Dolphins bye week review: Charting the team’s offensive personnel package tendencies

The Miami Dolphins are in the middle of their bye week, using the time to get healthy, fix some of the mistakes they have made, and tighten up the offense and defense as it has evolved during the season. It also means there is time for us as fans to take a breath and get ready for the nine games the team has in the second half of the year. We also have a chance to take a deeper look at the team.

Today, we are charting the Dolphins’ offensive tendencies in formation- and play-types, based on down and distance.

First Down

Obviously, the Dolphins are typically needing 10 yards on first down, running 171 plays from the down-and-distance. They have also had two 1st-and-2, one 1st-and-4, three 1st-and-5, two 1st-and-6, one 1st-and-9, and three 1st-and-20. On first down, the Dolphins have used three wide receivers and one tight end 132 times, with two wide receivers and two tight ends on the field 32 times, one wide receiver with three tight ends 7 times, one wide receiver and two tight ends 5 times, two wide receivers and one tight end 5 times, three wide receivers and two tight ends 1 time, and four wide receivers and one tight end 1 time.

Miami runs the ball slight more than they pass on first down, with 96 running plays (56 percent) and 87 passing plays (44 percent).

Breaking it down further, we find:

1st-and-2 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 1 runs
• 1 pass
• 0.50 average yards per play gained - 6th in NFL

1st-and-4 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 4.00 averaged yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

1st-and-6 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• (-5.00) average yards per play gained - 31st in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 2.00 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

1st-and-9 (1 play)

3 WR, 2 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

1st-and-10 (132 plays)

2 WR, 1 TE (4 plays)

• 4 runs
• 0 passes
• 7.00 average yards per play gained - 6th in NFL

3 WR, 1 TE (123 plays)

• 59 runs
• 64 passes
• 6.70 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

4 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 7.00 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

1 WR, 2 TE (5 plays)

• 4 runs
• 1 pass
• 1.80 average yards per play gained - 16th in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (31 plays)

• 19 runs
• 12 passes
• 8.00 average yards per play gained - 5th in NFL

1 WR, 3 TE (7 plays)

• 5 runs
• 2 passes
• 4.00 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

1st-and-20 (3 plays)

2 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 5.00 average yards per play gained

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 0 runs
• 2 passes
• 6.00 average yards per play gained - 9th in NFL

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Second Down

Miami has run 132 second-down plays, with 32 of those coming with 10 yards to go. The other downs and distances include seven plays in 2nd-and-1, six plays in 2nd-and-2, six plays in 2nd-and-3, seven plays in 2nd-and-4, 11 plays in 2nd-and-5, ten plays in 2nd-and-6, fourteen plays in 2nd-and-7, 16 plays in 2nd-and-8, six plays in 2nd-and-9, six plays in 2nd-and-11, one play at 2nd-and-12, two plays at 2nd-and-13, one play at 2nd-and-14, two plays at 2nd-and-15, two plays at 2nd-and-16, one play at 2nd-and-19, and two plays at 2nd-and-20.

Miami passes more often in second down, with 73 passes or 55 percent of the time, than they run the ball, 59 times.

The down and distance breakdown by formation type is:

2nd-and-1 (7 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (4 plays)

• 2 runs
• 2 passes
• (-0.50) average yards per play gained - 32nd in NFL

1 WR, 2 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 2.00 average yards per play gained - 3rd in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 2.00 average yards per play gained - 19th in NFL

0 WR, 3 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 1.00 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

2nd-and-2 (6 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (5 plays)

• 1 run
• 4 passes
• 10.00 average yards per play gained - 5th in NFL

1 WR, 3 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 1.00 average yards per play gained - 10th in NFL

2nd-and-3 (6 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (3 plays)

• 0 runs
• 3 passes
• (-2.00) averaged yards per play gained - 30th in NFL

4 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 74.00 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (2 plays)

• 2 runs
• 0 passes
• 1.50 average yards per play gained - 18th in NFL

2nd-and-4 (7 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (5 plays)

• 4 runs
• 1 pass
• 4.20 average yards per play gained - 21st in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (2 plays)

• 2 runs
• 0 passes
• 3.00 average yards per play gained - 15th in NFL

2nd-and-5 (11 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (9 plays)

• 3 runs
• 6 passes
• 6.78 average yards per play gained - 12th in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (2 plays)

• 1 run
• 1 pass
• 2.00 averages yards per play gained - 13th in NFL

2nd-and-6 (10 plays)

2 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 18th in NFL

3 WR, 1 TE (9 plays)

• 5 runs
• 4 passes
• 12.56 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

2nd-and-7 (14 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (11 plays)

• 4 runs
• 7 passes
• 6.73 average yards per play gained - 12th in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (3 plays)

• 2 runs
• 1 pass
• 1.67 average yards per play gained - 26th in NFL

2nd-and-8 (16 plays)

2 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 1.00 average yards per play gained - 17th in NFL

3 WR, 1 TE (11 plays)

• 4 runs
• 7 passes
• 7.36 average yards per play gained - 13th in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (4 plays)

• 1 runs
• 3 passes
• 15.25 average yards per play gained - 3rd in NFL

2nd-and-9 (6 plays)

3 WR, 0 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 4.00 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

3 WR, 1 TE (3 plays)

• 1 run
• 2 passes
• 4.67 average yards per play gained - 17th in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (2 plays)

• 0 runs
• 2 passes
• 16.00 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

2nd-and-10 (32 plays)

