5 things you need to know about the Dolphins Week 5 clash with the Giants
There were six games in Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season decided by at least 20 points. Both the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants were on the wrong end of those contests. Mike McDaniel’s club was rolled at Buffalo, 48-20, and Big Blue was stifled at home on Monday night by the visiting Seahawks, 24-3.
The Dolphins are home for only the second time this season and this tilt with Brian Daboll’s club is the first of three straight games (Giants, Panthers, and Eagles) vs. NFC clubs.
All-Time Series Record
The Dolphins prevailed in the teams’ first meeting in 1972 in New York. Miami also prevailed when the franchise’s last met two years ago in South Florida, 20-9. In between, the Giants won seven of the other eight encounters, including a 13-10 triumph in London in 2007. Do the math and Big Blue owns a 7-3 mark in this infrequent interconference setting and owns a surprising 4-1 mark as the road team in the series.
The Last Time
Dolphins 20, Giants 9 (2021): Following a Week 1 victory at New England, Brian Flores’ team would go on to drop its next seven games. However, the Dolphins were on the comeback trail and were riding a four-game winning streak. Neither team gained at least 300 total yards of offense. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 244 yards and a pair of scores. Miami’s defense limited the Giants to three Graham Gano field goals.
Most Memorable Meeting
The franchises first met in 1972 and what makes it memorable is that the Dolphins’ 23-13 victory at Yankee Stadium in Week 13 that season put Don Shula’s team on the verge of a 14-0 regular-season. Miami ran for 204 yards and quarterback Earl Morrall threw a 34-yard TD pass to Paul Warfield, who finished the afternoon with four receptions for 132 yards. Shula’s team forced six turnovers in the win.
Key to the Game
It may be a mindset. A week after scoring 70 points and beating the Denver Broncos by 50 points, Mike McDaniel’s club lost another game at Buffalo and fell by 28 points. Do the Dolphins need to get off to a fast start to erase last week’s setback? There’s certainly an opportunity here with the reeling Giants, who have not scored a first-half touchdown and have been outscored by a combined 77-9 score during its 1-3 start.
Dolphins Player to Watch
Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has played in all four games this season and made a pair of starts. He’s totaled three of the team’s 10 sacks and leads the Dolphins with six quarterback hits. He has one of the club’s three opponent fumble recoveries. He figures to make life miserable for Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones, who has been sacked 22 times, thrown six interceptions,d and lost one of his four fumbles.