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Why Is Our Run Game So Damn Good?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by GARDENHEAD, Oct 23, 2014.

  1. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    We're 4th in the league in yards/game. This is astounding to me after watching last year's team play 16 games.

    Obviously, the new o-line makes all the difference in the world, but how could it be so easy? Ireland worked on the o-line for 5+ years and Hickey comes in, get some new o-linemen and voila, we're a top-5 rushing unit?

    And then there's Lazor? I love the read-option look that we give on nearly every single rushing attempt. Even if Tanny has no intention of keeping the ball, the DE has to stay at home. That helps big time. Gotta think it will help more now that Tanny's been keeping it more often.

    Clearly, its a mix of personnel and scheme, but can someone with a higher football IQ than me flesh this out? I get drunk during the games, so my Xs and Os aren't quite up to speed. But I'm very interested in why we're running so well.
     
  2. DolPhinPhan7

    DolPhinPhan7 Well-Known Member

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    The Tackle play is so much better. See Millers TD run on Sunday. He was able to find a hole on the outside. Backs can be patient and wait for a hole to form.

    The guard play? Not so much. Pouncey being moved to guard only illustrates that there is no good alternative at Guard right now and Satele is doing fine.
     
  3. vt_dolfan

    vt_dolfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    I think you pretty much nailed it. I know there was a much bigger emphasis on the line learning to move as one in their ZBS. I think Lazor's offense spreads a defense out, so you inherently have more room to run with. Also, we have playmakers on the outside, as well as in the middle with Clay.

    When you look at what we had last season, I think our running game suffered from a horrible Oline, and the predictability of Sherman's offense. Basically, look how difficult it usually is to run inside the 20..or red zone. You have more players compacted into a smaller area. Last season we were forced to run a red zone offense almost the entire length of the field, because thats all the defense respected. Our line just did not afford RT17 enough time to let receivers get that far behind them.

    Lamar Miller also seems to have become a different RB. Hes running with much more power, breaking tackles.
     
  4. Fame

    Fame Well-Known Member

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    Well, we actually have an offensive line coach now instead of a complete moron like Jim Turner. That helps.

    Also, Lazor isn't as predictable as Sherman was.
     
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  5. Alex13

    Alex13 Tua Time !!! Club Member

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    i´m curious to see how we do this sunday, the jaguars are tied with us in run defense, giving up only 3.8 yards a carry
     
  6. heylookatme

    heylookatme Well-Known Member

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    A lot of reasons. Better line play, more read option looks, and some other stuff. For instance, do you see us when we line up with wide receivers stacked outside on both sides? That's to try to free up room to run inside. Also... Ryan Tannehill running the ball for big chunk yardage.
     
  7. ElNino

    ElNino Well-Known Member

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    That was nice - reminded me a little bit of Arian Foster, who is awesome at waiting for the hole and nailing it when it opens up. I think one of these days Miller is really going to blow up. But he's been consistent so far, so i'll definitely take that.
     
  8. PhinFan1968

    PhinFan1968 To 2020, and BEYOND! Club Member

    I think level of competition is a difference there though. We've went up against some really good backs...basically nullified Forte...a top 3 producer. Bell was 5.5 ypc and Sproles was 6.5 against the Jags.
     
  9. SICK

    SICK Lounge Moderator

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    Yup also our balance on offense is notable. Last year Sherman threw it 900 times a game....was easy to plan. Now you don't know whether its a run or pass, Lazor has good balance out of multiple formations, keeps the D on their heels a bit.
     
  10. Marino1384

    Marino1384 Member

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    Part of its the new oline, part of it is miller stopped dancing and started hitting holes like his potential and the other part is Tannehill running more. Tannehills at 150 yards after 6 games. Thats 25 per game. Those 25 yards are the difference between 4th in the league and 17th.
     
  11. GARDENHEAD

    GARDENHEAD Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Wow. Excellent point. Maybe our run game (by RBs) isn't as good as I thought!
     
  12. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    New players and new coaches. The thing is if you have 2-3 great players on your line, you can scheme to protect the other two. Suddenly a terrible line is pretty damn good.

    Coaches deserve tons of credit for installing a blocking scheme that works with this unit.
     
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  13. Alex44

    Alex44 Boshosaurus Rex

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    He's going by yards per game. Our yards per attempt, not sure where they rank by backs but we have improved greatly.
     
