Previewing the Miami Dolphins
The Las Vegas Raiders' playoff hopes may be all but done, but they’ll be looking to finish off the season on the right foot when they face the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.
In year two of head coach Brian Flores' tenure, the Dolphins have taken a much quicker than expected leap to playoff contention with a record if 9-5, a big jump from being 5-11 a year ago.
Leading the charge in that effort is a defensive unit that ranks No. 1 in points against, literally a worst to first from last year when they ranked 32nd.
They’re able to beat you in multiple ways, whether it’s by generating pressure and racking up 37 sacks on the year, or by taking the ball away, where they’re ranked second in the league with 26 turnovers.
The defense hasn’t been the only unit that has taken a step forward this season, as the Dolphins offense has gotten to the middle of the pack in the NFL after being ranked 25th last year.
The Dolphins brought in former Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey as the offensive coordinator, and he’s been able to foster an environment that’s seen both veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick and rookie Tua Tagovailoa succeed at quarterback.
It was the insertion of Tagovailoa into the starting role that surprised many after the Dolphins beat the New York Jets to go to 3-3 on the season, as Fitzpatrick had played well.
The rookie was drafted fifth overall for a reason, though, and since the change, the Dolphins are 5-2 with notable wins over playoff contenders like the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals.
They’re a team with the ingredients to be a factor in the AFC for years to come, so this should an interesting test for the Raiders to see how they measure up.
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