Numbers Don't Lie: Miami Dolphins' Wildcat Formation Was Deceptive Last Year, But Now Sucks
by Matt Birch on Oct 26, 2010 5:36 PM EDT
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PrintCertain offensive formations and schemes are used in college football only, as defenders are much more athletic and powerful at the professional level. Athletes in the NFL have much better closing speed.
The Miami Dolphins never received that memo, and they thought they had found something with the Wildcat formation. You know, that gimmicky look which attempts to stretch out defenses because the team doesn't have enough receiving threats to do so. The type of formation you operate out of no more than five times per game, so as to not give your opponent film to study in how to defend against it.
"It doesn't matter," Dolphins' coaching staff said. "They still won't be able to stop it!" Well, as laughable as that was last year, it's even more comical now.
Mike Berardino of the Sun-Sentinel has been keeping track of the Dolphins' Wildcat formation Vs. Jets' Tigercat (or Seminole, as he refers to it), and it's clear which has been more effective this season. (numbers do not include Miami's previous game Vs. Pittsburgh)
For the year, the Dolphins have produced just 27 yards on 16 Wildcat rushes (1.7-yard average), plus another Brown incompletion. Just one first down has come out of the Wildcat.
Even more troubling, five Wildcat rushes - nearly one in three attempts - have gone for a loss (including the past two) and another went for no gain.
The Jets, meanwhile, are averaging a robust 6.5 yards on their 15 Seminole rushes, including five first downs. Plus, Smith, who also plays wide receiver and returns kicks, threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller in Buffalo.
That's a total of 101 yards of production for the Seminole, or nearly four times what the Wildcat has produced so far this year for the Dolphins on one extra snap.
So, Miami coaching staff who clearly thought they were the exception to the rule here, your ignorance has done you in. Yes, there is too much of a good thing. You effectively killed any deceptiveness your gimmicky formation had in the first place: congratulations.
Tigercat > Wildcat
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For the year, the Dolphins have produced just 27 yards on 16 Wildcat rushes (1.7-yard average), plus another Brown incompletion. Just one first down has come out of the Wildcat.
Sounds a little bit like the non-success of the max, overload all out blitz of the Jets this year.
"Sometimes it's the people. Any player can play defense, but not every player will play defense. Sometimes it's a lack of perseverance." - A. Johnson
Brad Smith makes the differance
I’m a big Tigercat guy, LT and Brad Smith are great in this offense, I’m looking for the Jets to feature it more. It is a great changeup, it gives Sanchez a break, it gets the running game going, another version of Ground and Pound
Brad Smith is The Man
Brad Smith’s incredible versatility makes the TigerCat much harder to defend than the WildCat. Ronnie and Ricky are both excellent runners and Brown has been know to heave a half decent pass but Smith is probably faster than either, has a much better arm (8,000 yds passing in college) and THINKS like a quarterback. The ‘fins thought Pat White would bring those qualities to their ‘cat but he’s been a tame kitty. Someone’s gonna try to steal Brad away from us in free agency and I expect his next contract will make him quite wealthy.
Is it the wildcat or
Is Ricky Williams just getting a bit long in the tooth? He seems to have lost a step in general, so in the wildcat he would be even less effective. I’m glad it’s days are numbered, but I just wonder if they would be if Williams had more pop.
by Bruce B on Oct 26, 2010 6:49 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Actually
The stats at NFL.com have Ronnie Brown ranked 26th and Ricky Williams 34th. Clearly that doesn’t put the Dolphins best out on the field.
by Bruce B on Oct 26, 2010 6:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
If you're wondering
LT is 10th, and Shonn Greene is 23rd.
by Bruce B on Oct 26, 2010 6:59 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Certainly...
I think its more the fact that Brown and Williams are not the players they were the last two year, age and injury is a huge part of why it’s failing.
I think teams have caught on now just play the run when a team goes into the wildcat. Without checking the stats I’d bet that the wildcat production was down across the league.
I can tell you from watching the Eagles that even with Vick in the backfield (before Kolb went down) their Wildcat looked horrible. And obviously when you play the Wildcat as the Eagles you have Vick’s ability to run and LeSean McCoy as another threat in that backfield.
Teams are daring Wildcat offenses to throw, which most teams using it won’t do. The Jets version of it works because the Jets have an insane offensive line.
Even Thomas Pock can't believe someone thinks he's an NHL talent.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
you hit it on the head
the wildcat doesn’t work because teams don’t throw out of it. that’s what makes it more dangerous in the hands of a brad smith or Vick – they have to respect the pass. ronnie brown is no dan marino! just load up on the line and have at it.
Yes, I am a Giants fan. Now that we got that out of the way....
IMPEACH DOLAN!!!!
But the Jets don’t throw out of it either. Smith is 3 for 5 Career. This season he’s 1 for 1. Philly’s wildcat even with Vick (who can obviously throw) was painfully bad to watch.
What I’m saying is that the Jets offensive line is so good, the Jets can run it from any formation.
Even Thomas Pock can't believe someone thinks he's an NHL talent.
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Let it die...
Then Jon Gruden can’t say it 4,000 times in any game it’s used. “H-h-hey… how ’bout that wildcat, Jaws?”
