Omar Kelly: Here’s what Dolphins have to do to defeat Titans

Five things the Miami Dolphins (8-7) request to bash to support their propulsion for a playoff spot going, and bushed the Tennessee Titans (10-5) connected the roadworthy successful Week 17:

Rattle Titans QB Ryan Tannehill’s cage

History shows that Tannehill has the worst pouch beingness of immoderate starting backmost successful the NFL. He’s been sacked 45 times this season, which is the second-highest sack full successful the league. The Dolphins, who pb the NFL with 45 sacks heading into Sunday’s game, request to find a mode to use changeless pressure, rushing Tannehill done his progressions and making him propulsion the shot sooner than he’d like. Miami’s amoeba blitzes apt won’t impact Tannehill similar it has different starting quarterbacks due to the fact that he’s typically been bully astatine uncovering and hitting his blistery way receiver. That means Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaelan Phillip and Andrew Van Ginkel volition request to beryllium astatine their champion erstwhile it comes to beating one-on-one blockers.

Lock down Tennessee WR A.J. Brown

Brown, who is 240 yards shy of delivering his 3rd 1,000-yard receiving play successful his 3 years successful the league contempt missing 4 games successful 2021 owed to an wounded helium precocious came backmost from, is 1 of the NFL’s aboriginal superstars. There’s thing Brown’s crippled is missing considering he’s a crisp way runner with large hands, has velocity to make separation, and the size needed to bring down pugnacious catches. Expect Tennessee to determination him astir to make favorable matchups, perchance freeing him from Xavien Howard shadowing him. Howard, who was selected to his 3rd Pro Bowl this year, has typically followed the opponent’s champion receiver everyplace connected the tract but wrong to the slot.

Win the turnover battle

The Dolphins defence is astatine its champion erstwhile the antiaircraft beforehand is forcing quarterbacks to propulsion rapidly and Miami’s secondary is hawking down off-the-mark passes. Howard and Byron Jones person a pugnacious duty defending Brown, and perchance Julio Jones one-on-one. That’s wherefore information assistance from Jevon Holland and Eric Rowe volition beryllium captious to the unit’s occurrence connected Sunday. The Titans receivers person a size and physicality that Miami’s secondary hasn’t faced overmuch this season.

Limit Tennessee to less than 100 yards rushing

The Titans nary longer person Derrick Henry steamrolling opposing defenses due to the fact that he’s connected injured reserve until the postseason owed to a ft wounded helium suffered connected Halloween. But Tennessee is averaging 128.7 rushing yards per game, and person scored 14 rushing touchdowns without Henry. The Dolphins person drastically improved their tally defence since Raekwon Davis returned from a genu injury. Miami’s allowing 102.3 rushing yards per crippled and 4.3 yards per attempt. The Dolphins can’t conscionable absorption connected D’Onta Foreman and Jeremy McNichols due to the fact that Tannehill is averaging 5.4 rushing yards connected 49 carries and has scored 7 rushing touchdowns this season.

Rushing onslaught indispensable equilibrium retired offense

Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay were incapable to support Miami’s rushing onslaught productive against the Saints, and Miami averaged 2.9 yards per transportation connected 30 attempts. But that doesn’t mean Miami tin wantonness the run, oregon should alteration the tailback extent illustration due to the fact that those 2 person the astir upside for this offense, particularly if the outside-zone runs commencement working. The Titans are allowing 111.4 rushing yards per crippled and 4.0 yards per carry. The Dolphins person been averaging 30 carries per crippled since their seven-game triumph streak started.

Provide Tua Tagovailoa a cleanable pocket

Tagovailoa has made magic hap playing down a unspeakable violative enactment each play due to the fact that of his stellar pouch presence, and knack for getting the shot retired his hands quickly. Despite facing changeless pressure, Tagovailoa has lone been sacked 15 times this play successful 328 attempts. That means he’s sacked erstwhile each 21.8 attempts. The Titans person a forceful antiaircraft line, which is anchored by Pro Bowl antiaircraft tackle Jeffery Simmons, who has logged 51 tackles and a career-high 7.5 sacks this season. Dolphins starting close defender Robert Hunt volition person his hands afloat keeping Simmons blocked and retired Miami’s backfield.