Philbin confidence in short-yardage runs shaken

After early success with Jorvorskie Lane hulking into the line and picking up a couple of short-yardage first downs and even a TD, the Dolphins are officially struggling on short yardage runs of late.

They blew an opportunity to convert a third-and-1 Sunday. They've blown a couple of similar opportunities the previous two weeks.

So where is coach Joe Philbin's confidence when the team dials up a short-yardage run now?

"It's not very good," Philbin said Monday. "It's not very good. You look at the film, the film is not good to watch."

This says it all: After the Dolphins failed on a third-and-one run early Sunday, they faced three other third-and-one situations during the game. They passed on all of three.

The problem is there's a multitude of issues for the failures.

"It's a variety of things," Philbin said. "Sometimes penetration, sometimes read of the back, it's a combination thereof. Usually the things that affect runs are quick penetration and decisiveness running the ball or poor course or poor read. It's all those things. You throw on our tape for third-and-1 and you'll probably see all of that."

Philbin did not name names. But here's the issue on a personal level.

Daniel Thomas, at 228 pounds, is more a thoroughbred than a plowhorse. He's not really a move-the-pile on short yardage kind of guy -- at least he hasn't proven he is.

Reggie Bush isn't that guy either, although at 200 pounds, one wouldn't expect him to be.

Guard Richie Incognito and John Jerry along with center Mike Pouncey are fine when all is fair. But on third-and-one, the defense is expecting a run to attack the A-gap. The defense is stacked and ready. All is not fair. And when that has been the case, the Miami interior line hasn't consistently moved anyone backwards.

Well, how about wide runs?

That also hasn't been a solution because, well, Jonathan Martin needs to get a bit stronger and Jake Long doesn't seem as agile as he used to be. Also, the blocking out of Miami's tight ends has not been consistently good on such plays.

Lane, meanwhile, failed on a couple of attempts after showing promise early. Coaches have gone away from giving him the ball since those failures. The team did give him another opportunity on the first drive Sunday.

He failed.

 

 

Comments

[KingShula]

jm I think you could try the yahoo site but there you will run across a texascowpunk who wants to edit the opinions of the posters to one of seeing everything with rose-colored glasses.His music videos that he post would be better suited for a female oriented site instead of one that covers a sport such as football.

[Craig M]

King Shula,

I know you are trying to make a point, I just have NO CLUE what it is. Please tell me how drafting Tannehill, Martin, Vernon and Miller was flawed. Would love to know what the Hell you are talking about. Makes about as much sense as this plan of yours to make money in the market.

The floor's yours....

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

CraigM,

I dont want to get rid of Dansby, just move him outside replacing Misi. We need a true mlb playing the 4-3 system. Dansby's better as an ilb.

Dansby's the mlb by default. We change d-systems without being able to bring in the correct personel that properly fits it.

[KingShula]

jm this and all the sites you will encounter will have a small clique of posters that think they know it all,when they cant even pick winners in the weekly games.

[Beerphin]

Te'o is a top 12 pick.

[Craig M]

I think the real question that needs to be asked here is whay this coaching staff haven't used Miller more. Is it because they don't trust him? They don't want to upset the vet, Bush? They don't want to use him at such a young age? What gives? Weren't we all told that this guy was a first round talent and we were lucky to get him in the draft when we did? He's looked decent when he's been used. Why hasn't he been used more?

Same with Egnew. If Philbin signed off on this guy, how come after 9 games he's yet to see the field? Oh I know, it's because we get that outastanding production from Fasano (1 catch for 4 yards, Sunday). Come on Armando.....how about asking some of these TOUGH questions of management. The Dolphin fanbase demands to know what's going on. You're our voice. How about some tough questions? Where's the disconnect here. If Egnew is a guy that Philbin was comfortable with, how come he never sees the field. Why did he sign off on him if he never planned to play him? What's the plan going forward?

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

CraigM,

None of our current front 7 outside of Wake are true 4-3 fits.

Soliai's a nt. Starks a 3-4 dt and so is Odrick.

Dansby a 3-4 ilb, so is the other olb, and even Misi is a 3-4 olb at best.

