Dolphins defense is playing much worse than a year ago. Here’s one thing they’ve changed
For the Dolphins, more has not been merrier this season. In their attempt to use more players on defense, the Dolphins are getting worse results, though the correlation between the two is nebulous.
Last season, by the time the Dolphins got to October, their allocation of playing time on defense — while subject to some variation — developed a predictable pattern at some positions.
Bobby McCain and Eric Rowe received most of the work at safety, with Brandon Jones getting a package of snaps. Nik Needham played most of the snaps at nickel corner, by Week 4, until season’s end.
This season has been a different story. Rowe went from playing the fewest snaps among Miami’s four primary safeties in Week 2 to playing the most in Week 3.
Needham went from playing a lot in Week 1, to barely at all in Week 2, to a lot in Week 3, but only after Justin Coleman started and was beaten in coverage.
Rookie linebacker Jaelan Phillips went from playing 40 snaps combined in the first two games to 49 in Week 3.
Linebacker Sam Eguovoen went from having a substantial Week 1 package as an inside pass rusher to 13 combined snaps in Weeks 2 and 3.
A lot of these decisions are matchup-based, which is the norm with this defense and typical for how defensive personnel is utilized around the league.
But there has been more shuffling this season in part because the Dolphins seem determined to give playing time to more players.
That’s particularly the case at safety, where the Dolphins are trying to find roles for young players Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones while also giving meaningful work to veterans Rowe and Jason McCourty.
At slot cornerback, the Dolphins seemingly haven’t figured out whether Needham or Coleman gives them the better chance to win, though Needham’s metrics have been better this season.
Coleman said last week that he isn’t necessarily told early in the week if he will be playing.
“It could be the day of the game,” he said. “It’s part of this program.”
So has defensive coordinator Josh Boyer given serious thought to settling on two safeties and one nickel corner to get the bulk of the snaps? Could that be helpful instead of a rotation of six players?
“I do think that when you have multiple players that you feel comfortable with, it gives you a little more flexibility on certain things you can do to try to highlight their talents with what we’re trying to do schematically,” Boyer said.
“At the end of the day, what guys are doing with those opportunities, you go back and see if one, we’re putting them in the best positions to succeed. And two, are they making the most of the opportunities. As the season goes on, guys that are doing better with their opportunities, you will probably see them more. Then guys that are a little erratic with those, you’ll see them less.”
As for Phillips, Boyer said he received more opportunities last week because “Jaelan has been doing a good job working hard on the things he needs to improve. Some of the things he’s doing well, we’re expounding upon that.”
The Dolphins’ defensive is complicated — “you’ve got a lot to worry about,” Coleman said - and that worked to the Dolphins strengths last season in helping create big plays.
There have still made their share of flash plays this season — the Elandon Roberts pick-six, the Xavien Howard interception and forced fumble — but the overall performance has diminished.
The Dolphins have gone from allowing 21.1 points per game in 2020 (sixth in the league) to 27.3 this season, which ranks 23rd.
Overall, the Dolphins are relinquishing 401.3 yards per game, compared with 367.9 last season.
And this is most troublesome: They’re allowing opponents to convert 59 percent on third down (worst in the league defensively) after permitting only a 31.2 third-down conversion rate last season (best in the league defensively).
So could the use of more players in the defensive backfield this season be a factor in the major defensive regression on third down?
“I don’t think that’s the issue,” Needham said. “....We have too many talented guys on the team to give up all those third downs.”
Their run defense is slightly better, yielding 4.3 per carry compared with 4.5 last season.
“At times we do it very well,” Boyer said of run defense. “And at times, whether it’s schematically the call, myself trying to make a play or schematically it’s a player trying to make a play and gets out of a gap and not trusting – or just trying to make a play” outside the parameters of the defense.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Wide receiver Will Fuller — who is dealing with chest and elbow injuries — returned to practice, but on a limited basis.
But center Michael Deiter (foot/quad) was unable to practice. Greg Mancz likely would start if Deiter cannot play.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (hamstring) said he’s fine and will play Sunday against the Colts (1 p.m., CBS).
▪ Phillips was encouraged somewhat by his progress after playing a career-high 49 snaps against the Raiders. “Never totally pleased but I feel like I’m almost there,” Phillips - awaiting his first NFL sack - said Thursday.
“I’m starting to get some pressures. I need to convert those pressures into sacks and negative plays. The [coaches are] starting to have a little bit more trust in me. That equates to more playing time or being used in different positions.”
▪ The Dolphins remain without linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, who’s in COVID protocol.
▪ Fox lead NFL analyst Troy Aikman’s complex NFL efficiency rating formula ranks the Dolphins as the worst team in football through three games. Aikman does the efficiency ratings for the 33rd Team, a think tank founded by former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum.
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 2:47 PM.
