If you want to be the team everyone thinks you can be, December football is the most important football and Miami has a chance to do some really special things this season starting this Sunday at Washington in what will potentially be a wet football game.
Last Week:
Miami beat the Jets 34-13
Washington lost to Dallas 45-10
Advantages:
QB: Dolphins
- Sam Howell is getting a lot of love this season for leading the league in passing yards but the man has thrown the ball 53 times more than anyone else has this season. Tua's MVP campaign has taken a hit thanks to his 10 interceptions in 11 games but Tua is still playing really really well this year. He just has to cut out the interceptions especially as we enter December.
RB: Dolphins
- Brian Robinson is having a solid season this year, especially as a receiver out of the backfield, but only Christian McCaffery is running as well as Raheem Mostert is this year. Raheem quietly is second in the league in rushing yards and first in the league in rushing touchdowns. Add that to Jeff Wilson who looked great against the Jets and Miami should be getting a healthy (We hope?) De'Von Achane back this week.
WR: Dolphins
- Free Terry McLaurin. In all seriousness, Washington does possess some really talented receivers between Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel who is more of their gadget guy but this group isn't on the level of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle who both cooked the Jets secondary last week. I've been waiting for Miami to start throwing some big box fades and they finally did it against the Jets.
TE: Commanders
- Once again, Miami will never have the advantage here but it was good to see Durham back last week and he did a solid job blocking on the edge which was missed last week against Vegas.
OL: Dolphins
- So this one is pretty easy. Miami's offensive line that had Kion Smith (who looked phenomenal at LT by the way), Liam Eichenberg, and Lester Cotton playing essentially shut down the Jets defensive front (yes Miami gave up 2 sacks but all and all it was a great game) while Sam Howell has been sacked 55 times in 12 games. That is RIDICULOUS. At some point I am going to need to do a Butch Barry appreciation post because good lord! Now there is concern as both Terron Armstead (drink) and Kendall Lamm are injured and their status' for this game is in major doubt. Armstead is dealing with a quad injury that is week to week while Lamm hurt his back Friday morning and played sparingly on it. Kion Smith might be the starting left tackle this week.
DL/EDGE: Dolphins
- Losing Jaelen Phillip sucks. Since we didn't do a Phins Up or Down this week due to the holiday I haven't gotten a chance to address this but man, I feel awful for Jaelen. Here's hoping he has a quick and speedy recovery and is ready to roll next season! For this game, Miami has the clear edge thanks to their edge guy in Bradley Chubb. Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne can wreck a game plan inside but with the trades of Montez Sweat and Chase Young, Washington doesn't have a lot outside of Casey Toohill on the edge. Add that to the fact that Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler are both balling and you get the advantage towards Miami. PLUS, Miami's front is going against the Washington offensive line that is nothing short of offensive.
LB: Dolphins
- There are not many linebacker duos playing better right now than Jerome Baker and David Long. I was hard on both of them to start the year but since week 3, the duo is balling to the point that I would give Baker an extension to lower his cap and not even think about cutting him. Cody Barton and Jamin Davis are okay but they aren't on Miami's level.
CB:
- Washington's corners are bad as Washington ranks 30th in pass defense this season. Kendall Fuller has always been a solid player and Benjamin St-Justice is a tall physical corner but neither of them match up with Miami's receivers athletically. Meanwhile Miami's secondary continues to ball out with Ramsey, Howard, and Kohou.
S: Dolphins
- JEVON HOLLAND DID THAT! Both of these dudes have been playing well but I have been waiting for one of these safeties to make a big impact play on the ball and they finally did! Washington has a really good safety in Kameron Curl but Elliot and Holland form a much better duo on the back end than Curl and second year safety Percy Butler.
Key Injuries
Miami is still a very banged up football team with 17 guys on the injury report on Wednesday. We mentioned it earlier but left tackle is a major concern for Miami going into this game. Terron Armstead is once again hurt but was at least able to practice on a limited basis Wednesday while Kendall Lamm is nursing a back injury and did not practice. If neither of them can go, developmental tackle Kion Smith, who looked good against the Jets, will have to start his first NFL game. In Butch Barry we trust to get Kion ready? Other players who were DNP on Wednesday include Tyreek Hill with an ankle, Jevon Hollands with both knees, and Raheem Mostert's ankle and knee. Raheem almost never practices Wednesdays so not a big concern there and I have a good feeling that we will see Tyreek and Jevon Sunday against Washington. I think we will see Rob Hunt back this week as if you noticed on Hard Knocks, Hunt was getting work on the scout team and pulling, not to mention he was active last week. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Rob Jones back too.
The Commanders are relatively healthy with only 4 players on the injury report. First round pick Emmanuel Forbes, who has really struggled this year, missed practice with an elbow injury, center Tyler Larsen missed practice with a knee injury, and James Smith-Williams (DNP) and fullback Alex Amah both are nursing hamstring injuries.
Key Story Lines/Keys to Victory
The key story line for this game offensively is how efficient can the Dolphins offense be and can they avoid the turnovers that have allowed inferior teams to stay in some games. Washington's defense has been awful and while they fired Jack Del Rio after their Thanksgiving day massacre, is Ron Rivera calling the defense going to be enough to turn this unit around? I highly doubt it. I expect Miami to attack early and often and I think we could get another game where Waddle, Hill, and Mostert all go over 100 yards.
Defensively the main story is how much and how often is Miami going to get after Sam Howell? The Dolphins are second in NFL in QB hits with 83 (Baltimore is first with 84) and is about to play a team who passes the ball more than any other team in the league at 67.79%. And for as much love as Washington has gotten at times thanks to Sam Howell leading the league in passing yards, statistically this is an average offense that you should be able to stop. Now don't get me wrong, Washington is going to make some plays, but I expect this Dolphins defense, particularly the front 7, to continue their hot streak and get at least 5 sacks.
Prediction:
Miami is too talented for this to be anything less than a solid victory for the Dolphins. I don't know how one of the worst defenses in the league is going to match up against this Dolphins offense and Miami's defense should be able to get after Sam Howell and an awful offensive line.
Dolphins 34 Washington 17