Miami Dolphins Boast Top Defense? Prove It!

Go over to NFL.com and click the stats and revel in the statistical categories that the Miami Dolphins defense sits in? Too lazy because I didn’t include a link? Fine here you go.

Total defense? Miami is ranked 2nd behind Detroit. Passing defense? Miami is ranked 2nd behind Kansas City. Rushing defense? Miami is ranked 8th. The team is also ranked sixth in total takeaways with 19. Sacks – 3rd, scoring – 4th, interceptions – tied for 10th. Yes this Miami Dolphins defense is good. No they are on the verge of being great. But they have to step up. They have to prove that all the attention and accolades are real. They have to show up on Sunday and put an exclamation point at the end of their game against the Denver Broncos.

It will be no easy task for sure. Peyton Manning is rallying his team despite the fact that Julius Thomas the teams top rated TE and Emmanuel Sanders are sitting out practices this week and are questionable to play. This despite the fact that the Broncos will be without number one running back Montee Ball and number two running back Ronnie Hillman and instead will turn to C.J. Anderson to tote the ball. Peyton Manning is of course Peyton Manning.

The Broncos have a very poor offensive line but Miami’s defense has played down to poor lines in the past. Cameron Wake for example has been shut down by back-ups and rookies as has Oliver Vernon. The Broncos are hurting along the offensive line and one mainstream media reporter called them horrendous.  Pressure from Wake, Vernon, Odrick, Starks, and Mitchell will go a very long way to making Sunday a very long day for Peyton Manning.

The Dolphins could find themselves struggling on offense with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware terrorizing Ryan Tannehill. The duo have combined to form the best outside rushers in the NFL this season and the Dolphins will be hard pressed to stop Miller as he will be going up against the human turnstile, Dallas Thomas. With Miami’s offense looking to turn to more quick passing attempts and delayed hand-offs the onus of Sunday will fall squarely on the pressure that Miami can get on Manning.

Wes Welker will be a focal point for Manning as he will need to look to his undersized but versatile receiver more often than not. If Miami’s pass rush can take the pocket away from Manning, Manning will need to find his outlets in the seconds after he gets the ball. Miami’s pass rush must be relenting and brutal while still being wary of Anderson out of the back-field.

The Broncos will likely try and slow the pass rush down with running back and wide receiver screens as well as using their TE, whoever that may be, to split the seam coverage. The Dolphins bend but don’t break offense will find this weekend hard to continue that trend as Denver is very proficient in the red-zone.

Miami is boasting one of it’s best defensive units in years statistically but they need to be ready on Sunday. They have to look at this game as a must win with a full desire to take down one of the top teams in the AFC. It’s time for the Dolphins defense to put 60 full minutes on the board against an elite team. The game and perhaps their season after this weekend will depend upon it. Unlike Green Bay and Detroit, there are no “could have and should have’s”. It’s time to put up or shut up.