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Five things the Miami Dolphins (8-8) request to bash to triumph their play finale against the New England Patriots (10-6) astatine location successful Week 18:
Make Patriots’ Mac Jones uncomfortable
Jones, the Patriots’ 2021 first-round pick, doesn’t person overmuch mobility, truthful the Dolphins defence should utilize the blitzes and pressures they person utilized each play to nutrient their 46 sacks against him. Miami needs to get Jones disconnected his spots and messiness up his timing connected routes. Jones gets the shot retired his hands quickly, which explains wherefore he’s lone been sacked 26 times this season, and completes 67 percent of his passes. The Dolphins request to screen the abbreviated to intermediate throws, and unit Jones to effort bigger throws against cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. The past clip Miami faced him, the squad lone produced 1 sack truthful the Dolphins can’t spend a repetition of that performance.
Protect Tua Tagovailoa and support his pouch secure
Like astir quarterbacks, Tagovailoa is astatine his champion erstwhile helium has clip to scan the tract and execute the discourtesy without a defender successful his face. That hasn’t happened overmuch this season, but he’s inactive 1 of the slightest sacked quarterbacks successful the NFL (19s) heading into the play finale. The Patriots added Matt Judon this offseason arsenic a big-ticket free-agent item, giving him a four-year, $54.5 cardinal declaration and the walk rusher has rewarded them with 12.5 sacks and 25 backmost hits. It’s going to beryllium connected near tackle Liam Eichenberg and close tackle Jesse Davis to marque definite Tagovailoa is capable to measurement up successful the pouch to throw.
Rush for much than 100 yards
The Dolphins’ rushing onslaught has been unspeakable astir of this season, but it has shown signs of betterment with Duke Johnson (4.6 yards per attempt) arsenic the pb back. Last Sunday Johnson gained 49 rushing yards connected 7 carries against the Titans earlier Miami had to wantonness the crushed game. This play Miami is averaging 3.4 yards per effort connected 399 carries, which equates to 24.9 carries per game. The NFL mean is 114.3 rushing yards per crippled and 4.3 per carry. The Patriots are allowing 4.5 rushing yards per carry, and 119 yards per game. It would payment the Dolphins to enactment committed to the run, trying to get to the 2nd level and attacking linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Win tract presumption battle
The Patriots typically triumph the peculiar teams facet of a game, and subsequently triumph the tract presumption conflict against astir opponents. That’s wherefore the Dolphins indispensable beryllium effectual successful kickoff and punt sum connected Sunday. Miami can’t spend for punter Michael Palardy to person a repetition of past Sunday’s disappointing performance, wherever helium averaged 29.8 nett yards connected 4 punts. And it would beryllium beneficial if the Dolphins instrumentality crippled came live this week. Patriots kicker Nick Folk has lone missed 3 tract goals each season, and they were each 50 yards oregon longer.
Pass catchers not named Jaylen Waddle indispensable measurement up
The Patriots traditionally instrumentality distant the opposition’s favourite playmaker from a strategical approach, which means the Dolphins indispensable trust connected players extracurricular of Waddle, who is three receptions distant from mounting an NFL rookie record, and 12 yards from becoming the 11th 1,000-yard receiver successful franchise history. DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, Isaiah Ford, Mack Hollins and Durham Smythe are each going to person to find ways to get open, and bring down contested catches to present plays against New England, which features 1 of the NFL’s stingiest passing defenses successful the league (192.4 passing yards per game).
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