The 3 keys to a Miami Dolphins victory over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders
By Matt Serniak
The Miami Dolphins need to spread the ball around.
I feel like this is a sneaky key that has been getting said louder and louder over the last few weeks. I like to think I was on the front line of this observation since I've been calling for it for over a month.
Anyway, the Miami Dolphins need to get the ball to more than two guys on offense, especially in the passing game.
With the expectation that De'Von Ahane will be making his return on Sunday after being on the IR for a month, you would think that we see something around a 60/40 split in carries between him and Raheem Mostert. I know McDaniel loves easing guys in and will go out of his way at times to hide a guy an extra week if he thinks he can get away with it. I appreciate that but if Achane is good to go then he's good to run the ball at the rate he was running it before his injury.
But the passing game is really where we need more variance of guys getting the ball thrown to them. This isn't to say that the offense can't still run through Tyreek Hill and a little bit through Jaylen Waddle. It always will. But guys like Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, if he is playing, Chase Claypool, and Durham Smythe, need to be involved.
Even getting back to checking it down to Mostert and Achane needs to be in the consistent repertoire for Tua and the offense. Getting the ball to the backs through the air was something that was happening in the first month of the season. McDaniel needs to emphasize that a bit more.
I firmly believe the defense has surpassed the offense at this point in the season. Nothing wrong with that. It's only natural that the offense would come back to Earth a bit and that the defense, which is loaded with talent and has Fangio at the controls, would find their groove. This means that the pendulum, towards the end of the regular season heading into the postseason, may swing back to the offense.
For that to happen, the offense needs to evolve and I think spreading the ball to more players more frequently thus keeping the defense guessing more is how it can make that evolutionary step forward.