Gase, Tannehill, Offense And “The Process”

adam-gase-and-ryan-tannehill

Coaches use the term “Process” for cover their failure or to describe the steps in achieving a goal.

All relationships are developed by a process, although not all processes are successful.

Ryan Tannehill has been the constant, whereas Philbin, Sherman, Lazor, Campbell, Taylor and now Adam Gase and Clyde Christensen have been the variables.

All these relationships have been developed through a process and all the processes have been different.

First, let’s use thee ole’ dictionary to cement the term. Process: “1. a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.”

Now, everybody has a different process, and a process isn’t one size fits all.

For example:

I wake up, drink a pot of black coffee, take a 1-2 ginseng pills, have an eyedropper full of sub-lingual B-12 and down 2-3 Ibuprofens as a daily routine.

My wife drinks a cup of tea — maybe.

If I did her process, I’d be a brain-dead zombie.

If she did mine, she’d be…well, plain dead from a heart attack.

They are two different processes; But, both work individually and as a unit.

Now, for a more important and relevant comparison:

Joe Philbin’s process was to baby Tannehill in practices, seek alternative QB’s, limit his QB’s control at the LOS and have a distant relationship based on innuendo’s. It didn’t work, and Philbin would use “Process” as cover fire for his failure.

Bill Lazor repeated Philbin’s process, but added a helping of lying and overtly throwing Tannehill under the bus a couple of times. It didn’t work either.

Gase had a presser and offered an honest and rare view into a coach’s “Process” .

Check out yesterday’s presser with coach Gase here:

Let’s examine Gase’s “Process” and wrap it up with what we learned in this presser.

Gase gave Tannehill full control of the offense, ranging from the LOS to play preference, there was zero limits on Tannehill in games or practice, Miami didn’t seek out any legitimate challengers to his position and Gase has been forth right is his approach.

But, yesterday’s presser revealed something more profound and opened a window into the character of both Gase and Tannehill and their relationship.

Gase said, “I should have went to what we went to earlier in the game, but I kept talking myself out of it. He (Tannehill) kept pressing to get to, basically what set up that drive was some of those plays, he (Tannehill) kept pressing me to get that stuff and I kept talking myself out of it. But, when I finally listened to him, then we marched the ball down the field.”

First, it doesn’t take a great pay per head bookie software to bet that most coaches wouldn’t dare be that open, that forthright and that humble to admit what he just admitted.

In essence, he lifted Tannehill up in public and threw himself under the bus very specifically.

This type of confidence is very rare to see in any coach, much less one so young.

Gase continued, “So, this is a great lesson for me, that when he says to go to something, we are going to it.”

This statement reveals an exact piece in this process: Gase will defer to Tannehill in the future. This is stark repudiation to Lazor and Philbin who dismissed Tannehill on nearly all levels.

Now, let me be clear, action must support all this, or this will be another failed process.

But, the Head-Coach / Offensive Coordinator is able to learn, he is able to unify with his QB, and thereby allow teamwork to enhance both sides.

This is a crucial aspect in good coaching.

With DeVante Parker‘s return, it will be interesting to see if this advancement of the “Process” will have tangible effects come game time. If it does, look out! Go Fins!!!


 

11 comments

  • Steve

    Our Defense!

    Our Defense should play about the same as Sunday against the S. Hawks. The Corners and safeties should focus on their receivers and let the Line handle their business, Keep rotating Suh across the line, We must punish the QB. The PAT’s are going to run the ball to wear out our secondary so the line backers need to pushed the runners. The key to the PATS is out score them to keep them one dimensional passing. The corners must be aggressive. We need the Defense to score.

  • Steve

    Hello Dolphins

    Miami went up against one of the best offense and defensive team in the league Sunday. I can recognized a Winning Team and this is a different Miami Dolphins team.

    1. Tannehill Played the best game I’ve seen him play ever as a Dolphin.
    2. Miami isn’t afraid of the PAT’s The Arizona Cardinals played Scared Football.

    Keys to beating the PAT’s Sunday!
    a. Tannehill has to make clear to his receivers to clearly exceed
    running pass the 1st down marker.
    b. Tannehill must have a 2.5 second relief receiver
    c. Tannehill must have a 3.0 second receiver
    d. Must used his legs more
    e. Let Tony Limpet have an offensive play a quarter
    f. Did not Pittsburgh Steeler have more success keeping both Tight end
    blocking.
    g. Running Backs please stop running up a clogged line used your
    break away speed. The offensive line needs to double team more on
    running plays Please!
    h. Keep throwing to Kenny Stills.

  • Dunner

    LOL!

    70 yards does make the passing yards a wash (230-240) total offense 300-350! Is what it is (Maybe Stills should focus on the game instead of pre-game antics), makes this game that much bigger.

    That post wasn’t strictly directed towards you, sorry came off that way though.

    I had a looong summer, musta missed some of your previous posts.

  • Dunner

    Again Lemmus, You and several others fail to recognize or understand where and who Miami was playing. Any QB, any team is going to struggle in that environment especially a season opener there. Stats do not always reflect the outcome or success/failure. Having said that, I’m not saying Tanny’s performance was incredible, however; “if” (I know, if’s and buts) Stills catches that deep ball from Tanny (add a TD, plus 70 yards more to his passing stats, plus 70 yards more to total offense, and oh yea = a WIN), I’m sure your assessment of Tanny’s game Sunday would be a little bit different, and most likely the assessment of the entire game may have changed. Why, because now we win, now the stats are even, now Tanny finally connected deep and pulled off a big victory in one the most hostile environments.

