Has the Defense ever stepped up to when it mattered most in the past 15 years?

We stopped the Falcons from running in a touchdown from like the 2 yardline line four (yes, four) times in a row to win a game if I recall correctly. Was a long time ago with Bowens, Gardner, Zack, and Jason Taylor. Gosh I miss our defense from back then.

 

Didn't we stop the Vikings on a goal line situation, too? Dansby tackled Peterson head on and we won the game?

 

Did Tom Olivadotti get his old job back?

 

They allowed 23 points but Gostkowski missed a field goal uncharacteristically, and when the defense made their goal line "stand" that had a lot more to do with botched execution on the part of various offensive players (especially Aaron Hernandez) than it did our defense holding strong on them. With those points added in, it's a 30 point day. And I don't care what anyone says, you could've let up only 6 points all day, but if you as a defense get into that critical moment where you need to get the ball back in the hands of your offense, but instead you let up a 77 yard drive that takes 7.5 minutes off the clock, you lose credit for a lot of the work you'd done previously in the game. That's just the way it is. That 7.5 minute drive represented only 3 points on the scoreboard but was in fact, worth more than a touchdown in my opinion. You'd rather have a stand on that drive than that goal line stand earlier in the game, that's for damn sure.

 

I can't say as I understand some of the reactions in this thread.

For one, I don't believe the original intent of the thread was to hang the blame on the defense for the loss. In fact, I'm not sure why these type of threads always seem to end up in an "either/or" argument.

When it mattered the most, the defense couldn't get the job done. It's a situation that has seemingly plagued this team for the better part of the last 15 years.

It doesn't mean the blame for the loss hangs on the defense. It doesn't mean that the defense didn't play well at times. It doesn't mean that the defense hasn't made big stops at the end of games over the years.

But not making the big play when it's needed most (and especially in big games) seemingly has been a reoccurring theme over the years, and with some defenses that were very good. I think it's an honest frustration.

 

I think this is a defense that has MAJOR holes in it, way too many to be considered one of the league's elite defenses. I'm actually proud of the way they've played despite their glaring holes and where I see a lot of complaints about Kevin Coyle, I've been impressed in how he's keeping this unit together.

They don't have play makers. We're now beyond the point where we're ever going to be hopeful about Sean Smith developing the kind of play making skills in the pros that he displayed in college. Nolan Carroll isn't a play maker. Jimmy Wilson isn't a play maker. God knows Chris Clemons is not one. For all Kevin Burnett's and Karlos Dansby's coverage prowess they don't really intercept passes or force fumbles. That kind of thing isn't expected of a Koa Misi, either. They have one play maker in Reshad Jones and I wouldn't exactly call him a Jairus Byrd on that front, either. If you're trying to be a good defense then that alone is a BIG obstacle to overcome. Time of possession gets tougher to win, no short-change breathers for the defense, etc.

But to add to the problem, the only guy that consistently rushes the passer well is Cameron Wake. I've heard the sentiment that having two pass rushers is a luxury. That's fine. The problem is that Miami doesn't even have competent pass rush coming from anyone else. Jared Odrick is the worst pass rushing defensive end among all starters in football. Fact. Olivier Vernon (surprise, surprise, I said this months ago!) is much more of a linebacker than a legit pass rusher. I'm not asking for Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis in their prime (though that would be nice). I'm asking for competence. An Antwan Barnes, a Kyle Moore, a Paul Kruger, a Shea McClellin or Corey Wootton, a Michael Johnson, Juqua Parker, Brooks Reed, Martez Wilson, Brandon Graham, Jason Worilds, Ahmad Brooks, Bruce Irvin or even a Kroy Biermann. Hell I'm not even demanding an Anthony Spencer, Connor Barwin, Robert Mathis, Justin Houston, Brian Robison, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Lamarr Woodley, Robert Quinn, Derrick Morgan, Ryan Kerrigan or Jason Babin...even though that's what we should really be shooting for as a complement for Cam Wake.