  14. normaldude

    normaldude Active Member

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    No more Go-Go cadence
     
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  15. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Main Reason
    Ireland's biggest weakness was oline. He simply sucked at it. There's no way around it. The dline he might be one of the best in league, but oline he was one of the worst. He didn't pick Long and Pouncey is great on the field but our biggest worry off the field. That's a horrible, horrible track record on oline.

    Secondary Reason:
    Sherman was a horrible OC. He had no feel for the game as it was happening and he refused to adapt to Tannehill's skill set. He called the games poorly and didn't rethink his approach.

    Tertiary Reason:
    Jim Turner is not a solid choice for coaching adult millionaires. I think the drill sergeant mentality works on kids. It works on soldiers. It works if you're the HC. It doesn't work when you're just a oline coach in the pros for the first time and no credibility or pro achievements behind you.
     
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  16. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I've started to wonder if the whole Go/Go-Go thing was for Pouncey's benefit.
     
  17. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    New offensive line coach and runningbacks are running more decisively.
     
  18. Larry Little

    Larry Little Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think it's a combination of them being successful in building a better offensive line, bringing in Bill Lazor and Chip Kelly's offense, and having Ryan Tannehill at QB (a guy who can both run and throw effectively).

    I have to bite my tongue quite often when I see people debating why a certain play is working, or why Tannehill should run a certain number of times a game. People don't 'really' understand Chip Kelly's offense, and I don't feel like explaining it when the Phins are so up-and-down. Losing zaps the passion out of me. However, in a nutshell, everything you see the offense do is predicated on how the defense reacts to what the offense did prior. Simply put, Kelly's offense forces the defense to commit to one part of the field and then sends the ball the other way. As in... Tannehill reading the DE, keeping the ball on 4th and 1, and it somehow, 'magically' turning into a 40 yard run, and 1st & goal.

    That play was not an accident. It was designed. Kelly's offense is nothing short of brilliant.

    As far as answering why our run game is so good... I think it is the right offensive scheme meeting the right players at the right time. Simple as that.

    This is why... while I may not be the biggest fan of Joe Philbin as a Head Coach, I think he's a great person, and I don't want to see him go anywhere. I'd rather him learn to be a good head coach than to scrap everything and start over with some other guy... AGAIN. I like the direction this team is going. I don't want to lose what they're building. I want to see it play out a bit more. Especially what Lazor is doing with the offense.
     
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  19. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    read option...must take it every time its there..
     
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  20. Larry Little

    Larry Little Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    If the DE commits to the RB, then the QB needs to take the free 8+ yards. If the DE commits to the QB, then let the RB cut back weak-side. If the defense keeps a LB on the weak-side to help contain the QB/RB cutback, then you've got more blockers than defenders on the power side... just run the play. If the weak-side CB steps up to help contain the QB, use the screen/curl to the WR. Please cheat a safety up to help stop the run. Pretty please.

    Our bread-and-butter run play is the inside zone read, and that is how it is designed. We can do this all day.
     
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  21. Larry Little

    Larry Little Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    By the way... it's funny that the OP asked that question. When Kelly was in Oregon, Ducks fans were always asking the same exact thing. What a coincidence. :wink2:
     
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  22. jcliving

    jcliving Active Member

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    I am not sure I agree with your statement, but I do believe that Pouncey has some tells. Satele may be a better center from a mechanics of the snap point of view.

    Further, I do not see a guard always looking back just before the snap like last year. I wonder if our current coaches are doing a better job of cleaning up the little things.
     
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  23. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    This is it to me. Using a blocking scheme that matches the strengths of the linemen, rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
     
  24. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    I think he definitely is. His snaps are automatic as it gets. He does not telegraph. He puts the ball at about waist level every time. We have no way of knowing if he is better at making the line calls, compared to Pouncey, but there is a good chance he is.
     
  25. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    PFF RUN BLOCKING GRADES

    2013
    LT - (-4.2) Martin AND Mckinnie had a (-6.0)
    LG - (+2.3) Incognito
    C - (+2.0) Pouncey
    RG - (-8.0) Jerry
    RT - (-5.5) Clabo
    TE - (-6.1) Clay


    THIS YEAR
    LT - (+7.6) Albert
    LG - (-8.6) Colledge
    C - (+2.9) Satele
    RG - (+1.1) Smith [Shelley Smith has a better grade than Pouncey, who scores a -1.8]
    RT - (+0.3) James
    TE - (+1.3) Clay


    The offensive line coaches have worked a miracle. I knew our o-line would be improved, but not like this. A very pleasant surprise! Competent coaching makes a ton of difference. Imagine if we had a competent head coach. The talent is there. By the way, look at how much Clay has improved as a run blocker. From a -6.1 to a +1.3.
     
