Is Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio too stubborn? That’s the question of the week after the embarrassing 48-20 loss against the Buffalo Bills. There were already eyebrows raised after Vic Fangio and his defense allowed over 200 yards rushing against the LA Chargers in the season opener. The defense slipped by the New England Patriots with a last-minute stop, and they looked dominant against a hobbling Denver Broncos team. Miami sits at 3-1, but the defense has been disappointing and has been the weaker link compared to the high-powered offense. As important as it is to match up with the elite offenses in the AFC, it’s equally as important to be able to stop those offenses.
Miami expects to make a deep playoff push this season, but that won’t happen if you can’t contain the offense of conference teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills. Many expected immediate improvement when Vic Fangio, whose reputation precedes him, took over as Defensive Coordinator in the offseason. Others predicted that it would take some time for the personnel on this defense and Fangio’s scheme to mesh. As a fan watching the Dolphin’s offense clicking on all cylinders in the last few games, it’s easy to become frustrated that the defense has been a liability. It’s struggled against elite teams, and that’s not what you want to see when you expect to be a playoff team.
So, what’s the issue with this defense? Is it Fangio, or is it the personnel? It’s easy to point out that the players simply aren’t executing. But it’s also hard not to see that the players aren’t comfortable with the scheme. It could be because of the growing pains of a new system, or it could be that the scheme just doesn’t fit the personnel. Out of the mouth of Vic Fangio himself, the notion that the defense is underperforming because of growing pains is “convenient.” And if the scheme doesn’t fit the personnel, who actually needs to change? Fangio or the personnel? The trade deadline isn’t until October 31st, but it would be unreasonable and unrealistic to trade away half of the starters on this defense because they don’t “fit the system.” Maybe, just maybe, Fangio is the one who needs to change.
If Miami were a team in rebuilding mode, then there wouldn’t be such a sense of urgency, and we’d have plenty of time to move pieces around. But Miami is a team that has a small Super Bowl window, so this team doesn’t have that type of time. Not to mention that Fangio’s contract is only for three years. This means we need to see results from this defense sooner rather than later. If Fangio is waiting for a whole season to go by to bring “his type of guys” on the team, then that’ll be another window of opportunity wasted, and fans will have to watch another disappointing season go down the drain. Fangio needs to work with what he has and adjust his scheme to the players’ strengths on this team. When you have a defense that has players like Christian Wilkins, Jevon Holland, Xavien Howard, Bradley Chubb, and Andrew Van Ginkel, there should be no excuse why the highest-paid Defensive Coordinator in the NFL can’t put this defense together and make it functional.
Vic Fangio has had a lot of success in this league and is one of the greatest defensive minds this league has seen recently. Over a 3rd of the league currently uses a variation of the defense that Fangio created. He’s a legend in his own right but also an old-school-styled coach. Maybe old school to a fault. It was said that before the season, Fangio bragged about a new scheme that he was ready to unleash upon the league’s offenses. I’m not sure if that new defense has been unleashed, but we’re all still waiting to see the fruition of it on this Miami Dolphin’s defense. But what if this new defense that Fangio bragged about doesn’t maximize the strengths of the players he currently has on this defense? Fangio even admitted that he didn’t watch Miami’s defense last year, which you would think would be imperative to pick up the strengths and weaknesses of the players you’re getting ready to coach.
How could you possibly know what works and doesn’t work if you don’t see the product outside of training camp? With all of Fangio’s experience and success, he has every right to be stubborn…if it works. But at the moment, Fangio’s stubbornness and borderline arrogance are hurting the team. To watch Fangio refuse to have Xavien Howard shadow Stefon Diggs against Buffalo on Sunday was quite telling. Because of it, the defense got torched, and in the process, young corner Kader Kohou’s confidence could have been shaken with all 3 of Diggs’s touchdowns having been scored on him.
Hopefully, Sunday was a wake-up call for Fangio. Historically, almost every defense Fangio has coached has become a top defense. But times have changed, and it may be time for this “old dog to learn new tricks.” For this defense to make a 180 turn, Fangio will have to get out of his way. Maximizing the talent of this defense instead of imposing a scheme on the defense that doesn’t fit the personnel could turn this defense into the defense fans had anticipated.
This defense was punched in the mouth by Buffalo, and their next biggest test will be the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7 and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9. Miami will have to prove they can beat elite teams in those games, and it’ll start with Fangio and this defense. It’s too early to talk about firing Fangio, but there will need to be adjustments and improvement seen in the next five games. Hopefully, there will be, Fangio will continue to live up to this reputation, and Miami will remain in the conversation of one of the top teams in the NFL.
