Who’s the Boss
This weekend the Dolphins take a short trip up to road to play the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1pm. The Dolphins will be looking to get back above .500 for the first time since their opening game win against the Patriots. The Dolphins are a sizable road team favorite, with the best sportsbooks in the world putting the Dolphins at -6. Can the Dolphins come into Jacksonville and show the Jaguars who’s the boss?
It the Dolphins want to have any chance of making the playoffs, then the Dolphins must win this game. If they lose they are not out of the playoff hunt, but it would be fair to say they would not deserve to be in the hunt. The Jaguars are a mess, they rank 30th overall in rushing at an average of 86 yards per game, they rank 27th in passing yards with 210.6 yards per game, they rank 30th in opposing passing yards at 280.1 per game and 15th overall in opposing rushing yards per game at 110.3 yards. Simply put, if the Dolphins they play up to their potential should be able to score over 30 points against the Jaguars, while at the same time holding the Jaguars to single digits.
The Jaguars will be led by rookie QB Blake Bortles, who has basically played like a rookie, already throwing 6 interceptions and losing 2 fumbles. The Dolphins defense on paper should have a field day against Brotles. Between the Dolphins’ relentless pass rush, and their very good secondary they should be able to stymie Brotles and the Jaguar offense all day.
Offensively, Lazor needs to have a similar game plan as he did last week in Chicago. Let Tannehill stick to the short to medium passes, and let him have a few chances to run the ball. The Dolphins should have no problem racking up the yardage against a weak Jaguars defense, but the key will be to not leave points on the field. They need to improve in the red-zone, and Sturgis needs to start connecting on his field goals.
No game in the NFL is easy, and on any given Sunday any team can win. The Dolphins must not think that this game will be handed to them. The Dolphins will need to earn this victory just like any other game. The Dolphins need to come out early and lay the hammer, and never let the Jaguars think they have a chance to win.
I think that any mention of playoffs is very premature. We have a schedule that makes being over .500 seem like an accomplishment. The importance of the Jaguars game is improvement in all three phases of the game. These Dolphins like to experience a letdown against teams they are projected to beat.