“And when you say Miami, you’re talking Super Bowl …”
The well-known line from the Dolphins’ longtime battle track in all probability hasn’t been nearer to being true in 20 years.
It began with ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky on Tuesday in his speedy response to Miami dealing for star Denver Broncos edge defender Bradley Chubb forward of the commerce deadline. Then, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa proclaimed Wednesday neither he nor his workforce draw back from Super Bowl discuss or expectations. Chubb himself talked about he believes his new workforce can compete at that stage at his introductory press convention Thursday.
Super Bowls, nonetheless, aren’t gained in early November.
So, the speedy job for the Dolphins (5-3) is to deal with the video games in entrance of them, beating groups they need to beat by way of the top of the month.
It begins with the Chicago Bears (3-5) in a 1 p.m. kickoff at Soldier Field on Sunday earlier than they arrive dwelling for the Cleveland Browns (2-5) and, after a bye week, the Houston Texans (1-6-1).
Miami will probably be favored in every of these matchups. Nothing’s ever assured within the NFL, but when this workforce has Super Bowl aspirations, then they need to go into December at 8-3. That’ll put the Dolphins in prime place for the playoff push in a stretch that includes a West Coast swing on the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers, divisional highway video games in frigid Buffalo and New England and residential tilts with the Green Bay Packers on Christmas and New York Jets within the finale.
“Miami can win the Super Bowl now,” stated Orlovsky, the previous quarterback turned analyst, on Tuesday, minutes after the information on Chubb broke. “I did not feel that way this morning. Miami can absolutely win the Super Bowl right now.”
Tagovailoa, coming off what was possible his greatest general efficiency in final week’s win over the Detroit Lions, manifested his confidence in how deep the Dolphins can go.
“We’re not afraid to talk about Super Bowls here,” Tagovailoa stated Wednesday. “We’re not afraid to talk about going to a playoff game, having an opportunity to go to one and then hopefully winning one. … I have full belief that we are capable.”
“I see the sky’s the limit,” Chubb stated Thursday. “I’m just glad I could come in and fall to a good position where guys are winning, guys care, and we can get after this playoff run and Super Bowl and accomplish all the goals we go out there and fight for.”
What a distinction a yr makes. At this identical level final season, the Dolphins had fallen to 1-7 after a seventh consecutive defeat. Although organizational religion was expressed in Tagovailoa, nobody actually believed it when former coach Brian Flores repeatedly stated “Tua’s our quarterback.” Miami was in steady pursuit of embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson. Now, there’s no query after buying and selling the final of what was as soon as two first-round picks within the 2023 draft.
From that second on the commerce deadline final yr, the Dolphins are 13-4. Tagovailoa is 12-1 in video games he begins and finishes, together with 5-0 this yr. And, possibly deservedly so, this workforce is certainly being talked about within the championship dialog.
But including Chubb and former San Francisco 49ers working again Jeff Wilson Jr. — after dealing fellow again Chase Edmonds within the commerce that introduced Chubb to Miami — doesn’t enhance the Dolphins’ document at present. To add to the win column this week, all Miami can do is win towards the Bears.
And that’s the method Mike McDaniel took, even in going by way of a busier-than-usual commerce deadline.
“Right now, I’m exclusively a football coach,” McDaniel stated Monday, a day earlier than Miami’s coup to land Chubb and Wilson. “We have conversations, but I’m focused on our team as it stands and the Chicago Bears, who are going to be trying to beat us.”
That stated, common supervisor Chris Grier famous Wednesday that McDaniel might have had a tad little bit of affect in bringing in Wilson, his former participant with the San Francisco 49ers. And McDaniel has stated up to now that edge defender is his favourite place, so he was positive to be all in on including one in every of Chubb’s caliber.
More so than the move rush, which was beforehand missing and hopes to be improved with Chubb’s presence, on Sunday, Miami must key in on stopping the run. Chicago has the league’s top-ranked dashing offense, splitting backfield carries between former American Heritage High standout Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery, whereas quarterback Justin Fields is true behind Lamar Jackson by way of dashing at his place.
“He’s starting to just understand how disruptive he can be to NFL defenses,” McDaniel stated of the second-year signal-caller. “Hopefully, he doesn’t further go on that learning curve here this Sunday, because it puts coaches and players in a nervous spot.”
Tagovailoa goals to construct off his 29-of-36 efficiency for 382 yards and three touchdowns in Detroit. He faces a Bears protection that already ranked towards the underside in a number of classes and not too long ago traded away high defenders in linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive finish Robert Quinn. But former Boyd Anderson High star Eddie Jackson remains to be a menace within the secondary.
With Wilson and former 49ers teammate Raheem Mostert reunited within the Dolphins backfield, Miami seems to be have the bottom sport complement the high-flying aerial assault. Robert Jones, in a Chicago homecoming, is prone to begin at left guard for the injured Liam Eichenberg.
If the Dolphins are going to compete for a Super Bowl, they’re prone to must win January playoff video games on the highway as a wild-card workforce if they will’t catch the Buffalo Bills (6-1) within the AFC East.
Winning in chilly climate late within the yr may help show they’re able to that. Miami lucked out in Chicago by way of temperatures, which venture to be round 60 levels, however the Dolphins do determine to see winds within the double-digit miles per hour within the Windy City, giving Tagovailoa an opportunity to point out he can throw in these circumstances.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com