Miami Dolphins Kick-Off 2014

It’s game day folks which means that the Miami Dolphins are back for some NFL football! The excitement has been growing since the team began training camp, it escalated through four weeks of pre-season football, and is reaching a fever pitch over the past ten days as camp concluded, the roster was set and the team focused on the New England Patriots.

The Dolphins will not find their 2014 opener easy. Rob Gronkowski is expected to see limited action today but the real New England offense is shouldered by veteran Tom Brady who’s quick release and accuracy has led the Patriots to more division titles in the last 12 years than any other teams in the AFC East combined. New England may not have improved their offense on paper but defensively the addition of Darrelle Revis has made their secondary much improved.

The Dolphins will need to attack small if they want to move the ball today. Meaning they need to play the middle of the field between ten and fifteen yards downfield. The Dolphins will look to Wallace on the deep route but may find safety coverage too tight to attempt often. Instead, Wallace will find more success on the out route that he and Tannehill connected on last season with success.

Brandon Gibson will also find himself playing an integral part in today’s offense as either Wallace or Brian Hartline will be covered Revis. Gibson could be the player who receives the most targets today offensively. With the Dolphins deep at wide-receiver, eyes will focus on the offensive line and how they protect Tannehill and open running lanes for Knowshon Moreno and Lamar Miller.

Defensively the Dolphins will need to get upfield quick off the edges and collapse the throwing lanes for Brady. If they can keep constant pressure, he is hard to sack, then Miami will force Brady to throw early in the receivers routes. Brady doesn’t get flustered but when he has his game rushed consistently he starts to break down mechanically. There is no question is he is one of the best but this season he will have some offensive changes, including the trade of Logan Mankins that could impact the teams offense.

The Dolphins need to contain the run as well. Shane Vereen looks to be a bigger part of the teams offense this year and he will split time with Stevan Ridley.

While the Dolphins offense has line questions the defense has safety questions. Reshad Jones is suspended for the first four games and the team will turn to Jimmy Wilson and Louis Delmas to help cover the tight ends and support the running game. The Dolphins would be smart to use Wilson on hidden blitzes.

The Dolphins are not only fighting the Patriots today but in a lot of ways they are battling the impression of the fans. Dolphins fans continue to wait for a surge forward but instead have only been given gradual steps in the right direction but this team has more talent than the previous three seasons and now it falls on the coaching staff to get the most out of these players. A win today will go a long way towards improving the teams confidence and the fans confidence as well. A win will make this season a lot more interesting out of the starting gate.

What are your key points in the game today? Don’t forget to join us for our live game day chat as well!