Perhaps its a case of too many options...
but I’m surprised they haven’t put LT under center yet. His passing stats in the NFL have been impressive in limited duty. 146.9 QB rating with 7 TDs and no INTs’
Went to check but yes, surprising
Check it out here, some of them were pretty long too
"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
-Adam Savage
by blueandorange4life on Oct 26, 2010 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
Right on judge I feel the same. In another post I mentioned how good LT was passing and taking the snap could really open up the run too if they knew the threat of the pass. The same with smith they should pass more with him in the tiger, he a good passer too. That would open it up for us and keep other defenses on their heels.
Calling the Seminole
this is one of my big pet peeves. It’s named after the college of the people running it. It started at Northwestern, so the Wildcat. We had Leon Washington in it, so we called ours the Seminole. Now Brad Smith is the main weapon, we it’s the Tiger…cat. Get it right.
David Eckstein: so gritty they would eat him in the south for breakfast with some butter and sprinkle cheese.
Definitely hear you on that
I quoted his article, though, so can’t change his words around. He referred to it as Seminole in his article.
I mean I can…. but the Sun-Sentinel can sue my ass, lol.
Gang Green Nation Managing Editor --- covering all things NY Jets!
SB Nation(.Com) Contributing Writer
Miami uses the wildcat too much and in critical situations.
Teams spend alot of time preping for it now because the Phins are so dependant on it. The Jets are not so dependant on the success of the wildcat. So I would wager teams don’t spend as much time getting ready to defend Smith.
Also, when you use the wildcat as much as Miami does it’s bound to spread a seed of doubt with the rest of the skill players on the offense. Using it with that much repetition can really hurt an offenses rhythm.
In short the Wildcat can be a curse if not handled the right way. I believe Miami is finding that out at this moment.
by colinyoung on Oct 26, 2010 9:29 PM EDT reply actions
The phins wildcat has no threat of passing so teams just keyed on the run and they suck now.
We have to pass some in our tiger to really keep the defenses thinking. With Smith a real good passer and LT a pretty good passer, we can really open things up once in awhile.
Exactly.
With no receiving threat, safeties can cheat up and LBs can stay at home and plug the gaps.
Gang Green Nation Managing Editor --- covering all things NY Jets!
SB Nation(.Com) Contributing Writer
The strange thing os
That Thigpen can be used in the same way Brad Smith is, yet we refuse to do so.
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
""It only ends once. Everything that comes before is just progress"
The Dolphins havent used it in 2 games
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
""It only ends once. Everything that comes before is just progress"
Then your team finaly woke up and realized it was time to move.
Either way, you make my point for me.
by colinyoung on Oct 27, 2010 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions
So how is the Tigercat any less of a gimmick?
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
""It only ends once. Everything that comes before is just progress"
Like I have said:
Brad Smith is what Pat White should have been, with a 30 pound difference
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
""It only ends once. Everything that comes before is just progress"
I really was shocked when you took him that high.
In an Ideal world I would have all ten fingers on my left hand so my right hand could just be a fist for punching.
We should have taken a WR or a LB
2009 NY Phin PhansFantasy League Champion
2009 Best Regular Season Record in NYPPL.
2010 The Jim Mandich NewsFlash Award Winner.
""It only ends once. Everything that comes before is just progress"
Wat is the difference bwtn the Jets semiole formation as oppose to miamis?
by JragonEyez on Oct 27, 2010 1:07 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Tigercat versus the Wildcat
My perception of Miami’s wildcat is that it is basically Single Wing Football with a man in motion.The man in motion runs accross the formation and Ronnie Brown gives him the ball or usually fakes it, and begins his run with an extra blocker. The Wildcat is the Ronnie Brown show, he takes the ball seven yards deep and finds a hole. The Dolphins have run some gimmicks, like a double pass, but essentially it is a great running back taking a direct snap and running to daylight.
The Jets run the Tigercat out of many different formations including an I formation, which looks like the Jet regular offense. The last couple of games, they have run out of a “Pistol Formation”, the formation used in spread offenses in colleges accross the nation. This formation allows the Jets to put three premium players in their backfield, Brad Smith, Shonne Green and LT, and put each of them in a position to excell. Remember a Pistol formation is a passing formation with two receivers split wide. The Jets start with an unbalanced line, the first option after the ball is snapped to Smith , seven yard from center is a cross buck to Greene hitting off the strong side of the unbalanced line, the second option is Brad Smith running to the weakside, finding a hole or continuing down the line of scrimmage, and deciding on keeping or pitching to an all pro RB in LT as the third option. It is option football and Smith did it well while at Missouri. Just for fun Watch either Navy or Air Force play option football, then think about it behind the Jet offensive line…
by JetOrange on Oct 27, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I saw this link on SI.com and was wondering...
why are you writing about this?? Don’t the Jets have an upcoming game this week against someone other than Miami?
Most Dolphins fans I know including me know that the Wildcat has run its course, and has not been effective this year. That’s why they haven’t used it in 2 games. You’re not exactly providing breaking news here.
Second, the Wildcat is the opposite of a gimmick. It is a formation that has been around since the 20’s. Formations don’t get any simpler than the Wildcat. The Wildcat is so simple it makes the I-formation look like a gimmick.
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