Dolphins scrambling for answers
Gase still upset by near-record number of penalties but calls issue ‘correctable.’
The penalties came fast and they
DAVIE — came furious.
Penalties usually are very boring to talk about and very boring to write about.
But the Dolphins committed so many
penalties during Sunday’s 30-20 loss to the Bucs, they nearly broke a franchise record.
Seventeen times, offficials threw the yellow hankies on Miami (one shy of the franchise record). And several big plays were nullifified.
“Ridiculous,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said Monday.
Miami’s offensive line was responsible for nine penalties: Laremy Tunsil (3), Jermon
Bushrod (3), Mike Pouncey, Ted Larsen and Sam Young (1 each).
Other culprits: Damien Williams, Rashawn Scott, Kiko Alonso, Anthony Fasano, Alterraun Verner, Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas and Ndamukong Suh.
Gase was very upset about pre-snap penalties, such as false starts by offensive linemen.
“It’s correctable,” Gase said. “It was disappointing that it really increased when we made the switch at halftime (to Matt Moore), for whatever reason, we got a little out of sorts as far as what was going on with the cadence, which is something we can easily correct. We try to do the best we can to really make sure all the quarterbacks use the same cadence Jay (Cutler) does. Because each guy can have a little bit different rhythm. And that can throw a couple of things off not to the extent (on Sunday). I’ve never seen it to the extent we saw yesterday.”
Gase also was upset that reducing penalties was a point of emphasis all week. The Dolphins are second in the league (behind Seattle) in total penalties with 84.
“Some of the other calls that occurred, some of the holding c alls, it just goes back to fundamentals, and just doing those little details in individual, making sure we’re trying to do it right in practice,” he said. “Hand placement, feet, understanding what we’re doing in the protections. Who has help and how to use it.
“I think some of those calls we end up putting ourselves in poor position, and that’s when we get those calls. The way for us to clean it up is to make sure we’re doing all the little details right in practice. We hadn’t had it that bad. Now over the season, it’s tallied up to be not very good.
“And that’s why we’ve really put an emphasis on it. We felt the total number was getting ridiculous.”
It’s not too late to turn around the penalty numbers, Gases aid.
“It has to start in practice,” he said. “We have to be better there. If we do it right in practice, this gives us the best opportunity. It’s very fixable. All these things are very fixable. It’s just about making sure we do it right in practice, so it can carry over.”