3 Bold Predictions for Dolphins Week 5 Game vs. Panthers

The Miami Dolphins are looking to get their second win of the season after finally getting into the win column against the New York Jets on Monday.

This week, they’ll hit the road to take on the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are also 1-3 this season and just got blown out by the New England Patriots.

Even though Carolina isn’t great, neither are the Dolphins, so we’re looking at three bold predictions that can help the Dolphins get their second win of the season.

Let’s get into it.

Malik Washington Has 8+ Catches

This prediction might not be “overly” bold, but Washington has never recorded more than five receptions in a single game. However, with Tyreek Hill out for the season, Washington is the team’s de facto WR2 behind Jaylen Waddle.

Washington doesn’t have Hill’s speed, but he can capitalize on a lot of the shallow throws Miami’s offense has focused on since last season. He’s also had a lot more work with Tua Tagovailoa than other targets like Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Dee Eskridge, and Tahj Washington.

We saw Tua and Malik’s chemistry really pop off during the preseason when Waddle and Hill were both out.

Malik’s role in the offense has also grown this season. Although this wouldn’t count toward our prediction, Washington is getting handoffs in the backfield. Miami’s offensive braintrust clearly believes in him.

As for the Panthers, Jaycee Horn will probably match up with Waddle for most of the game, whether that’s man coverage or zone coverage on Waddle’s side of the field. That leaves Malik working against outside CB Mike Jackson or slot CB Trevian Thomas.

Washington can win those matchups, and he’s got the chemistry to earn Tua’s trust against zone coverage.

Miami’s Defense Allows Less Than 80 Rushing Yards

The Dolphins have one of the worst rushing defenses in the sport by rushing yards allowed per game. Last week, the Jets bullied them up front and used Justin Fields’ scrambling to rush for almost 200 yards.

The Panthers are not the Jets. They lack the physicality upfront, especially without former Dolphins guard Robert Hunt, and Bryce Young won’t burn the Dolphins beyond the line too much.

Carolina’s running backs, Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, are talented, but the Panthers only average 100.3 rushing yards per game this season. They’ve struggled to create push upfront pretty consistently.

Additionally, Hubbard will miss this game due to a calf injury he has been dealing with since last week. Dowdle ran for 1,000 yards in Dallas last season, but that offensive line was much better than Carolina's. The Panthers' third-string RB is rookie Trevor Etienne, who has eight carries for 37 yards.

This is the Dolphins’ chance to stabilize their run defense. Players like Zach Sieler, Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips have enough ability to hold the Panthers’ OL at bay.

They don’t need to rack up tackles for loss or anything like that, but the best way for Carolina to win this game is to get Hubbard going. If the Dolphins can’t stop this anemic of a rushing attack, it might be time to write off this unit until they prove otherwise.

Dolphins Get 2+ Interceptions

Last week, it was the fumbles, so the team is due for some turnovers through the air, right? Miami forced its first three turnovers of the season against the Jets, and all three were forced fumbles.

The Dolphins' defense is starting to get a lot more opportunistic, and the Panthers present an excellent opportunity for Miami’s defensive backs to get involved. Young has only thrown three interceptions this season, but his career touchdown-to-interception ratio is pretty rough.

Since entering the league in 2023, Young has thrown 23 interceptions in just 34 games. Carolina has the 12th-highest pressure rate allowed this season, so if Miami’s defensive line can speed up Young’s process, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make some mistakes.

Plus, the Dolphins’ defense has some potent ball-hawks in Jack Jones, Rasul Douglas, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. They haven’t gotten their hands on many passes this season, but this feels like an opportunity for those guys to make a few plays.

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