Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was a run game coordinator for four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. But if you watched last year’s Miami Dolphins season, where McDaniel was a first-year head coach, it may have told another story. McDaniel assumed the play-calling responsibilities in 2022. During that play-calling, there were games in McDaniel that went away from the run game when it was working and games the run was barely used.
McDaniel’s offensive scheme relies heavily on the passing game. However, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is a play-action pass specialist, being one of the best in the game utilizing play-action passes. Yet, there were games last year where rushing attempts were at a minimum. The problem with that is without the run game; the play-action passing game can’t be successful since it can’t set up the play-action pass.
Tagovailoa’s two worst games of 2022 were games where the run was used the least. There were only 16 rushing attempts between three running backs against the Chargers and only eight rushing attempts against the 49ers. We’ve seen this before with Tua. His worst game in 2021 was against the Titans, where only 14 rushing attempts were made to Tua’s 38 passing attempts. For Tua and the Dolphins to be successful, the run game has to be there early. The run simply has to be established.
Yes, Tagovailoa can win late in the game during two-minute drills totaling 50 passing attempts, as he did against the Ravens. But to not establish the run early in the game, more times than most, is a setup for failure.
Many fans and sports analysts criticized McDaniel for going away from the run game against Buffalo in December. Early in the game, there were chunk run plays that Buffalo had difficulty stopping. McDaniel later said he went away from the run because he believed the defense was adjusting to the run. So instead of relying on the run in short yardage, he depended on unsuccessful passing plays. That is why many fans have been clamoring for the Dolphins to make a move to get power back like Dalvin Cook, who is great in short-yardage situations.
Even during the one playoff game against the Bills, McDaniel had the rookie, Skylar Thompson, throw the ball 45 times. There were only 18 run plays called that entire game. With Thompson’s two scrambles included in the run plays, the Dolphins managed only to get 42 yards.
After re-evaluating his first season, McDaniel eventually realized that he was lacking in the running game. The Dolphins finished almost last in the NFL (31st) in rushing attempts with only 390. Upon realizing that, McDaniel apologized to Raheem Mostert, saying that the Dolphins didn’t run the ball enough last season.
Perhaps, three regular season games, including the playoff game, could’ve been won in 2022 if the run game was used more. McDaniel has said that there will be more of a run game in 2023. Only time will tell if the run game has improved.
The Dolphins have so far decided that it hasn’t been so much of an important issue to sign Dalvin Cook yet. Instead, they remained with last season’s four running backs and drafted a third-round running back.
Will the Dolphins rely more on the run game in 2023? Will fans be able to trust McDaniel’s run scheme this coming season? If McDaniel can balance both the run and the pass, then the Dolphins’ chemistry should work beautifully throughout the playoffs and what should be a Super Bowl…..run.
