How new Dolphins coordinator Gailey’s offenses stack up and numbers that catch your eye
A six-pack of Dolphins notes on a Tuesday:
▪ In examining Chan Gailey’s 14 seasons as an NFL play-caller, a couple things stand out:
A) He has never had a top five-offense, though he has had a top-10 offense (in terms of yardage) in four of the 14 years.
B) And in 12 of those 14 seasons, his teams have ranked higher in rushing offense than passing offense. The five seasons he has called plays this decade, his teams (Bills, Jets) averaged 119.5 yards rushing per game. This season’s Dolphins averaged 72.2.
He will be inheriting a Dolphins offense that was 12th in passing offense but 32nd in rushing offense, with the franchise committed to upgrading the offensive line and finding high-caliber running backs.
Part of the reason for why Gailey’s teams have usually run the ball better than they have passed the ball: He has had a journeyman quarterback in 10 of his 14 seasons.
That includes five seasons of Ryan Fitzpatrick (two with the Jets, three with Buffalo), one season of Mike Tomczak, one of Kordell Stewart, two of Jay Fiedler and one of Tyler Thigpen.
But he has also had a Hall of Fame quarterback four seasons and the results were mixed. In his first offensive coordinator job, with Denver in 1989 and 1990, the Broncos finished 23rd and eighth in total offense. But John Elway had the fourth- and fifth-lowest passer ratings of his 16-year career those two years under Gailey, with 33 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.
Gailey’s results were better with Troy Aikman when Gailey called plays as Dallas’ head coach in 1998 and 1999. Aikman started 25 games for Gailey, had 29 TDs and 17 interceptions, Dallas’ offense was eighth and 16th those seasons and the Cowboys made the playoffs both years.
In his 14 seasons as a play-caller (with Denver, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Miami, Kansas City, Buffalo and the Jets), his teams have six times finished between 20th and 32nd in total offense (never lower than 26th) and four times were between 11th and 20th.
▪ ESPN’s Mike Clay noted that in Gailey’s most recent offensive coordinator job — with the Jets — he spread the field a lot.
In 2015, he used at least three wide receivers 89 percent of the time and at least four wide receivers 51 percent of the time.
In 2016, he used at least three wide receivers 86 percent of the time and at least four receivers 46 percent.
Fitzpatrick was Gailey’s quarterback during both of those seasons and had 43 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.
Lots of four-receiver sets (with tight end Mike Gesicki as a pseudo-receiver) would play into the strengths of this offense.
After the Jets hired Gailey in 2015, former Broncos, Falcons and Giants coach Dan Reeves — who hired Gailey in Denver and gave him his first offensive coordinator job — told The New York Post: “The one thing about Chan is that you can’t peg him. He’s been in a lot of different systems with a lot of different schemes, and he’s been successful in all of them...
“Chan has always done a great job of coaching the personnel that he’s got instead of forcing a system on his personnel. That’s why you can’t peg him. He’s so versatile and very adaptable.”
▪ Guard Michael Deiter said since-dismissed offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo told him he played “a little better” since returning to the starting lineup three weeks ago — after not starting for a week — but that he “needs to be more consistent.”
He said he must get stronger physically this offseason but likely will remain the same weight.
The Dolphins believe he has a chance to take a significant step in 2020 if he does that, but he’s not going to be gifted anything.
▪ To get a sense of how impressive DeVante Parker was on Sunday against one of the league’s top cornerbacks (Stephon Gilmore), consider this from Pro Football Focus:
“Gilmore has been one of the best defenders in the NFL this season. He had been talking up his own Defensive Player of the Year candidacy, and heading into the game against Miami was allowing a passer rating roughly the same as just throwing the ball at the dirt all season.
Parker though didn’t care. With Ryan Fitzpatrick happy to give him a chance to make a play against anybody, Parker caught eight passes for 137 yards, more than 100 of which came against Gilmore.
“That marks the first time all season anybody has taken Gilmore for more than 100 receiving yards and was also the most catches he’s surrendered all season. Gilmore’s had a phenomenal season, but that was a big blow to his Defensive Player of the Year case.”
▪ Christian Wilkins’ 55 tackles were most among NFL rookie defensive linemen, and he did some of his best work in the final quarter of the season.
“Even if I had the greatest rookie season of rookie seasons, I’m never going to be satisfied,” he said. “But I’m definitely encouraged by a lot of things I’ve done this year. I feel like I belong in this league and I could play at a high level in this league, so I’m definitely looking forward to Year 2 and hopefully years after that.”
Wilkins, a Clemson alum, plans to attend the Jan. 13 Clemson-LSU national championship game in New Orleans.
▪ Quick stuff: Per Michael Casagrande of Al.com, Alabama coach Nick Saban said the NFL grades that the school received from the league’s advisory committee had just one Bama player in the top 15 and that’s quarterback/potential Dolphins pick Tua Tagovailoa, who hasn’t announced it he’s turning pro…. Siince Week 6, Mike Gesicki’s receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns all ranked in the top 10 among NFL tight ends…
The Dolphins finished 32nd and last in four categories: sacks allowed, points allowed, point differential and rushing yards per game on offense… Jason Sanders’ 82 percent career accuracy rate on field goals (41 for 50) is now best in team history... The Dolphins signed eight practice squad players to futures contracts: linebacker Jake Carlock, linebacker Terrill Hanks, wide receiver Andy Jones, tight end Chris Myarick, tackle Chidi Okeke, defensive tackle Durval Queiroz Neto, wide receiver T.J. Rahming and wide receiver Terry Wright.
Please click here for my Tuesday piece with my year end awards on the best and worst in South Florida sports in 2019, from the best personnel moves to the worst to most improved, biggest disappointments and more.
This story was originally published December 31, 2019 at 5:00 PM.