The final problem is the lack of depth. We can't spell our front line guys. People complain about Odrick and Wake being off the field on that final drive? Jared Odrick is on track for nearly 1,000 snaps this year. That's a defensive tackle playing defensive end, and he's on track for the same kind of snap count you see in a #1 corner or your top LB, a 65% increase in work load compared with a year ago. That's absurd. Randy Starks is on pace for about 30% more snaps than he saw in 2011. Paul Soliai's snap counts have increased by 40%. Cameron Wake is the only guy that was built for this kind of work load and was already taking it on, so he's not having any trouble. But you ask husky boys like Randy Starks, Jared Odrick and Paul Soliai to take between 30 and 60% increases in work loads and then act all surprised when they're too gassed at the end of games to stop NE from driving for a field goal? It's not just the defensive line. Lucky for us our linebackers have been relatively healthy but the guys standing behind them are dog meat. Lucky for us our safeties have been relatively healthy because as bad as Chris Clemons is as a starter, the guys we have behind he and Reshad Jones are...well hell, few people can even tell me who they are let alone whether they're any better than Cameron Worrell. We've already seen that the depth behind Richard Marshall (who wasn't that good in the first place) is a weakness teams have exploited.

I'm really surprised the defense has played even THIS well. I think it's a credit to the stars they do have on the defense, and to the coaching.

 

They're serially overworked because they don't have valid depth. Jared Odrick is a defensive tackle that is about to have 1,000 snaps this year playing defensive end (which takes more energy than defensive tackle). That is absolutely, positively insane. Randy Starks already had pretty good workloads prior to this year because he's such a versatile play maker. He's had a 30% increase in workload. Paul Soliai has seen a 45% increase in workload.

Miami doesn't have depth to spell these guys. Derrick Shelby is OK, Olivier Vernon is essentially a linebacker, Tony McDaniel is just a guy, they don't seem to trust Kheeston Randall to take on a bigger workload, and probably most importantly they don't have guys that can shift out from outside to inside in pass rush situations. It's just Jared Odrick, who is overworked and out of position and it's no wonder he takes so much crap for not being a good football player because they're putting him in the exact opposite position for what would help him succeed. And they're doing that just because the state of the roster left them with no choice.

 

Gostowski was struggling, so I wouldn't say uncharacteristically.

 

That's true I didn't realize he'd missed a bunch before that.

 

On the snaps/overworked issue, here are some more thoughts.

1. Don't blame the increase in snaps on time of possession or inability to force turnovers. The Dolphins' defense through the first 11 games had taken 8,699 snaps (791 per game) as opposed to a total of 12,385 snaps in 2011 (774 per game). The increase is only 2%. When you see 30 to 60% inceased workloads in individual players, you can't blame the fact that the whole pie is 2% bigger.

2. Don't blame the switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense, either. We heard a lot before the season about how Miami under Mike Nolan was already more of a hybrid defense anyway and had been using 4 man fronts in nickel situations, and how Coyle would still use 3 man fronts (which he has). The primary difference should merely be a classification issue, anyway. Last year Cameron Wake had about 900 snaps that were classified as linebacker snaps, this year he's on pace for about 931 snaps except now they're classified as defensive line snaps.

3. One of the roster-based inadequacies that leads to this problem is the fact that the Dolphins have terrible options for a second outside pass rusher when they get into nickel situations. You can put a body on the field such as Olivier Vernon or Koa Misi (the most popular choices, from what I've seen), but you don't expect much from them. You have to have multiple threats to the quarterback in a pass rush because just one guy is too easy for savvy QBs to step away from. You're not counting on Misi or Vernon to be that second threat. So instead you have to rely on your inside rush to be that second threat.

4. Which in turn leads to a premium being placed on the two guys on the roster that can threaten the passer from the interior: Randy Starks and Jared Odrick. It's tough to generate pass rush up the middle as a defensive tackle, guys like Tony McDaniel and Kheeston Randall aren't going to do it. Jared Odrick can barely do it as is, at least not as well as Randy Starks. The coaching staff needs these two guys on the field because otherwise Cameron Wake becomes the only one-on-one problem, and he can be dealt with, and therefore the Dolphins are stuck blitzing all day, putting all this pressure on the Chris Clemons, Nolan Carrolls and Jimmy Wilsons of our secondary to hold their own.

This all goes back to stuff I talked about prior to the start of the year. Jared Odrick is not being placed in a position to benefit him. The roster is inadequate and forces them to put players in bad spots from both a playing time and positional standpoint. If you were to get a legitimate defensive end, preferably two (a two down guy and a pass rush guy) then you could move Jared Odrick back to his natural position on the interior, use him to spell Randy Starks and perhaps Paul Soliai on base downs, and then sub him in along with Starks on pass downs. You could also practice Olivier Vernon in that role a la Pernell McPhee/Wallace Gilberry, because you knew he wasn't going to generate anything pass rush wise from end. He's a versatile football player. Between all that you'd have options and healthy rotation, fresh bodies, etc.

