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Miami 2020 Defense by the Numbers

BlueUndertow

BlueUndertow

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(aka why are the Dolphins remaking their defense if it was so good last year)

OUT: Kyle Van Noy (LB), Davon Godchaux (DL), Bobby McCain (DB), Shaq Lawson (EDGE), Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)
IN: Benardrick McKinney (LB), Justin Coleman (CB), Brennan Scarlett (LB), Adam Butler (DL), John Jenkins (DL), Duke Riley (LB)
DRAFT: Jaelen Phillips (EDGE), Jevon Holland (S)

MIAMI DEFENSE BY THE NUMBERS
(Stats from https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/opp.htm)

Opponent Points/Game (#6) - 21.1
Scoring Drive % (#4) - 30.7%

Opponent Total Yards (#20) - 5886
Passing Yards (#23) - 4024
Rushing Yards (#16) - 1862

Opponent Yards/Play (#24) - 5.898
Passing Net Yards/Attempt (#24) - 6.867
Rushing Yards/Attempt (#18) - 4.519

Opposing Passer Rate (#6) - 87.0
Passing Yards/Game (#23) - 251.5
Yards/Catch (#32) - 12.7
Passes Defended (Tied #7) - 76
Opposing Completion % (#7) - 62.9%

Opposing Passing Touchdowns (Tied #2) - 21
Opposing Rushing Touchdowns (Tied #18) - 17

Opposing 1st Downs (#12) - 336

Opponent Turnovers (#1) - 29
Drive-Ending Turnover % (#1) - 15.6%
Interceptions (Tied #1) - 18
Interception % (#3) - 3.3%

Sacks (Tied #10) - 41
Sack Yards (#4) - 349
Sack % (#9) - 7.0%
QB Hits (Tied #10) - 99

Tackles for Loss (#13) - 69

Blitz % (#2) - 40.8%
Hurry % (#17) - 9.2%
QB Knockdown % (#12) - 9.9%
Pressure % (#11) - 24.8%

Missed tackles (#14) - 103

------------------------------------------

There is a lot of talk about how the Dolphins had a top-ranked defense this last year. Why else did they got 10-6? But the defensive numbers look very pedestrian. #6 in scoring defense and being close to the top is the metric used for most of the year. But their net yards/play numbers aren't good (#24 in the league). Teams were racking up yards against the Dolphins including a league worst 12.7 yards/catch on opposing receivers. What was the Dolphins saving grace? Turnovers. #1 in the league. Obviously led by Xavien Howard's 10 interceptions.

The problem? You can't rely on turnovers to make your defense. Miami had the highest % of opposing team drives end on a turnover in the league. I think that is the most important contribution to the scoring defense. But can you guarantee that many turnovers next year? You can't.

This is part of the reason why I think the Dolphins are making such a shift from contributors on the defense last year to new faces.

The Dolphins pass rush was merely okay. It generated top-12 pressures and sacks but had to use the 2nd highest blitz rate to generate it. Sending in that many people at the QB left your defensive backs alone on islands.

The Dolphins still need improvement in basic areas. Enter Benardrick McKinney for rush defense. Bad in coverage but can still be used in passing downs as a pass rusher. Sign Justin Coleman, one of the better slot corners in 2019 (although not so great in 2020). Draft potentially the best pass rusher in Jaelan Phillps. Draft Jevon Holland and let go of Bobby McCain.

There was a lot of talk about fixing the offense, but based on the off-season moves, it looks like Flores/Grier knew they had a lot of work to do with the defense too.
 
The draft and FA signings have given us a quantum leap jump on both sides of the ball.

The roster is tighter and more exclusive than ever before, as evidenced by players that getting cut ... that otherwise would have easily made the team
 
Good post. I tried to make this argument many times, the D was living off of turnovers and not sustainable long-term, a lot of people around here were acting like they were the '85 Bears.

Anyways, once again we should all trust in the coaching staff because they knew changes had to be made and they did just that.
 
BlueUndertow said:
(aka why are the Dolphins remaking their defense if it was so good last year)

OUT: Kyle Van Noy (LB), Davon Godchaux (DL), Bobby McCain (DB), Shaq Lawson (EDGE), Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)
IN: Benardrick McKinney (LB), Justin Coleman (CB), Brennan Scarlett (LB), Adam Butler (DL), John Jenkins (DL), Duke Riley (LB)
DRAFT: Jaelen Phillips (EDGE), Jevon Holland (S)

MIAMI DEFENSE BY THE NUMBERS
(Stats from https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/opp.htm)

Opponent Points/Game (#6) - 21.1
Scoring Drive % (#4) - 30.7%

Opponent Total Yards (#20) - 5886
Passing Yards (#23) - 4024
Rushing Yards (#16) - 1862

