Steve Mariucci questions Dolphins’ play call on their last fourth-down
Play-calling has been an issue for the Miami Dolphins all season. It started with the co-offensive coordinators and quarterback coach all being involved in the process to a, now, more streamlined approach.
George Godsey is calling in plays directly to the quarterback, but that hasn’t fixed the issue.
With less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter of a tied game, the Dolphins had an opportunity to go for the first-down on fourth-and-one. The play that they ran involved running back Malcolm Brown receiving a hand-off on a zone running play while standing next to Tua Tagovailoa.
Brown didn’t make it back to the line, and possession was turned over to Jacksonville on Miami’s side of the field.
Fans questioned the call, and so did former 49ers head coach and current analyst Steve Mariucci on “NFL Gameday Morning” on NFL Network.
“I don’t want to second guess any offense or anybody, but I’m going to do it,” Mariucci said. “It drives me a little bit nuts… when you’re in shotgun in a one-back set with short yardage, either third-and-one, fourth-and-one, or on the goal line. I prefer under the center, quarterback sneak. Tom Brady has about six million first downs with that, and then you can just slam it in there a little bit better.”
Mariucci is spot on with this assessment. This wasn’t the play that would have given the Dolphins the best opportunity to convert. Brown needed less than a yard to keep the drive alive, but he wasn’t able to get any momentum on his way to hit the line hard and fall forward if needed.
It also doesn’t help when the same play-call also has backup tight end Durham Smythe blocking edge rusher Josh Allen who promptly hit Brown in the backfield and effectively ended the play.
The calls need to be better, and Godsey needs to be better.
