Dolphins' defense helping its offense in a big way as the final stretch begins
The Miami Dolphins have certainly been dealing with injuries this season, perhaps more than any other team in the NFL. It's been particularly crippling on the offensive side of the ball. On the offensive line, every opening day starter has dealt with injury with four of the five missing multiple games. Speedster De'Von Achane has […]
The Miami Dolphins have certainly been dealing with injuries this season, perhaps more than any other team in the NFL. It's been particularly crippling on the offensive side of the ball. On the offensive line, every opening day starter has dealt with injury with four of the five missing multiple games. Speedster De'Von Achane has been on the injured reserve list, and Tyreek Hill is fighting through an ankle injury.
As such, Miami has had to find ways to keep its offense productive and putting points on the board despite the litany of injuries. Recently, they've managed to do it in large degree to their own teammates in other areas of the team.
Over the last two weeks, the Dolphins have managed to put their offense on a short field multiple times each game through key turnovers.
Setting up short fields the last two weeks
Against the Titans in the fourth quarter with the game knotted at 13, Elijah Campbell fell on a muffed punt by Eric Garror. On the next drive, Bradley Chubb recovered a fumble when a Will Levis pitch to Derrick Henry was mishandled. The Miami offense was set up in the red zone on both occasions, and on both occasions they punched it in for touchdowns.
Against the Jets, Chubb and Christian Wilkins crushed Zach Wilson and forced a fumble that set the Dolphins up at the Jets' 1-yard line. Three plays later, Raheem Mostert took the ball in for his franchise record-setting nineteenth touchdown on the season. The punt return unit was also prepared for a fake and snuffed it out immediately, giving the Dolphins the ball back around the Jets 40. Miami would turn that into a field goal.
Building momentum at the right time
Any way you can find to win, that's how you do it. A lot of times offenses help defenses, and the other way around. Miami's defense has been playing at a high level for weeks – outside of the final 3 minutes against the Titans when they admittedly let their foot off the gas. Through fifteen weeks, the Dolphins are second in the NFL in sacks per passing play at 10.8%.
And that's what it's going to take to get through the Dolphins' intense final three games of the season and hold onto the division lead. Miami's offense will get another gear with Hill back on the field, but it's still likely going to take some impact plays on defense and special teams to beat teams with far better offenses than what the Dolphins have seen the last two weeks.
Fortunately, Miami's defense and special teams appear to be up to that challenge.
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