The importance of Ted Ginn in our Offense.

After reading Boomer’s thread regarding Ted Ginn I thought it might be important to highlight how important he is to this offense, at least theoretically. In case anyone hasn’t been paying attention to the offseason the Dolphins have been busy installing a run heavy offense. Currently the combination of Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown is enough to dwarf most sets of RB in the game. The draft yielding the long asked, and even longer rejected calls for top picks to be spent on O-lineman. And, it just so happens that the guys we drafted happen to be of the beat you up, grabbing, mauling, athletic type with somewhat nasty dispositions.

Now, what the hell does any of that have to so with Ted Ginn you might ask? Everything. To me having a run orientated offense requires that you do certain things in the passing game that many teams just don’t do. Typically the starting TE in most run heavy schemes for instance will be an equal or better run blocker than pass catcher. Why? What does the offense want to do most – run the ball. Having an extra effective blocker who can handle a DE, or 3-4 OLB is a great thing to have in any offense, but is a must in the type we will in all likelihood install. Anthony Fasano fits that bill to perfection. He is not a burner, but has solid hands and a sound knowledge of the game and where to find space. But, most important to Dolphins fans should be that he can handle himself in the trenches. What? Well if you set out to run the ball and your TE’s can’t run block, most things you’ll do on offense will get killed on whatever side you have them on. I mean a TE is supposed to give the offense a strong side presence in the run game. Be able to down block, set the edge on the SOLB, be good in inline and goal line situations, and then be able to create some type of threat in the passing game. But for us at least initially, we’ll need to utilize the blocking aspects of the TE within our offense.

The reason we’ll need the run is that it is always easier to get a line to run block than pass block as it gets the O-line moving forward. That may be a big especially if we are to start two rookies on the O-line. Getting their feet wet, and on the same page will be vitally important. And being an ex RB myself, I know that O-line generally have a nasty streak in them (or at least most do) and prefer to physically dominate their man, or run block them. Also since whomever we start at QB will not have a great deal of experience at starting in the NFL. I personally think it will be Beck, with the team relying on McCown as the veteran presence who can help to bring stability if beck falters. Now, saying that McCown is a form of stability might be stretch or just an indication of how green we really are at that position. We will have a lot to prove from this position this season, and everyone knows it.

Now, here’s the thing about operating a run heavy offense in my eyes; you need a WR who can get deep on anyone. Think back to the Wanny days, when we didn’t really have a guy to stretch the field. I mean Chan Gailey had to work magic back then, and then we went and drafted Chris Chambers. Why? He was fast and we needed a guy to stretch the field and make some plays. Unfortunately, for many reasons Chambers just didn’t fulfill his overall potential here. But the premise remains the same; get a deep threat. Well have a great deep threat on the roster right now, and we ought to be grateful for it. Could you imagine trying to get a guy who can be dual threat like Ted Ginn in the draft just gone by? The NFL talent evaluators agree with me, as WR’s didn’t start to disappear until much later than most had anticipated. Ginn may not have been worth the 9th overall, but he would in all likelihood be at the top of this year’s WR class. I see a great deal of potential in Ginn. He is a solid guy, works hard, and more importantly his hands are much better than advertised. To my recollection, he only dropped 2 balls last year. Now, the dropped ball stat is a prime example of non finite examination of a problem. There is no real clear cut formula that is accepted or used by all. Thus, the stat is subjective at best. But, just from watching the kid play you can tell he has good hands. He catches the ball away from his body, and unlike Hagan the last two years, doesn’t double clutch the ball in.

Ginn, if used correctly can be dangerous in this offense. Last year Ginn had 27 catches for 279 yards over the last 8 games. Over the course of a 16 game season, that equates to 54 receptions for 669 yards. Not anything to be all excited about, but considers what our offense looked like at the end of last year. We were putrid on many levels, and if anyone thinks that Cleo Lemon was a good match for Ginn’s talents they should see if they like my bridge I have for sale in Queens. The one big catch Ginn had against Buffalo last year, the ball hung up there for an hour before it finally came down. If anyone hits Ginn in stride for a deep ball it is a TD………he proved that in the same game when he just ran away from everyone on the punt return for a TD that was called back. Even the guy who had the angle, and was flying down the field as well couldn’t catch him. Ginn can run past anyone, period. He proved it on that play, right there, he should have been caught on that play, and it ended up that the last buffalo defender wasn’t even close.

