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Minimal set of actions and progression needed to beat BUF

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isaacjunk

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That Buf beatdown of NE was eye-opening. Mac is not that different from Tua stylistically, and so even with an avg offensive line, top defense, disciplined team and run game it was not enough to be competitive. What minimal steps and progression do we need to see to be able to beat BUF, say in a year-end game, when Allen plays like that?

Offseason Moves:
- innovative OC knows how to best employ Tua as Drew Brees
- 2 OT, proven elite OL coach
- 1 higher-end WR who can get open reliably w/ explosive play making RAC (think Cole Beasley)
- 1 possession WR who can get open reliably, tough and good hands, steady chain-mover
- a top 15 RB

Progressions (by year's end)
- OL is solidified to league average in pass and run
- new RB + Duke can provide steady 100 ypg/4.5 ypc
- Tua - with solid OL and run game and 2 new weapons, attacks downfield 5-6 times a game, pushing our offense to 25+ppg
- Jalean Phillips takes next step to provide elite pressure rate, reducing need for blitzing

Even with all this essentially best-case scenario stuff, still think Buf would be quite the favorite. Would need to win turnovers / hope for a down game from Allen, can't see us progressing to put up 30 pts in a track meet scenario to keep up with Buf / Chiefs when they are on...
 
We need a lot more than you think on the personnel level. As far as coaches, I’m not asking for the world, just professionals and some damn stability
we need to revamp the entire WR room and and at least four OLinemen, between starters and depth.
Couldn’t hurt to draft a major league LB
 
If Allen plays like he did against New England, catching Buffalo will be difficult. Of course, the Bills could lose players and coaches.

I think the OP hit on a lot of the points. I'd say the most important thing is having a quality coaching staff, especially someone who can bring out the best in Tua.

I love the SF running game, it's design, and how hard it is for opponents to stop it. Tua would be a star in that type of system IMO.

I also think the Dolphins need a dominant front seven addition on defense. Have to be able to pressure the top quarterbacks and the AFC has quite a few.
 
To beat Buffalo we need a disciplined, fast, athletic front 7. Micah Parsons would have done wonders for us in that department. Outside of Baker none of our LB's look especially fast, outside of Phillips our edge rushers aren't really that athletic. I swear every time I see Allen scramble to his right I never see any of our guys closing in on him in a hurry. It's like they're running on quicksand.
 
Good point that the defense needs to be focused on as well. I'm concerned that if you look at the last Buf-mia game, we got good pressure via cover 0 first half but they figured us out by the 2nd. Without that pressure we became virtually a sieve.

Actually, why would you think that cover 0 would work against the best teams? What you need is a smart, disciplined line, a QB that can throw accurately off his back foot and multiple WRs capable of winning 1-1 -- Buf and KC both fit that bill. Almost like we need a whole other approach to beat the playoff teams on D.
 
First, Miami should offer the HC position to Doug Pederson. But if that doesn’t happen….

- Hire McDaniel. In his first act as HC, ask him to provide a wish list to Grier of OL targets in free agency and the draft that fit into his zone blocking scheme.

- We have ample cap space and draft assets. Inform Grier that after the draft, if he fails to provide McDaniel with 70-75% of the names on his OL list, that he is fired.

- Resign Duke Johnson. Make that one of your first priorities off the offseason. We should also be able to resign Phillip Lindsay on the cheap. Draft a quality running mate for Duke in Round 2 or 3. Gaskin is still under contract and can probably serve as an above average depth piece in McDaniel’s system.

- Draft a QB. I’ve got zero issues with hiring an offensive mind as HC and seeing how Tua responds as the starter, but as has been stated by many posters in this forum already: Until you know you have your franchise QB, you need to keep drafting QB’s. If Miami likes the draft options for QB in 2023 better, they need to sign a back-up with a similar skill set to Tua. Call Mariota’s agent and see if he’s willing to sign on as a back-up.

- A few posters have already mentioned it, but to hang with Buffalo, Miami is going to have to massively upgrade the speed and talent at LB. Our 1st round pick should be spent on LB Devin Lloyd out of Utah- if he’s still on the board when we pick. He’s got 4.4 speed and has as good of LB instincts as you’re gonna find. If you want to be competing with Buffalo and KC for the next 5-6 years, this kid is the EXACT kind of defender you’re going to need to do it. Aside from him, Miami needs to use free agency and the draft to continue upgrading our speed and playmaking in the front 7. If you want to beat Allen on a consistent basis, you’ve gotta find a way to keep him in the pocket and limit his decision making time. Miami’s gonna need to dedicate the next couple of offseason’ in upgrading the front 7 to get there.

Overall, when the question gets asked, “How can Miami compete with Buffalo”, all of the answers end up coming from the defensive side of the ball, but why I like McDaniel as our next HC is because of what I think he can incorporate on the offensive side to get us over the hump. While Miami still needs to make some pretty significant defensive improvements to get there, one of the most effective ways to beat an Allen or Mahomes is to keep the ball out of their hands. I love, love, love Shanahan and McDaniel’s run schemes and once you have the right personnel, it’s sustainable and effective.

