If you watched the Thursday Night Football game, then you know week 1 didn’t get off to a great start for the Fins. Their fellow AFC East competitor the Buffalo Bills looked like the Super Bowl favorite everyone is predicting them to be as they dominated last year’s Super Bowl winner the Los Angeles Rams. Paced by potential MVP Josh Allen, who threw 3 TDs passes and rushed for a 4th, the Bills blew out the Rams 31-10. While there is still a long way to go in the season, the Dolphins have a huge challenge ahead of them if they hope to dethrone the Bills as the AFC East division winner.
Speaking of Josh Allen, watching him makes you wonder what Dolphins fans expect of QB Tua Tagovailoa this year. Bottom line, even if Tua exceeds expectations, he will never be as good as Allen. Allen is bigger, faster and stronger than Tua and possesses a cannon for an arm. But no one says Tua has to be the best QB in the NFL in order to be successful. What he can do is read defenses, get rid of the ball quickly and throw it accurately. If he does that, he can be a top 10 quarterback and get Miami to the playoffs.
Speaking of Josh Allen – Part II. As good as Buffalo played last night, my biggest takeaway from the game should be scaring the dickens out of Bills fans. And may provide the only sliver of hope Dolphins fans may have of winning the AFC East.
We all know Allen is going to run the ball, but he needs to do so much more wisely as he took a lot of hard hits last night. If he continues to do so, one of those hits could well result in a broken bone, a separated shoulder or a concussion that could end Allen’s season. And with no Allen, the Bills season could also be over.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson runs more than any other quarterback in the league, but he usually avoids the big hits by sliding or running out of bounds. Allen thinks like a running back and likes to lower his head to try to bowl over tacklers. That’s a good mentality for a running back, but not for a quarterback who could be the most valuable player in the league. And why was he running at all in the 4th quarter when the Bills had the game in hand?
OK, enough about Buffalo. Let’s get to the Dolphins and their week 1 matchup vs. the New England Patriots. Here are some of the things I’m looking forward to finding out about on Sunday.
How effective will the Dolphins run game be? Mike McDaniels is a run first coach and he brought in free agent running backs Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert along with linemen Terron Armstead and Connor Williams in order to run the ball consistently. Forget Tua and Tyreek Hill, if Miami is going to be successful this season, they must be able to run the ball!!!
Speaking of Hill, everyone is looking forward to seeing how and how often the Dolphins use him. Will they throw him the ball deep? Can Tua hit him 10-20 yards down field? Can Hill turn a 5-yard pass into a long gain? Will they get him involved in the run game like the 49er’s do with Deebo Samuel? We should find out early in the game on Sunday what McDaniels’ vision is for one of the most explosive players in the game.
And let’s not forget about Tyreek Hill Jr., otherwise known as Jaylen Waddle. The same questions asked about Hill also apply to the equally fast & elusive Waddle who is coming off a strong rookie season. There is only 1 football, so it will be interesting to see how they divvy up the touches between Hill and Waddle not to mention WR Cedrick Wilson and the running backs.
Has anyone seen Mike Gesicki? He’s been nearly invisible in pre-season as a receiver as McDaniels wants him to improve his blocking. Gesicki is one of the better receiving tight ends in the NFL, but he’ll need to block better to stay on the field. Plus he’ll have more competition for targets this season with the additions of Hill, Wilson and Edmonds.
On the defensive side of the ball, the biggest question for week 1 is who is going to replace elite cornerback Byron Jones, who will miss at least the first 4 games of the season after being placed on the PUP list. 2020 1st round pick Noah Igbinoghene might be the first man up. He has struggled in his 1st two years in the league, and this could be a make-or-break year for Igbinoghene.
I will also be curious as to how defensive coordinator Josh Boyer utilizes veteran edge rushers Melvin Ingram and Trey Flowers, who Miami recently added to the roster. Andrew Van Ginkel will also be part of the equation. One thing I don’t want to see is Ingram and Flowers taking snaps away for 2021 1st round pick Jaelen Phillips. Phillips can play linebacker and defensive end and I think he is the best pass rusher Miami has. I believe he can become one of the best edge rushers in the NFL, so he needs to be on the field. A lot!
My prediction for the game on Sunday vs. the Patriots is a semi-blowout win by Miami. While it will probably take a few games for the offense to get totally in sync, the Fins just have too much speed and too many playmakers to be held down by the Pats defense.
And if the rumors are true out of Foxboro that their offense is in a state of confusion with 2 offensive coordinators who have minimal experience on the offensive side if the ball, then Miami’s elite defense could have a field day. The Dolphins defense is talented and is built to confuse quarterbacks. They should be amongst the league leaders in sacks and turnovers.
Miami 30, New England 13. You heard it here first.
