Dolphins Vs. Jaguars 2014: Fins Face Suddenly Steaming Jags
By Abraham Gutierrez
With a very challenging second-half schedule in the horizon, the Miami Dolphins hope to go into EverBank Field and avoid having a letdown game against a Jacksonville Jaguars team with a little bit of steam behind them. The Jags are coming off their first win of the season, thanks in part to a mammoth effort from running back Denard Robinson.
The former Michigan quarterback is coming off his best performance as an NFL pro, rushing for 127 yards on 22 carries and a score. More importantly, the win marked the Jaguars first trip into the win column since defeating the Houston Texans in December of last year.
"The last time I carried the ball 20 times I was in college," Robinson said after the game. "It's a great feeling. We knew it was coming. We've just got to stack them and up and get back to work."
It’s no secret that with Miami coming to town, Jax head coach Gus Bradley is sure to employ a similar strategy to try and wear down the Dolphins defense. Nevertheless, that will be easier said than done against a defense that ranks fourth in total and passing yards allowed, and a cool 10th place at defending the run.
"You build your game plan off the run," added Jags defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks about the defensive effort in the 24-6 win over the Browns. "If you can run the ball, you can impose your will on them and do almost anything you want to. So that's big for us to go out and stop them, knowing they're a running team."
For the Dolphins, this team is back to .500 despite the fact that they’ve failed to find consistency on the offensive side of the football. However, as most experts would agree, whenever Ryan Tannehill plays the way he’s played over the last game and a half, the Fins are very tough to beat.
In the past six quarters, Tannehill has managed to break into the franchise’s record books, but not the way most people would expect. Making a strong case for the nickname “Runnehill”, the former Texas A&M standout now sits in second place in Miami’s 10 longest Dolphins runs on fourth down since 1991.
The record-setting play came during the third quarter on a fourth-and-one play, when he sprinted down the field for a 30-yard gain. The only other Dolphin player to register more yards under those circumstances since 1991 was running back Larry Izzo, who busted out with a 39-yard first down against the Green Bay Packers in 2000.
"We were making plays on offense. I think the guys were getting open, and we were able to hit them," Tannehill said following Miami’s 27-14 win in which he also threw for 277 yards and a pair of touchdowns. "That's the name of the game is to have protection, the guys get open and me make the throw. We were able to put it together today as an offense."
With momentum on their side and back in the AFC East race, can the Miami Dolphins avoid a huge letdown when they make the trip up north to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8 of the 2014 NFL season?
“They beat a good Cleveland team, 24-6,” Philbin said of the Jaguars’ only win, achieved Sunday. “They are averaging giving up in their last three games 13 points a game on defense. [Quarterback] Blake Bortles, I remember watching the first preseason game that he played, and I thought, ‘Wow.’”
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Abe Gutierrez is a criminal justice admin whose love for sports led him to become a writer and editor. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com and its partners. His work can be found on Examiner.com. .