Four Downs: 4 Things to Watch in Dolphins vs. Raiders
The season opener against the Raiders is quickly approaching. The Dolphins received a major break before the opener, but there are still plenty of questions heading into Sunday. Here are the keys for Miami on offense and defense to put itself in the best position to win.
First Down: Brock Bowers Is Out
Breaking news on Wednesday revealed that star tight end Brock Bowers will miss the season opener against the Dolphins. This is a big break for Miami.
Bowers is a stud at tight end. NFL coaches often say players like Bowers give them nightmares during the week they prepare to face their team. For the Dolphins’ secondary, Bowers might have been worse than a nightmare. Nightmares eventually end when you wake up. Bowers could have been a recurring problem throughout the game.
Miami’s secondary is full of questions this season. The Dolphins lack top-end talent at safety and have limited experience throughout the secondary. Bowers missing this game is a gift from the football gods.
Second Down: Stop the Run and Get Interior Pressure on Cousins
Last season, the Dolphins had trouble stopping the run. According to Fox Sports, Miami allowed 132 rushing yards per game last season.
With the Raiders now without Brock Bowers for the opener, it would not be a surprise to see them lean heavily on the running game. Ashton Jeanty appears to be trending in the right direction to play Sunday, and Mike Washington Jr. had a very strong preseason. Washington broke several long runs, including a 53-yard run against the Arizona Cardinals.
Miami will be without Kenneth Grant for this game. Zach Sieler, Jordan Phillips, Zeek Biggers and the rest of the defensive front will need to step up and slow down the Raiders’ rushing attack.
If Miami can create third-and-long situations, they will have a better chance of getting to Kirk Cousins. The Dolphins are hoping Chop Robinson will finally live up to his draft status and provide pressure off the edge, but I would love to see Miami generate pressure up the middle on Cousins.
If the Dolphins’ interior defensive linemen can create pressure, Chop Robinson and Josh Uche should have more opportunities to get to Cousins because his escape routes will be limited. More importantly, if Miami is getting consistent pressure from its defensive tackles, the Raiders will not be able to slide protection toward their tackles to help against the Dolphins’ edge rushers.
Third Down: The Offense Must Stay on Schedule
Miami must stay on schedule offensively against the Raiders. Falling behind the sticks is a recipe for disaster for most teams, but it is especially important for the Dolphins this season because of their inexperience at wide receiver and quarterback. Miami cannot afford to consistently find itself in third-and-long situations. The Dolphins cannot give away yards with sacks and penalties.
The Dolphins believe their running game and offensive line can be strengths. For Miami to take advantage of those strengths, it must stay in favorable down-and-distance situations.
If the Dolphins can avoid getting behind the sticks, expect Bobby Slowik to dial up some play-action opportunities that could lead to chunk plays.
Fourth Down: What Do Dolphins Fans Want to See in Week One?
Dolphins fans understand that Miami is not expected to compete for the playoffs this season. The season will still go on, though, and fans need to find some enjoyment in it.
Most fans seem to be looking for growth in the areas they believe are important to making this rebuild successful. Dolphins fans who were ready to move on from Mike McDaniel were exasperated by pre-snap penalties, failures in short-yardage situations and continually getting plays into the huddle late.
What will Jeff Hafley’s Dolphins look like Sunday and throughout the season?
We should hope to see improvement in many of these areas as the season progresses. Hafley has preached physical, smart football. He recently said, “I just want them to go play free, play as fast as they can, as physical as they can, clear mind, fast feet, and let it rip.”
What am I looking for Sunday and throughout the season?
Obviously, I want to see fewer pre-snap penalties and improvement in short-yardage situations. I also want to see improvement in stopping the opposition’s running game.
That means my focus will be on Chop Robinson and his ability to set the edge. You cannot rush the passer unless you stop the run, and this is a critical part of Robinson’s development.
I will also be watching the young group of defensive tackles, including Kenneth Grant once he returns from injury, Zeek Biggers and Jordan Phillips. It is important for them to continue developing so Miami can build a physical front seven capable of performing well against the more physical teams in the NFL.
What do you want to see from the Miami Dolphins starting Sunday against the Raiders?
