Sitting just one game out of a Wildcard spot, the Miami Dolphins are in it, but will have to earn it
By Michael Quagliana
 |
| (AP Photo/Rhona Wise) |
The Miami Dolphins
are very much in the Wild Card hunt in the AFC. The team is sitting at 5-6,
just a step behind the Bengals and Steelers who are even at 6-5. Aside from an
inexplicable 37-3 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 10, the Dolphins have
put together a fairly respectable season. Their collective productivity
combined with the overall mediocrity from the AFC this season, has them
drooling at the bit for a spot in the postseason.
However, making the
playoffs will be no easy task for Miami, as they face a tough schedule to close
out the season. The Dolphins play the New England Patriots twice, go to San Francisco
to take on the 49ers, host a surprisingly on-the-rise Jacksonville Jaguars team
who has found its late season stride, and take on a Buffalo Bills squad who
already topped Miami once this season in a 19-14 win on Nov. 11.
For a spot in the
playoffs the Dolphins will certainly have to beat the Patriots (8-3) at least once
in their final two matchups, a daunting task. Their best chance is this coming
weekend as they have home field to their advantage. Though a tough challenge,
nothing is impossible. These are the top five things the Dolphins need to do Sunday
to have a shot a beating the Patriots.
1. Control the tempo. The best defense against Tom
Brady and the New England offense is to keep them off the field. The Dolphins
can ill afford any three and outs. They need to grind out their drives do what
they can to control time of possession.
2. Put pressure on Tom Brady. The Giants have
laid the blueprint down for the rest of the NFL in their two Super Bowl
appearances against the Pats: Hit Brady and get him out of his comfort zone.
Miami’s Cameron Wake is fifth in the NFL with 9.5 sacks. Wake needs to wreak
havoc in the trenches and disrupt the passing game.
3. Ryan Tannehill needs to be a leader. The
Dolphins aren’t going to blow out the Patriots. If Miami is still in the game
in the fourth quarter, Tannehill can’t simply take on his role as a game
manager. The rookie quarterback had a solid game last week in a win against the
Seattle Seahawks, completing 18 of 26 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown;
respectable, but not enough against a team like New England.
4. Utilize their weapons. Reggie Bush can bust
out a 60 yard run on any given play. Don’t use him as a ground-and-pound
running back. Davone Bess, the number-two wide receiver, caught seven passes
for 129 yards last week. He too has rare athleticism and a keen ability to make
defenders miss. Get both of them involved in the offense at key points in the
game. Don’t get too gimmicky, but run a screen passes and try to catch the
Pats’ defense sleeping,
5. Take pride. The Dolphins need this game.
They need energy in the locker room and from their home crowd that has been
missing all season. They need to have confidence and can’t be intimidated.
