Miami Dolphins Week 7 Stock Report
The Miami Dolphins went into their bye week a dejected, defeated team, and came out of it a torpedo of aggression.
In their 38-10 curb-stomping of the Tennessee Titans, the Dolphins finally showed the world exactly the team they're capable of being: the physical, aggressive, well-oiled machine that they have the athleticism and talent to be.
The Dolphins return home this week for what will be their second home game of the season, and their last home until late November as they head out for a three-week road trip from Weeks 9-11. So, with a chance to finally pull their record back to .500, everyone needs to be playing at the top of their game.
Here's a look at the players who are already heading that direction, and others who need to turn it around.
Stock Up: Dan Campbell
1 of 5
Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell is charged with one of the most difficult tasks you could ask: change the culture of a losing locker room, in the middle of the season. It would be easy for him to make excuses.
You won't hear any of that from Campbell. He has instilled a much tougher mentality into the team than what they had under former head coach Joe Philbin. He committed to the running game at a level his predecessor refused to do for years. He inspired his team to the point where they would run through a proverbial wall for him, and I'm not sure that wouldn't extend to running through a literal wall.
"You can pick guys in any position room, defense, offense," backup quarterback Matt Moore said, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, "and they'll all say they'll do anything for [Campbell]." He added, "Emotionally, attitude-wise, we're at an all-time high."
Usually, changing to an interim head coach is a desperation move. For the Dolphins, while it may not have been a calculated move, it was most certainly a necessary one. That is to say, Campbell is exactly the right coach at exactly the right time for the Dolphins.
Stock Down: Joe Philbin
2 of 5
There aren't a whole lot of nitpicks to be found in the Dolphins' 38-10 blowout of the Titans, but one person who looked worse in the win was Joe Philbin.
In a span of just two weeks, Campbell was able to make a huge impact on the team's competitiveness and toughness, which is an indication of where those things were before Campbell took over. The fact that the Dolphins are so willing to do anything Campbell asks is also an indication of where they stood with Philbin.
The three-plus-year head coach sports a 24-28 record, and his teams have no real defining trait. They're not particularly tough, they're not finesse. They're just mediocre.
Who knows if Philbin will be considered for another head coaching job this year or anytime soon, but the Dolphins certainly don't appear to be worse off without him.
Stock Up: Rishard Matthews
3 of 5
Wide receiver Rishard Matthews has been a blessing for the Dolphins offense in 2015. He was mostly written off by the media and fans of the team as he continually butted heads with Joe Philbin, but as the Dolphins have dealt with injuries and ineffective play from some of their receivers, Matthews has been right there to step up.
On Sunday, he hauled in all six passes thrown his way for 85 yards, bringing his total to 23 receptions for 363 yards and three touchdowns on the season.
Matthews is not a particularly explosive receiver, but he can be effective on short and intermediate routes. He has been targeted just six times with three receptions on passes that traveled 20 yards or more, according to Pro Football Focus, but has hauled in 20 of the 25 passes thrown his way anywhere else on the field.
In that sense, he's a perfect fit for the Dolphins offense. That being said, they do need to incorporate a more explosive threat into their passing game.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Stock Down: Kelvin Sheppard
4 of 5
The Dolphins defense finally did it. They held an offense to fewer than 100 rushing yards. They are still the second-worst run defense in the NFL on a per-game basis (141 rushing yards per game), but at this point, the only way to go is up, and it appears the Dolphins could do just that.
That being said, if they want to see more growth in run defense, they have to get an impeccable effort from all 11 guys on the field. Linebacker Kelvin Sheppard missed three tackles on Sunday, according to Pro Football Focus. That brings his total to five on the season. Considering he's made 15 tackles this season, he's missing one tackle for every three tackles he makes in 2015.
The Dolphins had a bit of a jumble at linebacker this summer, but one of their solutions was to have Sheppard play middle linebacker while Koa Misi moved back to the outside. The alternative would have been for Chris McCain to play the outside and for Misi to remain in the middle. The Dolphins can always explore other options, but Sheppard could prevent that from happening by making more tackles.
Stock Up: Lamar Miller
5 of 5
If there's one guy whose arrow is pointing way up after this win, it's running back Lamar Miller.
Miller still hasn't cracked the 20-carry plateau since December 1, 2013, but it's inevitable that he'll eventually hit that seemingly untouchable mark. Miller had 13 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown in the first half of Sunday's win over the Titans, and he finished the game with 19 carries for 113 yards.
Of course, it might have just been a product of their opponent; the Titans are one of the NFL's 10 worst defenses against the run in every major category.
The Dolphins have been all too content to throw the ball 40-plus times a game this season, and it's much easier to commit to the running game when you're playing with a lead, but with interim head coach Dan Campbell's renewed focus on toughness and competitiveness, it's hard to believe he won't be pushing for a more physical approach on offense.
Unless otherwise noted, all advanced stats obtained via Pro Football Focus.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
