It’s December and the stakes begin to rise in good half as a result of the Dolphins are enjoying video games with consequence. The different half is San Francisco is a prime opponent on Sunday. Here are 5 methods the Dolphins, 4-point underdogs, can win:
1. Play to your strengths. The 49ers are the highest dashing protection within the league. They’re the Eleventh-ranked move protection. That matches up properly to the Dolphins strengths being the pace of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and Tua Tagovailoa’s capacity to search out the best receiver rapidly and precisely. San Francisco performed one prime and wholesome offense this 12 months and Kansas City shredded its secondary (defensive finish Nick Bosa was damage that sport). So they’ve largely crushed up some lower-half offenses. The Dolphins have feasted on bottom-third defenses the previous 4 video games. Now they every go up in weight class. The query in Sunday’s matchup is whether or not the 49ers’ cornerbacks play tight on Dolphins receivers with the thought of taking away the fast passes and letting their move rush have an opportunity. Few groups have tried this, preferring zones and sitting their safeties deep (Houston within the antiquated Cover-Two final week). We’ll see the technique right here. The Dolphins, too, might attempt to run Jeff Wilson or Raheem Mostert some in opposition to their previous crew to maintain San Francisco’s move rushers sincere. But the energy is the energy. And throwing the ball will imply …
2. Helping Greg Little vs. Nick Bosa. If left deal with Terron Armstead is out with a pectoral damage (he’s listed as uncertain), this turns into the matchup of the sport. Of course, it received’t actually be a mano-a-mano matchup. It will contain chips or double groups from tight finish Durham Smythe or fullback Alec Ingold. It will contain play-calling to maneuver away from Bosa — or not less than not expose Little in a matchup. Bosa is second within the league with 11.5 sacks this 12 months and has 55 quarterback pressures. The subsequent closest 49er has 33 quarterback pressures. So you go into Sunday game-planning to assist Little, who was each good at instances and terrible at instances in fill-in roles. Losing Armstead is hard. But good groups have overcome shedding left tackles — the Bills in opposition to New England on Thursday for one night time. Tennessee, the New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers misplaced their star left tackles early and stay within the playoff hunt. This is a loss the Dolphins needed to count on, too, contemplating he hadn’t performed a full 12 months in 9 seasons and performed solely 18 video games whole over the past two years. So the query is how ready are the Dolphins for this inevitable scenario.
3. Use information for small benefits. Who has the sting when either side know one another? San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner known as it, “like training camp,” watching movie of the Dolphins offense. These offenses are the same offenses with variations for his or her personnel. Mike McDaniel and Kyle Shanahan have a very good historical past collectively courting again to Denver after they have been for Shanhanan’s dad, Mike. This goes past working in the identical offense for years. McDaniel used to dog-sit for Kyle Shanahan at instances. They’re pals So they know one another properly. McDaniel, too, went in opposition to 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. It’s a little bit to say the Dolphins have a lot benefit right here, however contemplating they’ve totally different personnel in opposition to the 49ers system maybe McDaniel can muster an edge with some designs.
4. Don’t sleep on Jimmy Garoppolo. Tagovailoa has 19 touchdowns, three interceptions and a league-leading 115.7 score. He’s the toast of the league proper now. Garoppolo has 16 landing, 4 interceptions and a fifth-place 103 score. He’s handled like a no person, a man the 49ers can’t wait to maneuver on from. And in case you have a look at his post-season stats, you can also make the argument. But he’s helped San Francisco flip round its season this. While the 49ers offense ranks fifteenth in scoring, it’s put up 38 and 31 factors in two of the earlier 4 video games. Garoppolo has put up good numbers maybe partially as a result of they’ve not requested him to do an excessive amount of — the 49ers move 31.4 instances a sport, rating twenty third (the Dolphins rank tenth in move makes an attempt a sport). Against the Rams and Cardinals, you say? Neither these groups’ statistical profiles are constructed in opposition to prime groups so far. That’s a part of why Sunday is such an enormous sport. Likewise …
5. Get the lead. Obvious, proper? The Dolphins don’t need to fall behind and get right into a one-dimensional passing sport. The 49ers protection rank sixth in sacking quaterbacks 8.29 p.c of passes. That, too, might enable the Eleventh-ranked San Francisco dashing offense to play a much bigger position. Christian McCaffrey hasn’t discovered his footing on this offense but. Don’t let him this sport. By comparability, if the Dolphins get the lead, Garoppolo will likely be requested to do greater than the 49ers usually ask him to do — and the Dolphins unsteady blitz may very well be more practical.
Predicition: 49ers 28, Dolphins 24. The Dolphins can have their possibilities, and this may very well be a loss that claims good issues about them. But enjoying on the street makes the 49ers the decide this sport.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com