The Dolphins Play Football Vs. the Rams This Coming Sunday

I understand that the last few weeks have been, particular, boring being a Miami Dolphins fan. The team is 3-3, coming off two beat downs of the 49ers and Jets, and had to take an early bye due to Covid-19. Bye weeks are tough because you want to see your team play, especially when they’re on a roll. It makes it even worse when your team goes dormant during that stretch. It would have been nice if the Dolphins made any moves concerning the trade deadline or made some roster moves. Oh well, I guess.

Since the Dolphins have gone under a rock for the last two weeks, you might not have heard that they play a football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. You probably didn’t see anybody on any of the networks talk about it, so I understand if it snuck up on you. You probably, definitely, haven’t heard about how the Rams have the potential, greatest defensive tackle of all time, Aaron Donald, on their team. He’s been wreaking havoc this year. Donald is second in the league with 8 sacks and easily leads the league in the amount of 300LB men thrown into next year. He’s going be a problem for the Dolphin’s offense.

The Rams’ offense is also nothing to sleep on, not that you’d want to because of the obvious uncomfortableness. We all watched them annihilate the Bears on Monday night and saw them routinely, but the Bear’s defenders’ brains in a blender. What the Rams did to the Bears is what they do to everybody; they motion everyone all over the place and run a cringe-worthy amount of play-action. Play-action is nice because it usually means you’ll have someone wide open if you’re running the ball efficiently. The Rams don’t just run play-action. They celebrate like it’s a mixture of the 4th of July and Christmas wrapped into one super holiday. They do this because Jared Goff is not a drop back passer. For Goff and the Rams to be successful, they need theatricality and deception to be their ally(I’m actually listening to Bane’s theme as I type, no lie). That’s fine. They went to a super bowl a few year ago living on it and are making a decent case that they might do it again. Here’s their team stats along with where they rank.

Alright, I know what you’re saying. “Sern, just get to the big news that came from the Miami Dolphins. I get you’re trying to be funny with not mentioning yet, but this has gone on long enough.” You’re right, I’m just trying to have fun by not mentioning the news you’re all aware about and can’t stop talking about. Here it is...

This is quite the development. Jamal Perry will not be playing on Sunday. Mr. Schad brings up some good points on what the Dolphins might do to remedy this crucial loss. Will it be more Brandon Jones, Byron Jones, to a different spot, or will we see more Iggy out there? Not sure. Maybe it will be a secret option #4, which would be Nik Needham.

With the earthshattering news of Jamal Perry out for Sunday, the injury report was kind to the Dolphins pretty much everywhere else. DeVante Parker was a full go during Friday’s practice meaning the Dolphins will be at full strength come Sunday. That’s good. They’ll need an all hands on deck approach if they’re serious about beating a Rams team that looks like they want to kick all the asses.

If Miami is serious about upsetting the Rams at home, who are -3.5, the running game will have to do their part and probably more. I thought the running game looked the best they had against the Jets two weeks ago. Granted, it was against the Jets, but for now, we’ll still consider them an NFL football team. Gaskin is going to need the same vision he had against New York on Sunday vs. the Rams. I would love to tell you that Breida is due for a breakout performance, but it just doesn’t seem that Flores, Gailey, and the rest of the staff believe too much in him. Sucks, but that’s the way it is.

The unit that’s has the tallest task is the offensive line. Jesse Davis, Ereck Flowers, Ted Karras, Solomon Kindley, and Robert Hunt have done well the past two weeks. But I don’t think I’m mixing words here, but this week’s opponent poses the toughest threat this current edition of the Dolphin’s offensive line has faced. Here are some numbers on the Rams’ defense. They rank second in points allowed, 7th against the run, 5th against the pass and are 4th in amount of sacks a game. In Tom Lehmans terms, their defense is really good. Maybe the Dolphin’s go off script and go no-huddle. Perhaps they run 1-2 trick plays to keep the Rams on their toes. Either way, the Dolphins, in my esteemed opinion, need to do something a bit unexpected to keep the Rams’ defense off balance. Make them expect the unexpected every play.

I’d be remiss in my duty as a Dolphin’s blogger if I didn’t mention this guy’s name as possible being the most important player in the game. Of course I’m talking about the reigning, defending, undisputed AFC special teams player of the month Mr. Perfect himself, Jason Sanders. He’s going to be relied upon and I like his chances. He is Mr. Perfect after all.

Prediction

This game comes down to whether the Dolphin’s offensive line can block the vaunted Rams’ defensive line and if Miami’s defense can be disciplined enough to keep their eyes from going to where they shouldn’t be going thus allowing play-action giving the Rams mega chunk plays. I hope the Dolphins watched what the 49ers did to the Rams a few weeks ago when they smothered them. They got to Goff, making him very ordinary, which he is, and didn’t let Malcolm Brown or Darrell Henderson get started. I hope this isn’t the Cam Akers game where he breaks out. That would not be very pleasant. Don’t get sucked in too much, set the edge, and keep all the receivers in front of you. That’s what needs to happen for Miami to compete.

Offensively, the Dolphins need to win the field position game. Like, they really need to. Punting isn’t a terrible option as long as it’s not from their own 27 all the time. The Rams will feast on short fields. Run the ball, control the clock and use your play-action to keep Jalen Ramsey and the rest of the Rams’ secondary at bay.

All that being said, I think the Dolphins cover but fall short of winning the game. Too much of what I just said occurs, and the Dolphins offense has moments but nothing sustainable. I know, y’all hate that I’m saying this. Trust me, I hate saying it too. I think the Dolphins, though having two weeks to prepare, are running into a buzz saw right now. The Rams look to be going on a run, and Miami is in their way.

Dolphins 23 Rams 26

You know, all of what I just wrote might go up in smoke because this guy decides that he’s tired about hearing about other rookie quarterbacks getting all this publicity, though they can’t win, every time you try and consume football talk.

SAVE US T U A!!!!

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