Full Miami Dolphins Awards at Halfway Point of 2014 Season
It seemed like it was only yesterday that the Miami Dolphins were beginning their 2014 season.
We're now eight games into said season, one that looks like a potential miracle season, albeit one that has taken three detours into the depths of football hell.
Miami is 5-3 with eight games left, which is the situation anyone would want to be in. It's tied with the Buffalo Bills for second place in the division, yet possesses a 4-2 record within the AFC and is 1.5 games behind the New England Patriots for first (they also own the head-to-head tiebreaker over New England).
Miami's victories have come against the dregs of the league (Oakland, Jacksonville), two presumed contenders caught in a free-fall (Chicago, San Diego) and a victory over the league's elite (New England).
Miami's three losses have come against teams who are combined 15-9 (Buffalo, Kansas City and Green Bay) making them pseudo-acceptable losses (I say pseudo because no loss is acceptable) against three teams that range from near-elite to pretty darn good.
Really with a resume like that, there shouldn't be too much to complain about. Miami hasn't lost a game it was really supposed to win based on every team's record at this point, and in the process of getting to 5-3, it's outscored its opponents by 60.
That's the same scoring margin as the 6-2 Denver Broncos, and only four teams are ahead of Miami in that department.
The reason for Miami's success has been the execution of the players when on the field, and today we will honor said players with our 2014 midseason awards.
These awards have been decided on by me. Not only do they include the usual awards (MVP, Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year, the Rookies of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year), but also a couple of special awards honoring the most improved non-rookies, the best individual performance in one game, and the best game of the year.
Come along and have a look, and then debate my choices in the comments section below.
Most Impressive Individual Performance: Knowshon Moreno vs. New England (Week 1)
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All five of Miami's victories have been double-digit victories, and their average margin of victory has been 20.2.
Take a step back and look at that statistic again. With outcomes as impressive as those games have been, that means you'll get some great individual performances.
Going through those individual performances has been tough, but after looking at them all, I'm going with Knowshon Moreno's Week 1 contest against the New England Patriots as the winner of this award.
First let me explain the context: New England led the Dolphins 20-10 going into the second half that afternoon, and the pass offense looked lost. It looked like the Patriots would run away with the victory in Week 1.
Then Moreno had something to say, and he said it in a big way.
Moreno finished that afternoon with 134 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 rushing attempts, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Moreno did his most damage in the second half, when on 18 carries he ran for 91 yards and scored his touchdown.
For Moreno's performance, he was awarded the NFL's FedEx Ground Player of The Week.
This performance helped to set the tone for the season. While Moreno would only play in parts of two more games this season (he's out for the year with a torn ACL suffered in Week 6 against Green Bay and missed two games after suffering an elbow dislocation in Week 2 at the Buffalo Bills), Miami's running game has proved itself to be a major asset this season, as they're ranked fourth in the league in rushing yards.
Moreno's impact lasted but one game on the field, but it has paid dividends off the field for Miami, and thus far, is the most impressive individual performance of the year.
Honorable Mentions
Cameron Wake, vs. New England (Week 1)
Ryan Tannehill, vs. Chicago (Week 7)
Ryan Tannehill, vs. San Diego (Week 9)
Brent Grimes, vs. San Diego (Week 9)
Most Improved Offensive Player: Lamar Miller, Running Back
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Raw stats tell you that Lamar Miller has improved.
In 2013 Miller ran for 709 yards and two touchdowns on 177 attempts, while catching 26 passes for 170 yards.
Those are his stats through a full 16-game regular season in 2013.
Through just eight games in 2014, Miller has run for 518 yards and five touchdowns on 106 attempts while catching 21 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.
Even with that dramatic statistical jump, Miller's improvement is best seen on film.
Whereas last season saw Miller's vision while running to be lacking (and his pass blocking to be non-existent), in 2014 he has run with more power and authority, while showing better vision. He's now hitting those holes he missed in 2013, and it helps that there are more holes for him to run through thanks to an improved offensive line.
As for Miller's receiving skills, those have been better as well.
Miller is on pace for 1,036 yards and 10 touchdowns on 212 carries, along with 42 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns. However, Miller should get more carries, as ideally he should finish the year with 240 carries.
With his rushing average at 4.9 yards per carry, that would give him 1,173 yards.