We changed d-system with only onme player that was a perfect fit for the new system. Cam Wake.

[Beerphin]

Miller needs to be unleashed

[DarrylDunphy]

...Both Starks and Solia had been playing at a Pro Bowl level up until the Ram game.. The run game was very good..Up to the Ram game. Even the secondary had played better..Up to the Ram game. We won that game because it was a total team effort. Special teams especially. This isn't the point.

We gave Philbin credit for outfoxing Fisher in that game. The scoreboard would back this up. but perhaps Fisher gave a blueprint to the Colts, to the Titans as a way to go about attacking, and defending this team. Is it coincidence that all the areas of our team that have struggled started with the Rams? I am only suggesting this, only observational evidence of fact. The NFL is a copycat league. Could the Rams have exposed our team more then any of us realize? Or did we just play 2 poor games, and it is what it is?

[We Have RB's]

This franchise doesn't need a better QB, it needs better fans.

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

Beerphin,

I would take T'eo as hig as #8. This guy is a Heisman nominee at mlb. Exactly what we need, a true 4-3 mlb.

[Craig M]

YG,

I just want to walk this through with you. Agreed Solia is a NT. Would you agree that both Starks and Odrick are better inside? Therefore, shoouldn't the plan going forward be to keep Odrick(much cheaper than Starks) and Soliai, have Wake play one DE position and draft another? I think a combination of Dansby in the middle and Misi and Burnett on either side could work well. The really pressude should be coming from the ends, of which only Wake can do that right now. A guy playing opposite Wake, posing as a pass rush threat, with the occasional left over opportunity for one of the backers to come through untouched is really the defence I'd like to see. Dansby as a $12 million solution at OLB, to me isn't a good use of our resources.

[Beerphin]

Good assessment not sure I agree with him being a legit heisman anymore but he's definitely the best LB. I liked Kuechly last year a lil more at this point but mostly becuz I need to see Te'o's combine.

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

I guarantee you guys one thing:

The ruinning and passing game will open up in 2013 with the signing of Duane Bowe.

But of course, this all may make far too much sense for Jeff Ireland to do. Because it also frees up spending the #1 pick on Manti T'eo.

[BoulderPhinFan]

philbin seems to be running out of answers pretty quickly. Usually coaches take a couple of years before they say "I don't know why" kinda answers. His stint in miami might be shorter than Sparano. I say he gets next year and that's it.

[We Have RB's]

Craig,

When a team drafts a guy in the 3rd round he usually gets a pass for a year. If Egnew were drafted in the 6th round it's my guess that he would have been cut after the pre-season.

[Beerphin]

I'd rather have Welker or Smith than Bowe.

[E.lijah The Prophet]

Lube up with May'o For Matei Te'o!

[ALoco]

I A WORLD WHERE CRAIG M AND YG AND KRIS POST THEIR CRAP ,IGNORING THE REAL ISSUES WITH THIS TEAM ,

TO MARSHALL WALK

TO LET DAVIS WALK

TO LET MOORE SITS...................

TH HAVE A GARAGE MANAGER RUNS THIS TEAM ,

TO LET FASANO,BESS BOTH STAY
TO LET DANSBY STAY.......

IT'S WORST RUN TEAM IN THE NFL ////////

[Craig M]

DD,

I've only seen bits and pieces of yesterday's game to date. It's a real head scratcher to me. To me the Titans should have been a real bounce back game for us. I believe any possibility at the playoffs are now gone, which like you, I'm not that bothered about. What I just don't get is how this team could look so awful at home against a pretty mediocre team. I'm sure Philbin and staff have been pretty stunned with all of this too. Did they players and coaches not prepare properly? Did they overlook something? Are we exposed, as you've suggested? To me nothing changes until we get the run game going and get to the QB much better than we have the last few weeks.

[ALoco]

IN A WORLD

[DarrylDunphy]

....It would be incredible to be in the position to draft T'eo. We have no idea where we will end up drafting. My gut tells me we would have to trade up to get him. Almost every team that will be in the area of the"T'eo Zone" will have interest. Maybe as much interest as a quarterback may stir. Would it be worth offering a trade up for him?

