The Miami Defense

[EDGECRUSHER]

We have the 4th best point differential in the NFL. We also have the best 3rd down defense in the entire NFL and second in PPG allowed.

Took a few games to start putting it together, probably due to no preseason, but our new coordinator and free agent signings are looking like they are working. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves because we almost all agreed that an 8-8 season would be a huge success, but we are a healthy Byron Jones and one or two plays away from being 5-1 and that's with a tough schedule.

If we beat the Rams in 2 weeks, maybe we can start being greedy and talking bigger things than 8-8.

[hordman]

We have the 4th best point differential in the NFL. We also have the best 3rd down defense in the entire NFL and second in PPG allowed.

Took a few games to start putting it together, probably due to no preseason, but our new coordinator and free agent signings are looking like they are working. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves because we almost all agreed that an 8-8 season would be a huge success, but we are a healthy Byron Jones and one or two plays away from being 5-1 and that's with a tough schedule.

If we beat the Rams in 2 weeks, maybe we can start being greedy and talking bigger things than 8-8.

I like it.  I try to temper the enthusiasm myself. My boy called me last nite and we started going over the next few games that we can win and see where that puts before the Final 4 push (and they are tough games)

I like what I see so far, but hopefully the BYE week helps with injuries on the Def side of the ball.

[Sunstroke]

So...was Miami lucky or unlucky to have faced the 49ers when SF had their practice squad active? Push for playoffs? or push for better draft pick?

[fyo]

We have the 4th best point differential in the NFL. We also have the best 3rd down defense in the entire NFL and second in PPG allowed.

Miami had the worst rushing defense in the league by several advanced metrics coming into the Sunday game. Jets rushing offense has been *atrocious* so far, so we're unlikely to get much of a boost. And regardless of what stats say, the rushing D really does suck.

I quite like our pass D (so do advanced metrics) and luckily the Jets weren't able to capitalize on AVG's injury (concussion) early in the game. AVG was getting extra snaps in place of injured Van Noy, so the result was great, but I'm just not sure if it was because, well, J-E-T-S, or because we actually have good depth at linebacker. In any event, hopefully the bye week will give us a chance get healthy.

I'm not a great believer in "3rd down defense", particularly early in the season and particularly when a large part of the success is one game against a team in full meltdown like the stinking Jets.

For the Dolphins to make any kind of serious push, the rushing D would have to really step it up. Being able to move the ball consistently on the ground on offense would also help a lot.

The Rams game is a really bad matchup for the Dolphins. They are really good at pounding the ball on offense and pretty darn good at passing it as well. On the other side of the ball their pass D is ranked near the top of the league by advanced metrics. Forcing the Dolphins to run the ball - and to do so in a game that could easily see us playing from behind - is just asking for trouble.

SF, just to contrast, was almost the opposite. A great match for our strengths, especially given the injuries.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

So...was Miami lucky or unlucky to have faced the 49ers when SF had their practice squad active? Push for playoffs? or push for better draft pick?

"You  play to win."

-Herm Edwards

[dolphins4life]

I think those stats are slightly skewed due to the three blowout wins

[Tenshot13]

I think those stats are slightly skewed due to the three blowout wins

Skewed?  SMH I don't think you know what the point of point differential is.  In our case, it shows we are blowing out bad teams and playing good teams close.

[Downunder Dolphan]

Miami had the worst rushing defense in the league by several advanced metrics coming into the Sunday game. Jets rushing offense has been *atrocious* so far, so we're unlikely to get much of a boost. And regardless of what stats say, the rushing D really does suck.

I quite like our pass D (so do advanced metrics) and luckily the Jets weren't able to capitalize on AVG's injury (concussion) early in the game. AVG was getting extra snaps in place of injured Van Noy, so the result was great, but I'm just not sure if it was because, well, J-E-T-S, or because we actually have good depth at linebacker. In any event, hopefully the bye week will give us a chance get healthy.

I'm not a great believer in "3rd down defense", particularly early in the season and particularly when a large part of the success is one game against a team in full meltdown like the stinking Jets.

For the Dolphins to make any kind of serious push, the rushing D would have to really step it up. Being able to move the ball consistently on the ground on offense would also help a lot.

