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The head coach is ultimately responsible for 3 things that will make a football team successful.
Several interviews with current Dolphins' players and Packers' players suggest Philbin is a well liked coach and a credit to an organization. At times, he has displayed solid leadership skills and he has represented the Dolphins well as an ambassador for the team. However, I believe his failings at each level of the above criteria require that he be replaced as head coach.
Development of available talent and to ensure their peak performance
While some of the young players on the Dolphins have shown a steady improvement under Philbin's tenure, other players seem to be regressing. More alarming than slow player development is the misuse of players in various roles for which they are not suited.
Design of overall offensive and defensive schemes to put the team in the best position for success, and week-to-week game planning to ensure the success of the schemes versus multiple opponents
I personally believe the Dolphins' base schemes on offense and defense are well-designed for success. I think some tweaks could be made for more dynamic performance, but I am mostly bothered by the inability of the coaching staff to employ flexibility in the schemes for specific opponents.
Proper motivation of the team to promote a winning attitude and culture
How many times in the last 3 years have the Dolphins come out of the locker room flat? With everything on the line in the last 2 years, the team shows no fight. I would even welcome nervous energy...that would show they at least care, but the players often look like they go long periods of the game in practice mode. This team only seems to prosper on external motivation...Martin saga, Philbin's criticism of Tannehill fueled , the death of Philbin's father...that's not real sustained motivation to win. To be a consistent winner, everything the team does should inspire that culture. It must be internally generated.
For all these reasons, the Dolphins need new leadership at the top.
- Development of available talent and to ensure their peak performance
- Design of overall offensive and defensive schemes to put the team in the best position for success, and week-to-week game planning to ensure the success of the schemes versus multiple opponents
- Proper motivation of the team to promote a winning attitude and culture
Several interviews with current Dolphins' players and Packers' players suggest Philbin is a well liked coach and a credit to an organization. At times, he has displayed solid leadership skills and he has represented the Dolphins well as an ambassador for the team. However, I believe his failings at each level of the above criteria require that he be replaced as head coach.
Development of available talent and to ensure their peak performance
While some of the young players on the Dolphins have shown a steady improvement under Philbin's tenure, other players seem to be regressing. More alarming than slow player development is the misuse of players in various roles for which they are not suited.
- Dallas Thomas shows no aptitude for pass blocking, yet he is constantly being relied on in pass protection.
- Philip Wheeler is madly inconsistent in all skills for an effective linebacker. He takes poor angles, he doesn't take-on or slip blocks effectively, he doesn't tackle well, and he is a liability in pass coverage. His only limited skill is on the blitz. Why is Wheeler on the field...ever?
- Dion Jordan seems to have struggled to set the edge and rush the passer from the DE position, but shows exceptional ability in coverage and as a stand up rusher from the linebacker position. Could he be any worse than Wheeler? Why continue to keep him in a position for which he is mismatched?
- Why was Jelani Jenkins not on the field sooner? His improvement at the end of last year should have automatically necessitated more playing time.
Design of overall offensive and defensive schemes to put the team in the best position for success, and week-to-week game planning to ensure the success of the schemes versus multiple opponents
I personally believe the Dolphins' base schemes on offense and defense are well-designed for success. I think some tweaks could be made for more dynamic performance, but I am mostly bothered by the inability of the coaching staff to employ flexibility in the schemes for specific opponents.
- We saw the potential of the deep ball yesterday. Without a few missed opportunities, we would have scored more points on explosive plays. Yes, Tannehill has improvements to make on his deep ball delivery and Wallace and the other receivers have to work on a number of route adjustments to give the pass a better chance to be completed, but not attempting deeper passes hampered this offense. The deep pass is supposed to loosen up coverage and allow for more of the underneath drag routes that Lazor likes. In the last 4 games, DBs have been sitting on the short routes because they knew nothing would be run beyond 12 yards depth. Philbin and Lazor should have realized this and adjusted accordingly.
- A pattern formed in the second half of games this year. The Dolphins seemed to forget the run in tight games, even when the running game showed success earlier in the game.
- I believe the biggest problems we have defensively are more related to personnel than to scheme. Misi is not a middle linebacker. Wheeler should never be on the field. The defensive line is not as stout as advertised, and the whole defense needs a review in fundamental pursuit angles, leverage and tackling. However, there are times when Coyle's game planning leaves mismatches on the field that do not make a lot of sense. Misi struggles in coverage, yet is asked to cover backs out of the backfield. Wheeler has struggled in coverage forever, yet he is consistently put on an island. Coyle seems obsessed with A-gap blitzes to produce a quick throw (especially on 3rd down), but those blitzes often leave the middle of the field wide open for shallow crossing routes and teams consistently exploited the hole.
Proper motivation of the team to promote a winning attitude and culture
How many times in the last 3 years have the Dolphins come out of the locker room flat? With everything on the line in the last 2 years, the team shows no fight. I would even welcome nervous energy...that would show they at least care, but the players often look like they go long periods of the game in practice mode. This team only seems to prosper on external motivation...Martin saga, Philbin's criticism of Tannehill fueled , the death of Philbin's father...that's not real sustained motivation to win. To be a consistent winner, everything the team does should inspire that culture. It must be internally generated.
For all these reasons, the Dolphins need new leadership at the top.
