Quick! Who ran the worst run Miami Dolphins defense of this millennium?
If your answer was anyone other than former defensive coordinator Matt Burke, we’d kindly ask you to reconsider your vote. The history books will tell you that the 2019 Miami Dolphins gave up more points than any other team in franchise history — but remember that the Dolphins spotted teams 92 points in the first two games of the season. In the grand scheme of things, Miami’s defensive play was much more respectable late in the season (and really anything after September).
But Matt Burke’s defenses? They gave up 826 points in 32 games between the 2017 and 2018 seasons (an average of 25.8 points per game) and check in third and sixth on the Dolphins’ all-time points allowed list for a single season. It was bad. Burke’s 2017 defense managed just 9 interceptions on the season and the defense tallied 30 sacks on the year (but 10.5 of those came from Cameron Wake and no other defender had more than 4.5). Fast forward to 2018 and Miami’s interceptions more than doubled (to 21) and yet the somehow managed to concede an additional 40 points on the season.
Burke’s defenses didn’t adjust, didn’t use subpackages effectively and struggled to create favorable mismatches throughout his tenure. It was bad all around.
But now Burke will get a chance to redeem himself — not as a defensive coordinator but as the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive run game coordinator and defensive line coach. It was announced yesterday that Burke was given the new titles by the Eagles team.
We wish him the best of luck in his new gig — and hope he’s learned valuable lessons from his time in South Florida that will allow him to more effectively coach going forward.
