2 weeks Ago By Miami Herald
The last week became the latest playoff team to successfully slow the ’ offense, a development that is becoming more common and increasingly troubling. In some cases, that strategy involved blanketing and and daring others to beat them. The oddity is that has been generally successful this season against two of several defensive schemes that involve playing two safeties deep.
According to the web site trumedia, Miami has completed 24 of 26 passes for 258 yards against Cover 2 and Cover 4 defenses, which involve safeties lining up well downfield. But Miami is just 5 for 10 for 46 yards and three interceptions and a touchdown against Cover 3, in which three deep defenders divide the deep responsibility on the field into thirds. The Dolphins are 3 for 8 for 38 yards against two-man, which is a two-deep, man-under defense with a trail-man coverage underneath and the protection of two deep-half safeties over the top.
But the Dolphins haven’t had enough explosive plays while committing too many turnovers (three) and offensive penalties. Miami’s combined 10 false start and offensive holding penalties are the most in the league. Against Buffalo, Miami mustered 10 points – marking the fifth time in a row that the Dolphins failed to top 20 points, dating to last season.
Miami’s offense struggled mightily even before ’s injury. Hill and Waddle combined for 65 receiving yards, their fewest as a tandem since becoming teammates in 2022. And with the NFL’s 2023 passing leader sidelined by a concussion, must help lift this Dolphins offense out of a mediocre stretch, dating back to last December.
So what must change when teams are blanketing Hill and Waddle? “It’s a collective unit; I can’t sit out here and point a finger at nobody,” said Hill, who had three receptions for 24 yards against Buffalo. “We’ve all got to be better. We’ve got a great group of leaders, and a hell of a coach.
No excuses for none of us.” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. created a stir on Thursday when he said the NFL should ban two high-safety looks because it curtails exciting passing plays.
Asked if he agrees, Hill said: “It does take the fun out of the game. People are trying to win games. It’s up to us to try to figure it out.
...
Our coaches have been doing a great job all week. I’m interested to see how this game plays out.” One solution for the Dolphins would be leaning more on the running game, and daring teams to continue to play light boxes against them, with two safeties deep.
If the Dolphins pound the ball against two high safeties, will defenses eventually need to play an eight man front, leaving Hill and Waddle facing less double-coverage? “Yeah,” Hill said. “I’m hyped to see how we pound the ball with a guy that weighs 160 pounds.” Hill was joking about 188-pound De’Von Achane, who had 22 carries for 96 yards against Buffalo after rushing 10 times for 24 yards against .
“Achane is different,” Hill said. “For him to have as many carries that he had and still be able to hold up, tremendous young player. If we continue to lean on him, right now he is the spark of the offense and we need that.
” Asked why it was so difficult to get the ball to Hill and Waddle against Buffalo, McDaniel said: “When a defensive team or an opponent is committing to take somebody away, you have to make them pay appropriately...
You have two people guarding one on run downs. So I think those, what’s cool about ‘Reek’ and Waddle and their understanding of football and really our offense is there’s certain situations where, it doesn’t happen that often, but they’ll come to the sidelines and tell me, ‘Hey, you know what? We need to run the ball.’.
.. They know that the safety and the corner aren’t even looking at the ball during our play action, so you have to execute and make people pay when they’re overplaying something.
“The rest of the offense is in an advantageous situation if they’re going to fully commit the way that some teams have been. You always have to keep them involved, but there’s a balance where teammates have to really make opposing teams pay if they’re going to overcommit that way. And until we do,.
..teams will do something until you make them pay for it.
” Hill hopes the offensive issues, dating back to the final quarter of last season, are just a blip. “We will get through this,” he said. “Every team goes through this.
I was on great teams that went through it. It’s all about how we respond to it. Don’t point fingers, trust the process, get in the film room as much as we can and figure it out.
“You don’t want to do anything outside of your job. You’re going to be held responsible and accountable for it. Do what you’re coached, trust your fundamentals and techniques, and you’ll be all right.
” What excites Hill about Thompson, who will fill in for Tagovailoa beginning on Sunday in ? “He’s a little bit faster than Tua, so I’m really excited about that,” Hill said. “Skylar does a great job of extending plays. Against Buffalo, he did a good job of stretching the ball downfield and giving them a different look.
He had some great qualities to himself. Fearless, not afraid of anything. He’s a real competitor.
Love that.” Hill addressed other issues: ▪ On Tagovailoa: “Tua is doing great. He’s doing amazing.
Once I called him the day after [the Bills game] and heard his voice – he was in good spirits - I was cool. Our life is bigger than football.” ▪ On his plans to do something collectively with teammates and police to benefit the community: “Small steps moving forward.
I want to do a good job of keeping that private. Right now, it’s a small conversation.” INJURY UPDATE missed practice Thursday with a shoulder injury, leaving Miami with just three healthy receivers on the 53-man roster: Hill, Waddle and .
, the other receiver on the 53, was limited with a quadricep injury. Running back (chest) and left tackle (shoulder/knee) were limited, but Armstead said he plans to play on Sunday in Seattle. DuBose was the only Dolphin on the 53-man roster who missed practiced entirely.
.
