Dolphins offense already giving Giants coach fits
Life isn't easy for NFL coaches. Especially for defensive coaches that have to go against the 2023 version of the Miami Dolphins. New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is the next victim, er, coach to try and do their best Sean McDermott impression by controlling arguably the league's most explosive offense. And he is […]
Life isn't easy for NFL coaches. Especially for defensive coaches that have to go against the 2023 version of the Miami Dolphins.
New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is the next victim, er, coach to try and do their best Sean McDermott impression by controlling arguably the league's most explosive offense.
And he is well aware of the challenge he faces on Sunday.
"It's unbelievable," Martindale told reporters Thursday. "But that's where this league's heading, you know, with some of the other scores, the points have been up pretty high. I told our guys, not the players but the staff, because we're all old enough to remember the Greatest Show on Turf; this is like that, but 2023 supersonic. I mean they are fast. Faster than that.
"That's the whole thing in preparing for a team and going into this environment – it's not even turf, there, it's grass – and they're still faster."
Even after Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins still lead the NFL in scoring at a whopping 37.5 points per game. They average over 500 yards per game on offense and 8.0 yards per play – both numbers are also tops in the league. Sure, a lot of those stats are helped by the 70-20 Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos, but Mike McDaniel's unit has still managed to eclipse at least 389 total yards in each contest.
It's clear the potent quartet of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and the Dolphins' rushing attack is enough to give anyone nightmares. Even a coach like Martindale, who's been in the NFL for nearly 20 years, now.
"Well, my wife called me last night before she went to bed," Martindale said before joking, "she said she was worried about me. She said, 'Did you get any sleep?' I said, 'Yeah, I'm sleeping like a baby. Every two hours, I'll wake up and cry and go to the bathroom and try to go back get some more sleep.'"
There is an area where the Dolphins aren't their elite selves, however, and that's on third down. The offense currently ranks 12th in third down conversion rate (42.1%) and outside of the Broncos matchup, they've gone over 42% just once – in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
So, if the Giants defense can get Tagovailoa and co. in third down -especially third and long- then they will have a shot at getting the Dolphins offense off the field.
"I told the defense, there's gonna be plays made," said Martindale. "You gotta just have that mentality, like, 'Here we go again. Let's just try to get a stop. Every play let's just try to get a stop.' So, the more we can get them in third downs, the better off it is for us."
Good luck, coach.
