Can pride fuel the Dolphins players and make this a game?
Pride must fill the hearts of the Dolphins players in order for this to be a game.
The Miami Dolphins will have a chance to play for pride as they host the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend at 1pm in Miami, and these two teams could not be going in more opposite directions. The Dolphins are 1-4 and are a mess on both Offense and Defense, and the Steelers are 4-1, have one of their healthiest teams in years, and are playing like a true Super Bowl Contender.
But, the Dolphins must have pride and will themselves to rise to the occasion.
The best pay per head software sites in the world surprisingly opened this game up at -7 for the Steelers. That line feels very generous considering the Steelers have looked dominant in all of their games except for their lone loss against the Eagles. Even more surprising is that the line has stayed at -7 for much of the week, and is currently still at -7 as of Saturday morning. What is not surprising is the fact that all of the action is pouring in on the Steelers and nearly at a 10-1 clip. What’s ironic is that usually when a game is wagered so heavily one-sided by the public, then the other side usually covers.
In this case it would be both ironic and miraculous, because if the Dolphins are going to make this a game, they are going to have to play a near perfect game and definitely win the turnover battle.
I would like to see Gase open up the play book this game. So far this offense seems extremely plain and vanilla, and it’s time to get a little creative for more than a single drive per game. Also, since defenses are getting so much pressure on Tannehill, why not use more running back and wide receiver screens, and some draw plays? Everyone and their mother knows that Tannehill plays better when he is asked to roll out of the pocket, so why not call some more plays to get him out of the pocket. Gase needs to utilize Tannehill’s legs and let him run the ball as well, since he has always excelled at this, why not use it? Why should we be afraid of Tannehill getting hurt if he runs the ball, since he is already standing in the pocket like a punching bag now as it is?
Pride can make even inferior teams rise to the occasion.
Miami’s Defense is going to have our hands full. Ben Roethlisberger is an elite QB and is very difficult to wrap up, because he is just as big as our Defensive Lineman. Roethlisberger and his go to receiver Antonio Brown should have a field day in Miami, and frankly there is likely not much Miami can do it about it. We don’t have a CB that is good enough to successfully cover Brown for an entire game — we are lucky if we have one that can cover him for a drive.
Lastly, and probably even more dangerous, is that the Steelers have a terrific one-two punch in the running game with DeAngelo Williams and Le’Veon Bell. They are the perfect complement for each other with one being a physical downhill runner in Williams, and the other being a shifty and speedy runner in Bell. The Defense is going to have to play out of their minds to have any chance to stop these two backs for an entire 60 minutes. Has any of you Miami Dolphins News fans done enough drugs to think Miami has any chance to win this game? I for one will be drinking.