shula's Legacy]

I'm at a point where I don't celebrate good defensive plays on 1st and 2nd down. We could stuff a run at LOS on 1st, and get a sack on 2nd, and I won't even clap my hands till we're off the field after 3rd down. I've been let down too many times this year by getting my hopes up when forcing them into long 3rd downs, only to be let down when they hit a wide open seam route for 25. Drives me ****** nuts!

 

[omfg]

he said it himself conservative saying he cant rush more then four .... ok but why in the world is cam wake not one of the guys rushing????

 

[madmic21]

he said it himself conservative saying he cant rush more then four .... ok but why in the world is cam wake not one of the guys rushing????

I can think of one play all year where Wake dropped into coverage on third and long. While this play didn't work I wasn't too concerned with the call. Never hurts to change it up. However, I would have liked the play better if he had got down into his stance and we stunted in behind him... That would have caused some serious block diagnosing issues.

 

[omfg]

heres one cam wake drops in coverage and should stay on heath miller but comes up to get big ben and gets ball thrown over his head for a first