Gameday: Five Keys To A Dolphins Win PLUS Prediction

(Courtesy of Dolphins.com)

It's been two weeks since your Miami Dolphins played a football game, and four weeks since they won one.  That 3-0 start seems like it was last year, huh?

Today, Miami opens up division play, something I told you earlier this week will make or break their season.

A win will set up a huge showdown in New England next week.

A loss will prove this team to be a pretender.


The keys:


1.  PROTECT YOUR QUARTERBACK:  Yes, that's my way of shouting that.  Ryan Tannehill's your season, your franchise, your hope for a playoff spot; keep him upright! You know what, I'll even set the bar low here.  Keep the sacks today under THREE.  If that "offensive line" can do that (which literally is asking the bare minimum), then Miami should have success.

2.  Balance out the offense:  Mike Sherman has abandoned the running game in nearly every game this year, but especially in the last two, which, coincidentally (or not), have been losses.  Now, I don't put ALL of this on Sherman because, well, the running game has been incredibly inefficient.  With that being said, I believe this offense will only reach it's full potential when they identify some sort of running game.  Gotta find a way to get Lamar Miller going today, somehow, some way.

3.  Force Buffalo to throw the ball:  I was impressed with Thad Lewis last week, however, lets be honest- we're not scared of Thad Lewis.  We are, however, scared of C.J. Spiller. Kevin Coyle needs to tailor this defense today to bottle up Spiller, take away the run game, and force former practice squad QB Thad Lewis to beat you.  Because my bet is he won't.

4.  Start STRONG:  This team needs to come out today and act like a team coming off a two week layoff, and coming off back to back losses.  Come out of the gates firing, take a lead, and don't look back.  This is an division game, at home, with a chance to move to 4-2 at stake.  Act like a team who's hungry for a win, go out, and take it.

5.  Get creative on offense:  Move Mike Wallace around, roll Ryan Tannehill out, use Marcus Thigpen out of the backfield.  GET CREATIVE.  Mike Sherman cannot keep up this vanilla, Wallace on one side of the field, Tannehill ALWAYS in the pocket even though he's better on the run, style of offense. Use screens, roll outs, play action, and show us that, with two weeks to "self evaluate" you've made the adjustments necessary.


PREDICTION

They're coming off a bye week in which they had to stew over back to back losses. They get Cam Wake back after angrily patrolling the sidelines for a month.  They're facing a quarterback named Thad Lewis.  Stop C.J. Spiller, Mario Williams, and Stevie Johnson, and the Miami Dolphins will win this football game.  I look for them to get back on track today with a big AFC East win.

Final: Bills 16 Dolphins 28


Alright folks, that will do it for now.  Kickoff is a little over three hours away from Miami. Come back before the game for any last minute news, including the inactives.  And, as always, follow the quarter by quarter blog starting after the first quarter!

Until then...

GO FINS