Wednesday’s session was one of those football practices where beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
If you’re a member of the Miami Dolphins defense, it was a dominant showing, one where the quarterbacks where constantly harassed, balls were routinely batted down at the line of scrimmage, and the defense was extremely stingy in the red zone — without Xavien Howard, Emmanuel Ogbah or Byron Jones, who all sat Wednesday for various reasons.
If you’re a member of the Dolphins offense it was a tough day at work, one of the many this team has had while installing a new offense.
The hope is that tide eventually turns when the pads come on in August during training camp, and Dolphins fans better cross their fingers for that.
There are no pads during the Dolphins’ mandatory minicamp practice session this week. That means nobody is supposed to get hit. Players are instructed not to go to the ground.
This is the norm during this pigskins in pajamas period of football. Problem is, these Dolphins are supposed to be ground-and-pound based.
So saying I expect a high-flying, aerial assault of efficiency from the offense during a minicamp practice in the first week of June, while the team’s two months into the installation of a new offense, is downright unrealistic.
Maybe even delusional, especially since the defense is typically ahead of the offense at this point off the offseason work. And if that doesn’t stack the deck enough, the defense returns every starter, and all but two key contributors — defensive backs Jason McCourty and Justin Coleman — from last season.
“Different days bring different energies,” new receiver Cedric Wilson said, explaining that on days like Wednesday the offense will have 30 minutes to an hour of installation in the morning, and then be asked to go out to the field and execute it. “When we know what we’re doing it’s a great competition day. The days we really don’t know what we’re doing its kind of frustrating for the [offensive] players and coaches.
“I feel like we get it figured out later in practice,” Wilson said. “It makes for good competition.”
Maybe Wilson’s referring to past practices, the stuff the media doesn’t get to watch because the past two sessions I’ve seen haven’t been very competitive.
And I’m not interested in making excuses for the offense by assuming the Dolphins defense is going to be a top unit in the NFL. I’ve made that mistake before, and learned they were average and the offense was flat-out bad.
We’ve been down that road before, so let’s raise the bar during Mike McDaniel’s era considering he’s been repeatedly called an offensive genius and a run-game guru.
The existence of a run game — even without pads being on — has been one of a few pleasant surprises from the Dolphins offseason program.
An effective run game would open up the offense, setting the table for a play-action-friendly passing attack, and that provides hope.
“I played against this run game for the last four years and it’s something special, how they disguise everything, give it window dressing to make everything look the same. That confuses the defense and holds the defense to have gap integrity,” new tailback Chase Edmonds said. “I think that’s something I’m pretty good at, specializing in zone scheme. I’m excited to get under the zone and work my feet, work the rhythm.”
Don’t get lulled into a false sense of security, or hope based on what we see without pads.
Last year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was roasting the defense with deep ball connections during the first week of training camp, feasting on Albert Wilson’s strong week.
Then when the pads were put on, that level of execution disappeared.
The hope is that McDaniel is able to help these Dolphins build an offense this team can lean on, something with staying power. And if that’s going to be the case Wednesday’s dismal offensive showing can’t be the norm.
“We’re really trying to build something special here. Coach McDaniel talks about if you want to build something special its going to take hard work,” Edmonds said. “Having guys bought into the system, bought into the work, I’m excited to be out here with the guys.”
