Black & Gold Xs & Os: Saints Defensive Preview For The Miami Dolphins

I chose this picture to highlight this article because it is exactly what everyone has come to believe the Miami Dolphins' offense is all about. Their staple is the "Wildcat", or so everyone thinks.

And there is no doubt that they are the NFL's inventors of this offense and do run it better than anyone. But we've romanticized the "Wildcat" to the point that it's practically a folktale.

Truthfully, the Dolphins offense is about a lot more than the "Wildcat". It is about a power running game. It is about play-action to get speedster Ted Ginn deep down the field. It is about a short, controlled passing game to guys like Davone Bess and Greg Camarillo.

Because the Dolphins' offensive strategy revolves around their ability to get their best players on the field, I feel it is best to start by describing their personnel and spend a little less time on their scheme than I normally do.

Personnel

QB Chad Henne

No offense to Chad Pennington, who in my opinion is one of the best game managing QBs of all-time, but Henne provides the Dolphins offense with something they did not have with Pennington—explosion.

Henne can really gun the ball down the field, giving them a vertical element to their passing game and the possibility to score in less than five minutes. With his big arm he also can get away with throwing into coverage because gun-slingers often can fit balls into small windows.

He is still in the process of becoming an NFL QB, but he looks well on his way to becoming Miami's franchise QB for many years to come.

RB Ronnie Brown

Despite my insistence that the Dolphins are about more than the "Wildcat", there is no doubt that part of what makes Brown so good is his ability to play as a Single-Wing QB in that package.

Aside from that though, Brown really is a complete player. He is good in pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield—because he has good hands but also runs good routes for a RB.

But most impressive is his ability to break tackles and pick up chunks of yards and explode for big plays.

RB Ricky Williams

Saints fans know this player well. But he has reinvented himself a bit in the Miami offense.

Much like Brown, he is a complete player who excels with the ball in his hands, but also in pass protection and in catching the ball out of the backfield. He is explosive with the ball in his hands and is a beast of a player to tackle.

WR Ted Ginn

Ginn is a deep threat extraordinaire similar to the player that Devery Henderson was for the Saints a few years ago. He has blazing speed and can beat almost any corner.

His hands, though, are suspect and he is still learning to be a good route runner. However, given the way he has played with Henne so far, it looks like Ginn may ultimately become the number one receiver he was drafted to be.

WR Davone Bess

Continuing the comparisons to Saints Wide Receivers, Bess is eerily similar to Lance Moore, at least in the way the Dolphins use him.

They love to throw quick screens to the former Hawaii Warrior and let him use his speed and agility to make things happen.

Additionally, he is Henne's main target on third down, when he runs a lot of intermediate routes over the middle of the field and finds holes in the zone coverage.

Greg Camarillo and rookie Brian Hartline round out the receiving core. Both are good possession-type receivers and are growing to make Miami a more diverse and explosive offense.

Offensive Line

In my opinion, the key to Miami's offensive success is the play they get out of their offensive line. Jake Long, Justin Smiley, and Jake Grove make up a who's who of names on that line, but Vernon Carey and Donald Thomas aren't exactly slouches either.

The unit is gaining continuity together and they are one of the most physical units in the entire league. And they can generally handle a four-man pass rush with no problem. They are young and good.

Formations

The Dolphins are primarily a run-based team, especially on running downs (first and second, four-minute drill, etc.). On first down, they generally line up with 21 personnel (a running back, fullback, tight end, and two receivers).

Occasionally, you'll get a two-tight end look, or a three-receiver look, but by and large they like the 21 personnel grouping on run downs. From this they normally will give you an I-Formation with the fullback and tailback both lined up directly behind the QB. Sometimes they'll motion the tight end across to give them a numbers advantage to one side or the other.

On passing downs, the Dolphins will get slightly more exotic. You'll see some three-receiver sets, both from a one-back look, but also a lot from a Split backfield—something not seen too often in the NFL anymore.  Again, by having two backs, it allows them to get their best pass-catchers on the field, who are probably their backs.

