Oct
3
Jets vs. Dolphins: What’s the Game Plan for Miami?
Filed Under EN
It’s only Week 4, but the season could very well be on the line for the Miami Dolphins when they take on the New York Jets in London.
The Dolphins are 1-2, and a 1-3 start in the AFC East would put them far behind the eight-ball, especially with an 0-2 division record with road games remaining against the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, as well as two matchups against the New England Patriots.
The anger within the locker room seems to be easily measurable, with Rand Getlin of NFL.com reporting that if the Dolphins lose, “don’t be shocked if someone on that coaching staff gets fired,” while also pointing out that his source says, “‘everyone understands’ the coaches are the issue and aren’t putting the team in a position to win.”
An anonymous player went on record stating: “We’ve been going out there, and practicing our (tails) off every day, but as players, we’re tired of being embarrassed. If we get beat in Europe, (players) are going to throw in the towel. It isn’t the players. We have all the talent in the world.”
If a player is leaking out stories like that, odds are the towel has already been thrown in. However, it appears that the feeling is the season can be saved with a victory over the Jets.
As stated earlier, the feeling is the coaches aren’t putting the team in a position to win. So here’s a potential game plan that Miami could run in order to beat the New York Jets on Sunday Morning in London.
Lynne Sladky/Associated Press
Offensive Game Plan
Miami likes to pass the ball early and often, giving the offense one dimension and eliminating any threat of misdirection or trickery.
To call the passing offense of the Dolphins “vanilla” is an insult to an extremely reliable flavor that always seems to deliver when you’re in the mood for ice cream. Most routes tend to be within five to seven yards behind the line of scrimmage regardless of the down, distance and situation. Under that situation there’s almost no separation and the potential for dropped passes goes up while the big-play potential goes down.
To make matters worse, the Jets are ranked fourth in the league in stopping the pass, holding teams to an average of 191.7 passing yards per game. Part of that number comes from the fact that the Jets have played two of their first three games against teams looking to run the ball more in Cleveland and Philadelphia, however, their performance in shutting down Andrew Luck and the Colts in Week 2 is a big factor in that number as well.
The Jets aren’t slouches against the run game. While they are ranked 17th against the run, the average is 106.7 yards per game. The average yards per carry allowed is 3.6 yards.
Miami would be better off running the ball early and often, making sure to set up 2nd and 3rd-and-short with their rushing attack. It would also help an offensive line that’s better at run blocking gain some confidence. Per Pro Football Focus, Miami’s run blocking is minus-3.4, not great, but not terrible. Pass blocking they are at minus-20.9.
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Once Miami can get their rushing attack going, the Dolphins should do what seems obvious and stay away from Darrelle Revis. The good news, if Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel is to be believed, is that Revis will cover Rishard Matthews. This makes sense as Matthews has been Miami’s top receiver by yardage and average yards per catch.
This will likely mean that if DeVante Parker gets more playing time, Antonio Cromartie will cover him for most of the game. If that’s the case, feed Parker, but before that, most importantly, get the run game going.
Ron Elkman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images
Defensive Game Plan
Whether it’s running or passing, the Dolphins defense hasn’t been able to stop much.
Currently ranked 24th in yards allowed per game and 18th in points allowed per game, you can forgive the Jets offense for licking their chops at the prospect of playing Miami’s defense.
The Jets pass the ball more than they run the ball, much like the Dolphins but with much more balance. Under center is quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who thus far has thrown five interceptions and has only been sacked twice.
Pressure is what Miami needs, while its corners have to contend with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Jamar Taylor should draw Decker duties in the game, while Brent Grimes should shade Marshall. Getting under Marshall’s skin and frustrating him in the same manner in which Cortland Finnegan was able to last season when the Dolphins played the Bears would be the best idea possible, as Marshall’s play tends to decline the more frustrated he is.
Key Players and Matchups
Miami’s key player on offense is DeVante Parker. He’ll likely be covered by Antonio Cromartie, who himself is still a good player but might have some problems catching up with the younger, faster and bigger Parker.
In the trenches, the Dolphins seem outmatched on both sides of the ball. The key here is if Ndamukong Suh matches up well against the Jets’ offensive line, as they will need to double and triple-team him the same way that the Bills did in Week 3. The question is, can the linebackers perform?
Zach Vigil should get more snaps, as the Dolphins should see what they have in him. He’s been productive in his limited snaps the first three games, and by the end of the year he should be Miami’s starter at middle linebacker.
Prediction
There is a likelihood the Dolphins won’t do anything mentioned in this game plan.
This is a coaching staff that’s as stubborn as they are lacking in leadership skills. The game plan you will see on Sunday is the game plan you saw in Weeks 1 through 3.
Expect a slow start, plenty of passing, giving up on the run game after trying it a couple of times, as well as lack of execution in just about every facet of the game.
I predicted a Jets 13-3 victory in a game that will be very difficult to watch not just as a Dolphins fan, but aesthetically as a football fan.
Statistics provided by NFL.com. Advanced statistics provided by Pro Football Focus.
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.