Opponent Yards/Play (#24) - 5.898
Passing Net Yards/Attempt (#24) - 6.867
Rushing Yards/Attempt (#18) - 4.519

Opposing Passer Rate (#6) - 87.0
Passing Yards/Game (#23) - 251.5
Yards/Catch (#32) - 12.7
Passes Defended (Tied #7) - 76
Opposing Completion % (#7) - 62.9%

Opposing Passing Touchdowns (Tied #2) - 21
Opposing Rushing Touchdowns (Tied #18) - 17

Opposing 1st Downs (#12) - 336

Opponent Turnovers (#1) - 29
Drive-Ending Turnover % (#1) - 15.6%
Interceptions (Tied #1) - 18
Interception % (#3) - 3.3%

Sacks (Tied #10) - 41
Sack Yards (#4) - 349
Sack % (#9) - 7.0%
QB Hits (Tied #10) - 99

Tackles for Loss (#13) - 69

Blitz % (#2) - 40.8%
Hurry % (#17) - 9.2%
QB Knockdown % (#12) - 9.9%
Pressure % (#11) - 24.8%

Missed tackles (#14) - 103

------------------------------------------

There is a lot of talk about how the Dolphins had a top-ranked defense this last year. Why else did they got 10-6? But the defensive numbers look very pedestrian. #6 in scoring defense and being close to the top is the metric used for most of the year. But their net yards/play numbers aren't good (#24 in the league). Teams were racking up yards against the Dolphins including a league worst 12.7 yards/catch on opposing receivers. What was the Dolphins saving grace? Turnovers. #1 in the league. Obviously led by Xavien Howard's 10 interceptions.

The problem? You can't rely on turnovers to make your defense. Miami had the highest % of opposing team drives end on a turnover in the league. I think that is the most important contribution to the scoring defense. But can you guarantee that many turnovers next year? You can't.

This is part of the reason why I think the Dolphins are making such a shift from contributors on the defense last year to new faces.

The Dolphins pass rush was merely okay. It generated top-12 pressures and sacks but had to use the 2nd highest blitz rate to generate it. Sending in that many people at the QB left your defensive backs alone on islands.

The Dolphins still need improvement in basic areas. Enter Benardrick McKinney for rush defense. Bad in coverage but can still be used in passing downs as a pass rusher. Sign Justin Coleman, one of the better slot corners in 2019 (although not so great in 2020). Draft potentially the best pass rusher in Jaelan Phillps. Draft Jevon Holland and let go of Bobby McCain.

There was a lot of talk about fixing the offense, but based on the off-season moves, it looks like Flores/Grier knew they had a lot of work to do with the defense too.
Click to expand...

JMHO, but the D was pretty good in many places. AND, played disciplined and aggressive. Not saying it was full of All-Pros, but quite a few quality players. The problem was the 'holes' were critical holes - the biggest one being lack of a pass rusher.

I agree, the D lived off TOs, and I think Flo saw that. That doesn't diminish the (lack of) talent on O
 
Have to believe that FLO absolutely knows that NEs repeated success was driven by their defense ... though remarkably they donā€™t get the credit (Brady does) ...

As stated, we in no way can continue to think that we can produce turnovers at the rate we did last year ... so we have to improve the talent, even though our defense is and likely will continue to be scheme based ...

I have zero doubts about HOLLAND becoming a contributor, and hope that PHILLIPS can stay healthy and play a key role in QB pressures ... we beefed up the DL pretty well, and along with McKINNEY should go a long way in stopping the run better ...
 
BlueUndertow said:
(aka why are the Dolphins remaking their defense if it was so good last year)

OUT: Kyle Van Noy (LB), Davon Godchaux (DL), Bobby McCain (DB), Shaq Lawson (EDGE), Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)
IN: Benardrick McKinney (LB), Justin Coleman (CB), Brennan Scarlett (LB), Adam Butler (DL), John Jenkins (DL), Duke Riley (LB)
DRAFT: Jaelen Phillips (EDGE), Jevon Holland (S)

MIAMI DEFENSE BY THE NUMBERS
(Stats from https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/opp.htm)

Opponent Points/Game (#6) - 21.1
Scoring Drive % (#4) - 30.7%

Opponent Total Yards (#20) - 5886
Passing Yards (#23) - 4024
Rushing Yards (#16) - 1862

Opponent Yards/Play (#24) - 5.898
Passing Net Yards/Attempt (#24) - 6.867
Rushing Yards/Attempt (#18) - 4.519

Opposing Passer Rate (#6) - 87.0
Passing Yards/Game (#23) - 251.5
Yards/Catch (#32) - 12.7
Passes Defended (Tied #7) - 76
Opposing Completion % (#7) - 62.9%

Opposing Passing Touchdowns (Tied #2) - 21
Opposing Rushing Touchdowns (Tied #18) - 17