Talk about improvement.
Honorable Mentions
Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback
Dion Sims, Tight End
Daniel Thomas, Running Back
Most Improved Defensive Player: Jelani Jenkins, Linebacker
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In 2013, Jelani Jenkins was a special teams player who had his opportunities on defense.
Those opportunities showed a player who might be better off in special teams.
The 2014 season couldn't be any different, and that's a good thing for Jenkins, Miami's most improved defensive player of the year so far.
Jenkins had 15 tackles in all of 2013, and in eight games (with seven of them coming as a starter), he's tripled that total while showing great coverage skills.
The days of the shifty running back coming out of the backfield appear to have ended when Jenkins came around, as he did a great job on Shane Vereen in Week 1 and has since been able to contain Matt Forte and Branden Oliver.
Other backs have given him and the Dolphins defense some problems (C.J. Spiller, Knile Davis and Denard Robinson come to mind), but with Jenkins in they don't look as lost as it seemed.
It's worth noting that those three games where running backs ran well against Miami came without middle linebacker Koa Misi, a player who last year was playing the position that Jenkins is playing now.
Although the move was necessitated by an injury to Dannell Ellerbe, it's looking like a genius move thus far.
Honorable Mentions
Reshad Jones, Safety (he's been great in 2014, but his 2013 season is one he might want to forget)
Derrick Shelby, Defensive End
Philip Wheeler, Linebacker
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Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ja'Wuan James, Right Tackle
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Outside of MVP, this has been the toughest award for me to name.
The Dolphins have two great candidates who each play vastly different but equally important positions.
One of the candidates also serves as a very good special teams player.
However, in choosing between offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James and wide receiver Jarvis Landry, I thought of one thing: Who improved their position the most from where it was last season?
Landry improved a position that was already pretty good. Some say he's replaced Brandon Gibson/Rishard Matthews; however, the man he has unseated has been Brian Hartline, who last season caught 76 passes for 1,016 yards and four touchdowns.
Landry thus far has 30 catches for 301 yards and two touchdowns and is on pace for 60 catches for 602 yards and four touchdowns (but will have more as his targets go up).
Statistically, that's not an improvement; however, keep in mind that Hartline is still a Dolphin and will continue to get targets, and Miami's offense is less pass-heavy than it was in 2013.
Now let's look at James, who replaced Tyson Clabo, who is no longer with the Dolphins (or in the NFL).
Clabo was one of the worst right tackles in the NFL last season. At one point he was benched in favor of the Dolphins acquiring Bryant McKinnie to play left tackle and moving Jonathan Martin to right tackle prior to the scandal.
Clabo's Pro Football Focus Grade (subscription required) was minus-4.2 in pass protection, minus-5.5 in run blocking and an overall grade of minus-5.5.
Now let's look at James' grades so far this season: In pass protection, he's at minus-1.6, but in run blocking he's at 3.5 and overall, he's graded out at 1.6
That's an improvement, one that makes an impact too. Going back to Pro Football Focus, James has only allowed two sacks all season.
Clabo allowed two sacks in a game four times last season, leading to him allowing 11.
I used this space to write out my explanation, then came to my conclusion as to whom this award to go to. I thought it was close, but after looking at the raw numbers as well as the overall impact on the team, it really isn't. James is your midseason offensive rookie of the year so far.
Honorable Mention
Jarvis Landry, Wide Receiver
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Chris McCain, Linebacker
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Offensive rookie of the year was a tough decision to make.
Defensive rookie of the year isn't: It's linebacker Chris McCain.
I'll admit, McCain somewhat won this award by default. The only possible honorable mention is Terrence Fede; however, with Fede playing a deep position for Miami, he's gotten less playing time.
McCain has made an impact when on the field. He was a pleasant surprise against the Patriots, turning in a sack and a blocked punt, and when he's played coverage he's done a good job.
His tackle number is rather low for a linebacker (currently four). But keep in mind that he's yet to start a game and has missed two games this season, one due to injury, the other due to a coach's decision that still doesn't make sense to me.
Honorable Mention
Terrence Fede, Defensive End
Game of the Year: Week 9 vs. San Diego
6 of 11This award has very set criteria that goes into what wins the award.
Conference and division games are given the utmost importance. After that, the context of the week going into the game, the overall performance of the team during the game and the implications that followed the game are considered.
