(Dolphins.com)
Well, judgement day is upon us, folks.
16 games, 161 days, 8 wins, and 7 losses have all come down to today.
Win, and get a tiny bit of help, and this WON'T be our last gameday of the year (technically, it will be regardless. But you get the picture),
Lose, and the offseason will officially begin.
That, for one, makes me sick to my stomach.
Here are the keys. Let's hope the Dolphins follow them better than they did last week.
1. No more slow starts. This one is absolutely imperative. There is NO excuse for a slow start today. None. They did it last week, they did it two weeks ago, heck, I can't even remember the last time this team came out of the gates firing. With everything on the line, and the crowd behind you, go out, take the lead, pile on, and don't look back. NO MORE SLOW STARTS!
2. Keep Matt Moore on the sidelines. How Ryan Tannehill made it through 57 sacks without leaving the game is beyond me. It was only a matter of time until he didn't get up, and sack number 58 was it. Fortunately for Miami, Tannehill exudes toughness, and will be fine to play today. FOR NOW. Keep the man upright and give him time to throw. Another performance like last week, and this game is over before it starts.
3. Find a ground game. How do you do that? You RUN THE BALL. The yards don't have to be pretty, but they MUST be effective today. IF this offense cannot establish some sort of run game, one that, at the very least, keeps the defense guessing, then it will be a miserably long day for this unit. I don't care who it is, but find the hot runner, give him the ball often, and grind out tough yards on the ground. They did it the first time around, and MUST do it today.
4. Stay on, and get off, the field. This was an absolute back breaker last week. Buffalo converted 7-19 third down opportunities. That's 36%. Miami converted 2-14. That's 14%. Where was the game lost last week? Look no further than those stats alone. If you cannot stay on the field, you're not going to win. Plain and simple. If you cannot get off the field, you're not going to win. Third down conversions will be critical today. Bank on it.
5. Force Geno to be Geno. In the first go around, the Miami Dolphins defense dominated Geno Smith. So much so that the rookie was benched in the second half. Force him to make plays today. Take away the run game, and make the rookie QB beat you. Do not allow him time to throw, do not give him the luxury of a running game. Force his hand, and he'll play right into yours. He did it three weeks ago, and he can certainly do it again today.
PREDICTION
I've always said that the scariest team to play is one that has nothing to play for. Well, if last week was any indication, that's a pretty accurate theory. The Dolphins MUST match New York's intensity today. No, I shouldn't have to even say that given the stakes, but they didn't do it last week and it got ugly real fast. RELISH THE MOMENT. You're the better team, you're a win away from a possible postseason birth, and you're at home. I just can't see these Dolphins, with all they've been through, come this far only to have Geno Smith end there playoff hopes....right?
Final: Jets 14 Dolphins 23
I will have live updates of the Baltimore/Cincinnati game throughout the day, both on here and on the Facebook page, so make sure to follow the live blog all game long.
And, before kickoff, make sure to come back for any last minute news, including the inactives.
The season finale is three hours away, folks.
Buckle up.
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