Apologies all around for the silence this week, as I've been traveling home for the holiday's for a majority of the week. Also, let's be honest, the Miami Dolphins' season, for all intense and purposes, is over, folks.
There will be no playoffs this year. There will be no do-or-die week 17 game. There will be no scoreboard watching over the next two weeks. It's just over. Had this not been the case I probably would've been a tad more diligent in posting during my travels, but, well, it wasn't.
But, there is still much to play for this season, despite being out of the playoff race..
A 9-7 record would be Miami's best since 2008, when they finished 11-5. It would show progress, it would give Ryan Tannehill his first winning season as an NFL QB, it would, possibly, provide momentum for the Dolphins heading into next season.
Winning the final two games would also give coach Joe Philbin hope for next season (although I believe he's all but gone), so you better believe he'll be coaching harder than he ever has.
Ryan Tannehill stil has much to play for as well. He's a few touchdown passes away from having the second most in franchise history, and he's also playing for a possible contract extension next season.
There are also several players coming up on free agency in the offseason, so jobs will be on the line over the final two weeks as well.
So while the playoffs are all but out of reach this season for the Dolphins, don't expect them to lay an egg in the final two games. A winning record is within reach for only the second time in six years (2013), and while it won't come with a playoff spot, it still means a lot for a franchise trying to shake that "mediocre" label that's followed them around for a decade now.
INJURY REPORT
The second to final injury report came out yesterday, it reads:
Expect Misi and Jelani Jenkins to remain questionable for Sunday's game when today's report comes out as well. I wouldn't be shocked if they played, but it's still iffy right now. Expect both Cortland Finnegan and Charles Clay to play.
A LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS
Miami hold's a significant advantage over Minnesota in one key area— pass defense.
The Dolphins pose the league's 4th ranked pass defense, while the Vikings and Teddy Bridgewater are ranked 27th in passing offense. What does this tell me?
The Vikings are going to run, run, run the ball on Sunday.... and they should.
Miami's run defense has been, um, bad over the past month. They've gone from ranked 8th in the beginning of November to 21st now, giving up over 120 yards a game. The Vikings are a much better running team, ranking 15th in the league and rushing for nearly 112 yards a game.
These will be the key match ups to watch defensively on Sunday.
Offensively, well, it's almost the same.
Miami ranks 14th in rushing, averaging nearly 115 yards a game. The Vikings have struggled against the run, giving up 124 yards a game. Adversely, Minnesota has dominated against the pass, ranking sixth in the league.
What does all this tell me? Sunday's game will be a ground and pound day, for both teams.
More to come later.
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