1 WR, 0 TE (1 play)

• 0 run
• 1 pass
• 28.00 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

3 WR, 1 TE (27 plays)

• 12 runs
• 15 passes
• 4.37 average yards per play gained - 24th in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (3 plays)

• 3 runs
• 0 passes
• 0.33 average yards per play gained - 26th in NFL

1 WR, 3 TE (1 play)

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 9.00 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

2nd-and-11 (6 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (6 plays)

• 1 run
• 5 passes
• 7.50 average yards per play gained - 13th in NFL

2nd-and-12 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• (-2.00) average yards per play gained - 29th in NFL

2nd-and-13 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 1 run
• 1 pass
• 4.00 average yards per play gained - 10th in NFL

2nd-and-14 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 19th in NFL

2nd-and-15 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 1 run
• 1 pass
• (-3.50) average yards per play gained - 31st in NFL

2nd-and-16 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 1 run
• 1 pass
• 3.00 average yards per play gained - 11th in NFL

2nd-and-19 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 9.00 average yards per play gained - 6th in NFL

2nd-and-20 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 1 run
• 1 pass
• 24.50 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

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Third Down

The Dolphins do not always do a good job of converting on third down, a fact that, at least early in the season, led to the defense playing way too many snaps and Miami being dominated in the time of possession column. With the healthy return of the team’s starting five offensive linemen, this appears to be changing, but it is an area to watch throughout the remainder of the season.

Miami has played 82 offensive snaps on third down, with 70 of those, or a little over 85 percent of them, being passes. The other 12 were, obviously, running plays. The team also has been all over the field in terms of distance to go on third down, with twelve plays with 1 yard to gain, five with 2 yards to go, two with 3 yards, five with 4 yards, nine with 5 yards, eleven with 6 yards, nine with 7 yards, four with 8 yards, four with 9 yards, six with 10 yards, three with 12 yards, four with 13 yards, two with 14 yards, two with 15 yards, one with 16 yards, one with 18 yards, one with 19 yards, and one with 24 yards.

Breaking it all down:

3rd-and-1 (12 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (3 plays)

• 2 runs
• 1 pass
• 10.67 average yards per play gained - 2nd in NFL

0 WR, 2 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 10.00 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

2 WR, 2 TE (3 plays)

• 0 runs
• 3 passes
• 12.33 average yards per play gained - 1st in NFL

1 WR, 3 TE (5 plays)

• 4 runs
• 1 pass
• 1.20 average yards per play gained - 12th in NFL

3rd-and-2 (5 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (5 plays)

• 2 runs
• 3 passes
• 5.00 average yards per play gained - 14th in NFL

3rd-and-3 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 0 runs
• 2 passes
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 29th in NFL

3rd-and-4 (5 plays)

3 WR, 0 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 3rd in NFL

3 WR, 1 TE (4 plays)

• 0 runs
• 4 passes
• 1.50 average yards per play gained - 27th in NFL

3rd-and-5 (9 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (9 plays)

• 0 runs
• 9 passes
• 2.44 average yards per play gained - 27th in NFL

3rd-and-6 (11 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (11 plays)

• 2 runs
• 9 passes
• 10.91 average yards per play gained - 6th in NFL

3rd-and-7 (9 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (9 plays)

• 0 runs
• 9 passes
• 7.56 average yards per play gained - 10th in NFL

3rd-and-8 (4 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (4 plays)

• 0 runs
• 4 passes
• 2.75 average yards per play gained - 22nd in NFL

3rd-and-9 (4 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (4 plays)

• 0 runs
• 4 passes
• 8.75 average yards per play gained - 9th in NFL

3rd-and-10 (6 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (6 plays)

• 0 runs
• 6 passes
• (-2.17) average yards per play gained - 32nd in NFL

3rd-and-12 (3 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (3 plays)

• 1 run
• 2 passes
• (-0.67) average yards per play gained - 31st in NFL

3rd-and-13 (4 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (4 plays)

• 1 run
• 3 passes
• 5.75 average yards per play gained - 7th in NFL

3rd-and-14 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 0 runs
• 2 passes
• 7.00 average yards per play gained - 11th in NFL

3rd-and-15 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE (2 plays)

• 0 runs
• 2 passes
• 5.50 average yards per play gained - 13th in NFL

3rd-and-16 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 6.00 average yards per play gained - 6th in NFL

3rd-and-18 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 10.00 average yards per play gained - 9th in NFL

3rd-and-19 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• (-8.00) average yards per play gained - 32nd in NFL

3rd-and-24 (1 play)

3 WR, 1 TE (1 play)

• 0 runs
• 1 pass
• 12.00 average yards per play gained - 3rd in NFL

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Fourth Down

Miami has gone for it on fourth down three times this year. They have attempted the conversion once from a 4th-and-1 down and distance, and twice from 4th-and-5. They have not converted on any of the three attempts.

4th-and-1 (1 play)

2 WR, 2 TE

• 1 run
• 0 passes
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 3rd in NFL

4th-and-5 (2 plays)

3 WR, 1 TE

• 0 runs
• 2 passes
• 0.00 average yards per play gained - 4th in NFL

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Snaps by personnel package

The Dolphins have run exactly 400 offensive snaps this year. Of those, 77.5 percent have been from a three wide receiver, one tight end formation. The second most common formation is the use of a two wide receiver, two tight end formation, which is on the field 13.8 percent of the time. After that, everything drops to below 5 percent of the plays.