Offensive Versatility
I took a decent amount of heat for it in the off-season, but I’ve been adamant that the Miami Dolphins offense improved over the 2017 team, and not only because of Ryan Tannehill. I’ve felt strongly that the Jarvis Landry move was addition by subtraction. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the guy. I loved the fire and energy he brought to the team. I loved how consistent his hands were.
But at the end of the day, he was limited. He became a handcuff for the offense that limited what the team could do, particularly when they had to play from behind. I wish him all the best in Cleveland, but I’m positive the team is better in his absence. Today’s performances by Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola make me even more secure in that opinion. They both bring facets to the offense from the slot position that Landry just couldn’t.
Danny Amendola brings a championship pedigree and attitude to the locker room. He’s been there, done that, and knows what it means to be the best. In a locker room that’s trying to change the culture, that kind of experience is pivotal. Beyond what he brings to the locker room, we saw today what we’ve been seeing kill us for years. A clever route runner gashing teams across the middle. That’s never been Landry’s game, but it is ‘Dola’s.
The bigger change to the Dolphins offense come from the addition of Albert Wilson, and that was on full display today. Wilson lined up in both the slot and as an outside receiver, letting us give the defense multiple confusing looks. Adding to the versatility, we even saw Wilson take a couple of snaps lined up in the backfield.
When you can keep opposing defenses on their toes questioning what’s coming next is a huge boon to your offense. The offense wasn’t firing on all cylinders today, but I saw some very good signs for the rest of the season. Now it’s time to build on that and get an early-season victory over a division rival.
On to the Jets!