Dolphins must change national perception

[Daytona Fin]

Some interesting numbers in this Omar article. We do need to improve the third down percentage, IIRC we were decent at it last season.

The Patriots instantly became too old. The Raiders fired their coach and last week the Bears had a postgame shouting match in the locker room after losing to the inconsistent, and often irrelevant Dolphins.

Since training camp, I've said this 2014 Dolphins squad has talent.

I've fallen in love with Bill Lazor and his offense. I saw progress being made by Ryan Tannehill, which he hasn't consistently delivered on yet. And I suspected Miami's defense had the potential to be one of the top units in the NFL this season.

Problem is, these Dolphins don't always deliver on their potential, which is a problem I was quite familiar with as a child.

While the record might say 3-3, plenty of Miami's statistics prove this squad is better and can do better.

In fact, there are very few of Miami's stats that critics can point to as evidence the Dolphins are struggling in a particular area, with the exception of special teams.

The Dolphins are fifth in the league in first downs per game and 12th in points per game.

Heading into this week's games the Dolphins are fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game, third in rushing yards per attempt, and that's without any big runs.

Only 12 teams have allowed fewer sacks than the 14 the Dolphins have given up in six games. And five of those teams have a bye week coming.

On defense, the Dolphins are fourth in yards allowed per game, and first in fewest yards allowed per play. The Dolphins are also the NFL's stingiest team at net passing yards per game, and have allowed the seventh fewest first downs per game.

On top of that, the defense is holding opponents to 3.8 yards per rush.

Three things can take this Dolphins team to the next level and make them a playoff contender.

The offense and defense must improve their performance on third downs.

The defense has to do a better job in the red zone (only 12 teams are worse).

Attack middle of field as Jaguars inside linebacker Paul Posluszny is out for the season

And offense has to begin producing big plays, going from gear three to gear five in this offense.

Only nine teams in NFL have a worst third-down conversion rate than Dolphins (38.2). And only one of those teams (Bengals) possess a winning record heading into this week's games.

"That's one area of our football team that we've really got to coach better, play better, execute better all the way around," Philbin said.

Last year's Dolphins squandered an opportunity to produce a winning record, and make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Dolphins won three consecutive games in December, then with a wild-card spot within Miami's grasp Philbin's team belly-flopped, losing the final two games of the season to the Bills and the Jets.

The Dolphins' opportunity to silence the critics, and reward all the believers isn't coming. It is here! The talent is present, so its time this franchise leaves its mediocrity in the past.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/fl-omar-kelly-dolphins-1025-20141024-story.html

 

[nick1]

Landry receiving more and more snaps by the week should help the 3rd down percentage. As should tannehill performing better in this offense.

What is the 3rd down percentage of the past 3 games? That is a better indicator of how the team is playing right now

 

[Daytona Fin]

Landry receiving more and more snaps by the week should help the 3rd down percentage. As should tannehill performing better in this offense.

What is the 3rd down percentage of the past 3 games? That is a better indicator of how the team is playing right now

Looks like it is 13-32 according to ESPN. Roughly what our yearly average is so far.

 

[nick1]

Looks like it is 13-32 according to ESPN. Roughly what our yearly average is so far.

Well I guess I withdrawal my comment I thought it was alot better

 

[johngarryvo]

simple solution: winning... changes everything

 

[JTC111]

Dolphins must change national perception

The only thing that is going to change the national perception of this team for the better is to become a team that plays consistently well and can contend against the better teams in the playoffs. At this point, there's no reason for the national perception of this team to have changed. We're 3-3, exactly where we were after 6 games last year. Up until last week we had a negative point differential. We haven't been able to string two wins together so far this season.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

If Miami finds a way to win the Green Bay game the Dolphins are sitting at 4-2. Honestly, I think the Dolphins talent level is playoff caliber and we've seen signs of that in stretches, like the second half versus New England, the Raiders game and most of the game against the Packers. The defense was really on that entire game, but the offense started slow.

The challenge is that young teams need to learn how to win and that's what's going on here in Miami. Also, I think the coaching staff needs to trust Ryan Tannehill to make the important plays at the end of games. Case in point, third and nine against Green Bay. A first down wins the game for the Dolphins. Both of the Packers starting corners are out and Green Bay is playing to stop the run. Why not give Tannehill the chance to find and open receiver to win the game? If nobody is open, he can take a "safe" sack and keep the clock running.

 

[Roman529]

This is the one thing I agree with:

The offense and defense must improve their performance on third downs.

 

[ATL_PHIN_FAN]

Omar - Only nine teams in NFL have a worst third-down conversion rate than Dolphins (38.2). And only one of those teams (Bengals) possess a winning record heading into this week's games.

What Omar doesn't tell you is that we also have the 7th fewest 3rd down attempts after 6 games. That means we are making most of our 1st downs on 1st and 2nd down. It also means we get fewer opportunities to try a first down, and probably the attempts we do get are on third and long after a penalty or a sack.


1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6 20 120 349 306.8 5.3 18.0 25 67 37 1 4 25 47 361 26:46 12 5 -2
2 Cincinnati Bengals 6 22.3 134 367 353.3 5.8 19.3 24 73 33 0 3 0 39 326 28:11 4 3 +4
2 Oakland Raiders 6 15.3 92 330 282.7 5.1 15.7 28 73 38 2 3 67 43 325 25:01 7 3 -4
4 New Orleans Saints 6 25.8 155 419 437.0 6.3 27.0 37 74 50 2 4 50 33 300 31:13 6 5 -8
5 Seattle Seahawks 6 26.5 159 360 357.0 6.0 19.8 30 75 40 2 4 50 51 390 29:48 8 2 +1
5 St. Louis Rams 6 21.5 129 390 359.2 5.5 21.2 33 75 44 2 4 50 46 445 31:26 12 5 -3
7 Miami Dolphins 6 24.5 147 402 359.8 5.4 22.2 29 76 38 3 10 30 30 255 29:51 10 6 0