I know this is almost impposible to answer as we don't know where we will sit. We can agree T'Eo will be a top ten pick. Lets say our position is 15-17..Should we do it? He may be the best player in this draft.

[We Have RB's]

"philbin seems to be running out of answers pretty quickly. Usually coaches take a couple of years before they say "I don't know why" kinda answers. His stint in miami might be shorter than Sparano. I say he gets next year and that's it."

Boulder,

He's running out of answers b/c he needs better players but he can't say that now can he????

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

CraigM,

Im not sure how effective Odrick would be playing inside on a consistent basis. After all, the team has chosen to play Starks(undersized) there instead.

As for Dansby's money, he's to good to cut, and can play outside. He's done it before as a Card.

Ireland signed him to that big contract and we may just have to bite the bullet on that one. Because I do believe Dansby can play outside in the 4-3 than Misi. He's far better than Misi in coverage, though Misi may be improving.

Improving means youre not there yet.

[budtki@verizon.net]

**** 3rd and 1 ** or ** 3rd and forever? ****

ah, remember the good old days, for miami fans DAN MARINO negated all apprehension, 3rd and 1 meant nothing, we didn't even flinch and neither did good ole' DANNY boy. philbin's good old days were similar with ARON RODGERS, no fear there as well. which brings me to say something i've been holding back for the good of the team, sorry guys, here it is, i really don't think tannehill is the guy, yes, he's a lot better then most QB's we've fielded since marino, but i think he's more of a mark sanchez, he will win some and loose some, he will have a great game then a poor one, this will go on for a few years and when all is said and done we will all realise that what you see(now) is what you get. tannehill at quarterback does NOT make you say WOW, as marino once did in his rookie year, or an aron rodgers, or a payton manning or brady. so understand that we have improved somewhat at QB, but there is a ceiling to tanehill's growth, yes as the team around him improves from year to year and draft to draft we WILL see a better team, and better play from tannehill, but i believe tannehill is viewed as an exceptable stepping stone until the day comes when miami drafts another superstar quarterback

[ALoco]

DD IS TALKING DRAFT ALREADY AND OTHER POSTERS LIKE YG,CRAIG M AND KERIS ARE READY TO POST THEIR NORMAL CRAP THAT WE READ EVERY YEAR.....

[Craig M]

YG,

No thanks to Bowe. Talk to anyone who knows him in KC and this guy will disappear once he's signed the big contract. I think there's close to ZERO chance it'll happen. It's not the way Philbin does business. YOu can have you T'eo but we'd better be grabbing a WR in the 2nd or 3rd round.

[We Have RB's]

I've only seen bits and pieces of yesterday's game to date. It's a real head scratcher to me. To me the Titans should have been a real bounce back game for us. I believe any possibility at the playoffs are now gone, which like you, I'm not that bothered about. What I just don't get is how this team could look so awful at home against a pretty mediocre team. I'm sure Philbin and staff have been pretty stunned with all of this too. Did they players and coaches not prepare properly? Did they overlook something? Are we exposed, as you've suggested? To me nothing changes until we get the run game going and get to the QB much better than we have the last few weeks.

Craig,

The four turnovers didn't help either. Hard to win games that way.

[ALoco]

TODAY I HAD CHICKEN TORTOLLA SOUP IT IS VERY GOOD WITH LIMES LIKE THEY DO IN THE MEXICO LAND.,.THEY PRPOBABLY DONT HAVE IT IN YOUR TRALER PARKS

[ALoco]

31-3 .....IS THAT A RECORD FOR DEFEAT ?

31 to 3 ...............nice

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

DD,

Our saving grace on getting T'eo would be 2 things:

1. Win no more than 2 of the remaining 6 games(Which now looks likely).

2. So many teams have switched to 3-4 d-system, for the teams ahead of us, he may not be the proper fit.

Corners, olinemen and d-lineman, and qb's seem to eat up much of the top 10 draft picks. If we sit right at the edge of the top 10. Our chances to get T'eo rise astronomically.

Thats why I say signing Bowe can kick everything into gear.

[Dashi]

We Have RB's,

U can relate to this

I prefer to stay home and watch the games so I can dil my ass

BUTT plugs are good but NOT the same!

