Miami Dolphins fans have waited a long time for football to return, and while they have to wait an extra three hours for the 4:25 EST start, the excitement is building.
The Dolphins will play the Raiders on Sunday to open their season. There are questions that will soon be answered, but for the fans, they only want to know if they will end the day with a victory.
In our first prediction of the season, we think they will do exactly that.
Why the Miami Dolphins will win and why they could lose their first game
Why they will win
The Dolphins have a team that matches up well against the Raiders on both sides of the ball. Despite the team's youth, they have solid leaders in place who will correct issues on the fly.
The offense may not be as run-heavy as fans expect. The Raiders will stack the box and force the Dolphins to beat them through the air. That may not be a problem. The Raiders' secondary isn't very good, and rookie receivers have shown the ability to find gaps in the coverage.
De'Von Achane will play a big role in the game, either with his legs running the ball or his ability to catch and make defenders miss, but will also serve as a decoy the Raiders have to account for.
The offensive line needs to open lanes and protect Malik Willis in the pocket, but he is versatile and has an awareness of what is going on around him. His ability to move around the pocket will help extend plays, and he himself can make them when he breaks containment.
Defensively, Miami's front seven will be tasked with stopping Ashton Jeanty. The edge rushers have to maintain their discipline on the outside and create pressure on Kirk Cousins. The Raiders' QB can get rattled in the pocket, and when that happens, he starts to make mistakes with the ball.
Miami's secondary isn't great, but against the Raiders' receivers, they shouldn't have a problem, as Tre Tucker is their only true threat, and he is average. The real challenge will be stopping Mike Mayer, who will fill in for the injured Brock Bowers.
Expect the Dolphins to use rookie Chris Johnson as a disguised coverage nickelback. He will shadow the TE, but could also double outside. His ability to support the run will be important.
The linebackers will be the key. They have to keep Jeanty in front of them and apply pressure when called upon to. Miami will start as many as five rookies on Sunday, including "green-dot" linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who will call the defense.
Overall, the Dolphins should win, but it will be close.
Why the Dolphins could lose
Miami can't afford to get into a shootout, and if that happens, it will be a long day. For everything we just mentioned regarding the match-up being good for Miami, that youth and inexperience can't be summarily dismissed. The Dolphins have to play smart football, and more importantly, they can't dwell on mistakes.
The Dolphins are going to make mistakes; the question is how quickly they will recover from them and whether those mistakes will cost them points.
Clearly, the biggest issue will be stopping Jeanty, and if they can't do that, it will cost them. Despite the Raiders' WRs, Miami's secondary is still a huge question mark. Everything will go together. Pressure on Cousins will help the secondary; taking Jeanty out will force them into throws they don't want to make.
Offensively, if the Dolphins offensive line can't handle the Raiders' edge rush, that means Maxx Crosby and Willis will be in for a long day. The Raiders' defensive front is good, but it can be handled by this offensive line, provided they are not making pre-snap penalties. If this happens consistently, the Dolphins will be playing long ball, and that will favor Las Vegas.
Score prediction - Dolphins 27 - Raiders 23
Add us as a preferred source on Google