Mistakes are difficult for everyone to admit, even more so when they’re attached to seven-figure severance packages. But it’s time for Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to admit his biggest one yet.
It’s time to fire Joe Philbin.
In the three-plus seasons since hiring Philbin, the Dolphins have sputtered along, clanging their way to an uninspiring 24-27 overall mark, including a 1-2 start this year. A career coordinator before Miami, Philbin has often appeared out of touch and overmatched by the position, his even-keel demeanor instead coming off as bland and detached.
After the Dolphins were “outplayed and outcoached” in Sunday’s 41-14 trashing at the hands of the Buffalo Bills, Philbin admitted to being out of answers. An offense that shed Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline in favor of DeVante Parker, Greg Jennings and Kenny Stills is averaging just 17 points per game through three weeks. Under pressure on over 40 percent of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus, quarterback Ryan Tannehill has regressed from his 2014 performance, forcing throws and failing to diagnose pressure before the snap.
On defense, the problems are fundamental. The Dolphins’ tackling against the Bills was anemic, highlighted by the olé technique used on Charles Clay’s 25-yard touchdown. The pass-rush is no better. Despite the offseason addition of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the Dolphins are dead last in Football Outsiders’ adjusted sack rate. Thanks in part to a total lack of push up front, a secondary that finished last season a respectable 16[SUP]th[/SUP] in pass defense DVOA has slipped to 30[SUP]th[/SUP] despite games against Kirk Cousins, Blake Bortles and Tyrod Taylor.
After an expensive and thorough offseason overhaul, the Dolphins entered this season with hopes of challenging the New England Patriots for the top spot in the AFC East. Instead, through three games this season the Dolphins have been outscored 57-17 in the first half of games, including deficits of 10-0, 17-6 and 27-0, a sure sign of a lack of preparation.
That sort of letdown is normally enough for coaches to land on a burning hot seat, but Philbin and the Dolphins have been here before. Two seasons ago, Philbin survived the Dolphins’ bullying scandal despite the Wells Report painting him as woefully out of touch with the happenings within his own locker room. Last season, the Dolphins were also 1-2 and reeling from an embarrassing 34-15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with a trip to London on the schedule. Philbin vaguely threatened to bench Tannehill, a public-relations ploy which not even Tannehill took seriously. After a brief revival where Miami won four of five, the Dolphins cratered down the stretch, losing five of their last eight games. Still, Ross ensured Philbin would return for 2015, preaching patience in the face of prolonged mediocrity.
It’s not hard to understand why Ross would be reticent to fire Philbin. The former Green Bay assistant was Ross’ first major hire as the franchise’s majority owner. As the man largely credited with the development of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Philbin fit the mold of what Ross wanted in the team’s next leader – “a young Don Shula,” Ross proclaimed to be searching for. But in 51 games as the head coach of the Dolphins, Philbin has been closer to Dave Shula than his Hall of Fame father.
Maybe Philbin and the Dolphins will beat the New York Jets in London on Sunday, earning yet another stay of execution for their head coach. And perhaps there will be another mid-season run as there has been in years past, but the point of hiring a head coach has always been to find a person capable of leading a franchise to a Super Bowl. After three-plus years of evidence to the contrary, is there anyone that feels confident Philbin will suddenly meet that standard in the next 14 weeks?
If Ross’ answer to that question is “no,” leaving Philbin in place for the remainder of the season does nothing but prolong the inevitable. It’s simply time for the Dolphins to admit that Philbin was indeed, a mistake.
