Why was our run defense so poor last year? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Why was our run defense so poor last year?

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EireTiger

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Can anyone explain why our run defense was so poor last year? I know we changed out two of our LBs but the decrease in peformance was drastic. Are Wheeler and Ellerbe the sole reason for the decline?

If there is a link to any articles providing analysis of this it would be appreciated.
 
When all else fails, just blame Jonathon Martin.

---------- Post added at 02:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:02 PM ----------

But in all seriousness, our LBs sucked
 
Haven't you heard?

Wheeler is the cause of world hunger and poor run defense.
 
Let me take a stab at it! Because our ends are more suited for pass rush, our DTs are stout against the run, our LBs suck! There is a serious problem when the prize of the 3 LBs becomes Kia Misi who on his best day is average! Our FS is weak and plays poor angles which we try and hide with the SS but makes him a liability too.
 
I noticed that the Arizona Cardinals' run defense jumped to number 1 in the NFL this past year with addition of Karlos Dansby and a few others. Supports the LB issue theory but it seems like there has to be more to the explanantion than just Ellerbe and Wheeler. The entire front 4 and Koa Misi all returned.
 
It was a mixture of things. The overturn of leadership on the defense was too much, the switch of schemes for the new additions, the learning the new defense etc.

We had a whole new group besides, average at best, Misi. All in all I think we made the right move. What people don't remember, that I do, is that our LB play was always average at run D and was definitely piss poor at pass defense. The dline played a lot better last year than this year that's for certain, so it's easier to make plays as a lb when your line is stout. We got younger and faster, but lost leaders. It's normal to see a drop off, but I think those moves had to be made with that group because Dansby was making playmaker money and wasn't even close to a playmaker. In all his years in Miami Dansby made 1 int, Ellerbe had 2 in his 1st year here. I think Ellerbe will get better in his 2nd year, Wheeler? Idk..

I'm hesitant in letting our guys go this year though. 1 year of losing leaders can maybe be fixed, but 2 years in a row?? That will be the destruction of our defense.
 
Wheeler is most of the reason. Ellerbe wasn't good, but Wheeler was much worse imo
 
The LB were not good tacklers. Ellerbe constantly hesitated instead of just reading and playing. Poor run support/tackling by the safties. When 6 of your 11 guys don't tackle or support the run you're not going to stop the run.
 
There are several reasons;

* Miami’s interior defensive linemen ran too many stunts last year taking them away from eating blocks and beating offensive linemen one on one.

* Because the DT’s didn’t eat up blocks as well the LB’s were not able to run free to make tackles but had to fight off offensive linemen reaching the second level.

* The DE’s didn’t do a good job of setting the edges. Vernon needs to get better at it as he was horrible and Wake was never really healthy.

* Miami faced a lot of RB’s that changed direction and the LB’s and DE’s over pursued and didn’t stay in their lanes resulting in big runs.

*Ellerbe is not really a MLB in a 4-3, he should be playing WLB. Wheeler shouldn’t be playing WLB and should be playing SLB, but hen where do you put Misi?

I mostly put it on Coyle for not changing his philosophy to the talent on the field. They should have been playing a lot of 3-4 based D, but he would not.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
EireTiger said:
The entire front 4 and Koa Misi all returned.
Click to expand...
Hmm... ...don't you think that would point the finger at the new people? ;)

Seriously though, OV and Dion got some more playing time than in 2011, and setting the edge is not their strong suit. Wake was injured and not as stout against the run as he was in 2011. But from a personnel standpoint, the biggest differences were at LB, and frankly Ellerbe and Wheeler ranged from sub-par to horrid against the run. They were late reading plays and filling gaps, they consistently took bad angles or filled the wrong gap, their tackling was mediocre (in part because they were so often late to the ball), and they got stuck to their blocks like glue to a gumdrop. But apart from that, they played pretty good.
 
OrlandoFin said:
There are several reasons;

* Miami’s interior defensive linemen ran too many stunts last year taking them away from eating blocks and beating offensive linemen one on one.

* Because the DT’s didn’t eat up blocks as well the LB’s were not able to run free to make tackles but had to fight off offensive linemen reaching the second level.

* The DE’s didn’t do a good job of setting the edges. Vernon needs to get better at it as he was horrible and Wake was never really healthy.

* Miami faced a lot of RB’s that changed direction and the LB’s and DE’s over pursued and didn’t stay in their lanes resulting in big runs.

*Ellerbe is not really a MLB in a 3-4, he should be playing WLB. Wheeler shouldn’t be playing WLB and should be playing SLB, but hen where do you put Misi?

I mostly put it on Coyle for not changing his philosophy to the talent on the field. They should have been playing a lot of 3-4 based D, but he would not.
Click to expand...

Great run down, nothing to add.
 
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