Among all the important thing matchups in Sunday’s Dolphins-49ers sport, pay additional consideration to Miami’s run sport in opposition to San Francisco’s vaunted run protection.
It may very well be an enormous key to victory for the Dolphins.
Of course, the complicating issue is the 49ers have the NFL’s greatest run protection, which supplies them an enormous edge in that class.
Regardless, the Dolphins, who rushed for simply 66 yards final week in opposition to Houston, should discover a approach to run the ball successfully in opposition to the 49ers. It may very well be the distinction between profitable and shedding.
Running will likely be so much harder with the possible absences of offensive tackles Terron Armstead (pectoral), their greatest lineman and certainly one of their greatest gamers, and Austin Jackson (ankle).
Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith appeared shocked by the skeptical questions he obtained from reporters Thursday about the opportunity of taking part in with out Armstead.
“Geez, it feels like all hope is lost,” he mentioned with a smile.
It’s not. But optimism is unquestionably dimmer amongst exterior observers with out Armstead on the sector.
San Francisco leads the league in run protection at 79.5 yards per sport, whereas the Dolphins rank twenty eighth in dashing at 94.8 yards per sport.
Just as important, the Dolphins are twenty seventh in dashing makes an attempt at 261. Their 4.0 yards per try is tied for twenty sixth, and their season-long carry of 28 yards is second-shortest within the league after the Los Angeles Rams at 23 yards.
The Dolphins don’t do many issues properly within the floor sport. But they’ve acquired to discover a approach to be efficient in opposition to San Francisco. Consider it a necessity.
You determine the Armstead and Jackson absences, coupled with the presence of 49ers edge rusher extraordinaire Nick Bosa, will vastly cut back the time quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has to do away with the ball. The timing of the passing sport, in accordance with coach Mike McDaniel, is its most vital factor. Lose that, and also you basically lose the passing sport.
We all noticed how the timing of the passing sport was disrupted final week in opposition to the Texans after Armstead left together with his harm. The sacks piled up and the passing sport struggled.
A very good operating sport might assist offset that.
But in case you’ve adopted the Dolphins all season you understand the run sport has been iffy.
Speedy operating again Raheem Mostert, the Dolphins’ main rusher at 543 yards and 4.6 yards per carry, expects to return after sitting out final week with a proper knee harm. Physical operating again Jeff Wilson Jr. is the Dolphins’ second-leading rusher with 209 yards and 5.4 yards per carry. The Dolphins hope they will present an enormous enhance to the offense, and, as an additional benefit, enable Tagovailoa to throw off of play motion.
Mostert and Wilson are ex-49ers. In truth, Wilson, obtained by the Dolphins on the Nov. 1 commerce deadline, stays the 49ers’ main rusher with 468 yards. Mostert and Wilson, after all, had been in San Francisco together with coach Mike McDaniel and receivers Trent Sherfield and Austin Cracraft.
Mostert and Wilson mentioned their primary concern is being efficient in opposition to a tricky protection.
“Numbers speak for themselves,” Mostert mentioned, “and the way in which they’ve been capable of play up to now, [we’ve got to] go on the market and simply attempt to do what we do.
“We’re not too worried about how they play. We’re more worried about how we play, how we operate, because at the end of the day, that’s what we can hang our hats on.”
The Dolphins have confirmed to be a resourceful crew this yr. They’ve proven they will win video games in some ways. The passing sport has accomplished it, the protection has accomplished it, they’ve accomplished it by scoring early and hanging on, they’ve accomplished it by scoring late in a comeback victory, and in different fashions.
So there’s an opportunity they may beat the 49ers with out operating the ball successfully.
And if we’re being sincere, the Dolphins’ run sport has been unreliable so you’ll be able to’t depend on it being there Sunday.
Mostert has one 100-yard sport, and it got here in opposition to the Jets (113 yards in a 40-17 loss), and Wilson has one 100-yard sport, and it got here in opposition to Cleveland (119 yards in a 39-17 victory).
In the Dolphins’ different 9 video games, their greatest particular person dashing efficiency is 79 yards by Mostert in opposition to Pittsburgh.
As a staff, the Dolphins have 4 100-yard dashing video games — 137 vs. the Jets, 111 in opposition to Pittsburgh, 107 in opposition to Detroit and a season-best 197 in opposition to Cleveland.
The run sport hasn’t received a sport for the Dolphins this season. Its position was vital in tight victories in opposition to the Steelers (16-10) and Lions (35-32), but it surely wasn’t the rationale the Dolphins received.
That would possibly want to vary this week in San Francisco.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com