The Miami Dolphins play in Chicago after a giant commerce week for each groups. The Dolphins added a giant piece to its protection in Bradley Chubb and a complementary piece in operating again Jeff Wilson. The Bears misplaced two massive defensive items and added receiver Chase Claypool.
The higher workforce acquired higher, in different phrases, whereas Chicago started planning for subsequent yr. Here are 5 methods the Dolphins preserve it that manner Sunday:
1. Let the offense’s big-play offense eat. Just like in Detroit, the Dolphins meet a Chicago protection filled with questions. Detroit ranked the worst within the league and the Dolphins took them to job. Now comes a Chicago workforce that’s traded linebacker Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn off a marginal protection (18th in factors, sixteenth in yards). The Bears have a great secondary, however their defensive entrance didn’t sack Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott final week and barely had any stress on him. Chicago ranks twenty seventh in sacks and that was with two of its veteran gamers till final week. With the climate predicted to be good in Chicago, this must be one other massive day for the Dolphins big-play offense to make some massive performs.
2. Contain Justin Fields. Chicago regarded misplaced on offense till two video games in the past when it modified all the pieces throughout an off-week to play to quarterback Justin Fields’ strengths. Suddenly, an offense that hadn’t scored greater than 23 factors (towards lowly Houston) scored 33 at New England and 29 at Dallas. Is that who they’re? Fields isn’t the pocket passer Chicago tried to make him. He is allowed to maneuver, run and create now. The pass-rush technique, as a lot as the push itself, is essential right here. That mentioned …
3. Show what Bradley Chubb and this defensive entrance can do. You wish to see the brand new current get unwrapped, proper? You ought to see it, too. Chicago has allowed a league-worst 31 sacks. That hasn’t modified whilst they’ve scored factors. Fields was sacked 4 occasions in every of the previous two weeks. So the Bears permit the protection to make massive performs. It’ll be fascinating to see if the Dolphins preserve its three edge go rushers on the sphere in passing conditions, shifting both Jaelan Phillips or Emmanuel Ogbah inside. And what of Melvin Ingram? There are some selections to make right here, however a number of choices shifting ahead.
4. Chicago run sport vs. Miami run protection. This might morph right into a Seventies run-the-ball sport if Chicago has its manner. Even with their remodeled offense, Chicago runs the ball nicely. It leads the league in speeding at 188.4 yards a sport (5.3 yards per rush). That mentioned, the Dolphins rush protection has been sturdy this yr, rating fifth within the league (100.6 yards a sport). If Chicago can run the ball successfully, it will possibly management the sport’s tempo and preserve the ball from Miami’s big-play offense.
5. Don’t let this be the outlier. Every season has a sport the place they play significantly better than they’re (Baltimore’s win for Dolphins final season) to buoy all hope and has one the place they’re considerably worse than they’re (Tennessee’s loss final yr). The Dolphins haven’t had a sport on the draw back like that this season. There’s sufficient new vitality on this workforce with the commerce for Chubb this week that there’s no motive to miss this sport. Don’t lose a sport you need to win. The Dolphins are five-point favorites for a motive.
Prediction: Dolphins 27, Bears 20.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com