MMQB: "Difference in Dolphins has been startling"

[gafin]

Ryan Tannehill. Somehow, he got very short shrift Sunday. Very. Tannehill completed his first 18 throws, and he threw only 19. It was sort of heartbreaking to see what happened on the 19th. Midway through the fourth quarter in a rout of Houston, Tannehill threw a 10-yard out pass to backup tight end Dion Sims. It was high, but Sims raised one hand and the ball bounced off it. Had he put both hands up, who knows? But it was a catchable ball, for sure. So Tannehill finished 18 of 19 for 282 yards with four touchdowns (all in the first 16 minutes) and no interceptions. Afterward I said to Tannehill it was a shame about that 19th throw. “What’s that?” he said. You know, I said, the fact that it ruined his perfect day. He acted as if it wasn’t a big deal, because of the way the day was game-planned. “We had a lot of respect for Houston’s pass rush,” Tannehill said, “so if you noticed how I was throwing, it was a lot of short stuff, trying to mitigate the pass rush. Really good game plan by Coach [Bill] Lazor. I felt like every pass I threw was under 20 yards in the air.” Let’s check the touchdown throws:

• On the 53-yard touchdown pass to Rishard Matthews, Tannehill threw it six yards beyond the line. Matthews made the two defensive backs clank into each other, and he was off for the score.

• On the 50-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry, Tannehill’s throw met Landry 13 yards beyond the line.

• On the 10-yard touchdown pass to Landry, Tannehill’s throw, a crosser, hit him four yards past the line.

• And the 54-yard touchdown catch by running back Lamar Miller was on a screen pass. Miller caught the ball two yards behind the line and actually scooted 56 yards for the score.

• ​Average distance past the line for the four touchdown throws: 5.5 yards.

“It was wild,” Tannehill said. “For a few minutes it was like anything we did worked, and we scored.” Tannehill’s day, added to the final seven completions from his game last week in Tennessee, gave him the NFL record for consecutive completions—25, breaking the mark set by Donovan McNabb in 2004. Obviously, the coaching change in Miami is agreeing with Tannehill. He’s an 83.3 percent passer in the two games since Dan Campbell took over. “He wants us to play like we played as kids, with a love of the game,” Tannehill said. Well, something’s working.

Dan Campbell. Stop saying, “Who cares? He’s beaten Tennessee and Houston, and they stink.” The Joe Philbin Dolphins lost to Jacksonville. The Joe Philbin Dolphins lost to the Bills by 27. The Dan Campbell Dolphins won at Tennessee 38-10, and had a 41-0 halftime lead over Houston on Sunday. “Forty-one to nothing, at halftime,” Campbell said, incredulously. Part of my job at NBC on Sundays is to pay particularly close attention to the 1 p.m. ET games before production work for the Football Night show begins in earnest. And the difference in the Dolphins has been startling. One sack in the first four games. Ten sacks in the two games since Campbell took over. Clearly the players are playing with more drive, more passion. If you don’t love what you’re doing, it’s going to show in your work, negatively. And it’s clear these players like playing for the new
boss. He’s injected an energy into the team that any athlete needs in order to be really good. He’ll need to do it this week, especially. Miami’s got a short week of prep for the big, bad, 6-0 Patriots in Foxboro on Thursday night.

COACH OF THE WEEK

Bill Lazor, offensive coordinator, Miami. So, Lazor had to adapt to life without Joe Philbin as his boss—and he was close to Philbin and liked him a lot. Now Lazor is working for a man whom he once bossed around, former tight ends coach Dan Campbell. With Campbell as head coach/motivator, the team has played markedly better the past two weeks, and Lazor’s offense has been terrific. Miami’s offense put up 31 points and 503 yards against Tennessee in Week 6 and 37 points and 434 yards against Houston on Sunday. Afterward, Ryan Tannehill told me how comfortable he was with Lazor and the offense, and how much in a groove he felt Sunday.

Ten Things I Think I Think

1. I think this is what I liked about Week 7:

e. Miami wideout Rishard Matthews’ separation ability.

f. Miami wideout Jarvis Landry’s ability to be a complete receiver—hands, speed and making tacklers miss.

u. Not sure how much to blame Houston’s pathetic effort on defense, but in the first 28 minutes of Dolphins-Texans, Miami running back Lamar Miller had 175 yards on 14 carries—the 14th being an 85-yard touchdown run through the heart of the Houston defense. That’s what Miller ended with. He has the ability to make tacklers miss with minute jukes that you can barely see but that are effective in taking away the aggression of the defenders.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/10/26/nfl-week-7-yahoo-live-stream-greg-hardy-miami-dolphins

 

[nando03]

It is amazing to see such a difference in the entire team. Kudos to Bill Lazor for his game plans these past couple of weeks. Here's to hoping that his solid game planning can continue for this Thursday night game in Foxboro.

 

[mialuv13]

They aren't trying to fit square pegs into round holes. Tannehill excels in the short game and the o-line needs some help against a very good pass rush. Short throws; it allows your playmakers to take advantage of an aggressive and fast defense. It's been the Patriots' route to success.