    “But”, here we are, 0-1, looked horrible because the stats were in the other teams favor. Bottom line is: as big a step that may have or have not been for players/coach vs Seattle, this Sundays game vs the Pats is that much bigger. Not sure what to expect this Sunday, another long trip, probably the second toughest place to play behind Seattle, but if we lose the battle in the stats category, similar to the Seattle game, but pull out a win, I believe everyone’s eval will be a bit different of the Fins, even though there was a similar performance.

    Another defensive performance like Sunday and I believe we win. We need all hands on deck though (Parker, Williams), and a win, everyone forgets just how bad we played in Seattle, except those that recognize that it was not that bad in Seattle.

    BIG BIG game Sunday for both Tanny and Gase.

    • Lemmus

      …Dun, Dun, Dun …if you read back through my previous posts, you’d know that I had a full understanding of what we faced in Seattle …of all the posters here I was consistent in predicting a 0-2 start to the season because we were playing two of the best teams (and coaches) in their home stadiums …nor have I assumed a let down in the Pats play because of the QB situation.

      …it has been my position for a long time that the most important outcome for this season was to settle the Tannehill question once and for all …before we are committed to him big time financially for another 3 years …thus my obsession with improving the OL so that Tannehill could not hide behind its poor play any longer …and so I watched the Seattle game with that question in the fore-front.

      …the stats don’t lie …and one pass would not change them in any significant way …whether we won or lost, the stats show that, objectively, Tannehill’s performance was mediocre at best …if he’s our franchise QB worth the huge cap hit he’s set to make, he showed little of such Sunday …imnsho …your assessment obviously differs but I submit its a subjective one, not one I’m prepared to accept at this point.

      …I’m every bit as die-hard fins fan as anyone here but I’m not going to allow that to color what I think I saw …others do that quite well enough

      …if Tannehill does not start putting stats up to justify his future here, and soon, then I want Gase to be the HC with the balls to do what is necessary, not what’s popular …that said, I’d be the happiest fan here if Tannehill shines this Sunday …and hope like hell he does

  • Lemmus

    …I think you’re letting your fandom color your eval of Tannehill’s performance in the game …look, you know that I’ve been a believer in him since he was drafted …but Sunday he didn’t show it to me

    …I’ve said repeatedly, look at the stats …believe them …he barely made 50% of his passes …and here’s a killer, of his 180+ yds, more than 130 were YAC …and another, despite a revamped OL, he was sacked 4 times …again …its time to stand back and ask yourself, can he process info fast enough to get rid of the ball …the answer Sunday was no

    …will he improve? …I certainly hope so …the pieces have been built around him, its unthinkable that he doesn’t …but Sunday gave me no confidence that he’s the future here

    …I know how hard we all want to believe he is the one …but he needs to show a lot more than he did to justify such …imnsho of course

    …the Saints released CJ Spiller today …they are loaded at RB …he’s healthy and the price could be right with the Saints picking up most of the bill already …he was a #1 pick and the Saints paid a fortune to get him as a FA …but he was injured and had a poor year and they’ve moved on …just sayin’ …he looks like a decent option to me

    • Fritz

      Lemmus

      Against that Seattle defense I can understand. I expect better against NE.

    • Dunner

      I agree w Spiller, could be interesting addition.

    • admin

      “I think you’re letting your fandom color your eval of Tannehill’s performance in the game”
      I’d refute that, but if it’s true…would I even realize it?! 🙂
      I am spending my day breaking down every pass Tannehill threw and putting it together in a film study with coaches cam for my next post…Jimmy is off for a few days. I’ll let you and whoever watches be the judge.
      As for few points. I said I wanted them to go in and play it close — you doubted that would happen.
      I personally try and be as objective and clinical as I can. Jimmy is a bit more Rah-Rah.
      As far as stats go, if Wilson has a drop on that fourth down play on the last drive he has 208 yards and no TD and his stats would be comparable to T-hills.

  • Fritz

    If your analysis is correct, we will see once and for all, if Tannehill is a top 10 QB. He has athletic ability and he is intelligent but has been chained down for all these years. Now we will see what he is truly capable of.

    • admin

      Fritz,I’m not going to say Tannehill will be a top 10 QB or Gase will be a good coach – so many variables that outsiders like you and me can’t even get a glimpse of. BUT, in my eyes from what I have experienced, learned and witnessed about coaching, Gase is displaying many remarkable attributes and Tannehill is without a doubt in his best situation. Tannehill is tough physically, intelligent, athletic, a hard worker and he doesn’t throw anyone under the bus — these are facts. He is proving to be calmer under pressure than he was given credit for, displaying ability to work the LOS, throw deep and limit his mistakes. The only questions I have remaining is can he consistently throw his receivers open, to what level does he perform under pressure and can be more consistent in tight windows. I think without a doubt he is much better than he has been in the past and bad coaching reduced his effectiveness. If what Gase said was true, then Tannehill has an ability to translate his intelligence on the the football field and that will be huge. This week is a big one in my book…he needs to perform at a high level and out duel a back-up QB.