The Rams game is a really bad matchup for the Dolphins. They are really good at pounding the ball on offense and pretty darn good at passing it as well. On the other side of the ball their pass D is ranked near the top of the league by advanced metrics. Forcing the Dolphins to run the ball - and to do so in a game that could easily see us playing from behind - is just asking for trouble.

SF, just to contrast, was almost the opposite. A great match for our strengths, especially given the injuries.

Yeah, after watching the Jets game it's hard to really know if our rushing defense has improved that much, or the Jets were just so bad they made us look good? That team is truly awful and dysfunctional on and off the field, the way they are going they will be lucky to find a win...

We did look really impressive in the pass rush and did better against the run because the majority of the game we set up in man coverage and had at least 8 in the box. If there wasn't pressure from the interior lineman in Flacco's face, it was Rowe or McCain on a blitz - at times it almost looked like we were doing Ryan's old 46 defense, but like I said, the Jets were just so bad it probably just seemed that way.

I like the way we managed to cover for the injuries to Van Noy and Godchaux, and it's also great the way that Howard is finding elite form again (quietly leading the league in interceptions and tying Buckley's 1995-96 team record of an interception in four straight games). After a shaky couple of years there seem to be some good pieces falling into place on that defense.

[Dolphster]

Skewed?  SMH I don't think you know what the point of point differential is.  In our case, it shows we are blowing out bad teams and playing good teams close.

I wouldn't expect a great return on investment of your time when trying to explain football to D4L. 

[dolphins4life]

My bad, I should have said

POINT DIFFERENTIAL DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING EXCEPT IN THE TIEBREAKER SYSTEM WHCH HAS ONLY COME INTO PLAY ONCE IN NFL HISTORY

Blowing out bad teams and playing good teams isn't anything to feel good about.

To make the playoffs, you have to win the close games.

Just look at the last two times Miami made the playoffs.

They won many close games in 2008 and 2016

[Tenshot13]

My bad, I should have said

POINT DIFFERENTIAL DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING EXCEPT IN THE TIEBREAKER SYSTEM WHCH HAS ONLY COME INTO PLAY ONCE IN NFL HISTORY

Blowing out bad teams and playing good teams isn't anything to feel good about.

To make the playoffs, you have to win the close games.

Just look at the last two times Miami made the playoffs.

They won many close games in 2008 and 2016

How do you have such strong opinions when you don't even watch the games?  Point differential, while also being a tiebreaker, is just another statistic, just like passing stats.  I don't understand why you have to scream about it.

Blowing out bad teams is expected out of good teams.  We do that.  We should feel good about it.  We played two teams that are Superbowl contenders and lost by a score or less.  We should feel good about that since every expert had us as a garbage team this season.

To make the playoffs, you do have to win close games.  I think your expectations are too high for year 2 of a rebuild.  We are being talked about as a dark horse playoff team, we're almost there and ahead of schedule.

Seriously, stop being such a negative fan for no reason, or go root for the Patriots since you have such a hard on for them.

[Dolphster]

Seriously, stop being such a negative fan for no reason, or go root for the Patriots since you have such a hard on for them.

Since they are the top two trollers on the board, I have a theory that D4L is the alter ego of MyGodWearsAHoodie and they are the same person.  I'm about 50% kidding with that comment. 

[Pappy13]

There have definitely been people on this board who claimed to be Dolphins fans that turned out not to be. I called one of them out after he was very critical of Tannehill his first couple years on the team and I was hit pretty hard by a few people here saying it wasn't fair to say he wasn't a Dolphins fan and then the next year he came back with a Carolina Panthers Avatar. Guess I called that one right afterall.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Since they are the top two trollers on the board, I have a theory that D4L is the alter ego of MyGodWearsAHoodie and they are the same person.  I'm about 50% kidding with that comment.  

Don’t insult me like that.  Yes, I am a Patriots fan, but my knowledge of football vastly exceeds his.

And for the record.  I agree that point differential and PPG stat show the dolphins are playing better than record and have a legit chance at making the playoffs.  3rd down defense is a stat that does nothing for me.

[Dolphster]

Don’t insult me like that.  Yes, I am a Patriots fan, but my knowledge of football vastly exceeds his.

I know.  I was just being douchey to poke you a little bit.