This award does not honor the best game of the year in terms of entertainment value. If it did, the award would go to Week 6's Packers vs. Dolphins nail-biter.
As tempted as I was to go with Week 1's game against New England, I took points off for the game being an inconsistent performance.
I'm going with last Sunday's contest. It was the most dominant Dolphins victory since 1995. It also featured Ryan Tannehill's best performance as a Dolphin, as well as the first shutout in eight years.
On top of that, despite what you saw, the Chargers will continue to contend for a wild-card spot, and Miami now owns the tiebreaker in addition to being a half-game ahead of San Diego.
It was also the first Dolphins game that I ever gave an A+ to in three years of grading Dolphins games.
This game fit every spot in my criteria for game of the year (so far) and could wind up growing in significance if the Dolphins play well into the teeth of their tough November schedule.
Honorable Mentions
Week 1 vs. New England
Week 4 vs. Oakland (Don't laugh, but remember the controversy that surrounded the team going into that game?)
Week 7 vs. Chicago (The start of the three-game winning streak that also found the team surrounded by controversy going into the game.)
Special Teams Player of the Year: Jarvis Landry, Kickoff and Punt Return Man
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The special teams player of the year was an honorable mention for offensive rookie of the year, and one could argue that the player, Jarvis Landry, has made a bigger impact on offense than he has on special teams.
The statistics don't back that up.
In our offensive rookie of the year slide, we looked at Landry's stats. While he has made an impact, it hasn't been as big as the impact he's made returning kickoffs or punts for the Dolphins despite the fact that he has had yet to score a touchdown on special teams.
What Landry has done for the Dolphins has been gaining yards on returns. On kickoff returns he's averaging 31.2 yards per return, while on punt returns he's averaging 8.1. His longest kickoff return went for 74 yards.
Partially because of Landry's return work, the Dolphins have started their drives in opposition territory 18 times, per SportingCharts.com (the other reason for that is the fact that the Dolphins have thus far forced 18 turnovers).
Landry was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October, and thus far he is Miami's special teams player of the year.
Honorable Mentions
John Denney, Long Snapper
Michael Thomas, Kickoff and Punt Coverage
Jason Trusnik, Kickoff and Punt Coverage
Comeback Player of the Year: Cortland Finnegan, Cornerback
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"I approved of every signing thus far except the Cortland Finnegan deal, but that's more because I don't really like Cortland Finnegan."
"Finnegan is entering his ninth season in the league, and already he has a rather impressive resume going for him—he has 18 interceptions thus far in his career and a Pro Bowl appearance.
The downside to Finnegan is he has regressed in every season since 2008, which is when he last made the Pro Bowl. His regression made him expendable to the Rams, who released him just two years after signing a five-year deal.
"
"“Tough men—this game is a tough game, it’s a physical game, it’s a brutal game. The last thing you want is a guy that’s not tough.”
As Coach Adams was describing what he wanted for a player, I could only think of the current players on the Dolphins secondary. Each of them fit this mold, from All-Pro Brent Grimes, to safety Jimmy Wilson.
This also explains the Cortland Finnegan signing, one of my least favorite of the offseason.
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Crow is quite delicious, if not a little gamey sometimes. A little hot sauce or guava barbecue sauce really helps to bring out the natural flavors.
Did I like the Cortland Finnegan signing? What do those quotes tell you? Why didn't I like it? Look at what he did last season in St. Louis, where injuries limited him to seven games, and he was constantly torched.
Pro Football Focus graded him out at minus-19.8 for the season.
This season has been different as there's only one issue I had with him, and that was the decision to knock Davante Adams out of bounds after Aaron Rodgers' fake spike in Week 6 against Green Bay.
Other than that one moment, Finnegan has been an asset to Miami's secondary. He hasn't picked any passes off, but he has forced a fumble and recovered another (that he returned for a touchdown). He's being used effectively in cornerback blitzes as well, and he has only committed three penalties (and they're the too aggressive, "this isn't a penalty in 1994 and potentially saved a touchdown" penalties, not the dumb ones).
His Pro Football Focus grade thus far in 2014: minus-1.9. What a marked improvement; however, the grade doesn't really measure the effect he's had.
Finnegan's shining moment came against the Bears in Week 7. He frustrated Brandon Marshall, really getting into his head and causing him to react.
