Miami Dolphins: Important to start strong at Washington
By Sean Denison
The Miami Dolphins are finished with preseason, roster cuts have been made, and their starters are penciled in to start the season. Yes, ladies and gentleman, it’s football season—the wait is finally over. Sit back and relax; grab your favorite beverage; maybe go-ahead and make your famous bean dip; call your buddies over; and get ready for an emotional roller-coaster that possesses the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. As a fan of the 2015 Miami Dolphins, this year has the potential to either have your blood pressure elevated dangerously high, or have your nerves calmed by the unusual sight of success. Let’s hope for the latter.
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Fortunately for the Dolphins, they have the luxury of starting the season against six quarterbacks that aren’t exactly the cream of the crop at their positions. In fact, not one starter in this six-game stretch has a career passer rating higher than 80. New York Jets Ryan Fitzpatrick, a career-long journeyman, is probably the most talented one of the bunch—which isn’t saying much. To the pleasure of the Dolphins defense, included in this group of quarterbacks is rookie Marcus Mariota and first-time starter Tyrod Taylor.
It’s imperative that Miami gets off to a fast start. The Dolphins must take advantage of the early part of their schedule because as the year progresses into the most important part of the season, the Dolphins face the wrath of six pro bowl quarterbacks: Tony Romo, Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, Andrew Luck, and Tom Brady.
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While I’m sure this reality is somewhere in the back of their minds, the Dolphins aren’t concerned with the hard work that lies ahead of them at the end of the season. No, their main focus is Sunday’s opponent: the Washington Redskins. And even though it’s crucial for Miami to start red-hot, we have to remember that the season starts Sunday and the Dolphins must take this journey one game at a time.
On paper, the Redskins look like the trash on your neighbor’s curb that—because it’s been out there for so long—the garbage men have decided to ignore. Thanks a lot, Tony—there goes your Christmas gift. Besides the fact of being the punchline of many jokes this offseason, the Redskins do possess some weapons that Miami should respect. In fact, with new signal-caller Kirk Cousins, the Dolphins face a quarterback with more arm talent than RG3. A better arm and understanding of the position gives the Redskins’ only deep threat, DeSean Jackson, more opportunities in the passing game.
“On paper, the Redskins look like the trash on your neighbor’s curb that—because it’s been out there for so long—the garbage men have decided to ignore.”
In an offense that is expected to be at the bottom of the league, the Cousins-led Skins don’t have much to look forward to. But in fact, with DeSean Jackson, along with Alfred Morris, Pierre Garcon, and Jordan Reed, Washington has more weapons than given credit for. However, with that disclaimer out-of-the-way, I do believe Miami will get the upper hand in Sunday’s matchup—the Dolphins are the more talented football team.
If Tannehill continues his growth with his newly acquired weapons, if the defense is as dominant as we believe, and if the offensive line continues to gel, Miami should start the season Sunday the best way possible: with a “W” in the win column.