The Miami Dolphins can keep today’s game close if they do this
By Brian Miller
For the Miami Dolphins, keeping the game close seems more or less the goal than outright winning a game.
The Miami Dolphins have not beaten a spread this year and those have been double digits the last two weeks and will be again for the Chargers game on Sunday. How the Dolphins keep it close is a big question with not a lot of answers.
The Chargers have a very good offense but at times they are out of sync. Phillip Rivers is a gunslinger and when he starts to feel the pressure he makes bad throws. Miami has to get pressure on Rivers. If they can do that, they will force him to make mistakes.
Getting pressure is the problem though. The Dolphins are not collapsing pockets with any regularity and Rivers likes to hold the ball to make big plays. This is where the Dolphins can find time to get there.
Austin Ekeler will be a big part of the Chargers game plan and he has been explosive this season. Miami will have to contain him and cover him as he is much better as a receiver than a running back. The front seven will be a major key to the defense and while they have played better each week thus far, they are not getting much help from the offense and midway through the third quarter it starts to show.
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The offense has to score points but even more importantly they need to sustain drives. Miami’s offense has not been doing the defense any favors at all. Josh Rosen looked good last week but the receivers need to start making catches instead of dropping the ball.
The Dolphins offensive line will have their hands full with a better than the average defensive front but there are plays to be made especially in the secondary.
If Rosen can move the ball the Dolphins offense will allow the defense to stay fresher and that is important but Miami has to find a way to put points on the board, frankly, 19 points in three games are downright embarrassing.