Dolphins must find balance against the Eagles
By Josh Binder
The Miami Dolphins have struggled to find balance in their offense. They’re an inconsistent, pass-happy football team that tends to thrive when they commit to running the ball. According to a FOX sports article, the Dolphins are second in the NFL in rush yards per carry, but next to last in rushing attempts per game. That type of statistic does not bode well for Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, who is struggling to find his play-calling groove.
Currently, the Dolphins call a run play 34 percent of the time, third-lowest in the NFL. However, Dolphins running back Lamar Miller is averaging a hefty 5.3 yards per carry. Do you see where I’m going with this?
In previous articles, I’ve preached to all of you Phanatics about the skill set Lamar Miller possesses, and how big of an impact he makes on the Dolphins overall offensive success. While Miller has seen a slight increase in carries since Dan Campbell became head coach, Miller is still only averaging 11.4 rush attempts per game. If the Dolphins want any chance of making the playoffs this year, they must first realize how well they are running the ball, and then utilize the talent they have at the running back position.
Here’s a fun fact and interesting quote from FOX sports.
"This year, the Dolphins’ per-carry average of 4.9 yards would be their highest since 1973, when they had Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka and won the Super Bowl. However, they’re on pace for their fewest running plays since 1988, during Dan Marino’s heyday."
Well, we all know Ryan Tannehill is not Dan Marino, so I have a message for head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator, Bill Lazor. Instead of throwing the ball over 65 percent of the time, lets try to find a nice balance against the Eagles. The Eagles currently rank 21st in run defense, and in the past two games they’ve allowed 338 yards rushing. I’m not a professional sports statistician, but if I’m Bill Lazor, I’m committing to running the ball at least 45 percent of the time.
Luckily, it seems like head coach Dan Campbell agrees with my balanced offensive philosophy.
"Continuing to throw the ball two-thirds of the time isn’t the plan, Campbell said. That’s not ideally the way we’d like to go."
In my opinion, the only way the Dolphins lose Sunday’s contest against the Eagles is by making horrendous mistakes, like mistimed snaps that end up as safeties for opposing teams, or poor defensive play. The Dolphins have to play smart on offense and aggressive on defense. If we can stop the run and get to the quarterback, Bradford will throw interceptions. Furthermore, the Eagles offense will only go as far as their running game will take them. It’s that simple.
Many NFL pundits are choosing the Eagles to win, but as an optimistic fan, I’ll predict the Dolphins turn it around and get the win, 27-24. Let me know your thoughts by commenting below and as always, Phins up!