The 5 Miami Dolphins players that will decide tonight's victory over the Patriots or cause them to lose
By Brian Miller
Xavien Howard continues to take steps backward and last week the Miami Dolphins star cornerback nearly cost the team the game with three penalties.
Howard won't face a stable of great wide receivers but the Dolphins have a tendency to make average WRs look better than they actually are. Howard needs to get his game going and out of his head. It's time he becomes the Pro Bowl CB that he hasn't been in two seasons.
Miami needs to create turnovers, they didn't do that last week and it will start with getting interceptions. That is Howard's game. Mac Jones can be erratic and with the receivers he has, he tends to force throws that he hopes the WR will compete for.
The Patriots will roll out JuJu Smith-Schuster and maybe DeVante Parker who is listed as questionable. Aside from those two, Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas are the top threats with youngsters Kayshon Boutte and Matt Slater behind them.
Howard should have no problems defending the Patriots WRs and if he struggles against this unit, Miami truly needs to start to worry about their secondary.