Miami is currently a 3-and-out machine. When you already have trouble defending Allen, it’s impossible to beat him when you’re constantly giving him possessions. Miami needs to bring somebody in who can FINALLY help this team get the O-Line and running game on track. It’s funny how you don’t have to be perfect defensively when you have an offense capable of running the ball and controlling some of the clock.
 
Beating Buffalo should be down the line in terms of a wish list IMO. Our team is inconsistent at best. We need a real identity ... we need to score on offense after the first drive. This team isn't ready to focus on beating the Bills .... thoughts like that will distract you from your real goal ... build an offensive team that can stay ahead of the sticks while resting the Defense and.... score some damn points.

If folks want to blame the OL as the be all end all reason for our failure, then ok ... but for me the issue is coaching. Give our team qualified NFL coaches @ HC, OC and DC before you plan to beat Buff .... this mess starts at the top ... these players have enough talent to be competitive IMO ... but they can't do it without a solid plan. They have good/great measurables but individually they are JAG's without a plan that illuminates their abilities while complimenting the other players. (that right there refers to TEAMwork y'all... which reflects on coaching)

This team is a coaching staff away from contending and while building that staff we need to uncover a rock star @ either DL/LB on D AND RB/WR on offense ... those 2 pieces would get us in the fast lane and while we uncover those gems, we are still contenders.

Thinking we are this player or that player away from stardom is fool's gold at this point. Do you want to beat Buffalo? Find a coaching staff that utilizes our players to their strengths with the ability to adjust on the fly to silly things like weather conditions and clock management ... let's start there.
 
Sorry I had to stop at the Tua like Drew Brees thing.

It's not a particularly good comparison until Tua shows it. Brees is a major outlier in terms of physical ability vs results. To just assume another player is an outlier before they really show it....is silly.

Especially when that outlier is one of thebtop passing QBs in history.

Tua needs to be the best Tua he can be in an offense. Not worried about trying to make him Drew Brees.
 
Need a missile 3 down LB who can hit Allen hard.

Drastically improved OL

Legit running backs

Large , physical YAC receiver.
 
On thing needed when going against the Bills teams need is.

1. Team speed. - slower teams will not fair well against a Bills team. They will not be able to get separation consistently. And will really struggle if the defense is slow (see NE they could not come close to matching the team speed).

Bills went big on speed as that was needed to compete with KC. So this offseason the made sure to keep their speed up and add pass rushers.

Without addressing team speed teams will struggle against the Bills based on how they are built specially on offense.
 
Best case scenerio is Buffalo wins Super Bowl. Sometimes teams have trouble adjusting after a win in the big one.
 
isaacjunk said:
That Buf beatdown of NE was eye-opening. Mac is not that different from Tua stylistically, and so even with an avg offensive line, top defense, disciplined team and run game it was not enough to be competitive. What minimal steps and progression do we need to see to be able to beat BUF, say in a year-end game, when Allen plays like that?

Offseason Moves:
- innovative OC knows how to best employ Tua as Drew Brees
- 2 OT, proven elite OL coach
- 1 higher-end WR who can get open reliably w/ explosive play making RAC (think Cole Beasley)
- 1 possession WR who can get open reliably, tough and good hands, steady chain-mover
- a top 15 RB

Progressions (by year's end)
- OL is solidified to league average in pass and run
- new RB + Duke can provide steady 100 ypg/4.5 ypc
- Tua - with solid OL and run game and 2 new weapons, attacks downfield 5-6 times a game, pushing our offense to 25+ppg
- Jalean Phillips takes next step to provide elite pressure rate, reducing need for blitzing

Even with all this essentially best-case scenario stuff, still think Buf would be quite the favorite. Would need to win turnovers / hope for a down game from Allen, can't see us progressing to put up 30 pts in a track meet scenario to keep up with Buf / Chiefs when they are on...
Click to expand...

First, a little homer. Mia lost the 2nd Buf game 26-10, with the D folding in 4Q after being on the field 3 hrs. Even with the NFL's worst O, that's better than a number of other teams.
- Given that, step one is scoring points. Buf is going to score. Mia needs to score and win TOP. Yeah, that's vague, but step one. All Buf's losses were against good teams except Jax
- One of my priorities in the off-season - at least 1 WR (preferrably two) who can consistently get separation and has speed. The D doesn't need speed to cover DVP and Gesicki.
-Keep in mind, Buf is a very good team. Good chance to get to the SB. Realistically, if Mia can field a team that can seriously compete with Buf, that's about all fans can ask
 
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It's a QB driven league. Get a better QB or have Tua develop into a better QB

Justin Herbert would get you guys some games right away
 
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