Dolphins Gameplan: How to slow down the Bengals and stop the losing streak
BenJarvus Green-Ellis will be either a ball carrier or a pass blocker on almost every play, so the Dolphins should blitz more often when he is the back, as they will not call many screen plays for him.
Gio Bernard is dangerous as a pass catcher, so he should be accounted for at times with an extra defensive back on passing downs. This corner can blitz into the backfield if Gio doesn’t go out for a route.
Will Davis and Jamar Taylor may get significant playing time because the team will need to go to nickle and dime packages early and often.
Eifert and Graham are on pace for almost 1200 yards this season between them and their production is split almost down the middle. The Dolphins can mix up the coverages on those two by dropping Dion Jordan into coverage a bit or even by guarding them with a defensive back. The Dolphins were able to jump on New England last week because corner Dimitri Patterson stepped in front of a pass intended for Gronkowski. The team should use both safeties as free safeties, with each responsible for over the top coverage on both big play receivers for the entire game.
On offense, the team just has to go back to what was working against New England in the first half. More run and less pass is the best thing that the team can do in order to distance itself from its sack and turnover problems. The running game has been making steady improvement each weak and it seems that both Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas are itching for an increased load. Lamar Miller’s speed should be utilized early and often.
Rishard Matthews is ready to fill in for Brandon Gibson and should be counted on heavily in the middle of the field. The x factor in the offense is Marcus Thigpen who could also create mismatches for the offense.
The Dolphins have enough weapons on offense to put up more than twenty points in this game without having to force the issue. It will be important for them to rely on their running game and defense in this game, because they will discover that they do not need to drop back fifty times to put up points and win games.
Miami has to set up the pass with the run and get back to old fashioned football. A play-action play call at the right time could get Mike Wallace loose down the field. He can also be targeted deep by rolling Tannehill out of the pocket.
The Dolphins should be able to execute this game plan towards a victory. Happy Halloween. – Cyrus
Bill’s Prediction: As much as I think the Bengals are vulnerable on a short week, giving up 3 points in Miami, I just can’t pick the Dolphins in this one. The Dolphins are inconsistent and their complete abandonment of the running game in the 2nd half of games is going to drive me crazy. Add to all of this the fact that Tyson Clabo will start at RT against a talented D-Line for the Bengals and I think Ryan Tannehill could be on his back a lot this evening. Even more, the Dolphins locker room is said to have some issues, which is never good…especially on a short week. I hope I’m wrong and the Dolphins prove everyone wrong in front of the national audience tonight. Prediction: Bengals 30 Dolphins 23 (Bengals -3)
Miami Jules Prediction: I will be picking against my Dolphins for the first time this season and although it is hard for me to transition from venting, to making a cold and calculated evaluation of the game, I have no reason to think anything other than the losing trend continuing will happen Thursday night.. I expect the Dolphins will be sabotaged by perhaps unintentional but still destructive play selection and calling by an inept offense coordinator, who was hired by a non-play calling former offensive coordinator and first time head football coach, who himself was hired by an even more inept and dysfunctional general manager . Prediction: Bengals 28 Dolphins 20 (Bengals -3)
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