Now is the time for Dolphins’ offense to go on the offensive!

The Miami Dolphins currently sit at 2-3 following a heartbreaking loss to the Green Bay Packers. For the fourth time this season the Dolphins entered halftime trailing. The first half woes of the offense have became an unpleasant trend for a team who is desperately trying to stay within reach of a playoff spot.

So what is the problem?

Excluding the Raiders game, where everything seemed to go right, the Dolphins are mustering a mere four points in the first half. No team is going to win with that kind of output. It puts way too much pressure on the defense who for the last couple of years has had a bend but don’t break kind of style. That wouldn’t be so bad except for the fact that the Dolphins don’t create a lot of turnovers so it becomes easier for the defense, especially the front four to wear down. The Dolphins currently rank 25th in Time Of Possession averaging 28:22 minutes per game.

Watching the games, it’s easy to see that Ryan Tannehill doesn’t look as comfortable in the first half of games as he does the second half, especially in the first quarter of games. But what is very interesting is that he actually is more efficient in the first half of games as you can see in the chart below.

Below you can see Tannehill’s numbers broke down by quarter. While efficient, what stands out is the number of first down converted throws in the first quarter. To score points he and the offense must learn to sustain drives.

The running game and more specifically, Lamar Miller have been a big surprise this year. Miller is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. However he is only averaging 12.6 carries a game. He has been the primary ball carrier since Knowshon Moreno went down with an injury during the Bills game. So it’s obvious that the offensive coordinator Bill Lazor must make a point to commit to the run game. Not only does it take pressure off of Ryan Tannehill but it also creates so much more opportunities, especially for read option and pass action plays. Below is a break down of Lamar Millers carries in the first half compared to the second half of games.

One thing that has really stood out is the disconnect between Joe Philbin and Bill Lazor. Lazor for all intents and purposes, seems to want to push the tempo to the max and attack whereas Philbin is quick to pull the reigns back when the offense is sputtering.

The lack of confidence that Philbin has shown that he has for his quarterback and his offense is alarming. It’s also alarming that he seems to take control of the offense late in quarters, halves and crucial parts of the game. Which shows he has a lack of confidence in Lazor.

Philbin should take a page out of the great General George S. Patton who said:

“The best defense is a good offense…The best offense is ..Attack!” He also said “above all else remember that we as attackers have the initiative, we know exactly what we are going to do, above all else remember that we as attackers have the initiative, we know exactly what we are going to do, while the enemy is ignorant of our intentions and can only parry our blows. We must retain this tremendous advantage by always attacking rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, and without rest.”

If the Dolphins have any chance at making a push and contending for a playoff spot the offense must take the offensive, sustain some drives, score some points and take the pressure off the defense. To do this, they must be able to commit and establish the run and get more people involved in the passing game. Tannehill is at his best when he is spreading the ball around all over the field.  More importantly, Joe Philbin must have a little faith in his players and coaches.