Dolphins Gameplan: Keep Tannehill alive…..

Dec. 07 Dolphins Gameplan 11 comments ---Bill

Let’s get physical

Cue Jane Fonda because the Dolphins are up for a physical test this weekend. The 49ers are one of, if not the most physical teams in the NFL. Through the early part of the season, the Dolphins would’ve been considered a physically dominant team. They stopped the run and ran the ball whenever they wanted to. Lately though, the Dolphins have been outplayed physically by their opponents. To win this game, the Dolphins must match the 49ers physicality.

The 49ers are best when they run the ball well and they are averaging over 162 yards per game on the ground. They also stop the run well, averaging just over 90 yards per game, which is #2 in the NFL. They win the battles in the trenches and play the type of football that the Dolphins were winning with earlier this season. The team that can win the line of scrimmage has a clear advantage in this game.

Convert Opportunities

The Dolphins have struggled in 2 big areas on offense this season. They are not good enough on 3rd down and in the red zone. Both of those areas are going to be huge in this week’s game. The Dolphins offense needs to win on 1st and 2nd down to create manageable 3rd down opportunities. They also must capitalize on their chances in the red zone. Third down and red zone opportunities are what can define a quarterback. Thus far, Ryan Tannehill’s numbers in those areas are not very good. He knows he must improve, but he also has to get a little bit of help from his teammates.

The Dolphins have to take advantage and convert their red zone opportunities because they have been settling for field goals far too much lately. Every time I see a field goal, visions of Fist Pumper Sparano dance in my head…..it’s not a good vision. The 49ers defense is stingy when it comes to giving up points, so that doesn’t help the situation. The 49ers have given up the least amount of points in the NFL this season, averaging just over 14 points against per game. The Dolphins must take advantage of their opportunities and score touchdowns instead of field goals.

Rattle Kaepernick

The 49ers made the switch to Colin Kaepernick a few weeks ago and the 2nd year quarterback has been playing very well. His QB rating is over 96 and he has thrown only 1 interception versus 3 touchdowns. Kaepernick is not taking over games in the way that Peyton Manning or Tom Brady would, but he’s being efficient with the football and moving his team down the field. Kaepernick is a double threat, as he can use his legs as well as his arm to move the chains. The Dolphins would be wise to ‘spy’ him with a linebacker or a safety to ensure he doesn’t scamper for a first down when it’s 3rd and 11….like Andrew Luck and Jake Locker have done against the Dolphins defense.

The Dolphins need to rattle Kaepernick and that means Cameron Wake, Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, and Jared Odrick need to get him his fact. Make him uncomfortable. Make him throw before he’s ready. Pressuring Kaepernick and showing him looks he hasn’t seen before, will help the Dolphins secondary. The Dolphins defense played great last week against the Patriots (except for that last drive). If they can limit Kaepernick’s effectiveness, they can help the Dolphins offense by giving them good field position in what should be a field position game.

Overall, this is a tough matchup for the Dolphins. First, they are flying across the country to play the game. Second, they are playing a team that has a very physical, dominating defense, at a time when their offense has been struggling. The Dolphins will need to keep this a low scoring, win it in the 4th quarter style game. If the score gets into the 20′s, it will be tough for the Dolphins offense to put up enough points to pick up a victory.

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  • Miami Jules

    I would say Miami is now contemplating one of the top draft picks in May. I actually thought we had already been mathematically eliminated from the play-off’s this year but the post says we are not… anyway, I am already concentrating on who to draft. Gee, maybe this could’ve been a good topic from discussion, but I only think about this as I am writing.
    Martin is going to have his hands full, poor kid, so much like last week, if the coach wants to win the game, rolling Tannehill and letting him use his feet is like the only option I can see from my vantage point Use Clay and eventhigpen in the backfield… Can it really hurt at this point? USE Marlon Moore, this kid has playmker written all over him in my humble.
    Back to the draft, I like Tannehill but he’s the only rookie QB who’s not being discussed on the media and for lmaybe good reason. Barkeley anyone?

    • Miami Jules

      First, and after further review, as bad as things look for the Phins at this point, there are like 7 teams with a worse record than Miami, so there’s that as far as Barkely… and that’s only in the AFC….Is Mante T’eo still a sophomore? I think this kid may end up being like a Junior Seau…I’ll stop talking about the draft now before I get understandibly ganged on for being a bit premature (by 5 months). Hey, how ’bout Johnny “Football” Manziell in 2014 ?

      • PhinNation

        I don’t think the Phins would draft Barkley even if he was there on the board. They’re invested with Tannehill at this point, have to give him 2-3 years to grow. I think he’s got what it takes, just needs 1. experience, 2. more weapons around him

        • Miami Jules

          I know…but if Marino changed the NFL into a QB driven league, this may have also changed, as a consequence, the expectation for a rookieQB to come in and hit the ground running. My actual wish-list almost remains unchaged from last year… O-line, Corners, WR’s… oh yes, better game plans… I want to see some smart football being played by the Phins…When was the last time anyone remembers Miami using the screen effectively?

  • Irish phin

    I still hate the 49ers for ruining Marino’s only Super Bowl, this team needs to set down a marker that they can go to a top tier team and do something. I’m sick of losing to the better teams in the NFL , you can kill an aggressive defence like the 9ers with screen passes. Lets stuff em.

    • Miami Jules

      Great point Irish phin… which brings up a question, why, in the face of other overly aggresive defences this year, we have failed to go to the screen… beats the heck out of me, if we have something, is players who could execute it… Tannehill passes to Bush. I have only seen that play used once by Miami… instead we keep running Bush outside or in the end around which usually translates to lost yarsds. Is that Sherman’s call? I wonder.

  • http://www.facebook.com/daniel.cotton.18 Daniel Cotton

    San Francisco Giants ??????

    • PhinNation

      Thanks Daniel, we made the change…too much hot stove baseball!

  • Irish phin

    Miami Jules. I blame the coaching, we are not aggressive enough on either side of the ball. I keep hearing about the need for an alpha receiver, I think that is crap. We need to keep the QB from being harassed on every single play. Did you see Peytons TD v the Raiders last night, he could have a coffe and smoked a cigar before he threw his pass. Did u see the mighty Tom Brady when he played the Giants and Ravens defences, average Joe, give him time though and he will kill you. Our defence lets the opposing offence drive down the field and then decides to have some heroics in the Red Zone, too late! It’s time off the clock that we can’t get back and gives confidence to the other team. We need to put the opposing QB on his ass, pressure, pressure is needed. It is a passing league, the secondary can only keep track of guys for a few secs anyway so bring extra defenders up as likely they are bugger all use further down the field. I am not happy with the offensive play calling either, no time to rant about this at the moment!

  • Irish phin

    Offensive play calling is really poor. Miami has the worst 3rd down conversion rate in the league. Is Ray Rice faster, more elusive than Bush? Why does he never get a 3 or 4 yd pass and take it for a gain, this would make the defence worry about the short pass and create space further down the field for Bess and Hartline. Where is Fasano, every other game has tIght ends catching balls all over the field. Our TE is falling around Tannehills legs blocking on every down, the more he stays in the more the defence forgets about him as a threat and brings more defenders up to apply pressure. We need to change our philosophy on offence and defence otherwise the phins are going nowhere. Lets beat the crap out of the 49ers and show em what Dolphin football is all about, lets be aggressive out there on the field.

  • Valandui

    I think the key thing to watch in this game is how Martin handles the 49ers defense. It should go a long way towards determining Jake Long’s fate next season.