Barry Jackson: A look at how Dolphins are accentuating Tannehill's strength

[gafin]

Just a month ago, when Ryan Tannehill’s play was disconcerting enough for questions to be asked about his job security, Bill Lazor was asked whether Tannehill simply wasn’t well-equipped to run his system.

“I cringe when you say your system,” Lazor responded. “Our offense is what Ryan can run. What you’re seeing are the things he’s very capable of doing and he will do.”

Lazor’s response was dead-on, because the first-year coordinator recently has accentuated what Tannehill does best, with a lot of short and intermediate routes and read options and de-emphasizing, or simply tabling, plays that proved problematic, such as deep throws.

A few points to consider about Tannehill, whose 72.0 completion percentage in the past month is the NFL’s best, topping Peyton Manning’s 70.8:

### Tannehill’s mobility and ability to run the read option are two of his greatest assets, and Lazor is maximizing those talents to a greater extent than predecessor Mike Sherman did.

Last season, Tannehill rushed 40 times for 238 yards, a 6.0 average. This season, he has 22 for 150 (6.8 yards per carry), a pace that would give him 59 carries and 400 yards. He has runs of 30 and 40 yards in the past two games.

No wonder Tannehill has risen from 10th in the league in rushing yards among quarterbacks in 2013 to fourth this season, behind Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and Cam Newton. That’s the company Tannehill should be keeping in this category, and he’s finally doing it because he has handled the read option adroitly and has a coordinator willing to call it more.

“If you have a guy good at those things, you probably call more of those type plays,” Matt Moore said. “Bill is learning what Ryan does better or doesn’t do too well.”

### Tannehill was very good in play action last season (109.6 passer rating) and Lazor has utilized that more. Tannehill already has 58 throws in play action and is on pace for 155 --- which would easily surpass last year’s 90 --- and has an 87.6 rating on play action passes, per Pro Football Focus.

### Tannehill hasn’t even thrown a “classic” deep ball in the past few games partly because Lazor apparently prefers to run plays that have a better chance of success.

Last season, Tannehill threw 64 passes that traveled 20 or more yards in the air and completed only 16, with six interceptions.

This season, he’s 5 for 18 with two picks on those passes and is on pace to throw among the fewest in the league (48).

### Lazor has started calling more rollouts for Tannehill but probably needs to call even more. According to Stats. Inc, Tannehill has run eight designed rollouts (with a 96.4 passer rating on those plays) and has a 104.2 passer rating on another 15 throws made on the run to escape a pass rush.

Last season, Tannehill completed 17 of 27 passes on those rollouts with four touchdowns and a 117.7 passer rating, which ranked fourth in the league on those types of throws. But Wilson had 73 designed rollouts called for him in 2013, and Tannehill might benefit if Lazor called more.

### The most optimistic comparison for Tannehill entering the season might have been Atlanta’s Matt Ryan, considering their second-year numbers were nearly identical. (Tannehill’s were slightly better, in fact.)

Ryan improved dramatically his third season, finishing with a 91 passer rating, 62.5 completion rate, 28 touchdowns and nine picks.

So it’s notable that Tannehill has an 87.8 rating, 63.3 completion percentage, and is on pace for 27 TDs and 13 picks. The Dolphins would be quite pleased if Tannehill can become comparable to Ryan; that would be good enough to make Miami a legitimate contender, considering the Dolphins' defense is better than Atlanta's.




Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy

Lazor is doing a good job, to say the least.

 

[roy_miami]

Keep it up Lazor. It will be interesting to see how he responds when teams start using a spy or a strategy to force Tannehill to stay in the pocket. Tannehill needs to learn to slide earlier too. On the tackle they whipped his head into the turf on that 4th and 1 I believe, good way to get a concussion.

 

[dabeastdabone]

I like Miami having nice things!

 

[Dolfan23]

Wait what?? I thought Ryan only had 6 good quarters? This makes it sound like he's been the best in the NFL in a major statistical category over the past MONTH. How can that be?

