Dolphins offense balancing patience, aggressiveness in search of explosive pass plays

It took almost four quarters but the Dolphins offense finally found some success throwing the ball downfield in Sunday’s overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Facing fourth-and-8, quarterback Jacoby Brissett connected with wide receiver DeVante Parker for a 15-yard gain to continue the game-tying drive. Later in overtime, Brissett found tight end Mike Gesicki for a 27-yard gain on fourth-and-20 that continued another pressure-filled possession.

Those two completions marked Miami’s biggest gains through the air and plays that have been few and far between through three games of the 2021 season.

The Dolphins’ passing offense is averaging 175.7 yards per game and 5 yards per attempt, which ranks 29th and 31st, respectively. Against Las Vegas, Brissett threw for 215 yards on 49 attempts, an average of 4.3 yards per attempt. According to Pro Football Focus, 54 percent of Brissett’s attempts were short of the first-down marker.

Both Brissett and co-offensive coordinator Eric Studesville said part of the lack of deep attempts and completions was the Raiders’ defense — a primarily Cover 3 scheme — which aims to limit the amount of explosive passing plays from an opposing offense.

“We did take some shots at the end of that game the other day in Las Vegas,” Studesville said Tuesday, “but we’re always trying to find explosive plays. We’re constantly talking about it, we’re trying to put them in. We’re trying to get them. But we’re limited at times because of what the defense gives us. So, we have to call them at the right time and we have to be prepared and we have to dial those up when we think we have the best chance to execute those.”

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Brissett and Tua Tagovailoa rank in the bottom third of qualified passers in average completed air yards, at 4 and 4.5 yards, respectively. These numbers are more concerning considering the additions made in the offseason, which included drafting receiver Jaylen Waddle and signing Will Fuller, who made his team debut against Las Vegas and caught three passes for 20 yards.

Waddle caught 12 passes for 58 yards against the Raiders, the fewest receiving yards for any non-running back with 12 or more catches in a game since 1950, according to Pro Football Reference. Waddle’s average target air yards — defined as the yards downfield at the time of all passing attempts that the receiver is the target — is 3.8, eighth fewest out of 126 wide receivers and tight ends with at least eight targets, according to Next Gen Stats.

Sunday’s home game against the Indianapolis Colts could provide an opportunity to find some rare success passing downfield. Indianapolis is allowing the fourth-most yards per attempt (9.1) and rated 29th in pass defense efficiency by Football Outsiders.

“I think every week you’re trying to create explosive plays offensively,” coach Brian Flores said Monday. “Once you get in the game, you have to take what they give you. Oftentimes, most teams are trying to limit the big plays and you have to have good execution to create explosive plays. Every team wants them. We try to get them and we had a couple opportunities for them. We got the ball downfield. Didn’t make as many as we needed to win the game and we’ll always work to try to create more.”

This and that

▪ Studesville said the coaching staff — he didn’t say whether it was him or co-offensive George Godsey — made the call on the pass that resulted in a safety against the Raiders. He added that Waddle was an eligible receiver and one of Brissett’s reads.

▪ Left Jackson Austin Jackson “played better” against the Raiders, Studesville said, “but we’re still continually working, and he’s going to continue to work and we’re going to continue to work with him to get better and improve so that we do get the level of play that not only he expects from himself but that we want from him, also.”

▪ Studesville said the coaching staff wanted to create more of a role for running back Malcolm Brown, who started against Las Vegas and played 34 snaps, carrying the ball seven times for 31 yards and a 24-yard touchdown. “We’ll continue to evaluate that [snap count] each week like we do as what we think gives us the best chance to run the ball as well as with protection and things,” Studesville said.