Watching the play can really show what Ginn is and what he should be asked to do in our offense: The deep threat. And isn’t it funny how our passing game is predicated on getting the ball down the field when we do pass. Having a speed demon like Ginn on the outside only helps the offense. A run heavy offense featuring a vertical passing game relies on having a deep threat that must be accounted for, and Ginn’s speed warrants that. Coordinators who bunch up on the run may get bitten early in the season by a bomb over the top. Even if we don’t complete the deep balls to him, having him run the route and showing the secondary and opposing players his speed will get the effect we need. It will loosen up the defense, not as much as if we connect, but it will make the secondary realize they have to get deep on any play. If we use Ginn to run 10 - 15 yd out routes, comebacks, skinny posts, sail routes, 10 - 15 crossing routes, or drags and the occasional screen he will in my mind be effectively used. Now, some will say, well he only runs a certain number of routes, yes that’s true, but does he have to run more? Being able to run all the routes is nice, as long as the offense asks you to run all of them. Ginn isn’t a complete receiver in terms of being able to be used as a possession type. It really doesn’t work well for him IMO. Ginn has sprinters speed, and thus a long stride. He is not exceptionally explosive in shirt areas, and probably will never be able to get out of a phone booth with much regularity. That’s fine; it is not his game – just as Wilford’s isn’t pressuring the safety on deep routes. That is why I said the occasional screen, he isn’t ever going to be a great screen WR, but having him do it on occasion makes the defense cover him all over the field in essence. Ginn’s attributes and the way they operate also lead to his trouble getting off the line IMO. He just isn’t fast in and out of a move on the line. Neither is a player like Bernard Berrian, who struggles to get off the jam sometimes because he has to get going. Once he does it is hard for DB’s to cover him in a foot race.

Ginn, has to be a deep threat. There is no use asking Ginn to be a possession receiver, or guy who should get 100 catches. Really if he gets 60 - 75 balls a season he’ll be doing just fine in my eyes because his average should be about 13.0 – 15.0 yds per reception. At that rate he’ll get anywhere from 780 – 975 yds @ 13.0 yds/rec or 900 – 1125 yds @ 15 yds/rec. He averaged 12.4 last year to put it into perspective and had 34 receptions after only really starting after week 6, and he progressed a great deal down the stretch and had some of his best games. Having a receiver like that around here would be nice to have, especially one only in his second year. Dan Henning’s offense will give Ginn the opportunities, as it is reliant on the WR’s in the passing game over all else. In 25 years as an OC Henning has had a TE catch 30 or more balls 4 times. And he uses his RB’s in much the same way, he doesn’t necessarily favor anyone player, but he does spread it out a bit. So, that leaves the WR’s as having to pick up the slack. Ginn getting the opportunity to snag 60 – 75 balls is well within reason. Wilford will be valuable in his own right, but he won’t instill fear in anyone’s heart about getting beaten deep. He’s really just a better, younger version of Marty Booker and he should fulfill his role well. If he gets 50 balls then we have got something there as well. But having Ginn gives this offense the opportunity for big plays coming off of our run game, which we’ll need to do.

If we can get to the point where the opposing team has to keep a safety over the top of Ginn on 20 – 25% of the pass plays then we have already affected the defensive strategy in terms of having them protect the deep part of the field. Ginn gives us the threat very few teams have; the ability to hit the home run any time. I’m not saying Ginn will dominate the game, but the prospect of his speed being on the field will cause defenses to behave provided the run game and the O-line hold up. Don’t mistake that little fact either. The state of our pass protection resulting from the loss of Brown who regularly stones blitzers, and the Ole` blocks from Martin and Shelton we didn’t have the time to get the ball to Ginn who ended up being open more times than he saw the ball. The additions to the O-line should help with pass protection, which may mean the QB gets the necessary time to get the ball out. If we do, then look out for Ginn to surprise people with his ability to make plays.

One more thing isn’t it funny how we draft a QB with a strong arm; you know the kind that can throw those 10 yard outs, and 10 – 15 yd hitches, comebacks etc. Interesting don’t you think?

I can’t wait to see what we do with Ginn this year; he is the best prospect we have at the position on the team, so we might as well use him.