I tell you what, draft a Bjoern Werner who can play dangerously on all three downs, suddenly you've got a guy that can legitimately siphon off 850 snaps from some of these overworked heavy bodies like Starks, Soliai and Odrick. Add one more outside rush threat, and one more inside rush threat for the rotation, and you've probably got an ideal situation...a defense that can be good for four quarters.

 

Agree with 90% of this.... except 3-and-outs by our offense certainly contributes to gassing the D-line.

 

They're not resulting in more overall defensive snaps. Like I said through 11 games this year Miami's defensive snaps are only up 2% versus 2011.

 

I have actually seen the defense step up in more games than the offense.

 

Honestly, defensive end would be the first position I address this offseason. You start putting together a competent pass rush, you're entire defense benefits. Opposing QBs have time to go through all their progressions and order dinner for the entire team it seems like while fighting off our pathetic rush.

 

I certainly get that passrush is a need, but IMO, when the offense is as far away as it is from even being average, it doesnt matter how good the defense is.

 

I think when you have a unit that is elite and has a lot of success, that is how you build an identity as a football team. The Dolphins' defense as imperfect as it is (and showed itself to be at the end of the Patriots game), is the closest we've got to a successful, elite unit. But it's clearly not there yet. Instead of ignoring it because it's the closest to a successful unit, I would build it. Or as Jeff Ireland would say and has said, which I think he borrowed from Bill Parcells, don't be afraid to build your strength.

I look at the defense and I see things that need serious improvement. There needs to be more play making in the secondary, and there's a serious problem in the front line which I believe to be directly responsible for the late-game meltdown against the Patriots.

I believe that taking a complete defensive end that can make plays on all three downs would really seriously alleviate one of those problems. It has the potential to have a cascade effect, making a number of football players better. If you shave 800 or so snaps away from the workloads of Randy Starks, Paul Soliai and Jared Odrick, in the process moving Jared Odrick back to defensive tackle where he can rotate with Starks and Soliai on base downs, and come regularly on pass rush downs to rush from the interior, then I believe you have improved not one position...but FOUR positions. Possibly even five positions, because it could very well make Cameron Wake even more effective. I don't think it would be difficult for this player even as a rookie (if he's a premium quality prospect) to be better all-around than Jared Odrick currently is as a defensive end. It would also make Jared Odrick a better football player by letting him focus on his natural position (defensive tackle) and natural roles at that position (interior nickel rush). It would put a higher quality rotator behind Paul Soliai and Randy Starks which would allow them to get off the field more often, which makes them fresher when they are on the field. And finally, if all of those defensive linemen are playing better snap-for-snap, then Cameron Wake's job becomes easier. And beyond that, more successful pass rush and defensive line play makes play making easier in the back seven.

I think if you have the opportunity to make a move that helps a unit go from being good to being the kind of successful unit that a team can build an identity around, then I think you do it.

 

But stamina cannot be assessed over an aggregate season, since it's timing-sensitive. You have to look at when those 3andout situations are occurring, and if they are bunched together in particular game stretches, then it's gonna be a problem that shows up in defensive stamina depletion. Meaning.. *when* those are occurring will determine if the D gets gassed.

 

Agree. A MASSIVELY disruptive D-line is the best medicine for all defenses... including the seocndary.

 

And have you any evidence that this extremely hard to track and define effect has been more strong in 2012 than 2011? For all you know it was worse a year ago.

 

I'm no saying to ignore the offense at all. We definitely need help on both sides of the ball. Really, you can't go wrong drafting players on either side but as CK outlined below your post adding a disruptive DE would help the entire team tremendously.

That being said, come draft day when we are on the clock and there BPA is at a different position, I don't even think twice. This roster has holes like Swiss cheese.

 

Even with limited depth along the DL the coaches should have managed the substitutions during the game better. It's like basketball. You rest your star players during the game making sure they are primed for the last minutes. You don't rest Lebron James and Wade with 3 mins left. You give your bench players / backups minutes at stages where the team can compete and not lose the lead or not widen the deficit. Then you bring back your starters to extend or mount a comeback. It wasn't good substitution management.

