Three key things the Dolphins are doing up front defensively during four-game winning streak

The Miami Dolphins’ secondary has gotten much of the praise for the way the defense has played during their four-game winning streak — and rightfully so, with the game-changing plays cornerback Xavien Howard and safety Jevon Holland, among others, have made — but much of the credit should go to the front seven, as well.

In this lights-out stretch for the defense in wins against the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, the Dolphins have begun turning near sacks into actual sacks, batted down balls at the line of scrimmage when not getting to the quarterback and have been stout against the run.

To start with the pass rush, 16 of the Dolphins’ 28 sacks have come in the past four games.

“A big part is finishing,” said Dolphins defensive line coach Austin Clark of what the pass rushers have done better in this stretch. “We missed quite a few earlier in the year in different games where they’re right there and we just missed a sack or [the quarterback was] able to move around more and we didn’t finish on the ball. I think that’s a big area. And the guys rushing together would be the second thing.”

The defense doing it collectively was one of the main things rookie outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips noted on Monday as to why he was able to get three sacks against Carolina. Oftentimes, there was initial pressure elsewhere that led the quarterback into Phillips’ grasp. He nearly had a fourth on Sunday, but it was his missed sack that led to a teammate getting one.

“It all has to tie together: The coverage, you win on a rush, sometimes the ball’s out. There’s so many different factors that come into play,” said outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard. “Our main focus is always the team rush mentality. Are we on the same page? Do we have good middle push, good level rush? Are we working together as a unit?

“Do guys win one on one? Absolutely. Is that the majority of the time? Actually, no. It’s this guy set it up, he had good middle push in the pocket, flushed him outside, and so we celebrate those things.”

Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah leads the way in pass bat-downs at the line of scrimmage. When he deflected a third-quarter Cam Newton pass on Sunday, it increased his league-leading number to eight with it being his seventh consecutive game with a batted ball.

“I know the ball is coming out hot, so best-case scenario, you just put your hands up and bat the ball down,” said Ogbah after the win over the Jets, noting practice and instincts as key factors in executing it.

It’s something that has extended to all the pass rushers. Against the Panthers, Phillips, Andrew Van Ginkel, Zach Sieler and Adam Butler also had pass deflections.

“It’s a core staple of one of the things that we talk about defensively,” said defensive coordinator Josh Boyer. “We put a huge emphasis on it in 2020. That was one of the big things that we started with drill-wise, and we’ve carried that over.”

Added Clark: “In the quick game, that’s how we can affect the quarterback. When they’re spitting it out, when they’re checking the ball down, that’s a way to affect the quarterback. We preach that to our guys.”

Between the pressure on the quarterback and batted balls, all of it begins with stopping the run first to put opponents in difficult passing downs.

In the past seven games, the Dolphins are allowing just 84.4 rushing yards per game. Nose tackle Raekwon Davis’ reinsertion into the lineup from his early-season knee injury has fallen in line with that improvement, but there’s more to it.

“In terms of just the front play,” Clark said, “I think pad leverage, block release and playing with great eye control, among other things, but those are the three main things that we kind of focus on.”

He added specifically of Davis that he’s playing with “patience and controlled aggression.”

His presence also benefits the linebackers as the 6-7, 330-pound Davis eats up double teams, freeing up defenders in the second level.

“As a linebacker, you love to have a guy like Raekwon in there,” said linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, who also mentioned Sieler, Ogbah and Christian Wilkins’ play in that regard. “Big body guy. He’s a high-energy guy, does a great job of getting off blocks, getting to the football.”

Miami looks to keep the defensive momentum going against quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3rnsNml