How the Dolphins Can Beat the Vikings in Week 4
The Miami Dolphins are 0-3 and heading to Minnesota to face the Vikings on a 3 game win streak. This will not be easy for the Dolphins, especially with Brian Flores potentially on a warpath for revenge against the team that fired him. Fortunately, Miami has a roster and scheme that seems to counteract what the Vikings have shown on film this year. Here are the 3 keys to trying to stop the losing streak for the Miami Dolphins.
Man Blitzes All Day
The Vikings have punted the most times in the league through 3 weeks. The offense hasn’t looked great with Kyler Murray, and he’s still kicking off some rust after missing most of the first two weeks. Justin Jefferson’s availability is in question after suffering an ankle injury, and the Vikings really couldn’t move the ball after he went out. Miami’s defense has been reliable at the back end so far. Safeties are making plays, linebackers are excelling in zone, and corners are good in man coverage. Unfortunately, the front 4 isn’t great at winning their pass-rush attempts. The team succeeded in getting to Mahomes on twists and blitzes, which they should use more against a stagnant Vikings offense. Dropping safeties into robber zones can also disrupt Murray, a shorter quarterback who struggles to throw over the middle.
Use Special Teams as an Advantage
Miami ran into some real special teams issues in weeks 1 and 2. Punt-team miscues, horrible kickoff-return blocking, and poor kickoff coverage. Riley Patterson also wasn’t good, and the team struggled to trust him against Kansas City. If Miami can lock in on special teams for Sunday’s matchup, they will have the upper hand. The Vikings will (hopefully) punt a lot, and Miami needs to keep the ball out of Vikings returner Myles Price’s hands. Pinning them deep on kickoff will also matter, since they’re lucky to have an almost automatic long-range kicker in Will Reichard. Hopefully Miami can have Jaylen Wright back, where he made a positive impact last year and in Week 1. Riley Patterson and Bradley Pinion need to improve in their respective areas, but hopefully Miami will score touchdowns only.
No Achane, No Problem
Yes, losing De’Von Achane is a huge blow to an already young and inexperienced offense. The team will roll into this game with 2 rostered running backs, 1 injured, and 2 potential elevations from the practice squad. The Minnesota Vikings defense is predicated on blitzing and then turning the fear of a blitz into a disguised zone drop. The Vikings held the Buccaneers to a low yards-per-carry count, and Miami’s run game hasn’t found much success. Yet, there is hope. Ollie Gordon’s powerful running style helped him push forward through piles and arm tackles. The Vikings haven’t been exceptional at tackling through the first 3 weeks, and if blocks line up properly, Miami will be able to gash them upfield. Having as many men as possible up to the line of scrimmage like Minnesota does means they have nobody on the second level to tackle the rubber head on.
It’ll be a shocker if Miami is favored in any game this year. But they played the Kansas City Chiefs very well and kept the game close until the very end. Minnesota is a heavy hitter to face on an already difficult losing streak, but their offense leaves a lot to be desired. Miami has a chance.
