Dolphins Opponent Breakdown: Green Bay Packers
The Miami Dolphins will look to end their three-game losing streak and move to 9-6 on the season when they face the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
This will be the fourth of four games against NFC North Division for the Dolphins, who lost at home against the Minnesota Vikings and won on the road against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. The Packers will go into the game with a 6-8 record and in 10th place in the NFC standings following their 24-12 victory against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night.
To get some answers on five major questions related to the Packers, we turned to Bill Huber, Publisher of Fan Nation sister site Packer Central.
1. With back-to-back victories, are the Packers getting closer to the team most expected them to be or did they just take advantage of two bad teams (Bears, Rams)?
BH: Probably a little of both. I do think the Packers have made some strides. From Game 10 through Game 13, the Packers were sixth in scoring during that four-game stretch of Dallas, Tennessee, Philadelphia and Chicago. There’s three playoff teams in that bunch. In the cold on Monday night, they only scored 24 but they took a knee at the 1 so could have gotten to 30 again. They’ve run the ball well for most of the season. With the emergence of rookie receiver Christian Watson and with four-fifths of the offensive line having started the last six games together, the growth is real. That being said, the Bears are in 16th place in the NFC and the Rams are in 15th place. Green Bay took care of business and won those games but hardly looked like a high-quality team.
2. Where would you say Aaron Rodgers' game is these days?
BH: Rodgers is an above-average starter. It’s been a challenge this year. They traded Davante Adams and replaced him with way-past-his-prime veteran Sammy Watkins and three draft picks. Between the upheaval at receiver, the uncertainty on the offensive line with studs David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins coming off knee injuries, and a broken thumb sustained in Week 5, it’s been a struggle compared to his four MVP seasons. But the rookies have gained some critical seasoning, the line has found some stability and the thumb no longer is an issue. Rodgers was really sharp against the Rams on Monday night. I would think the NFC’s playoff contenders will be cheering for the Dolphins on Sunday. With a potentially powerful offense and the momentum from what would be a five-game winning streak, I don’t think any team would want to face the Packers in the postseason.
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3. Who's the offensive player (besides Rodgers, of course) with whom the Dolphins most need to be concerned?
BH: Watson. Remember that No. 6 ranking in scoring? That’s largely on the strength of the rookie’s incredible four-game stretch of eight touchdowns. No rookie receiver in NFL history scored so many touchdowns over such a short period of time. A star at North Dakota State, the Packers traded up to get him with the 34th overall pick of the draft. He’s just so big and fast. A few weeks ago at Chicago, he scored the winning touchdown on a jet sweep. The player who made the key block, Watkins, started celebrating when Watson was at the 40. The Bears defender in pursuit beat 4.40 in the 40 at his pro day. By comparison to Watson, it looked like he was running through wet concrete. The Rams put Jalen Ramsey on him for a decent chunk of Monday’s game. Watson caught only four passes but drew two penalties (and there should have been a third for holding/interference/tripping). He is going to be a star.
4. How well equipped, if at all, is the Green Bay defense to deal with the Dolphins passing game and all that speed at wide receiver?
BH: The Packers have one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in Jaire Alexander. An All-Pro in 2020, he missed most of 2021 with a shoulder injury but was named to the 2022 Pro Bowl team this week. I don’t know that he’s going to shadow Tyreek Hill but those will be some must-see snaps. He’s got the speed, talent and mentality to go up against anyone. The other corner is Rasul Douglas, who is a really good player but speed is not his game. Keisean Nixon has taken over in the slot; he’s got plenty of speed but doesn’t have an abundance of experience. A great pass rush would help but the Packers don’t have that; their top rusher, Rashan Gary, suffered a torn ACL at midseason. I would assume defensive coordinator Joe Barry will have his corners play a mile off Hill and Jaylen Waddle and hope the Dolphins shoot themselves in the foot enough so it’s field goals instead of touchdowns.
5. What do you see as the most realistic way the Packers can win at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday?
BH: The Packers have to run the ball, which they’re well equipped to do with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. Run the ball, control the clock, stay out of third-and-long (and away from the Dolphins’ pass rush) and strike on play-action. Of course, that’s everyone’s formula, right? That’s right out of the “Football for Total Idiots” playbook. Listen, I’m not comparing Watson and fellow rookie Romeo Doubs to Hill and Waddle. Because of injuries, Watson and Doubs had played only 52 snaps together the first 13 games. With Doubs back from an ankle injury against the Rams, they shared the field on 13 snaps. Rodgers was 7-of-7 passing on those plays and the Packers picked up eight first downs. The field-stretching threat of Watson opened up some easy completions to Doubs. If the Packers can run the ball and get that type of efficiency in the passing game, they’ve got a real chance.
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