Yes, the Minnesota Vikings are 4-1.
Yes, the Miami Dolphins are on their third quarterback and look to be with out each beginning offensive tackles.
But simply as final week on the New York Jets the Dolphins can have their good likelihood to win. And don’t overdo the Vikings document. This is about as flimsy a 4-1 because the New York Giants. Three of their wins had been last-possession affairs – two towards the dregs of the league in Chicago and Detroit and the third towards an Andy Dalton-led New Orleans in London. Minnesota additionally beat Green Bay simply within the opener and was crushed by the one high group on their schedule in Philadelphia, 24-7.
So within the weekly examine in how the Dolphins can win, right here’s 5 issues to occur:
1.Don’t put all of it on Skylar Thompson. As I wrote in my column Sunday, this sport will inform extra in regards to the bigger group than Thompson. When New England began third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe final week, the protection shut out Detroit and returned a fumble for a landing; working again Rhamondre Stevenson ran for the 161 yards and kicker Nick Folk was five-for-five on area aim makes an attempt. Zappe handed for 188 yards and his offense had one landing. The huge phrase is “complementary football,” and it’s one thing the Dolphins haven’t had persistently because the opener towards the Patriots. Time to carry that again. With left deal with Terron Armstead listed as questionable, that’s an added problem. Greg Little has performed equal to or higher than Austin Jackson checked out proper deal with in order that’s not a priority. It helps, too, that Minnesota doesn’t have an overwhelming move rush. It’s tied for twelfth with seven different groups with 11 sacks.
2. This protection needs to be higher. The query coming into the sport season was who this protection was. It directed the seven-game win streak close to the top of final 12 months. That streak additionally was constructed on enjoying back-up quarterbacks, and the Dolphins then received dragged across the area by Tennessee with the playoffs on the road. It led the win towards New England, didn’t buckle towards Buffalo regardless of big Bills numbers and got here to life within the fourth quarter towards Baltimore this 12 months. It’s had moments, in different phrases. But take a look at the stats: twenty eighth in giving up 26.2 factors a sport; twenty third in giving up 368.8 yards a sport; thirtieth with 4 takeaways. Defensive ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Jaelan Phillips have just one sack every. That’s a very good place to begin. Sure, it’s been with out Byron Jones all 12 months and Howard final week. Those accidents don’t clarify away the actual fact this protection must play higher.
3. Get a deal with on working again Dalvin Cook and receiver Justin Jefferson. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is the beneficiary of getting nearly as good a complement of a working and receiving stars because the league has. In their wins, the Miami-native Cook averages 4.7 yards a carry and 89 yards a sport. Jefferson leads the league with 547 receiving yards (Tyreek Hill is third with 527) and has not less than 9 catches and 147 yards in three of their wins. With cornerback Xavien Howard again from groin points (and apparently wholesome?) the query is cowl Jefferson. The choice is what the Dolphins did towards Cincinnati in placing Howard on the second-best receiver, Tee Higgins, and double-cover the highest receiver in Ja’Marr Chase. But Minnesota’s second receiver, Adam Thielen, is 32 and much from his influence days. Do they put Howard on Jefferson? That would release different prospects. Still, for all their firepower the Vikings common 23 factors – similar because the Dolphins.
4. Run the ball. Like the protection, this may be Thompson’s finest good friend. The Dolphins found a speeding sport for the primary time final Sunday towards the Jets. Raheem Mostert had 113 yards on 18 carries. He missed a day of apply with a knee damage and is listed as questionable for the sport. That’s an enormous deal if he misses as Chase Edmonds has been a determined step down at runnning again,Minnesota’s speeding protection ranks a meh 18th (120.4 yds/sport). It confronted one elite speeding group in fifth-ranked Philadelphia and gave up 163 yards speeding on 35 carries for a 4.8-yard common.
5. Finish the sport. The earlier two video games towards Cincinnati and the Jets, the Dolphins have been outscored 36-0 within the fourth quarter. They led towards Cincinnati till being outscored 15-0 within the last quarter, and had been inside two factors of the Jets when outscored 21-0. The quarterback points didn’t assist, however every part fell aside, together with the particular groups that has been good for an issue play most video games. Mike McDaniel acknowledged that and you may count on addressed it this week. It helps to be again at dwelling the place, as everyone knows, a 1 p.m. kickoff in mid-October can wilt an opponent.
Prediction: Dolphins 24, Vikings 20. I’m not offered on the Vikings 4-1 document and assume the homefield warmth comes into play once more.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com