This Defense

[mandal24]

How the heck do you pass against this team? Ogbah is a beast, Siler is relentless. We have the top 2 cornerbacks in the league shutting down their receivers. Needham is the one weakness but he's playing well for an undrafted guy. I even saw Iggy play the boundary well at the end of the Jets game. Eric Rowe covering Tight Ends as well as you can.

Last 2 games when we finally had Howard/Jones on the field at the same time:

Xavien Howard - Eight passes thrown against him, none caught and two interceptions. He now has interceptions in four consecutive games.

Byron Jones - Six completions in 13 passes thrown against him for 69 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. (He should've had a pick, ballhawked a pass perfectly)

Emmanuel Ogbah - 3 Sacks

Bobby McCain - Pro Football Focus rates him seventh among all NFL safeties, and he has allowed just 3 receiving yards all season in only four passes thrown against him. That’s a zero opponent passer rating in his coverage area.

Eric Rowe - Allowed just three of eight passes against him to be caught — for 34 yards — combined during the past two weeks, impressive considering he spent a lot of time in coverage against 49ers Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle a week ago. Rowe had 10 tackles and two quarterback pressures Sunday against the Jets.

Miami ranked first in the NFL in third-down defense, allowing conversions just 31.3 percent of the time.

The Dolphins are relinquishing 18.8 points per game, which is tied with Baltimore for second best behind Pittsburgh. Miami’s 17 sacks are sixth most.

And the Dolphins are allowing an 86.3 opponent quarterback passer rating, which is seventh best in the league.

- https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article246514050.html

 

[Ruckus45]

Seattle won with a young Russell Wilson by having a dominant D, strong OL, and good run game.

This D is turning dominant, the OL is looking on its way...wonder what the Fins are drafting to finish the blueprint.

 

[circumstances]

And that was without Van Noy (who I consider the leader of the defense).

Van Ginkel went out.

Raekwon went out.

Godchaux done for three months or so.

XMan still working his way back from injury.

Byron Jones coming back from a groin.

Shaq Lawson with a shoulder.

 

[Superself]

The wide nine was better.

Just kidding of course. :)

 

[dolfan91]

Signing Jones was a coup for Miami. It fit in with the vision Flores and Grier had for the team. It gave them two controllable contracts at a time the franchise had significant cap space. It put together a relatively young Duo of Top rated CB's with a Safety in Rowe, who's been tops in covering TE's; since he switched postions, last year. It created a lockdown type secondary that allows for all kinds of games in the front seven. Gotta love the blueprint and vision.

 

[TrogdorTheBurninator]

Signing Jones was a coup for Miami. It fit in with the vision Flores and Grier had for the team. It gave them two controllable contracts at a time the franchise had significant cap space. It put together a relatively young Duo of Top rated CB's with a Safety in Rowe, who's been tops in covering TE's; since he switched postions, last year. It created a lockdown type secondary that allows for all kinds of games in the front seven. Gotta love the blueprint and vision.

For sure the best sign this year, imo!

 

[LargoFin]

That's the key, a great athletic secondary. We have top notch athletes with Byron, Rowe and McCain and Iggy. Need to keep drafting a top notch DB every year.

 

[fansinceGWilson]

Seattle won with a young Russell Wilson by having a dominant D, strong OL, and good run game.

This D is turning dominant, the OL is looking on its way...wonder what the Fins are drafting to finish the blueprint.

Still not comfortable with the run D, particularly with the injuries.

 

[Kdawg954]

Ultimately your defense is going to be in a better place when you have an offense that can put up points. We've gotten out to nice leads the last 2 weeks and it has benefited the d not only from a schematic standpoint but from a mental one as well.

 

[UGAxFIN]

If we can use our 1st pick in next years draft to get a great edge rusher (cross my fingers for Rousseau), this defense could become elite. Really exciting to think about!

 

[DirkForever]

Best defense I have seen since Taylor. I hope they keep it up.

 

[DirkForever]

That D lets the offense work. And Flores ...finally... A coach that understands the power of the clock.

 

[Joe Dolfan]

If we can use our 1st pick in next years draft to get a great edge rusher (cross my fingers for Rousseau), this defense could become elite. Really exciting to think about!

I'd rather have Parsons, assuming Houston loses enough games.

 

[Redwine4all]

That's the key, a great athletic secondary. We have top notch athletes with Byron, Rowe and McCain and Iggy. Need to keep drafting a top notch DB every year.

Totally agree...pass rushers and CBS have to be the priority every draft.

 

[dougb123]

Hard to pitch a shutout in the NFL anymore even against the lowly Jets, nice Job D.....

With the offensive line coming together nicely I think it a wait and see what happens in FA then on to the draft where it will be hard not to find Tua some new toy's to play with, but it's a wait and see who's on the board when we pull the trigger, could reasonable expect the 2 1's and 2nd's and the 3rd rounder push to make an impact that's 5 draft picks, nice rebuild so far IMO.