Miami Dolphins: 3 game day predictions for week one

Patriots Establish a Running Game

One of the handful of issues that the Miami Dolphins could be facing this year is their ability to stop the run. They were a middle-of-the-pack defense when it came to run-stuffing last season, but will need to improve on those numbers if they hope to be a contender this coming season.

While the Patriots could find themselves simply outmatched in certain phases of Sunday’s game, one thing that Belichick will absolutely do is find your weakness and do his best to exploit it. Don’t be surprised if Jones is expected to be nothing more than a game-manager by way of New England establishing a reliable run game. They will likely do their best to keep the playbook simple and condensed, which could result in a run-heavy offense and plenty of opportunities for Damien Harris and James White.

There was little done to improve Miami’s front seven in the off season, and they released newly-signed Benardrick McKinney, who was expected to help with run stuffing. For a team that spent the summer addressing roster issues and patching up holes, they may look back and regret not putting more energy in to the defensive line and particularly the running game. It could be an issue that lingers not only in Week 1, but well beyond. The Dolphins will be counting on big seasons from Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis.