According to New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, the Dolphins defensive coordinator and former Bengals defensive backs coach has implemented a look to the Miami defense that very much resembles that of his former employer.
"There’s a 3-4 element to it with some over and under, if you will, like the Bengals play," Belichick told reporters Tuesday, via Patriots.com regarding Miami's defense. "It’s a three-man line, but it’s a four-man line – Baltimore, Cincinnati-ish." (photo: June Rivera, Flickr)
Belichick will take his top-ranked offense to South Beach to challenge Coyle's pressure-packed unit, which Belichick says gives opponents many different looks throughout games.
The Dolphins' ability to mix up coverages and blitzes shows in their opponents' completion percentage, which is sixth-lowest in the league at 58.1 percent. Also, Miami has accumulated 29 sacks.
"... they do a lot of different blitz zones with their inside linebackers up on the line a lot," Belichick said. "Again, like Cincinnati does, but that combined with edge pressure and it’s a combination of blitz zone with some man pressure with a variety of coverages."
Eleven different Dolphin defenders have pitched in on sacks, led by Cameron Wake's 9.5.
"Of course, they have two very good edge players with Koa Misi (pictured) and Wake," Belichick said. "They have some big, physical inside players, like [Jared] Odrick and [Paul] Soliai, [Randy] Starks and a couple active linebackers, [Kevin] Burnett and [Karlos] Dansby.
"I think personnel-wise they’re kind of similar to Cincinnati and scheme-wise, they’re similar to Cincinnati. George Edwards is their linebackers coach and of course he was there last year and was up in Buffalo prior to that, so he definitely has some background in the 3-4 and those types of schemes too. I think there’s a little bit of that influence as well."
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