Sacks VS the Miami Dolphins, Weeks 1-6

Sacks VS the Miami Dolphins

    Taking a look at some of the causes and factors in each of the 10 sacks during Miami's first six games. We can also look back at problems, similarities, and differences in protection and sacks between R. Fitzpatrick and T. Tagovailoa after he starts a few games. 

Full film cutup is linked at the bottom.

Summary

List of controllable causes. 

• Initial steps in pass set being too wide. 

• Not protecting chest with hands, or shooting hands first to protect chest proactively. 

• Mental prep against blitzes. Awareness of who can come, and plan for hot routes. 

• Holding ball too long (might need to add more wrinkles on boot plays, I have not looked at all boots to have an opinion besides these snaps)

Statistics

• 10 total sacks across six games
• LT #73: 1.5
• LT #77: 1
• LG #75: 1.5
• RG #66: 0.5
• RT #77: 1.5
• RT #68: 1 
• Causes
• Blitz: 2
• Games: 3
• Coverage: 3
• Base Rush: 2
• R. Fitzpatrick Pkt Time: 2.2s. One of the shortest times in the league. (on all snaps. to be compared with T. Tagoviailoa later)

Sacks

Week 1, #1

    #95 working on LT #73. Half slide with TE block and release. 

QB has close to 3 seconds in the pocket. Calling this a coverage sack.

LT #73 takes a wide set initially, on 3rd step angling his outside foot back towards the QB and backpedaling to try and recover his position to the inside. #93 takes the inside thanks to the wide set, and collapses the pocket. 

Week 2, #1

    #55 working on RT #77. Half slide call.

#55 fakes like he is looping inside. RT #77 reacts by looking and hopping inside for the penetrator. Beaten to the edge by speed.

LG #75 applies solid circular force to finish his defender to the ground. 

Week 2, #2

    LG #75 long-arm bull rushed into lap of QB. Half slide with chip.

Sack comes from defender locked on #66 at end of clip. Max length for gif. Solid block overall from the RG #66, just fails to finish it to the ground.  

Week 2, #3

    Blitz gets home from Ni #21. Max protect with puller.

Miami playing some sort of play action with a puller (LG #75). The puller is looking to help with #93 on the TE, to the outside. Either #21 was not accounted for in the protection call or #75 missed his man. 

RT #77 does well to get off his doubleteam and pick up #54. 

Week 3, #1

    #41 is unblocked to the boot side. DBs downfield sitting on all routes. Blocking Power.

Meant to be a quick boot, to either the pivot or cross (both on screen), or the curl to the sideline. All are covered up. 

Week #4, #1

    Looking at RT #77 and LT #73. Both beaten outside, QB forced down pocket. Full slide left call.

The three interior DL slant to the right side of the line. 4i slants outside the RT. While RT is sliding left, this puts DE in great position to win just off the protection call. LT #73 attempt to set wide, getting very little depth on his set. This is similar to the very first clip. Never gets feet under himself or engaged with the DE.

Week 5, #1

    Looking at #92 working on LT #77. Half slide away HB.
LT hands are low and wide, which leaves chest unprotected. DE sticks a hand in chest, swats outside arm, and wins outside with speed. 

The rest of the defensive line is playing a big T-E stunt, where the 1tech loops outside the penetrating 3 and 7 techniques. Good way to isolate the backside DE on the LT. 

Week 5, #2

    Boot is covered up again. QB holds ball. Blocking zone.

Week 6, #1

    RT #68 beaten outside. Man blocked, double 1tech.

Takes a very wide initial step, and fails to get feet back under himself. 

LT #77 using wide set properly. Step to the defender and engage him, rather than step wide and then attempting to shrink back without engaging defender. 

Week 6, #2

    Blitz creates numbers for defense. Man blocked, double 1tech.

Drop the edge defender on the left of the line, and bring the backers from the right. This puts three blockers on two defenders to the left side, and two blockers on three defenders to the right. 

This looks like a failure from a protection call level. If QB was aware backers could come he would be checking the HB swing and the curl on the right side, behind the backers, as his hot routes. 

Cutup