I commented on that too.
"I didn't like Finnegan when he was signed, but man is he starting to grow on me.
— Thomas Galicia (@thomasgalicia) October 19, 2014"
Easy choice for comeback player of the year.
Honorable Mentions
Samson Satele, Center
Brandon Gibson, Wide Receiver
Daniel Thomas, Running Back
Philip Wheeler, Linebacker
Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Wake, Defensive End
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The Miami Dolphins do have a very talented defense, one that by my count had six possible defensive player of the year candidates.
I chose the most important player on defense, as well as one of the two nominees for most valuable player.
I chose Cameron Wake, and the reasons should be obvious.
Wake produces. After a 2013 season when he only had 8.5 sacks, Wake currently has 6.5 with eight more games to go.
A double-digit sack season seems assured now, barring injuries or alien abductions.
Wake makes the defense better, his fingerprints are on just about every big Dolphins defensive play.
Who got to Philip Rivers in the pocket on all three of his interceptions? Cameron Wake.
Whose presence allows Miami's other defensive linemen to swarm the quarterback with wreckless abandon? Wake's does.
Who doesn't seem to get the respect from officials for drawing holding penalties even though it looks like the offensive lineman assigned to him holds him on almost every play? One Mr. Derek Cameron Wake.
I shudder to think about where this defense (once again, a talented unit) would be without Wake.
Honorable Mentions
Brent Grimes, Cornerback
Olivier Vernon, Defensive End
Jared Odrick, Defensive Tackle
Earl Mitchell, Defensive Tackle
Reshad Jones, Safety (the defense improved once he returned from suspension)
Offensive Player of the Year: Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback
10 of 11Ryan Tannehill has been very inconsistent this season.
We know how inconsistent he has been: His first three games were borderline atrocious, and his first halves against the Green Bay Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars are probably better off not being discussed.
However, tell me the Dolphins would be 5-3 (or better) right now with Matt Moore at quarterback.
I beg you to convince me of this, since a lot of you are not afraid to say that Moore is a better quarterback than Tannehill.
If you still believe that, you're wrong.
Ryan Tannehill is the present, and with the way he's playing right now, he's the future too.
So far this season Tannehill has completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 1,907 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions with a quarterback rating of 90.9.
He also has 245 rushing yards on 31 attempts.
Pro Football Focus has him graded out as the 11th-best quarterback in the league with a grade of 6.0.
More importantly, Tannehill is resilient, bouncing back from bad games and adversity with tremendous effort.
He's a leader, he's respected by the locker room and he's the quarterback of the ninth-highest scoring offense in the league.
He's the offensive player of the year, but is he the team's MVP?
Honorable Mentions
Lamar Miller, Running Back
Mike Wallace, Wide Receiver
Branden Albert, Left Tackle
Most Valuable Player: Cameron Wake
11 of 11This was a tough call, but not as tough a call as I originally thought.
Most valuable player is an award that goes to the player that the team simply couldn't function without.
In analyzing Wake versus Tannehill for this award (with three other players getting honorable mentions), I had to think about the impact to the team each would have if they were gone.
With Tannehill, it would be a huge offensive impact, as the read-option runs would be eliminated, and the offense would get more conservative with Matt Moore in his place.
However, you could still build an adequate offense around Moore. It won't be as explosive, but it can get the job done.
Now imagine Miami's defense without Cameron Wake.
You could bring up the argument that we'd get to see more of Dion Jordan, and while that would be a good thing (and something we should see anyways), Jordan doesn't quite have the same effect as Wake.
More attention would be paid to Jared Odrick and Olivier Vernon. Could Vernon handle double-teams the same way Wake can? I really don't want to have to find this out at any time in the next five years.
How would Derrick Shelby fare without Wake rushing from the other side? Is he as effective?
What about the linebackers and the secondary? Both units have played well (and the secondary is the most underrated defensive backfield in the NFL), but you can't underestimate the Wake effect.
Wake is the most important player on the Miami Dolphins right now, and he's played his position better than anyone else on the team has played theirs.
To quote Kevin Durant: Cameron, you're the real MVP.
Honorable Mentions
Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback
Mike Wallace, Wide Receiver
Brent Grimes, Cornerback
Lamar Miller, Running Back
Statistics provided by NFL.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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