Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Coaches: Landry’s hit too high, but not dirty
DAVIE — Coach Adam Gase and offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry needs to harness his aggression so he doesn’t have plays such as Sunday’s secondquarter crackback block on Buffalo Bills safety Aaron Williams.
Landry delivered his block to Williams’ head and neck area, which is illegal, and also might have launched himself at Williams, also a no-no in the NFL. Williams, who had neck surgery last season, reportedly had an MRI at an area hospital before flying home with the team.
It hasn’t yet been determined whether the NFL will fine Landry.
Gase defended Landry, but acknowledged corrective action is needed.
“His job is to take care of the safety, and that guy showed up really fast,” Gase said. “He was coming downhill hard, and he was in a low position. I think for him to make that hit he has got to lower his target zone.”
Landry, whose emotions sometimes boil over into penalties, was flagged for unnecessary roughness but the Bills declined that penalty and accepted a holding call against guard Laremy Tunsil.
Christensen agreed with Gase saying Landry’s block was too high.
“It was a good call, it was a penalty,” Christensen said. “We can’t go high. The league is emphasizing that.”
But Gase said it wasn’t a dirty play. He also said he likes Landry’s edge.
“I’m not going to change the way he plays,” Gase said. “I call plays early in the game for him to set the tempo.”
Special teams coach Darren Rizzi has dealt with Landry’s temperament as a kickoff and punt returner and doesn’t seem to mind his aggression. Rizzi just doesn’t want it to costs the Dolphins yardage. Landry had a 15-yard taunting penalty Sunday for spinning the ball in front of the Buffalo bench after a first-down reception.
“Jarvis is a guy that plays right up to the edge, he plays right up to the line, he’s an emotional player,” Rizzi said. “I love the way Jarvis plays the game, quite frankly. I wouldn’t mind having 46 Jarvis Landrys out there with his intensity, his preparation, his enthusiasm and all those things.
“Can we afford those 15-yard penalties? No, we can’t. But that’s not just for Jarvis, that’s a team-wide thing. We can’t have those penalties.”
Dolphins safety Isa Abdul-Quddus said he doesn’t consider Landry’s hit dirty because crackback blocks aren’t illegal.
“At least they cut out the cutting the legs out from the outside when you don’t know they’re coming,” Abdul-Quddus said. “So I don’t think it’s really that dirty, but sometimes the hits get vicious if you don’t see them.”
Fellow safety Michael Thomas said he didn’t see the play so he doesn’t know if Landry launched himself.
“I didn’t see that,” Thomas said. “All I know is he’s trying to get his block, he’s a physical player and it was a hard hit.”
Hurricane relief
The Dolphins will continue their Hurricane Matthew relief efforts this week as they present a $20,000 check for Cuban relief efforts and send contingents to Haiti and the Bahamas.
Among those traveling to the Bahamas on Thursday is Thomas and CEO Tom Garfinkel, and among those traveling to Haiti on Friday is defensive end Terrence Fede, who is of Haitian descent.