Dolphins' Defense-Contender or Pretender?

[Lionstone]

Just trying to get away from the usual subjects for a thread and have some fun.

I think we consistently got exposed by better teams and this are not “deep playoff run” caliber. Thus a pretender.

I am glad you created the topic, and I took some time before responding. We did have problems with the playoff caliber teams. I just think the issue was the offense.

 

[clarkwgriswold]

Watched a video the other day of every team's longest play from scrimmage. We were the defense on 3 of those.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

To simplify the argument, let's focus on the Bills 2nd game
- we got pressure for 1 half with cover 0, but they solved us 2nd half
- nik needham cannot cover cole beasley, he picked us apart

To counter this without spending crazy resources, I think our best hopes:
- JP big step in pass rush to reduce our need to blitz
- sad to say but we might have to upgrade needham just to counter the Bills and push needham to corner 4

In addition I think we need an everydown MLB, upper-tier player that can do it all. Bills don't have a dom run game but teams that do have gashed us.
At that point, when healthy we are elite

Almost every slot struggles against Beasley

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

I vote the real thing.

Honestly, I think a lot has to do with the offense. The ratings, to a large extent, go hand-in-hand. With an offense that can control the clock, the defense has more time to rest as an example. Against some of the better teams, Miami's offensive struggles really hurt the defense. I wouldn't doubt that most teams with a top 10 defense (ratings-wise), have a top 10 running game.

But, I think the Dolphins have to continue with the aggressive approach. That's really when the defense plays its best. I think it is better than most of the teams in the playoffs this season. So, I'd say its championship caliber or close to it.

 

[biggrouper]

Personally Neither Pretender nor Contender. I would say our D is somewhere in between.

We have a lot of talent but we also have holes that need filling. Need another real pass rusher and a MLB.

Having said that our Offense is definitely a PRETENDER and needs some serious upgrades to the OL and WR units. (Tell me something we all don"t know right?) A better O will make our D a LOT better.

 

[Awsi Dooger]

I think the scheme and sustained intensity level make the personnel look better than it is. The unit really suffers from taking Noah and Raekwon with the two premium picks in 2020. If you replaced those two guys with defenders who could actually play the bottom line would look markedly different. I know Raekwon is still favored on Dolphin forums. But bottom line the coaching staff doesn't want him out there on passing plays in a passing league. Raekwon had only one game all season in which he was out there for at least 60% of the defensive snaps. Wilkins had 11 games in that category.

One thing we do extraordinarily well is get our hands up in the passing lane. I've never understood why that isn't a league wide priority. My organized football didn't reach a high level but one thing I could always do was deflect passes while rushing, partially because I was a lefty. The quarterback is always baffled by that because he's not accustomed to threat of deflection from the left arm of the rush man. Consequently I've never understood why that is never discussed, to have defensive linemen who are left-handed. Ogbah gets a lot of those deflections by reaching out much further than the quarterback anticipates with that left wing.

 

[LargoFin]

I think the scheme and sustained intensity level make the personnel look better than it is.

If I was building a defense from scratch I would draft Van GInkel, Phillips, Ogbah, Davis, Sieler, Wilkins, Holland, Baker, the two Joneses, etc. This defense is stacked.

 

[Dynastybuilder]

The highest we’ve drafted LB in the past several years is Baker 3rd round. I believe we already have the makings of a good D-line and an elite secondary. With better LB play this D could be special.

 

[Dynastybuilder]

Watched a video the other day of every team's longest play from scrimmage. We were the defense on 3 of those.

It’s only natural you get hit for some really big plays when you play single coverage much of the game. The encouraging part about our D was that we were finally getting more pass rush organically. That should continue to grow.

 

[Dynastybuilder]

The sad truth is that if you draft Jefferson, Taylor, parsons instead of Jackson, Iggy, , Waddle + 1st you’re looking at a dangerous playoff team.

 

[Buff]

Need at least 2 MLB's that can actually plug holes and tackle.
One more quality DT or DE.
The D is good, but a long way from great.

 

[Buff]

The sad truth is that if you draft Jefferson, Taylor, parsons instead of Jackson, Iggy, , Waddle + 1st you’re looking at a dangerous playoff team.

Without Waddle, we would have ZERO offensive weapons bar Mike G.

 

[Dynastybuilder]

Without Waddle, we would have ZERO offensive weapons bar Mike G.

Except we’d have Justin Jefferson. Regardless, our QB can’t get the ball downfield without a perfect platform. Until people realize this is a QB problem and not a team problem it doesn’t really matter.

Yes, we CAN win with Tua. However, he will never be elite.

 

[ForksPhin]

Without Waddle, we would have ZERO offensive weapons bar Mike G.

But he mentioned drafting Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Taylor.

 

[Dynastybuilder]

But he mentioned drafting Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Taylor.

There’s no doubt Tua requires a strong running game.....especially early in his career.