Who has the edge? Dolphins (8-7) at Titans (10-5), with major playoff implications

Here’s a look astatine however the Miami Dolphins (8-7) and Tennessee Titans (10-5) lucifer up successful six cardinal areas up of Sunday’s Week 17 crippled astatine Nissan Stadium (1 p.m., CBS):

When the Dolphins run: The latest improvement successful the Dolphins’ backfield merry-go-round is simply a timeshare of snaps divided astir evenly betwixt Duke Johnson, Myles Gaskin and Phillip Lindsay. While they were successful the game, Johnson and Lindsay saw the astir carries, with each getting 13 against the New Orleans Saints past Monday night. It led to Miami finishing nether 3 yards per carry, astatine 2.9.

The Titans are a tally defence of akin caliber, ranking 2nd successful the NFL astatine 86.7 rushing yards surrendered per game. They’ve lone allowed 1 hostile to surpass 100 yards rushing successful their past 9 games. Tennessee has Pro Bowl information Kevin Byard pb the squad successful tackles (79). Inside linebacker David Long (66 tackles) could instrumentality for his archetypal crippled since Nov. 7 against the Rams, and up beforehand successful the Titans’ 3-4 strategy is 1 of the game’s champion successful Jeffery Simmons.

It volition beryllium pugnacious to manufacture rushing yards against the Titans, but Johnson and Lindsay volition look to crushed retired that pugnacious yardage. The tally crippled volition beryllium critical, adjacent if not getting much, successful providing backmost Tua Tagovailoa the equilibrium successful the run-pass-option discourtesy and not putting excessively overmuch connected his shoulders. Edge: Titans

When the Titans run: The Dolphins whitethorn conscionable beryllium missing Derrick Henry’s comeback from a ft injury. Reports bespeak helium whitethorn instrumentality for the regular-season finale to shed rust earlier the postseason. Even portion the bulldozing 2,000-yard rusher is out, Miami inactive has a ton of respect for Tennessee’s carnal nature.

Without Heny, the Titans’ 3 backs splitting clip are D’Onta Foreman, Jeremy McNichols and Dontrell Hilliard. Each has had his moments, but nary are overly impressive. Three-time Pro Bowl near tackle Taylor Lewan should instrumentality from backmost and COVID issues connected an violative enactment that inactive likes to tally artifact and is 4th successful the NFL successful rushing, playing the archetypal fractional of the play with Henry successful the lineup.

Miami, connected its seven-game winning streak has the league’s fourth-best tally defence successful that span. Duke Riley returns disconnected the COVID database to springiness the Dolphins much versatility successful the linebacker rotation with Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts and borderline rushers Jaelan Phillips and Andrew Van Ginkel. The Dolphins keyed successful connected stopping the tally good against Alvin Kamara and the Saints past clip out. Edge: Dolphins

When the Dolphins pass: Tagovailoa is coming disconnected a 19-of-26 show wherever the completion complaint could’ve been adjacent higher against a pugnacious Saints defence if helium didn’t miss a fewer throws. Although helium deed Jaylen Waddle for 10 receptions, determination was a glaring accidental that helium missed, going up apical to Mack Hollins alternatively for an interception.

Opponents are capable to propulsion connected the Titans arsenic Tennessee has the league’s 26th-ranked walk defense. Tagovailoa said he’ll apt effort to enactment distant from Byard, who leads the squad with 5 interceptions. Cornerback Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins besides got his archetypal prime of the play past week against the 49ers. Between Harold Landry (11), Denico Autry (8) and Simmons (7 1/2), Tennessee besides brings a fierce walk unreserved with 37 sacks connected the year.

Expect the Dolphins to erstwhile again beryllium blimpish successful the passing crippled with quick, abbreviated throws and a batch of enactment for Waddle. They’ll unfastened it up occasionally, but Miami volition chiefly look to debar turnovers, get what’s disposable and support its defence retired of pugnacious spots, particularly with Tagovailoa throwing down this fishy violative line. Edge: Titans

When the Titans pass: Finally, heavy into the 3rd play since the breakup, we yet person the archetypal matchup of Ryan Tannehill against the Dolphins. His vocation began to instrumentality disconnected since leaving Miami for Tennessee erstwhile helium took implicit for Marcus Mariota successful that 2019 season, but overmuch of his occurrence has travel disconnected having Henry’s menace successful the backfield. Since Henry went down midseason, Tannehill has 5 passing touchdowns to 7 interceptions, completing 68 percent of passes for 1,325 yards successful 7 games.

Tannehill volition beryllium the champion backmost the Dolphins person faced since Lamar Jackson connected Nov. 11. Miami volition travel aft him successful waves with Emmanuel Ogbah, Phillips, Van Ginkel, Baker, Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler arsenic the Dolphins person catapulted themselves to tops successful the NFL with 45 sacks. Lewan volition beryllium back, truthful that shores up Tannehill’s unsighted side.

Physical possession receiver A.J. Brown volition person to beryllium accounted for arsenic erstwhile All-Pro Julio Jones is connected the COVID database aboriginal successful the week but could instrumentality earlier the game. Dolphins manager Brian Flores often allows cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Byron Jones to antheral up connected their receivers to let for other blitzers, adjacent from the information position. Brown whitethorn beryllium worthy of other attention. It volition beryllium an intriguing matchup. Edge: Dolphins

Special teams: Yes, Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders had different miss against the Saints, but it was from a career-long region of 59 yards astatine the extremity of the fractional aft Miami allowed a atrocious situational sack that enactment them retired of makeable field-goal range. Titans kicker Randy Bullock is 24 of 28 connected the twelvemonth with 3 extra-point misses.

Dolphins punter Michael Palardy continues to beryllium a positive the 2nd fractional of this season, and Hollins, a gunner, beautifully downed a fourth-quarter punt precisely astatine the 1-yard enactment disconnected a Palardy footwear successful that game. The 2 person connected connected rather a fewer of those. Miami seemed to similar Tommylee Lewis the past mates of games connected returns, but helium was injured against New Orleans. Edge: Even

Intangibles: There is simply a four-day quality successful remainder and mentation up of this crippled with the Titans playing connected Thursday nighttime past week and Dolphins playing connected Monday night. It besides could beryllium the coldest temperatures the Dolphins play successful each play successful a favorable docket successful that regard. Any revenge origin would mean much to Tannehill than immoderate 1 of a clump of young Dolphins that weren’t adjacent successful Miami erstwhile helium past played with the organization. Edge: Titans

PREDICTION: Dolphins 20, Titans 16