A closer look at Dolphins’ historic offensive struggles, with reaction from team’s OC

No, your eyes are not lying.

The Dolphins’ offense is as bad as you think.

And perhaps even worse.

Three weeks into the NFL season, the stats are ghoulish.

Categories in which the Dolphins rank last: scoring (5.3 per game), red-zone touchdown percentage (20), completion percentage (47.3), passer rating (44.7), third-down efficiency percentage (20).

Categories in which the Dolphins rank second to last: yards (222.3 per game), yards per play (3.8), rushing (45), yards per pass (5.4), first downs (40),

Category in which the Dolphins rank third to last: passing (177.3 per game).

The Dolphins have the worst offense in football, and the only team that’s close — the Jets — are on their third-string quarterback.

Certainly not the start Chad O’Shea envisioned when he took the job as Dolphins offensive coordinator, but perhaps the start he feared after the Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills trade.

But any internal anger/frustration/regret he might have will be kept bottled up, at least publicly.

“I think what’s really important for us is to keep improving,” O’Shea, in the same calm, even demeanor he has had since his time in New England. “Although the stats aren’t exactly where we want them to be, we are just going to continue in the process of improving and that’s what we’re asking our players.

“That’s certainly how we’re approaching it from a coaching staff, just to focus on improving every day. Getting better, not only the schematics, but the fundamentals and our overall preparation improving. I think all of those things are continuing to improve and we’re making progress.”

That progress better hurry the heck up, or the Dolphins could have a season for the record books.

The NFL record for fewest points in a 16-game season is 140, set by the Seahawks in 1992. The Dolphins have scored 16 through three weeks, putting them on pace for 85.

In other words: For the Dolphins to avoid all-time ignominy, their offensive output must improve by 81 percent over the final 13 games of the season.

And the worst news? There’s no silver lining. The run game is as bad as the blocking is as bad as the pass catching.

Quarterback Josh Rosen, in his first start, moved the ball better than Ryan Fitzpatrick — “there were some positives moving forward,” O’Shea said — but the offense was just as bad in the red zone.

The Dolphins had two goal-to-go opportunities Sunday against the Cowboys. They scored three points.

Running back Kenyan Drake coughed up the ball on one of those trips. He answered for that Sunday.

On Tuesday, it was O’Shea’s turn to answer for his decision to run Kalen Ballage three straight times in the Dolphins’ only other goal-to-go situation. Ballage gained a total of 5 yards on those three carries and was stopped short of the goal line.

“In that situation, the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, obviously,” O’Shea said. “We didn’t score. Disappointed in that, but not disappointed in our plan, our preparation and our choice to run the ball in the red zone. That’s something we will pride ourselves on. It’s something we’ll have to improve, the ability to stay balanced inside the red zone and just not be throw-throw-throw.”

OK, but if you’re going to be run-run-run, why run with the guy who is averaging 1.3 yards per carry this year — which would be the worst in the league if he had enough qualifying attempts?

Why not stick with Drake, who has been more efficient, or even Patrick Laird, who was promising during the preseason?

If the Dolphins are planning a switch at running back, O’Shea wasn’t saying Tuesday.

On specifically Laird playing from scrimmage, O’Shea said: “It’s a great problem to have at the running back spot because we have really good players, and it’s hard to get them all in right now.”

As for Ballage’s struggles: “It takes all 11 to have a successful run game or a pass that might be thrown to him. It takes the other guys to do their job for him to be successful. But I have confidence in Kalen, a lot of confidence in our running backs, and we’re working really hard to put them in the best position they can to be successful.”

This story was originally published September 24, 2019 at 11:52 AM.