 

All of this about only having Wake, and the Dolphins are 6th in the NFL in sacks.

And meanwhile, most of the teams ahead of them similarly only have one particularly good pass rusher.

Getting another pass rusher would be nice, but it's a luxury, not a moral imperative.

 

It would be a fantastic luxury that could have a huge impact, though. It's certainly something to consider.

 

No, but I was never suggesting that. Or any sort of year over year trend.

Just that in the NE game the D got gassed and the O wasn;t helping matters.

 

Absolutely. But there are plenty of other considerations and mitigating circumstances.

Do you change the style of the defense to accommodate a better pass rush out of base packages? Do you pay a high #1 pick for a Nickel/rotational player? If not, can you find someone who can play Odrick's position and be a Nickel edge rusher? Is it reasonable to write off Olivier Vernon(no)?

Personally I'm of the opinion you should do what it takes to make your base defense as close to your Nickel package, but I'm not going to pretend like you can't be successful or dominant without doing that.

 

Huh. And here I would've thought we were beyond using pure sack numbers as the standard for deciding whether your front four is good at pressuring the passer consistently. Guess not.

 

I haven't done a systematic quantitative analysis of pressures for every team, but anecdotally it seems like we have missed an inordinate number of should-have-been sacks this year, which likely makes the actual sack numbers understate the amount of pressure the Dolphins have generated. For example, Cam Wake's 56 non-sack pressures (QB hits and hurries) is far more than any other defensive player in the NFL.

 

There's a pretty rough correlation. The point still stands.

Likewise, again... Only having one speed rusher on the field in base packages isn't rare. It's not indicative of any sort of failings. It's the reality of many teams in the league, frequently by design.

 

And as I've said a thousand times, it's not about having an ELITE complement to Cameron Wake. It's about having a competent one. Olivier Vernon is not a competent pass rusher. Jared Odrick is not a competent pass rusher. There are dozens of players in the league that are NOT their team's top pass rusher, that are better at rushing the passer than those guys.

 

And where does this go back to besides the idea you didn't like Olivier Vernon in the draft?

 

But there aren't dozens of pass rushers that are better than Cam Wake. There may not be any. When assessing the team's pass rush as a whole, or even from the DE position alone, it makes no sense to pretend like Wake isn't part of that package. There are no more than a handful of teams that more more total pressures from the DE position than the Dolphins have. Sure, it would be great to add another elite pass rusher, but few teams have 2 of those guys. And Vernon is a rookie, so it's not unreasonable to think he can improve.

 

The irony of your continual fronting of this argument that I somehow "have it out" for Olivier Vernon because I didn't like him in the draft is that I *DID* like him in the draft, very nearly drafted him myself in #MockFour, gave him a "thumbs up" in a long draft review that I wrote for FinsNation, and have admitted multiple times that he's far worse at rushing the passer from the end position in the pros than I thought he would be.

But meh, facts...who needs 'em when your main focus is just generally being a contrarian, elitist ******* who assumes pretty much everyone around him is stupid.

 

The Miami Dolphins rank #17 out of 32 in Pro Football Focus' total team "Pass Rush" ratings, FWIW. This is despite Cameron Wake's +31.9 "rush" rating being better than every single player in football other than Von Miller's +40.5 rating.

 

Brady was hit more than usual and sacked more than usual. The amount of pressure from the linemen is one of the reason that Brady didn't have his best game. Why are pass rush being brought up against the Patriots, when it was one of the best parts of the game?

 

That pretty much equates to Cameron Wake.

 

Because there were 44 pass plays and Tom Brady was only pressured on 13 of them. Just because those 13 resulted in an inordinate number of sacks doesn't mean that the Dolphins were great at rushing the passer that day.

And since I know you'll ask, Tom Brady has been pressured on 120 of his 482 drop backs this season which is 24.9%. That 13 out of 44 (29.5%) does not represent a statistically significant difference from the average, given the sample size. Last week for example the Jets pressured Brady on 35.7% of his dropbacks.

 

Are sacks counted in pressures? I always thought that sacks were counted when counting pressures.

 

I remember plenty of wins in 2005 & 2008 where the defense won the football game. Heck, even remember the game in 2006 where the defense completely held down the Titans to win 13-10 with Culpepper sucking.