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What the Dolphins often do
is play something called an “Ameoba” defense.
It can be very confusing to young quarterbacks. Los Angeles Chargers rookie Justin Herbert struggled against it recently.
They stand up a bunch a guys around the line, in the box, and it’s unclear who is playing what position, linebacker or defensive line, and then they send some of those guys on blitzes from creative angles.
This approach gave Sam Darnold some issues and led to some sacks.
It’s so easy to point a finger at offensive linemen, tight ends or running backs when there is a sack, and blame the protection, but sometimes, there are just too many people rushing, and not enough blockers, and when that is the case, sometimes the onus is on the quarterback, to either hit a hot read, or check out of the play at the line.
There were two sacks of Darnold in the fourth quarter where the “Ameoba” defense caused the Jets issues leading to the QB being taken down.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, linebacker Kyle Van Noy blitzed up the middle and sacked Darnold. It seemed like all the blockers were accounted for. Jamison Crowder seemed to be open on a hot read. While there was certainly chaos in the pocket, perhaps Darnold should have gotten rid of the ball quickly, throw with anticipation to Crowder as he was cutting toward the right side, breaking wide open. Like a lot of young quarterbacks, Darnold doesn’t throw enough with anticipation, throwing it to a spot, trusting his guy will be there. The veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick did this all game, quite a bit with WR DeVante Parker.
The second sack in the fourth, was on an all-out blitz, and defensive tackle Raekwon Davis and linebacker Jerome Baker met at the QB. Once again, too many people to block for the pass protectors.
Not only is Brian Flores doing a terrific job as the Dolphins’ head coach, but also calling their defense. He was done a much better job of taking what he learned from Bill Belichick in New England, than some others who left the building to become head coaches. This “Ameoba” defense is impressive, and very difficult to deal with, especially for young quarterbacks . . .
A former Jets coach used to call these kind of ideas “cookbook answers.”
When an offense is struggling these days, what is one of the first things people start asking the head coach/offensive play-caller? “Are you thinking of giving up the play-calling?”
Philadelphia’s Doug Pedersen was asked that yesterday.
Adam Gase and Chicago’s Matt Nagy were asked that a lot earlier in the season, and eventually caved. You wonder if Nagy was forced to by upper management or ownership. Gase seemed to give it up for a bit, but many people suspect he’s taken it back.
“We all have two eyes – unless Dowell Loggains is a Jeti Master who’s telepathically communicating the play-call to Adam Gase, somebody’s lying here,” said Dan Graca on the Jets’ post-game show (hat-tip to Jets X-Factor’s Robby Sabo for tweeting this quote, which he paraphrased – I didn’t hear it).
But as far as this whole issue that is pushed when an offense is struggling to have the head coach/play-caller give up play-calling, it’s become very cliche.
During the Chargers game, Rich Gannon said, “I don’t think it really make a difference who is calling the plays for the Jets, it’s just a lack of production,”
Is Adam Gase the best play-caller? Probably not, but not sure whether he or Dowell Loggains calls the plays is really going to make a difference.
Just like Bill Lazor isn’t making any difference since taking over for Nagy.
Or if Pedersen gives it up.
The problems with these three teams goes way deeper than play-calling.
The play-callers aren’t going to make Mitch Trubisky or Sam Darnold see the field better, or make Philly’s disastrous offensive line better.
This is just an easy narrative to push when an offense is struggling under a head coach who calls the plays.
December 2, 2020
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