Also, how about that down the field blocking?! It's the most noticeable thing about this team, second and third level blocking! Brings a tear to my eye.

It has been a lot of fun. The true test is Thursday. Pats played an extremely physical game yesterday, so having our guys come in fresh after the shellacking we gave Houston is going to be a factor.

Way to get that Houston monkey off our back in the most exciting way possible.

 

[TKAllDay]

I love my fins!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[datruth55]

Outscored 37-3 in the 1st quarter of the first four games to outscoring our opponents 31-3 in the 1st quarter of the last two games. Tannehill's passes yesterday were perfect...perfect ball placement, perfect touch, got it out quickly for the most part...even the deep ball to Parker that didn't count was on the money...the guy was in a zone. Back in 2008 when the Dolphins were on they're way to winning the division and making the playoffs I said they were doing it with smoke and mirrors. This year we have the talent but it's hard to comprehend what's happening right now. This drastic of a turnaround just by changing the coach? By changing the attitude? I love the fact that we're putting Tannehill under center more...been asking for that...and that we're committed to running the football. I thought maybe Lazor didn't like Miller because he never let him carry the load...looks like that was on Philbin. And Aranumo...Merchant Marines or not this dude has the defense on the hunt despite the fact that Jamar Taylor sucks. This is just crazy.

 

[Tannchise]

if we beat NE, this turn of events will be national news.
right now it's still quiet based on who we played. But I did notice Miami was the first game a lot of national stations were showing. Once fantasy owners start Miami players regularly, you know it's gonna be National. lol

 

[spiketex]

And Aranumo...Merchant Marines or not this dude has the defense on the hunt despite the fact that Jamar Taylor sucks. This is just crazy.

Why does the media keep going back to his his stint as Defensive Coordinator of the Merchant Marines? He's been the Dolphins Defensive Backs Coach for the past 4 years.

 

[datruth55]

Why does the media keep going back to his his stint as Defensive Coordinator of the Merchant Marines? He's been the Dolphins Defensive Backs Coach for the past 4 years.

Because that was the only other time he's been a DC in his career.

 

[Tannchise]

it makes for a better national story

 

[royalshank]

Why does the media keep going back to his his stint as Defensive Coordinator of the Merchant Marines? He's been the Dolphins Defensive Backs Coach for the past 4 years.

agreed. He could have been a colonel in the Salvation Army for all I care. The D is playing great.

 

[phinfan40353]

This game is a real test for the longevity of this current staff. They were given 2 games against inferior teams (which in the NFL is a small margin) that were winnable simply based on culture and mentality change. Allowing the players to play.

NOW, we arrive at the game where the coaches must decide the outcome. They are playing against the greatest mind in the NFL.

I'll be honest, the implications of this game can catapult this team into the post season or be a sobering wake up call. A loss is a loss and this organization is in such dire need of a signature win to unleash the avalanche of pent up short comings and unfulfilled promises. We need this game to validate this team.

A dramatic close loss will show progress, but let's be honest with ourselves.... if we lose by any means, the negativity will resurface and the true momentum Dan has built will be threatened at the core.

For me, this is the game Dan Campbell has been waiting for his whole life. He needs to motivate, motivate, enable and empower. His staff needs to spend the entire week developing the plan to win the Super Bowl.

Make no doubt about it.... this is our Super Bowl. This game is the door to the rest of our season. All of the romantic notions and Cinderella slippers are pointless if we cannot shock the world and ourselves.

We need validation. Dan Campbell needs validation. These players need validation. And these coaches need validation.

It's time every person involved in this organization laid everything on the line and stop looking for someone to make the next play.


We need to do something no one can imagine. We need to do something no one can deny. And we need to do it when they most expect it.


It's time to take glory.

 

[DuderinoN703]

Still makes me laugh a few select folks here complained that Tannehill didn't do anything b/c his throws were short and the WRs/Miller did the rest. Nevermind about the game plan, nevermind about Watt and Clowney, nevermind times infinity.

 

[russianbear]

Still makes me laugh a few select folks here complained that Tannehill didn't do anything b/c his throws were short and the WRs/Miller did the rest. Nevermind about the game plan, nevermind about Watt and Clowney, nevermind times infinity.

it's as if they want tanny to drop back, see the first read open and think to himself "wait, what will my doubters think if I continually go to my first read....he's only 6 yards up-field! I better move along to my deeper options..."

then he takes a sack and the the critics will say "well, he held the ball too long"

 

[gafin]

Yeah, Brady lives on short throws these days, not a bad thing if Tannehill does the same.

 

[psfign]

it's as if they want tanny to drop back, see the first read open and think to himself "wait, what will my doubters think if I continually go to my first read....he's only 6 yards up-field! I better move along to my deeper options..."

then he takes a sack and the the critics will say "well, he held the ball too long"

were people really saying these things about yesterdays game? Good lord people!