NFL Mailbag: Why The Dolphins Are Soft, Why The Bears Head Coach Job Is Good, And A Hall Of Fame Question
Are the Miami Dolphins soft? The question boggles because it is basically asking if men who risk their lives, really, on a week-to-week basis playing the most violent of American sports are simply not tough.
It's lunacy.
But it's out there.
And that's where we begin this edition of All That And A Bag Of NFL Mail:
Are The Miami Dolphins Soft?
Q. Mando,
I just read the article in the Times about the Dolphins being soft. Wow, it's nationwide now. What a label to have. Ouch. The players are now saying the coach is soft, well it's time for a rebuild … What's your honest assessment?
– Robert Ilardi
A. Robert, I see what everyone else sees: A team that beats lesser teams with lots of speed and horns and fireworks. And then gets manhandled by superior teams.
So what leads to this?
A team more often than not takes on the personality and intentions of its coach. That's why Dan Campbell teams, Mike Vrabel teams, Mike Tomlin teams, Jim Harbaugh teams mostly mirror the personality and likeness of those coaches.
Taking On Mike McDaniel Personality
Mike McDaniel's football personality isn't like those other guys – at least not publicly. He's a savant on offense. He runs a 21st century passing attack. And he's overcome adversity in his personal life, so he's not weak-minded.
But neither is he a tough guy who anyone fears. And he intends to win more on misdirection, and confusion, and speed than sheer mano-a-mano overpowering of the opponent.
This is about the intentionality of what the Dolphins value. And it's not being tougher than the other guy.
It's strange when the Dolphins were at the Green Bay 1-yard line last week and could not score on three plays. On third and fourth downs, they played out of the shotgun, throwing the football, and asking 188-pound De'Von Achane to pass protect against a linebacker, a matchup he lost on fourth down that led to a sack.
The one time they ran the ball from the 1, they gave it to the speedster Achane, when they have bigger backs on the bench. No gain.
That's McDaniel's mindset: Fakes, passing, misdirection, no-look passing, behind-the-back tosses on ends around. That's all a ton of fun to witness when it's working.
But McDaniel's team is not feared for any physical trait other than those having to do with speed – which is a finesse trait.
What Miami Lineman Is Dominant?
The problem is sometimes, to win matchups, bigger, stronger, and tougher is better.
Physical teams typically have offensive lines that push people around. They typically have defensive front seven players that mangle and manhandle people.
What dominant, pile moving offensive lineman has the Miami personnel department delivered? Who is Miami's Trent Williams or Quenton Nelson or Creed Humphrey? Dolphins GM Chris Grier has actually boasted how Miami's approach on the offensive line is smart.
And who is the guy on that defensive front who is intimidating to other teams? Calais Campbell? Maybe, but he's not 25 or even 35 years old anymore.
As to the secondary, the NFL has worked hard to rein in physicality in that area of the field. Jalen Ramsey is a very physical player, but there are no defensive back headhunters in the NFL anymore because when they show up, they get fined, or ejected, or worse.
Ramsey is busy covering people down the field. So, barring the too rare blitz, he's not assigned the line of scrimmage.
All of this is working in cahoots to make Miami seem, well, soft.
Dec 5, 1982; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Dolphins guard Bob Kuechenberg (67) on the field against the Minnesota Vikings at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Why Is Bob Kuechenberg Snubbed?
Q. Armando, first and foremost happy holiday season.
My question is, do you know the reason the NFL Hall of Fame senior committee keeps snubbing Bob Kuechenberg for enshrinement?
--Orlando Alonso
A. Orlando, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The short answer is I don't know why Kuechenberg got passed over again this year, while the committee picked Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer. Kuechenberg reached the semifinalist stage.
In the past I've heard committee members whisper that Kuechenberg got numerous opportunities to make the HOF as a modern-era player and those long-ago selectors didn't vote him in. And that works against him.
But I see his career versus that of Tyrer and I see a player who played against the best of the best his entire career – in the NFL. Tyrer played the first nine of his 14-year career in the AFL and, frankly, the talent level was not the same as what Kuechenberg faced in a merged league.
Tyrer played offensive tackle. Kooch was a guard. And tackles are more valuable. It's hard to weigh the careers one against the other.
And there's one more thing: Tyrer murdered his wife in 1980.
Nov 28, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions in the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Why Da Bears?
Q. Good afternoon,
Why would anyone take the head coaching job in Chicago if Kevin Warren is running the team? He tried to cancel football for the Big 10 and Joel Klatt and Clay Travis talked him back to playing football. He shouldn't be allowed to have any thoughts or inputs on the new coach.
– William Moore
A. Good day. The Bears are about to embark on a coaching search in which they will offer someone one of only 32 jobs in the world. And they will pay handsomely for someone accepting.
The offer a chance to guide a team that has a relatively good roster, comes complete with a developmental quarterback that could blossom into a star under the right tutelage, and a front office that is solid at finding good players.
The search will be run by general manager Ryan Poles, not Warren. Will Warren be involved to a degree? Yes. But Warren is a business guy, not a football guy. He's not going to be telling the coach who to play and not play. No one is.
Those are reasons someone would love to be the Bears' next coach.