The Dolphins (9-8) journey to Buffalo (13-3) for a 1 p.m. Sunday wild-card spherical playoff sport with the Bills at Highmark Stadium. Dolphins beginning quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) has been dominated out of the franchise’s first postseason sport because the 2016 season, and most probably rookie QB Skylar Thompson will begin. Here are some things to observe:
Dolphins’ QB play
With Thompson, the seventh-round choose from Kansas State more likely to begin, the bottom line is holding the Dolphins within the sport till the fourth quarter. But Thompson is perhaps appeared upon to do this with out left deal with Terron Armstead (toe/hip/pectoral/knee), proper deal with Brandon Shell (knee/ankle) and left guard Liam Eichenberg (hand).
Last Sunday Thompson (60 of 105, 534 yards, one landing, three interceptions, 62.2 passer ranking this season) did precisely what he wanted to do — he didn’t make a pricey mistake and stored the Dolphins in a aggressive sport into the fourth quarter and let others ship the victory, which is precisely what occurred with kicker Jason Sanders’ 50-yard subject aim with 18 seconds left within the 11-6 win over the New York Jets. If Thompson can steer clear of turnovers and make the routine performs, he ought to give his crew an opportunity to win.
Dolphins’ OL efficiency
There are a lot of causes to observe this group. They, after all, should defend the quarterback. They additionally should blast open holes for the working sport, which may very well be with out working again Raheem Mostert (thumb). And they have to do this whereas three-fifths of the beginning unit may very well be sidelined attributable to harm.
The good factor for the Dolphins is Buffalo edge rusher Von Miller (8.0 sacks) has been sidelined for weeks and received’t play. But the Dolphins should watch Bills defensive finish Greg Rousseau (8.0 sacks) and Pro Bowl linebacker Matt Milano, whose shove early within the season triggered Tagovailoa’s head to hit the bottom and began this entire concussion dilemma. The Dolphins must play a ball-control, run-heavy sport in Buffalo and the offensive line might be an enormous key.
Stopping Josh Allen
Quarterback Josh Allen can damage the Dolphins along with his passing and working, which is what occurred of their final assembly, a 32-29 Bills victory in Buffalo. Allen rushed for 77 yards, 50 on a 75-yard fourth-quarter drive that tied the sport at 29. Allen has handed for 704 yards in two conferences in opposition to the Dolphins.
If Allen makes broad receiver Stefon Diggs a main a part of the offense, that presents bother for the secondary and places strain on the cross rush. If Allen incorporates his run sport as a main a part of the offense, the Dolphins should think about placing a spy on him and maybe alter their philosophy to extra of a read-and-react protection in opposition to the cross as a substitute of an attacking one. This is perhaps crucial matchup of the sport for the Dolphins.
Offensive innovation
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel should give you one thing completely different than what he’s been doing not too long ago as a result of the passing sport has been neutralized, for essentially the most half. Opponents have dropped linebackers deeper into protection, pressed broad receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the line of scrimmage to disrupt the timing of the passing sport, and usually taken away these throws to the center of the sector that fueled the Dolphins early within the season.
McDaniel hasn’t had a response to this point. These points started throughout the West Coast journey and have lasted six weeks. Curiously, the Dolphins’ most profitable offensive outing throughout this stretch has been at Buffalo, the place they scored 29 factors. By the best way, the Dolphins have averaged 19.2 factors of their previous six video games, scoring greater than 21 factors as soon as.
Team dedication
Mass accidents are sometimes a traditional a part of the playoffs due to the lengthy NFL season, a season that’s now longer by one sport. The Dolphins should harden their will to win and discover a solution to pull off the upset. We haven’t seen that model of the Dolphins since September, after they defeated Baltimore and Buffalo in back-to-back video games.
Since then it’s been losses to playoff-caliber opponents and victories over non-playoff opponents. That development should finish. The Dolphins have misplaced numerous expertise to accidents, and far of that expertise received’t return for Sunday’s sport, so the crew mindset might be much more necessary.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com