Apparently, $114 million doesn't buy what it used to. Like a player who's all in with his coaches, for example.
The Miami Dolphins lost to the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Sunday, and though their defense played better in the second half (three points, 123 yards and six first downs allowed, stops on six of seven third downs) than it had in the first (20 points, 273 yards and 13 first downs allowed, stops on just three of seven third downs), it wasn't because Ndamukong Suh was playing as coordinator Kevin Coyle wants. Not the entire time anyway.
The Miami Herald reported Monday that Suh, who signed a six-year, $114 million free-agent deal with the Dolphins in March, didn't stick to Coyle's script.
Wrote reporter Adam Beasley: "Suh freelanced at time on Sunday, creating confusion for the defense. By taking matters into his own hands, the Dolphins' $114 million man took a bad situation and made it worse."
Suh, who averaged over seven sacks per season in Detroit, has been credited with two solo tackles and one assist in two games with Miami, with no sacks. With Suh in the middle of their defenisve line last year, the Lions allowed just 69.3 rushing yards per game; Miami is allowing 142 yards per through two games (up from 121 last season).
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And Suh isn't interested in explaining why he's yet to make an impact.
“I couldn’t tell you,” Suh said, when asked to explain his uninspired play. “At the end of the day, we have to go back to the drawing board and figure out what we want to run so guys can make plays and go from there.”
On Monday afternoon, Miami coach Joe Philbin disputed the report of Suh freelancing, saying he watched the game tape with the defensive coaching staff and "didn't see anything of the sort."
It might be early for Miami to have buyer's remorse with Suh, but he skipped the majority of the team's offseason program, nearly found himself in hot water with the league again in Week 1 after making contact with Washington's Alfred Morris, and now is freelancing on the field. Not a great start to the relationship.
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