There are many words you could use to describe the Dolphins performance in their 27-17 loss to the Colts, but embarrassing sums it up pretty well.
Miami’s performance in all facets of the game, especially in the area of coaching, was just inept.
Let’s start with the offense where the gist of the blame lies. Only 203 yards of total offense. The run game was non-existent with only 35 yards on just 16 carries.
I would love to be able to say that the offensive performance vs. Indianapolis was just a one-week aberration, but nothing could be further from the truth. In 4 games this season they have only gained 1,008 yards and scored a woeful 62 points.
The offensive line is still a work in progress and they have been playing with a backup QB for basically 3 games, which doesn’t help. And while there is a lot of blame to go around, I’m pointing the primary blame finger at the coaching staff.
The play calling has been incredibly conservative as they rarely try to push the ball down field despite the receiving corps being the strongest position group on the team. DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller, Albert Wilson and Mike Gesicki are legitimate playmakers and they need to find a way to get them the ball. Especially 10+ yards down field.
And enough of starting Malcolm Brown at running back. Myles Gaskin, who only had 2 carries on Sunday, is their most talented RB and they need to get the ball in his hands a whole lot more.
I’d like to blame the offensive coordinator who is calling the plays for this mess of an offense, but I’m not sure who that is.
Is it one of the 2 co-coordinators they have: George Godsey and Eric Studesville? Or is it quarterbacks coach Charlie Frye? Who knows?
Head coach Brian Flores decision to have co-offensive coordinators never made much sense to me and the time has come to make a change. Does someone need to be fired to send a message to the team? Perhaps.
But at the very least they need to make one of them THE offensive coordinator. One voice. One philosophy. And choose the guy who is willing to take some chances and throw the ball down field. Heck, for this team, throwing the ball 10 yards qualifies as throwing it down field.
The only time the Fins have been willing to open up the offense has been when they have fallen behind and have been forced to be aggressive late in games. And they have been somewhat successful in those situations. They need an offensive coordinator who is willing to show that aggressiveness from the 1st snap of the game.
While the Dolphins defense certainly hasn’t lived up to expectations, I’m going to give them a bit of a pass as the offense has done zero to help them. The offense is “never” on the field, which means the defense always is. On Sunday the Colts controlled the time of possession 37:09 to 22:51.
The Colts scored 27 points on Sunday, but 13 points weren’t the defenses fault. A pair of fumbles, one by QB Jacoby Brissett and the other by Jakeem Grant on a punt, led to 2 field goals. And an offsides penalty on a Colts punt resulted in a 1st down which led to a touchdown.
There were 2 other coaching decisions on Sunday that deserve some scrutiny. One, they went with short kickoffs hoping to pin the Colts within their 20-yard line, but the kicks weren’t high enough to give the Fins special teams enough time to get downfield to make the tackle, so the Colts ended up starting their possessions outside of the 25-yard line.
And two, Flores opted to punt instead of giving Jason Sanders the opportunity to kick a 55-yard field goal early in the game. Sanders is one of the best kickers in the game and the conditions were perfect so give him a chance to put some points on the board.
Bill Parcells once said you are what your record says you are, and the Dolphins are 1-3. And they are lucky to be 1-3 as they are one Damien Harris fumble in Week 1 from being 0-4. I honestly felt this Dolphins team could be a playoff contender, but after four games they deserve to be in the same conversation as fellow bottom feeders the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions.
The season isn’t over, but something needs to change. Maybe defensive tackle Raekwon Davis comes off IR in week 5 to help the run defense. QB Tua Tagovailoa should be back from his rib injury for week 6. But most importantly, a change has to be made at offensive coordinator. Now!
