Why the Miami Dolphins will beat the L.A. Chargers
![Miami Dolphins defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (91) celebrates after sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) on fourth down and 3 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, October 4, 2020. [ALLEN EYESTONE/The Palm Beach Post]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F6fcdbeb9c3a4f57012cdc1bc66b4bf1777498e8f240a4967b2938dba93edc39d.jpg "Miami Dolphins defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (91) celebrates after sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) on fourth down and 3 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, October 4, 2020. [ALLEN EYESTONE/The Palm Beach Post]")
These are the top five reasons the Miami Dolphins will defeat the Los Angeles Chargers.
If you just judge these teams by their team statistics, this game would appear to be a close contest that the Miami Dolphins should probably lose. After all, the Chargers’ offense is second in the league in yards (420 yards per game) and have the early favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year in quarterback Justin Herbert. With that said, here are the top five reasons the Dolphins will defeat the Chargers.
5. South Florida heat
Even with a 4 pm start time, the temperature is expected to be ~83 degrees at kickoff. With the way Hard Rock Stadium is constructed, expect it to be well over 100 on the visitor’s sideline. the Chargers are a “soft/finesse” team that’s more likely to ‘melt away’ in the hot Florida sun.
4. Injuries to Chargers running backs
For the season, the Chargers are 9th in rushing offense (135.6 yards/game) while the Dolphins are 26th in rushing defense (allowing 131.8 yards/game). Why will this game be different? The Chargers best two running backs (Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson) are both out for this game.
Their starter, Joshua Kelley, is averaging 3.2 yards per carry this season. Former Dolphin Kalen Ballage had a good game last week but, if his time in Miami is any indication, it’s doubtful that he can put together another good game.
3. Justin Herbert is a ‘turnover machine’
For all the hype over the start of Justin Herbert’s career, he’s been turnover-prone. His 5 interceptions and three fumbles account for 8 of the 10 Chargers turnovers. Against a Dolphins team coming off back-to-back games with a strip-sack/fumble returned for a touchdown, Emmanuel Ogbah and company have to be drooling over Herbert’s arrival.
2. Bad in the red zone
The Chargers enter today 23rd in red-zone efficiency; only scoring a touchdown on 57 percent of their drives inside the 20 yd line. That explains how a team ranked 2nd in yards per game is 16th in points per game. Pair that with a Dolphins defense allowing the fourth-lowest amount of points in the league and Chargers kicker Michael Badgley may be a busy man.
1. Chargers can’t ‘close’
The team has blown leads of 11, 17, 17, and 21 points this season. For all the talk about the Chargers being better than 2-6, Bill Parcells said it best when he told reporters “you are what your record says you are”. If the Dolphins keep it close, the Chargers have shown they will find a way to “snatch defeat from the mouth of victory”.
Miami Dolphins 27-Los Angeles Chargers 23