The Miami Dolphins (6-3) host the Cleveland Browns (3-5) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium; here are some things to watch for:
Dolphins LT Terron Armstead vs. Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett
This a key matchup that could go a long way toward deciding whether the Dolphins’ passing game operates efficiently. Garrett, whose 7.5 sacks are sixth in the league, is an All Pro with established credentials. He’s a one-man gang. Armstead has successfully thwarted a couple of young upstarts recently between Pittsburgh’s Alex Highsmith and Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson.
The Browns have 19 sacks, which is tied for 17th in the league. By comparison, the Dolphins have 17 sacks so Cleveland isn’t a big threat on paper. But Garrett is disruptive enough to cause major problems across the offensive front if Armstead can’t keep him under control. And don’t forget Cleveland also has edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney on the other side, which is someone for right tackle Brandon Shell to worry about handling.
Dolphins run defense vs. Browns Nick Chubb
Cleveland’s Chubb, the cousin of Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb, is second in the NFL with 841 yards rushing. But the Dolphins have now dipped to 15th in run defense (117.4 yards allowed per game). Nick Chubb averages 3.0 yards per carry before contact, which is 14th in the league, and 2.6 yards per carry after contact, which is seventh in the league. Chubb’s 17 broken tackles rank third behind Houston’s Dameon Pierce (22) and Tennessee’s Derrick Henry (20).
But even if the Dolphins don’t stop Chubb it might not be the worst thing. Interestingly, the Dolphins have allowed two players more than 100 yards rushing — Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson (119) and Chicago quarterback Justin Fields (178) — and won both games. The Dolphins have allowed four teams more than 100 yards rushing — Buffalo, Baltimore, the New York Jets, and Chicago — and they’ve gone 3-1 in those games. Still, it would make things easier if the Dolphins stop the Browns’ ground game.
Bradley Chubb and Jeff Wilson contributions
These two trade deadline acquisitions are expected to play big roles for the team during the second half of the season (and possibly beyond). Chubb, an edge rusher, had a good performance last Sunday vs. the Bears, according to coach Mike McDaniel, but he didn’t have any sacks and only had one tackle in his Dolphins debut. He’ll look to be more effective this Sunday. The Dolphins will play Chubb on both sides on the defensive line as both Chubb and the team get more familiar with each other.
If the Dolphins can minimize running back Nick Chubb’s effectiveness it clears the way to put the game on the right arm of quarterback Jacoby Brissett, the former Dwyer High standout and Dolphins quarterback, and that caters to Bradley Chubb and the pass rush. As for Wilson Jr., his physical presence and receiving ability both surfaced vs. the Bears during a 28-yard run and a 10-yard receiving touchdown. Wilson totaled 72 yards from scrimmage in 12 touches (nine rushes for 51 yards, three receptions for 21 yards) and made at least one key block.
QB Tua Tagovailoa’s good decision-making
In the past two weeks Tagovailoa has had six touchdowns and no interceptions, and he’s made wise decisions about getting rid of the ball, sliding and running out of bounds. Of course, he also hasn’t been under pressure. He’s been sacked twice and hit twice during that time. We’ll see if that changes when/if Garrett applies pressure.
But there’s no denying Tagovailoa has shown improvement recently in critical areas. Since the Pittsburgh game, when he had three or four potential interceptions, he’s been solid with his throws and decisions. That’s one reason why he leads the league in passer rating (115.9).
Attention to detail
The Dolphins need to keep the penalties and mental errors (blown coverages, missed blocking assignments, etc…) to a minimum, and get the plays in to Tagovailoa on time. If the Dolphins don’t do things to beat themselves, they should be OK. Yeah, they probably got away with a late-game pass interference against Chicago. But the combined 199 yards in penalties in losses against the Jets and Minnesota Vikings were costly.
The blown coverages and missed blocking assignments that plagued the Dolphins early in the season have been minimized but still pop up from time to time. Getting the plays to the quarterback quickly is partly the product of a rookie head coach who is calling plays for the first time. All of these things have conspired to work against the Dolphins and, in some cases, have led to negative plays or an increased degree of difficulty executing plays. Eliminate these things and victories are easier to obtain.