[DarrylDunphy]

..Craig M..I think yesterdays game was a combination of a lot of things. I used the word exposed. That is probably not the right word. I think that teams have perhaps identified our tendencies a bit better. There is obviously more film, so teams have been able to pin point some weakneses on both sides of the ball. I think that if you add in that at some point our talent level would be an issue, and that we do have a rookie playing quarterback. That eventually, this team would show its true colors.

Now I don't think that yesterday is an indication of who we are as a team. We had a bad day..At least it was a full failure, not just one element that cost us. I said that to me this is a huge game as far as Philbin goes if in fact teams are catching up to what we are doing. A lot of folks here labeled his as the next coming of Shula, or Walsh..Hyperbole, and perhaps unfair. I would settle for something in the middle. My point. This is a week to see what our young coach is made of. I want to see if what we saw a month ago was real, or if we are just a bad group.

[ALoco]

31-3 ,ON OUR HOME TURF.............

31-3,IT MEANS,SHERMAN IS NO GOOD OC .

IT MEANS OU DC IS LOUSY.

IT MEANA OUR CORN BEEF COAH IS NO GOOD.

IT MEANS MOORE SHOULD BE THE STARTER YESTERDAY ....

[ALoco]

ANY ONE KNOW ANY DEFEAT WORST THAN 31-3 BESIDE MARINO'S LAST GAME ..

[We Have RB's]

YG,

I wasn't even going to argue this but clearly you're not letting go--Starks is 6'3" & weighs 305 pounds. How is that undersized for a DT??? You're talking out of your a@@. The guy was playing at a Pro-Bowl level before the Colts game & for some reason has disappeared the last two games. And you're wrong about Soliai who has had a very good season at DT.

BTW--Before Starks came to Miami he got his start as a DT in a 4-3 defense in Tennessee.

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

CraigM,

Go to Waltercamp, there are some good corners and safeties available 2nd rd. I was thinking grab one of each with the two 2nd rd picks. Bowe also allows us to do that.

Still, no matter what people have said about Bowe. Dc's cant sleep on him when game planning against us on Sundays. It also allows Hartline to feast on #2 corners.

Plus I dont wanna run the risk of drafting a 2nd rd wr and he still needs a year or two developing for the nfl game. He has to be a guy that has an instant impact right away and that no guarantee getting him in the 2nd rd.

A 2nd rd wr could play more like a #2 wr the first year. We already have that with Hartline. Bowe's a proven #1 wr.

[ALoco]

YG...AREN'T YOU TIRED OF TALKING THIS DRAFT CARP ,EVERY YEAR ?

[old fan]

Didn't we have a good short yardage man last year? Who traded him?

[ALoco]

OUR GARAGE MANAGER WAS LOOKING TO TRADE MOORE ,BUT AFTER 31-3 ,HE HAS TO PAY WAY MOR FOR HIM NOW .

[DarrylDunphy]

..Yg. Another thing to. Like you said. With al the teams running 3-4 defenses. T'EO probably won't be the first linebacker taken..Jarvis Jones is that 3-4 OLB that proabably goes in the top 5. Why I think T'EO is such a commodity is obviously he is off the charts talent wise. But Notre Dame was a 3-4 team as well. So T'EO is scheme diverse..An all around stud. Would you trade up for him? If it was 7-10 spots?

[ALoco]

DD...PLEASE NO MORE STUDS,I THOUGHT ODRICK WAS STUD AND MISI WAS STUD AND FASANO WAS A STUD .....

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

WHRB's,

I know Starks is 305. The problem is Nfl offensive guards are 330lbs and better. He's giving up at least 25 lbs every game playing in the middle. There are even nfl offensive guards going 350 lbs.

Thats what I mean by Starks is undersized playing dt in 4-3 d-system. A 4-3 dt probably avgs 320 lbs.

[DarrylDunphy]

..ALoco..Fair enough. How about very good prospect?

BTW..It is my B-Day. Cooking Elk braised elk heart, with Porcini Rissoto tonight.

[1966finfan]

Who are we missing other than Lousaka Polite on these short yardage situations from the group that was used to make it automatic?

