Touchdown Maker Hill Focuses On Ball Control

The receiving yards and touchdown leader believes Miami must utilize longer drives to reach the next level.

Jun 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) shakes hands with quarterback Mike White (14) during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Dolphins eight-time Pro Bowl receiver Tyreek Hill, arguably the premier deep threat in the NFL, put on his offensive coordinator hat in the offseason and said earlier this week that for the team to get to the next level, the Miami Dolphins offense needs to pound out longer scoring drives instead of quick-strike touchdowns.

His logic suggests that long drives tire opposing defenses while keeping the Dolphins' sixth-ranked defense fresher for the latter part of games.

"I feel like we have to be able to stay on the field," said Hill, who tied for the NFL lead with 29 catches for 20 or more yards and led the league with nine catches for 40 yards or more. "Third downs are huge downs for us. For us, it's either boom or bust. We're one of those teams that if we don't have the long ball, it's like, 'Ah hell, [it's going to be] a long game.'

"So for us having a target like [Odell Beckham, Jr.] having a guy like Jonnu Smith on our team that can help extend those drives; are going to be huge. Even having a healthy [De'Von] Achane, having a healthy [Jaylen] Waddle, having a healthy myself, having a healthy [Raheem] Mostert, [it] helps all of that."

Waddle, who snatched 72 catches for 1,014 and four touchdowns, wasn't quick to agree with his teammate.

"I kind of like to score," Waddle smiled. "So, whichever comes first, one-play drive, 11-play drive. We can do it all. We're going to try to do it all."

In the Dolphins seven games against playoff teams last season, including the Wild Card loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions and their 22-20 win over the Cowboys, they were 1-6 and were outscored in the fourth quarters a combined 66-9. They scored no points in five of the seven fourth quarters.

The Dolphins' top-ranked offense averaged a league-best 29.2 points per game but 16 points against the playoff teams. Miami was ranked 15th in time of possession, which was behind the five playoff teams (it played Kansas City and Buffalo twice) it faced. They ranked 28th in time of possession (TOP) in the fourth quarter.

Hill alluded that the Dolphins were ranked 12th in third-down success and struggled mightily in short-yardage situations. In his ninth season, even Mostert recorded a career-high 1,012 yards while leading the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns. However, Mostert scored just one touchdown in the seven games against playoff teams.

The return of a healthy Achane, who averaged a league-leading 7.4 yards per carry his rookie season despite a knee injury that limited him to 12 games, should help, as should the drafting of speedy running back Jaylen Wright.

"Outside of what the coaches got, here's what we think we need to get better at to help this team moving forward," Hill said. "So, I think just being able to extend drives, have those 12-play drives, have those ten-play drives versus having a five-play and under drive where it's like, 'Oh, he hits Waddle on a 75-yard post.'  And it's like, 'Oh, strike up the band.'  And it's like, 'Bruh, we can't do that every game, unfortunately.'  We can't.

"As fast as we are and as much as people want to tell us how special we are, we can't do that. We've got to be able to have good drives, so that's what we believe we've got to get better at."

In the seven games against playoff teams, the Dolphins mounted only three drives with ten or more plays. Veteran offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg supports Hill's newfound offensive desires.

"I think he wants us to run the ball more," Eichenberg said. "I'm all for that. All of us love running the ball. I think that's what this offense is built on, so I always love hearing that, especially for him having to block. It's exciting he said that."

This strategy shift comes from a 30-year-old speedster who led the NFL with 1,799 reception yards and 13 touchdowns. He was on pace to become the first receiver to reach 2,000 before an ankle injury limited his production in the last four games of the regular season.

Although offensive coordinator Frank Smith and wealthy quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (who led NFL in passing yards] may have to be consulted by their new unofficial assistant's game plan, coach Mike McDaniel felt that Hill wanted teams to pay for double-teaming him or playing 30 yards off the line off scrimmage to contain Miami's deep threats.

"He is confident in our ability to score explosively in short drives," McDaniel said. "We've lived, experienced the last two years that defenses don't want you to do that. So, they give up space initially close to the line of scrimmage to make sure they can keep a roof over the offense and their eligibles. It's all about taking advantage of overplay.

"So, if you're overplaying deep, how can you get the most efficient yardage? Through execution on shorter things — a run game. As a leader and a football student, Tyreek understands that unless you want to see very deep coverage with everyone 30 yards down the field, you better make people pay. Otherwise, they're going to keep doing it."

After talking to his family and teammates, self-taught assistant coach Hill said he no longer will set individual goals, such as his drive for "2K."

"That's very selfish of me," Hill said. "So here, moving forward, individual goals...I would want us to A: win a playoff game. I would love that. We're going to start with that. Then, moving forward and continuing to build on that, we're going to move to the Super Bowl. It's one step at a time."