Opposing 1st Downs (#12) - 336

Opponent Turnovers (#1) - 29
Drive-Ending Turnover % (#1) - 15.6%
Interceptions (Tied #1) - 18
Interception % (#3) - 3.3%

Sacks (Tied #10) - 41
Sack Yards (#4) - 349
Sack % (#9) - 7.0%
QB Hits (Tied #10) - 99

Tackles for Loss (#13) - 69

Blitz % (#2) - 40.8%
Hurry % (#17) - 9.2%
QB Knockdown % (#12) - 9.9%
Pressure % (#11) - 24.8%

Missed tackles (#14) - 103

------------------------------------------

There is a lot of talk about how the Dolphins had a top-ranked defense this last year. Why else did they got 10-6? But the defensive numbers look very pedestrian. #6 in scoring defense and being close to the top is the metric used for most of the year. But their net yards/play numbers aren't good (#24 in the league). Teams were racking up yards against the Dolphins including a league worst 12.7 yards/catch on opposing receivers. What was the Dolphins saving grace? Turnovers. #1 in the league. Obviously led by Xavien Howard's 10 interceptions.

The problem? You can't rely on turnovers to make your defense. Miami had the highest % of opposing team drives end on a turnover in the league. I think that is the most important contribution to the scoring defense. But can you guarantee that many turnovers next year? You can't.

This is part of the reason why I think the Dolphins are making such a shift from contributors on the defense last year to new faces.

The Dolphins pass rush was merely okay. It generated top-12 pressures and sacks but had to use the 2nd highest blitz rate to generate it. Sending in that many people at the QB left your defensive backs alone on islands.

The Dolphins still need improvement in basic areas. Enter Benardrick McKinney for rush defense. Bad in coverage but can still be used in passing downs as a pass rusher. Sign Justin Coleman, one of the better slot corners in 2019 (although not so great in 2020). Draft potentially the best pass rusher in Jaelan Phillps. Draft Jevon Holland and let go of Bobby McCain.

There was a lot of talk about fixing the offense, but based on the off-season moves, it looks like Flores/Grier knew they had a lot of work to do with the defense too.
Click to expand...
Dude, let me commend you for taking the time to gather the data and present it for discussion! I especially appreciate it because I have so much to learn. It's a great starting point and I look forward to hearing what my fellow phin fans have to say on the matter. Thank you!
 
I agree the defense numbers were not as great as people might think but at the same time, the NFL is now gear towards more offense than ever. you're going to give up yards with all the rules changes that has benefit the offense. I do agree that we needed help and they have added that at every levels with Phillips,Butler,McKinney and Holland. Also, there's some 2nd year players that should be better this year.

Another way for our defense to be better this coming season is for the offense to play better which I believe it will.
 
I agree, excellent post. Much needed information. If not for the turnovers and defensive TD's, not sure Miami wins 10 games.

Flores, Grier and the rest of the F/O and coaches seemed to realize there was much needed improvement from the defense. Hopefully they've made the right moves this offseason to help make that happen.
 
It seems to me we employed a bend but donā€™t break philosophy. Itā€™s like how defenses have been playing our offense for years - make the O put together 10+ play drives and wait for them to make mistakes.

I am not saying this is sustainable though. We definitely have been bailed out many times with a redZone turnover, but if the scheme forces more opportunities for the DBs, then it seems like maybe we will be in position to take advantage of it. Hopefully we will have more success next year as well! The biggest red flag for our ā€œtop ten defenseā€ was the week 17 Buffalo game. That canā€™t happen again
 
PHINANALYST said:
Have to believe that FLO absolutely knows that NEs repeated success was driven by their defense ... though remarkably they donā€™t get the credit (Brady does) ...

As stated, we in no way can continue to think that we can produce turnovers at the rate we did last year ... so we have to improve the talent, even though our defense is and likely will continue to be scheme based ...

I have zero doubts about HOLLAND becoming a contributor, and hope that PHILLIPS can stay healthy and play a key role in QB pressures ... we beefed up the DL pretty well, and along with McKINNEY should go a long way in stopping the run better ...
Click to expand...
i always get killed for saying this but Brady doesn't win ANY of his superbowls without those defenses.. even last year the bucs defense won that game.. (alright, maybe he wins one... lol)
 
tommyp said:
i always get killed for saying this but Brady doesn't win ANY of his superbowls without those defenses.. even last year the bucs defense won that game.. (alright, maybe he wins one... lol)
Click to expand...
No, I agree with you. How many Super Bowl wins did the offense carry the team? And as for Brady getting so much love for what happened in Tampa...look at all of the players added on the team from one year to the next. Brady could not have won the Super Bowl with the same team that Winston had the previous year.
 
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