We Are a Terrible Screen Pass Team

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Just a quick and fun thread about everyone's favorite subject: Ryan Tannehill! Actually, it's about our pass offense, our blocking, and our coaching staff.

Those of you who read my godawful posts may remember that I absolutely despise the screen pass, particularly the bubble screen. And you may know that I am constantly typing rants in various threads (especially game threads) about how much I hate these plays. Well it turns out that some kind folks involved with the "NFL1000" project have actually gone and charted how many screen passes each NFL team called in 2016, and how many yards those passes gained, and then sorted them by quarterback to see who threw the most screen passes, who got the most yardage out of them, and which teams ran them the most efficiently.

Well, here's what those numbers looked like for our starting quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, in 2016:

Total Pass Attempts: 389

Screen Passes: 53

Total Pass Yards: 2995

Screen Pass Yards: 240


Percentage of passes that were screens: 13.62% (Rank: 2nd among qualifying QBs)
Average Yards per Screen Pass Attempt: 4.53 (Rank: 32nd among qualifying QBs)


So in short, the Miami Dolphins threw screen passes more than any other team that wasn't the Kansas City Chiefs, and were the worst team in the entire league at actually gaining yards on those screen passes. In fact, if you deduct the screen passes from Ryan Tannehill's passing statitics, his yards per attempt jumps by a full half yard, to 8.2.

We are so bad at executing screen plays that our passing offense's efficiency is cut almost in half when the play call is a screen pass. In fact, our screen passes were less efficient than our rushing offense. Why are we so bad at running screen plays? I don't know. But what I do know is that because we're so damn bad at running them, we should probably do it a lot less. Just a thought.

In conclusion,

TAKE THE BUBBLE SCREEN OUT OF THE DAMN PLAYBOOK

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Best of luck to you.

Spoiler: It won't happen without a better interior 3 on the offensive line.

Screens are constraint plays. When the defense is teeing off on the pass rush, we have to use something to offset the pressure and get the ball out quickly. That's where they come into play and why they'll continue until we solidify the o-line.

FWIW, it's also a major reason for the drop in sacks.

 

[MiZFiT]

Also pretty weak as a running blocking team. Ajayi's toughness was big last season.

 

[Travis34]

Wow. Eye popping numbers on that. It's apparent watching us that we never execute them well. A lot of that has to do with the linemen making better blocks. I don't think the qb could be TOO much to blame on a screen pass, unless he is failing to get the ball there in time.

It sucks because screens can be very effective plays- if done right and at the right time too even. I would expect with better coaching and better linemen we could improve in that aspect. But as it looks now... we won't be much better at it next year. We'll see how the draft goes..

It's better than the lazor offense though, no doubt. GOD AWFUL

 

[Sons Of Shula]

Also pretty weak as a running blocking team. Ajayi's toughness was big last season.

Again that points directly to guard play.

78% of our runs were ZBS (30% IZ, 48% OZ). You cant effectively run the ZBS with poor guards that can't get to the 2nd level to execute the play properly.

 

[Travis34]

Also pretty weak as a running blocking team. Ajayi's toughness was big last season.

Another reason to continue the success we are trying to build on we need more talent on the line

 

[tylerdolphin]

I'd be curious to see the numbers for how well particular defenses played the screen. We all know our offense sucks ass at screens. That's not up for debate. What I'd like to know is whether ANY team efficiently runs screens against top defenses. My gut says no. Screens seem to exploit poor tackling and poorly disciplined teams much more so than good defenses.

I guess my point is that if you're planning to make a playoff run and beat good teams with good defenses, it's probably a good idea to scrap most of the screens except on occasions when you want to try specifically combat a certain blitz or to throw one now and then when you see something you like with what the d is showing to keep the defense honest.

I could be way off on this and I'll admit I haven't researched it. Just a gut observation. I don't think any team in football was going to rack up cheap screen yards consistently on, say, the Pats.

 

[Zounds]

They can get rid of the quick sideline passes too. OK, maybe throw it once a game to keep the CB honest, but more than once is usually too much

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

I'd be curious to see the numbers for how well particular defenses played the screen. We all know our offense sucks ass at screens. That's not up for debate. What I'd like to know is whether ANY team efficiently runs screens against top defenses. My gut says no. Screens seem to exploit poor tackling and poorly disciplined teams much more so than good defenses.

I guess my point is that if you're planning to make a playoff run and beat good teams with good defenses, it's probably a good idea to scrap most of the screens except on occasions when you want to try specifically combat a certain blitz or to throw one now and then when you see something you like with what the d is showing to keep the defense honest.

I could be way off on this and I'll admit I haven't researched it. Just a gut observation. I don't think any team in football was going to rack up cheap screen yards consistently on, say, the Pats.

I don't have that data available. If I see it, I'll definitely post it.

 

[NBP81]

Not to mention that screen passes often work because you caught the defense off guard... Kinda hard to do when you're the team doing it the most, wild guess is that opposing defenses are going to be looking for it if they have done any type of homework...

 

[Sons Of Shula]

I'd be curious to see the numbers for how well particular defenses played the screen. We all know our offense sucks ass at screens. That's not up for debate. What I'd like to know is whether ANY team efficiently runs screens against top defenses. My gut says no. Screens seem to exploit poor tackling and poorly disciplined teams much more so than good defenses.

I guess my point is that if you're planning to make a playoff run and beat good teams with good defenses, it's probably a good idea to scrap most of the screens except on occasions when you want to try specifically combat a certain blitz or to throw one now and then when you see something you like with what the d is showing to keep the defense honest.

I could be way off on this and I'll admit I haven't researched it. Just a gut observation. I don't think any team in football was going to rack up cheap screen yards on, say, the Pats.

You're right on point.

Screens are constraint plays. They're not a system, they're not even part of a gameplan, and they only work when the defenses is cheating in another aspect of the game.

In this case with our bubble, tunnel, smoke, etc screens the CBs have to be aligned at least 5-8 yards off the LOS, or the LBs must be inching closer to play the run, or the DL is rushing hard upfield.

Otherwise, if it's simply due to poor pass pro (as in our case the majority of the time) and the D is still playing sound within their scheme, they are inefficient and ineffective as the analysis shows in what Wanny posted.

 

[SCLSU Mud Dogs]

Still makes me wonder how the **** we go through the first week of FA with one measly offensive line signing. Makes no sense, especially with the current cap space we have. Absolutely stunned

 

[mnphinfan]

Best of luck to you.

Spoiler: It won't happen without a better interior 3 on the offensive line.

Screens are constraint plays. When the defense is teeing off on the pass rush, we have to use something to offset the pressure and get the ball out quickly. That's where they come into play and why they'll continue until we solidify the o-line.

FWIW, it's also a major reason for the drop in sacks.

Again that points directly to guard play.

78% of our runs were ZBS (30% IZ, 48% OZ). You cant effectively run the ZBS with poor guards that can't get to the 2nd level to execute the play properly.

And yet they still haven't adequately addressed the G position. If they don't pick up an adequate starter in the draft the oline could very well derail the season.

 

[TheWozz]

I root for Tannehill to spike the ball when a bubble screen is called. No chance of lost yardage and we can get to the next real play sooner

 

[dolpns13]

We've never been a good or even average screen team, and that's both on offense and defense. Can't run it on offense and can't defend it on defense


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