Expectations rise for Tannehill
After big raise, Dolphins QB relishes challenge
“We really want to threaten deep and complete deep balls and make deep gains.” Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill
The Miami Dolphins gave Ryan Tannehill a new, big-money contract and revamped his receiving corps this offseason. But along with such perks come major expectations for a quarterback who has yet to lead his team to the postseason.
“I definitely feel urgency, and it’s more for myself than anything. We’ve been 8-8 the past two years. We had chances to make the playoffs both of those years, and we haven’t gotten it done,” Tannehill told USA TODAY Sports.
“It doesn’t really matter what anyone else on the outside is saying, because we feel that. I feel that.”
The four-year, $77 million extension Tannehill signed in May provided him job security through 2020 while giving the Dolphins stability at a position that had been in flux since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. But don’t let the big investment come as a sign the Dolphins are satisfied with Tannehill despite his 4,045 passing yards and 27 touchdown throws ( both career highs) in 2014.
Coach Joe Philbin, who briefly wavered on Tannehill’s status as the starter last season, wants to see more. He wants to see Tannehill make better — and faster — decisions and especially improve his accuracy on intermediate and deep throws.
“The focus is decision-making, throwing the ball accurately and making big plays. If he can do those three things — and that’s what we’ve been preaching to him when he got here — the good thing, I think, from my chair, is that he’s gotten better in all those areas,” Philbin told USA TODAY Sports. “But there is still room to grow. That’s a positive, not a negative.”
Though Tannehill completed 66.4% of his passes in 2014, a percentage that ranked him fifth among qualifying passers, much of Miami’s passing game was of the dink-and-dunk variety. Nearly half of Tannehill’s 590 passes were throws of 10 yards or fewer last season. He attempted 42 throws of more than 21 yards, connecting on nine of them.
It’s a startling statistic, one the Dolphins know they can’t repeat this season.
“I’ve always been able to throw it deep, it’s just that there are a lot of factors that go into it. For whatever reason, we couldn’t put it together last year. When you don’t have the deep threat like we want to, it really allows them to sit on shorter routes and makes it tougher,” Tannehill said.
“We really want to threaten deep and complete deep balls and make deep gains. Also, it’s tough to have consistent 10- to 12-play drives for touchdowns. You have to have a chunk play, a 40-yard play, at least a couple times a game.”
There have been signs during the first week of training camp this issue will be resolved.
It started with finding a new deep-threat target to replace Mike Wallace, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in the spring. Miami also let possession receiver Brian Hartline walk during free agency.
The overhauled wideout group includes former New Orleans Saints speedster Kenny Stills, veteran Greg Jennings and firstround pick DeVante Parker, who has been held out of workouts while he recovers from foot surgery.
Perhaps the most intriguing option, though, is Jarvis Landry, who is showing he’s capable of providing a lot more than the slot duties he performed as a rookie last season when he had a teambest 84 receptions. During a team drill this week, it was Landry who was burning the defensive backs, as he and Tannehill connected for a 60-yard touchdown on a pass that traveled 50 yards in the air.
That play wasn’t an aberration; it was part of what has been a strong start to camp for Tannehill.
“I feel confident. I feel great about our receivers making those catches downfield. They’ve showed they can adjust to it, high-point the ball, and I feel good about the way I’m throwing it right now,” Tannehill said.
The offense has significant issues to work through, especially along the line, where the guard jobs are unsettled and left tackle Branden Albert continues to be held out of practice as he returns from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
The level of protection Tannehill receives will help determine how much of offensive coordinator Bill Lazor’s playbook will be used in the game plans. But Philbin said much of that responsibility also rests with Tannehill and how quickly he can make the correct reads and throws.
“If you make better decisions, you’re going to get the ball out faster, and it’s going to go to the right guy. If your accuracy is better, it’s not just the deep ball, it’s maybe hitting that shallow cross runner in stride so he doesn’t have to twist and turn and slow down, you know?” Philbin said.
“It’s some of those little things. It’s making big plays in critical times in games. I think he feels better about his command of it, I think he’s playing more decisively, even in practice.
“He’s throwing the ball better than he ever has.”