Deep dive: Why do the Miami Dolphins look so different recently?
By Juan Vasquez
How the L.A Chargers hacked the system:
The Los Angeles Chargers were coming into this game decimated on defense, especially in their secondary. You’re talking about a team that is missing all their key guys.
No Derwin James, no Joey Bosa, no Joseph-day.
— 3rd & Juan (@3rdnJuan) December 11, 2022
There’s just no way the Dolphins lose tonight, Miami has to come out swinging.
Welp looked like I talked more than I could chew. But seriously, missing your best secondary guy and your best pass rusher. Backups in the secondary and you’re going up against Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Tua Tagovailoa, & Mike McDaniel’s play calling. Nobody thought the Chargers had a chance, and I mean nobody.
It's a #FinsUp clean sweep from the FNIA crew. pic.twitter.com/5FlmAftQPB
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 12, 2022
But the Chargers definitely thought they had a chance, and they used the same blueprint from the 49ers on defense: drop your linebackers deeper over the middle and put your secondary with outside leverage on deep routes.
From then your defenders start to get a feel for the spots Tua is trying to anticipate when throwing, and that throws the entire offensive flow off. Because then receivers and defenders are meeting at the same spot for the ball.
The Chargers did this masterfully, and this allowed for almost no separation for Dolphins WRs:
Amazing performance by the Chargers backup secondary so far, usually the Dolphins receivers have massive amounts of separation, today, none pic.twitter.com/vg0hkvaRHh
— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) December 12, 2022
So what’s next? The Miami Dolphins are visiting the Buffalo Bills next so they have to figure things out quick. Mike McDaniel needs to make adjustments, and Tua Tagovailoa has to step it up.