The Five Biggest Reasons for Concern at the Bye
As the Miami Dolphins sit and watch during Week 14 of the NFL season with the latest bye in franchise history, we take stock of where the team stands.
When they return to action against the New York Jets on Dec. 19, the Dolphins will have four games remaining, with trips to New Orleans and Tennessee preceding the season finale against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 9.
As we take a break from the action (TV lingo), let's examine the five biggest reasons for concern for the Dolphins at the bye.
1. TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?
We're going to start off with a big-picture issue, and it concerns the likelihood of the Dolphins being able to make the playoffs even if they finish strong. Given the way the Dolphins have played over the past month, that might be a bigger concern than anything else.
2. PLAYING CATCH-UP
As we indicated when we discussed the Dolphins' dramatic turnaround, a big key has been the ability to keep control of the game, evidenced by the fact the team has never trailed in the second half during its winning streak and has never trailed by more than three points in any game in the first half. That's allowed the Dolphins to play conservatively and take few chances on offense. But what happens if they fall behind by 10 or 14 points in any of their remaining games? The hope is they could come back in that game — the way they did against Atlanta in Week 7 — but there's also no guarantee that would happen against better defenses like those of New Orleans, Tennessee or New England.
3. SPECIAL TEAMS AND JASON SANDERS
Hate to single out a player like this, but the plain fact is that Jason Sanders just isn't the automatic kicker he was during his All-Pro 2020 season. It's entirely possible that one of the final four games could come down to a field goal attempt and let's just say we would have felt a whole lot better about Sanders making the kick last year than we do this year. Then again, he did nail a make-or-lose 50-yard field goal in overtime at Las Vegas in Week 3.
4. BIG PLAYS AGAINST THE DEFENSE
The Dolphins defense has overwhelmed opponents throughout the winning streak, but the Jets did hit a 39-yard run and a 62-yard pass play in the Week 11 game at MetLife Stadium, and even Cam Newton had a 57-yard completion to D.J. Moore on a day his passer rating was in single digits. Those are the kinds of plays that can quickly end the winning streak.
5. SCHEDULE STIFFENS
The Dolphins will be done with the so-called "soft" part of their schedule after that second Jets game Dec. 19, even though the Saints and Titans might not be operating at full strength. It's not unfair to suggest that the Dolphins' ability to play with the lead during their winning streak has been helped by the fact that they faced one team with a winning record (Baltimore) during that stretch. Then again, if the Dolphins are to make a push for the playoffs, they'll have to show they can beat good teams and we will find out eventually whether they can.