[Vegas Mike]

I'm hearing that the players are lobbying for Moore to start.

[We Have RB's]

Thats what I mean by Starks is undersized playing dt in 4-3 d-system. A 4-3 dt probably avgs 320 lbs.

YG,

Starks had a couple of off games. I don't know why that is but it's not b/c he's undersized. He'll be fine.

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

DD,

If I were gm, I would make sure I did a very thorough evaluation of all true Mlb's available. If T'eo is 7-10 spots up. It'll take in the very least a 2nd rd'er to trade up for him.

Im not sure I can place a 1st and 2nd pick value on T'eo. But I expect us to draft no further than 12th-13th. The way the draft has been going in recent years(qb's, ot's, corners, pass rush d-linemen) T'eo could fall into the 8-tish range or lower.

Ifr he fell to #8, then we evaluate the teams ahead of us pressing needs. If they dont need a mlb or ilb. T'eo could fall right into our laps without trading up at all.

[We Have RB's]

BTW..It is my B-Day. Cooking Elk braised elk heart, with Porcini Rissoto tonight.

Daryl,

Happy B-Day. Enjoy.

[YIKES]

Odick = another Irescum bust

[Craig M]

YG,

I think you are getting hung up on this '#1 WR' thing again. Not saying I don't like Bowe as a player. What I am saying is that I'm not comfortable giving a guy like that Vincent Jackson type money. Yeah there's no guarantee that you succeed with a 2nd round WR but we also didn't succeed with a sure thing WR like Brandon Marshall. I'd prefer to follow the GB model and that model doesn't have you paying a huge chunck of your payroll to a WR. I don't believe the model you are suggesting works.

Got to run....always good discussing this stuff with you....cheers for now!

[Yesterday's Gone 4Ever!]

WHRB's,

We just gotta make sure we're far from breaking the bamk in resigning Starks. We have to remember he is undersized playing dt. Also his play will begin to decline at some point in the new contract.

Starks no spring chicken either.

[Craig M]

DD,

Happy birthday bud. It was mine last Tuesday. You can never have enough Scorpios talking football on a Dolphins blog.

[TGH]

Manning has been everything the Denver Broncos could have imagined when they successfully recruited him as their franchise quarterback in March. Getting better every week, the Broncos are building momentum as a serious threat to win the Super Bowl. He's simply working on the most impressive second act in NFL history.

[Ireland's Republican Army]

Can we all agree that Jeff Ireland has stocked the team with some amazing players? As soon as they show their true potential, the rest of the league needs to watch out.

[Beerphin]

I looked up starks and his injuries this year and Starks injured his leg vs the Jets a couple weeks ago He missed a couple practices. He may have a lil injury he is playing with... Dansby has an enormous brace on his arm BTW. I'm sure he's not 100%

[DarrylDunphy]

..YG..I have to agree with you about a guy like Bowe. I know a lot of folks will have a sour tatse in their mouths after the Marshall plan failed here. But IMO it is 2 different players. We need a redzone threat badly. We need a guy that draws attention so we can spread the field. Part of the problem is that Tannehill does not have the weapons to spread the ball around. If we look at the targets, and then completions. It is 2 guys that catch the majority of the balls. For this WCO to work we have to have the ability to have options. These seem to be taken away just by default. I think that the scheme may say we don't need a number one guy. I may be in no position to dispute this. But I would think having a proven commodity would be huge bonus to this offense. I would love to see a player the caliber of a Bowe in our colors next year..Even our GM has recognized this.

[Fin 77]

What good is a #1 WR when we dont have a QB?

[odinseye]

The stadium wreaks of urine. They need a new domed stadium.....

Posted by: MJ | November 12, 2012 at 01:16 PM

Wouldn't the Dome kind of hold in the urine smell?

MJ wants the Stadium Experience to be(smell)just like his trailer on Sunday Afternoons.

He's right at home watching the games in squalor.

[Beerphin]

They should have rested Bush and Tannehill after their injuries as well. Bush has been a shadow of hmself since the Jets 1st game. Tannehill got rattled last week getting sacked a bunch when he was already nursing his leg as well. The team has nagging injuries.