There’s one big concern for both the Cowboys & Dolphins | Zero Blitz
Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz is joined by former NFL executive Mike Lombardi to look ahead to this week’s monster showdown in Miami and why both playoff contenders have reason to worry as the regular season winds down. Hear the full conversation on the “Zero Blitz” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
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JASON FITZ: Put context for me around Dallas and Miami because I feel like we could call both of them frauds. So, like, what are we supposed to make of them at this point?
MICHAEL LOMBARDI: The biggest issue with both teams is in their offensive line. I mean, Dallas goes into Buffalo, and Buffalo's defensive line comes to life. And they're able to put pressure on Dak. They couldn't run the ball, and it took over the game.
Miami, whenever they play against a good team with a front that creates some problems, there it goes. One of the reasons why Dallas hasn't played well on the road is because I truly believe this is one of my pet peeves in football, bad lines don't travel. When you have a bad offensive line, and you go on the road, you typically don't play well.
Now, I think Dallas has an average line, but it becomes below average on the road. And I think Miami's the same thing. When they have to play a good team on the road, that line starts to show up, and they can't really fluff their way through.
So I think the winner of this game, we're going to sit there and say, well, they finally beat a good team. But my thing is, have they? Have they really beaten a good team? Are either one of these teams really good? Or are they just really good offensively?
JASON FITZ: So bad lines don't travel. Why?
MICHAEL LOMBARDI: Because of the snap count. What's the number one advantage in all of football? The snap count, right?
So, when you can hear the snap count, the offense gets on the ball. When you go on the road, it's hard to hear the snap count. You're on a silent count. Your linemen are a little bit more tentative. They don't come off the ball with explosiveness, right?
So now, the game is even. The game is even when the snap count is no longer in the favor of the offense-- it then favors the defense. I mean, how many times you've watched games, Fitz, where the quarterback doesn't change the snap count and the defense gets off on the ball, and they look like they're offside?
Well, that's the quarterback. He hasn't changed the snap count. So now, the defense is rhythm and it gives them the advantage. So, when you're a bad line and you don't have that offensive ability to get the snap count in your favor, it's a problem.