Week 6 games that should interest Miami Dolphin fans this weekend
By George Keim
Week six could be a very good one for Miami Dolphins fans who potentially could see a victory and watch other teams who may impact next year’s draft.
The Miami Dolphins return from the bye week to take on the Washington Redskins. While this looks like a very winnable game for Miami, there are some other games around the league for Dolphins fans to keep their eyes on.
Sunday – 1:00 pm New Orleans Saints (4-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)
The Dolphins currently hold the Saints’ second-round pick in the 2020 draft. After week 5 this pick currently stands at #59 overall. When the Saints lost Drew Brees due to injury many Dolphin fans thought this draft pick might steadily become better. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. Teddy Bridgewater has come in and gone 3-0 as the Saints’ starting quarterback. This week the Saints travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. The Jags have been up and down this year. After losing their starting quarterback in week one, sixth-round draft pick Gardner Minshew has steered the Jags to a 2-2 record. Every game the Jaguars have been in has been close. I expect the same here. The Saints are 1-1 away from their home field. This game will come down to one thing, can the Jacksonville defense rise to the occasion and keep Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas in check. Jacksonville steps up and pulls off the upset at home. Jacksonville 24 – New Orleans 21
Sunday – 8:20 pm Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (2-3)
The Dolphins currently hold the Steelers first-round pick in the 2020 draft due to the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade. The Ravens stepped up in OT in week 5 to beat the Steelers thus making the Steelers pick #5 overall. This week the Steelers travel west to take on the Los Angeles Chargers. Last week Mason Rudolph got knocked out (literally) of the game making the Steelers turn to 3rd string quarterback Devlin Hodges. The Steelers have a talented defense that will keep them in most games. The question becomes, can they generate enough offense? The Chargers are another team that is tough to figure out. They have talent on both sides of the ball but once again they have been hit by the injury bug. The Chargers are also playing in a temporary stadium which only holds 27,000 fans so there is no real home-field advantage here. The Chargers will have a full week to prepare for Hodges and will show him things on defense he’s never seen. Bosa and company make enough plays to shut down the Steelers offense while Philip Rivers cobbles together just enough offense. The Dolphins draft capital continues to appreciate. Los Angeles Chargers 20 – Pittsburgh Steelers 10
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Sunday – 1:00 pm Houston Texans (3-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
Dolphins currently hold two of the Texan’s future first-round picks (2020 & 2021). After week five the Texans’ 2020 first-round pick currently sits at #25 overall. The Texans are coming off an impressive offensive performance after dropping 53 points at home against the Atlanta Falcons. Deshaun Watson was a monster in that game. This week though will be a little different. The Texans will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. Arrowhead Stadium is a tough place to play, although last week the Indianapolis Colts traveled into KC and defeated the Chiefs. Indianapolis laid the blueprint for beating Kansas City. Run the ball, control the clock, and keep Patrick Mahomes on the sideline where he can’t hurt you. Can the Texans employ this same strategy? This might require taking the ball out of Watson’s hands. The bigger question might be is can Houston’s defense slow down the Chiefs’ offense when it is on the field. This could be the game of the week in the NFL. While still early, games like these could come into play as tiebreakers when determining the seeding for the playoffs. In the end, I think Dolphins fans will be pleased. Mahomes rebounds from a lackluster game and holds services in a high scoring game at home. Kansas City Chiefs 38 – Houston Texans 31
Overall this looks like a good weekend for the Dolphins. The additional picks they hold should all appreciate in value. But, the larger question looming is, do the Dolphins hurt their own pick by beating the Washington Redskins. Guess we have to wait and see.