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Fans are unhappy with Suh’s performance, but he can only play the hand he’s dealt. As of right now he’s actually on pace to eclipse his overall Pro Football Focus grade from a year ago in Detroit. So if he’s playing at a high level, then why do the Dolphins have PFF’s 30th-ranked run defense?
There are few better at eating up both blockers on a double team and keeping linebackers clean than Ndamukong Suh, just ask DeAndre Levy, the Detroit linebacker who benefited greatly from Suh’s play in the Motor City. But in Miami, Suh’s being asked to do it snap after snap. This becomes an issue when you don’t have another defensive lineman or linebacker that can take advantage. The Dolphins have basically asked Earl Mitchell to be their play-maker and he’s never been that guy. Mitchell’s 4.1 run-stop percentage is sixth-worst among starting defensive tackles.
The problem is compounded when you see that Miami’s defensive ends are asked to make tackle reads on most snaps. This means that they basically stand up at the snap of the ball and wait until they see what the tackle is doing before they execute their assignment. This works well if you have strong and long defenders that can immediately control an offensive linemen, but not so much when you have quick defenders used to winning with their agility and get-off. Reading slows down the pass-rush because the ends have to wait an extra beat to recognize the linemen getting into pass sets. That’s a big reason why Cameron Wake, our top pass-rushing 4-3 defensive end from a year ago — by a long shot — has graded out negatively as a pass-rusher in three out of four games this year.
There are few better at eating up both blockers on a double team and keeping linebackers clean than Ndamukong Suh, just ask DeAndre Levy, the Detroit linebacker who benefited greatly from Suh’s play in the Motor City. But in Miami, Suh’s being asked to do it snap after snap. This becomes an issue when you don’t have another defensive lineman or linebacker that can take advantage. The Dolphins have basically asked Earl Mitchell to be their play-maker and he’s never been that guy. Mitchell’s 4.1 run-stop percentage is sixth-worst among starting defensive tackles.
The problem is compounded when you see that Miami’s defensive ends are asked to make tackle reads on most snaps. This means that they basically stand up at the snap of the ball and wait until they see what the tackle is doing before they execute their assignment. This works well if you have strong and long defenders that can immediately control an offensive linemen, but not so much when you have quick defenders used to winning with their agility and get-off. Reading slows down the pass-rush because the ends have to wait an extra beat to recognize the linemen getting into pass sets. That’s a big reason why Cameron Wake, our top pass-rushing 4-3 defensive end from a year ago — by a long shot — has graded out negatively as a pass-rusher in three out of four games this year.
... on offense they have given little help to a porous offensive line. They have the worst guard tandem in the NFL and it isn’t really close. Dallas Thomas and Jamil Douglas rank 77th and 79th out of 79 guards that have received meaningful snaps this year. Mind you there are only 64 starting guards in the NFL at one point in time. The Dolphins “solution” to having our 28th ranked pass protection unit has been to become the most pass heavy team in all of the NFL, dropping back to pass on a ridiculous 73 percent of their offensive snaps. They have been trailing a lot, which adds to that number, but it’s utterly ridiculous to ask that much of an offensive line that’s been without their best lineman, left tackle Branden Albert, since Week 2.
An emphasis absolutely needs to be put on the run and the quick-passing game to bring balance and ease pressure on the line. Right now 33 percent of Ryan Tannehill’s attempts have come within two seconds or less, almost exactly the league average. With a leaky offensive line and a myriad of playmakers on the outside, one would expect them to be among the league leaders in that category. They’ve schemed an offense that has been completely dependent on Tannehill’s performance and the results speak for themselves.
An emphasis absolutely needs to be put on the run and the quick-passing game to bring balance and ease pressure on the line. Right now 33 percent of Ryan Tannehill’s attempts have come within two seconds or less, almost exactly the league average. With a leaky offensive line and a myriad of playmakers on the outside, one would expect them to be among the league leaders in that category. They’ve schemed an offense that has been completely dependent on Tannehill’s performance and the results speak for themselves.
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