5 things to know about this weeks Dolphins and Eagles game
Keep in mind that every team in the National Football League still has at least 10 games to play. So, it may be a bit premature to say that Sunday night's clash between the Dolphins and Eagles is a Super Bowl preview.
What will take place in Philadelphia is a meeting between division leaders each sporting a 5-1 record. Entering Week 7, the Fins and Birds are ranked first and second, respectively, in total offense. Mike McDaniel’s club (1st) and Nick Sirianni’s team (5th) are both in the Top 5 in the league scoring.
Let the battle begin!
All-Time Series Record
The Dolphins own a 9-6 lead in the series standings and have prevailed in the last two meetings. Miami owns a 3-4 road record in this interconference rivalry that dates back to the first year of the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. That year, the Eagles defeated Don Shula’s team, 24-17, at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field. Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ last appearance in the City of Brotherly Love resulted in a 20-19 win in 2015.
The Last Time
Dolphins 37, Eagles 31 (2019): The Birds were in the midst of a midseason slump but closed 2019 with four straight wins to reach the playoffs. Their last regular-season loss that season was at Miami, where Doug Pederson’s team built a 28-14 third-quarter lead. The Dolphins responded with 23 straight points behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, who finished the game with 365 passing yards and three scores (1 interception).
Most Memorable Meeting
Five games into 1993, the Dolphins lost Dan Marino to an Achilles injury. The team would use numerous quarterbacks and in Week 11, it was Scott Mitchell at Philadelphia. He suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter and was replaced by future Eagles’ head coach Doug Pederson. He rallied the club to a 19-14 victory and Don Shula logged his 325th overall win, surpassing George Halas for the most in NFL history.
Key to the Game
Getting pressure on Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts is obviously important, especially when you consider that the fourth-year signal-caller has been a little shaky when it comes to ball security. A year ago, he threw only six interceptions in 18 total games, including the club’s postseason run. In six outings this year, Hurts has thrown just as many touchdown passes (7) as interceptions (7) and has also lost a fumble.
Dolphins Player to Watch
Can the Philadelphia secondary keep the Dolphins’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill under wraps? The four-time All-Pro is off to a blazing start this season, totaling 42 receptions for an NFL-high 814 yards (19.4 average) and six scores. Only the Broncos (14), Bears (13), and Commanders (12) have surrendered more scores through the air than the Birds (11). This, despite the fact that the Eagles have totaled 20 sacks in six outings.