Numbers belie struggles for Dolphins’ defense

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, September 27, 2007  |  Comments( 6 )

Miami Dolphins
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Sometimes, statistics tell you all you need to know about a football team's progress. Other times, they're just plain weird.

If you look at the numbers and not the scoreboard, for example, you would think that the Miami Dolphins' defense has been making steady improvement.

In five of the seven most important defensive categories, that certainly seems to be the case. Miami allowed 400 total yards to the Washington Redskins in Week 1, 352 to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, and 256 to the New York Jets in Week 3. The Redskins threw for 209 yards, the Cowboys for 186 yards and the Jets 115. Rushing? Washington went for 191, Dallas 186, New York 141.

It gets even stranger. The Redskins averaged 10 yards per pass, the Cowboys 6.4, the Jets 5.2. Rushing average shrunk from 4.7 to 4.6 to 3.7.

Tackle stats can also be telling. If the bulk of the stops are being made by the defensive backfield, it's not a good sign. The three leading Miami tacklers are linebackers Channing Crowder and Zach Thomas (even though Thomas missed the Jets game) and defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday.

See there? Steady improvement. What has it gotten the Dolphins thus far? They're 0-3, and they've given up 37 and 31 points in the last two games after allowing just 16 in the first.

So how does one explain this, especially their apparent defensive dominance of the Jets? Evidently, much of this dominance came on first and second downs. On third-down plays, New York was 8 of 13, mostly via the run.

"When people in this business can start running the ball on you," said Miami coach Cam Cameron to reporters after practice on Monday, "they can attack you both ways."

New York scored once on a 98-yard Leon Washington kickoff return. The other touchdowns were all on plays under 4 yards. You hear about defenses that bend but don't break -- Miami's stop unit didn't bend until it cracked. On the season, opponents are converting third-down plays nearly 50 percent of the time. Not good.

Nor are the Dolphins giving the offense any breaks via takeaways. So far, they've had two interceptions and no fumble recoveries. And the four sacks have been tempered by zero quarterback hurries.

What all of this seems to say is that this is a defense that may be ready to break out, perhaps this Sunday against Oakland. Thomas, who suffered a concussion, could be back, but Donnie Spragan had 11 tackles in his place against the Jets.

"We just have to see how people are attacking us," said Cameron, "and get these things corrected."

Especially on third down.
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CommentsComments: 6  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Chris		11:24 AM
09/27/2007
It's wierd if you look at the score, and only look at the defense and not the defense + special teams. The Jets game, the defense...
No.2
Dave		11:33 AM
09/27/2007
Uh, 'we have to see how people are attacking us' is Cam even watching the game??? has he been hiting the bong with ricky? THEY...
No.3
abacus		02:41 PM
09/27/2007
Take it easy there, Dave. There's nothing worse than a fan who thinks he's figured out all the x's and o's. Last time I checked,...
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