Overall record after week 8: 3-4
All-time record against: 46-24
It's the battle of the rookie QB's here in week nine as Andrew Luck, the once upon a time presumed future QB in Miami, faces off against the actual future QB in Miami in Ryan Tannehill. While both these teams have their obvious holes, I believe this could potentially be one of the more exciting games of the year on the Fins schedule, solely based on the two first round QB's going head to head.
On the offensive side of the ball, I believe the Dolphins could potentially be very successful. Yes, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are seasoned veterans, but other than those two, and perhaps Antoine Bethea, then this is a fairly young unit. Expect Mike Sherman to attack the Colts both through the air and on the ground, as this unit finished last season boasting ranks of 15th and 25th respectively in those categories, and 25th overall. The one problem Miami could face will come in containing the duo of Freeney and Mathis on the defensive line. Jake Long can't cover both of them, and Jonathan Martin has looked extremely raw thus far on the right side of the line, which could be a cause for concern not only during this matchup, but the season as a whole.
Defensively, the Fins must rattle Andrew Luck early and often in this one, as the rookie QB otherwise could find a deathly groove that he'll ride the entire game. I believe the game plan for Miami has to be to completely eliminate the passing game and force Indianapolis to go to the run. How do they do this? Two things- shut down WR Reggie Wayne, and don't give Luck time to throw the ball; force him to either throw the ball away or make the wrong decision, which will lead to eventual turnovers. In doing this the Colts should go to the run, something Miami should be able to contain.
Overall, I like Miami to win this football game. Both QB's will be on display, and both could play relatively well. However, I like the Fins defense over the Colts unit, and based on that I like the Dolphins to get their first road win of the year.
Final: Dolphins 24 Colts 21
Overall record after week 9: 4-4
All-time record against: 18-14
Another battle of young QB's here as Jake Locker and the Titans travel to Miami in week 10 to face Tannehill and company. I expect Tennessee to be very competitive this year, especially on the offensive side of the ball, and could very well be coming into Miami competing for a playoff spot (although their schedule early on is brutal). With receivers like Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and rookie Kendall Wright, all Locker has to do is get the ball out of his hands. Oh yeah, the rookie also has Chris Johnson too if all else fails. You have to imagine that Ryan Tannehill is just a little jealous of Locker's supporting cast, no?
Offensively, Miami should be able to put up points in this game. The Titans boasted the league's 18th ranked defense last year, giving up an average of 355 yards per game. Expect Mike Sherman to spread the ball around and attack the Titans secondary, which is now without CB Cortland Finnegan, and also utilize the rushing attack of Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas against a defense that was 24th against the run last season. The key offensively will be to walk the fine line between finding something that works, and keeping it balanced. If the run is working then Sherman must stick with it, especially against this unit, but at the same time keep to his roots and pass the ball.
Defensively, I can see this being a tough test for this unit. Chris Johnson is a player who concerns me with this defense, as they tend to either a) over pursue, or b) tackle poorly. Either way, Chris Johnson is a breed that thrives on both of those, and if he gets his game going then the Titans will have a field day with this defense. Containing Johnson, both on the ground and through the air will be a key to winning this football game for the Miami Dolphins. Which leads me to the second problem this team poses: The receiving core. Nate Washington, Kenny Britt, and Kendall Wright. Sean Smith can only cover one guy at a time, and with the rest of this secondary shaky at best from what I've seen, then Locker could have a lot of options when he throws the ball.
Overall, I think this will be a competitive game from both ends, and most likely will go deep into the final quarter. Defensively, I believe the Fins are a better unit, but may struggle with the weapons the Titans offense poses. Expect a high scoring game in this one, but I don't know if the Dolphins can quite keep up.
Final: Titans 27 Dolphins 24
No comments:
Post a Comment