The Dolphins don't use the shotgun out of their base offense too often, but will do so if they are expecting a blitz, which grants Henne an extra second to make reads and find an open man down field.

Occasionally, they'll throw in an empty backfield look, which is based more on the play they call than to give them some kind of extra advantage, personnel-wise.

Play Concepts

I'll start with the "Wildcat" since likely that's what everyone wants to know about. It is a really simple offense. In fact, the high school team I coach uses many of these same exact concepts in our "Spread Offense".

Miami runs a fly sweep with a motion man coming across the formation, taking the ball, almost like a reverse. The play is designed to hit outside and generally there are two or three perimeter blockers, including the fullback out of the backfield.

With this motion, the defense tends to over-pursue, which is when Brown will keep it and run away from the sweep to open grass. Other times, the motion man will not get the ball but will lead through the "C" gap on the same side. The fullback and a pulling lineman all block hit gap which leads to a large gaping hole for Ronnie Brown to run through.

Those are the base plays out of the Wildcat, and they will undoubtedly be on display in Miami on Sunday afternoon. But let's not forget the I-Formation running the Dolphins do as well.

They will run some zone, but are one of the few offenses remaining who are primarily a man-to-man blocking unit, where they pull linemen on counters and traps. These runs are quicker runs designed to insure the running back picks up positive yards, assuming it is blocked well. The zone is a little more hit or miss.

Because the backs are so good, they can run all types of plays. Brown and Williams are explosive, but also good in-between-the-tackles runners. This is why the Dolphins lead the league in rushing. They have a very good line and very good running backs.

In the passing game, the Dolphins keep it relatively simple. Henne has a great arm, so they're going to allow him to take some shots. As I mentioned Ginn has great speed and they like to have him run "Go" routes, where he runs up the sideline and tries to beat a corner man-to-man.

They'll throw some quick bubble screens to Bess where he is an inside receiver and flares outside with blocking from the perimeter receivers. This is generally done in a run situation.

Play-action is a huge part of what the Dolphins do in their base package. The threat of the run sucks up the safeties and allows them to run Ginn deep with Bess coming underneath in case Ginn cannot get separation, or in case the defense plays zone coverage.

But also beware of the backs out of the backfield. They will swing out on almost every pass play, unless there is heavy pressure. You must know where they are at all times, or they will burn you in the passing game.

With a team that likes to play aggressively and blitz like the Saints, expect the Dolphins to have some screens in their gameplan. Again defensively New Orleans must beware of these, as Williams and Brown are explosive with the ball in their hands.

So Gregg Williams, How Are You Going to Respond?

"Well Saints fans, the key to stopping this unit is to not let them on the field. We must cause turnovers to get them off the field. How do we do that? Cause pressure."

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Of course, that was not actually Gregg Williams speaking, but that likely would be his answer if he were asked such a question. The Saints in this game will likely have a pretty standard game plan.

First and second down, play some cover three to stop the play-action deep pass, but give yourself eight guys who can defend against the run.  

On third down, that's when you get more aggressive and bring pressure. The pressure on third down is designed to make Henne make quick decisions and throw before he's ready. But it also is meant to cause sacks and potential turnovers. In all, get the ball back to the offense.

I know this sounds elementary, and of course it is more complicated than this. But in truth, the Saints defense doesn't need a super-elaborate game plan.

Play primarily eight men in the box on running downs, bring some pressure from that as well, and play man-to-man on the backs with linebackers or Roman Harper.

For this reason, let's hope Scott Fujita is able to play this week because he would be key to have as a coverage linebacker. If not, I would use Bobby McCray as a rush end and just blitz him every down and slide Shanle to Fujita's cover area with Vilma keeping his normal responsibility.

Five are harder to block than four. And if successful, this will take those backs out of the passing game, which gives you an advantage right there.

But the biggest key, and this really goes back to the offense, is to score early and often. If you can force the Dolphins to play catch up, you eliminate the element of surprise and explosive plays from the "Wildcat". Oh yeah, defense get off the field on third down. That would help too.