Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
X’S AND OMAR:
Despite coverage issues at times, the defensive backfield comes up big
Omar Kelly says the Dolphins’ secondary sealed a victory for the second straight week.
MIAMI GARDENS — Reshad Jones stalked the sidelined in the second-half of Sunday’s game cheering on the Miami Dolphins’ offense, and pumping up the defensive players.
It did not matter that the Dolphins were trailing 28-14 to the New York Jets at the start of the fourth quarter. This team has been there, done that before, rallying back from large deficits to produce comefrom-behind wins the past two seasons. Heck, Miami pulled off a stunning upset over the Atlanta Falcons just last week when Jones pulled down a game-sealing interception that preserved the 20-17 win.
“We know it’s going to come down to the fourth quarter,” Jones said.
That’s why nobody inside Miami’s locker room was surprised the Dolphins scored 17 unanswered points to beat the Jets, 31-28, in a game that was capped by a 39-yard field goal nickel cornerback Bobby McCain set up when he picked off Josh McCown’s pass to Jermaine Kearse, setting the Dolphins’ offense up at the 27-yard line with 39 seconds left in the game.
“Outside of this building people want to count us out,” said defensive end Cameron Wake who contributed 2.5 sacks beating up Brent Qvale, the replacement for starting right tackle Brandon Shell, who suffered a neck injury in the first quarter. “But inside it we believe in one another.”
The Dolphins’ defense has been forceful all season, entering Sunday’s contest with the third-stingiest unit in the NFL. But for the first time in this young season an opponent scored more than 20 points against Miami.
The Dolphins were being carved up in the first half by New York tailbacks. The Jets, who gained 92 rushing yards and scored a touchdown on 22 carries, kept gashing Miami’s defense with screen passes to tailbacks.
Jets taiback Matt Forte caught five passes for 41 yards, and Bilal Powell caught two passes for 40 yards. However, all but two of those receptions, and one of those yards came in the first half because Miami altered the defensive calls in the second half, going to more zone coverages, which kept the action in front of the defenders.
Defensive coordinator Matt Burke deserves credit for altering the approach, making yet another effective second-half adjustment.
“We came in at halftime and turned it on,” McCain said. “If we can start fast, we’ll be unstoppable.”
McCain is referring to a defense that many pundits believe might be one of the league’s elite units. But opposing quarterbacks have produced a 102.9 cumulative passer rating, and Miami’s opponents are connecting on 71.1 percent of passes.
The Dolphins have had coverage issues all season, so its ironic that a member of the secondary stepped up late for the second consecutive week, producing the defense’s second interception of the season.
McCain fooled McCown by disguising his coverage before the snap, making it look like man-to-man. When the ball was snapped the former Memphis standout dropped back into zone and stepped in front of a floater intended for Kearse along the left sideline.
“He was just in the right spot. That’s team defense,” Jones said of McCain’s interception, which is the second of his three-year career. “Bobby was where he needed to be, and he made the play.”
McCown admits he got hoodwinked by the coverage.
“I went backside where the read takes me and the guy was underneath the zone. I just didn’t get enough on it to give Jermaine a chance. It’s just a bad read on my part,” said McCown, who completed 17-of-27 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns (108.4 passer rating). “You come out on the road and get going like we did and build a lead like we did, to finish it like that is frustrating. It’s a sick feeling.”
At least McCown can be comforted by the fact he’s not alone, and joins Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan as the other passer victimized by Miami’s secondary.
The Dolphins will look to add a couple more names to that list as this season progresses, and Miami’s secondary figures out a way to continue to improve.