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  26. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    What is Sim's score?

    His pass blocking looked really good against he Bears.
     
  27. phinswolverinesrockets

    phinswolverinesrockets If he dies, he dies

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    So far this year, his run blocking grade is a (-1.2). Last year, it was a (-8.3). Look how much he has improved. Competent coaching, man.

    His pass blocking grade this year is a (-1.7)
     
  28. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    I think the run game waned after the Moreno went out and we had some OL injuries and nicks...Now that Miller has had to reassert himself, I still don't think the run game is 'great', but what IS different is that Tanny and the read-option has made the difference...Now going forward, that will be defensed better and Miller/Thomas/whoever will HAVE to step it up to take the pressure off Tanny....
     
  29. MrClean

    MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member

    Run blocking, Sims was -0.3 through 6 games last year and -8.3 for the season. He is -1.2 this year. The GB game was rated by far his best run blocking game ever.
    Pass blocking, last year he was -1.0 through 6 games and -1.2 for the season. This year he is -1.7.
     
  30. Disgustipate

    Disgustipate Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Lamar Miller is the one big thing above else.

    They've cut down on the "wad ball", to use a Saban term. They're simply doing a better job making cutback lanes for Miller. Inside zone runs are less of an I-formation/vs. base package affair than they were with Sherman. They're spreading defenses out and using Clay/Sims as true H-backs and making the blocking scheme a bit more opaque.

    They're also getting him to the edge. Last year they couldn't do that, this year they've been running toss plays and getting more than one lead blocker to the edge in front of Miller which has been way more successful than outside zones your linemen can't block. That was a huge **** sandwich last year, and instead of having Pouncey and Brenner pull like they are with Satele and Pouncey or Satele and Colledge, they just stuck with it.
     
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  31. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I didn't say that was definitively the reason, I said I was starting to wonder....
     
  32. cdz12250

    cdz12250 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Little pluses:
    1. Satele obviously wants to be a Dolphin. He's making the most of his second chance.
    2. Daniel Thomas clearly wants to play football.
    3. The ZBS works.
    4. No one is accounting for Tannehill. Have you noticed that he can run? Not like a quarterback. Like a big receiver. Sees lanes.
    5. Albert.
    6. Albert.
    7. Albert.
    8. We have a rookie who could start at right tackle from day 1. We did not waste the first round pick.
    9. Hickey instead of Ireland.
    10. Lazor instead of Sherman.
     
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  33. jcliving

    jcliving Active Member

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    First, I agree that Albert deserves three slots on the list. Second, his performance is why I shake my head at the "value FA" argument with Albert. You pay for excellence.
     
  34. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

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    OP question:

    Same reason Tannehill is playing to his potential: The Offensive Line.
     
  35. finwin

    finwin Active Member

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    I agree. I saw a lot more hesitancy and dancing out of Miller against the Bears than in previous games. Several runs went for 1 or 2 yards. Also, while our run game has ranked high, it has not been managed effectively and converted into wins. Point being unable to punch it in against the Packers costing us a game, other points being not running the ball against KC and Buffalo more.
     
  36. ElNino

    ElNino Well-Known Member

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    Yeah i've noticed that as well. That was never something that gave me a warm fuzzy feeling last year.
     
  37. finfansince72

    finfansince72 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I've got to admit, I thought our running game would be horrible this year, its a pleasant surprise to be wrong about that. Albert is a probowl caliber Tackle and our Tackle play is just light years from last year. Teams can't push our line back into Ryan's face or hit the RB behind the line on every play like last year, the line is one of the better line's in the league this year. It sucks that Moreno got hurt, he looked amazing in that one game, albeit one game but still he looked like a man possessed running behind that line.

    Daniel Thomas is getting positive yards with this line.....Daniel ****ing Thomas....amazing.
     
  38. the 23rd

    the 23rd a.k.a. Rio

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    win the line of scrimmage & you run the ball. run the ball opens the pass, the pass assures an honest defense & more points on the board. win the trench & you win the game. the offensive & defensive lines are the reason for our sudden & appropriate success. it's in the trenches!
     

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