Ravens Face Miami Dolphins On Short Week
By Samuel Njoku
The Ravens had a rather entertaining game against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night. After the impressive victory, they quickly turn their attention toward the Miami Dolphins as they attempt to pick up their third straight victory.
Season Record
Similar to Baltimore, the Miami Dolphins are currently 4-7 and appear to be on the outside looking in as it pertains to the AFC East. They've picked up quality wins against the Redskins, Eagles and Texans, but have struggled with consistency especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Dolphins on Offense
Due to their lack of consistency and balance, the Dolphins fired their offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. Interim head coach Dan Campbell is looking for a more balanced offense that relies more on the running game. That may not be the best course of action in the upcoming game against Baltimore. If there is one thing the Ravens do well, it's stopping the run. Of course, the Dolphins will need to make sure Baltimore respects the run game. Expect Jay Ajayi and Lamar Miller to see the ball early as Coach Campbell has been open about his desire to do just that.
If the Dolphins want to win on Sunday, they'll need to get a much better performance out of Ryan Tannehill. Miami's QB has talent at wide receiver with Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry. Baltimore has struggled this season against above average wideouts, so expect Miami to lean on those two heavily throughout the contest.
Dolphins on Defense
The Dolphins may lack balance on offense, but they're simply putrid on the defensive side of the ball. Miami ranks dead last against the run and with Joe Flacco out for the season, Baltimore will be more than willing to take advantage. Expect to see a heavy dose of Buck Allen and Terrance West in Miami. If the Ravens play this right, Schaub may not throw the ball more than 20 times in this one. Miami's lack of run defense is a bit surprising considering they have the services of Ndamukong Suh.
If the Ravens do indeed need to throw the football, they won't have much of a pass defense to worry about. Kamar Aiken has been the go-to receiver since Steve Smith was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Expect his strong play to continue on Sunday.
Dolphins Players to Watch
WR Jarvis Landry has the ability to make defenses look silly if they don't play close attention to him. He had 13 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets. Whatever their gameplan was against the speedy receiver, Baltimore would be wise not to follow.
Has Ndamukong Suh been the same stellar player he was in the past? Not exactly. He only had 4 tackles against the Jets last week and 4 sacks total so far this season. But he still has the ability to make any offensive coordinator cringe. It would be in Baltimore's best interest to keep two men on him at all times.
Outlook
The Ravens have fought hard the entire season. Even with injuries having decimated their roster, Baltimore plans to hang around for a few more weeks. Miami is going through internal turmoil with players calling out teammates and firing of coordinators. Sometimes, that type of chaos can lead to success on the football field, but that probably won't be the case this week.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.