A few points to consider about Tannehill, whose 72.0 completion percentage in the past month is the NFL’s best, topping Peyton Manning’s 70.8:

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

That's 3 games and a bye week.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Keep it up Lazor. It will be interesting to see how he responds when teams start using a spy or a strategy to force Tannehill to stay in the pocket. Tannehill needs to learn to slide earlier too. On the tackle they whipped his head into the turf on that 4th and 1 I believe, good way to get a concussion.

That will be this week vs the Jags new hybrid defense. They play an innovative 46 Bear front.

http://www.finheaven.com/showthread...ense-and-the-quot-OTTO-quot-LB-of-Gus-Bradley

Now if they can execute properly is another story, especially with their leader and defensive caller out in MLB Posluzny.

 

[LDaniel7]

People are making a huge mistake to make this all about Tannehill (the lacking deep ball that is).

The classic deep ball, more than any other pass, demands consistent OL play for the duration, specifically in the middle of the OL (so that the QB can step up into the pocket and throw in rhythm and balance).

And that one area has been where Miami has been feeding off the bottom the last three years. It's getting better this year, but incrementally.

IF RT gets the confidence to trust an OL and the opportunity to consistently step up into a real pocket, the deep ball issues are gonna iron out.

He's already had several beautiful deep passes dropped this year.

LD

 

[mahmacoat]

my problem is rollouts = half-field reads. per Bill Walsh(and I agree) if a QB can only throw accurately rolling one way then the benefit is negligible. Also as long as we run effectively, then play-action will be effective. correct me if I am wrong but most of the roll outs are play-action

 

[mahmacoat]

### Tannehill’s mobility and ability to run the read option are two of his greatest assets, and Lazor is maximizing those talents to a greater extent than predecessor Mike Sherman did.

Ironically if you watch RT on with Gruden, you see that they ran read-option at T A&M. Gruden thought it was awesome mixing RO with the WCO. looks like Chip Kelly and Lazor are on the future

 

[Sons Of Shula]

my problem is rollouts = half-field reads. per Bill Walsh(and I agree) if a QB can only throw accurately rolling one way then the benefit is negligible. Also as long as we run effectively, then play-action will be effective. correct me if I am wrong but most of the roll outs are play-action

I believe I have seen RT in both directions in rolling out with a spin to the left or bootleg to his right. And I believe you are also correct in assessing that most come off play action. Although I've also seen it as a read option with the option to pass off of it.

Ironically if you watch RT on with Gruden, you see that they ran read-option at T A&M. Gruden thought it was awesome mixing RO with the WCO. looks like Chip Kelly and Lazor are on the future

Good catch.

It's to my understanding that the RO with the WCO is what Bevell runs with Wilson. I believe Lazor runs a traditional Spread RO with a more innovative NFL type passing scheme.

 

[TKAllDay]

Go Ryan go!!!

 

[nick1]

Well I believe you are seeing Russel Wilson run alot more because the team around him isn't as good. Lynch has been ineffective at times and the weapons in Seattle aren't very good. Last season I don't remember much read option from Wilson. They adjusted because lynch isnt as good

 

[mnphinfan]

I don't know who is going to cringe more when they read that article and the comparisons between Tannehill & Ryan; WV, who thinks Ryan is the greatest QB ever, or Vaark, who thinks Ryan is the greatest choker ever.

 

[FSU Truth]

I don't know who is going to cringe more when they read that article and the comparisons between Tannehill & Ryan; WV, who thinks Ryan is the greatest QB ever, or Vaark, who thinks Ryan is the greatest choker ever.

So it’s notable that Tannehill has an 87.8 rating, 63.3 completion percentage, and is on pace for 27 TDs and 13 picks. The Dolphins would be quite pleased if Tannehill can become comparable to Ryan; that would be good enough to make Miami a legitimate contender, considering the Dolphins' defense is better than Atlanta's.

IF they make the playoffs....all Tannehill has to do is not **** the bed and he's quickly surpassed Ice....without the luxury of Roddy White and Julio Jones

 

[nick1]

I like the Matt Ryan comparison better then the Andy Dalton comparison. Dalton is wetting the bed without his elite WR to make him look good