How has Dan Campbell quickly transformed the Miami Dolphins into playoff contenders?
That's the question I've been grappling with since the Dolphins reeled off two impressive wins in the aftermath of Campbell's promotion to interim head coach, keeping Miami within striking distance of a wild-card spot. So I took some time to study the All-22 Coaches Film, to see how the novice coach has helped his team crush foes behind an explosive offense and a dynamic defense. Here's what I found:
New coordinator Lou Anarumo has cleaned up the defense by simplifying the scheme and putting his top players in position to make plays. With the number of calls on the play sheet reduced, defenders are able to focus on technique and effort instead of assignment. Consequently, they play faster and create more chaos with sheer energy and hustle.
Looking at the All-22 Coaches Film, I've noticed the Dolphins using more movement along the line, to allow their disruptors to attack their assigned gaps after the snap. By using more "one-gap" movement tactics, the Dolphins are able to play on the opponent's side of the line of scrimmage, leading to more negative plays (tackles for loss and sacks) from the defense. Additionally, the coordinated movement allows everyone to know exactly which gap is their responsibility, resulting in fewer explosive runs between the tackles. With Anarumo also mixing in some five-man pressures to incorporate second-level defenders, the Dolphins are flying to the ball and playing aggressively on each snap.
From a player's perspective, the simplified approach allows guys to play faster, due to a "see ball, get ball" mentality. Defenders are able to focus exclusively on reacting to what they see instead of worrying about various checks or assignments. Thus, it was sensible for Anarumo to pare down his game plan to just 10 or so different calls. Defenders can now spend the bulk of their work week honing technique and focusing on their opponent's tendencies rather than mastering new information. With each defender tasked with the goal of winning his "one-on-one" matchup each week, the smaller playbook and increased emphasis on technique is producing better results.
Overall, the Dolphins' defense has improved dramatically, with better effort and hustle coming from each player. Anarumo has gotten all 11 defenders to fly to the ball with reckless abandon and nasty intention. The combination of "hitting and hustling" produces big hits, which lead to turnovers on tips, bobbles and deflections. Most importantly, it allows the defense to set the tone with physicality and ferocity between the lines.
More here:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...phins-winning-with-simple-d-effective-offense