It seems like a small move on the surface, but it reveals some deep hints about the direction the Miami Dolphins are heading. In a single roster cut and the subsequent addition, Miami has just been made more in the image of toughness that coach Campbell covets.
The Dolphins trimmed their back end with the release of S Jonathan Dowling and followed up the move by adding TE Brandon Williams . So what another tight end might be said – especilly one from the practice squad. First, DO YOU KNOW who Brandon Williams is? The story is a great one, actually a minor miracle, that was built on toughness. You can read the whole story HERE .
BUT, aside from his character and talent, his promotion reveals that there will be a move to power sets and a further expansion of the running game. We didn’t have an H-back – NOW we do. Simm had two or three snaps set back in the eye and off set, but his agility, or lack there of, limited his exposure. He works well from the line of scrimmage or a step off, like a tight end, but he is no back. Williams, while not a top flight end, he does have the “tweener” ability and for a team needing an H-back he is a perfect fit. He has three seasons worth of experience and after reading his tale he is VERY hungry to make it in this league – he will as my old coach would say, “Stick his helmet in a hornets nest”.
Miami’s move towards a tough mindset was a bit hamstrung last week because of a lack of proper personnel, but now with this move we will see some sledgehammer sets. This is critical for a number of reasons, but the one I will focus on is LG.
Dallas Thomas has received a lot of criticism, most of it in my opinion is due to the now mostly defunct staff. LG is your pass blocking guard and he is expected to see most of his pass blocking assignments with the tag “going at it alone”, while the RG you “run blocking guard” gets the help. Another job of the LG is dealing with a lot of “hand-offs” and “switches”. First, “hand-offs” aren’t the running back type where you are getting the ball, but it’s where you block one man and ride him off to another blocker and when the “switch” happens, and if it’s handled by the blocker taking the switch, you reset and pick up another defender. Not even the best football betting software on Dallas Thomas in either of those situations as he fails at both of these task far too often. He is a RG that was made to play Tackle and LG. You can stick a round peg in a square hole all you want – it won’t fit. BUT, just as the insane 74 / 26 % pass rush ratio accentuated his failing, a more balanced attack with reduce it and make it manageable.
Brandon Williams fits in a niche category that for the most part is relegated to the semi-unimportant pile. For a franchise desperate to change its entire philosophy near mid season that niche player becomes a pivotal piece. I-form and Off-Sets will now be fully in the mix this week and when used with Gray and Lamar, Gray especially, it could bring a new level of toughness to the team. Maybe Williams the “miracle man” is part of a greater “miracle” unfolding – maybe not, but it will definitely add toughness to a team seeking it. Go Fins!!!
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A true H-Back is just another word for an athletic full back basically. I do think that this signing is to help with the running game, more of a double chin strap set. I like it, I like the thought behind it. Ironically, our next two opponents struggle stopping the run, and the best defense against Brady is a sound running game (keep Brady off the field). I absolutely support the thought of 2 TE sets, of a lead blocker. A good running game, sound defense and you will find yourself in most games regardless.
This teams is starting to take on the identity of its head coach. Only time will tell just how effective this will be. But, just how this team took on the identity of its old H.C and D.C, soft and heartless, in the beginning of the year. It is great to see a new found identity that involves passion, grittiness, and even a bit of nasty to go along…..
I’ll take, I like it, and believe that the W’s will follow.
Yeah Dunner – in our system H works the best but he needs to be able to make lb’s regret going into the hole. No one on this roster fits that bill…I think Williams role is clay’s old one with a bit more bashing involved.
I differ in that I dont think this move is strategic to the team but more about scheme. Campbell realizes how the run game improves our passing game, time of possession, protects our D, etc (all the things Philbin neglected) and is looking across from our RG position at JJ Watt so he figured we better come up with some wham blocking, lead blocks, and other fun stuff to calm Watt down.
Im looking for more and more grind it out style offense each week.
I agree with most of what you say freak as far as fundamentals of victory and that they have Watt in mind this game…and also Wilfork too. But with your starting safety down and working on a back up as your starter, you don’t cut your backup and put in a untried commodity from the practice squad for solely a single game. Last week we ran like 2 I plays and I believe 1 off set and none were runs – play action passes I believe. This (from my guess) is because they lacked the personnel. Simms can’t make the hole adjustments needed to lead…that takes skill. If they want to get tougher then at times they need to teacup up and paint someone’s numbers with the crown of a lead blockers helmet. Their is no one on the field who administers attitude on the O-side of the ball like a FB / H…they have the hardest collisions and break the will of the backers. We have no one to perform that role since clay left, and we let him go because we were going to play cutsey ball. Now that we are “manning up” we need someone to allows us to run from I’s and off sets…this won’t be a one and done move if it does indeed go into effect. Last, with cutsey ball we played to the weakness of our LG and RG for that matter (he sucked on both ends), but in order for us to be balanced and effective we have to stay on schedule and be effective when we run. I’s and off sets are needed in a running system, so this is again why we need an H or FB…least that’s my 2 cents.
I dont see a down side to this concept.
Interesting point Freak. Makes sense!
A true H-Back is just another word for an athletic full back basically. I do think that this signing is to help with the running game, more of a double chin strap set. I like it, I like the thought behind it. Ironically, our next two opponents struggle stopping the run, and the best defense against Brady is a sound running game (keep Brady off the field). I absolutely support the thought of 2 TE sets, of a lead blocker. A good running game, sound defense and you will find yourself in most games regardless.
This teams is starting to take on the identity of its head coach. Only time will tell just how effective this will be. But, just how this team took on the identity of its old H.C and D.C, soft and heartless, in the beginning of the year. It is great to see a new found identity that involves passion, grittiness, and even a bit of nasty to go along…..
I’ll take, I like it, and believe that the W’s will follow.
Yeah Dunner – in our system H works the best but he needs to be able to make lb’s regret going into the hole. No one on this roster fits that bill…I think Williams role is clay’s old one with a bit more bashing involved.
I differ in that I dont think this move is strategic to the team but more about scheme. Campbell realizes how the run game improves our passing game, time of possession, protects our D, etc (all the things Philbin neglected) and is looking across from our RG position at JJ Watt so he figured we better come up with some wham blocking, lead blocks, and other fun stuff to calm Watt down.
Im looking for more and more grind it out style offense each week.
I agree with most of what you say freak as far as fundamentals of victory and that they have Watt in mind this game…and also Wilfork too. But with your starting safety down and working on a back up as your starter, you don’t cut your backup and put in a untried commodity from the practice squad for solely a single game. Last week we ran like 2 I plays and I believe 1 off set and none were runs – play action passes I believe. This (from my guess) is because they lacked the personnel. Simms can’t make the hole adjustments needed to lead…that takes skill. If they want to get tougher then at times they need to teacup up and paint someone’s numbers with the crown of a lead blockers helmet. Their is no one on the field who administers attitude on the O-side of the ball like a FB / H…they have the hardest collisions and break the will of the backers. We have no one to perform that role since clay left, and we let him go because we were going to play cutsey ball. Now that we are “manning up” we need someone to allows us to run from I’s and off sets…this won’t be a one and done move if it does indeed go into effect. Last, with cutsey ball we played to the weakness of our LG and RG for that matter (he sucked on both ends), but in order for us to be balanced and effective we have to stay on schedule and be effective when we run. I’s and off sets are needed in a running system, so this is again why we need an H or FB…least that’s my 2 cents.