How the Dolphins plan to respond after opposing defenses solved their explosive offense with unique game plans in 2024

"So much of what we've done now is just become: 'Okay, this is our fundamentals. This is our technique. It doesn't matter what they do. This is how we own this.' And we have to be ready to react post-snap. A significant amount of what we talk about across every position is how we react post-snap, because of the amount of unpredictability that we get," said Slowik.

"That would be here more than anywhere. That's been a part of where this...scheme has gone for three, four years now, but in Miami in particular. I mean, even just going through those last three, four years of film, I mean there, there's some stuff you're just kind of shaking your head at. The only way you can answer those is that you're just so in tune with what your responsibility is, what your role is, what your technique is, where your eyes need to be, and how you react to that."

The simplified book on the Dolphins is that teams press the corners to disrupt the timing of the passing game, play two-high safety shells to limit the explosive plays, and dare the Dolphins to have more talent in the trenches (and the patience) to win in the run game.

They simply weren't engineered to win that way in 2024. The Dolphins have made it clear with their offseason plan for 2025. Adding more explosive blockers like Jonah Savaiinaea, James Daniels, and Larry Borom to their offensive line (as starters and, in Borom's case, the swing tackle) is notable.

So is the interest in more physical skill players like running back Ollie Gordon II and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. To counter the simplified version of what people associate with Miami's shortcomings, it's rather simple. Be more physical against light boxes to pull an extra safety down into the box and force the perimeter coverage to soften up.

But football, of course, isn't always that simple. That prognostication is one that will undoubtedly help the Dolphins. The challenges Slowik is referring to are something that Tua Tagovailoa touched on during his Wednesday press availability, too.

"I would say a lot of the things that gave us problems (last year) were the 'tricky twos' and we’ve made that a point of emphasis and how we want to attack that, how we want to look at that, and just it’s more so vision for the quarterback off of actions," said Tagovailoa. "How we’re looking at seeing that, especially with the post player being the 'run-through' guy, so we know we’re going to be getting a lot of that, a lot of two-man.”

What Tagovailoa is referring to is inverted Cover 2 rotations in which the opponent will show one high safety at the snap, but then invert the coverage and drop two other defenders into deep halves of the field while buzzing the high safety (the post player) down into the middle of the field to cut Miami's in-breaking routes. That's exactly what happened in Week 15 when Texans safety Calen Bullock jumped a Tagovailoa pass just before half in a major momentum swing.

Miami's unique style of play has bred a unique counter to their offense. Several members of the organization have highlighted how challenging it can be to prepare for an opponent when the game plan Miami sees each week has become dramatically more different from the one teams are putting on tape for everyone else.

"It’s always tough because I think we are a nuance to (opponents) where they might show one thing against us but never show it again against another team, and then that’s how other teams build off of, ‘OK, if this team found success against the Dolphins, then maybe we can try that but add to it.' So I would say week to week is always going to be a challenge," said Tagovailoa. "But you go off of the base and the  fundamentals of what their defensive structure is, and then you go from there and you build off of that.”

Miami has seen the league come up with its own counterpunch to Miami's uniquely built offense. How the team responds and punches back in 2025 will go a long way in determining the future of the Miami Dolphins. Slowik gave us our first peek behind the curtain, and we now know what the basis of their focus has been this offseason — to set themselves up for success. Miami needs to be sharper with its post-snap reactions. It'll get its first chance to prove it is on Sunday.

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